Serial: 34 Burning Questions We Need Answered by the End of Season 1

Honestly, why does that girl have so much trouble pronouncing MailChimp?

By Jenna Mullins Dec 11, 2014 9:42 PMTags
SerialCourtesy: Serial

If you haven't listened to this week's episode of Serial, "Rumors," or if you are simply behind on the story, just a fair warning some of these questions might be spoilery in nature. You have been warned.

For everyone else, we all know by now that next week is the very last episode of the hugely successful podcast that everyone is talking about (which isn't a way we thought we would ever be describing a podcast). We're obsessed with it. You're obsessed with it. Every other human being is obsessed with it. And there is still time to catch up if you haven't jumped on the Serial train.

After 11 episodes and only one left to dissect, we have some burning questions that need answers. We're counting on you, Sarah Koenig!

1. What IS the deal with Jay?

2. Why does that girl have so much trouble pronouncing MailChimp?

3. What was the Adnan rumor that Sarah dismissed in episode 11?

4. Does Sarah think Adnan did it or not?

5. Who really killed Hae?

6. What is season two going to be about?

7. If we believe Jay's story: Why, if Adnan needed to get to track practice to create an alibi, did he do such a s--ty job? No one remembers seeing him definitively!

8. How many letters does Adnan receive now that Serial has become so popular?

9. Who made the "suspicious-sounding" phone call to Adnan when he was at Cathy's?

10. Why exactly did Asia switch her story about the library alibi? What happened?

Courtesy: Serial

11. If Hae could have been killed at a different time than originally thought, why is her boyfriend still not a suspect?

12. What does Sarah's husband think about Adnan and his wife's obvious crush on him?

13. Why haven't we heard the evidence behind her exact time and date of death? Was there any indisputable evidence that confirms when and where Hae died?

14. Will Sarah ever address some of the rumors and theories that are posted on reddit?

15. Is there any way for the show to end that will satisfy everyone?

16. Given the success of the podcast, would they consider turning this case and story into another format (TV or movie)?

17. How much is Sarah stressing out about the response when this season shuts down?

18. Are we going to hear the story about this soundbite from the first episode that served as a preview to the rest of the season: "Basically threatened me, like, 'you know what happened to Hae. This is what's going to happen to you.' That's how I felt that day."

19. How much is the absence of real proof—other than Jay's wobbly testimony—an indicator of possible Adnan innocence?

20. Will we hear from the judge that presided over the case? 

21. What was really going on between Jen and Jay?

22. Where do you even buy a rat-eating frog?

23. What is the new lawyer's plan for Adnan's appeal?

24. Who will get the first interview with Adnan post-Serial? Or will he even do any interviews after this?

25. How did Adnan get a cell phone into prison?

26. Why does Adnan's personality seem to some to be a possible obstacle to him killing someone? Aren't there tons of cases of "he seemed like a nice guy" killers? Who DOES seem like a killer?

27. Why did Sarah and Dana dismiss the fact that it takes longer than 90 seconds to strangle someone when they drove the route to reconstruct the timeline? They barely got it all done in time, but they only spent 90 seconds on the actual "murder."

28. Is anyone out there really expecting a resolution to the case?

29. Did anything come from the Innocence Project looking into forensic evidence?

30. Is there still a sale on shrimp at the Crab Crib?

31. What IS a mail chimp?

32. Where can we read Adnan's 18-page letter to Sarah?

33. Is Dana ever really listening?

And finally…

34. What the hell are we supposed to obsess over while we wait for season two?!

Even if we don't get any answers to these burning questions, we still thoroughly enjoyed the Serial season one ride. Days until season two: feels like a million.