Alright, I’m going to say something controversial because it’s Wednesday, it’s morning, and if we can’t be honest now, when can we be? (Spoiler: any other time, but I digress.)
I’m not super into this season of Serial.
I’m sorry.
Like, I want to be. I want to care so much about Bowe Bergdahl, but I don’t because I’m weeks in and am listening and thinking, “Yeah, but dude you just wandered off and we’re not even talking about why.” And I mean, isn’t that the point? Weren’t we promised a picture that keeps getting bigger and bigger while giving us more and more perspective? Instead, I know that Bowe was held captive and it was awful and he put the lives of a lot of people in jeopardy but also there’s been no “and here’s why” in terms of why he walked off in the first place or what he saw or what he was thinking or anything other than exactly what I just detailed above. Which makes me care less and less every week, because come on please just give me anything at this point.
But okay here’s something: last night, during the State of the Union, it was announced (not during/during the State of the Union, but like, as it was happening) that Serial will now be going bi-weekly. That means we will get a new episode once every other week because of an additional narrative and/or the need for more reporting.
“There are more paths we need to go down,” EP Julie Snyder told the New York Times. “Since we started broadcasting the show, we have gotten more people willing to talk, and because of that, it has opened up more avenues of reporting.”
On the flip side, this season will continue into March, and we’ll also get more than 10 episodes, which gives us a lot of time to focus on what we want to know about (a.k.a. everything other than what we’ve been told so far). I mean, right? Right? Somebody tell me that it’s going to get better. I want to be excited, I want to believe, I want to like what I waited a year for. I want all of these things. But guys. Guys.
Guys.
I’m a second away from being Judy Garland when she sings “I don’t care.” I care in theory, but there’s something about this season that’s just . . . like . . . “You’re not my real dad.” This is like Serial: Season You’re Not My Real Dad. I don’t even know what that means, but you know when your favourite teacher goes on maternity leave and you get the new one who’s very nice, but it’s like, “UGH BUT YOU’RE NOT THE SAME.” That? That.
Anyway, maybe I’m alone here. Maybe this is my fault. Maybe I’m failing Serial. Maybe I’m failing us all. Either way, see you on the 21, next episode of Serial. Help me fall back in love with you again.
