Pick of the Podcasts: Up And Vanished, Reasons To Be Cheerful and Where Should We Begin?

There are plenty of true crime podcasts out there.

And there are almost as many disappointing true crime podcasts out there as well.

Arguably the the most popular entry in the genre, Serial, is the greatest disappointment of all – with many listeners complaining about the lack of a resolution.

It is gratifying then to get some answers to a true crime case with Up And Vanished.

This podcast was, in fact, inspired by Serial – documentary filmmaker Payne Lindsey had been researching the case of a missing woman but, after listening to the seminal American series, he was inspired to put it out in audio format instead.

Up And Vanished’s first series examined the biggest missing person case in the history of the US state of Georgia.

Back in 2005, high school teacher and beauty queen Tara Grinstead disappeared from her apartment in Ocilla, Georgia, a case never solved.

“The general idea was to take my storytelling and people skills and apply them to a cold case and try and do something good with it,” says Lindsey.

“I know people can make movies on a dime, and I’ve done it before in the past, but I didn’t want to approach this project that way. I wanted to do it right.”

It’s all the more remarkable considering Payne, 31, had only really directed a handful of music videos prior to delving into the world of true crime.

Without spoiling too much, the case made national headlines in the United States…

Up And Vanished (Apple Podcasts, Stitcher)

Reasons To Be Cheerful (Apple Podcasts)

Former Labour Party leader Ed Miliband and radio host Geoff Lloyd talk to smart thinkers. Among the subjects they tackle are the fight for gender equality in sport, the end of the petrol vehicle and fast fashion. You can also imagine what Ed would have been like if he had been elected prime minister.

Where Should We Begin? (Apple Podcasts)

Imagine eavesdropping on another couple’s therapy sessions. It’d be brilliant, wouldn’t it? Now you can with this podcast. Relationship therapist Esther Perel, with the blessing of several extremely brave couples, invites listeners into her office to hear her clients unravel their deepest secrets. Each episode is an edited-down version of a real, unscripted therapy session.