The Retrievals

Patients at a Yale fertility clinic complained of severe pain during common egg retrieval procedures. Despite nurses’ insistence they’ve received the maximum dosage of fentanyl, the women continued to suffer, unaware they were actually receiving a simple saline solution. After a tampered vial was discovered, authorities arrested an addicted nurse who’d been swapping out the opioid. But the many patients had more questions. Why were their complaints ignored? Could the clinic have done more? And how are these victims who want a family supposed to feel about the legal accommodations made for a defendant with children of her own?

From Serial Productions comes “The Retrievals.” Host Susan Burton tells the story of the patients whose pain was ignored, the nurse who stole their medicine and watched them suffer, and the institution that failed them all.

OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "THE RETRIEVALS" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 12 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.

In Crime of the Week: do not taste this rainbow.

Suspect: Five Shots in the Dark

Leon Benson says he’s innocent of the 1998 murder of Kasey Schoen, who was shot in his truck in Indianapolis. Despite his alibi, no motive, and a lack of physical evidence, Leon was convicted based on a cross-racial identification from 150 feet at night. Attorney Lara Bazelon looks for clues to winning Leon’s exoneration. Was evidence about alternative suspects withheld? And should Bazelon’s team approach the man they believe actually pulled the trigger?

“Suspect: Five Shots in the Dark” is season three of the acclaimed series from Campside Media and Wondery. In a break of format, host Matthew Shaer works with Bazelon in a side-by-side effort to clear Leon’s name. Will the one-two punch of lawyers and podcasters get him out of prison? And what does correcting this wrong mean for Schoen’s family? 

OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "SUSPECT: FIVE SHOTS IN THE DARK" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 11 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.

In Crime of the Week: Chinese food take down.

Dark Valley

In 1988, twenty-two year old Jane Boroski was attacked at a soda vending machine. The seven-month-pregnant New Hampshire woman was stabbed 27 times and left for dead. Boroski is believed to be the last victim and only survivor of the Connecticut River Valley Killer, a suspect who murdered at least seven women between 1978 and ‘88. Decades later, the question remains why did he kill and where did he go?

In the podcast “Dark Valley'' from Crawlspace Media and Glassbox Media, Jennifer Amell looks back at the murders along the Vermont/New Hampshire corridor. The host accompanies Jane as she reexamines the lasting impact of the attack on her life, all the while seeking new information on who the Valley Killer - or Valley Killers - were.

OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "DARK VALLEY" BEGIN IN THE FINAL TEN MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.

In Crime of the Week: cowabunga!

Shiny Happy People

America was fascinated with the lives of the Duggars, a devout Christian family with 19 children and their own reality TV show. While they projected an image of wholesomeness on screen, off screen the Duggars tried to cover up allegations their son Josh had molested his sisters.

The Duggars’ views on marriage, education, and childrearing were formed by the Institute of Basic Life Principles, a radical religious organization that espoused obedient children and subservient wives. Its practices shaped the Duggar household in which their growing kids were oppressed and groomed to be victims.

The four-part Prime docuseries “Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets” looks at the truths hidden in plain sight about the ultra-conservative reality TV family. It also explores how the IBLP informed the Duggar’s worldview and how its purity culture is masking misogyny and sexual exploitation.

OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 14 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.

In Crime of the Week: lying liars who lie.

Jared from Subway

Jared Fogle became the pitchman for Subway after his unconventional sandwich diet helped him lose 245 pounds. While on a promotional tour, Fogle shocked a local radio host with a sexual comment about children. Rochelle Herman began taping their phone calls, hoping to record the celebrity’s fascination with pedophilia.  

While Herman helped an FBI investigation, Fogle’s business associate Russell Taylor was creating explicit images of children. The two paths would cross, exposing the pop culture icon’s world of sexually exploiting minors.

From Investigation Discovery and now streaming on Max, “Jared from Subway: Catching a Monster” looks at Fogle’s secret life of pedophilia. It features audiotape of him discussing his deeds and desires with Herman and the toll it took on her.

OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "JARED FROM SUBWAY" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 13 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.

In Crime of the Week: Who's your daddy?

