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This is a review of the Maddie podcast, a true crime podcast that reviews the evidence in the 2007 disappearance of Madeleine McCann.
Every once in a while, a story will pop up in the news and I’ll remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I heard about it.
This happened a couple of months ago, when a story about a missing boy in the US - potentially found, eight years later - hit the news cycle.
At first, it didn’t ring a bell. But then, suddenly, as if a movie started playing in my head, I remembered seeing the story break back in 2011. I was getting ready for work at the time.
Unfortunately, I feel like a lot of these memories I have are centered around stories that involve missing children. There’s just something that sticks with me.
Which brings me to the case of Madeline McCann, who disappeared back in 2007, when she was just 3 years old.
I remember where I was when I heard about this story. I can almost feel how I felt when I learned the circumstances surrounding the case.
I also remember how judgmental I was. And I wasn’t alone.
I was in the majority of people who thought that the adults present when Madeleine disappeared - including her parents - were guilty of neglect and poor judgement.
It’s been a long time since this case was in the news, but a new podcast titled Maddie, produced and reported by Nine.com.au (an Australian news outlet), is shedding light on Madeleine’s disappearance once again.
I'm a couple months late in writing this review, but I'm publishing it now because I'm surprised by how little attention it got by US podcast fans. I heard very little about it while it was releasing episodes, so I really want to highlight it.
Note: The rest of this podcast review contains some well-known facts about the Madeline McCann case. They are not spoilers about the podcast.
Podcast Review: Maddie
The Who, What, Where & When
British-born Madeleine, also known as Maddie, was three years old when she disappeared from a vacation resort in Portugal. No arrest has ever been made in the case.
The Maddie podcast is a 10-episode series hosted by Mark Saunokonoko, a reporter for Nine.com.au. Saunokonoko was living in London when Maddie went missing and the story took over the news cycle.
A few years ago, a conversation with a friend about a different missing child motivated Saunokonoko to start his own investigation into Maddie's disappearance.
The podcast is a review of the evidence in the case, as well as a look at the investigations by both the police and private investigators.
Maddie launched back in March, and the last episode dropped in early May. (It should go without saying that you need to start with Episode 1 and listen in order).
That final episode was available just days after the twelfth anniversary of Madeleine's disappearance.
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Easy to follow given the amount of details
If you thought you knew the majority of the details about the Madeleine McCann case, think again.
There's a mountain of evidence and facts presented over the course of the 10 episodes of Maddie. I was shocked by how much I didn't know/had never heard before. It was also a lot to keep track of.
A lot of credit should be given to the host for keeping the names, facts, and theories easy to follow for listeners. I rarely had to hit the rewind button to catch a detail or name.
Thorough reporting with little bias
With so much evidence and people to keep straight, it would be easy to take shortcuts and only present the most sensational details. But Saunokonoko doesn't do that.
When he presents a piece of evidence or a theory about the case, he also flips the script and explains why that evidence could be questionable or that theory doesn't hold water.
He does this best in episode 8, titled A Door Marked Closed. In that episode, he explores how the media cherry picks information to report. He plays two clips of an interview with Madeleine's father, highlighting the editing that was done to the original interview.
He also spends a good amount of time discussing and investigating the money that's been raised to find Madeleine. Over the years, people from around the world have donated millions of dollars to help find the little girl.
Saunokonoko should be commended for including this financial information in the podcast. He didn't have to. It's a part of Maddie's story that most people probably don't ever think about, or considered irrelevant to the case. In my opinion, that's all the more reason to bring it up.
Throughout the podcast, Saunokonoko is diligent to look at all sides of the story, even though it's clear that he has suspicions about some of it.
On-going updates
As each episode dropped throughout April and May, the host included updates about recent events surrounding the case. Many of them are in relation to experts he had spoken to, and leads that he was trying to pass onto the investigative team in the UK.
These updates hooked me even more, and made me feel more invested in the podcast.
This type of updating is typical in a true crime podcast. Lots of shows do this, but with Maddie, it felt like a lot of things were developing during production and the release schedule. Given how cold the case has been for all these years, it was exciting to think that there could be real progress now.
Supporting graphics & videos
Like any good true crime podcast, the Maddie podcast provides supporting materials to help you get to know the crime scene and wrap your head around all the details.
As I listened to each episode, I found myself relaying things to my husband, and he kept trying to play devil's advocate. So I'd turn to the podcast's website for maps and layouts that would help to prove my points.
While helpful, I do wish the supporting materials were just a little bit better. They provide some needed visuals, but weren't always good enough for me to hold up to my husband's face and say, "SEE?!".
Great podcast, go listen
Because I don't want to give away a lot of details or spoilers about this podcast, I'm going to end this review here.
What you really need to know is this: there is an ongoing investigation into Madeleine's disappearance. There is also pretty strong evidence of a cover-up, and the podcast does go into that in detail.
I highly recommend the Maddie podcast, and I hope that listeners outside of Australia and the UK will give it its due.
Have you listened to Maddie? What did you think of the podcast? Drop a comment below (spoilers are okay in the comments!)
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