Listening Party At Your House! “Serial” Season 2 Launched Last Night

Pretty sneaky, Sarah.

After months of teasing, the cunning Sarah Koenig and her sly collaborators just went and launched the second season of the much obsessed-over podcast Serial last night.

Though the subject is different this time around – sorry, Adnan – and there’s a new theme tune – once again from Islands’ Nick Thorburn – Episode 1 of S2 follows the same formula that made the first season such a compelling sensation.

Last year, Serial became the fastest podcast to pass five million downloads and streams on iTunes, as well as the first to inspire approximately the same number of hot takes and think pieces.

Though investigative journalist Koenig dug deep into the real-life murder of student Hae Min Lee in Season 1, the second season follows the circumstances that led American soldier Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl to leave his post during the Afghanistan war (a move that resulted in his capture and five-year imprisonment by the Taliban).

Bergdahl, after being recovered by the United States, was charged with desertion and is potentially facing life imprisonment if convicted.

Episode 1 – titled “Dustwun” – sets the scene and introduces Koenig’s co-investigator, screenwriter Mark Boal (Zero Dark Thirty, The Hurt Locker). It’s impossible to say at this point if it can match the heights – creatively or culturally – of S1. The same goes for whether or not it will have any effect on the outcome of Bergdahl’s ongoing case.

Still, a quick glimpse at the Internet today reveals that everyone is going nuts for the fact they finally have a new episode of Serial to listen to. It’s good to know that there are still blockbusters that can encourage lively debate, discussion and fevered fandom (even if it’s just a podcast.)

Start listening already!