Slow Burn (podcast)

Last updated
Slow Burn
Slow Burn podcast.jpg
Cover art for the second season
Presentation
Hosted by
  • Leon Neyfakh (seasons 1-2)
  • Joel Anderson (seasons 3,6,8)
  • Josh Levin (season 4)
  • Noreen Malone (season 5)
  • Susan Matthews (season 7)
Genre
FormatAudio
LanguageEnglish
LengthTypically 45 to 60 minutes
Production
ProductionAndrew Parsons
No. of episodes
  • Main series: 45 [1]
  • Bonus: 9
Publication
Original releaseNovember 28, 2017
Related
Adaptations
Website slate.com/podcasts/slow-burn/s1/watergate

Slow Burn is a narrative podcast produced by Slate Plus, a division of Slate. The first two seasons of the podcast are hosted by Leon Neyfakh; [1] the third and sixth seasons of the show are hosted by Joel D. Anderson; [2] and the fourth and fifth seasons are hosted by Josh Levin and Noreen Malone, respectively.

Contents

The first season is about the Watergate scandal featuring interviews with people involved in the story. The second is about the Impeachment of Bill Clinton featuring an interview with Linda Tripp, among others. The third season covers the growing tension between rappers Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. in the 1990s. [3] The fourth season covers the rise and fall of David Duke as a political figure in Louisiana in the 1980s and 1990s. Its fifth season explored the road to the Iraq war and debuted on April 21, 2021. [4] The sixth season, beginning on November 3, 2021, covered the police beating of Rodney King and the subsequent L.A. riots. [5] The seventh season was about Roe v. Wade and the politics of abortion in the 1970s. [6] Its eighth season, to premiere in May 2023, will be about the nomination and confirmation of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court. [7]

The podcast premiered on November 28, 2017, and became "one of the top shows on Apple Podcasts." [8]

Seasons

Reviews

Slow Burn received a positive review from Vulture . [10] USA Today named Slow Burn as a "hot" recommended podcast. [8] The New York Times praised Slow Burn and credited Malcolm Gladwell with leading the way by making historic podcasts that focused on neglected aspects of well-known events, like Slow Burn, possible. [11]

Adaptations

TV adaptation

It was announced in February 2019 that Epix was producing a six-part television series based on the first season Watergate investigation. It premiered on February 16, 2020. [12] [13] [14]

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date [15] U.S. viewers
(millions)
1"Martha"UnknownUnknownFebruary 16, 2020 (2020-02-16)N/A

In 1967, the law firms of John N. Mitchell and former 1950s vice president Richard Nixon merge. Martha Mitchell, the wife of the Nixon's attorney general, develops a proclivity for broadcasting her opinions on national television channels.

In 1971, Nixon creates the White House Plumbers to stop leaks; E. Howard Hunt heads the unit. Many of these "plumbers" made their way into CREEP (Nixon's 1972 re-election campaign).

2"Losing Ground"UnknownUnknownFebruary 23, 2020 (2020-02-23)N/A

J. Edgar Hoover passes away six weeks before the Watergate scandal in June 1972. The Kent State shootings resulted in four deaths in May 1970.

The Huston Plan was proposed by a Nixon staff member to gather domestic intelligence.

Nixon signed the Federal Election Campaign Act which would take effect in April 1972. Before this legislation, large contributions could be made to CREEP or other political campaign committees without a disclosure requirement.

Attorney Donald Segretti spearheads a political sabotage operation called "ratfucking".

3"Suspicious Minds"UnknownUnknownMarch 1, 2020 (2020-03-01)N/A

Mae Brussell opinionated about the United Airlines Flight 553 crash in December 1972 as a conspiracy theory. Back in 1964, she disputed the Warren Commission conclusion that Lee Harvey Oswald had acted alone.

In the 1960s, Operation Peter Pan was intended to bring Cuban minors in the United States. Operation Mongoose was authorized to subvert the Cuban regime after the failed 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion.

4"The Hearings"UnknownUnknownMarch 8, 2020 (2020-03-08)N/A

Nixon asks John Dean to resign in April 1973. Sam Ervin heads the United States Senate Watergate Committee in May 1973.

5"Smoking Gun"UnknownUnknownMarch 15, 2020 (2020-03-15)N/A

California Governor Ronald Reagan defends Nixon stating that Nixon had received 60.7% of the votes in the 1972 United States presidential election.

Howard Baker was the senior Republican on the Senate Watergate Committee. Fred Thompson served as the minority (Republican) counsel on the Committee. Alexander Butterfield admits to Donald Sanders the existence of a tape recording system in the Oval Office.

On August 15, 1973, Nixon delivered a televised address stating that he had no knowledge of the Watergate break-in. [16]

6"Massacre"UnknownUnknownMarch 22, 2020 (2020-03-22)N/A

Elliot Richardson, Nixon's new Attorney General in 1973, appointed a 1960 John F. Kennedy staff named Archibald Cox as the Justice Department Special Prosecutor!

In November 1973, a new Department-of-Justice prosecutor Leon Jaworski is appointed.

