March 19 - 25, 2017
1. Radiolab - "Shots Fired, Part 2"
Radiolab has zeroed in on a compellingly epic report about gun use statistics in the state of Florida. The dearth of data on gun violence in the US is pretty shocking, and while I've come across various smaller projects this attempt by Tampa Bay Times reporter Ben Montgomery is the most exhaustive. Part 1 of the series centered on the family members affected by various police shootings, and in Part 2 the show takes a deeper look at one specifically harrowing incident. Intentionally or not, these episodes both have some parallels to the series Embedded is running about police videos (see below) - the common theme being "all gun violence is tragic but with a somewhat staggering variety." I hope, and honestly believe, that I am attracted to these stories out of a sense of their import to society and not out of some grotesque fascination with this American pandemic. I don't have any answers, but I think the issue is worthy of attention.
2. Embedded - "Police Videos: Cincinnati"
Podcasts occasionally fall into the rut of a familiar narrative to the detriment of the listening experience. At the outset Embedded seemed to be close to running the risk of this with their series on police videos. Sure, the supply of police encounters gone wrong is likely unlimited in the United States. But how much solemness can one team endow to the subject without becoming overly self-serious? After two very dark episodes, "Police Videos: Cincinnati" offers a glimmer of hope...that eventually gets subsumed by the insinuation that mass media is altering the psyche of our public servants. It's not that the outcome of this particular case wasn't good - the authorities did apprehend the suspect without additional loss of life on either side of the law. The more sinister implication, however, manifests in the realization that humans are impressionable and may be acting in accordance with forces that extend outside of their professional capacities. It's not a huge revelation, I suppose; the human condition could be boiled down to a series of subconscious and seemingly random reactions to any number of mysterious stimuli. Yet it is troubling to consider that the people ascending to the top of government power actively attack the media, as a whole, as some sort of perceived opponent. How do officers begin to view suspects if the "dangerous immigrant" narrative takes hold and is perpetuated by widely consumed media channels? Regardless of all that, this is a story that breaks the true crime mold with it's attention to more far-reaching effects on society.
3. This American Life - "Ask a Grown-Up"
A few days prior to catching this episode, I had read a news brief on MTV signing on to co-produce a podcast from Rookie Magazine. This is the first I'd heard of the teen zine (founded by the prodigious Tavi Gevinson at age 15), and then BAM - here it is featured on a segment of This American Life. Their "Ask a Grown" series is fascinating, and the TAL team treats it with the proper amount of speculative meditation. Next we move on to a sweet intersection of political differences clashing and then having a reasonable (perhaps even productive?!) exchange, as the editorial staff at the Dallas Morning News addresses the concerns of a few select readers. In the final act, Ira opens up and divulges a story that intertwines his personal life with the broader human desire for connection and routine. To the casual listener the impact may be more benign, but as a devoted follower of the show for upwards of 10 years I was moved to tear up hearing the tremor of restraint as Ira recounted this tale.
4. Hang Up and Listen - "The We Love Mike Edition"
As a devoted fan of both Hang Up and Listen and Mike Pesca, I can't help but include "The We Love Mike Edition" on this week's list. After singing the praises of the veteran journalist and his solo show The Gist just last week, I was saddened to learn that Mike will be leaving Panoply's premier sports podcast. If you've never had the privilege of listening to HUAL, this is definitely not the best maiden voyage on which to bring yourself into the fold (although, it must be noted, this episode's coverage of March Madness and the World Baseball Classic is certainly worthwhile). But the passion that these guys have - both for sports, the obscure and each other - is unparalleled and on full display here. From a rousing game of Pesca Jeopardy to a detailed revisiting of past predictions from the beloved co-host, Josh Levine and Stefan Fatsis send off their compatriot in appropriate fashion. R.I.P. Pesca on HUAL, and may his trademark brand of humor and insight breathe life into sports via another vessel in the near future.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
99% Invisible "The Falling of the Lenins"
Hidden Brain - "Tunnel Vision"
Radiolab has zeroed in on a compellingly epic report about gun use statistics in the state of Florida. The dearth of data on gun violence in the US is pretty shocking, and while I've come across various smaller projects this attempt by Tampa Bay Times reporter Ben Montgomery is the most exhaustive. Part 1 of the series centered on the family members affected by various police shootings, and in Part 2 the show takes a deeper look at one specifically harrowing incident. Intentionally or not, these episodes both have some parallels to the series Embedded is running about police videos (see below) - the common theme being "all gun violence is tragic but with a somewhat staggering variety." I hope, and honestly believe, that I am attracted to these stories out of a sense of their import to society and not out of some grotesque fascination with this American pandemic. I don't have any answers, but I think the issue is worthy of attention.
