Dirty John
True crime podcast review — 2026
"Dirty John is a six-episode true crime masterclass about a master manipulator — bingeable in one sitting and impossible to forget."
Who is this podcast for?
- ✓Listeners who enjoy following a single case from start to finish
- ✓Fans of financial crime and corporate misconduct stories
Pros
- +Rated "Must Listen" by our editorial team
- +Serialized format builds a compelling, sustained narrative arc across episodes
About this podcast
Six-part adaptation of an LA Times investigation into John Meehan — a con artist who posed as a Navy doctor and preyed on wealthy women through dating apps, focusing on his relationship with businesswoman Debra Newell and the terrifying consequences.
Best episode to start with
Episode 1 — must start from beginning
Serialized format — listen from the beginning for the full experience
Community ratings
1 ratingRate this podcast
Community reviews
0 reviewsWrite a quick review
No reviews yet. Be the first!
Frequently Asked Questions about Dirty John
What is Dirty John about?
Six-part adaptation of an LA Times investigation into John Meehan — a con artist who posed as a Navy doctor and preyed on wealthy women through dating apps, focusing on his relationship with businesswoman Debra Newell and the terrifying consequences.
Is Dirty John worth listening to?
Our editorial verdict is "Must listen". The community has rated it 9.0/10 overall. True crime fans who love psychological manipulation, con artists, and domestic crime stories with high personal stakes.
Who is Dirty John for?
Dirty John is ideal for: Listeners who enjoy following a single case from start to finish; Fans of financial crime and corporate misconduct stories.
What is the best episode of Dirty John to start with?
We recommend starting with Episode 1 — must start from beginning. As a serialized show, it's best to listen from the beginning of a season.
What podcasts are similar to Dirty John?
If you enjoy Dirty John, you might also like: Dr. Death, Over My Dead Body, The Dropout, Profiler: True Crime Africa. See our full "Podcasts Like Dirty John" page for more recommendations.
Quick facts
- Format
- Serialized
- Host style
- Solo narrator
- Style
- Journalistic, tense, gripping
- Episode length
- 6 episodes ~30-45 min each; bingeable in one evening
- Country
- United States
Browse category
Newsletter
Get weekly recommendations
Curated picks, new reviews, hidden gems.
You can unsubscribe anytime. See our Privacy Policy.
If you liked this, try…
See all alternatives
Dr. Death
True crime fans interested in medical crime, institutional failure, and white-collar predators — compelling for anyone who has ever trusted a doctor blindly.
Over My Dead Body
True crime fans who enjoy high-production narrative storytelling and want a varied anthology across different types of extraordinary cases.
The Dropout
People interested in tech fraud, startup culture, and white-collar crime; fans of The Dropout TV series who want the deeper journalism behind it.
Profiler: True Crime Africa
A journalist and a forensic psychologist look at South African crimes.
Foul Play: A Historical True Crime Podcast
Foggy gaslit streets. A quiet courtroom. And crimes that history tried to bury. <
MURDERISH
Jami Rice tells real cases in full, from start to finish, with detailed research.
Explore more in these categories: