RadioDoc Review RadioDoc Review

Volume 4 Issue 1 Article 14

February 2018

Serial, Season Three: From Feeling to Structure Serial, Season Three: From Feeling to Structure

Jason Loviglio University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Follow this and additional works at: https://ro.uow.edu.au/rdr

Part of the American Studies Commons, Audio Arts and Acoustics Commons, Courts Commons,

Digital Humanities Commons, and the Law and Race Commons

Recommended Citation Recommended Citation

Loviglio, Jason, Serial, Season Three: From Feeling to Structure, RadioDoc Review, 4(1), 2018.

Research Online is the open access institutional repository for the University of Wollongong. For further information contact the UOW Library: research-pubs@uow.edu.au

Serial, Season Three: From Feeling to Structure Serial, Season Three: From Feeling to Structure

Abstract Abstract From the start, host and reporter Sarah Koenig presents the 2018 season of Serial as a corrective to the universe-in-a-grain-of-sand approach typical of earlier seasons and much of the work of This American Life, from which Serial spun off. In a thematic departure, Koenig sets out to tell the story of structures, rather than merely structure a story. The first character is a “cluster of concrete towers” in downtown Cleveland, called the Justice Center, a name we’ll quickly come to understand as ironic, if not Orwellian. Host Sarah Koenig describes the structure as “hideous but practical”. Koenig and company have built each episode to function like steps along a path, to provide a spatial sense of the Justice Center and a conceptual sense of the social universe in which its denizens reside.

In addition to meticulous structuring, Koenig needs all her charm, all her storytelling prowess, and all the wry humour she can wring from the cases she investigates, because the story of the Cleveland Justice Center is an American horror story. It is a damning indictment of the toxic stew of white supremacy, class divides, a punitive philosophy of corrections, and bureaucratic malfeasance that makes it nearly impossible for justice to be served. In a set of several stories about individual cases that occasionally overlap, spill over into different episodes, and circle back through coincidences and thematic unities only to fracture again, Koenig and her colleague Emmanuel Dzotsi evoke a world of cascading injustices.

Keywords Keywords Serial podcast, audio storytelling, Sarah Koenig, justice system, courts

This article is available in RadioDoc Review: https://ro.uow.edu.au/rdr/vol4/iss1/14

RadioDoc Review

Volume 4 | Issue 1 Article 14

February 2018

Serial, Season Three: From Feeling to StructureJason LoviglioUniversity of Maryland, Baltimore County

Follow this and additional works at: https://ro.uow.edu.au/rdr

Part of the American Studies Commons, Audio Arts and Acoustics Commons, CourtsCommons, Digital Humanities Commons, and the Law and Race Commons

Research Online is the open access institutional repository for the University of Wollongong. For further information contact the UOW Library:research-pubs@uow.edu.au

Recommended CitationLoviglio, Jason, Serial, Season Three: From Feeling to Structure, RadioDoc Review, 4(1), 2018.

Serial, Season Three: From Feeling to Structure

AbstractFrom the start, host and reporter Sarah Koenig presents the 2018 season of Serial as a corrective to theuniverse-in-a-grain-of-sand approach typical of earlier seasons and much of the work of This American Life,from which Serial spun off. In a thematic departure, Koenig sets out to tell the story of structures, rather thanmerely structure a story. The first character is a “cluster of concrete towers” in downtown Cleveland, called theJustice Center, a name we’ll quickly come to understand as ironic, if not Orwellian. Host Sarah Koenigdescribes the structure as “hideous but practical”. Koenig and company have built each episode to functionlike steps along a path, to provide a spatial sense of the Justice Center and a conceptual sense of the socialuniverse in which its denizens reside.

In addition to meticulous structuring, Koenig needs all her charm, all her storytelling prowess, and all the wryhumour she can wring from the cases she investigates, because the story of the Cleveland Justice Center is anAmerican horror story. It is a damning indictment of the toxic stew of white supremacy, class divides, apunitive philosophy of corrections, and bureaucratic malfeasance that makes it nearly impossible for justice tobe served. In a set of several stories about individual cases that occasionally overlap, spill over into differentepisodes, and circle back through coincidences and thematic unities only to fracture again, Koenig and hercolleague Emmanuel Dzotsi evoke a world of cascading injustices.

