Published March 30th, 2026
BY THEODORA MILLER
Since the premiere of cold case coverage TV shows in the 1980s, the genre of true crime has captivated the nation, and podcasting platforms are now teeming with radio shows, rushing to cover various gruesome mishaps for entertainment. Here is a comprehensive rating of five of the most streamed real-life whodunit radio shows.
“Morbid” is hosted by Ash and Alina, an aunt and her niece. courtesy of WONDERY
“Morbid”
Hosted by an autopsy technician and her niece, the show dives into a variety of crime cases from cults to conspiracy theories. Some episodes include a look at questions surrounding the death of Kurt Cobain and the kidnapping of Patty Hearst. My personal favorite is not for listeners who like just the facts: “Morbid” has tons of back-and-forth banter accompanying both little known and headline dominating cases.
Hosts 10/10 Shock value 8/10 Timeliness 4/10
“In the Dark” will shed more light on miscarriages of justice. courtesy of NEW YORKER MAGAZINE
“In the Dark”
“In the Dark” is in it for the long game, with seasons that typically span six to twelve episodes. The show won a Pulitzer Prize for its third season covering the Haditha Massacre. Though it’s a professional podcast, the hosts allow their general vibe and opinions to color the podcast with a personality keeping the listener engaged.
Hosts 8/10 Shock value 6/10 Timeliness 4/10
By far the scariest of all true crime podcasts, “Rotten Mango” is hosted by Stephanie Soo. courtesy of ROTTEN MANGO PODCAST
“Rotten Mango”
Host Stephanie Soo dives into a variety of current cases from around the world. She is an engaging story teller and focuses on online activity to expose the internet’s unintended effects on active investigations. Soo covers current cases, including a dive into the Epstein files and tends to sojourn on the sanguine to an extreme degree, turning even seasoned true crime listeners squeamish. Overall, a fun channel that is not for the faint of heart.
Host 8/10 Shock Value 10/10 Facts 8/10 Timeliness 10/10
“Crime Junkie”
Told in story format, “Crime Junkie” is your run-of-the-mill true crime podcast, a balancing act of lurid and laughs that mostly manages to stay on the side of semi-respectable. The hosts gossip and laugh in between the cases and cover a wide variety of true crime. They also do some of their own investigating and conduct on the ground interviews.
Hosts 7/10 Shock Value 4/10 Timeliness 10/10
“Dateline” has been keeping viewers up at night for over 30 years. courtesy of DATELINE NBC and COMCAST
“Dateline NBC”
“Dateline” was one of the first of the genre, starting out with a TV show before adding a podcast, maintains relevance and brings to the table reliable radio journalism that is fast paced. It is focused and proves an easy way to lose an hour or two.
Hosts 5/10 Shock Value 8/10 Timeliness 8/10
“48 Hours” is by far the most egregiously exploitative and plain awful podcast in the genre. courtesy of CBS NEWS NETWORK
“48 Hours”
Over-dramatized, repetitive and a caricature of the true crime genre, “48 Hours” is uniquely unlistenable. The hosts of the show cite the cases with no banter nor storytelling nor even reporting. The only redeeming quality is the most recent cases they cover. Many other podcasts like to create distance and see if the case is resolved before analyzing, but “48 Hours” is unafraid of controversy.
Hosts 1/10 Shock Value 7/10 Timeliness 8/10
