Free Daily Podcast Summary
Serial: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Serial Productions & The New York Times
"Serial" began in 2014 as a spinoff of the public radio show "This American Life." In 2017, we formed Serial Productions when we launched the podcast “S-Town.” Since then, Serial Productions has produced every season of “Serial” along with shows like “Nice White Parents,” “The Trojan Horse Affair,” “The Coldest Case in Laramie,” “The Retrievals” and more. In 2020, we joined the New York Times Company. Our shows have reached many millions of listeners and have won nearly every major journalism award for audio, including the first-ever Peabody Award given to a podcast.
Latest Episodes
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- Todaynarrative2 min4-min read
The Last 12 Weeks - Trailer
Sarah Koenig introduces a gripping new investigative podcast, The Last 12 Weeks, that follows a team of capital defense lawyers in a desperate race to prove their client—a man convicted as a Texas serial killer—is innocent before his execution date. The series exposes the immense pressure, ethical weight, and narrow legal window in which justice hangs by a thread.
- Mar 26, 2026narrative28 min3-min read
The Idiot - Chapter 5
Allen will almost certainly be released in a few years. What should M.’s family do with a guy who refuses to own up to his own crime? Can he be re-integrated into the family? Should he be? While M. has grown increasingly compassionate toward Allen, they learn their family has been moving in the opposite direction. Meanwhile, Priscilla has been trying to make a life without Allen. But Allen’s mom has other plans. Our newest podcast, “The Idiot” is out now. Search for it wherever you get your podcasts. To get full access to this and other Serial Productions and New York Times podcasts on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, subscribe at nytimes.com/podcasts. To find out about new shows from Serial Productions, and get a look behind the scenes, sign up for our newsletter at nytimes.com/serialnewsletter. Have a story pitch, a tip, or feedback on our shows? Email us at serialshows@nytimes.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
- Mar 26, 2026narrative1h 2m3-min read
The Idiot - Chapter 4
Allen finally agrees to talk … and talk and talk, for 35 hours of interviews. M. wants to understand Allen on his own terms, to try and figure out how this scion of bohemian intellectuals ended up hiring someone to kill his ex. It’s hard for M. to believe everything Allen says, but over the course of their conversations, M. comes to feel for their cousin. And they think they understand what drove him to go so far. Our newest podcast, “The Idiot” is out now. Search for it wherever you get your podcasts. To get full access to this and other Serial Productions and New York Times podcasts on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, subscribe at nytimes.com/podcasts. To find out about new shows from Serial Productions, and get a look behind the scenes, sign up for our newsletter at nytimes.com/serialnewsletter. Have a story pitch, a tip, or feedback on our shows? Email us at serialshows@nytimes.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
- Mar 26, 2026narrative50 min3-min read
The Idiot - Chapter 3
M. attends Allen’s trial in San Francisco. The FBI’s star witness, an agent who went by “David," plays his undercover recordings of Allen. They reveal how Allen’s scheme to deport Priscilla turned into a murder-for-hire plot. Allen is his own star witness, but his attempts to defend himself fall flat in court. M. begins to wonder why they loved seeing Allen humiliated on the stand. Our newest podcast, “The Idiot” is out now. Search for it wherever you get your podcasts. To get full access to this and other Serial Productions and New York Times podcasts on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, subscribe at nytimes.com/podcasts. To find out about new shows from Serial Productions, and get a look behind the scenes, sign up for our newsletter at nytimes.com/serialnewsletter. Have a story pitch, a tip, or feedback on our shows? Email us at serialshows@nytimes.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
- Mar 26, 2026interview49 min3-min read
The Idiot - Chapter 2
Priscilla, a Zimbabwean woman from a prominent family, endured years of psychological and physical abuse in her marriage to Alan, a manipulative and controlling man with deep ties to his domineering mother, Lena. After she left him, Alan retaliated by abducting their son, stripping Priscilla of her assets, and orchestrating a campaign of harassment and false accusations across multiple countries—culminating in his 2022 arrest for attempting to hire someone to murder her.
