After ‘Mindhunter’, Unwind With Jonathan Groff’s ‘36 Questions’ Podcast

We’re all in agreement; Mindhunter is an excellent addition to television. But between all of those serial killer interviews and Holden acting like an idiot, it’s not exactly an upper. Thankfully Jonathan Groff has a solution for that too. If you aren’t quite done with the acting expertise of Groff but need something happier in your life, then you need to check out his podcast musical 36 Questions.

Simply put there’s nothing out there quite life 36 Questions. From Two-Up Productions and created by composers and writers Ellen Winter and Christopher Littler, the three-part musical follows a couple on the brink of divorce. After the trusting Jase (Groff) learns that his wife Natalie, now Judith (Jessie Shelton) has been lying to him about her identity, he wants nothing to do with her. Begrudgingly he gives her one last chance. He agrees to answer 36 questions with her, the same 36 questions that according to a viral New York Times Modern Love column lead to falling in love. What follows is a vulnerable, sweet, tragic, and at times very silly story about reconnecting with someone who has hurt you the most.

Groff and Shelton go a long way in selling the complicated, painful romance between their leads. You feel their chemistry even when Jase is trying his best to keep Judith at arm’s length. It’s a beautiful musical melding of two extraordinarily talented leads with some seriously catchy songs.

But 36 Questions itself effortlessly walks a difficult tightrope. Thanks to Judith’s quirkiness and obsession with her iPhone, the musical sidesteps feeling too contrived in its audio-only format. Similarly, the podcast easily threads its needle between the winking, too-perfect cheeriness of classic musicals and something deeper and rawer. It’s a sweet story about two sweet people with real depth lurking in its corners.

Even when Jase is panicking about his life falling apart or Judith is sobbing over her many lies, 36 Questions never feels too devastating. At its lowest moments, it’s still a musical that’s completely invested in a relationship between two people who unapologetically love each other. That’s a wholesome message. And after 10 hours of seeing some of the best actors on television grimace and plot as they contemplate literally the worst humanity has to offer, it’s a necessary one. After Mindhunter, give yourself an emotional break. Listen to Jonathan Groff sing about falling back in love and remember that there are nice, non-murderous people in this world. You can check out 36 Questions on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or on the podcast’s site.

Watch Mindhunter on Netflix