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Smoke Screen: Just Say You're Sorry

When a Texas Ranger asked Larry Driskill if he could help solve a cold case, he agreed to talk to him. But Ranger James Holland accused him of killing Bobbie Sue Hill in 2005. After two days of intense interrogation, Driskill wondered if maybe he did do it and walked into a confession. Holland is revered for his talent at getting confessions, even though he uses questionable techniques like deception, suggestion, and forensic hypnosis. Did the detective known as the “serial killer whisperer” ensnare an innocent man?

In the latest season of “Smoke Screen: Just Say You’re Sorry,” host Maurice Chammah asks what happens when suspects are convinced they can’t trust their own memories to defend themselves. It does a deep dive into Holland’s interrogation of Driskill, as well as those of other suspects subjected to his unorthodox questioning style.  

OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "SMOKE SCREEN: JUST SAY YOU'RE SORRY" BEGIN IN THE FINAL NINE MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.

How to Create a Sex Scandal

While touring a building that had been a defunct swingers club, Margie Cantrell’s foster children said they’d been there before. As Margie helped police with questioning, the children said adults made them dance and have sex with each other. Seven people were charged with grooming and exploiting them for money. But there was no evidence nor adult witnesses who could corroborate the claims. Did the abuse actually happen - or were the allegations planted in the impressionable children by a caretaker with ulterior motives?

The Max series “How to Create a Sex Scandal” examines the 2008 Mineola Swingers Club case. Did innocent people go to prison based solely on the word of children coaxed into making the allegations? And if so, why would somebody put them up to it?

OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "HOW TO CREATE A SEX SCANDAL" BEGIN IN THE FINAL TEN MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.

In Crime of the Week: scam of the cloth.

Under Cover of Knight

After Sue Knight’s body was found in her home, a past acquaintance was stunned she named him executor of her estate. While Steve Barksdale was settling her affairs, the Texas man received a mysterious phone call from the CIA. The Barksdales tried to set aside suspicions that the unassuming British expat and pistol marksman was a spy. But a warning from a local sheriff made him think he should stop asking questions.

From Apple TV+ and Spoke Media comes the podcast “Under Cover of Knight.” The hosts lay back and let the interviewees tell Sue’s story. Was her death a personal tragedy or the work of clandestine operatives? And is it possible Sue is still alive?

OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "UNDER COVER OF KNIGHT" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 9 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.

The Curious Case of Natalia Grace

Michael and Kristine Barnett thought they were adopting a six-year-old little person with a disability from Ukraine. But Natalia had the physical traits of an adult, including pubic hair and a period. Soon the family lived in fear as the girl was threatening to harm them. The Barnetts petitioned a court to declare her an adult and they moved Natalia to her own apartment to live on her own. But police were not convinced Michael and Kristine hadn’t used the system to abandon a special needs child.

From Investigation Discovery and available to stream on Max comes “The Curious Case of Natalia Grace.” With extensive interviews from Michael Barnett, the docuseries explores Natalia’s identity and true age, the family dynamics, and the legal fallout that resulted. Viewers are left to decide whether the Barnetts or Natalia are the actual victims.

OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "THE CURIOUS CASE OF NATALIA GRACE" BEGIN IN THE FINAL TEN MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.

In Crime of the Week: date crashers.

Blind Plea

In 2017, Deven Grey claimed self-defense when she shot and killed her abusive partner in a remote trailer in rural Alabama. Instead of freedom, she was handed a “blind plea” – an option to take an unknown sentence in exchange for pleading guilty. Deven’s 15-year sentence became the final link in a chain of generational trauma, coercive control, and a broken justice system. How did this academic star from Baltimore wind up in Alabama, living under a false name, trapped with a violent boyfriend, and no way out

From the makers of “Believe Her” comes the ten-part podcast “Blind Plea” from Lemonada. Host Liz Flock asks who do we believe, and why? And in America, who has the right to self-defense and a fair trial?

OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "BLIND PLEA" BEGIN IN THE FINAL TEN MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. 

Burden of Proof

In 1987, Jennifer Pandos vanished from her Virginia home after a quarrel with her father. Her mother discovered a suspicious note from someone claiming Jennifer had willingly left with her, though she never returned.