- Mar 26, 2026narrative21 min4-min read
The Idiot - Chapter 1
For decades, M. simply disliked Allen. They saw him as a fool, a pompous “international businessman” who bragged about shady deals and drove fancy cars while living in Eastern Europe and Africa. But one day Allen suddenly shows up at their father’s home in Cape Cod with his mother and 5-year-old son. He says he has separated from his wife, whom he has left behind in Moscow. M. suspects this could be a kidnapping, but their family seems to disagree. But finally Allen does something so bad, even M.’s family can’t ignore it. Our newest podcast, “The Idiot” is out now. Search for it wherever you get your podcasts. To get full access to this and other Serial Productions and New York Times podcasts on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, subscribe at nytimes.com/podcasts. To find out about new shows from Serial Productions, and get a look behind the scenes, sign up for our newsletter at nytimes.com/serialnewsletter. Have a story pitch, a tip, or feedback on our shows? Email us at serialshows@nytimes.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
- Mar 19, 2026narrative1 min4-min read
The Idiot - Trailer
M. Gessen's new podcast The Idiot explores the shocking true story of their cousin Alan, who became entangled in a murder plot, blending personal family history with dark humor and a deep dive into moral ambiguity. What begins as a familial curiosity becomes a profound reckoning with complicity, truth, and the limits of understanding.
- Oct 30, 202558 min
The Preventionist - Ep. 3
What’s the harm of “better safe than sorry” in cases where abuse is ambiguous? One mother’s story is our answer to that question. Our newest podcast, “The Idiot” is out now. Search for it wherever you get your podcasts. To get full access to this and other Serial Productions and New York Times podcasts on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, subscribe at nytimes.com/podcasts. To find out about new shows from Serial Productions, and get a look behind the scenes, sign up for our newsletter at nytimes.com/serialnewsletter. Have a story pitch, a tip, or feedback on our shows? Email us at serialshows@nytimes.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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This American Life
True stories exploring weekly themes with emotional depth, humor, and narrative twists, capturing the complexities of contemporary life.
The Daily
A daily news podcast covering major global stories with in-depth reporting from New York Times journalists.
S-Town
A man in rural Alabama asks a journalist to investigate a rumored murder, leading to a deeper exploration of secrets, treasure, and his own life.
The Coldest Case In Laramie
A reporter investigates a decades-old murder in her Wyoming hometown after a former police officer is arrested.
Nice White Parents
Examines how white parents’ choices and privileges have shaped the trajectory of American public education.
The Kids of Rutherford County
A Tennessee county jailed hundreds of children illegally over a decade, and two lawyers work to stop it.
The Retrievals
An investigation into why many patients experience severe pain during C-sections and the efforts to address this underreported issue.
Serialously with Annie Elise
A true-crime podcast that dives deep into cases with detailed timelines, social media insights, and a conversational tone.
The Improvement Association
A reporter investigates persistent election fraud allegations in rural North Carolina and the group at the center of the controversy.
The Trial: USA
Analyzes major criminal trials through court transcripts, interviews with investigators and experts, and detailed courtroom evidence breakdowns.
The Wirecutter Show
Expert advice on tested products to improve everyday life, from kitchen gear to smart home tech.
Modern Love
Real people share personal stories of love, heartbreak, and relationships in all their forms.
Mentions
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About Serial
"Serial" began in 2014 as a spinoff of the public radio show "This American Life." In 2017, we formed Serial Productions when we launched the podcast “S-Town.” Since then, Serial Productions has produced every season of “Serial” along with shows like “Nice White Parents,” “The Trojan Horse Affair,” “The Coldest Case in Laramie,” “The Retrievals” and more. In 2020, we joined the New York Times Company. Our shows have reached many millions of listeners and have won nearly every major journalism award for audio, including the first-ever Peabody Award given to a podcast.
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