Episode 5: At Sea

Summary

The Good Whale: Episode 5 - “At Sea”

Released on November 14, 2024 by Serial Productions and The New York Times

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Introduction

In the gripping fifth episode of The Good Whale, titled “At Sea,” host Daniel Alarcon delves into the enigmatic four-week period following the release of Keiko, the orca famously known for his role in the movie “Free Willy.” This episode seeks to uncover the mysteries surrounding Keiko’s brief return to the wild, blending factual reporting with creative storytelling to imagine the experiences of a once-captive whale striving for freedom.

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Recap of Keiko’s Release

Daniel Alarcon begins by revisiting the hopeful moment when Keiko was released back into the wild. “Keiko was last seen with a pod of wild whales as a storm was rolling in,” he narrates (00:49). This return was celebrated by moviegoers, trainers, activists, and fans who longed for a “Hollywood ending” for the beloved orca. However, shortly after the initial release, Keiko vanished, leading to widespread speculation and concern about his fate.

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Exploring the Unknown: The Four Weeks Mystery

The central mystery of this episode revolves around Keiko’s whereabouts and experiences during the four weeks he spent traveling east after his disappearance. Alarcon poses several poignant questions: “Did he come back to us humans because he couldn’t make it in the wild? Or was it something else because he missed us?” (00:49). These questions highlight the uncertainty surrounding Keiko’s ability to adapt to wild life after years of captivity and rehabilitation.

Alarcon emphasizes the lack of concrete information about this period: “Those four weeks are essentially a black box. Anything we say about this period of time is much closer to make believe than to reporting” (00:49). This uncertainty serves as the impetus for the episode’s unique approach to storytelling.

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Creative Approach: Imagining Keiko’s Journey as a Musical

Determined to shed light on Keiko’s mysterious journey, the production team decided to employ a creative method. “We decided to imagine these four weeks as a musical,” explains Alarcon (00:49). Collaborating with renowned musical composers Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, known for works like Dear Evan Hansen and La La Land, the team sought to personify Keiko’s thoughts and emotions during this critical time.

Alarcon admits the unconventional nature of this choice: “I know, I know this sounds crazy. It sounded crazy to me when it was first floated. But trust me, there’s a logic to all this” (00:49). This innovative approach aims to provide listeners with a deeper, more empathetic understanding of Keiko’s possible experiences.

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The Ballad of Keiko: Lyrics and Interpretation

The centerpiece of this episode is “The Ballad of Keiko,” a song that narrates Keiko’s imagined journey. The song is divided into three distinct sections, each offering a different perspective on Keiko’s experiences:

1. Integration with the Wild Pod (05:32):

   • Keiko (Voice): “So much water, so much sky / Giant shadows pass me by / I join the pod we’re fin to fin”
   • This segment envisions Keiko successfully integrating with a new pod, experiencing the camaraderie and natural behaviors of wild orcas.

2. Struggle and Isolation (07:50):

   • Keiko (Voice): “And there’s hairy despair but they don’t want to share / They refuse to play and they’re rowdy and rough”
   • Here, the song portrays Keiko facing challenges in communication and bonding with the pod, leading to feelings of isolation and confusion.

3. Fame and Longing (10:04):

   • Keiko (Voice): “But there’s another world they’ve never seen / Cause they don’t know the thrill when you show off”
   • This part reflects Keiko’s nostalgia for human interactions and the fame he once enjoyed, juxtaposed with his current state of anonymity in the wild.

Through these verses, the song encapsulates the emotional rollercoaster Keiko might have experienced, blending hope with reality's harsh challenges.

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Expert Insights and Real Events

Following the musical interlude, Alarcon transitions to discussing the actual events during those four weeks, incorporating insights from experts and researchers:

• Keiko’s Movements Post-Release (12:31):

  • An expert mentions, “He was out in these little islands off the coast, just rubbing himself in the kelp fronds,” indicating Keiko’s attempts to adapt to natural behaviors (12:31).

