Nice White Parents… Hmm. Snoozer. It’s just not for me. All the other seasons were great. What happened? —- now they’ve gone subscription only…. Boo. There are 240+ podcasts in my queue, imagine if I even paid them all $1 a month? The only way I can make this work is putting up with ads.

I would have totally paid to listen to season one but this show has lost its magic. Listened to the free episodes and none of them enthralled me enough to subscribe, especially with multiple free options that tell the same stories.

I’m sorry, maybe I’m being hyper sensitive to the sounds, but the slight groan and drag on of the last word of each sentence is just cringy. I wish I could push through it, because the subject matter sounded interesting. The voice is awful, can’t finish this one.

Imagine paying to listen to this insufferable, smug and up talking host.

Hard to understand why we needed this many episodes to learn that there is no answer to a cold case. All the tricks of building suspense and teasing the possibility of a reversal of expectations came into play. But it ended with a shrug. Good storytelling doesn’t make up for the lack of a story.

I have never been as moved as S-Town in my entire life. I listen to a lot of podcasts and I've been chasing the depth and story telling of S-Town for YEARS. I've listened to it 2+ times (and if you're a code nerd, the website has some Easter eggs in the code)

I loved this series forever since it first started. This was my go to and favorite series. Then about season 4 or 5, you only get to listen to the first 2 episodes. Then you have to subscribe to something or other. I don’t have any extra $$ after my budget. So I have just deleted the app. What a shame.

Can you PLEASE redo this podcast in someone else’s voice? I bought the NYT subscription to listen to this and I can’t even listen to it. All I hear is the voice.

What a scam

Serial was the first podcast I ever listened to, and I enjoyed it very much when it was available to all for free. I’d be more than happy to listen to advertisements from sponsors, but making people subscribe to listen to something that was once free is shady and out of sheer principle I will no longer listen or support it. ✌🏻

Changed my review to 1 star due to paywall. If we don’t fight paid podcasts now we’ll have to pay tons for them all in the future.

Did you guys even review season 12? The tone of voice and articulationehhh just sounds like she doesn’t carehh and is gohhssipingehh about some randomehh high schoolehh dramahhh.

Enjoyed first 2 episodes of second S town. Loved the first Stown . Will definitely NOT be a NYT subscriber. It’s almost impossible to dump their subscription as I did several ago. A No. for me Dawg.

Paywall after 2 teaser episodes? In a medium that, thanks in part to this very podcast, has historically been free? This is a trend I will not participate in and think, quite frankly, that a Serial-esque investigation into who thought this was a good idea and who didn’t stop them needs to be done. I’m out.

I really enjoy the podcast and think it’s well done, but there is no way I’m going tp pay a monthly fee in order to listen to all the episodes. Very unfortunate.

Definitely the one of the best podcasts out there but unfortunately sold out to corporate greed

Losing access to the podcast that started so many folks’ love of podcasts is SO sad. The content all being framed as new seasons is confusing. Really disappointed that season 4 ends for me right in the middle, at a paywall- and without warning.

Used to listen to the show years ago when the whole show was free Now the whole show there’s a fee to listen to it. Lost a follower Wanted to see what’s new with the show since I listened to it last not anymore

Loved S1 and 2 now everything has gone behind a paywall when it was free for years. Now getting tons of notifications as they reupload and paywall their tons of episodes

Paywall was the last straw too many other free options.

Incredible research and content. Delivery is painful though as host Maribah Knight’s radio crackle at the end of every sentence is really hard to listen to.

The Podcast that started my love for Podcasts 7 years ago now behind a pay wall.

I used to LOOOOOOOOVE Serial. To the point I listened to EVERY episode. Now I have to pay to listen? No thanks. Never again.

This is my favorite podcast but I won’t be listening anymore due to the subscription fee. Very sad since I already pay a fee to Spotify to listen and won’t be able to afford both. I’m sure many people will also have to stop listening. It was good while it lasted.

This subscriber only program is really stupid! Are your shareholders and Maggie Haberman not rich enough from your promotion of the demise of democracy? Now you take away our Serial pod? GROSS

I loved most of these podcasts, but the failing NYT has now moved them behind their pay wall. Only a sucker will pay for podcasts.

The complete overhaul of the Serial podcast feed to promote the New York Times’ new subscription has ruined my feed and bloated it with repeat content framed as “new seasons” that have never been Serial seasons before.

I can’t believe they are charging to listen to this show.

Loved it but now that it is behind a pay wall no thank you.

The problem with Serial is the bar it sets for all other podcasts. Season 4 provides a candid and uncomfortable look into an unsettled physical and emotional place in modern U.S. history. It left this listener rife with conflict and sadness for the continued pain and confusion surrounding 9/11.

I’ve loved Serial since the very first case, but Season Three was a MASTERCLASS in crime podcasting. I loved every single minute of this season and I’m devastated it’s done. More than anything, it makes me want to do something!

Crime Junkie sent me here before I listened to one of their episodes and I’m so glad I did!! I love true crime and this is a very captivating case! Love it!

