BACK IN THE day, being a true crime devotee (also known as a TCD) didn’t come without its challenges.

Not only were you forced to accept that the minutiae of murder cases helped you to wind down after a long day – best not to pull at that thread for too long – but there came a point when you actually had to confess it to other people.

And that’s when things got awkward.

Nowadays, however, thanks to the influx of podcasts devoted to the theme, it’s a lot easier to announce your enthusiasm for the darker side of life.

And this means the world and his wife have jumped on the damn bandwagon.

For old-school devotees, this might sound like a welcome development, but in reality, you have to endure people, who hadn’t so much as heard of Ted Bundy or Ed Gein in recent years, now waxing lyrical about the latest online offering.

And if that wasn’t irksome enough, here are another 7 things that will only rile a TCD OG.

1. The tone of the podcast host’s voice.

Look, it’s bad enough we’ve chosen to listen to a grisly murder case as part of our bedtime routine, but do you really have to adopt that overly creepy voice when detailing it?

Don’t make us question who we are as a person.

2. The title of the podcast.

Again, we all know why we’re here, so do you have to be so gratuitous in your title choices?

Dial it back a little.

Think a little more ‘They Walk Among Us’ and a little less ‘My Favourite Murder’.

3. The flurry of online excitement.

New fans waltzing in, throwing out theories and pontificating like good things after a measly 40- minute podcast is not something we need in our lives.

Put the time in, damn it! Dig a little deeper. Wikipedia yourself into oblivion. And then talk to us.

4. The lack of attention to detail.

When you’ve spent a worrying proportion of your life binge-reading true crime books and bookmarking true crime websites, you tend to pick up on the smallest of inaccuracies in reporting.

And yes, this does make you feel both smug and uncomfortable in equal measure.

5. The lack of damn respect.

Look, no one knows this case better than you do. We can see that from here.

And yet, no one is listening to you. We get it.

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6.  The unsolved cases

Matters that go unresolved are a general bugbear of many people, but for true crime devotees, it can be particularly frustrating.

Yes, it’s what we signed up for and yes, we know there are cold case files for a reason, but when you’ve spent years waiting for updates and you still don’t who’s responsible for your sleepless nights, you do begin to question your direction in life.

7. The introspective element.

On the surface, an interest in true crime is hardly a concern, but deep down you know that your enthusiasm for it is a little, well, intense.

Who else would get irked by the fact people don’t know the tiniest details about a 30-year-old cold case?

That’s right. It’s time to take a good, long, hard look at yourself.

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