My America
Lawless Planet review
Production company – Wondery
Rating – 
***RELEASE DAY REVIEW***
I had planned a different review for this Sunday, but that will have wait for now. You see, I have been sent the first 4 episodes of Lawless Planet by Wondery, and it is being released today! Seeing as it’s been a while since I’ve been lucky enough to get a release day special, I thought it worthy of jumping the queue.
I’m not sure how many episodes are dropping today, so I won’t discuss any real details outside of the first episode. You can’t say I’m not fair like that!
So what’s it about?
This is a series that examines the rather cavalier attitude that titans of capitalism have regarding the state of the planet. From corruption to sheer negligence, there are seemingly no depths unplumbed in the pursuit of making that filthy lucre.
Episode one (the only episode I will be describing) sees an investigation into the coal mining industry. It starts out with a tale of embezzlement and bribery and ends with environmental harm on a massive scale. The two separate stories are linked albeit tentatively, but inexorably.
From here, the stories beggar belief. It’s ever easier to cast a cynical eye over the way America is governed, and I’m sure that a lot of it is pure hyperbole. These stories though really make you wonder why, or rather how, the country hans’t devolved into chaos.
Is it any good?
If you are a fan of Swindled, or possibly, if you are not a fan of Swindled, then you’ll love this show. I mention Swindled, because there is a fair bit of stylistic overlap. So much so that two of the stories (in one episode) were covered by A Concerned Citizen over on his show.
There is something compelling about shows like this. Stories that are as horrifying and they are compelling, and there’s nothing that gets the old blood pressure up like big business riding roughshod over common decency.
Final thoughts
I can imagine the stories told here getting certain people very cross indeed. Once upon a time I would have been one of them. Nowadays I’m a jaded old sod though, so I just tend to shrug and think “yeah, that figures”.
This is another great addition to the library of investigative journalism over at Wondery. The name alone is a seal of approval here at Podcastgeek towers, and I am forever grateful to get these wonderful sneak previews of shows
Next week we will see normal service restored, and your Sunday will be complete with my babbling again.
You can get Lawless Planet here:
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