• Public Interaction and Media Attention (12:42):

  • Alarcon recounts public fascination: “People were trying to go and swim with him, trying to pet him” (13:01), reflecting the ongoing human desire to connect with Keiko despite his return to the wild.

• Frustration Among Care Team (13:01):

  • A researcher expresses irritation: “I was beyond pissed off” (13:01), highlighting the challenges faced by the team managing Keiko’s release and the unforeseen consequences of heightened public interest.

These real accounts provide a grounded perspective, balancing the imaginative musical narrative with factual reporting on Keiko’s actual experiences and the complexities involved in his release.

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Production Highlights and Credits

The episode concludes with a spotlight on the creative and technical efforts behind “The Ballad of Keiko”:

• Music Video Creation (13:15):

  • A music video featuring Broadway star Jordan Fisher and directed by Carlos Lopez Estrada was produced, enhancing the storytelling with visual elements (13:15).

• Collaborative Efforts:

  • The song was written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, with contributions from various artists and production staff, including voice talents like Quentin Earl Darrington and Brian D’Arcy James (14:31).

• Special Thanks and Acknowledgments:

  • The production team extends gratitude to individuals such as Joshua Freed, Anna Speer, and Danielle Perlman for their support (14:55).

These details underscore the collaborative nature of the project, highlighting the fusion of journalism, music, and multimedia to explore Keiko’s story.

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Conclusion

“At Sea” stands out as a poignant exploration of Keiko’s fleeting return to the wild, blending factual investigation with creative expression to breathe life into the silent weeks that followed his release. By imagining Keiko’s journey through music, The Good Whale not only honors the orca’s legacy but also invites listeners to empathize with the challenges faced by animals transitioning from captivity to freedom. This episode exemplifies the podcast’s commitment to innovative storytelling, offering a multifaceted view of a story that continues to captivate and inspire.

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Notable Quotes:

• Daniel Alarcon (00:49):

  • “If only we knew what he experienced, we'd know if this long, grand experiment to restore wildness to a captive orca had succeeded.”

• Keiko (Voice) (05:32):

  • “So much water, so much sky / Giant shadows pass me by.”

• Expert/Researcher (12:31):

  • “He was out in these little islands off the coast, just rubbing himself in the kelp fronds.”

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Timestamp Reference:

• 00:49: Daniel Alarcon begins the episode with the story introduction.
• 05:32: Start of “The Ballad of Keiko” musical section.
• 07:50: Continuation of the musical narrative.
• 10:04: Further development of Keiko’s imagined experiences.
• 12:31: Expert discusses Keiko’s actual movements post-release.
• 13:01: Researcher expresses frustration over public interactions.
• 14:31: Credits and acknowledgments for the musical production.

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For more behind-the-scenes content, music videos, and updates on The Good Whale, subscribers are encouraged to visit nytimes.com/serialnewsletter and follow the podcast’s Instagram page.

Transcript

[Podcast Host]

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[Podcast Announcer]

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[Daniel Alarcon]

