We reopened all ten shows on their Apple Podcasts pages, noted what moved and added fresh sections. As a full-service podcast production agency, we care about how stories get built and sourced.
Below you’ll find what changed, a refreshed comparison, notes on each show and a few ways to choose.
What changed since this list was last updated
Most of these ten shows are going strong. A few details have moved, though, and one has changed shape:
- Bear Brook has a new season. Season 3, A Private Matter, started October 21, 2026. It follows Jay Hickey, a Christmas tree farmer with dementia who disappeared from Epsom, New Hampshire, and why it took months for anyone to report him missing.
- Serial now lists 18 seasons. The newest entry is a preview of METRO with Sarah Koenig, a new podcast.
- In the Dark is on Season 7, titled The Journey, with five main episodes and a bonus update listed so far.
- Tenfold More Wicked now sits inside a different feed. The old link opens Wicked Words, an interview show hosted by Kate Winkler Dawson, which carries Tenfold More Wicked as a limited series.
That last change is the one to watch. Some lists still describe Tenfold More Wicked as a single historical case, but the link now opens an hour-long interview feed, so it’s worth opening every link before you trust a list, this one included.
The quick comparison, refreshed
| Show | Format | Who makes it | Typical episode on Apple | Episodes on Apple |
| Serial | One case per season | Serial Productions and The New York Times | Varies by season | 125 across 18 seasons |
| In the Dark | Investigative seasons | The New Yorker, Madeleine Baran | About 55 to 59 minutes | 78 across 7 seasons |
| Criminal | One story per episode | Criminal Productions, Vox Media, Phoebe Judge | About 36 to 51 minutes | About 500 |
| Bear Brook | One case per season | NHPR, Jason Moon | Not listed | 25 |
| Suspect | Wrongful convictions, seasons | Wondery and Campside Media | About 22 to 41 minutes | 31 across 3 seasons |
| Crime Junkie | One case per episode | Audiochuck, Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat | About 50 to 58 minutes, range 31 minutes to 1 hour 50 minutes | 535 |
| Crimetown | One city per season | Gimlet | About 30 to 41 minutes | 54 across 2 seasons |
| You’re Wrong About | A misunderstood person or event | Sarah Marshall, with guests | About 1 hour 3 minutes to 2 hours 19 minutes | 357 |
| My Favorite Murder | Conversational stories | Exactly Right and iHeartPodcasts | Mostly 20 minutes to 1 hour | About 1,200 |
| Wicked Words (with Tenfold More Wicked) | Interviews with a limited series inside | Exactly Right, Kate Winkler Dawson | About 54 minutes to 1 hour 5 minutes | 302 |
These figures are Apple Podcasts data from October 2026, and they shift weekly. Some pages show slightly different counts in different places, so use them for scale.
Fresh notes on all ten shows
1. Serial
For a lot of listeners, Serial is where the true crime habit started. It began in 2014 as a spinoff of This American Life, with Sarah Koenig as host, and it has been part of The New York Times Company since 2020.
Each season takes on one story. It holds a 4.5 rating from about 75,000 ratings. Check the current season’s episode lengths on Apple before you commit.
Best for: anyone who wants one story told really well.
2. In the Dark
In the Dark is what happens when reporters won’t let a case go. Madeleine Baran leads the series, and past seasons cover the Jacob Wetterling case and the six trials of Curtis Flowers.
It holds a 4.6 rating from 28,221 ratings. The show has won the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Audio Reporting, three Peabody Awards and a George Polk Award. Season 7 runs about 55 to 59 minutes an episode.
Best for: listeners who want real reporting.
3. Criminal
Phoebe Judge has one of the calmest voices in podcasting, which is a funny thing to say about a crime show. She tells weekly stories about people who have done wrong, been wronged or been caught somewhere in between.
There are about 500 episodes and a 4.7 score from about 36,700 raters. Most full ones run about 36 to 51 minutes, and the paid Criminal+ tier offers bonus episodes and ad-free listening.
Best for: a finished story in one sitting.
4. Bear Brook
Jason Moon and NHPR turned a decades-old cold case into one of the most patient investigations in the genre. Season 1 covers two barrels, four bodies and a cold case, and Season 2 follows a man serving life for a murder he says he didn’t commit.
