The content here is largely captivating, especially if you're British and are dimly aware of many of these scandals. The use of dramatisations, while potentially taking a degree of artistic liberty make the stories involved much easier to digest. Both hosts are skilled narrators and are immersive in their impressions, pacing and overall delivery.
Technically, the podcast is well-edited, written and produced, for the most part.
Unfortunately the dynamic between the two hosts is almost unlistenably awkward and forced.
Levine's constant misandry, whilst arguably justified in a show which so often centres around male hubris, is ceaseless. I don't think listeners necessarily want to be told precisely which opinions to form about the characters in a story, especially when every one expressed here can be boiled down to the male protagonist being a chauvinistic manipulator, and the female counterpart being simultaneously a powerless waif when the scandal is taking place, and then a principled moralist when the reckoning comes.
This podcast could be markedly improved by removing whichever host is not narrating. The interim segments drag what could be a 9/10 down to at best a 6, in my view, though I understand the need for padding as well as the opinions stated given the demographics of Wondery's listeners.
Technically, the podcast is well-edited, written and produced, for the most part.
Unfortunately the dynamic between the two hosts is almost unlistenably awkward and forced.
Levine's constant misandry, whilst arguably justified in a show which so often centres around male hubris, is ceaseless. I don't think listeners necessarily want to be told precisely which opinions to form about the characters in a story, especially when every one expressed here can be boiled down to the male protagonist being a chauvinistic manipulator, and the female counterpart being simultaneously a powerless waif when the scandal is taking place, and then a principled moralist when the reckoning comes.
This podcast could be markedly improved by removing whichever host is not narrating. The interim segments drag what could be a 9/10 down to at best a 6, in my view, though I understand the need for padding as well as the opinions stated given the demographics of Wondery's listeners.