Podcast Summary: The Big Dig

Episode: The Big Dig Returns
Host: Ian Coss (GBH News)
Date: October 15, 2025

Overview

In this special update episode, host Ian Coss shares important news about the evolution of "The Big Dig" podcast. What began as a single-season deep dive into one of Boston's most infamous infrastructure projects has now grown into an ongoing series, expanding its focus to cover broader themes within Boston’s—and America’s—recent history. Coss discusses the show’s new branding, offers a look behind the scenes, and shares details about upcoming live events and story plans, all while keeping his signature blend of deep reporting and wry Boston charm.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Podcast’s Evolution and New Identity

The show has officially rebranded to "The Big Dig" as a stand-alone title for the entire podcast feed, removing season-specific names and cheerfully embracing its legacy.
Ian Coss explains the shift from a single-project podcast (focused on the Boston “Big Dig” highway project) to an ongoing, multi-season docuseries.
The purpose: To connect the dots across seasons and offer a multi-dimensional portrait of Boston—and America—in eras of major change.

2. Expanding Storytelling Universe

Coss envisions the seasons as interconnected, sharing:

"In nerdy terms, I think of this kind of like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but for Boston politics. In the 80s and 90s, characters will start to pop up again and again. Storylines will cross over." (03:36)
The show aims to create a complex narrative web, allowing listeners to see how politics, history, and personalities overlap throughout Boston’s changing landscape.

3. Central Themes: Boston’s Distinct Character

Core to the show is the famous Boston adage:

"This is a town where there are really three [pastimes]: politics, sports, and revenge. There is so much truth in that." (04:29)
The ambiance and stories are deeply rooted in Boston’s unique, often gritty, culture—while still being accessible and engaging to listeners everywhere.

4. Community and Listener Engagement

The podcast has launched a new email address and mailing list, inviting audience participation, feedback, and story ideas.
Contact: thebigdig@wgbh.org
Sign up: wgbh.org/thebigdig

5. Upcoming Live Events & Future Seasons

The next season will premiere in January.
A live tour is scheduled for late October, with events not only in Boston but also in Portland, OR and Seattle, WA.

"These will be tied to our original story about tearing down highways. And they will not just be in Boston." (05:34)
Plans for further events across the Northeast and eventually the South in the coming year.

6. Continuing the Mission

Each season tackles different subjects (e.g., infrastructure, gambling) but collectively illustrates how various forces shape modern America.
The show's purpose is summed up as:

"The more you listen and the more stories we tell, the more the dots will link up to form an image that is bigger than anything we could present in a single season. The image of a great American city at a time of big historic changes in American life." (03:23)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On the show’s new identity:

"It does not mean everything will be about digging or tunnels or infrastructure ... I love that phrase. And we're sticking with it. Okay, it works. Don't overthink it." (03:10)
Explaining the interconnected storytelling approach:

"I think of all these seasons as connected ... like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but for Boston politics." (03:36)
Capturing Boston’s essence:

"There’s an old line about Boston: this is a town where there are really three [pastimes]: politics, sports, and revenge. There is so much truth in that." (04:29)
To the audience:

"Thank you for coming on this journey with me. It means so much and there is a lot more to come." (06:24)

Timestamps for Important Segments

02:23 – 03:10: Ian Coss announces the feed’s rebranding and provides context for its evolution.
03:11 – 03:50: Explains the interconnected narrative strategy—“the Marvel Cinematic Universe for Boston politics.”
04:17 – 04:57: Emphasizes Boston’s unique character and the enduring value of its stories.
05:04 – 05:59: Details on the new email, mailing list, and live event tour.
06:10 – 07:30: Encourages listeners to subscribe, outlines future seasons, and expresses gratitude.

Final Thoughts

This episode serves as both a roadmap and an invitation: “The Big Dig” is now a permanent home for fascinating, interwoven tales from Boston and beyond, chronicling the forces that have shaped modern America. Ian Coss’s conversational, enthusiastic tone sets the stage for the ambitious trajectory of the series and invites both newcomers and longtime fans to stay connected—and get involved—as the story continues to grow.

If you appreciate stories that reveal the hidden dramas behind everyday life, or want to see how the personal, the political, and the infrastructural are inseparable, "The Big Dig" is cementing itself as an essential listen.

Transcript

A (0:00)

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B (2:23)

Hey, listeners. I am. God, I'm really excited. I'm excited to be back in the feed to announce some big news and some big changes, some of which you might have noticed already. And some of which you have to listen along and. And you hear about. So, first off, the most obvious one, the name you may have noticed if you open up this podcast feed, the name of the feed has changed, the artwork has changed. So when we launched this feed two years ago now, I thought it would be just this one story about this really complicated but weirdly emotional infrastructure project called the Big Dig. Amazingly, and I feel truly so fortunate to say this, the team and I have gotten the chance to do a second season about how scratch tickets changed the world of gambling. It's called Scratch and Win. Check it out. And we are now working on a third season and a fourth season. So instead of renaming the feed every time we drop something new, from here on, the show will be the Big Dig. That does not mean everything will be about digging or tunnels or infrastructure. It just means. I love that phrase. And we're sticking with it. Okay, it works. Don't overthink it. But here's what I really want to say about the name. For me, the point of having this constant name for the show is that I think of all these seasons as connected in nerdy terms. I think of this kind of like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but for Boston politics. In the 80s and 90s, characters will start to pop up again and again. Storylines will cross over. And my hope is that the more you listen and the more stories we tell, the more the dots will link up to form an image that is bigger than anything we could present in a single season. The image of a great American city at a time of big historic changes in American life. You may remember from season one, there's an old line about Boston that this is a town where there are really three Politics, sports, and revenge. There is so much truth in that. And whether you have lived your whole life here or have never been here, it is full of good stories. In other news, and here we're getting to a few other practical updates that I really want to pass along. First, we have created an email address and mailing list for the show. So if you have story ideas for us, comments, anything you want to share, you can now get in touch@thebigdigma wgbh.org and if you want to hear from us about new seasons, events, behind the scene, tidbits, then just go to our website, wgbh.org thebigdig and you can sign up for the mailing list. Our next season, which I'm very excited about, Excitement. It's a running theme that's coming in January and we are also doing a tour of live events starting later this month. These will be tied to our original story about tearing down highways. And they will not just be in Boston. I will be on the west coast in Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington, both in late October. I'll put links to those in the show notes. If you have friends out there, please tell them it's gonna be a really cool evening of diving into local stories about highways and transit and infrastructure and all that. Stu. Then we're going to be doing some events around the Northeast and hopefully down south at some point next year. So really, if you want to know what we're up to, sign up for the mailing list, wgbh.org thebigdig all right, that's all I got for now. Thank you for coming on this journey with me. It means so much and there is a lot more to come. Hey, I want to make sure that you know this series you're listening to right now is part of an ongoing feed telling stories from the past to help us understand our present. Our first season is all about infrastructure. The second season is about gambling. And we've got more seasons planned. So if you want to stay on top of what the team and I are doing, go ahead and follow or subscribe to this podcast wherever you listen. We've got some really exciting stories coming up, and I hope you'll stay with us. Thanks.