True Crime is one of the biggest podcast genres, with a whole range of shows talking about some small slice of the crime pie.
One of the most popular true crime podcasts is Dirty John from Wondery and the LA Times. In this article, we’ll give a quick Dirty John podcast review.
Table of Contents
What is Dirty John About?
Dirty John tells the story of Debra Newell, a single mother who meets her perfect man online. Yes, I know what you’re thinking… that sounds like a true crime podcast waiting to happen.
And well, that fact this podcast exists kind let’s you know that the perfect man wans’t as perfect as he fitst seems. Our “dirty” John is John Meehan, who Debra meets and quickly moves in with. As you’d imagine, her children are a little overprotective of the new relationship, but over time, more and more red flags show up and leave everyone guessing what John is actually up to.
Sure, most of the time the flags seem small and circumstantial but over time they add up quickly.
The narrative is put together with a range of interviews from the Newell family and does a great job of having you on the edge of your seat. I remember I first listened to this on a road trip and had to go inside and listen to the last 45 minutes by myself straight away because I couldn’t wait!
Why Dirt John is Worth Listening To
As far as true crime podcasts go, the true-crime mini series is a bit hit-or-miss. However if you do like a nice long narrative, Dirty John is a great option.
Don’t get me wrong though – you’ll probably get frustrated during the series. A few of the characters seem a little naive or gullible and it’ll have you screaming at your iPhone or rolling your eyes. I know there were certain times I did!
However, that just goes to show the impact that abuse can have one someone. It looks far more simple when you’re listening in after the fact.
The ending is a slight surprise. While you can kinda guess what’s going to happen at the end, you won’t know the specifics and you won’t be sure enough to stop listening!
What Could Be Improved
There are a few parts of Dirty John that aren’t perfect. For starters, while I love getting the real people involved for the podcast, if you’re not trained to speak on podcasts or radio, you can’t just “show up” and be awesome at it. With that in mind, there was a few scenes and interviews that would have been better with stronger narration.
Also, the mother and her daughters on the podcast sound similar at times, so you really have to take note of who is who.
Where can I listen to Dirty John podcast?
