By 2015-12-10 19:44:40 UTC Spoiler alert: The following contains a discussion of the content in Episode 1 of Season 2 of Serial. We recommend you listen to the podcast first. 'That's me calling the Taliban.' That's how Sarah Koenig leaves off the first episode of Serial's second season. It's the kind of cliff hanger that fans of the podcast's first season might have expected. But the subject matter, compared to Season 1, couldn't be more different.

Serial Season 2 debuted on Thursday with its first of a series of episodes that will delve into the case of Bowe Bergdahl, a U.S. Army soldier that left his post, then was held by the Taliban for almost five years before his release in exchange for five Taliban captives. He was then charged by the Army with desertion in a case that is ongoing. It's a far more complicated and high-level story than the one that made Serial a surprise cultural phenomenon that would spawn review podcasts and Saturday Night Live skits, not to mention possibly help free a man in jail for life.

In its first season, Serial delved into a relatively unremarkable murder case from 1999, one of many in which the case had been closed despite claims of innocence. A still from a video showing Bowe Bergdahl being held captive by members of the Taliban. Image: Storyful Bergdahl's case, by comparison, made national headlines.

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He's been called a hero, a deserter, a traitor, a whistleblower, a Taliban lover and probably everything else. He has become the subject of political rhetoric and embarrassment, as when politicians rushed to that had welcomed him home. The topic represents an ambitious move to take on a subject that is far more complex and opaque than its previous effort.

Serial could have easily pleased its fans by finding another unknown case to explore. Instead, it's jumping into a case that although widely covered, has not ben the subject of much in the way of deep investigation. It seems that's exactly what drew Koenig to the topic. 'It seemed like that was that. His story was only going to live in that kind of antiseptic upstairs realm of pissed-off politicians and military experts and cable-TV commentators,' Koenig says in the seasons's first episode. Bowe Bergdahl, left, and defense lead counsel Eugene Fidell, center, look on as Maj.

Kenneth Dahl is questioned during a preliminary hearing to determine if Sgt. 3 Questions That Will Change Your Life Pdf To Excel. Bergdahl will be court-martialed, Friday, Sept. 18, 2015, at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

Bergdahl, who left his post in Afghanistan and was held by the Taliban for five years, is charged with desertion and misbehavior before the enemy. Image: Brigitte Woosley Koenig is partnering with screenwriter Mark Boal, who penned scripts for 'the Hurt Locker' and 'Zero Dark Thirty.' Boal had reached out to Bergdahl and done extensive interviews that now form the basis of season 2. The first episode of the season is largely from Bergdahl's point of view. It sets out the situation and gives his perspective of what happened as well as his explanation for his actions. In this episode, we're also teased with the broader issues that Serial will discuss in season 2.

The podcasts's first season enjoyed acclaim, but also critique for what seemed to be a reluctance to delve into the issues that undergirded the case including racism and the court system. Season 2 sounds like it will not be making that mistake again.

'To get the full picture you need to go very, very small into one person's life, and also very, very big into the war in Afghanistan,' Koenig says. Once the scene is set, the episode starts out with what is probably going to be a core but unanswerable question: Why did Bergdahl leave his platoon? If this is to be the central question or one of the central questions of this season, it could be a frustrating season.

Koenig says that future episodes will delve into whether this claim is true. Attempting to triangulate whether a person's claimed motives are true can be a maddening exercise. It could be far more frustrating, nuanced and misleading than whether a certain person committed a certain act, as was the topic of Serial season 1. But in exploring Bergdahl's claim and his mindset, Koenig adds to some of the deeper topics that will be themes in the season. In this case, it's life in the armed forces.