KeywordsSerial podcast, audio storytelling, Sarah Koenig, justice system, courts

This article is available in RadioDoc Review: https://ro.uow.edu.au/rdr/vol4/iss1/14

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Serial,SeasonThree:FromFeelingtoStructureListen:SerialSeasonThree,Episodes1-9,https://serialpodcast.org

ByJasonLoviglioSerial’sthirdseasondroppedinSeptember2018,withafreshtakeonitsoldformulaof“onestory,toldweekbyweek”.Thenewversion,“onecourthouse,toldweekbyweek,”signalledashiftfromthepersonaltothestructuralandawelcometurntothesociallyengagedtraditionofnarrativejournalism.SarahKoenigreturnsashostbutinplaceofhersingle-mindedpursuitofthetruthaboutoneman(AdnanSyedandBoweBergdahlinSeasonsOneandTworespectively),shetakesabroaderlookatanentiresystemofjustice,thatofCleveland,Ohio.Importantly,shesharesthereportingdutywithacolleague,EmmanuelDzotsi,ayoungBlackreporterwithanOhiopedigreeandaBritishaccent.DzotsiandKoenig,backedbytheinvestigativeresourcesandnarrativefinesseofThisAmericanLife(TAL),presentadevastatingmultidimensionalportraitoftheAmericanjusticesystem.Thefirstseason(2014)soeclipsedanyreasonableexpectationforwhatartisticandpopularsuccessforapodcastmightlooklike—Ishouldsaysoundlike—forsubsequentseasons,thatitwasalmostareliefthatSeasonTwofellsoclearlybelowthemark.Thatseasonfeaturedahair-raisingaccountofUSarmyprivateBoweBergdahl’sescapefrombasecamp,captivity,andtortureandanexhaustiveexplorationofhisculpabilityinthefateofhiscomradeswhoneverstoppedlookingforhim.BecausehostKoenig’saccesstoBergdahlhimselfwasmediatedbyafilmmakertellingasimilarstory,theimmediacy—andeventhenecessity—ofthepodcast’squestneverreallylanded.Itfelt,likemostofthemediatedtalkwelistentothesedays,likejustanotherlayerofglossonyetanotherwrenchingbutephemeralmatterofpublicconcern.ThegeniusofSeasonOne,ofcourse,wastheutterlyindispensableroleofKoenig’sobsessionwithferretingoutthetruthofamurdercase15yearsold.Thestorywaslikeaninvestigationalperformativeact—pullingeveryonewholistenedintoitscentripetalforcefield,inspiringblogs,socialmediathreads,spin-offpodcasts,andultimatelyanewtrialforthemanconvictedofthe1999murderofHaeMinLee.SeasonOnehadimpact.Serial’s2017spin-off,S-Town,wasaSouthernGothicmasterpiece,whichalsofeaturedanotherobsessedinvestigatorashost.ButtheefforttostirupsomethingnewsworthysometimesfeltghoulishandsortingouttruthfromfictioninthecaseofJohnB.McLemorewasattimesethicallyfraught.ThepowerasymmetriesbetweenreporterBrianReedandMcLemoreandbetweenandamongMcLemoreandhisdemi-mondeofcompanions,employees,andromanticinterestswereneverfully

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reckonedwithandthestorystrayedfromthepathofinvestigativestorytellingintosomethingmeaneranddarker.Theknottytangleofpublicconcerns,privateaffections,prurience,andnakedself-interestimplicatedeveryone,listenersincluded.WhenadistantrelativedefendsherplantocutJohnB’sgoldnippleringsoffhiscorpse,itworksasafittingcodatothepodcast,itselfabrilliantdesecrationofMcLemore.CousinRetawasjustlatetotheparty.

