April 30, 2018
THE LIST
1. The Allusionist - "Survival part 1: Second Home"
What happens when a group of Welsh settlers is bamboozled into immigrating to a desolate swatch of land in Argentina? A weird subculture flourishes.
2. Hidden Brain - "Romeo and Juliet in Kigali"
What happens when a radio drama is set with the immense task of healing the wounds of a war-torn nation? People get obsessed.
3. The Cracked Podcast - "All The Baffling Ways America Misunderstands The Middle East"
What happens when Americans reserve all of their bandwidth for caring about the middle east for the conflict in Israel/Palestine? We forget that there is a whole lot of other stuff going on.
HONORABLE MENTION
Still Processing - "We Watch Whiteness"
Showcase from Radiotopia - "Errthang #5 - How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America"
Reply All - "No More Safe Harbor"
SOMETHING NEW
Whether it's the shocking intrigue of tabloid-worthy stories or the grittiness of real life figures mixed up in more clandestine brutality, true crime media is built for voyeuristic inter-class tourism. This difference is mostly contextualized as one-way glass separating the law-abiding and the rule breakers, but there is a social element that distances "criminals" from those caught up in unfortunate consequences of being born into sad circumstances. Empire on Blood encroaches on couching convicted murderer Calvin Buari as a bad dude who was not quite as bad as he was made out to be. This is a fine narrative choice, but the way host Steve Fishman brings it about took center stage throughout the seven episode series run.
It's a bit of an understatement to say Fishman puts himself into the work. I can't say I'm a fan of the approach, nor can I fully examine the journalistic integrity of a show crafted in such a manner. Referring to interview subjects primarily with a nickname ("Turtleman"), sending sources gifts in prison, and repeatedly promoting a bar he owns are some of the ethically dubious tactics Fishman employs. In addition to work as a journalist and podcaster, Fishman has a writing credit on at least one fictional film (the Matthew Broderick starring 'The Last Shot' from 2004). That varied experience manifests in the writing of Empire on Blood, and this style makes a lot of the show a compelling listen. But is the attention of the audience garnered for noble ends?
Fishman's work on this story consumed seven years of his life. Or, rather, the host focused his attention on the tale spanning the course of seven years. It is clear that the time devoted to unearthing the truth of Mr. Buari's incarceration ebbed and flowed, which does make sense from the perspective of a freelancer chasing a story that may or may not pan out. Even still, I don't know that the investment of time is reflected in the final product. In the penultimate episode, Buari is cleared of his conviction that has weighed on him for 20-odd years. This should ring out triumphantly, but all the edifice in the storytelling disconnected me from the reality of the situation. Perhaps it's me being wary after getting sucked in by The Polybius Conspiracy, only to learn that it was a mixture of documentary and fiction, but I couldn't help wondering if the same thing may be in play with Empire on Blood.
Really, I'd be surprised if this show is revealed to be a muddle of fact and fiction. The cast of characters is broad and varied, and the story is more in the mold of a true-crime cold case than a exploration of a popular myth. Still, Fishman's tone lacks an inherent integrity that grounds shows like Embedded, Reveal or Serial. That air of lacking professionalism introduces an unnecessary element of disbelief to a saga which, at it's core, should be about all the years served for a crime the convicted man didn't commit. This story was spun out in hopes of captivating an audience that would cling to each new revelation in every episode. Instead, it seems like the subject matter could have been covered in an episode of Criminal - in a less salacious and more humanizing way.
It's a bit of an understatement to say Fishman puts himself into the work. I can't say I'm a fan of the approach, nor can I fully examine the journalistic integrity of a show crafted in such a manner. Referring to interview subjects primarily with a nickname ("Turtleman"), sending sources gifts in prison, and repeatedly promoting a bar he owns are some of the ethically dubious tactics Fishman employs. In addition to work as a journalist and podcaster, Fishman has a writing credit on at least one fictional film (the Matthew Broderick starring 'The Last Shot' from 2004). That varied experience manifests in the writing of Empire on Blood, and this style makes a lot of the show a compelling listen. But is the attention of the audience garnered for noble ends?
Fishman's work on this story consumed seven years of his life. Or, rather, the host focused his attention on the tale spanning the course of seven years. It is clear that the time devoted to unearthing the truth of Mr. Buari's incarceration ebbed and flowed, which does make sense from the perspective of a freelancer chasing a story that may or may not pan out. Even still, I don't know that the investment of time is reflected in the final product. In the penultimate episode, Buari is cleared of his conviction that has weighed on him for 20-odd years. This should ring out triumphantly, but all the edifice in the storytelling disconnected me from the reality of the situation. Perhaps it's me being wary after getting sucked in by The Polybius Conspiracy, only to learn that it was a mixture of documentary and fiction, but I couldn't help wondering if the same thing may be in play with Empire on Blood.
Really, I'd be surprised if this show is revealed to be a muddle of fact and fiction. The cast of characters is broad and varied, and the story is more in the mold of a true-crime cold case than a exploration of a popular myth. Still, Fishman's tone lacks an inherent integrity that grounds shows like Embedded, Reveal or Serial. That air of lacking professionalism introduces an unnecessary element of disbelief to a saga which, at it's core, should be about all the years served for a crime the convicted man didn't commit. This story was spun out in hopes of captivating an audience that would cling to each new revelation in every episode. Instead, it seems like the subject matter could have been covered in an episode of Criminal - in a less salacious and more humanizing way.
Empire on Blood
From: Panoply
Recommended for: True-crime completists.
Drop Schedule: Wednesday, Seasonal:One-Time (All episodes available now)
Average episode length: 45 minutes
Rating: Break It
From: Panoply
Recommended for: True-crime completists.
Drop Schedule: Wednesday, Seasonal:One-Time (All episodes available now)
Average episode length: 45 minutes
Rating: Break It
Comments
Post a Comment