After odd behavior, flunked polygraphs, and accusatory handwriting analysis, Stephen Pandos believed his parents were involved in her disappearance and had covered up the crime for years. But his mother insisted she knew nothing and now only wants her son back in her life.

Eight years in the making, the HBO series “Burden of Proof” follows Stephen’s journey to solve his sister’s cold case by getting his parents to confess. With a team of cops, private eyes and other experts in tow, can the answers to Jennifer’s disappearance be found within his family - or somewhere else?

OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "BURDEN OF PROOF" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 10 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.

In Crime of the Week: bathroom break.

Scamanda

Amanda Riley was known as a loving stepmother, devoted church member and an inspiration to an online community that followed her cancer journey. Her upbeat attitude in the face of a terminal diagnosis won her emotional and financial support from admirers far and wide. But despite her intricate medical details and convincing photos, a reporter became suspicious of Amanda’s back and forth stories of illness and remission. Soon investigators wanted to know if social media’s most popular cancer survivor was a phony.

“Scamanda” from Lionsgate Sound recounts how Amanda Riley ripped off friends, celebrities, and online supporters by faking a terminal illness. Host Charlie Webster dissects her blog and interviews family and friends about a six-figure scheme that took advantage of people’s kindness.  

OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "SCAMANDA" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 8 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.

Reality

On June 3, 2017, two FBI agents arrived at the home of Reality Winner, an Arabic language translator with a top secret security clearance. While a team executed a search warrant, the pair gently quizzed the 25-year-old about documents she viewed and whether she may have mishandled classified material. The agents asked Reality whether she sent secret military documents to online journalists who published the leak. As she revealed more and more about her actions, the whistleblower said she felt the government was lying to the American people.

The script for the HBO film “Reality” is made entirely from the interrogation during the espionage case. Sydney Sweeney portrays Reality Winner as smoldering with fear and sadness, as Josh Hamilton and Marchánt Davis softly tug the thread on how and why she’d risk everything.

OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "REALITY" BEGIN IN THE FINAL [ ] MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.

In Crime of the Week: Bad license photo.

Victim/Suspect

Emma Mannion told police she was raped in a car by a fellow University of Alabama student. When investigators said her story wasn’t credible, she reluctantly recanted her claim. That’s when cops arrested and prosecuted her for filing a false report.

Journalist Rachel De Leon discovered a nationwide pattern of law enforcement using deceptive interview techniques to break the victim’s resolve, then turning the tables on them and accusing them of their own crimes. De Leon traveled the country to explore the story of Emma and others like her who were treated less like victims and more like suspects.

The Netflix documentary “Victim/Suspect” follows De Leon as she exposes why women who sought justice for their assaults were falsely arrested and imprisoned because police didn’t believe them. It also recounts the case of several victims who’ve lived with the personal and public pain of false recantations.    

OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "VICTIM/SUSPECT" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 12 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.  

Yellowjackets season two

Teenage Shauna and her stranded soccer teammates face death during the brutal winter after their plane crash in the wilderness. As the birth of Shauna’s baby approaches, the Yellowjackets are desperate for food. Meanwhile, Lottie emerges as a spiritual leader, getting the team to connect to the supernatural powers of the forest.  

Back in present day, the police home in on Shauna and her family for the murder of her lover Adam, as Misty attempts to throw an internet detective off the track. A troubled Taissa reunites with Van as they join Natalie and the others at the cult-like self-help commune run by Lottie. With the world closing in on them, are the surviving Yellowjackets ready to confront their long-held secrets?

Showtime’s Emmy-nominated “Yellowjackets” returns for a second season. We see the teenage survivors take their first steps toward the foreshadowed nature-worshiping, antler-wearing, cannibalistic tribe they’ll become - while their adult selves are drawn to their one-time woodland priestess for answers. Did the Yellowjackets escape the malevolent force of the wilderness, or did they bring it back with them?

OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "YELLOWJACKETS" SEASON TWO BEGIN IN THE FINAL 10 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.

In Crime of the Week: long, long overdue

Love and Death

Candy Montgomery seems to have it all: loving husband, adorable kids…and friends from church like Betty Gore. But to fight the mundanity of suburban life, Candy propositions Betty’s husband, Allen. After the affair runs its course, Candy and her husband Pat are closer than ever. But a visit to Betty’s house turns deadly when the women fight over an ax.

