For the second semester of RCL, I have decided to change my passion blog topic from Philadelphia sports to a review of some podcasts that I listen to. I am certainly a podcast fanatic and have gotten super into them within the last couple of years, so much so that I probably listen to them more than music.
It seems fitting that I start off this sequence of blogs with the first series that got me hooked into the world of podcasts: Crime Junkie. Crime Junkie is an “Audiochuck” production, hosted by Ashley Flowers, with some commentary given by her lifelong friend, Brit. They post an episode that is around one hour long every Monday morning and typically focus on crime cases that are unknown and unsolved. With their massive following, they have raised tons of awareness and funds to help progress DNA testing and get the cases closer to being solved.
I have always been captivated by true crime, so this podcast immediately had my attention. When listening to the podcast, it is clear that a substantial amount of research has been done to give the audience an in-depth look at the case. They do a great job of citing their sources, as well as differentiating from information that is confirmed and speculated. Occasionally they will conduct interviews with people affected by the case, involved in the case, experts, etc.
Flowers does a great job of bringing attention to cases that received very little media coverage. Her and Brit appear to be making a real difference by reaching out to a larger audience that may have additional helpful information. Even in cases that have very little information present, her team does a great job of finding hidden information to give the case more context.
Another thing that I love about Crime Junkie is the conversational feel. The information is easy to digest, and when they use large legal terms, they will often clarify the meaning so you can better follow the story. Ashley Flowers is a great speaker and does a great job with inflection in her voice to keep listeners engaged. Though I love Brit and think that she is a great addition to the show, I find her comments to tacky at times. They seem a little bit planned so that they can provoke more surprising information from Flowers, rather than just a genuine reaction, but nonetheless the conversational tone is great.
One of the things that I am not fond of in the show – though certainly a personal preference – is the lack of conclusion at the end of cases. Many of these cases are ongoing or were never officially closed, so there is a lot left up to interpretation because so much is unknown. Personally, I like to hear the whole story, so not getting that sense of closure at the end of an episode can be really frustrating for me. This is part of their appeal though; they are looking to help the community by doing what they can to spread the word and see if there is any more information out there. They always include phone numbers, websites, etc. that listeners can contact to be of any assistance. Overall, this is one of my favorite podcasts, and I would recommend it to any true crime enthusiasts.
