The investigative-journalism podcast “In the Dark” would be impressive in any era, but it feels especially welcome in 2018. The show, which is produced by APM Reports, in St. Paul, Minnesota, and hosted by the series’ lead reporter, Madeleine Baran, devotes a newsroom’s worth of time, energy, and resources to asking hard questions about justice in the United States. Each season—we’re now midway through the second—centers on a murder case, but the show focusses on justice rather than crime, drawing its considerable narrative power not from human suffering but from exposing the effects of decisions made around that suffering. “In the Dark” is shocking but not sensationalized; the reporters’ simple quest for answers feels as suspenseful as a thriller. Its combination of narrative excellence, surprising discoveries, and ethical rigor result in what may be the best podcast of the year.
The show’s Peabody Award-winning first season, in 2016, explored the famous cold…
