Trailer

Trailer

From The Idiot by Serial Productions & The New York Times

March 17, 2026 · 1 min · Season 1

About this episode

M. Gessen explores the troubling case of their cousin Allen, who is arrested for attempting to murder his ex-wife.

The New York Times writer M. Gessen is widely known for their award-winning writing about totalitarianism, terrorism and the erosion of human rights. Now, M. is examining a more personal target: their least favorite cousin, Allen. For decades, they saw Allen as a fool, a pompous ‘international businessman’ who bragged about shady deals. But then Allen is arrested for trying to put a hit out on his ex-wife, and M. cannot wrap their head around the news. He’s just an idiot, right? Not a would-be murderer?

People in this episode

Host: M. Gessen

Topics covered

  • totalitarianism
  • terrorism
  • human rights
  • family dynamics
  • crime

Keywords

  • M. Gessen
  • Allen
  • totalitarianism
  • crime
  • human rights
  • family

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The New York Times

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