A McMafia Review, An EPIC Rant & "I'll be Gone in the Dark"
The panel talks about updates from "The Pope's Long Con" and "Mommy Dead & Dearest." We listen to a profanity-laden rant from "Crime in Sports" about self-important podcasters. And we talk about the gripping new book, I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, published posthumously after crime writer Michelle McNamara's tragic 2016 death.Our main event: "McMafia," the new organized crime series from BBC and AMC. This good-guy-dragged-in-bad-deeds tale is expensive and extravagant, but will audiences like its high-finance meets underworld story?In Crime of the Week - deadly deodorant. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.
9 Maalis 20181h 5min
Disgraceland reviewed, the Pope's final con, & Dassey's SCOTUS appeal
Before we take a week off for school vacation (thank you, children) we'll circle back to some important True Crime Updates. The election to fill the statehouse seat of the late Danny Ray Johnson, subject of the "The Pope's Long Con," was this week...and it wasn't even close. "Making a Murderer"'s Branden Dassey has asked SCOTUS for a Writ of Cert (we'll explain what that means).The headliner for this show is the rock'n'roll-themed "Disgraceland." No interviews. No investigations. No audio tape. Not even the artists' music. Just a host spinning tales of musicians behaving very badly. Does this new chart-topper hit all the right notes?In Crime of the Week, it's one thumb down. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.
23 Helmi 20181h 9min
HBO's Mosaic, lottery woes, and a brief return to West Cork
This week we ponder the problems of winning $550 million in the lottery and keeping a low profile. We get a love letter from Ireland and circle back to "West Cork" with a spoiler-full discussion about the prime suspect.IF YOU STILL WANT TO REMAIN SPOILER-FREE ON WEST CORK, SKIP AHEAD TO 33:16.Then we'll have an up-close look at "Mosaic," Stephen Soderbergh's multi-platform storytelling experience. The six-part HBO limited series deals with the murder of a famous children’s book writer. While the concept is ambitious, does "Mosaic" deliver the goods?TO SKIP PAST SPOILER-FILLED DISCUSSION OF MOSAIC, JUMP AHEAD TO 1:02:24And this week's Crime of the Week is grrrrrrrreat! For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.
16 Helmi 20181h 15min
Double Take: The Onion's 'A Very Fatal Murder' and our (spoiler free) 'West Cork' review
Not even a blizzard can stop the Crime Writers from their appointed rounds (though it may crackle the connection once in a while).We get skeeved out by the latest accusations of "Making a Murderer" defense-lawyer-now-judge Len Kachinsky (cue your own cat noises). There's a notable cameo in "Sword & Scale." And we toss around our thoughts on the Onion's new true crime parody podcast, "A Very Fatal Murder." Does a send up of the crime podcast world seem like it's about three months too late?Then a no-blarney, spoiler-free review of Audible's new 13-part series, "West Cork." The famous1996 murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier is relatively unknown to American listeners. Not since "Serial" have we had such access to a prime suspect. We'll tell you whether you should make time for this one.Our review is truly spoiler-free, but if you still want to skip right to our verdicts, go to the 53rd minute.Then in Crime of Week, how else are you going to carry all that dough around? For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.
9 Helmi 20181h 5min
A Done Disappeared encore, Slow Burn’s next story, The Walk’s big idea, The Alienist reviewed
A Done Disappeared encore, Slow Burn’s next story, The Walk’s big idea, and an Alienist reviewThe Crime Writers take on a trio of True Crime Podcast Updates as Slow Burn wraps up season one and teases a *fantastic* follow-up, Dirty John lands a scripted series, and our best friend John David Booter tries to raise funds (click here to help him!) for a second season in which he’ll appropriate all things 1980’s.Then, our take on The Walk, the hit podcast from Panoply. This show is trying to do something completely different with a story that puts the listener in the middle of the action. But does it work? Or is it just the prototype for a future, better iteration of the format?And, a review of the TNT adaptation of the smash bestselling book The Alienist. (If you want to skip any and all potential spoilers and just hear the review, go to 51:04.) For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.
2 Helmi 20181h 5min
In which we review "Dark" from Netflix and retract our criticism of a maligned media figure
This week we unveil the new name for Studio C (it's a mouthful), learn Toby's actually the nice one, and get freaked out by what this drug can make you do in your sleep.The Crime Writers eat some humble pie and admit they were too quick to dismiss one of America's most underappreciated media figures last week - Keith Morrison from Dateline NBC. Some special podcasters will join the discussion - and you can find their awesome show A Date With Dateline right here.The main focus shifts to the new Netflix series, "Dark." This German-language "Stranger Things"-meets-"Lost" has everything: caves, dead birds, surprisingly depressing school plays...and a cast of characters dripping in Teutonic angst. (Try this link to see the Dark family trees.)TO JUMP OVER THE SPOILERS AND GO STRAIGHT TO OUR REVIEWS, FAST FORWARD TO TIME CODE 59:59Then in crime of the week: I love you. You love me. But it's going to cost you $350. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.
25 Tammi 20181h 12min
Atlanta Monster gets our review! And Dirty John gets the prime time treatment!
It was one of 2017's biggest podcasts. Now the tale of "Dirty John" gets the treatment from Dateline NBC. Does a 42 minute TV episode add anything to a story already told over five hours in podcast form? Maybe just some pictures of how hunky John Meehan really was.The main event: we breakdown the first installments in "Atlanta Monster," the new podcast from Payne Lindsey's Tenderfoot TV and HowStuffWorks. This look back at the 1980s Atlanta child murders is billed as "an investigative podcast," but where is it taking us? Does Lindsey repeat the best parts (or the worst parts) of his hit debut "Up and Vanished"?(Want to skip to our thumbs up or down review of Atlanta Monster? Go to 1:03:20)And in the Crime of the Week: Gesundheit! For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.
19 Tammi 20181h 24min
WTF Wormwood? At least we still have Slow Burn...
"We are not crooks." This episode we'll circle back to Slate's excellent Watergate-based series, "Slow Burn." Look what happens when those who believe in conspiracies learn those conspiracies are actual conspiracies. (And no, Toby still doesn't believe in conspiracies!)Speaking of conspiracies within conspiracies, we ponder Netflix's "Wormwood." The genre-blending documentary about a secret CIA LSD-induced suicide is only the first layer in a trippy, troubling tale from Oscar winner director Errol Morris. Points for using Hollywood actors Peter Sarsgaard and Molly Parker to dramatize the back story, but did this unconventional series deliver the goods?Then in Crime of the Week, a little bit of pot goes a long way when deciding who to arrest. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.
12 Tammi 20181h 15min