2. Embedded - "Police Videos: Cincinnati"
Podcasts occasionally fall into the rut of a familiar narrative to the detriment of the listening experience. At the outset Embedded seemed to be close to running the risk of this with their series on police videos. Sure, the supply of police encounters gone wrong is likely unlimited in the United States. But how much solemness can one team endow to the subject without becoming overly self-serious? After two very dark episodes, "Police Videos: Cincinnati" offers a glimmer of hope...that eventually gets subsumed by the insinuation that mass media is altering the psyche of our public servants. It's not that the outcome of this particular case wasn't good - the authorities did apprehend the suspect without additional loss of life on either side of the law. The more sinister implication, however, manifests in the realization that humans are impressionable and may be acting in accordance with forces that extend outside of their professional capacities. It's not a huge revelation, I suppose; the human condition could be boiled down to a series of subconscious and seemingly random reactions to any number of mysterious stimuli. Yet it is troubling to consider that the people ascending to the top of government power actively attack the media, as a whole, as some sort of perceived opponent. How do officers begin to view suspects if the "dangerous immigrant" narrative takes hold and is perpetuated by widely consumed media channels? Regardless of all that, this is a story that breaks the true crime mold with it's attention to more far-reaching effects on society.
3. This American Life - "Ask a Grown-Up"
A few days prior to catching this episode, I had read a news brief on MTV signing on to co-produce a podcast from Rookie Magazine. This is the first I'd heard of the teen zine (founded by the prodigious Tavi Gevinson at age 15), and then BAM - here it is featured on a segment of This American Life. Their "Ask a Grown" series is fascinating, and the TAL team treats it with the proper amount of speculative meditation. Next we move on to a sweet intersection of political differences clashing and then having a reasonable (perhaps even productive?!) exchange, as the editorial staff at the Dallas Morning News addresses the concerns of a few select readers. In the final act, Ira opens up and divulges a story that intertwines his personal life with the broader human desire for connection and routine. To the casual listener the impact may be more benign, but as a devoted follower of the show for upwards of 10 years I was moved to tear up hearing the tremor of restraint as Ira recounted this tale.
4. Hang Up and Listen - "The We Love Mike Edition"
As a devoted fan of both Hang Up and Listen and Mike Pesca, I can't help but include "The We Love Mike Edition" on this week's list. After singing the praises of the veteran journalist and his solo show The Gist just last week, I was saddened to learn that Mike will be leaving Panoply's premier sports podcast. If you've never had the privilege of listening to HUAL, this is definitely not the best maiden voyage on which to bring yourself into the fold (although, it must be noted, this episode's coverage of March Madness and the World Baseball Classic is certainly worthwhile). But the passion that these guys have - both for sports, the obscure and each other - is unparalleled and on full display here. From a rousing game of Pesca Jeopardy to a detailed revisiting of past predictions from the beloved co-host, Josh Levine and Stefan Fatsis send off their compatriot in appropriate fashion. R.I.P. Pesca on HUAL, and may his trademark brand of humor and insight breathe life into sports via another vessel in the near future.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
99% Invisible "The Falling of the Lenins"
Hidden Brain - "Tunnel Vision"
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