Serial’sthirdseasondebutedinthefallof2018withlayersofexpectation:genius,disappointment,andperhapsasensethatinthepodcastmultiverseoftoday,itwasnolongerrequiredlistening.Inpreviousseasons,investigativejournalismjockeyedwiththedeepinteriorityofTAL-stylestorytellingforpreeminence,aformulathathasbeensuccessfullyadaptedandre-purposedonanynumberoftruecrimepodcastsintheUSandbeyond.Serial’searlymasteryofthisformulacouldbeutterlygrippingandattimesabitprecious.Theonlywayintothestorieswasaffectively,throughKoenig’sirresistiblecuriosity,nowdogged,nowcoylynaïve,nowfrustrated.

Ifnothingelse,Serialcanreliablybeexpectedtodeliverthepleasureofpeeringdeeplyintootherpeople’slives,withthepatientrigouroflong-formjournalismandthewarmtugofKoenig’semotionalinvestment.Structureandcharm.Koenig’sintroductiontoSeasonThreemakesitclearthatthistrustyformulawillbeintheserviceofadifferentkindofstory.Fromthestart,thenewseasonispresentedasacorrectivetotheuniverse-in-a-grain-of-sandapproach.TounderstandtheworldofcriminaljusticeoneoughtnottoextrapolatefromasingleextraordinarycaselikethemurdertrialofAdnanSyed,Koenigasserts.Oneoughtinsteadtotellthestoriesofordinarycriminalcases,98%ofwhicharepleadedoutbeforetrial—whichisexactlywhatSeasonThreesetsouttodo.InathematicdepartureforSerial,Koenigsetsouttotellthestoryofstructures,ratherthanmerelystructureastory.

Thefirstcharactersheintroducesisa“clusterofconcretetowers”indowntownCleveland,calledtheJusticeCenter,anamewe’llquicklycometounderstandasironic,ifnotOrwellian.Shedescribesthestructureas“hideousbutpractical”.Roughlyspeaking,thebuildingfunctionslikemosthierarchies—vertically.Inthiscase,fromthebowelsup.Themaincourttoweris26storeyshigh,sotheelevatorreallyrunstheplace.Ifaperson'sarrestedinCleveland,they'recomingintotheJusticeCenterfromthebasement.Wearycopsescortsuspectsfromtheundergroundparkinggarage.Theygetbooked,goupafewfloorstothejail.

What’snovelhereistheassertion,fromthestart,thatstructures—social,political,andphysical—areanecessarycontextinwhichtounderstandindividualstories.ThisrepresentsadeparturefromtheUSpublicradiostructureoffeeling,inwhichintimatevoicesanduniquestoriesprovidethewarpandweftfortheuniversalfabricofhumanexperience.IfthemessageofSeasonsOneandTwoofSerial,andthatofThisAmericanLifeinatleastitsfirst15years,couldbepareddowntoasingleshibbolethitwouldbethis:“See?We’realltheSame.”SeasonThreeweavestogetherstoriesfromacrossayearofreportinginClevelandtofindadifferent

“

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moral.Evenasitdoesso,KoeniggamelyremindsherselfandherlistenersthattheimpulsetofindCommonGround,temptingthoughitmaybe,isafool’serrand.ThereflexivityinthisshiftofperspectiveisneversoclearaswhensheconstructstheJusticeCenter’selevatorcarsasthemetaphorforthedemocraticpromiseoftheUSjusticesystem.

Koenig:WhenI'mfeelingoptimistic,Iappreciatethatanelevatorcarinagovernmentbuildingisoneofthefewplacesleftinourcountrywheredifferentkindsofpeopleareforcedintoproximity.Iliketothinkthatwecanallstandsoclosetooneanother,withoursensibleheels,andTimberlandboots,andAmericanflaglapelpins,andfakeeyelashes,andAxecologne,andorthopedicinserts,andteardroptattoos,andto-gocoffees.Andwhentheelevatordoorsopenup,spillingusoutontoourfloor,thefactthatnooneisbloodiedorevenintears,it'sasmall,pleasingreminderthatwe'reallinthistogether.1

