My friends have been telling me I need to listen to the podcast My Favorite Murder for quite some time now. I haven’t been the biggest fan of podcasts before listening to this one, because I felt like they were impersonal and I have a hard time staying focused if I’m not very interested in the topic. However, the hosts of My Favorite Murder do an excellent job of keeping the audience engaged.

If the stories of Mary Vincent and Franklin Delano Floyd were told in any of the true crime documentaries that I watch, then the key takeaways that I got from this podcast wouldn’t be received. Georgia and Karen, as the hosts, add their own touch of flavor when telling these horrific stories by having brutally honest responses to the actual events, and they have the ability to sympathize with the victims. They also take these stories and turn them into something bigger, by emphasizing what to do when in a dangerous situation and by pointing out the faults of our criminal justice system. This podcast is set up in a very informal manner, which helps to decrease the tension that often comes with such a heavy topic as murder. For example, the hosts ease their listeners into the heavy topic by first having organic conversations and discussing “housekeeping” items before diving into the murder stories.

The hosts strongly utilize ethos, which builds throughout the duration of the entire podcast series. Karen and Georgia establish their ethos by selecting their words carefully and using humor when it is deemed appropriate. They are also very informed of the stories in which they share, and include important details surrounding the victims’ lives. This podcast differs from many true crime documentaries in that the hosts make you feel as if they are personally affected by the horrors of these stories, rather than just stating facts and figures which is often what true crime documentaries consist of. When reacting to the murderer’s actions, both Georgia and Karen do not filter their words, which makes them seem even more relatable and human. This helped me stay focused as a listener, and it also made me want to hear more about Mary Vincent’s experience.