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A review of season 2 of the This Land podcast, a documentary podcast about the fight for Native American children
Podcast Name: This Land
Where You Can Find It: Listen on Crooked Media or in your favorite podcast player
Average Episode Length: 35 minutes
Episodes Listened To: At the time of this review, I've listened to the first six episodes
My husband and I listened to Season 2 of This Land on a recent road trip. To say that we were both excited that the new season had been released just as we were leaving for 30 hours on the road, would be an understatement.
A couple of years ago, we listened to Season 1 of This Land, also while on a road trip, and we still talk about it to this day. I included that season in my Best Podcasts of 2019 list, and I submit that it's still one of the best, most important podcast series out there.
You can absolutely listen to Season 2 without listening to the previous season. The two are not specifically connected. But I do HIGHLY recommend that you listen to Season 1 at some point.
What It's About
As a whole, This Land is documentary style podcast that investigates high-profile lawsuits and court cases that are currently (as in, present-day) threatening the land, culture, and overall existence of Native American people in the United States.
In Season 2, host Rebecca Nagle investigates and lays out the facts about a case that is trying to strike down the Indian Child Welfare Act, aka ICWA. The case could soon be heard by the US Supreme Court and, as Nagle explains over the course of the season, could have widespread consequences for Native Americans.
Why It's So Worth Your Time
Each episode focuses on a different aspect of Nagle's investigation, and then she connects the dots from previous episodes so you can get a clear view of the big picture. She expertly weaves storytelling with a pile of facts and details to back up her conclusions.
Just like with Season 1, my husband and I were sometimes fighting to press the Pause button while listening to these new episodes. We just couldn't stop ourselves from discussing certain facts or making points about something mid-episode.
Nagle shines a spotlight on the people involved in the lawsuits, the people funding the lawsuits, the history of Native nations and the ICWA law, and the effects of everything that's gone on both before and since the court case. There's a lot to digest, but she breaks it down well so it isn't confusing.
The podcast also shines a light on the broken foster care system in the United States, a topic I bet most Americans don't know much about.
While listening, I experienced a number of emotions and sometimes struggled to wrap my head around the fact that the things I was hearing were true.
I just wanted the episodes to keep on going. To be honest, the only negative thing I have to say about Season 2 is that the episodes got slightly shorter as the season went on, and both my husband and I were so hooked that we were disappointed when each episode ended.
Bottom Line
By trying to keep this review short and sweet, and spoiler-free, I'm not saying nearly as much as I want to about how good This Land is.
Rebecca Nagle says she has been investigating this case for four years, and it shows. The episodes are well-researched, well-told, and each one is tightly edited to stay focused and clear.
This Land tells an important story, and explains why every US citizen should be paying attention to it. Please go listen to it.
Have you listened to This Land? What did you think? Post a comment below (no spoilers, please!).
Other investigative podcast series you should check out: Bear Brook and In The Dark (I recommend starting with Season 2, but the case in season 1 is also really good).