Remember pop up video and how fun it was to just learn a bunch of stuff? This podcast does that with one topic. Learn a lot about one topic.

Listening to the episode on the banality of coffee shop decor, I realized that both presenters were speaking in a generic, affected style that I have heard a million times before. This could be their next episode, “Why are We such a Cliche?”

The host has an unlistenable voice. Her vocal fry is so harsh it’s like nails on a chalkboard and I often can’t make out the last word she says in every sentence. Shame because this podcast has very interesting topics. Get a new host who can speak properly and I’ll return to listening.

Would be a 5 if there weren’t 5 as breaks in a 30 minute show.

Poor Kyle’s voice must have been flattened by algorithms too? Love the show. Love the concept. Wild that someone with that voice would be on an audio format!!

New listener here - and I won’t be back. 2 commercial breaks in less than 9 minutes. I get that this is a business but come on. That’s so aggressive, and obnoxious even broadcast TV is less aggressive with advertising than that. You don’t give your listeners a chance to even get on board with your story the way you have your show structured around excessive ads in the first 10 minutes.

I just listened to a very interesting story about “OK Soda”, something I had never heard about before. I always learn something new from Decoder Ring!

Interesting topics. Please though, consider how your interviewee sounds before you decide to do a topic with them. Do not ever let Kyle Chayka on again. He is so so annoying to listen to. It was like listening to a painfully bad Andy Warhol impression. I couldn’t even finish the episode.

At times enlightening, strange, moving but always interesting and informative. This podcast is very well done.

I skipped a few episodes already because they didn’t interest me or I felt like they got off topic, but the gender reveal party episode was the clincher. It starts off talking about gender reveal parties, gender in America and how it has evolved, then just becomes a rant about gender fluidity. Also the part where they decide gender reveal parties are only for men because they exclude the pregnant woman, but also talk about how men don’t really have a celebration for this kind of thing? I just didn’t want to listen anymore. Stick to one topic per episode maybe?

Way too many jarring ads per episode. Ruins the flow of the podcast, which is a shame because the content is really interesting. I’d totally pay for ad-free, but holy cow TEN DOLLARS A MONTH (?!) is simply unaffordable for most folks. Imagine if we paid that much for each podcast we listened to, we’d only afford one show. And that’s just about the price of a whole streaming service!

I’ve been a long time listener to this wonderfully researched, well crafted, beautifully written/ intriguing podcast. However, I’m usually a rater not a reviewer. The hovercraft episode pulled at every string of my heart. A (hilarious/adorable) father trying to please/make his son’s dreams come true sent me over the edge to review. LOVED IT, thank you to Willa for including, and PLEASE Evan, make more content with your kind, sweet father…without the take over if his leaf blower!

The episode on “The Rules” is way conservative. I was shocked! The episode examines the real appeal of a book like this, which I appreciated—that is not wrong—but then did no thinking at *all* about the long-term cultural consequences of women radically changing their behavior to suit men’s whims—not to mention the implications of this way of thinking for (or even the *existence* of) non-binary or trans people! It also just seemed to assume the self-evident value of “getting married” (to someone, anyone). To top it off, it concludes with the idea that, yeah, following rigid patriarchal gender roles might disempower women and feed the oppressive institutions that harm all other groups besides cis men—but they just make things easy, you know? And that’s essentially okay. Like, what?! Do whatever you want in your own life, but to platform this viewpoint at this particular cultural moment, and to disseminate ideas with such reductive, short-sighted, and poorly outlined gender politics on the basis of “convenience”... it was just so disappointing. I really would suggest a major revision to this episode.

This is a fantastic podcast but I would advise you not to listen to The Curious Case of Colombo or maybe for it to be removed? What the heck was that even? I’m so confused… and it was a two parter? Whyyyyyyy omg I’m so sad

Great host, great production, and oh that theme music! Retro-tastic!!!

The topics are interesting and creative, but there’s a very strong political undertone to the vocabulary the host uses that comes off as fad-based virtue signaling. For example, coming from someone with partially Spanish & Mexican heritage, most people do not want to be called Latin-X. The Spanish language is feminine and masculine-based, even inanimate objects are detailed that way so it makes no sense to call people Latin X. I’m sure it comes from a caring place, of course, but I believe it’s a bit misguided.

Decoder Ring is one of my top podcasts. Love the host, the research, even the theme music. Willa is both scholarly and amusing.

I have multiple favorite episodes of this podcast. The Showbiz one and the mullet ones in particular are amazing. The mullet episode is better than any podcast about a derided hairstyle has any right to be. Anywayyyyy subscribe!

Interesting range of topics that are finely told. However, the pronunciation of the host can be a bit too guttural. I often have to take a break and resume another time so as to “release” the pressure built up in my head even if I only listen to them on speakers, not close to my ears. Some kind of voice training to relax the tautness would be much appreciated.