Elizabeth Olsen stars in the Max Originals “Love and Death,” chronicling the 1980 murder that captivated the nation - and spawned a different miniseries about the case on Hulu less than a year ago. Why would Candy kill Betty with 41 blows from a three-foot ax? Was it the affair…or did she just snap?  

OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "LOVE AND DEATH" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 11 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.

Brokers, Bagmen, & Moles

In the 1980s, brokers at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange were not Ivy League financial-types. They were mostly blue-collar workers with on-the-job training in commodities exchanges. And they were making more money than most knew what to do with. All that cash caught the interest of the FBI, who suspected financial fraud at the Merc. But after undercover agents spent thousands of hours on the floor losing millions of dollars in taxpayer money, their investigation turned out to be a bad investment.

In “Brokers, Bagmen, and Moles” host Anjay Nagpal takes listeners into the pits of Chicago’s exchanges to detail one of the costliest FBI investigations ever. Were authorities really going after the handful of small fish they caught - or did they actually have their sights on some blue chip executives?

OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "BROKERS, BAGMEN, AND MOLES" BEGIN IN THE FINAL NINE MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.

In Crime of the Week: booze cruise.

Think Twice: Michael Jackson

Just as his commercial success began to wane, Michael Jackson faced career-ending criminal charges he molested a child - not the first time such allegations surfaced. It was the most serious item on the list of problematic conduct and idiosyncratic behavior which defined his public persona. But his journey from fame to infamy was not simple, nor is there consensus on its effects on his legacy. Even a decade after his death, there remains one camp of fans dedicated to his influence and innocence - and another that’s come to terms with the veracity of his deplorable actions.

From Audible Originals, Wondery, and Prologue Productions comes “Think Twice: Michael Jackson.” Hosts Leon Neyfakh and Jay Smooth present original interviews seeking new ways to examine Jackson’s staying power in pop culture despite years of disturbing allegations.

OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "THINK TWICE: MICHAEL JACKSON" BEGIN IN THE FINAL NINE MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.

Jury Duty, plus a Bone Valley update

Leading off: After all of his appeals options have been exhausted, Leo Schofield has one last path to freedom. A Florida parole board agrees to consider his application for release. Setting aside his claims of innocence and focusing on his conduct during 35 years of incarceration, the board offers some hope. In the bonus episode of “Bone Valley,” Gilbert King and Kelsey Decker examine the board’s nuanced ruling and talk to Leo about what lies ahead.

Moving on: Documentarians are granted unfettered access to a civil trial and the deliberations of its jury. The panel includes Ronald Gladden, who takes his role earnestly. What he doesn’t know is that the judge, the lawyers, and his eleven fellow jurors are all actors. When alternate juror James Marsden - played by the real James Marsden - gets the jury sequestered, Ronald remains unaware of the elaborate charade as he interacts with quirky characters, ridiculous situations, and bizarre testimony.

“Jury Duty,” available on Amazon’s Freevee, wraps its scripted trial in a real life comedy of manners featuring an unsuspecting everyman. But Ronald surprises both the audience and the producers with his heartwarming tolerance to the idiosyncratic jurors, the oddball defendant, and the nutty set pieces engineered for his benefit.  

OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "JURY DUTY" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 8 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.

In Crime of the Week: Days of wine and lollipops. 

Catching Lightning

In 2006, a group of armed and masked men used kidnapping and precision to enter a money counting center, making off with £53 million in cash. The media buzzed over who was behind the largest heist in history.  The trail led to “Lightning” Lee Murray, a champion contender in the world of mixed martial arts. But Murray didn’t just make money as an ultimate fighting star. The middleweight remained connected to the street gang he grew up in...and now he’s on the run.

Showtime Sports Documentary Films presents “Catching Lightning,” looking at Murray’s rise in extreme sports and his role in the Securitas depot robbery. The four-part series uses jailhouse recordings of Murray, plus interviews with athletes and investigators to dissect why “Lightning Lee” turned to crime and how he was caught.

OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "CATCHING LIGHTNING" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 10 MINUTES OF THE SHOW.