Koenig’ssentimentcollapsesofitsownweight.“Othertimes,theshoulder-to-shoulderclosenessonlymagnifiestheobvious—we'renotthesame,notatall.”Shedemonstratesthiswithaself-deprecatingbitofaudiofromanelevatorrideinwhichsheawkwardlyattemptstobridgetheracialdividebylamelyjokingthatayoungAfricanAmericanwoman’sportablespeakerblaringhip-hopis“quiteasoundtrackfortheelevator”.Keenlyuncomfortablethatthewhitepeopleintheelevatorhadbeenexchanginglooksaboutthemusic,shenowbowsherheadinembarrassmentand“toavoidthelookstheblackpeopleareprobablygivingeachother”.Shehasn’tbridgedthedividesomuchascalledattentiontoit,by“sayingthelamestthingIpossiblycan”.ThevignetteservesasanentréeintoanimportantobservationabouttheJusticeCenter,andbyextension,thestateofthejusticesystemintheUS:“Thisplaceisprimarilyblackandwhite.”

Koenig:Themajorityofthecourthousestaffisblack.Clerksaremostlyblack.Mostoftheirmanagersarewhite.Inthesheriff'sdepartment,mostofthesecurityguardsareblack.Mostofthedeputiesarewhite.Mostoftheattorneysarewhite.Almostallthecountyjudgesarewhite,andtheirbailiffsarewhite.Mostofthedefendantsandcrimevictimsareblack.1

ItalsoservesasawayforKoenigtoacknowledgethattheawkwardperchfromwhichshetellsthisstoryisnotmerelyanobstaclebutanecessarycondition.Ratherthansimply“reporting”thestory,Koenig’spresenceintheJusticeCenterelevator

1SarahKoenig,USA;“ABarFightWalksintotheJusticeCenter”,ChicagoPublicMedia,https://serialpodcast.org/.Retrieved20January2019fromhttps://serialpodcast.org/season-three/1/transcript

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becomesanuncomfortableelementofthestory.Ratherthanplumbinghumantragedyforuniversaltruths,sheletsusknowfromthestartthatintheClevelandJusticeCenter,estrangementisbuiltin.Koenigisintroducingherselfasadifferentkindofcharacterthanwe’veseeninpreviousstoriesonSerialorTAL.HerpersonalityplaysanimportantroleinSeasonThree—butinadifferentwaythanitdidinSeasonOne.Goneistheassumptionofutterlyrationalreporterasstand-infortheaudienceandwithittheHolmesianconceitofrevealingclueshiddeninplainsightwhichcanbedecodedidenticallybyanyoneperceptiveenoughtonoticethem.Koenigisnowaknownquantityandshecanpokefunatherselfinwaysthatbothbuildandeasetension.She’sdonethatbefore,asinSeasonTwo’smemorableline:“that’sme,callingtheTaliban.”Thistime,thecriticalpointisthatoursocialpositionsmakecertainkindsofinvestigationsdifficult,ifnotimpossible.ThespecificityofKoenig’sperspectiveisawelcomechallengetoanassumptionthathasmadelisteningtocertainlong-formradiojournalismsovexingoverthelastseveraldecades.Theassumption,thatreportersandlistenersareessentiallythesamekindoffolks,isbakedintotheUSpublicradiostructureoffeeling.Thesubjectofthestories,however,arethoseotherpeople,“strangers”.Thisassumption,mostlyimplicit,hasoccasionallybeenmadeexplicit,aswhenfoundingproducerofAllThingsConsideredJackMitchellsaid,“thelistenersweattractedwereprettymuchlikeus.”2AnotherNPRproducerturnedhistorian,MichaelMcCauley,putitmorestarkly:“NPRnewsismadebypeoplelikeme…forpeoplelikeme.”3ThenotionofNPRasarefugeforthehighlyeducated,sociallyconsciouslistenerperformsanimpressivelyefficientbitofculturalwork,flatteringlistenersandtheirdoppelgangersatthenetwork,whileattractingtheup-marketcorporateandfoundationunderwritingbusinesseagertogettheirmessagestothisprizeddemographic.InKoenig’sportraitofagovernmentbuilding’selevator,the“we”thatsubsumesreporters,listeners,andsubjects,isconjuredthroughalistoffashionaccessories—"sensibleheels,andTimberlandboots,andAmericanflaglapelpins,andfakeeyelashes,andAxecologne,andorthopedicinserts,andteardroptattoos,andto-gocoffees,”whicharchlyevokestheirreducibleanduncomfortablenatureofsocialdifference.Aftermockingherownuninspiredattempttotranscendthisdifference,Koenigfeelsfree,inlaterepisodes,todrawattentiontoherowndifferencewithrefreshinginsouciance.“Myfirstthought,[onseeingalltheIrishnamesinthelistofClevelandJusticeCenterjudges]was‘wherearetheJews’?”HerultimatepointhereisthelackofAfricanAmericanjudgesandthepredominanceofwhiteonesandthereverse

