Tenderfoot TV’s wildly popular Monster true-crime podcast franchise has amassed more than 137 million downloads since its debut. Now it is getting a new chapter that will look at true crime through the lens of the families of the serial killer and his victims. The new installment, titled Monster: BTK, will explore the notorious serial killer’s life and crimes, and the tireless investigations that ultimately brought them to justice.
The podcast franchise is co-produced by Tenderfoot TV and iHeartPodcasts. They also plan to introduce two additional installments of Monster this year, as well as a new always-on format. It will leverage the success that the podcast has built through the years, starting with the hit series Atlanta Monster in 2018. The success of the flagship podcast has led to a slate of shows including Monster: Zodiac Killer, Monster Presents: Insomniac, Monster: DC Sniper, the international series Le Monstre, Monster: Freeway Phantom and now Monster: BTK.
“Our partnership with the innovative team at Tenderfoot TV isn’t just about re-telling stories of shocking crimes that took hold of our communities, but digging deeper into the people, societies and culture that shaped these events,” says Will Pearson, President of iHeartPodcasts. “Together we will continue to provide our millions of listeners with even more compelling and unforgettable true crime stories as we redefine the genre.”
Journalist Susan Peters is no stranger to the BTK story, having covered news developments around the serial killer as they unfolded. Now she will serve as the host of Monster: BTK. The series will reveal the true story of Dennis Rader, known as the BTK Killer (Bind, Torture, Kill), who murdered at least 10 people in Kansas between 1974 and 1991. Rader’s notoriety was bolstered by his taunting letters to police and phone calls to the media. His identity was finally revealed in 2004 to the shock of his family, his community and the world.
The new Monster installment will feature shocking interviews and commentary from Rader’s daughter, Kerri Rawson, famed FBI profiler and author, John Douglas, author Katherine Ramsland who co-wrote the book “Confession of a Serial Killer” with Rader, as well as survivors and family members of his victims, providing first-hand accounts and new insights that will add new layers of depth to the well-known story.
“We’re excited to return with the sixth season of our Monster series, Monster: BTK, seven years after the franchise first debuted with Atlanta Monster,” says Donald Albright, Tenderfoot TV CEO and co-founder. “We look forward to our continued partnership with iHeartMedia, which has given us the ability to reach more listeners and bring these victim-centric stories to a massive audience.
Monster: BTK will release new episodes on Mondays.
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