I'm sure by now, most of you have either binge-listened or at least heard of the podcast phenomena that is Serial. Birthed from the wonderful nerdtopia radio series This American Life, Serial focuses on a single story, reexamining the details and the people involved, done with the intent of providing fresh new answers. Inevitably, it creates more questions and gives us all plenty to talk about. The first season -- free for download off iTunes or the Serial site -- was about a murder of a young high school girl named Hae Min Lee in 1999, in Baltimore, Maryland. Adnan Syed, her ex-boyfriend, was investigated based on a friend, Jay, who claimed Syed came to him to help bury Lee's body. Syed refutes Jay's account and says Jay's story is a total fabrication, he had nothing to do with her murder, and a confusing web of accounts over his whereabouts and motives are all explored in the 12-part podcast by host Sarah Koenig. That's the shortest way of describing what Serial is, without spoiling anything if you haven't yet listened. But this post isn't about the endless strings of conjecture, more about the phenomena of true crime obsession, and how this story is quietly changing the way we look at justice and starting real conversations.
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