How Serial Has Changed Our Lives, Possibly Forever

The podcast has got us all hooked, but what are the defining characteristics of a Serial addict?

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by Sophie Wilkinson |
Published on

Serial, the murder-mystery podcast has got us all listening with the sort of glee that’s just not appropriate when you consider this is the real-life story of a woman who has been killed. It’s a twisty-turny tale of journalist Sarah Koenig’s journey to find out whether Adnan Musud Syed, who is in jail serving a sentence after being convicted with the murder of his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee, really did kill her. And we can’t stop listening. So right now, we’re here to discuss the things you only know if you’re an avid listener (or even just one episode down) of the series.

1. You’ve tidied the entire flat

Serial is so complicated and twisty and turny that you have to really concentrate when you listen to it. So, you clean things. You scrub floors, you take a toothbrush to the limescale on the bathroom walls and you basically turn your home into a haven of cleanliness.

2. You miss your stop

OK, so you’ve managed to listen to it without barging into plodding commuters on the train. Except, now, with your mind so focused on the weaving storylines, and your desire to keep track of every single detail that could incriminate either Adnan or Jay, you actually end up missing your bus/train/tube stop. A lot.

READ MORE: Why You Need To Listen To Serial Now

3. You’ll question your own ethics

And we get that. It doesn’t sit comfortably that we’re so mouth-frothingly obsessed with the details of the brutal murder of a teenage girl. Because this happened in real life. But, if it makes you feel any better, Serial is journalist Sarah Koenig’s mission to uncover the truth in a murder case. To help the family of Hae Min Lee get to the truth and to see that justice is properly served. By listening to it, we’re just being informed about the process. Plus, it puts violence against women in the spotlight in a way that can, and has, provoked meaningful discussion. Of course, we can talk about statistics, but individual stories are always very important to get people who wouldn’t normally talk about violence against women to talk about it in a slightly more informed way.

4. You run at a pace that doesn’t make you feel sick

Normally, you’ll listen to intense thumpy-thumpy house-pop-EDM music. But now, with a podcast in, you run with a rhythm that probably suits your running style and pace, rather than whatever single David Guetta’s released. That said, you’ll be running with a frown.

READ MORE: Addicted To Serial? You'll Want To Know That Hae's Brother Has Spoken Out

5. You’re basically a pusher

Even after listening to just one episode, you’ll recommend a whole bunch of people to listen to more episodes. Then each of them will get back to you and tell you how incredible you are for recommending the series to them. Some will even have a go at you for impinging on their time, and you’ll feel like a dealer of podcasts or something. And a pretty bad person.

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Follow Sophie on Twitter @sophwilkinson

Picture: Getty

This article originally appeared on The Debrief.

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