2JackMitchell,ListenerSupported:TheCultureandHistoryofPublicRadio.NewYork:Praeger,2005,p.145.3MichaelMcCauley:NPR:TheTrialsandTriumphsofNationalPublicRadio.NewYork:ColumbiaUniversityPress,2005,p.114.

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ratioforcriminaldefendants(andvictims).Thepointlandsdifferently,andmorepowerfully,becausesheframesquestionsofidentityandpowerfromaparticularembodiedpointofview.Ofcourse,forotherlisteners,Koenigmaycomeacrossastooglib.Theinadequacyofhervoiceintellingthesestoriesisinevitable,apointKoenigembraces.Whetherthisisasufficientinoculationisanopenquestion,aslikelytofindaunanimousresponseasKoenig’selevatorjokewas.Eitherway,listenersshouldnotconfuseinsoucianceforartlessness.Koenigandcompanyhavebuilteachepisodetofunctionlikestepsalongapath,toprovideaspatialsenseoftheJusticeCenterandaconceptualsenseofthesocialuniverseinwhichitsdenizensreside.LikeVirgil’sguidedtourinDante’sInferno,Koenig’scompanionshipthroughthesestructuresandspacesisanecessarycomponentofthemorallessonstobefoundthere.IndescribingtheeditingprocessforSeasonOne,KoenigcreditedproducerJulieSnyderasthebettercraftsmanofthetwo.4Inthisseason,editing,production,andjournalismseemtohavecometogetherinaneventightercircle,anecessaryprogression,giventheloopingconfusionofthebuildingandthelivesitbringstogether.Inadditiontometiculousstructuring,Koenigneedsallhercharm,allherstorytellingprowess,andallthewryhumourshecanwringfrommomentslikethis,becausethestoryoftheClevelandJusticeCenterisanAmericanhorrorstory,adamningindictmentofthetoxicstewofwhitesupremacy,classdivides,apunitivephilosophyofcorrections,andbureaucraticmalfeasancethatmakesitnearlyimpossibleforjusticetobeserved.Inasetofseveralstoriesaboutindividualcasesthatoccasionallyoverlap,spilloverintodifferentepisodes,andcirclebackthroughcoincidencesandthematicunitiesonlytofractureagain,KoenigandDzotsievokeaworldofcascadinginjustices.Theseasonbeginswithacaseinwhich“thesystemactuallyworked”,featuringAnna,ayoungwhitewomanwhoisthrowninjailforfourdaysbecauseshedefendedherselfagainstsexualharassment,andmovesontomoreoutlandishmiscarriagesofjustice.ChargesagainstAnnaareultimatelydismissed—avictoryforjusticetechnically,butabitteroneforAnna,whoselifeisthrownintoturmoil.KoenigalsoneedsDzotsiandnotonlyforthetexturalbalanceofhisBritishaccent,orforthecredibilitythatawhitepodcastgainsfromablackcollaborator.SheneedshimforthehundredsofhoursofreportinghelogsandtherelationshipshebuildswithClevelanderssuchasJesseNickerson,ayoungmanforwhomthesystemalsoworked,withterrifyingconsequences.In2016,Nickersonwasarrested,cuffedandbeatenbypoliceinEastCleveland.OfficerDenayneDixonwastried,convicted,andjailedforthebeatingandforpressuringNickersontodropthecharges.Afterthat,policecontinuallyharassedNickerson,arrestinghim,beatinghim,andwarninghimto“stayoutofEastCleveland”.Andyes,SerialneedsDzotsifortheparticularityofhisblackness.WhenheandNickerson,twoAfricanAmericanmen,findthemselves

