Listening Guide
If you're new to Season Two of Serial, or if you're listening again, here's a guide to the maps, videos, graphics, and documents that accompany each episode.
First, a welcome from Sarah. Second, this map gives some geographic context to where the story takes place, in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Now, here we go. Please listen to the episodes in order.
Episode 01
DUSTWUN
In the middle of the night, Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl grabs a notebook, snacks, water, some cash. Then he quietly slips off a remote U.S. Army outpost in eastern Afghanistan and into the dark, open desert. About 20 minutes later, it occurs to him: he’s in over his head.
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Bergdahl’s Release By the Taliban
The Taliban made this video. It shows the handover to a U.S. Special Operations team on May 31, 2014.
Fly Over Op Mest and FOB Sharana
Bergdahl said he planned to cause a DUSTWUN by leaving his outpost, OP Mest, and going to his base, FOB Sharana. This flyover map gives a sense of the terrain he would have had to cross.
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The Plan
A closer look at what it would take to run from OP Mest to FOB Sharana.
Delete. Delete.
As details of Bergdahl’s release and capture surfaced, politicians seemed unsure how they were supposed to feel about the whole thing. You can see evidence of the public confusion on Twitter.
Episode 02
The Golden Chicken
On the move with Bergdahl, the Taliban slip past the U.S. Army’s massive effort to find him. During those days and weeks, each side is asking, what is Bergdahl worth to us?
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The Army’s Search for Bergdahl
In 2010, WikiLeaks published an archive of classified U.S. military documents. It includes military communications from June 30, the day Bergdahl walked off his outpost, as well as the search for him over the next several days. Here are some highlights.
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Army Leaflet
After Bergdahl disappeared, the U.S. Army gave out leaflets, like this one, in Paktika.
Captured: The Taliban’s Version of Events
This map shows the general route that the Taliban said they took to evade the U.S. Army.
Episode 03
Escaping
Bergdahl’s first year in captivity starts with an escape and ends with an escape. In between, he learns necessary, twisted lessons of survival.
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Proof-of-Life Videos
Bergdahl said the Taliban made more than a dozen videos, but released only a few publicly. Here, we’re showing them in the order that Bergdahl said they were made.
A Photo, After the Escape
Bergdahl said this photo was taken at the end of his first year, just after he had escaped for close to nine days and was recaptured.
Episode 04
The Captors
What’s happening on the other side of the door?
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Fly Over the Tribal Areas of Pakistan
This map shows the areas in North and South Waziristan where the Haqqanis likely kept Bergdahl.
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David Rohde’s Captivity
The journalist talks about his own time as a captive of the Haqqanis in this episode. We added some more details in this post.
Episode 05
Meanwhile, in Tampa
CIA, FBI, YouTube, the Portland PD? There was no handbook for getting Bergdahl back.
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Dear Pakistan
Bergdahl’s father, Bob, uploaded this video to YouTube a few days after the raid on Osama Bin Laden’s compound.
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A Desperate Plan
In this audio extra, Bergdahl’s friend Kim Harrison talks about the Haqqanis and her attempts to rescue Bergdahl herself.
Episode 06
5 O’Clock Shadow
Why did Bowe Bergdahl walk off?
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The Guardian Photos
When Sean Smith of the Guardian published these photos of Bergdahl’s platoon at OP Mest, they got in big trouble for being out of uniform. Some of the soldiers thought the punishment was—at worst—unfair. But for Bergdahl, it was the last straw.
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Bergdahl and the War in Afghanistan
This timeline shows where Bergdahl’s story falls within the context of the Afghan war.
Army Org Chart
From the soldier to the brigade, this graphic shows how the army’s command structure typically works.
Orient yourself with these two maps: Fly Over Op Mest and FOB Sharana and Afghanistan: A Sense of Place.
Episode 07
Hindsight, Part 1
It makes sense if you’re Bowe Bergdahl.
Episode 08
Hindsight, Part 2
Woulda, coulda, shoulda...
This is a two-parter, so listen to them together—“Hindsight, Part 1,” then “Hindsight, Part 2”
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Entry-Level Discharges From the Coast Guard
Bergdahl was discharged from the coast guard in 2006, a few weeks after he joined. This graphic shows the number of recruits since 2001 who were discharged within six months.
Number of Waivers Given to U.S. Army Recruits
When Bergdahl enlisted in the army in 2008, he had to get a waiver to join. This graphic shows the numbers of waivers given each year.
Episode 09
Trade Secrets
You don’t make peace with your friends.
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Move forward in the timeline, from 2010 on.
Watch Bergdahl’s rescue video again, and then...
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The Other Side of Some Abyss
Bergdahl talks about what it felt like to be rescued.
How the Taliban See Themselves
Barney Rubin, an expert on Afghanistan and Pakistan, talks about why the five Guantanamo detainees swapped for Bergdahl were so important to the Taliban.
Episode 10
Thorny Politics
Are you hearing what I’m hearing?
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Obama’s Rose Garden Announcement
Video of the president's infamous May 31, 2014, speech, when he announced that Bergdahl had been released.
“Honor and Distinction”
A day after Obama’s announcement, National Security Advisor Susan Rice appeared on ABC’s This Week, where she made a comment that angered many soldiers who had served with Bergdahl.
Soldiers React to Bergdahl’s Release
Some of the soldiers who served with Bergdahl went on TV news shows to tell their side of the story.
Emails About the Bergdahl Deal
These emails between Obama administration officials give us a look behind the scenes in the months, weeks and days leading up to Bergdahl’s release.
You can also catch up on all of the events on the timeline.
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Unfortunately, They Don’t Have X-Ray Vision
What is good intel? And how do military analysts help a recovered hostage remember it? Andrea and Michelle (not their real names) talk about how an intel debriefing works.
Episode 11
Present for Duty
The Season Two finale: What is Bowe’s fault, and what isn’t?
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Deconstructing Bergdahl’s Uniform
You can learn a lot about a soldier by looking at his service uniform. This interactive shows what the different insignia and awards mean.
Bergdahl’s Interview With Dahl
In August 2014, then-Major General Kenneth Dahl interviewed Bergdahl as part of an army investigation. This is the transcript of their conversation.
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Taco Bell and Peanut Butter
In this audio extra, Bergdahl’s childhood friend Kayla Harrison talks about their first conversation after he was released.
The Season Two animations were done by Carl Burton. They tell a story in themselves. Also, here's more on how the art came together.
And check out this season’s music, by Nick Thorburn. We’ll add Fritz Myers’s music soon.
You can also find links to transcripts on the individual episode pages.
Thanks, everyone, for listening!