The Line (LAist / LA Times)
True crime fans interested in police accountability, systemic racism, and institutional failure; listeners who want investigative journalism targeting law enforcement rather than criminals.
Podcasts Like The Line (LAist / LA Times)
If you loved The Line (LAist / LA Times), here are the best podcasts to try next. Matched by case type, storytelling style, and community ratings from our database of Wrongful Conviction, Systemic Injustice shows.
Why listeners love The Line (LAist / LA Times)
The Line asks the question police departments don't want asked — why do some officers shoot again and again, and why do their institutions keep protecting them? Listeners rate its binge factor at 7/10. It follows a serialized format — each season covers one case in depth, building suspense across episodes.
Binge Factor
7/10
Community-rated compulsive listenability
Format
Serialized
One story told across multiple episodes
Style
Serious, accountability-focused, deeply reported
Presentation approach
Episode Length
Multiple episodes per season; bingeable
Typical episode duration
Host Style
Solo narrator
Presentation format
Verdict
Must listen
Our editorial rating
Recommendations
12 podcasts like The Line (LAist / LA Times)
In the Dark
Listeners who want journalism-grade investigation into wrongful convictions, systemic racism, and institutional failures — more 60 Minutes than true crime thriller.
Running From Cops
True crime fans who want media criticism alongside investigation; listeners interested in how crime is constructed and sold as entertainment, and the real people left behind.
Suspect (NPR/Embedded)
True crime fans who want journalism-grade investigation into systemic racial injustice; listeners who followed In the Dark and want more journalism-led true crime.
Truer Crime
Tenderfoot TV challenges official verdicts and investigates wrongful convictions and alternative theories.
Crime Next Door: The Beast of Birkenhead
BBC’s Olivia Graham revisits the 1986 Diane Sindall murder and the 2025 quashing of Peter Sullivan’s conviction. Sullivan quashed 13 May 2025; killer unknown.
Bone Valley
True crime fans who care deeply about wrongful conviction, prosecutorial failure, and the fight to free innocent people; fans of In the Dark will find this essential.
The Retrievals
True crime fans interested in medical crime, systemic bias, and the treatment of women in healthcare; essential for anyone who has ever been dismissed by a doctor.
Spotlight: Snitch City
The Boston Globe Spotlight Team exposes one police department's rampant abuse of confidential informants — a top critical pick of 2025.
Wrongful Conviction with Jason Flom
Jason Flom interviews the wrongfully convicted and their advocates to expose failures in the justice system.
You Didn't See Nothin
Pulitzer Prize and Peabody Award-winning series in which Yohance Lacour revisits a violent Chicago incident from 25 years earlier that shaped his path into journalism.
Believed
Listeners who want to understand systemic institutional failure, survivor stories, and how Nassar's abuse was enabled so long; essential for anyone working in safeguarding or sports.
White Lies (NPR)
True crime fans interested in civil rights history; listeners who want journalism with genuine historical consequence; anyone who believes true crime must engage with political violence and institutional cover-up.
How they compare
| Podcast | Format | Country | Binge |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Line (LAist / LA Times) (original) | Serialized | United States | 7/10 |
| In the Dark | Serialized | United States | 10/10 |
| Running From Cops | Serialized | United States | 6/10 |
| Suspect (NPR/Embedded) | Serialized | United States | 8/10 |
| Truer Crime | Serialised | United States | 7/10 |
| Crime Next Door: The Beast of Birkenhead | Serialized | United Kingdom | — |
| Bone Valley | Serialized | United States | 9/10 |
| The Retrievals | Serialized | United States | 9/10 |
| Spotlight: Snitch City | Serialized | United States | 9/10 |
Newsletter
Get recommendations like this weekly
Curated picks, new reviews, and hidden gems. Find your next obsession.
You can unsubscribe anytime.
Frequently Asked Questions
What podcasts are similar to The Line (LAist / LA Times)?
The best alternatives to The Line (LAist / LA Times) are podcasts that share its Wrongful Conviction, Systemic Injustice focus and serialized format. Our editorial team has hand-picked the most similar shows based on content type, storytelling style, and community ratings.
Why do people love The Line (LAist / LA Times)?
The Line (LAist / LA Times) is known for its serious, accountability-focused, deeply reported approach to Wrongful Conviction and Systemic Injustice. It scores 7/10 on our binge factor rating, reflecting how compulsively listenable listeners find it. It has earned a "Must Listen" rating from our editorial team.
How long are episodes of The Line (LAist / LA Times)?
Episodes of The Line (LAist / LA Times) are typically Multiple episodes per season; bingeable long. It follows a serialized format, covering one story across multiple episodes.
Where can I listen to The Line (LAist / LA Times)?
The Line (LAist / LA Times) is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR. You can find it by searching the show name on any of those platforms.
What is the best episode of The Line (LAist / LA Times) to start with?
New listeners are recommended to start with Episode 1 — must listen in order. As a serialized podcast, it's best to start from the beginning of a season.