4 SarahKoenig,“Binge-worthyJournalism,”KeynoteAddress,PodcastMovement.August2,2015.Retrieved28January2019fromhttp://schedule.podcastmovement.com/band/sarah-koenig

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aloneinadesertedparkinglotwithapoliceofficercirclingominouslyaroundtheminhiscruiser,theintimidation,unaccountability,andsheerdangeroftheirsituation,andbyextension,thatofeveryBlackpersoninCleveland,ispalpableinawaythatitsimplywouldn’thavebeenifKoenighadbeenthere,too.WhenNickersontellsDzotiattheendofepisodesixthathewisheshe’dnevertestifiedagainstDixon,themoralofthestoryisclear.Itwasn’ttheillegalbeatinghesufferedwhilehandcuffedthatruinedhislife;itwasbringingthepolicemantojustice.KoenigandDzotsiareabletotackbackandforthintheirstorytellingandreportingtocapturethetwoverydifferenttexturesofstatepowerthatmakelivinginClevelandwhilepoorandblacksoterrifying.Thequick-as-a-flashsavageryofpoliceviolenceontheonehandandthegrindinglyslowwalkofthecourt’sscheduleofdocketsandbookings,andfinesandsuspendedlicencesandprobationhearingsontheother.Thelatter’sdeliberativepaceseemsalmostamethodofimpunityfortherashnessoftheformer.BlackClevelandersarebeateninparks,kickedintheheadintheirownapartmentbuildingsandknockedunconsciousbythesideoftheroadbythemensworntoprotectthem.Correctionofficerssetjuvenileoffendersagainstoneanotherinviolentclashes.Defendantschargedwithpettydrugcrimesarerequiredtoreturntocourtagainandagain,whichmakeskeepingajobnearlyimpossible;defendantswhomissacourtdatelosetheirOhiodrivers’licences,withsimilarconsequences;judgesthreatentorevokeparoleforconvictswhodon’tkeepajob.Onejudgetellsayoungmanthathavinganotherchildoutofwedlockwouldconstituteaviolationofhisparole,asuggestionwhichisofcourse,aviolationoftheUSConstitution.Victimsofpolicebrutalitywhohavebeenchargedwithresistingarrestarecounselledtodelaytheirdayincourtuntiltheircutsandbruiseshavehealed,lestthedistrictattorneywiseuptoapotentialcivillawsuitanddoubledownontheoriginalcharges.IfS-TownevokedaSouthernGothicnovelinitscharismaticanti-heroJohnB.McLemoreanditsprolepticdecay,thenSerial,SeasonThree,representsthepodcastversionofthemuckrakingliteratureoftheProgressiveEra.LikeUptonSinclair’sTheJungle,thisisaworkofreportingtoshocktheconscience.Initssprawlingambitionandunblinkinggaze,ithearkenstothespiritofthesocialrealistnovelsofDickens,revealingaworldofdesperationinwhichallthechoicesarebadones.LikeRachelCarson’sSilentSpring,itresonatesinplaceswithpropheticgravitas.Casesinpoint:whenDayvonHolmestriestoexplaintoanincredulousKoenigthat,aftersittinginjailforayearforacrimehedidn’tcommit,hestillwouldneversnitchonthepersonwhodid:“It’sagainstmyreligion.”It’sapeekintothechasmbetweenKoenigandsomeofthepeopleshesharesthatelevatorwiththatextendsbeyondclothing,music,andtattoos.WhenthenearlybankrupttownofEastClevelandamiablysettlesmassivecivilclaimsagainsttheirpoliceofficersforbrutality,simplybecausethere’snomoneytopayout,Serialiswarningusthatmechanismsofaccountability,andthusofgovernment,areexperiencingamassivesystemsfailure.

