It's refreshing to see some podcast studios take an aggressive stance toward podcast programming in 2024. With ad sales down, an oversupply of podcasts, slack demand, and a logical correction to the podcast overexuberance by Spotify, we've had bankruptcies, layoffs, and studio closings. Many NPR stations drift in the uncertainty of a business model that is falling apart.
Yet, with all that, Atlanta-based Tenderfoot TV has announced six new upcoming series for Spring 2024. After the success of his Tenderfoot podcast “To Live and Die in LA,” host and best-selling author Neil Strauss is back with a new podcast, Russian sexpionage series “To Die For,” produced in partnership with iHeartPodcasts, premiering March 26, 2024.
Imagine you were a fly on the wall at a dinner between the mafia, the CIA, and the KGB. That’s where this unprecedented podcast and revelatory confession begins. Brought to you by the creators of the 2019 Associated Press Podcast of the Year, To Live and Die in LA, To Die For marks the first time an alleged Russian Federal Security Service (FSB)-trained seduction agent has agreed to tell the full story of her training, techniques, targets, and missions.
Hosted by Neil Strauss, the series brings listeners into a world of nablyudeniye (surveillance), kompromat (blackmail), and lovetraps. A world where things aren’t what they seem, and a seemingly harmless date can end in abduction, blackmail, or death.
Based on a first-hand story of a former Russian citizen who claims to be an FSB -trained (the FSB is the Russia’s modern-day equivalent of the KGB) sex spy—or “swallow”—To Die For explores not just the targets of sexpionage but the other victims: The seduction spies themselves. A story of trauma and resilience, this gripping podcast takes listeners into a dangerous world through the harrowing first-hand story of a source who will leave listeners questioning their own reality.
Premiering on Tuesday, March 26, To Die For also explores the tactics that the Russian government has used to brainwash its military into performing unspeakable acts and the creation of what one FBI agent in the podcast calls an “assembly line” of spies, manufactured in Russia and distributed around the world. Unlike in the movies, however, these spies don’t just carry out foreign operations, they also work internally to infiltrate drug- and sex-trafficking organizations at the risk of their own lives. Are they heroes, villains, or victims themselves? Perhaps all three, as you’ll soon hear.
"Anyone I’ve told my story to is dead," says the Russian source who these episodes revolve around. "I'm ready to share my full story of overcoming lifelong trauma on a platform that can reach many other women at once who have faced similar challenges. There is a power that comes from our experiences, and I hope my story will inspire other women to find their voice and use their experiences to shape a brighter future."
"These were not just interviews but an education," says host Neil Strauss. "And I hope the podcast can help raise awareness of not just the clandestine techniques used for brainwashing, honey-trapping, and abuse of power, but also healing for those involved."
"To Die For is unlike anything we’ve done before, and we are thrilled to have Neil Strauss return to guide listeners through this incredibly complex and captivating story," says Donald Albright, Tenderfoot TV CEO. “True crime and investigative storytelling are the cornerstones of Tenderfoot TV, and with To Die For and our upcoming slate, we’re not only introducing fresh content, but also bringing back fan-favorite franchises and hosts who've been instrumental in building our loyal audience”
The full slate of Tenderfoot TV's spring slate of podcasts can be found below:
Status: Untraced (April 17, 2024)
“Up and Vanished” presents “Status Untraced.” In 2016, survivalist and world traveler Justin Alexander goes missing in the Parvati Valley while on a spiritual trek into the Himalayan Mountains. While the circumstances of his disappearance point to murder, a chilling message he left behind throws everything into question: “I should return mid-September or so. If I’m not back by then, don’t look for me.” Four years later, host and true crime newcomer Liam Luxon is introduced to Justin's story and embarks on an investigation into the mysterious case. Status-Untraced is a ten-episode journey that explores the secrets the Valley holds, the stones left unturned, and what really happened to Justin Alexander. The series is produced in partnership with Audacy.
Truer Crime (Spring 2024)
Do you ever listen to a true-crime podcast and think “that’s not quite right…?” Same. Crime stories are hard to ignore and even harder to forget. But the thing is... they’re stories. And getting a story right is all about how you tell it. “Truer Crime” talks about real people — murdered, missing, misled — with more nuance, more context, and more questions. Host Celisia Stanton began to see crime stories differently after becoming a victim herself, so she’s taking listeners deeper to hear the complex realities of crime that strikes at the core of our shared human experiences.
Radio Rental (April 5, 2024)
With over 45 million downloads since launching in 2019,“Radio Rental” returns with a new installment of 12 episodes. Set inside a fictional 80s video rental store, Rainn Wilson is back as Terry Carnation, the eccentric shopkeeper.
Created by Tenderfoot TV founder Payne Lindsey, this imaginative, cult classic-inspired horror brand blurs the lines of reality with a hybrid approach of cutting-edge documentary storytelling and a splash of scripted comedy. The series is produced in partnership with Audacy and features first person accounts of real-life horror stories–from bizarre crimes to paranormal activity.
Culpable: Case Review (Spring 2024)
After two successful serialized seasons, “Culpable” introduced a new format with “Culpable: Case Review,” a narrative episodic spin on the hit franchise, that to date has over 40 million downloads. A new installment covering a new case in each episode will be available this Spring. Host Dennis Cooper will work with families, local law enforcement, and victim advocates as he continues to explore unsettling cases where culpability has yet to be established. The series is produced in partnership with Audacy.
Lords of Death (Spring 2024)
While digging through an old memory box, host Thrasher Banks discovers forgotten VHS tapes, police reports, and faded letters regarding a 1995 murder in Dayton, Ohio. Drawn to the connection between this murder and the other seemingly innocuous contents of the box, Thrasher begins an investigation. As he follows the threads, he finds that the 1995 murder may be connected to more than one brutal, unsolved case… Against the backdrop of Ohio in the 1980s and 90s, around the height of satanic panic, this true-crime story explores memory, perception, and a personal quest for the truth. Join Thrasher as he unpacks this box and searches for answers about the “Lords of Death.”
These new series will follow the recent return of Tenderfoot franchise Up and Vanished. Founder and host Payne Lindsey returned in February with another harrowing missing persons case.
Including interviews with the family as well as witnesses, the new season sees Lindsey go undercover in a way he’s never done before, all in an effort to bring justice to the Okpealuk family and face the grim reality of the high rate of missing and murdered Indigenous people in the United States, specifically Native Alaskans.
You can check out the entire roster of Tenderfoot TV spring 2024 podcasts here. These are quality shows that reveal some of the best content podcasting has to offer.
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