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Serial Season 2 - Focused on Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl - CPM Podcast

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Hatchtag

Banned
What's the mystery behind this one? Why he was a fuckboy and deserted?

Yeah. Haven't finished the first episode yet but its definitely interesting. Although I don't get the same "this guy might be innocent vibes" S1 had, at least not yet. I don't necessarily think he should do life, but he definitely deserves some sort of punishment (although 5 years with the Taliban was probably more than enough).
 

potam

Banned
Yeah. Haven't finished the first episode yet but its definitely interesting. Although I don't get the same "this guy might be innocent vibes" S1 had, at least not yet. I don't necessarily think he should do life, but he definitely deserves some sort of punishment (although 5 years with the Taliban was probably more than enough).

eh, let him rot for life. He can get the death penalty.
 

ahoyhoy

Unconfirmed Member
Wow no buildup to this release. NPR teased the release this morning and went here hunting for the thread.

Topic doesn't seem as potentially engaging as the Adnan "whodunit" but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.
 
Only half way through, but I absolutely hate when people say stupid shit like "I wanted to prove to people blah blah blah." Go fuck yourself, that shit sounds so stupid and fake and just feels like a dumb easy way to wave away a decision that has no other rational explanation. It's just dumb.
 
Not sure if I feel the draw of this season. Even if it goes by the dudes account its still a stupid way to go about doing what he wanted to do. How does him not liking the conditions and staging some convoluted plan to expose them make him a supposed whistleblower?

Seems meh, though the ending is interesting.
 
When I saw the new episode notification this morning I thought someone was spoofing somehow.

Especially once I got an SSL error when I tried to download.

But I guess that was just the server being hit hard. Will be listening this evening.
 

muteki

Member
First episode was good, I'm interested in the premise. I could see how it might not make as big a splash second time around as the subject matter itself isn't as relatable out the gate.
 
Yeah I think this is an unfair criticism leveled at Serial-they didn't set out to "Solve" a mystery, that's just what some listeners wanted. They presented the facts and timeline and interviews, just enough to make you say "this is fucked up."

Lol, facts?

Half the season was just speculation, Sarah just going back and forth.

I'm ok with not having to "solve" the mystery, but having that many episodes where you're just spinning your wheels...no.
 

ronito

Member
Yeah . I knew that season 1 wouldn't "solve" the case. However, if you're going to spend 12 hours on something you should do more than just shrug and say "LOLZ we don't know"
 
Why would someone go AWOL from a shit hole post when they were close to rotating out of there?

His original plan and what he does half way through are stupid.
 

Blader

Member
Yeah . I knew that season 1 wouldn't "solve" the case. However, if you're going to spend 12 hours on something you should do more than just shrug and say "LOLZ we don't know"

The point was to prove reasonable doubt in the case, and that Adnan -- whether he did or didn't do it -- shouldn't have been convicted and imprisoned for 15 years (and counting) based on the evidence available.

People shouldn't go to jail on "LOLZ we don't know."
 

Arkeband

Banned
eh, let him rot for life. He can get the death penalty.

Tell us how you really feel.

At first I thought this was a really stupid choice for Serial S2 because the world is really lacking great "true crime" podcast series, but reading kneejerk hoo-rah vitriol like that somehow justifies it.
 
Tell us how you really feel.

At first I thought this was a really stupid choice for Serial S2 because the world is really lacking great "true crime" podcast series, but reading kneejerk hoo-rah vitriol like that somehow justifies it.

I think this one is going to drop with a thud. Per the soldiers in his unit that they interviewed, they are convinced that Serial can't look into this thing for the facts behind it without layering in their own "We hate the war and this is why" bias.

This isn't a true crime type of drama, and there aren't facts and nuance to figure out like the first one. This is a fairly straight forward case in which he left his base and the reasons behind why he did it are fairly irrelevant from the military's point of view. His departure put the lives of way more soldiers at risk than the stuff that he was claiming to try and fix. The search for him was massive.
 

potam

Banned
Tell us how you really feel.

At first I thought this was a really stupid choice for Serial S2 because the world is really lacking great "true crime" podcast series, but reading kneejerk hoo-rah vitriol like that somehow justifies it.

I'm just stating fact.

Article 85 - Desertion. This is the most serious of the absentee offenses. Remember the primary difference between AWOL and desertion is intent to remain away from the military permanently.

(1) If a member deserted, but voluntarily returned to military control: Dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, reduction to the lowest enlisted grade, and confinement for 2 years.

(2) If the member deserted and the desertion was terminated by apprehension: Dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, reduction to the lowest enlisted grade, and confinement for 3 years.

(3) If the member deserted with the intent to avoid hazardous duty or to shirk important service (and example of this would be a member ordered to deploy to Iraq and then deserts to avoid the deployment): Dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, reduction to the lowest enlisted grade, and confinement for 5 years.

(4) If the member deserts during time of war: Death or such other punishment (such as life in prison) as a court-martial may direct.
 

aerts1js

Member
I liked the first episode; it obviously doesn't have quite the same draw as the first one but I'm curious to see where this goes. haha remember that guy in the first serial thread that thought the entire thing was fiction?
 

Dalek

Member
I liked the first episode; it obviously doesn't have quite the same draw as the first one but I'm curious to see where this goes. haha remember that guy in the first serial thread that thought the entire thing was fiction?

That was the best. Almost as good as the guy who watched Daredevil and didn't realize Matt and the masked man were the same person.
 
But since his intention was to reconnect with the military, it's not desertion.