From Serial Productions in the New York Times, this is the Good Whale. I'm Daniel Alarcon. And so it was, in a strange way, what everyone had always hoped for. The moviegoers, the children, the fans, the trainers, the activists, the hangers on Keiko out at sea, away from humans for the first time since he was a calf. A Hollywood ending of sorts. Keiko was last seen with a pod of wild whales as a storm was rolling in. But when the weather cleared and his care team returned, he was gone. And what happened next is a bit of a mystery. We know the broad outline that for four weeks he traveled east until he resurfaced off the coast of Norway, swimming with kids. But why? What did this mean? Did he come back to us humans because he couldn't make it in the wild? Or was it something else because he missed us? We don't know. Was his journey based on a memory of a childhood migration, however dimly recalled, or something more banal, like the ocean current? Was he a pilgrim on a mission? A kid lost at the mall? Or a teenage runaway keen on adventure? We don't know. We don't know how long he stayed with that pod of whales he was seen with at the start of his journey. Whether he swam with them for an hour or a day or a week. Whether he chased after them or begged for their attention was accepted or ignored. Everything Keiko had gone through was leading to this. All the rehab and training in Oregon and Iceland for this four weeks of swimming east in an almost straight line. If only we knew what he experienced, we'd know if this long, grand experiment to restore wildness to a captive orca had succeeded. We'd know whether it was possible for a whale that had been captive for so long to live like a wild whale does with other whales in a pod, even for a little while. But those four weeks are essentially a black box. Anything we say about this period of time is much closer to make believe than to reporting. So to get inside those mysterious weeks, we're going to have to leave journalism behind just for a little bit. I promise, just for this one short episode, we're going to do something different. We're going to take what we do know and think through what might have happened, how those four weeks might have gone. It's such an important chapter in our story, and we wanted to do it justice and imagine it as vividly as possible. We talked about different ways we could do that. A radio play, a piece of fiction. But then we decided, you know what? Screw it. Let's just do the most out there version of this. Like Keiko. Let's just go as far as we can possibly go. We decided to imagine these four weeks as a musical. What if Keiko was a killer whale in some animated film? And what if we could see his experiences and know his thoughts, his fears, his hopes for this critical month of his life? Let's try to imagine the story for the first time from the one perspective we've been missing through this whole series. Keikos. I know, I know this sounds crazy. It sounded crazy to me when it was first floated. But trust me, there's a logic to all this. We enlisted professionals, people who do this for a living. Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. They write musicals, big, fantastical stories for kids, but also stuff for adults. Dear Evan Hansen La La Land we asked them to take the little we know about where Keiko started and how he ended up. And for one song, imagine what might have happened to Keiko in that time in between and how it felt to him. So here it is. And the song begins in the only place it can. In the dark briny blue.

[Narrator]

Many have mused on the old mystery where went the whale that the world had set free Somewhere the answers are lost to the sea in the dark briny blue Weeks beneath waves as you journeyed along we'll tell you three tales but the tales could be wrong for only a whale knows the words to his song and can sing what is true what did he do in the dark briny blue.

[Keiko (Voice)]

So much water, so much sky Giant shadows pass me by I join the pod we're fin to fin they circle round and take me in we're weaving through the waves Soaring through The space they sing a set of songs that sound like mine we roughhouse and we race through herring that we chase we slap our tails and splash along the coastline Now I'm part of a pack in a swirl White and black and we're flying three, Three in back, four in front they help me to hunt like a family and I spend days upon days upon days upon days Growing strong here I spend days upon days upon days upon days I belong here. But then one day I get distracted A familiar sort of sound an engine hums I go to chase it but I get turned around and when I try to circle back can't find a swirl of white and black and now my back is nowhere to be found.

So much water, so much sky. Goodbye.

[Narrator]

Just for a bit did he finally belong. We told you a tale but the tale could be wrong. For only a whale knows the words to his song. And can sing what is true. One tale was told Let a second unfold. There's more to behold in the dark briny blue.

[Keiko (Voice)]

So much water, so much sky. Giant shadows pass me by Black and white, they're big and broad Just like me. Is this my pod? I'm swimming to their side Hoping I can stay. I try to find a song that they might know But I can't get it right I've never sung them I fumble and I never find the flow. And there's hairy despair but they don't want to share they refuse to play and they're rowdy and rough and I'm not quick enough when they swim away. And I try to stun a fish but I stumble I'm hungry and my stomach starts to rumble. And for days upon days upon days upon days isolation. And for days upon days upon days I have no destination and my mind.

Goes blank and I miss my tank. So much water so much sk.

[Narrator]

Two different tales of our whales haven't seen Was he embraced or exiled? How did he cope free from captivity? How did he fare in the wild? O two different tales and washed up on the shore and if you listen the dark briny blue holds one more.