This is what the world needs

I was excited to listen to this episode but where are the funny catch phrases? Or, the memorable catch phrases besides the two you highlighted. There were millions that you never explored. You totally missed with this episode!

I love Decoder Ring! Willa is an excellent host and I am fascinated by the assortment of topics covered. I still think about the Tattoo Flash episode often (one of my high school gym teachers had a Tasmanian Devil tattoo on his calf and I think about it occasionally to this day). Highly recommended!

This could be a very good show if it weren’t for the host. She brings her politics into it too heavily for my taste. If she could tone it down a little bit I bet more people would listen

Just subscribe and listen!

This might be my favorite Decoder Ring episode of all times! Absolutely brilliant!

I absolutely adore this podcast and look forward to every one of their unique, thought provoking examinations of cultural quandaries if never even considered. My only complaint is that about every third episode there will be some strange issue where the audio glitches and skips forward and back by a few minutes, meaning you can miss some of the excellent storytelling. I wish this issue would get fixed, but it’s not enough to stop me from listeneing.

I would love to hear an episode on college campus architecture or indoor plants! The only reason for the one less star is that the ads for this podcast are odd (an injury lawyer?) and the polish of the editing is sometimes lacking (different volumes mid episode etc).

I can not put into words how much I love this podcast. I hang on to every word. I am going to deep dive into all the older podcasts. The research put into these mythologies is impressive. You get fact and not opinion. The host knows the difference. I love this.

I listen to this podcast because Willa Paskin does a phenomenal job and makes mildly interesting topics seem incredibly interesting! The episodes with the guest hosts and/or are cross promotion with other shows are often disappointing, as the other hosts tend not to have that same magic… The last two seasons are beginning to feel like a bait-and-switch🧐🧐More Willa Paskin please🙏

I love getting sucked into the unknown story behind someone or something I thought I knew about. Such fun!

You know those times someone asks you for a podcast recommendation and you want to impress them with a cool yet meaningful podcast? THIS IS THE ONE.

I love this podcast. I love the topics and reporting. But, three ~1 min commercial breaks in under 10 minutes is almost unbearable. They feel constant in this podcast.

I was surprised it is different from many random-ish knowledge podcasts. This creates the human entries to trends, language, and how we interact with the things around us. It follows changing media, technology’s influence, and how we might feel about it afterward. I listened on a lark—expecting to unfollow right after. Admittedly, it took me several months to start listening. I’m now working my way through from the beginning. Interesting and worth the listen.

This podcast series will take hours upon hours to tell a story a listener could easily have inferred within minutes. Unless you are subscribing to this in order to fall asleep - don’t bother giving it a listen. I conveyed concerns to the host of the podcast. She did not have any response to the substance of the critique. That is how boring of a person she is.

Love it but wish it were either weekly or biweekly! Edit: loved the oltl episode but tired of the others as of late.Edit: unsubbed at helga episode

This is a 5 STAR show but for some reason they insist on dragging it down with SO MANY ADVERTISEMENTS!!!!!! PLEASE stop!! It's literally 3 minutes of content, 2 minutes of ads... ad infinitum!! These are GREAT subjects and stories, just not with all these stupid advertisements!

I’m so grateful for this quirky, delightful, and sometimes poignant show!

Every topic is so interesting and Willa has a fabulous voice. McGruff was genius!

Only some of the episodes are good and 1/3 of the whole episode is ads. I’d say follow the podcast—but don’t subscribe. :-( Has great potential tho.

Choice of topics is impeccable. MacGruff the Crime Dog? Cellino and Barnes? They don’t miss!

It’s HOME in. Not HONE in. I‘ve never heard of honing pigeons. Professional communicators need to use the right words in they’re, (kidding,) finished product. Very good otherwise.

Good show, overall well researched. I just got tired of 1) hearing things I knew about already (a me problem) and 2) the show straining to reveal a twist or gotcha, like they’re exposing “what really happened”; at times the show strains under that pressure.

One of the great podcasts!

Really enjoying this podcast, listened to two recent episodes and am now diving into the back catalog. Have enjoyed every one and learned and laughed a lot.

I love This show and hearing all the odd and interesting facts about stuff from the past

So glad this show is back up and running. Really loving the content

Great content but too many ads to make it worth the listen.

Such a great show. Have been listening for years and honestly ashamed I haven’t reviewed before. Listen now and go back through the episodes as far as you can. It’s one of the only shows I play as soon as they come out.

I love the choice of content and the execution. Really, this is 60 Minutes meets The Atlantic Monthly but updated for today’s world. It never fails to tell us why this thing was a thing and why it matters now. MORE!

I love this show. It feels like a gift every time an episode drops.