Over My Dead Body review, True Detective wrap, and a Steven Avery win

Audiences were charmed by “Free Willy,” the 1993 movie about a captive orca returning to the wild. But when the world learned the real whale was wasting away in a Mexican amusement park, scientists and activists united in a project to re-introduce Keiko to the open ocean, just like his on-screen counterpart.NOTE: We are reviewing the entirety of The Good Whale, although some of it is still behind a payway via The New York Times. (It is being released weekly on public platforms)But learning the skills to fend for himself in the sea proved difficult for an orca who grew up in an aquarium, not in a killer whale pod. Meanwhile, as the public waited for a cinematic conclusion, disagreement grew about how best to help Keiko and whether his lifelong reliance on humans made it impossible for him to return to the ocean.From Serial Productions and The New York Times comes “The Good Whale.” Host Daniel Alarcón recounts the ambitious, multinational experiment to rewild the famous orca, as well as the scientific and ethical struggles around the effort. The series also includes a controversial creative choice: presenting Keiko’s unseen journey through the ocean in the form of a musical number.OUR SPOILER FREE REVIEWS OF "THE GOOD WHALE" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 10 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

16 Jan 44min

The Garvey sisters gather to celebrate Grace’s wedding to Ian, a man far more loving than her dead first husband, John Paul. But Roger is struggling with his guilt of helping Grace get rid of The Prick and making it look like an accident. After an unexpected turn, Eva and her sisters struggle with a pushy neighbor, an unexplained absence, and a possible blackmail scheme. As the Garveys dig themselves deeper into a hole, the Garda re-examine John Paul’s untimely death and the sisters’ connection to it.The second season of the Emmy-nominated “Bad Sisters” from Apple TV+ finds Eva, Bibi, Becka, and Ursula trying to cover up more crimes and confront their own family turmoil. The dark comedy explores how far people will go to protect the ones they love.OUR SPOILER FREE REVIEWS OF "BAD SISTERS" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 11 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.In Crime of the Week: Can do it with my eyes closed. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

13 Jan 44min

Jared Akron seemed to be living the perfect life: a newlywed with a new house and twins on the way. But as the due date approached, that life started to unravel. Their home was destroyed in a fire. Then, kept from the delivery room by COVID protocols, his wife Kristy texted that the babies were gravely ill. As he tried to put their lives back together, Jared realized he overlooked some red flags about the pregnancy and his social media-obsessed wife. Were the calamities  around them caused by bad luck - or by someone close to him?From iHeartMedia, Audio Up, and Just Sweep Press Productions comes the podcast “The Unborn.” Host Trisha LaFache talks with Jared and his loved ones about his tale of illusion, deception, and psychosis.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "THE UNBORN" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 11 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

9 Jan 48min

After she quits Scotland Yard, detective Millie Black takes a post in her native Jamaica to confront her troubled past. She tries to reconnect with Hibiscus, the sibling who for years she thought was dead, but is now living on the margins as a trans sex worker. Millie works the case of a missing child who may be connected to a powerful family. The investigation takes a turn when a British detective turns up in Kingston with an interest in a lead suspect.Tamara Lawrence and Joe Dempsie star in the HBO Original “Get Millie Black.” The crime thriller follows the detective haunted by unsolved cases and unresolved trauma as she navigates the gritty parts of Jamaica tourists don’t see.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "GET MILLIE BLACK" BEGIN IN THE FINAL TEN MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.In Crime of the Week: ding dong dog. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

