👂 Real Outlaws is a Noiser production that follows the footsteps of history’s most notorious criminals, from Billy the Kid to the Kray twins and Bonnie and Clyde. The podcast explores whether these figures were charismatic antiheroes or bloodthirsty villains (or maybe a bit of both), examining the true stories behind the myths by consulting leading experts and traveling back to a time when rogues and bandits followed a code of their own.

Put ‘em up: The podcast dedicates three episodes to Billy the Kid, hosted by Danny Marshall and featuring insights from historian Michael Wallis, author of Billy the Kid: The Endless Ride, and traces his journey from his early days surviving the slums of New York, to becoming a legend in the American West.

From a kid to The Kid. The first episode focuses on how justice and fortune proved to be fickle forces in the unforgiving saloons and dust bowl towns of New Mexico. The second shifts to Lincoln County, where Billy finds temporary peace before being caught up in a bloody turf war that forces him to choose sides, showing how the line between outlaw and lawful citizen blurred in the Wild West. The final installment follows Billy’s heated gunfights and desperate jailbreaks as his legend grows and law enforcement closes in.

The series pulls all the stops you’d expect from a Noiser podcast, making full use of the company’s signature production quality and historical expertise. While the show’s quality is indisputable, some listeners may find the narrator’s delivery over-the-top at some points, especially when handling different accents. But the podcast excels at humanizing Billy while maintaining historical grounding, examining how circumstances and systemic injustice shaped an outlaw rather than simply celebrating or condemning him.

WHERE TO FIND IT- Real Outlaws is available on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Storytel | Deezer.

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