I love listening. I appreciate the investigating, the thoroughness, and the delivery of this series. I also appreciate that it shows both sides of the fence. To be honest though, as an American tax paying citizen, how can it not anger anyone the time, money, effort put into the search of such a selfish individual? I’ll keep listening because I want to know what this person has done with his life in hopes that he is trying to correct his wrong.

Super nice listen on the weekends

Thank you for reporting on this!

This is PAINFUL! What is even the point of this research? They located whomever they could find to fit their so obvious liberal narrative of gitmo. I really didn’t think this series could get worse than the last podcast, but they’ve succeeded. I couldn’t even get through episode two. Again, I ask what is the end purpose of this ?! Hindsight is 20/20… things were done at the time to keep our country safe, never mind what these ppl are doing to our soldiers and their own ppl. This is a disgrace. Do not waste your time! I was so looking forward to Sarah (as I love her speaking voice) but she’s hardly even on.

Sarah Koenig is CLEARLY biased and wants so desperately to make us believe that Anand is innocent. If it walk like a duck and talks like a duck.. it’s a DUCK

As a current long standing military member and someone who definitely sits on the other side of the aisle from the political perspectives of this show, it does make you take a second to think about what they present. In the end I don’t agree with many of their viewpoints in this series, but it was well done.

9/11 families for a peaceful tomorrow is a horrible organization. They should disband immediately. You don’t represent us, Colleen.

I loved the first three but I have so many questions about this season. I’m not sure how I feel about them now.

As always you’ve done a stellar job of explaining an incredibly complicated and emotionally provocative situation. Appreciate the work done to bring us this information.

Wow, eye opening for those of us who have forgotten the entire episode in history. To be fair I wasn’t completely concerned about the torture after all we were attacked and need answers, but ultimately, as a human being torture is horrible and I believe (I don’t have the reference)it’s been proven that torture doesn’t work. We have to be better than that, but my perspective is not affected by losing someone in 9/11/2001. It’s complicated and we don’t seem to be able to close this chapter for the victims, the victims families and the perpetrators of the day. We have been spoiled or lucky or both that we haven’t been attacked on our soil since December 7, 1941. I know this, not all people are bad regardless of country, culture, religion, etc. It’s a pretty basic concept, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. The folks at serial have delivered in this series! Thank you!

Honestly, what is with these people? Their reporting would have you think these are innocent civilians being imprisoned. They seem to be forgetting these are evil people who have done evil things and submit themselves to evil regimes, and are happy to protect the regime even after being captured! Between Adnan, Bergdahl, and this, why don’t you just go ahead and say you hate justice? Ridiculously tone-deaf and irresponsible reporting. Throw the whole thing away.

Absolutely brilliant research and unbiased review. This is how investigative journalism should be. I’m sure Sarah is as liberal as they come (which is ideologically disgusting to me) however I will follow her work due to her unbiased search for the truth. Great job Sarah, your season has restored my faith in journalism. Excellent investigative work!!!!

Kudos on covering Gitmo.

I was shocked to read some of the reviews on Serial and Season 4. I have been a long time listener and I am not ashamed to admit Serial is a bit of a comfort thing for me so I feel pretty well acquainted with every season. I personally think Season 4 is the BEST season. I loved Serial 1, as other reviewers, because of the engaging story and the complex investigations. But Serial has always gone further than true crime and into the sociological and political reasons for how our systems work, and this has become the best part of the podcast and has steadily improved over seasons. Season 3 and 4 are superior to 1 and 2 in my opinion. I think the negative reviews on these seasons indicate a lack of empathy from many people for those suffering, especially regarding those who have done bad things. But just because someone has done harm doesn’t mean we should ignore their humanity, and I appreciate the dedication Sarah has in portraying it. She asks hard, undoetable, scary, personal questions and it breaks my heart that so few people can recognize capacity for change or growth. It breaks my heart that people still want retribution and violence instead of realizing that’s how we make things worse. I love that the Serial team questions and fact checks and speculates and references. I love the personal and the systemic episodes and I love watching them connect. And I think Season 4 rocks. I want another one ASAP!!!!!!

You can tell the host had an agenda and spent the entire podcast bashing the military.

I had the tv on while I was cleaning the house. I heard whatever was on say, Woodlawn, MD. I worked in that town, at the time, so it piqued my interest. I sat down to watch whatever show. It was an HBO documentary on a murder that had happened there in the 90’s. Adnan Syed was convicted and in jail. I started combing the web for any info I could find. I stumbled on Serial and their first season was about this murder. I had never listened to a podcast before. I listened to Sarah Keonig’s cadence…the way she stopped momentarily to bring attention to her point. I was hooked. I have since tried listening to other podcasts, but I just can’t get into them. Sarah is a good story teller, as well as most of the others on her team. Sarah, you ruined it for me!

AMAZING! This is the serial I know and love. Excellent reporting and engaging storytelling. Great job!

Incredibly disappointed in season 4 of this podcast. Had to stop listening after hearing “the forever reporter”.