Listener sentiment
Serial's recent ratings remain predominantly negative, driven by two seasons that have each alienated large portions of the audience. "The Preventionist," an investigation into medical child abuse diagnoses, continues to draw the most concentrated criticism: medical professionals, child welfare advocates, and longtime listeners repeatedly charge the series with one-sided journalism that amplifies parents' accounts while omitting expert medical voices, misusing clinical terminology, and downplaying a real form of child harm — with several reviewers warning the reporting could endanger children. A smaller contingent praises the season for raising legitimate questions about overreach in child welfare systems. "The Idiot," a family saga narrated by M. Gessen, splits listeners sharply: admirers call it literate, psychologically rich, and deeply human, while detractors find it flat, suspense-free, and hampered by Gessen's mumbling, hard-to-follow delivery. Across both seasons, NYT subscribers express persistent frustration over ads and paywalls they expected their subscriptions to eliminate, and a strong nostalgic current runs throughout — with listeners repeatedly invoking Season 1 and Sarah Koenig as the standard the show has struggled to match since its acquisition by the New York Times.
Apple3.8 · 1,879
Summary generated Jul 11, 2026
