Smerling and Stuart-Pontier at a Crimetown Live event in New York City
Hosts Marc Smerling and Zac Stuart-Pontier first worked together on the film Catfish, and later collaborated on HBO's The Jinx. Publisher Gimlet Media's CEO Alex Blumberg met Stuart-Pontier when Blumberg interviewed him for a This American Life segment in 2000. Smerling and Stuart-Pontier initially tried to bring Blumberg on as producer of an audio follow-up to The Jinx, but Blumberg was more interested in a new project, rather than a companion piece.[1]
Production of season 1 began in summer 2015.[1] Smerling and Stuart-Pontier took senior producer and host roles. Production staff also includes Drew Nelles, Austin Mitchell, Kaitlin Roberts, Mike Plunkett, and Laura Sim.[2] It is edited by Blumberg and Caitlin Kenney, and fact checked by Mick Rouse.[2]
Smerling and Stuart-Pontier conducted extensive local research for the podcast, and received help from the Providence Journal, the Rhode Island Historical Society, and the Providence city archives.[3] In particular, podcast personnel worked with the Journal and its staff at many stages of the process, from developing connections with sources to regular reviews of each episode as they were released.[3]Nieman Lab's Ken Doctor noted this unofficial partnership between podcasters and local journalism—which has struggled to adapt to the Internet—might be the beginning of "a new local media format".[3]
It was the Journal's first step into podcasting other than its sports-related coverage.[3] Although the paper's Managing Editor, Alan Rosenberg, is unsure how far it can go into the medium, former executive editor Dave Butler said "Promoting, using, and helping Crimetown was a natural for the Providence Journal. It gave us the opportunity to relive history thru a podcast—as in real voices. This part of the future—partnering with others on their specialty — is great for readers and offers revenue opportunities. [...] a great reminder of the kind of material we have in our archives but don't know what to do with it..."[3]
The creators and producers of Crimetown have explored the possibility of turning the series into a film or television show.[1]
The creators of Crimetown launched the podcast The RFK Tapes under Crimetown Presents on June 5, 2018, marking the 50th anniversary since the Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy.
Season 1
Season 1 of Crimetown focuses on organized crime and corruption in Providence, Rhode Island. It debuted in November 2016 and includes 18 episodes plus 7 bonus episodes.[4][5]
Synopsis
Unlike many other examples in the true crime genre, there is no single narrative, such as a particular crime, that runs through the show, but several recurring, interrelated characters and events connected to the Patriarca crime family and Providence Mayor Buddy Cianci. The shows relies on techniques of investigative journalism to supplement the drama with hard reporting on new details or little-known connections. The New York Times called it "less Law & Order, more The Wire," referencing two popular television series.[6] Most episodes focus on a particular character or story and draw connections to those in previous episodes, coming together to form a picture of crime and corruption in Providence in the late 20th century. Smerling and Stuart-Pontier talked about their interest in the "tree roots" in Providence shared by a wide range of people.[7]
Though many of the episodes do not cover Cianci, his career and persona run through the show, paralleling the city's complicated relationships and contradictions arising from the interplay of good intentions and crime.[1][8] According to The Boston Globe, "everything in the series is built on duality and dichotomy, from the two hills that make up the city (one controlled by the mob, the other home to the WASP elite) to the mayor himself."[8] Cianci began his career as a prosecutor fighting against corruption and organized crime, ran for mayor on an anti-corruption platform, got elected with help from organized crime, and last later convicted for corruption.[1][9][7]
Subjects
Creators Marc Smerling and Zac Stuart-Pontier with one of the subjects of the podcast, Charles Kennedy, at "Crimetown Live" in New York City in May 2018.
