‘Truth Be Told’: America’s obsession with true crime is enhanced by podcasts cause they're ‘intimate’ and leave a lot to imagination
Octavia Spencer-starrer ‘Truth Be Told’ is a limited drama series that follows podcaster journalist Poppy Parnell as she is compelled to reopen the murder case that made her a national sensation. According to Apple TV+, the show “provides a unique glimpse into America’s obsession with true crime podcasts and challenges its viewers to consider the consequences when the pursuit of justice is placed on a public stage.”
Is America, or for that matter the world, obsessed with true crime podcasts? Well, yes. The popularity of ‘Serial’ or ‘In the Dark’ or ‘Undisclosed’ is proof enough. To answer why, one needs to examine the human psyche.
It’s not just podcasts -- although they have become hugely popular. It’s the genre of true crime that titillates us for a number of reasons. Be it in the form of news, or books or even documentaries; there’s something about the genre that ticks.
According to psychologists and experts, one of the reasons true crime fascinates people is because the concept of “evil” is interesting. Caitlin Rother, the author of ‘Lost Girls’ suggests, “We want some insight into the psychology of a killer, partly so we can learn how to protect our families and ourselves, but also because we are simply fascinated by aberrant behavior and the many paths that twisted perceptions can take.”
But it’s not just that. There’s a certain voyeuristic pleasure to be derived out of true crime. The gritty, gory details of a crime, knowing it’s not fiction, makes for a delightful meal to many. Although some liken it more to watching an accident unfold. You are just unable to stare away from something like that even if you wouldn’t normally want to.
Scott Bonn, a professor of criminology at Drew University and author of ‘Why We Love Serial Killers’, says it’s also an adrenaline rush: “People... receive a jolt of adrenaline as a reward for witnessing terrible deeds. If you doubt the addictive power of adrenaline, think of the thrill-seeking child who will ride a roller coaster over and over until he or she becomes physically ill. The euphoric effect of true crime on human emotions is similar to that of roller coasters or natural disasters.”
True crime, in any form, is irresistible. Even when it’s a mockumentary about a high school student drawing a bunch of d*cks on teachers’ cars in the true-crime parody series ‘American Vandal’. But podcasts have become the ultimate means to receive that fix. And there’s a reason why.
It’s intimacy. According to ‘In the Dark’ host Madeleine Baran, “There’s an intimacy that is unique to audio because you’re getting to hear these people talk and you feel connected to them. You feel like they’re talking to you, perhaps differently from a video.”
Rebecca Mead adds further in her deep-dive on the subject in The New Yorker magazine, “Podcasting is a peculiarly intimate medium. Usually transmitted through headphones to a solitary listener, or played over the car stereo during a commute, an audio narrative can be immersive in a way that a radio playing in the background in a kitchen rarely is.”
Steven M. Crimando, head of Behavioral Science Applications, a firm that trains organizations in violence prevention and response, adds to that. He suggests that with audio-only tales, listeners create a scarier version of what goes on as compared to video formats. Imagination and individual fears add a slayer of spice to what they listen to, and that, of course, enhances the experience.
Ultimately, can it also be that people just love a good story? Hannah Wright, PR Manager at Deezer, a French online music streaming service, says, “Their popularity is down to a combination of a shocking real-life story and clever reporting. There is also an element of suspense that can be created through added audio production, such as eerie music and sound effects. BBC’s ‘Death in Ice Valley’ podcast was very good at this, almost transporting you to a remote location in Norway with the sound of pelting rain that generated a feeling of sadness and isolation.”
‘Truth Be Told’ will premiere on Apple TV+ on December 6.