[Keiko (Voice)]

So much water, so much sky. Now I'm here I'm not sure why. Such an endless blue abyss they fought.

To set me free.

For this I'm swimming with a pod.

They're nice enough, I guess and every day we keep the same routine. We swim and sleep and hunt it's.

Pleasant more or less.

But there's another world they've never seen. Cause they don't know the thrill when you show off A brilliant daring dive and the kids clap their hands as they scream from the stands and you feel alive Cause for days upon days upon days upon days I was famous now it's days upon days upon days.

Upon days and I'm nameless, aimless I miss the children who would play I.

Miss belly rubs all day Packs of people swimming at my side they'd hold onto my fin and we would ride and ride.

Gave the wild a real try it's too much water, too much sky Goodbye.

[Narrator]

Many have mused on the old mystery so much unknown but on this we agree he journeyed those long thousand miles cross the sea Till he reached somewhere new that much is true but what did he do? What did he do in the dark briny blue?

[Daniel Alarcon]

For four weeks he traveled until he bumped his nose on the edge of this giant pool called the ocean. That's on the next and final episode of the Good Whale.

[Expert/Researcher]

He was out in these little islands off the coast, just rubbing himself in the kelp fronds.

[Daniel Alarcon]

It was surprisingly good how good he was looking. Also the way he was swimming.

[Expert/Researcher]

And somebody called us and says, are you, you better turn on the tv.

[Podcast Host]

People were trying to go and swim with him, trying to pet him.

[Expert/Researcher]

I was. I mean, I was beyond pissed off.

[Producer/Director]

Okay, so we have one more really cool thing to share with you. We made a music video for this incredible song you just heard and it has puppets and features Broadway star Jordan Fisher. The video was directed by Carlos Lopez Estrada, who happens not just to be a contributing editor on the series, but also a real life Hollywood director. Carlos has done music videos for people like Billie Eilish and the Thundercats and the rap group Clipping and now us. So go to our Instagram serial podcasts or sign up to our [e-mail] serial newsletter. You don't want to miss it.

[Daniel Alarcon]

And if you don't want to wait.

[Producer/Director]

Until next week to hear the final episode of the Good Whale, you don't have to. New York Times All Accessing Audio Subscribers can binge all episodes of the Good Whale right now on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Just head to the link in our show notes and subscribe. Or if you're already a subscriber to the Times link your account.

[Daniel Alarcon]

The Good Whales written by me, Daniel Alarcon and reported by me and Katie Mingle. The show was produced by Katie and Alyssa Shipp. Jen Guerra is our editor. Additional editing from Julie Snyder and Ira Glass. Sound design, music supervision and mixing by Phoebe Wang. Research and fact checking by Jane Ackerman with help from Ben Phelan. A truly talented team of people helped us put together this specific episode today. The song the Ballad of Keiko was.

[Producer/Director]

Written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.

[Daniel Alarcon]

And Mark Sonnen produced by Pasek and Paul, Ian Eisendrath and August Erichsman with help from Me, Ira Glass and Jen Guerra. It was engineered and mixed by Derek Lee, mastering by Oscar Zambrano.

[Producer/Director]

The song features Jordan Fisher as Keiko, Quentin Earl Darrington, Brian D'Arcy James and Paul Alexander Nolan as the fisherman with Adam Rothenberg on piano.

[Daniel Alarcon]

Our music video, which again you must check out on our Instagram page Serial Podcast was directed by Carlos Lopez Estrada and Anna Moskowitz produced by Eli Keasley with help from Alyssa Shipp, Ndaye Chubu and Mac Miller. Additional cinematography by Joshua Echeverria, puppets by Viva la Puppet and Puppet Captain Michelle Samora Edited by Maiki Rupert vfx by Justin Wynn Special thanks on this episode to Joshua Freed, Anna Speer, Danielle Perlman.

[Producer/Director]

Matthew Sullivan and Francis Swanson. The Good Whale is from Serial Productions and the New York Times.