Brian Andrews, police detective who spent a large part of his law enforcement career pursuing thief Tony Fiore, whom Andrews credits with helping his career.[10][11]
Joseph Bevilacqua, Sr., defense attorney for members of organized crime who became the state's Chief Justice. When he maintained some ties to organized crime, he resigned during impeachment proceedings.[12][13]
Joseph Bevilacqua, Jr., defense attorney and son of Joseph Bevilacqua, Sr. The show dedicated an episode to the story of a survivor of years of manipulation and sexual abuse by Bevilacqua, Jr., beginning when he gave her cocaine when she was 17 and he was 53.[14][15]
Buddy Cianci, former prosecutor who ran for mayor of Providence on an anti-corruption platform but became corrupt himself. After resigning when convicted of assault, he ran for mayor again and won, only to be convicted again for racketeering and other charges years later. The Boston Globe described Cianci's portrayal as "a walking embodiment of the city's contradictions."[8]
Robert Dussault, lead thief of the Bonded Vault heist who turned state's evidence when a hit was put on him.[16]
Tony Fiore, organized career thief with connections to the Patriarca family. Pursued for years by officer Brian Andrews. After a 10-year prison stint, Fiore began robbing armored cars. He and several associates were caught during an attempted robbery at Emerald Square Mall. After a total of about 30 years in prison, he was released and went into the painting business.[10][11]
Charles "The Ghost" Kennedy, a major drug trafficker and lock picker who got his nickname because he was so difficult to catch. He became known for his financial success, elaborate parties, and pet wolves at his house in East Greenwich.[17][10]
Barbara H. Roberts, Rhode Island's first woman cardiologist and director of the Women's Cardiac Center at Miriam Hospital. She was Raymond Patriarca's cardiologist who kept him out of court for health reasons towards the end of his life. Also, as she disclosed publicly for the first time on Crimetown, she had been mistress to mob boss Luigi "Baby Shacks" Manocchio.[10][18]
Gerald "Gerry" Tillinghast, a Vietnam veteran turned mob enforcer for Patriarca. Tillinghast helped to get Buddy Cianci elected and, despite Cianci running on an anti-corruption platform, he was given a high-profile government job in exchange. He was acquitted in the Bonded Vault heist trial, but convicted on a later murder charge. At the time of recording, he was spending time as a Dungeons & Dragons's Dungeon Master.[1]
Arlene Violet, sometimes called "Attila the Nun", left the convent who became Rhode Island's attorney general and foresaw the banking collapse of the 1990s.[19]
Bobby Walason, worked for Patriarca doing loan sharking and running protection rackets. After being shot and nearly dying, he decided to leave organized crime. He has since sold a fitness product on the Home Shopping Network and started a moving and storage business.[20]
Soundtrack
The title song, used throughout the show, is "Run To Your Mama" by the Swedish band Goat.[2] Gimlet Media's Matthew Boll was sound designer and theme music was composed by Jon Ivans, with additional scoring by Edwin, Bienart, John Kusiak, and Kenny Kusiak.[2]
Towards the end of the season, producers released a stand-alone soundtrack with music from the show. It includes a combination of original and previously released tracks.[21]
"S2 E06: The Mayor, the Barber, and the Babysitter"
November 5, 2018 (2018-11-05)
TBA
33
7
"S2 E07: Who Killed Damion Lucas?"
November 12, 2018 (2018-11-12)
TBA
34
8
"S2 E08: Operation Backbone"
November 19, 2018 (2018-11-19)
TBA
35
9
"S2 E09: Dimitri"
December 3, 2018 (2018-12-03)
TBA
36
10
"S2 E10: Right Here, Right Now"
December 10, 2018 (2018-12-10)
TBA
37
11
"S2 E11: The Hip Hop Mayor"
December 17, 2018 (2018-12-17)
TBA
38
12
"S2 E12: Fake News"
January 7, 2019 (2019-01-07)
TBA
39
13
"S2 E13: Gary Brown v. Mayor of Detroit"
January 14, 2019 (2019-01-14)
TBA
40
14
"S2 E14: The Affair"
January 21, 2019 (2019-01-21)
TBA
41
15
"S2 E15: The Murder of Tamara Greene"
February 4, 2019 (2019-02-04)
TBA
42
16
"S2 E16: Surrendered"
February 11, 2019 (2019-02-11)
TBA
43
17
"S2 E17: Operation Bombay Dreams"
February 18, 2019 (2019-02-18)
TBA
44
18
"S2 E18: United States v. Kwame Kilpatrick"
March 4, 2019 (2019-03-04)
TBA
45
19
"S2 E19: From the Ashes"
March 11, 2019 (2019-03-11)
TBA
46
20
"Bonus Episode: The Streets Don't Love You Back"
September 5, 2019 (2019-09-05)
TBA
Reception
Crimetown received mostly positive reviews from critics, and by the end of the month was the most downloaded podcast on iTunes in the United States, third most popular in Canada, second in Australia, and sixth in the United Kingdom.[4][1]The New York Times named it one of the "Best New Podcasts of 2016," saying it "advances the [true crime] genre."[6] Reviewing the first episode, USA Today said that while the basic description of the show might sound boring, "[r]are audio, exciting music and compelling characters make [it] a worthwhile listen."[23]The A.V. Club called it "as slick and engrossing as a podcast by Oscar-nominated producers promises to be" and praised the way the show captures touching moments in interviews with violent criminals.[24]
The Ringer called it "a bracing, investigating deep dive into crime and corruption—and part of a wave of podcasts that are primed for TV and film adaptation."[1] It also commented that "despite the density of information it conveys, it's not a slog. It's a story that would inspire any pulp fiction writer."[1]The Boston Globe described the podcast as "morbidly fascinating and often laugh-out-loud surreal" and called it "as addictive as a bottle of pep pills," but added that the series "represents the latest wrinkle in packaging and selling criminal enterprise as ghoulish, diversionary fun while arguably soft-pedaling the human misery left in its wake."[8]Vulture called it a "pulpy delight."[25] Several reviewers drew comparisons with the podcasts Serial and S-Town, and Netflix's Making a Murderer television miniseries.[8][7][25][26]
The mayor of Providence during the release of the podcast, Jorge Elorza, said that the show was "terrible for Providence".[27]
Events
During and following the end of the first season, creators Smerling and Stuart-Pontier held live events in Brooklyn, Boston, and Providence, and then went on tour with "Crimetown Live." Different characters from the podcast join for a live conversation and to answer audience questions.[8][28]
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