Square Peg Podcast Takes Listeners Through The Twists & Turns Of Fate

  This is what David felt like when he slew Goliath. The Square Peg podcast, an indie production, has released an eight-episode narrative series that is comparable to --and in many ways -- better than any production a large podcast network could create, develop, finance and produce.

This podcast is about a quirk of fate, the endless eddies of events that randomly define the path of our lives. It's a true story that is lodged in the "truth is stranger than fiction" category.

The title of the podcast comes from a quote from a main character, Frank Carver, who says in an episode, “There is no such word as ‘can’t.’ When there’s a will, there’s a way. Yes, you can fit a square peg into a round hole.”

Square Peg is an eight-episode podcast that tells the following true story:

In 2017, Frank Carver, a one-eyed English septuagenarian and somewhat lovable provocateur, accidentally emailed someone he’d never met. That someone was Rob Collins, a kind and reliable 43-year-old suburban dad from Virginia.

That email would change both of their lives.The email was meant for a British blogger. But instead, Rob heard the story.

Frank said that when he was in the Army, over 50 years ago, he was viciously assaulted by a fellow soldier, and that attack left him nearly blind at 17 years old.

Oh, and the alleged attacker was Frank’s older brother.

But the crime was “covered up,” and while Frank had already sued the British military over this—the case even reached the country’s High Court of Justice—only recently had Frank decided to bring criminal charges against his brother.

Meanwhile, Frank had been diagnosed with cancer and felt he was running out of time to right this wrong.

So despite having no journalistic experience and some doubts about the details of the story, Rob decides to investigate the case and help Frank in his quest for justice.

Two years and many detours—including a psychiatric evaluation in Berlin—later, Rob's self-funded quest for the holy grail of getting justice for Frank concludes... and Rob, struggling with what it all meant, realizes he gave Frank what he really needed.

That's how, in the end, it wasn't Frank’s son or his siblings, but Rob, a suburban dad from Virginia, who officiated and was the only speaker at Frank’s funeral in 2019.

You can listen to the Square Peg podcast here. 

According to Matthew McAllister, professor of media studies, Penn State University, “For those searching for compelling podcasts, give Square Peg a listen. It has its own voice, but it also reminds me of the great S-Town podcast: it starts as a mystery, but pivots to explore the central personality and his relationship with the podcaster. Such a great example of audio narrative AND self-reflexivity. I loved both the various twists AND the context and behind-the-scenes that was offered through the voices of the podcast team.”

Lauren Passell from Podcast the Newsletter said, "Square Peg is riveting enough that I couldn’t stop listening, and am so glad this show has completely dropped, I would have died if I wouldn’t have been able to binge it.”

Square Peg is produced and written by Rob Collins and Ashley Hall. 

Rob is a corporate video producer, with clients ranging from a regional bank to an international manufacturer of commercial food service appliances. He has a BFA from Florida State and likes to hang out with his wife, Mary Kay, and their three kids.

Ashley is an award-winning screenwriter and political consultant. She received her BA in Communications and Film from Virginia Tech. She loves her dog, her family, cooking, and traveling. 

 

Square Peg is produced and written by Rob Collins and Ashley Hall.

So with all the large podcast networks producing content, Square Peg demonstrates that an independent podcast can often match, or in this case, exceed the expensive creative and production work of the most heavily funded network.

Check out the Square Peg podcast.