I’m about to say something that’s going to make a lot of people very angry.
And I’m sorry.
But also, I’m not sorry at all.
You see, I’m done with S-Town.
Monique Bowley thinks S-Town is brilliant. Mia Freedman and I are far from convinced. We passionately argued about it on this week’s episode of Mamamia Out Loud. Post continues below.
S-Town has broken records. With 10 million downloads in just four days it’s the fastest downloaded podcast in history.
It’s received unanimously positive reviews, with headlines reading, “S-Town review – it’s hard to recall a more touching, devastating podcast,” “S-Town Is a Well-Crafted Monument to Empathy,” and “S-Town Transcends the True Crime of Serial.”
And you know what I think about S-Town?
It’s fine.
Fine. Like… a movie you find on Netflix that you’ve never heard of and you can’t really remember the name of right now. Or a complimentary chicken sandwich on a plastic tray at a compulsory work event. Or your bus trip to work this morning, where the traffic was moderate and only two people smelt unusual.
Pleasant enough. Not excruciating, but also far from engrossing. I could listen to it – or I could not. I’m not fussed.
Top Comments
S-town lived up to its name. At the risk of sounding like John B. McLemore, it feels like someone tried to justify a year long wild goose chase and reframe it into a marketable product. Kinda like watching an indie film with a disappointing conclusion, or none. While some of the scenes were beautiful, and the protagonist at times intriguing, it's hard not to feel like Brian Reed wasted my time in order to justify wasting his.
Thank you! S-Town was awful! I'm glad I listened to it on my drive home, so I didn't lose any valuable time on it.