‘The Coldest Case in Laramie,’ ‘S-Town,’ and more podcasts by Serial Productions

Since “Serial” dropped in 2014, Serial Productions and The New York Times have released several other fascinating podcasts. These shows encapsulate top-notch journalism and compelling stories you’ll binge all the way through. 

On our list, we’ve included the new true crime show “The Coldest Case in Laramie,” the classic “S-Town,” and the three-part investigative series “We Were Three.” “The Trojan Horse Affair” examined a mysterious letter that resulted in a scandal in England. There are also shows looking at allegations of election fraud and who is responsible for shaping schools’ systems.

Scroll through and check out our complete guide of podcasts by Serial Productions.

Serial

Until 2022, Adnan Syed was serving a life sentence for the 1999 murder of Hae Min Lee, his high school classmate and former girlfriend. Syed maintained his innocence throughout his 23 incarcerated years and tried every possible legal route to vacate the charges. On “Serial,” host and investigative journalist Sarah Koenig investigated Syed’s case. The podcast found new leads and uncovered new information. In 2022, as Syed’s charges were in the process of being vacated leading up to the judicial decision, Koenig released new episodes covering all developments since last reported on the podcast.

The Coldest Case in Laramie

Serial presents “The Coldest Case in Laramie,” hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter for The New York Times, Kim Barker. 40 years ago, Barker attended high school in Laramie, Wyoming, the town where Shelli Wiley’s unsolved murder happened in 1985. On the podcast’s eight episodes, Barker is examining “conflicting stories” and the turn the case took when former Laramie police officer, Fred Lamb, was accused of murder.

S-Town

Serial presents “S-Town,” hosted by Brian Reed. In 2012, John from Woodstock, Alabama (or “S***town” as he calls it) asked “This American Life” to investigate a murder case and possible police cover-up. Reed’s investigation resulted in a seven-episode podcast. The case involved a wealthy family’s son who bragged he murdered scot free, then someone else wound up dead. In the podcast, hear about a resulting feud, a treasure hunt, and uncovered mysteries.

We Were Three

“We Were Three” is a three-part series by “This American Life” producer Nancy Updike. It’s a family story looking into lies, America, what COVID-19 showed the world, and what the pandemic destroyed. Learn about Rachel McKibbens’ story that started when her brother texted her saying their father had just died from COVID-19. She was not aware he was sick and learned more about what happened to family during the pandemic.

The Trojan Horse Affair

On “The Trojan Horse Affair,” Brian Reed and Hamza Syed examined who wrote the mystery letter that led to a wide-spread scandal. This eight-part series investigated the threats delivered to a city councillor’s desk in Birmingham, England and its shocking aftermath. This document allegedly contained Islamic extremists’ plans to infiltrate schools. 

The Improvement Association

“The Improvement Association is a five-part podcast hosted by reporter Zoe Chace. She headed to Bladen County, North Carolina to investigate allegations of election fraud. Some people blamed a Black advocacy group called the Bladen County Improvement Association, alleging ballot tampering, bullying voters, and stealing votes. None of these allegations have been proven true. This series also looks into this story as well as fraud and things that fuel allegations.

Nice White Parents

“Nice White Parents” is a five-part series from “Serial’s” creators and The New York Times. Host Chana Joffe-Walt is exploring problems in our public schools, and the vast number of white parents that impact schools’ decisions.