Obsess Over These Mystery Podcasts When the PLL Withdrawal Kicks In
Are you experiencing it yet? The excruciating realization that you'll never ever see a brand new episode of Pretty Little Liars for the rest of your life?
Well, we definitely are. While we're certain that we haven't seen the last televised adaptation of Sara Shepard's amazing novels (fingers crossed for a Freeform version of her latest series, The Amateurs) we have to admit that our craving for crime and mystery has started to kick in.
Take care of your PLL withdrawals by binging these podcasts that range from creepy to cringey and all of the crime in between:
Criminal
This podcast features true crime stories as narrated by Phoebe Judge, a reporter whose previous work has earned her multiple awards. Aside from this podcast being centered around crimes—those who perpetrate them and those who are affected by them—this crew is composed almost entirely of women. You go, girls! By tuning into Criminal you'll hear a different real-life story each episode.
Welcome to Night Vale
This podcast brings freaky and fiction together for one very binge-worthy story. Set in the made-up town of Night Vale, this immersive podcast is written to sound like a real radio show reporting on the strange goings-on in the small desert town. Think The Twilight Zone meets the X-Files and tag on totally unique content. You may occasionally recognize voice actors… such as one Mara Wilson. Name not ringing a bell? How about Matilda? Yep, that child actor you haven't heard from in decades is featured on this fictional podcast.
The Generation Why
For those of you who have opinions on various crimes, controversies and conspiracies, this podcast is the one for you. Each episode we hear from two friends as they discuss their theories on unsolved murders, serial killers and stories that just don't seem to match up. These cases feature both the old and the new as the two friends tackle even the toughest of crimes. This podcast is not for the faint of heart, so enter at your own risk!
Alice Isn't Dead
Alice has more in common with Alison than simply the first letter of her name—in this serial fiction podcast from the creators of Welcome to Night Vale, a truck driver searches across the nation for her wife who has been presumed dead for years. During this search she uncovers much more than she bargained for, including conspiracies and other unusual cases.
My Favorite Murder
Crime + comedy = a podcast match made in heaven (pun intended). Hosted by comedian Karen Kilgariff and TV host Georgia Hardstark, these lovely ladies can't get enough of true crime stories and are all too eager to share their insights and humor with their listeners. Occasionally they chat about hometown murders submitted by friends and fans, but a typical crimecast involves the hosts discussing true crime mysteries in gory—I mean glorious—detail. TBH, if you love yourself you should really be tuning into this podcast. Honestly, stop reading this article right now and download MFM.
S-Town
This podcast is for the real detectives at heart. Yeah yeah, you've heard all of the old unsolved crime stories, you've emotionally flipped through dozens of files, all just a detail short of cracking the case. But with this podcast, you're ready to get a fresh look at an unknown case and, obviously, keep a pen and paper nearby to scrawl out each detail. S-Town is produced by the people who brought us Serial, so, basically, you know it's going to be good.
Limetown
Get ready for another fictional series as this podcast dives deep into the mystery of 300 men, women and children who disappeared from a small town in Tennessee a decade ago. We follow journalist Lia Haddock, an investigative reporter, as she attempts to uncover the truth.
Another one of our favorite mystery-based shows this year was Riverdale. If you're anxiously awaiting the show's return next season like we are, you need to check out THESE other shows with mystery intrigue.