"Serial," the podcast sensation, will return for a second season with an investigation of the case of Bowe Bergdahl, the U.S. soldier who left his post in Afghanistan in 2009, was captured by the Taliban and eventually was released through a trade for five Guantanamo Bay detainees. "Serial" host Sarah Koenig will be joined by Mark Boal, investigative journalist turned screenwriter, and Hugo Lindgren, former editor of the New York Times Magazine and president of Boal's Page 1 production company, to figure out why Bergdahl left his base. The Hollywood Reporter confirmed Maxim's scoop on "Serial" Season 2, but the show's producers have not confirmed the news. Here's what to expect from "Serial" Season 2.

Bowe Bergdahl

Bergdahl's case is currently unfolding in court. The Army private first class left Outpost Mest Malak near Yahya Khel, Afghanistan, on June 29, 2009, in an attempt to express his discontent with the military's efforts against the Taliban, according to the Washington Post. Bergdahl was captured by the Taliban the next day. Bergdahl's captivity ended after five years when the U.S. government agreed to release five members of the Taliban detained at Guantanamo Bay in exchange for the last American prisoner of war from the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts.

Bergdahl's release has been surrounded by controversy. Veterans have called him a deserter who cost the lives of several soldiers during subsequent search missions. "I was p----- off then, and I am even more so now with everything going on," former Sgt. Matt Vierkant, Bergdahl's platoon mate in 2009, told CNN in 2014. Michael Hastings' Rolling Stone report on Bergdahl from 2012 -- with additional reporting from Matthew Farwell, the writer behind the "Serial" Season 2 news -- is an excellent starting point to understanding the Afghanistan War in 2009. Bergdahl was charged with one count of desertion and one count of misbehaving before the enemy in March. Preliminary hearings in his case began last week.

"Serial" could explore the American psyche, using the Bergdahl case as its critical lens. Bergdahl has been portrayed as a traitor and as a hero; there's plenty of gray for the podcast to explore. Koening has not issued an official statement regarding "Serial" Season 2, but it will be interesting to see what drew her to the case along with the questions she wants answered from the investigation.

Koenig's Squad

In the first season of "Serial," which investigated the 1999 murder of 18-year-old Baltimore student Hae Min Lee, Koening was initially aided by her producers, but she brought in outside help -- including the Innocence Project -- during the second half of the season. For Season 2, Boal and Lindgren will take part in the investigation. Boal has an extensive investigative background covering the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. "The Kill Team," published in Rolling Stone, covered the killing of at least three Afghan civilians by a group of U.S. soldiers. Boal's "The Man in the Bomb Suit," published in Playboy, was the inspiration for director Kathryn Bigelow's film "The Hurt Locker"; he wrote the script based on his research. Boal also wrote and produced Bigelow's "Zero Dark Thirty." The screenwriter and producer provided "Serial" with research material and interviews with Bergdahl, according to Maxim. Boal's Page 1 production company also is working with Bigelow on a movie about Bergdahl.

Deadline reports Lindgren will be among the voices heard in "Serial" Season 2, but that detail was not in Maxim's report.

The "True Detective" Conundrum

"Serial" can't escape comparisons to HBO's "True Detective." The first season of each show was a slow-burn affair that set the Internet on fire. Clues, evidence, rumors, theories and everything else was fodder to dissect. "True Detective" Season 2 was highly anticipated, but many were disappointed by its distinct lack of mystery. There are many fears that "Serial," covering a totally different subject that could lead to a change in style, could suffer a similar fate.

Podcast As Big Business

"Serial" pushed the podcast into the spotlight, which led to a huge advertising push from businesses looking to back the hot commodity. "Serial" Season 1 episodes were downloaded 100 million times, but will that success hold up for the new season? If "Serial" Season 2 is another smash hit, it could lead to even more investment in the podcast industry.

The first season of the "This American Life" spinoff investigated the murder of Hae Min Lee through 10 episodes. Adnan Syed, Lee's ex-boyfriend, was convicted of murder, but "Serial" host Koenig was not sure he had a fair trial. The 10 episodes explored the murder, the case against Syed and led to new developments for his appeal.