Listener sentiment
Sentiment remains sharply negative, and the latest wave of reviews adds no relief. The dominant story is still Season 26's "friendship betrayal" arc, which many reviewers — including longtime fans — describe as cruel, gossipy "mean girl" treatment of a young woman with apparent mental health issues, with host Tiffany Reese directly faulted for laughing along with two interviewees who befriended the woman under false pretenses and then aired the fallout; some go so far as to call for the episodes to be taken down. Beyond that arc, the recurring structural complaints persist: a drift from tight, survivor-driven storytelling toward statistics-heavy intros, expert and journalist interview episodes that stall the story, bloated season lengths, heavy ad loads, and a polarized reaction to the show's political and social framing, which some hear as preachy and others defend as vital context. A loyal core remains — several listeners, including abuse and assault survivors, credit the podcast with helping them feel seen, leave harmful relationships, or recognize danger in their own lives — and a few note the most recent chapter feels back on track, but critics still far outnumber champions, and the chorus of "miss the old Something Was Wrong" keeps growing.
Apple3.2 · 1,357
Summary generated Oct 23, 2026
