Sword and Scale

Sword and Scale is not for the faint of heart. Hosted by Mike Boudet since 2014, this weekly podcast earned its reputation by incorporating raw, unfiltered audio — actual 911 calls, courtroom recordings, police interrogations, and victim interviews — directly into its episodes. The effect is visceral in a way that straight narration simply cannot replicate. With 350 episodes covering murders, abductions, and disturbing criminal cases, the show leans hard into the darkest corners of human behavior. Mike's commentary style is dry and measured, letting the audio evidence do most of the emotional heavy lifting. The production quality is high, and episodes are structured to build tension methodically, often saving the most jarring material for moments of maximum impact. The show has a complicated legacy. It holds a 4.0-star rating across an enormous 60,000+ reviews, which tells you it generates strong feelings in both directions. Some listeners consider it one of the most gripping true crime shows ever produced. Others have taken issue with the host's social media presence and public controversies that have followed the show over the years. Love it or not, Sword and Scale has been influential in shaping what modern true crime podcasts sound like. The spinoff shows Nightmares and Monstruo explore adjacent territory — bedtime crime stories and international extreme cases, respectively — for listeners who want even more.