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Defencelawyersgloomilyjokethat“innocenceisamisdemeanor,”thatis,whenthere’snoevidencetogototrial,prosecutorscoercedefendantstopleadtolesserchargesinexchangeforimmediatefreedom.Charles,thefatherofafive-month-oldgirlwhowasshottodeath,findshimselfcaughtbetweengrief,adesireforjustice,theno-snitchingcodeofthestreets.Whendetectives,whohaven’treturnedhiscallsformonths,reassurehimthatthetwoleadingsuspectswilllikelykilleachother,itisbothheartbreakingandinspiringtofindthatthisfinalbitofcynicismstillhasthepowertoshockanyone,leastofallCharles.Koenig’sconclusionsoundslikealawyer’sclosingargument:“let’sallacceptthatsomething’sgonewrong.Let’smakethatourpremise.”Thismaysoundtame,butitmarksasignificantjourneyfortheUSpublicradiostructureoffeeling,whichhaspreferredthecomplacencyimpliedintheethosofempathyasthegoalofnarrative,ratherthanasastartingpoint.USincarcerationratesare“wildlyoutofwhackandunprecedentedinourhistory”,shecontinues.And“everyjointintheskeletonofourcriminaljusticesystemisgreasedbyracialdiscrimination,”alinethatjoinsstructuralanalysistotheembodiednatureofoppressionwithimpressiveeconomy.Balancingdramatictensionwiththecodesofjournalisticobjectivityoftenleadsnon-fictionaudioworktoconcludewithmealy-mouthedequivocation,orworse,withaRashomon-likeshrugattheinfinitevarietiesofperspective.Andyet,Serialconcludesonanotelessradicalthanliberal,lessgloomy,thanoptimistic.Thereisperhapsnothingmoreevocativeoftheliberaloptimismofthe20thcenturyreformmovementsthanthephrase“something’sgonewrong”,withtheimpliedsensethatitusedtobe—andcanagainbe—maderight.Itdoesn’tseemlikelythatthisseasonofSerialwillgaintheinfluenceofTheJungle,HardTimes,orSilentSpring.Butthehopeinherentintheactoflong-formjournalism(ontopicsmanyAmericansignore)representsakindofcouragethatshouldbeapplauded.Soshouldreal-worldimpact.InDecember2018,thetownofEuclid,Ohio,reduceditsdraconianpenaltiesforpossessionofsmallamountsofmarijuana,adecision“catalyzed”bySerial’sreportingonamannamedErimiusSpencer.5SpencerwassavagelybeatenbyClevelandpolice;hispossessionofa‘blunt’(amarijuanacigarette),servedasprobablecauseforasearchthatturnedbrutal,breakingtheorbitalboneinhiseyeandcausingheadaches,moodswingsandotherdebilitatinginjuries.FindingthevoicestotellthesestoriesadequatelyisaSisypheantask—endless,frustrating,butcompulsory.AttheendofSeasonThree,Serialishalfwayupthehill.

5https://www.cleveland.com/euclid/2018/12/what-euclid-city-councils-decision-to-reduce-marijuana-penalties-means-for-residents.html;Serial(2014-present).Season3,Episode3,‘Misdemeanor,MeetMrLawsuit’,2018.SarahKoenig,USA;ChicagoPublicMedia,https://serialpodcast.org/.Retrieved20January2019fromhttps://serialpodcast.org/season-three/3/transcript

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JasonLoviglioisassociateprofessorandfoundingchairofMediaandCommunicationStudiesattheUniversityofMaryland,BaltimoreCounty.HeisauthorofRadio’sIntimatePublic:NetworkBroadcastingandMass-MediatedDemocracyandco-editor,withMicheleHilmes,ofRadioReader:EssaysintheCulturalHistoryofRadioandRadio’sNewWave:GlobalSoundintheDigitalEra.Heisco-editorofRadioJournal:InternationalStudiesinBroadcastandAudioMedia.HecurrentlyservesonPeabodyAwardjudgingcommitteesandontheLibraryofCongress’RadioPreservationTaskForce.HealsoservesontheboardofWideAngleYouthMedia,aBaltimorenon-profitthatprovidesfreemediaeducationtoBaltimoreyouth.