Kate's Picks: Give Dateline A Whirl

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This week's pick: Give Dateline a Whirl

About two months ago I recommended Texas Monthly as a fantastic source for true crime, and I stand by that recommendation. Texas has the most epic true crime, and Texas Monthly consistently reports true crime better than any other publication, period.

Yet as good as Texas Monthly is to read, the best way to consume true crime is through audio. I think of the ‘90s as the golden age for true crime books, and the aughts and teens as the golden age of true crime TV, but listening to true crime books and podcasts is, for me, the absolute best way to enjoy them.

Dateline is, obviously, the most epic true crime podcast out there—and yes, it’s just the audio version of the TV show, but is somehow better. Can we ever beat Keith Morrison’s voice? Do we want to? No! His deep, rumbling voice oozes innuendo and titillation. I can almost hear Keith’s eyebrows arch when he wants to dig deeper. We’re with you Keith, let’s go!

If you want to start the Dateline podcast experience with a bang, then you must listen to The Thing About Pam. It’s got a terrific villain, truly bananas plot twists and Keith is at his lurid best. (It started as a regular Dateline episode, but became more.) You might recall that Renee Zellweger starred in a miniseries of the same name, which I also enjoyed. (I should note that the other Dateline hosts are excellent, but Keith reigns alone.) Some of my other favorite episodes involve sinister ministers, with “Even the Devil Went to Church,” and “Fallen” as the best. Then there’s “Kill Switch” which features a truly bad woman, but no ministers. Oh wait, I almost forgot “The Secret Life of the Homecoming Queen” is also churchy and excellent. That’s enough to start with.

What does Dateline have to do with fairy tales? I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Fairy tales are crime stories. Almost every one features abuse or neglect, or breaking and entering, or, quite often, murder. So if you aren’t too good to listen to “Snow White,” then you’ll love Dateline, which is usually available on any podcast app. Enjoy your murders!

Yours in Enchantment,

Kate