Fiasco
4.8/5
Critic Rating
Host Leon Neyfakh transports listeners into the day-to-day reality of our country’s most pivotal historical events, bringing to life the forgotten twists and turns of the past while shedding light on the present. Season 4: Benghazi shows how a city in Libya became the namesake for a scandal that changed the course of American politics. Season 3: The Battle for Boston tells the story of the movement to desegregate Boston’s public schools—and all the backlash that followed. Season 2: Iran-Contra exposes a secret war, a secret deal, and a scandal that threatened to destroy Ronald Reagan’s presidency—until it didn’t. Season 1: Bush v. Gore recounts what happened during the contested 2000 election between Al Gore and George W. Bush, and the extraordinary legal battle that unfolded in Florida.
Critic Reviews
Score: 5
The Crime Writers Squad • Crime Writers On • Sep 7, 2023
"(Season: Vigilante) [Leon Neyfakh]He's able to tell a rich, steady story with great interviews with the people both in the middle of the action and those on the periphery....what sets this series apart is its deep dive into the social factors that led up to the shooting and colored public perception."
Score: 5
Alessandra Stanley • Air Mail • Mar 26, 2022
"(Season 5) It is baffling and enraging to look back on the Reagan administration’s blinkered inaction in combating what many called “the gay plague,” but Neyfakh also showcases the guts—and empathy—of those who went to war for a medical solution. If you think you already know it all, think again and listen."
Score: 4.5
Sarah Larson • New Yorker • Aug 31, 2020
"(Season 3- Battle for Boston) Neyfakh creates the artful impression of subtlety. His stories always have direct, clear connections to contemporary life, but he lets listeners have the pleasure, or the illusion, of connecting the dots themselves. He has a gift for crafting memorable scenes, and his longtime executive producer, Andrew Parsons, is deft at animating them through sound design."
