"For many, Serial was the aha moment, and deservedly so. But when I first heard Crimetown, it just connected."

- Chris Peterson, DWNLOAD Media/Podspace

Crimetown is an intoxicating, cinematic plunge into the underworlds of American cities, where crime and corruption seep into the very fabric of society. The first season, set in Providence, Rhode Island, unfurls a sordid tale of political machines, mafia influence, and brutal power dynamics, with a relentless pace and razor-sharp attention to detail. Hosted by Marc Smerling and Zac Stuart-Pontier, the podcast feels like a tautly edited noir film, each episode revealing another twist in the saga of mobster Raymond Patriarca and the city’s web of deceit.

But Crimetown is not just about the men at the top; it’s about the entire ecosystem of fear and complicity that sustains organized crime. The storytelling moves effortlessly between interviews, archival sound, and suspenseful narration, drawing you into a world where loyalty is transactional, and survival is a fragile thing.

It’s a darkly compelling series, not just for its portrayal of mob justice, but for its unsettling question: in places where crime is the currency, who truly pays the price?