The Serial Podcast Made Me Rethink Memory

Through our lives, we experience many different things, making it hard to remember them all. After listening to the first episode of the Serial podcast titled “The Alibi” hosted by Sarah Koenig, it became clear how much this can affect us. It has made me question how credible I would be in recalling information without knowing I would need it. 

Photo from www.JobsForFelonsHub.com.


In this episode, Boenig does a deep dive into the 1999 murder case of Hae Min Lee. The main evidence against Adnan Syed was his accomplice's interview, in which he told the police Adnan had killed her and that he had seen her dead in his trunk. Boeing ends up finding a girl who said she saw Adnan Syed in the public library at the time the Hae Min Lee murder had taken place. This girl wrote letters to Adnan Syde after he was arrested, telling him she, along with her boyfriend and his best friend, had seen him at the library. Despite this, it was not used in court, and Adan Syed was found guilty.

The podcast website also has timelines and written letters. This is a great addition in case you forget or feel like you missed a part of the episode while listening. 


With how popular this podcast is, it does make me wonder how Hae Min Lee's family feels about it. I could not imagine being reminded of the tragedy. I think it is important to remain respectful to the victim and the family, which I believe Koenig did well. Although I can understand the family being upset since something they are trying to move on from is being brought back up for entertainment purposes. 


I love podcasts and true crime. I think Koenig did a great job of telling this case in a way that is clear and remains engaging. She includes police interviews, but also finds people years later to interview them to get more clarity on the case. She also interviews Adnan Syed, and you get to look into how he feels about his situation. I think it's interesting to see how people look back on the case and how some remember everything while others remember nothing. 


Photo by Hash facts.


I know if I were asked about what I did even a week ago, I would have a hard time. Anything I would recall would not be specific enough to be of any significance, no times or dates, unless I had a picture or post of some kind. It makes me wonder how much of the interviews in the podcast were the truth or just what people think happened.

This gets me thinking about how different this case could have turned out with modern technology. Even security cameras could have been crucial in debunking whether or not Adnan Syed was at the library during the murder.


Works Cited

Hash facts. Brain. Flickr, 18 December 2018, https://flic.kr/p/2aSLDoU. 

JobsForFelonsHub.com. Police Crime Scene Tape. Flickr, 18 June 2016, https://flic.kr/p/HmDo5T.

Koenig, Sarah, host. “The Alibi.” Serial, season 1, episode 1, Serial Productions, 3 Oct. 2014,

             https://serialpodcast.org/season-one/1/the-alibi. 


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