Listener sentiment
Someone Knows Something remains sharply polarized, with the divide crystallizing around Season 10's investigation into a woman's disappearance in Costa Rica. Loyal listeners continue to champion David Ridgen as one of the finest voices in true crime — praising his empathy, thoroughness, and respectful treatment of victims' families, with earlier seasons (particularly 1 through 5) still cited as exemplars of the genre. The Season 10 backlash, however, is broad and consistent: critics call the season tedious and aimless, objecting to what they see as superficial investigating that produces no closure, and many are deeply frustrated by Ridgen's stated belief that the primary suspect is telling the truth — a conclusion multiple listeners, including a self-identified criminologist, consider naive and professionally irresponsible for failing to engage with coercive control patterns or false-confession risk. Ridgen's repeated mispronunciation of "Costa Rica" has become a widely cited symbol of declining editorial care, flagged independently by dozens of reviewers across the rating spectrum as grating and uncorrected. Longer-tenured listeners note a broader softening since the acclaimed early seasons, describing recent installments as slower and less rigorously reported, though Ridgen's ethical, compassionate approach still retains a devoted audience who view the show as a model for non-exploitative true crime storytelling.
Apple4.5 · 890
Summary generated Aug 29, 2026
