Listener sentiment
The dominant story in recent ratings is a sharp, sustained backlash following a host change and business reorganization. Listeners overwhelmingly describe the show as a shadow of its former self: original host Hannah Smith is praised for warm, conversational, well-researched storytelling, while her replacement is repeatedly called robotic, flat, and unnatural — with many reviewers convinced the new narration is AI-generated, citing mispronounced words, odd pacing, and long awkward pauses. A second major frustration is the paywall: older episodes (many featuring the original host) and even the first installments of new multi-part series have been gated behind a subscription, which listeners find especially galling given the perceived drop in quality. Additional recurring complaints include excessive ad loads, unrelated podcast episodes cluttering the feed, and fact-checking lapses — most notably in the Tim Ballard series, where multiple reviewers flagged inaccuracies about the LDS church. Throughout the negative reviews, a consistent affection for the earlier seasons comes through; even harsh critics call those episodes binge-worthy and uniquely compelling. The handful of positive ratings continue to praise the topic variety and research depth, but they are heavily outnumbered by former fans who have unsubscribed or say they are migrating to the original host's new project.
Apple2.9 · 717
Summary generated Aug 9, 2026
