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In this “around the water cooler special,” we break from our usual schedule to talk about the Netflix documentary Unknown Number, a story so shocking it has everyone buzzing, so we just had to talk about it too!

The case begins in 2020 in tiny Beal City, Michigan, where 12-year-olds Owen and Lauren were the town’s golden couple. But their sweet small-town romance turned into a nightmare when they became the targets of a relentless campaign of vile and anonymous text messages. What started as cruel taunts to break them up escalated into a torrent of harassment aimed at Lauren—mocking her body, attacking her self-worth, and urging her to kill herself. In this episode, we discuss the small-town dynamics that trapped these kids under a microscope, the true-crime tropes, and the monstrous betrayal at the heart of this story. This episode explores not just the horror of the crime, but the deeper horror of what happens when technology allows a perpetrator inescapable access into our lives.

Spoiler and content warning: We'll include discussion of sexually explicit texts involving minors bullying, cyber bullying, reference to eating disorders and suicide and abusive parents. We'll also be spoiling it, so stay off social media and watch Unknown Number ASAP!

Palate Cleanser: @heartthrobanderson for the best snark and season one of Stranger Things. Could those kids be any cuter?

Recommendations:

Abducted in Plain Sight (also by Skye Borgman, the same director as Unknown Number)

All the teen dramas: 90210, Dawson's Creek, the OC, Laguna Beach, the Hills, Gossip Girl, My So-Called Life, and Euphoria (if you like your teenage drama grim)

Serial and The Wire for phone forensics.

Our previous episodes Carrie and The Act for bad moms and Sweet Bobby for another shocking catfish story.

The Anxious Generation by Jonathon Haidt if you're concerned about phones.

American Vandal - please, please, watch this. It parodies this exact style of documentary and is hilarious. #whodrewthedicks

Mean Girls - you know why.

Homework:

Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators by Ronan Farrow coming out next week. Start reading or listening to the audiobook or listen to the podcast.

Special thanks to Nancy Azano for our cover art (Instagram: @nancyazano) and to Harry Kidd for our opening score (Instagram: @harryjkidd)