The producers themselves don't know how their story ends: They approach the subject as intensely curious storytellers, not crusaders for the accused or the deceased.

A full review is impossible without revealing plot twists and turns that would spoil the pleasure of the show, so I won't offer one, except to say that its many sources are handled with a deftness you'd expect of This American Life. These are nuanced, frank, respectful interviews that allow everyone's voices and perspectives to come through, illuminating key aspects of the story and giving an uncommonly intimate look at a subculture rarely rendered with such verisimilitude. The pacing is fantastic, too: Every week I'm left wanting more.

Stepping back, however, I'm as excited about what will happen after this season of Serial ends, for the show's subject isn't always going to be murder, a theme with inherent drama, but one that is well-trod in fiction and nonfiction alike. This American Life's archive goes back to 1995. I've listened to every episode as the show grew into an increasingly polished purveyor of top-notch narrative nonfiction. One high point among many is The Giant Pool of Money, proof that a sophisticated explanation of the 2008 financial crisis could be conveyed to a mass audience, so long as a whole hour could be dedicated to the necessary storytelling. What narrative nonfiction feats will be possible in Serial's future, as Koenig is permitted the luxury of story arcs that can unfold over 10 or 20 installments? The space for ambition and potential for innovation is great.

In an era when many are enamored of the conceit that they can promise "everything you need to know" about a subject in one list or chart or interview, Serial is poised to show through podcasts what HBO demonstrates with its dramas: Some stories are too complicated for CliffsNotes and reward sustained attention. And unlike the next season of True Detective, you can enjoy Serial while you drive.

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If you're new to this format and want to give it a try, here are a few exceptional episodes of the podcasts mentioned above, though I could've easily chosen different batches.

This American Life

The Super

Harper High School (parts one and two)

Brooklyn Archipelago

Nummi

The Friendly Man

Is This Working?

RadioLab

60 Words

Poop Train

Are You Sure?

Speedy Beet

Oops

Limits

Love+Radio

The Silver Dollar

Hostile Planet

Sesquipedalian

I, Sitting Beside Me