6 Jan 42min

There was something for everyone on the TV in 2024. We saw documentaries that revealed intimate aspects of the justice system. And there were some that challenged viewers to decide what is fact and what is fiction. But there were also shows that made us laugh…and more than one that made us cry. But which TV shows and documentaries truly stood out? Here are the crime writers; top ten lists for the best TV of 2024.Lara Bricker:JUSTICE, USAThe Program: Cons, Cults and KidnappingBad MonkeyTrue Detective: Night CountyDaughtersSay NothingThe Diplomat season 2Only Murders in the Building season 4Ren FaireThey Called Him Mostly Harmless Toby Ball:The Program: Cons, Cults and KidnappingSay NothingRipleyWoman of the HourThe Diplomat season 2Baby ReindeerFight Night: The Million Dollar HeistOnly Murders in the Building season 4The Stanford Prison ExperimentTell Them You Love Me Kevin Flynn:DaughtersBaby ReindeerRipleySay NothingThe Program: Cons, Cults, and KidnappingJUSTICE, USARen FaireWoman of the HourThe Truth vs. Alex JonesAmerican Nightmare Rebecca Lavoie:The Program: Cons, Cults, and KidnappingThe Jinx: Part TwoThe Diplomat season 2Say NothingBaby ReindeerThe Perfect CoupleRipleyDaughtersOnly Murders in the Building season 4Woman of the Hour For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

2 Jan 1h 4min

2024 was an exceptionally strong year for podcasts. There were multiple investigative series, fascinating retrospectives of the history you thought you knew, and even some light-hearted fare that was quirky and entertaining. But which titles truly stood out?  Here are our top ten selections for 2024. Lara Bricker:In the Dark season 3Stolen: Trouble in SweetwaterBeyond All RepairHystericalHushThe Runaway PrincessesOn Our Watch: New FolsomCover Up: The Anthrax ThreatMurder on Music RowVarnamtown Toby Ball:In the Dark season 3Murder on Music RowOn Our Watch: New FolsomStolen: Trouble in SweetwaterFallen AngelsSlow Burn: Gays against BriggsRadicalHystericalThe Vanishing PointThe Man Who Calculated Death Kevin Flynn:Beyond All RepairHystericalMurder in Boston In the Dark season 3Murder on Music RowHushVarnamtownBackfired: The Vaping WarsFallen AngelsBroomgate: A Curling Scandal Rebecca Lavoie:Beyond All Repair  In the Dark season 3  Hysterical  Murder in BostonStolen: Trouble in Sweetwater  On Our Watch: New Folsom  Hush  Broomgate: A Curling Scandal  The Man Who Calculated Death  Backfired: The Vaping Wars  For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

30 Des 202454min

Sap farmer Ruth Landry is deeply in debt and faces losing her property to the Quebec Maple Association. Her friend Mike hatches a million dollar scheme with a security guard to rip off the association. They plan on stealing barrels of syrup from the warehouse and selling it themselves. Plans for the heist become more ambitious, but a murder connected to the conspirators threatens to complicate the operation. And if Mike’s mob bosses find out what he’s up to, the trio will have more to worry about than the police. Margo Martindale stars in “The Sticky” from Prime. Inspired by the Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist, the comedy-thriller mixes “Ocean's Eleven” with “Fargo.” Can this unlikely trio syphon millions of dollars in syrup and land a sweet deal?OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "THE STICKY" BEGIN IN THE FINAL TEN MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

26 Des 202446min

By day, Kevin Curtis was a janitor at a Mississippi hospital. By night, he was an Elvis impersonator, performing with his brother - who was also an Elvis impersonator. But after seeing something disturbing in the morgue, Kevin became consumed with conspiracies about illegal organ harvesting rings. Fueled by his paranoia, Kevin damaged personal relationships and crossed swords with powerful people in Tupelo. Then in 2013, when ricin-laced letters were sent to Kevin’s enemies - as well as the President - authorities homed in on him. Was the scheme the Elvis impersonator’s attempt to foil the body parts cabal once and for all…or was it a conspiracy to get rid of him?From the directors of “Wild Wild Country” comes Netflix’s “The Kings of Tupelo.” Filled with its twists and turns, and extensive access to the story’s colorful cast of characters, the series explores how one man’s obsession could leave a whole town - and the White House - all shook up.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "THE KINGS OF TUPELO" BEGIN IN THE FINAL TEN MINUTES OF THE EPISODEIn Crime of the Week: Old love, new love. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

23 Des 202450min