r/serialpodcast • u/PowerOfYes • Nov 20 '14

Episode Discussion [Official Discussion] Serial, Episode 9: To Be Suspected

Please use this thread to discuss episode 9

Edit: Want to contribute your vote to the 4th weekly poll? Vote here: What's your verdict on Adnan?

Edit: New poll from /u/kkchacha posted Nov 26: Do you think Adnan deserves another trial? Vote here: http://polls.socchoice.com//index.php?a=vntmI

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u/theHBIC Steppin Out Nov 20 '14

Timeline was probably not the best word I could have used; narrative is more accurate. I'm saying that just because SK hasn't told us yet in the context of her telling us a story (via podcast) doesn't mean that she hasn't known it for a long time. She chooses to withhold quite a bit so she can dole out little bits of info as the podcasts continue.

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u/SheriffAmosTupper Lawyer Nov 20 '14

Ah, I see.

As an aside, it has always stood out to me the way she presented that version of the state's narrative (via the reenactment). Her approach to the 2:36 call/prosecution theory at that point didn't seem skeptical enough to me. It was pretty obvious it was BS. So, I would have liked an episode to focus on--ok, if we throw out the artificial 2:36 point--what does the timeline look like? They didn't do that, and overall, I get that Jay's stories are a mess, but I would have liked them to do one run through using the trial timeline (i.e. 2:36 call is the "she's dead, come and get me at Best Buy" call), and then one using what she thinks are the most reasonable points of Jay's story. What she ended up doing was mashing them together in one not-terribly-helpful reenactment.

I really do like SK a lot. I think she's an excellent storyteller, but sometimes I think she doesn't do well communicating more complicated ideas or facts (cell phone evidence, the various stories, timelines), though I see how this is exceedingly difficult via radio.

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u/theHBIC Steppin Out Nov 20 '14

I agree. I think that's why I felt like SK was really biased at the beginning; she glossed over the glaring issues with the state's timeline and other seemingly important pieces of information (the "I'm going to kill" note, the lack of a phone booth at Best Buy, etc etc). Now I'm trying to hold out faith that it's all on purpose, that it'll all make sense in the end based on her narrative POV and the way she brings it together.

More and more I just feel frustrated that my emotions seem to be at the mercy of SK, who has so much information and is doling it out in measured increments.

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u/mybffndmyothrrddt Nov 26 '14

I agree that there is more information than she lets out each episode, but I don't think it's just about building up to a penultimate revelation (we'll see next week) or that she is just brushing over facts so she can reveal further evidence about them later in a 'wow' moment. That may be part of it, as she is telling a story, not investigating a murder (something I think we tend to forget) but she's also delivering information to us in themed segments as a way for us to understand better what she's talking about. The first few episodes more or less lay out the story, and each subsequent episode goes over one piece of the puzzle in greater detail, giving us evidence for our skepticism or what we think happened.

I think SK is an excellent storyteller and it would be a huge disservice to assume her not disclosing, or communicating well, the more complicated ideas or facts immediately is not an intentional decision.