Serial

Serial is the pioneering investigative journalism podcast that single-handedly launched the modern podcast era when it debuted in 2014. Created by Sarah Koenig and produced by Serial Productions in association with This American Life, the show redefined what audio storytelling could achieve by applying rigorous, long-form journalism to a single story across an entire season. The first season investigated the 1999 murder of Hae Min Lee and the conviction of her ex-boyfriend Adnan Syed, raising profound questions about the reliability of memory, the fairness of the criminal justice system, and the difficulty of reconstructing events from the distant past. Sarah Koenig's distinctive narration style — honest about her own doubts and uncertainties, willing to follow the evidence wherever it led — created a new template for podcast journalism that has been widely imitated but never truly replicated. The series generated massive cultural conversation, led to legal proceedings being reopened, and ultimately contributed to Adnan Syed's release from prison. Subsequent seasons investigated other major stories with the same meticulous approach, cementing Serial's legacy as one of the most important and influential media productions of the 21st century.