Tasting Serial

Serial Podcast

On Saturday afternoon, 12/21, I was introduced to the first episode of a podcast called Serial.  The series concluded just 6 days ago and involves investigating the murder of an 18 year old girl, 15 years later.  I binge listened to the series in a matter of 2 days (its about 9 hours of listening) and this method of listening could alter an opinion when compared to listening week by week.

I’m going to write this post like you’ve heard the podcast.  There will be spoilers.  If this is going to ruin your future plans, stop reading.

Adnan Syed

Adnan Syed and Best Buy

• What’s the significance of the Best Buy? Adnan and Hae have previously gone there to have sex in the corner of the parking lot. This is Adnan’s opportunity to strangle her that day because she wouldn’t say no or feel suspicious to this request.
• If school ends at 2:15 and Jay says the 2:36 call was, “come pick me up I’m at Best Buy”, then this could realistically happen.  Sarah Koenig tried re-enacting it successfully (barely) and it stands it’s possible.  The Best Buy is 4 minutes away with no traffic.  The book mentioned it being difficult to leave after school and details are murky (the concession stand woman saw her) of when they may have left.
• 

  Jay from Serial

  Why did Jay had have Adnan’s car and cell phone?  Easy.  Adnan had planned this out so that when the time came to investigate who killed Hae, he was off the map.  Which worked shockingly well aside from the Nisha call.

• Why was Jay a part from the beginning?  If Adnan was so smart, he wouldn’t have told anybody after murdering Hae.  However, if he’s too smart, he may have thought to try and pin it on Jay that day.  Or Jay was only an accomplice at no fault of his own and turned on Adnan which would explain the “you are pathetic” line in the courtroom.
• No one has motive to kill Hae other than Adnan.  She had a new boyfriend and this did not sit well with him.  I’ve read a story made up on Reddit how Jay could have done it and it’s feasible except that the first comment points out what would the motive be and that’s spot on.

Adnan is guilty.   With all of the phone records, conversations with key people, and wisdom gained from dissecting a case 15 years later, his inability to disprove where he was that day is cut and dry.  Jay’s story is too close to the truth to be fabricated.

Some Afterthoughts

• 

  Sarah Koenig

  Jay’s story is inconsistent.  Remember this, “Jay’s testimony is inconsistent because he is an accomplice and he is trying to frame the events in a way that doesn’t implicate himself.

• All the ancillary characters were a waste of time.  Talking to people 15 years later is hilariously stupid.  I can’t remember what grade I was in 15 years ago let alone an exact date.
• Hearing that Adnan is a stand up guy in prison means nothing to me.  He never expected to get caught for this murder.
• Asia’s note to Adnan was absurd.  “I’m not sure if you remember talking to me.”  How about, “I remember talking to you.”
• Listening to the ending where they are reaching about some deranged lunatic possibly murdering Hae was shockingly stupid.
• Sarah Koenig was decent but Adnan played her like a fiddle for this entire series.  What does he have to lose?
• This was the first podcast I ever listened to it’s entertainment to be listened to while doing other activities.  I wanted to be engrossed in it but couldn’t sit there and solely listen to the podcast.  Then I’d start reading a book and found myself not concentrating to the podcast.  Not my ideal way of entertainment.
• The music was phenomenal.  Props to Mark Henry Phillips.

Realize I’m not Sarah Koenig and being listened to by 5 million people.  She couldn’t possibly take a position against Adnan with all of the uncertainty this case provides and the amount of people listening.  I made up my mind based on what the simplest answer is and the most important details provided.

I also had no idea what Hae Min Lee looked like.