Interesting content and impressive curation, but it’s amazing how people can get away with stealing info from books, documentaries and newspapers with zero citing of sources. This is like an adult book report you’d give an F to for plagerism. Also, the background music is too loud and filled with shrill instruments that distract and cut through the narration. The voice acting is often poorly recorded and acted. The episodes are also overly long.

I’m re-listening to one of my other favorite podcasts and they recommended this one! I ended up binging it. 10/10 recommend

I listened to the entire series in a few days. It was totally immersive and I liked how each episode opened up on a different facet of the events rather than giving a straight chronological account. I also find it funny how some reviews despise that someone would write about a time in history they weren't there for when that is what the basis of historical writing is built upon; people researching, assembling cohesive narratives and expanding on periods of time before their own.

She takes a deep dive and looks at so many different players and angles which is interesting. It’s not her voice that is unpleasant, unless she’s speaking for a Manson Girl, who she decided all speak with nasal annoying voices. It’s her odd pronunciation (“narwritted vs narrated), her odd phrases (“acid gobblers” I believe the term is drop acid not gobble it) and the mispronunciation of just about every major players name. This is one of the most famous cases, and it’s 50 years old. How do you not know how to pronounce the names when you’re doing a podcast? Among the repeated mispronounced names are Jay Sebring, Leno LaBianca, Roman Polanski, Wojciech Frykowski, and my personal favorite, the three different ways she came up with to say Leslie Van Houten. Also spent a good 40 minutes discussing Polanski’s later rape case and shared her personal opinions on what she thought. Regarding the Manson murders, Polanski was the victim, losing both his wife and his child (similarly, his own pregnant mother was killed in Auschwitz). Perhaps not the greatest time to be speaking about his future events. It is also possible to feel terribly sorry for the man for his losses, and dislike the actions he took in the future. It felt almost victim blamey to bring both up in the same episode and focus on the later event. Also, Pacific Ocean Blue is not a “ hauntingly beautiful” album. It’s an album full of great rock music— not what you would expect from a beach boy except adorably, his brothers singing backup.

One of my all time favorite podcasts. I have come back to listen many times. It is well researched and perfectly presented.

Back ground music is too loud

No effort to give nuanced historic accounts of the troubled but influential era, just a myopic and brief summary of tropes and stereotypes to tell a horror story. Ugh. Pass.

Worth to listen to fully understand the crimes especially if you were not alive during this time.

great writing and narration, a blueprint for quality serial documentaries in the podcast format

Could you be anymore condescending? Being a third or fourth hand account of an era you did not experience is disgusting. This story could’ve been so much more interesting to me without all the condescending criticism in your description of a generation that means so much more to some of us who lived it. You should’ve stuck to the details of the Tate-LaBianca tragedies, which they were a true tragedy, WITHOUT your trivialization of the era.

I like how this is presented. I don’t mind audio essays. Not sure why people don’t like that. I find her voice relaxing. I put off listening to it because I am not into Manson, but I am interested about the Kenneth Anger and other parts.

Having lived through the Manson era, I still remember the shock of reading our small town newspaper headlines of these terrible murders. I appreciate Ms. Longworth’s studious research and professional retelling of those times. Keep up the good work!

While the host clearly has done a lot of research and provides great detail, this would probably be better as a book. It actually sounds like Karina is reading a book that she wrote. Full of detail, but many parenthetical details mid-sentence that become hard to follow and disrupt the flow of spoken narrative. Podcasts should not be spoken essays, but more story-telling and conversational, like Serial. Overall not bad. I am learning a lot, but I don't think this will hold my attention until the end.

I’ve been enjoying listening to this thorough and insightful podcast documentary. The delve into the spirit of the times, cultural and societal environment, and Manson’s early development and influences is fascinating. Nothing occurs in a vacuum, it is said; this podcast shows this is unhurried detail. The various influences of Nazarene religiosity, the prison-industrial complex, Scientology, even Dale Carnegie’s school (though, I’d argue that Carnegie doesn’t emphasize that everything boils down to sex and personal desire—rather, sincerity, which Manson even tells Tom Snyder that he used as a cynical tool, in his late ‘70s interview). The music and hippie elements, hammered by Bugliosi are shown to be less powerful forces than widely assumed. Manson used them for convenience, but really wasn’t part of either movement. I’ve only listened to two episodes thus far, but eagerly anticipate the remaining podcasts. Exceptional job! I’m suggesting the show to friends and family.

Great podcast but I can’t believe no one told the host how very bad and cringey those voices are. Not only does she use them for the Manson girls, she does a stupid breathy voice for Sharon Tate and it’s so disrespectful. Use your own voice or hire an actor. It really detracts from t he quality of the show and the research.

love love love the pod but the new ads are at a bit much…. feels like every 3 min there’s an ad

Great story telling, pacing, narration is perfect

I’ve never listened to a podcast before this one. And being someone who has what some have called an unhealthy (jokingly of course) interest in cult leaders, serial killers… I really thought I’d heard all there was to hear and learned all there was to know about Manson and hid “family”. I was woefully wrong. I heard much that I had forgotten and no small amount that was completely new to me. And presented in a riveting manner. Karina grabs one’s attention and keeps it. I’ll be listening to more podcasts now as I’m a professional musician and spend a great deal of time on the road but before I branch out I’ll certainly be listening to all of Karina’s offerings.

wow!!! i love true crime and serial killers, but i never knew anything about Charles Manson and his followers this was truly interesting and went so into depth… about everything! i learned so much and the storytelling made me want to keep listening. thank you!!!!

