The Power of Voice: Serial, A Gripping Story Told as a Podcast?

 In 2014, the podcast Serial asked the question: Was Adnan Syed wrongfully convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend, Hae Min Lee?

Season 1 of Serial

The podcast Serial talks about the beginning of the murder of Hae Min Lee. The first episode follows Sarah Koenig and how she tries to piece together what happened that fateful day. She lays out the basic facts: Hae Min Lee, a bright high school student, vanished after school on January 13, 1999. Her body was found weeks later in a park, and Adnan, her ex-boyfriend, was arrested and sentenced to life in prison. Sarah talks to Adnan Syed, his old friends, and potential alibis. Sarah has doubts whether Adnan truly committed the murder, and the podcast shares other possible scenarios about the murder.

Adnan Syed and Hae Min Lee

 

I really enjoyed the first episode as it was a blend of curiosity and suspense. Sarah Koenig’s narrative craftsmanship turned a cold case into a gripping, episodic mystery. By breaking the story into cliffhanger-driven episodes, Serial mimicked the addictive pacing of a TV drama. Each installment peeled back layers of the Adnan Syed case, inviting us to theorize, debate, and obsess alongside the host. As Sarah talked to multiple people, I found myself falling deeper into the case and putting myself into every person's shoes. I found myself going back and forth debating whether or not Adnan was truly guilty of the crime.

Presenting the case in a podcast format grips us to the story, as we hear Sarah’s intimate yet conversational tones making listeners feel like co-investigators on the case. The podcast leveraged the intimacy of voice such as phone calls with Adnan or raw interviews with police. Unlike reading an article, listening forces you to slow down, absorb tone, and confront the weight of every word. Hearing each person's voices and emotions made the story feel personal and urgent. It’s storytelling at its most immersive. The podcast format proves that audio could tackle complex narratives with depth and rigor. 

While staying interesting, Sarah had a way of humanizing everyone involved—Adnan, Hae Min Lee, witnesses, and even the flaws in the justice system. While some may argue that the podcast exploited tragedy for content, it was part of the allure. It leans into the “messiness” of real life with the contradictory testimonies, faded memories, and unanswered questions. The rawness of the episode really makes the story human.

The first episode of Serial works because it’s more than a podcast, it’s an experience. Sarah’s blend of journalism and narrative flair, paired with the intimacy of audio, created a story that felt personal, and incredibly layered. It’s a reminder that truth is rarely tidy, and that the best stories leave us with more questions than answers.