Intention is difficult to determine here. He is now claiming he left because he wanted to get his base fixed, but his emails home show disillusionment and looking to leave not to fix problems on a base.

His statement about why he left came after the fact not before.

In any case, he left his post and put thousands of other soldiers at risk. He wasn't captured on patrol nor was he stolen from the base. He shipped his computer and personal belongings home prior to his disappearance and he left voluntarily which he has admitted.
 

NawidA

Banned
But was that really his intention? I mean, I feel like that's the only route he can take if he doesn't want to be given a life sentence here.

The evidence points that way and it's not like there is anything saying otherwise. (I'm going by the podcast so far)
 
Subbed. I don't know how this season can live up to last season (especially with the red tape they must've come up against in their reporting), but I have high hopes. I enjoy stories about the military, and this definitely seems like an interesting one.
 

aerts1js

Member
The evidence points that way and it's not like there is anything saying otherwise. (I'm going by the podcast so far)

Well, yeah, we've only seen his side of the story so far (in the podcast) so of course that's the picture he's trying to paint.
 

wetflame

Pizza Dog
I feel like this guy made a stupid decision on the spur of the moment and then spent the next 5 years as a prisoner trying to find a justification that'd make him seem like he did something noble. Obviously what he went through was horrible, but he definitely has had time since coming out to put a story together to paint him in as good of a light as he can. Rather than just deserting he's trying to make himself look like a whistle blower. Whether that's the actual reason for it, I don't know.

Edit: Already discussed above.
 

Afrocious

Member
Wait, so serial wasn't that podcast/show thing where that one dude got arrested from talking into his mic accidentally in the bathroom?
 

SuperPac

Member
Intention is difficult to determine here. He is now claiming he left because he wanted to get his base fixed, but his emails home show disillusionment and looking to leave not to fix problems on a base.

His statement about why he left came after the fact not before.

In any case, he left his post and put thousands of other soldiers at risk. He wasn't captured on patrol nor was he stolen from the base. He shipped his computer and personal belongings home prior to his disappearance and he left voluntarily which he has admitted.

Having never followed the story before (I'm sure I heard the news but did not really pay attention), I find the whole thing pretty compelling. Even if it's an open and shut case, there are interesting details here to explore IMO.

Wonder how many episodes we can expect this time around.
 
The evidence points that way and it's not like there is anything saying otherwise. (I'm going by the podcast so far)

This is why the soldiers interviewed have said they don't think the creator can do a good job with this case. She is guiding the discussion to what she believes is the reason and that he should be given leeway because of it.

From the military's point of view, his reasoning doesn't matter.
 

Emerson

May contain jokes =>
This is why the soldiers interviewed have said they don't think the creator can do a good job with this case. She is guiding the discussion to what she believes is the reason and that he should be given leeway because of it.

From the military's point of view, his reasoning doesn't matter.

They're not exactly impartial observers either.

I share the concerns about the structure and content of this season, but now that it's actually airing I say just see how it plays out. It may or may not be great.
 

Fuu

Formerly Alaluef (not Aladuf)
I liked the first episode; it obviously doesn't have quite the same draw as the first one but I'm curious to see where this goes. haha remember that guy in the first serial thread that thought the entire thing was fiction?
I specifically told a friend that it was real and she still somehow thought it was fiction for the most part when she started listening, lol. By episode 3 she was still thinking they were all actors until I talked to her and clearly explained that it was all real, the investigation, the interviews, etc.
 
Having never followed the story before (I'm sure I heard the news but did not really pay attention), I find the whole thing pretty compelling. Even if it's an open and shut case, there are interesting details here to explore IMO.

Wonder how many episodes we can expect this time around.

The details are less exciting unless you make them exciting. I will be interested to see if they dive into the ripple effects of his desertion on forces in the area. The closing of COP Keating was delayed due to the search efforts and 6 soldiers were killed when the outpost was overrun. In addition, his fellow soldiers said that an additional 6 were killed from his battalion during additional search effort. It is very difficult to draw a direct cause and effect (the military itself is saying there is no direct cause and effect), but these are things that need to be brought up.

They're not exactly impartial observers either.

I share the concerns about the structure and content of this season, but now that it's actually airing I say just see how it plays out. It may or may not be great.

Well he did desert and they blame him for 6 casualties during the search effort. Your duty is to your fellow soldier and obviously they are pissed off at him. I think the main issue that I have is that there is overwhelming information supporting the military's case that he left. The only nuance is whether it is AWOL or pure desertion. He is obviously arguing for AWOL, but this requires refuting a lot of the stuff he did/said prior to leaving.
 
The point was to prove reasonable doubt in the case, and that Adnan -- whether he did or didn't do it -- shouldn't have been convicted and imprisoned for 15 years (and counting) based on the evidence available.

People shouldn't go to jail on "LOLZ we don't know."

That's probably the biggest issue here in Season 2. What reasonable doubt are you going to sow here? His intent?
 
A couple of quick questions...

How long is the first episode? Trying to figure out if this is a good elliptical or stationary bike listen.

Any indication on how many total episodes there will be this time? I enjoyed the first season a great deal, but it seemed to drag on just a bit too long. A shorter run, in my opinion, will help pacing and loose narrative concerns inherent in something like this.
 
A couple of quick questions...

How long is the first episode? Trying to figure out if this is a good elliptical or stationary bike listen.

Any indication on how many total episodes there will be this time? I enjoyed the first season a great deal, but it seemed to drag on just a bit too long. A shorter run, in my opinion, will help pacing and loose narrative concerns inherent in something like this.

45 mins. No episode count yet as far as I know.
 
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