Hysterical
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Hysterical investigates a mysterious illness that spreads among a group of high school girls in upstate New York. What is causing their sudden, often violent symptoms? Is there something in the water or inside the school? Or is it “all in their head?” The series examines the outbreak in LeRoy, NY, believed by some to be the most severe case of mass hysteria since the Salem Witch Trials. In his search for answers, Dan Taberski (9/12, Missing Richard Simmons, Running from Cops) explores other seemingly inexplicable events of the last few years – CIA officers being crippled with nausea and vertigo; cops OD'ing from exposure to fentanyl – and discovers they’re far more connected than we realize. From Wondery and Pineapple Street Studios, this 7-part series forces us to grapple with the mysteries of our own minds, and reckon with a contagion that we thought was long dead, but may be the defining disorder of our time. Listen to Hysterical on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Binge all episodes of Hysterical early and ad-free right now by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/hysterical/ now.
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Mixed feelings
21 Aug
I’m so torn as to how many stars to give this. Is it genius storytelling or aural bumf? One the one hand, I listened all the way. Intently. It takes a 15 minute story and spins it into 7 episodes. But I listened. It does that annoying filler thing of rehashing “so far on Hysterical…”. But I listened. It feels like about 20% ads. But I listened. It dances around the obvious conclusion as though there is a mystery (no mystery), throwing up red herrings all which of are, prima facie, totally implausible because what environmental cause affects only teenage girls? But I listened. But then it weaves its specific case into a more general (and fascinating) tapestry, handles the subject with sensitivity without shirking the correct conclusions. One thing I would have liked to have seen done better is debunking the false dichotomy of “this is really happening” vs “it’s all in their head”. If you take an auditorium of sensible adults and give them a slideshow about lice and fleas many (most?) of them will start feeling itchy. Even scratching. Are they “pretending” to be itchy? Of course not. The symptoms are absolutely real, absolutely involuntary.
Awesome!
3 Sept
Hysterical is well worth the listen, kinda disappointed it finished.
Oh boy
3 Sept
Yet another example of girls and women being disbelieved. But you don’t find that out until the end. You think this will be different- but no. A shame really.
Missed opportunity
30 Aug
You guys really had a bunch of meetings and decided to have a man host the podcast on hysteria? As a team making a cultural product analysing a history so singularly harmful to women at the hands of men, this is such a truly short sighted choice. Honestly the more I listen and the subjects themselves repeatedly discuss being ignored and talked over by men regarding their illness, it’s actually appalling
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- Channel
- CreatorWondery | Pineapple Street Studios
- Years Active2K
- Episodes10
- RatingExplicit
- Copyright© 2024 Wondery LLC. All rights reserved.
- Show Website
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