Additional series

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James W. McCord Jr.</span> Central Intelligence Agency officer and member of Watergate scandal

James Walter McCord Jr. was an American CIA officer, later head of security for President Richard Nixon's 1972 reelection campaign. He was involved as an electronics expert in the burglaries which precipitated the Watergate scandal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martha Mitchell</span> Political socialite and Watergate whistleblower (1918–1976)

Martha Elizabeth Beall Mitchell was the wife of John N. Mitchell, United States Attorney General under President Richard Nixon. Her public comments and interviews during the Watergate scandal were frank and revealing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Coast–West Coast hip hop rivalry</span> 1990s dispute between artists/ fans of the East Coast and West Coast hip hop scenes in the US

The East Coast–West Coast hip hop rivalry was a dispute between artists and fans of the East Coast hip hop and West Coast hip hop scenes in the United States, especially from the mid-1990s. Focal points of the feud were East Coast–based rapper The Notorious B.I.G. with Puff Daddy and their New York City–based label, Bad Boy Records, and West Coast–based rapper Tupac Shakur with Suge Knight and their Los Angeles–based label, Death Row Records. The feud culminated in the murders of both rappers in drive-by shootings. Although several suspects have been identified, both murders remain unsolved.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Animation Domination</span> Programming block of animated TV series

Animation Domination is an American animated programming block which has aired in two iterations on the Fox broadcast network, featuring a lineup solely made up of prime-time animation and adult animation carried as a majority of, or the whole of, the network's Sunday evening schedule. It originally ran from May 1, 2005, until September 21, 2014, before returning on September 29, 2019.

<i>American Crime Story</i> American television series

American Crime Story is an American anthology true crime television series developed by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, who are also executive producers, alongside Brad Falchuk, Nina Jacobson, Ryan Murphy, and Brad Simpson. The series is the second installment in the American Story media franchise, following American Horror Story. Each season is presented as a self-contained miniseries and is independent of the events in other seasons. Alexander and Karaszewski did not return after the first season, but retain executive-producer credits. In the United States, the series is broadcast on FX. In January 2023, the series was renewed for a fourth season. The fourth season will premiere in 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam Esmail</span> American screenwriter, director, and producer

Sam Esmail is an American film and television producer, director, and screenwriter who runs the production company Esmail Corp. He is best known as the creator, writer and director of the award-winning USA Network television series Mr. Robot (2015–2019), starring Rami Malek. He also wrote and directed the feature film Comet (2014). He directed and produced the acclaimed Amazon Prime Video psychological thriller Homecoming (2018–2020), starring Julia Roberts and Janelle Monáe, and produced USA's Briarpatch (2020), Starz's Gaslit (2022), and Peacock's Angelyne (2022) and The Resort (2022). As of 2023, Esmail is attached to produce a number of upcoming television series and films, including Metropolis, and the film Leave the World Behind—both for which he also serves as director and writer—and a new Battlestar Galactica television series to serve as a soft reboot of the 2004 show's universe.

<i>Berlin Station</i> (TV series) American drama television series

Berlin Station is an American drama television series created by Olen Steinhauer. The series stars Richard Armitage, Rhys Ifans, Leland Orser, Michelle Forbes, Richard Jenkins, Keke Palmer, Ashley Judd, John Doman, Tamlyn Tomita, and Ismael Cruz Córdova. Bradford Winters had been showrunner for its first two seasons, with Jason Horwitch taking over for season 3.

Richard Nixon, the 37th President of the United States, has inspired or been portrayed in numerous cultural works.

<i>Godfather of Harlem</i> American television series

Godfather of Harlem is an American crime drama television series which premiered on September 29, 2019, on Epix. The series is written by Chris Brancato and Paul Eckstein, and stars Forest Whitaker as 1960s New York City gangster Bumpy Johnson. Whitaker is also executive producer alongside Nina Yang Bongiovi, James Acheson, John Ridley and Markuann Smith. Chris Brancato acts as showrunner. On February 12, 2020, the series was renewed for a second season which premiered on April 18, 2021. On January 13, 2022, the series was renewed for a third season which premiered on the renamed MGM+ on January 15, 2023.

<i>Pennyworth</i> (TV series) American crime drama television series

Pennyworth, marketed as Pennyworth: The Origin of Batman's Butler for its third season, is an American television series that premiered on July 28, 2019, on Epix, based on DC Comics' Batman character of the same name. The series was developed for television and is executive produced by Bruno Heller and Danny Cannon, and stars Jack Bannon as Alfred Pennyworth, a younger version of the iteration of the character previously portrayed by Sean Pertwee in Heller's and Cannon's Fox series Gotham (2014–2019), with the series serving as a prequel to both Gotham, and V for Vendetta, by Alan Moore, David Lloyd, and Tony Weare. Ben Aldridge, Hainsley Lloyd Bennett, Ryan Fletcher, Dorothy Atkinson, Emma Paetz, Paloma Faith, Polly Walker, James Purefoy, and Jason Flemyng also star.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leon Neyfakh</span> American journalist

Leon Neyfakh is an American journalist, radio host and writer. He is known for hosting the podcasts Slow Burn and Fiasco, and his book The Next Next Level: A Story of Rap, Friendship, and Almost Giving Up.

<i>Elvis Goes There</i> American TV series or program

Elvis Goes There is an American documentary television series hosted by Elvis Mitchell that premiered on February 4, 2019, on Epix.

<i>Impeachment: American Crime Story</i> Third season of American Crime Story

Impeachment: American Crime Story is the third season of the FX true-crime anthology television series American Crime Story. It consists of 10 episodes and premiered on September 7, 2021. The season portrays the Clinton–Lewinsky scandal, subsequent impeachment of Clinton and is based on the book A Vast Conspiracy: The Real Story of the Sex Scandal That Nearly Brought Down a President by Jeffrey Toobin.

<i>Gaslit</i> (TV series) American television series

Gaslit is an American political thriller television limited series based on the first season of the podcast Slow Burn by Leon Neyfakh. It stars Julia Roberts, Sean Penn, Dan Stevens, Betty Gilpin, Shea Whigham, and Darby Camp. It premiered on Starz on April 24, 2022.

<i>The Big Fib</i> American game show

The Big Fib is an American game show hosted by Yvette Nicole Brown and featuring Rhys Darby. Based on the podcast of the same name, the series premiered on Disney+ on May 22, 2020.

<i>Bridge and Tunnel</i> (TV series) American comedy drama television series

Bridge and Tunnel is a 2021 American comedy drama television series written, directed and produced by Edward Burns for Epix. The first season consists of 6 episodes and premiered on January 24, 2021. In July 2021, the series was renewed for a second season. In September 2022, the series was canceled after two seasons.

<i>Chapelwaite</i> American horror television series

Chapelwaite is an American horror television series based on the short story "Jerusalem's Lot" by American writer Stephen King. It is written by Peter and Jason Filardi, and premiered on Epix on August 22, 2021. The show has been renewed for a second season.

White House Plumbers is an American satirical political drama television miniseries created and written by Alex Gregory and Peter Huyck and directed by David Mandel, based on the 2007 book Integrity by Egil Krogh and Matthew Krogh. The series stars Woody Harrelson, Justin Theroux, Domhnall Gleeson, Kiernan Shipka, and Lena Headey and it premiered on HBO on May 1, 2023.

References

  1. 1 2 "Slow Burn". Slate Magazine. 29 October 2019.
  2. "'Slow Burn' Season 3 Turns Its Investigative Eye To The Murders Of Biggie And Tupac". NPR.org. Retrieved 2019-11-17.
  3. Anderson, Joel (2019-10-29). "Slow Burn". Slate Magazine. Retrieved 2019-11-17.
  4. Blistein, Jon (15 April 2021). "'Slow Burn' Examines the Lead-Up to the Iraq War in Season Five Trailer". Rolling Stone.
  5. Gustavo Arellano (2021-12-29). "Almost 30 years later, a podcast remembers when L.A. seethed — and burned". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 2022-05-03.
  6. "Slow Burn Season 7". Slate Magazine. 2022-05-04. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
  7. Staff, Slate (2023-02-24). "Announcing Slow Burn Season 8". Slate. ISSN   1091-2339 . Retrieved 2023-02-25.
  8. 1 2 "Have you heard 'Slow Burn'? Slate's Watergate podcast is hot right now". USA Today .
  9. "6 - Rabbit Holes - Transcript". SLOW BURN: WATERGATE. Slate Magazine. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  10. "Slow Burn Is the Watergate Podcast You Didn't Know You Needed". 11 January 2018. Retrieved 2019-12-16.
  11. "You Know Your History? These Podcasts Aren't So Sure - the New York Times". The New York Times . Archived from the original on 2018-02-03. Retrieved 2018-02-04.
  12. "Epix will release its Slow Burn adaptation this November". 10 February 2019.
  13. Bennett, Anita. "Epix Greenlights Podcast-Inspired Docuseries 'Slow Burn' – TCA". Deadline. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  14. ""Slow Burn" to Premiere on EPIX(R) on February 16, 2020". The Futon Critic . November 20, 2019.
  15. "Slow Burn – Listings". The Futon Critic . Retrieved February 16, 2020.
  16. "August 15, 1973: Address to the Nation About the Watergate Investigations | Miller Center". millercenter.org. October 20, 2016.
  17. "Comparing the Saturday Night Massacre to the Present Day Justice Department". NPR.org.
  18. "Michael Koncewicz | New York University Division of Libraries".
  19. White, Peter (2020-02-21). "Julia Roberts, Sean Penn, Armie Hammer & Joel Edgerton To Star In Watergate Drama 'Gaslit', UCP Series Based On 'Slow Burn' Podcast". Deadline. Archived from the original on 2020-02-21. Retrieved 2021-04-30.
  20. White, Peter (December 7, 2020). "The Sound & The Flurry: How Podcasts Are Becoming A Hollywood Gold Mine". Deadline Hollywood . Penske Media Corporation.