It holds a 4.8 rating from about 15,400 ratings and a Clean content rating, which is rare on this list. Season 3 started October 21, 2026.
Best for: cold case fans who like a slow reveal.
5. Suspect
Suspect digs into wrongful convictions and the choices made by police, lawyers and jurors. Season 3 follows Leon Benson, who spent about 24 years in an Indiana prison for the 1998 killing of Kasey Schoen, and attorney Lara Bazelon’s fight to overturn the conviction. Benson was exonerated in 2023.
There are 31 episodes across three seasons and a 4.2 rating from 6,225 ratings. Episodes run about 22 to 41 minutes, and Apple doesn’t list release dates, so check how recent the latest season is.
Best for: listeners who care about justice and the mystery.
6. Crime Junkie
Crime Junkie is a weekly ritual for a lot of listeners, and the numbers show it. Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat cover famous and underreported cases, like cold cases and missing persons. Its description promises a new episode each Monday.
There are 535 episodes and about 365,000 ratings at 4.7, the largest rating count of the ten. Recent ones range from 31 minutes to 1 hour 50 minutes, so check the length before you press play.
Best for: a dependable new case every week.
7. Crimetown
Crimetown treats a whole city as the crime scene. Marc Smerling and Zachary Stuart-Pontier explore the culture of crime in a new city each season. Season 2 covers Detroit from 1971, including police misconduct, the heroin trade and political scandal.
There are 54 episodes across two seasons and a 4.7 rating from 14,093 ratings. Apple doesn’t list release dates, so treat it as a finished archive and not a weekly feed.
Best for: history buffs who like crime with a sense of place.
8. You’re Wrong About
Sarah Marshall revisits people and events the public has misunderstood. Michael Hobbes co-hosted from 2018 until 2021, and Marshall now hosts with guests. You’ll often walk away seeing a familiar headline in a totally different light.
There are 357 episodes on a biweekly schedule and a 4.5 rating from about 22,000 ratings. Episodes last from roughly 63 minutes to nearly 2 hours 20 minutes.
Best for: listeners who like a rethink more than a mystery.
9. My Favorite Murder
Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark made true crime feel like hanging out with your funniest friends. They share true crime stories and hometown stories from friends and listeners, and Apple calls it a true crime comedy show.
There are about 1,200 episodes and a 4.6 rating from 171,095 ratings. Episodes run 17 minutes to 1 hour 47 minutes, mostly 20 minutes to an hour, on a semiweekly schedule.
Best for: company while you cook, drive or fold laundry.
10. Wicked Words, home of Tenfold More Wicked
Kate Winkler Dawson interviews journalists, podcasters and authors about the stories behind their investigations. If you’ve ever wondered how a big story came together, this is your show.
There are 302 episodes on a biweekly schedule and a 4.8 rating from 6,990 ratings. The limited series Tenfold More Wicked is now part of this feed, and each one lasts about 54 minutes to 1 hour 5 minutes.
Best for: true crime fans who love the behind-the-scenes story.
How to tell how well a true crime show is sourced
True crime isn’t one kind of show. Some report from court records, some retell public coverage and some add jokes. Here are four levels, most original first:
- Original investigation: The team interviews people, reads records and tests claims. In the Dark and Suspect are built around this kind of work.
- Narrative retelling with research: A host builds a story from public sources and interviews. Criminal and Serial often sit between this level and the first.
- Case summaries: A host tells a case in one episode from public coverage. Crime Junkie covers infamous and underreported cases this way.
- Conversation: Hosts share stories and reactions. My Favorite Murder calls itself a true crime comedy show.
This isn’t a ranking of quality, since a conversation show can be a fine companion. To learn what happened, aim for the first level, and for company, aim for the last.
One thing surprised us: the most reported shows aren’t the most rated. Crime Junkie has about 365,000 Apple ratings while In the Dark has about 28,000, so a big rating count tells you very little about sourcing.
Who listens, and what they want
True crime is a mainstream habit. The True Crime Consumer Report from Edison Research and audiochuck (the company behind Crime Junkie), released in August 2024 and summarized by SSRS, found that 42% of Americans aged 13 and over listen to true crime podcasts, about 119 million people. It also found that 22% of weekly podcast listeners tune in to the genre, the third most listened-to.
