Listener sentiment
PRETEND continues to earn strong listener loyalty, with the large majority of recent ratings highly favorable. Fans consistently praise host Javier Leiva's empathetic interview style, dogged investigative instincts, and knack for surfacing stories of deception and fraud that other true-crime outlets ignore. The serialized deep-dives remain the show's biggest draw — the LaDonna Humphrey and Stalker investigations are repeatedly cited as binge-worthy standouts, while the newer Gypsy Rose Blanchard series is generating fresh enthusiasm among subscribers eager for early access, with several reviewers highlighting the depth of Leiva's direct interviews and medical-records review. A recurring minority of detractors raises familiar complaints: perceived left-leaning political bias that some former fans feel has crept into recent episodes, and frustration with ad density and specific advertiser choices around politically sensitive topics. A growing thread of criticism centers on research rigor — a few listeners cite specific factual errors, thin sourcing on certain episodes, and mispronounced names as signs that the show's standard has slipped from its earlier peak, and the Gypsy Rose coverage has drawn both passionate support and sharp pushback from listeners who question Leiva's framing. Feed organization remains a persistent frustration even among enthusiastic fans, who note that episodes from different seasons are scattered across a single feed, making it difficult to binge a particular series in order.
Apple4.5 · 629
Summary generated Sep 8, 2026