Loved everything about this other than the horrifically cringey “voices” the host does when speaking as certain characters in the story, particularly the Manson girls. Either speak in your own voice or, if you must, please hire an actor.

The best synopsis of this horrible story…

Absolutely the best, most accurate recounting of the Manson story … great job of research and presentation!

The researcher isn’t horrible, but often pushes too stark of opinions that don’t reflect reality. Also the narrator desperately needs to learn how to pronounce the letter “t.” She often sounds like she has a cold, but it’s just poor pronunciation.

For the excellent research and writing as well as narrating this complicated story. Found new info never before heard. If I could give you 6 stars I would!

Well written and well produced, this is a really nice breakdown of the fascinating world of the sixties and one charismatic psycho built a family, become obsessed with the Beatles, wrote for The Beach Boys, and ingratiated himself into Hollywood’s hipsters

Karina, Kudos And Bravo- This Series On Manson Is As Good As Any Documentary I Have Heard Ever On The Subject. Well Done.

Nixon ?!?! NIXON 😅 Easy squeezy scapegoat May have been better to include overindulged post war generation Why let facts get in the way

I really enjoyed the deep dive into the Manson Family members and the victims. Along with a better understanding of the times and the people who surrounded the family.

This podcast is top notch! Excellent production, host is interesting and has great tone and inflection! Highly recommend!

I only listened to the episodes about Sharon, because I’m a big fan of hers and love hearing about her life. But I was disappointed at how many things were mentioned that I know for a fact aren’t accurate. From her birth place, to how she met Roman—there are a lot of details that are incorrect. I also do not like the voices that she does. I don’t really find it disrespectful, just kind of.. annoying.

There is a lot of interesting information in this podcast but I just can’t get past the fact that such a serious story is being told through the use of vocal impressions, many of which seem to be used as humor (or maybe they’re so bad they’re unintentionally funny). It was downright offensive to hear the gruesome details of the actual crime interspersed with funny voice impressions of the female murderers and I had to stop listening at that point. I don’t know who decided that was appropriate but they really need to do some soul searching.

i’ve enjoyed this podcast but find it extremely rude and sort of misogynist that you have a stoic guest voice playing manson and all the dudes like dennis wilson etc but for the quotes from the manson girls, you just make your own voice sound kind of high and ditzy. part of what makes this story so interesting is why and how all these people fell in with manson, and perpetuating the idea that they’re just a bunch of dumb chicks who only care about sex and drugs is not really interesting or accurate.

This was good. I read Helter skelter by Vincent Bugliosi about 20 years ago and have been bmveru curious about what everyone else thought Manson. This was such a great podcast ❤️

Incredibly well researched. The hosts takes a DEEP dive…in a few spots a little too deep maybe? But overall the best Manson podcast I have found.

Extremely well researched and put together. I was hooked and finished the series in 24 hours.

Such a good mixture of those surrounding/connected to the Manson Family and beautiful true story telling. Kept me interested the whole time.

I love a good cult podcast. This one drags on and on and I don’t think I really learned anything new. Host lists off every name in the 1960s Hollywood phone book and somehow links them to Manson. The timeline jumps back and forth was hard to follow. Don’t recommend.

This series is incredibly well researched and pieced together in a way that creates a fascinatingly complete picture. A fresh take on a much told story.

I was 14 when the murders occurred and since then I have heard, read, watched voraciously everything I could find on the subject. Having lived in Southern California my entire life and still, there has been much news available about this. I am very impressed with this podcast and have learned new things. Loved this version that just didn’t touch on the points that we all already know. Hey how about an update?

Very well done podcasts. And the host has a lovely voice. Very well written.

I was amazed by Karina’s research skills. You think you know everything about this crime and then this podcast comes and blows your mind! It’s a great listen.

The background music was just too Much and I couldn’t focus on listening to her. Maybe it’s just me but it just ruined the whole podcast for me.

This podcast is incredible. So much information and so well researched.

Love these deep dives into Hollywood history. Easy listening in the best possible way - high production value and thoughtful research. Cannot recommend enough!

Great podcast! The host is well informed and discusses all aspects of the case. She seems very nice and has a sense of humor while remaining serious. Extremely interesting and detailed.

I really like the content and production of this podcast. I don’t like the oddly precise annunciation and pronunciation of the narrator, it’s a little mouth-noisy for me. However, the writing is great and the content keeps me coming back. Four stars overall.

extremely well-researched, well-paced, and well-spoken. the host has a very listenable voice; she doesn't drone or sound like she's obviously reading from a script. it was refreshing to hear a manson-related narrative that didn't focus so much on the grisly details but on the family's reverberating cultural impact across film and music. my only complaint is that i would love a transcript available to have as a reference! really good stuff.

I have listened to the first 4 episodes. The podcaster is easy to listen to very nice voice and I am learning so much I never knew ! Riveting information. I would love her to do a Beach Boys podcast possibly! Wendy CT

Add other guests or interviews. Listening to one person drone on was painful. Lots of repetition and embellishment which took away from the quality of the podcast.

Clearly a well-researched podcast—historically speaking—that is marred by subjectivity. Interesting topic that has lost its interest on me thanks to agressive political interjection présentes as fact as opposed to assumption or sociological explanation for/of. Disappointed.