The same report found that 57% of true crime podcast listeners find the stories fascinating.
It also points to a listener base that cares about the people involved. As Inside Radio reported, 32% of listeners said they’d be much more interested in a podcast that centers the victim, and 55% have shared details of a case to raise awareness. Real people are involved, and the audience notices when a show treats them with care.
Podcasts like Serial: where to go next
Finished a season and want more podcasts like Serial? These are close matches. The best one depends on what you loved.
| If you liked Serial for… | Try next | Why |
| One case told over a full season | In the Dark | Investigative seasons from Madeleine Baran, now on Season 7 |
| A cold case with a slow reveal | Bear Brook | Three seasons, and Season 3 began October 21, 2026 |
| A wrongful conviction case | Suspect | Season 3 follows Leon Benson, exonerated in 2023 after about 24 years in prison |
| A whole city as the story | Crimetown | Two seasons, with Season 2 set in Detroit from 1971 |
Our take: start with the show that fits why you liked Serial. If the heavy stories wear you out, try a lighter conversation show next.
True crime podcast series, long-form shows and subscriptions
These shows come in very different sizes. Crimetown has 54 episodes, while Serial has 125 across 18 seasons, so if you like a finish line, size is worth checking.
For long sessions, You’re Wrong About and In the Dark are the picks here. You’re Wrong About runs about 63 minutes to nearly 2 hours 20 minutes, and In the Dark Season 7 runs about 55 to 59 minutes. Both reward a quiet hour.
Popularity is one more measure. By Apple rating count, the leaders are Crime Junkie at about 365,000, My Favorite Murder at 171,095 and Criminal at about 36,700. A big count tells you about habit, not sourcing.
You don’t need to pay for any of these. Criminal has an optional paid Criminal+ tier with bonus episodes and ad-free listening. We couldn’t confirm pricing for every show, so check each page before you pay.
Season shows and weekly shows: choose by habit
Format decides whether you’ll keep listening. Season shows give you a full story in a few weeks, while weekly shows give you a steady habit with no end.
| If you want… | Choose | Examples | Watch out for |
| A finished story you can binge | Season shows | Serial, In the Dark, Bear Brook, Suspect, Crimetown | Long gaps between seasons |
| A new case every week | Weekly shows | Crime Junkie, Criminal, You’re Wrong About | Falling behind |
| Company while you cook or drive | Conversational shows | My Favorite Murder | Less depth on sources |
| Behind-the-scenes stories | Interview shows | Wicked Words | Needs patience |
It also helps to mix heavy investigative seasons with something lighter. Six straight hours of a wrongful conviction case is a lot for anyone, and it’s the quickest way to burn out on the genre for months.
What these shows teach people who make narrative audio
The best true crime shows share a few habits. They plan seasons before they record and use a small cast of clear voices. They treat music and silence as part of the story, and they edit hard for pace.
Making a narrative show of your own, whether it’s an investigative series, a creator-led true crime show or a company story? The same discipline applies, and our narrative podcast production service describes how we build these shows. Good podcast editing separates a strong season from a slow one, and good recording habits protect the raw material.
Planning a show for a business? Our guide to the cost of a B2B podcast breaks it down.
A word of caution for brand shows: don’t borrow the tone of a crime show to sell something. The creators on this list earn that tone by doing the reporting and respecting the real victims behind every case. If you want suspense in a business show, find it in a decision or a mistake.
More lists in the same style
Like how this page sorts shows? Try our lists of history podcasts, comedy podcasts and political podcasts. Each one uses current Apple pages and says what we couldn’t check.
What we can’t tell you
We can’t tell you which show handles its subject with the most care. We went by Apple descriptions, not every episode, and a listing isn’t an audit. Ratings reflect fan scores.
We also can’t promise the numbers will stay put. Apple pages change weekly, and two shows on this list have inconsistent counts or schedules on their own pages. Open the link, check the newest episode, then decide.
Conclusion
A good true crime list keeps changing. Shows start new seasons, change feeds and go quiet, so checking dates keeps a list useful.
Open a link, check the newest episode and pick by habit: finished seasons, weekly cases or friendly conversation. Want help planning narrative audio of your own? Book a call and we’ll talk through formats with you.
