Not many podcasts grab your attention the way this first season does. You get an inside look at a lady and her life unraveling like fishing line in the water. A MUST LISTEN

I’m listening to this for a second time. It’s compelling and disturbing in the extreme. I actually felt a great deal of empathy and sympathy for Mark, the husband. Jennaire is controlling, difficult, paranoid, and unlikeable. For two years, I was involved with a man who had borderline personality disorder. We and I separately went through therapy. I could feel what Mark dealt with with Jennaire. It’s a horrible existence. Jennaire fits borderline personality disorder to a T. Mark put up with her for more than 20 years. Most people who are faced with an unfaithful spouse and the demise of their marriage go through feelings of anger, rage, depression, and anxiety. But most people end up moving on. Not people with borderline personality disorder. They have to mentally and physically hurt others over real but mainly perceived slights. .

Season 1 I devour true crime podcasts. Serialized ones are my favorite. I have never heard anything like this. Ever. I heard the story before on 20/20. It didn’t/couldn’t report the story with justice. It’s so complicated, so real. Thank you, for reporting on a horrible real event with a well researched timeline, multiple personal perspectives, and the opinions of renowned professionals.

Not sure why half of it seems to be another podcast and I have to fast forward through to get to the next episode. Not a good idea to merge podcasts I am not interested in that other podcast if I was I would download it.

I’ve made it to episode three and what the heck is with the extra hour of some odd financial podcast at the end of each episode?

I listen to all kinds of true crime podcasts. This one has got to be one of my very favorites. I have been recommending this one to people. Your professionalism is amazing, your reporting is amazing… the story is truly heart breaking from beginning to end and you treated it all so delicately. You did an amazing job telling their stories. My heart hurts for all three mamas. ❤️

There’s not much I can say that hasn’t already been said. The reporting, storytelling, and overall quality of this podcast is among the best I’ve ever heard. Riveting and deeply sad, but so well done, it just carries you through. Bravo!

The episodes had weird cuts in the audio and contained like 30 minutes worth of old audio at the end of most episodes.

Not only are the stories excellent but the storytelling is superb. I hardly recommend either season as they are both excellent. I started with season two first, and found it to be easier to listen to this he said one. However, I was still focused on season one, despite the fact that it was heartbreaking. You knew where it was going from the beginning and you could listen to the deterioration of a woman’s mind and Achilles help the sorrow. I listen to podcasts most of the day because I’m legally blind and find any other things. Much too difficult. It’s nice not to feel that I’ve wasted time in listening to something. And that’s the way I feel about these podcast series.

Both seasons are great. Wonderful storytelling with a calm voice. Hope to hear more. Please don’t stay away for as long as last time.

Such a good podcast with the wrong title. You share these stories in a captivating way. I feel I am in the room sharing tears with Jannair! Bless her soul. Season 2 was well written, but season 1 was unlike any other story I have ever listened to. You allow the story to be told instead of interrupting… I will keep checking back for more.

Thorough reporting and thoughtful storytelling. The host is concise, engaging, interesting, well paced. Both seasons highlight complicated human experiences with great care and responsibility. There’s a lot that can go wrong when covering true crime (lack of reverence, narcissistic hosts, meandering tangents) but Bad Bad doesn’t miss.

Both Seasons are emotionally brutal rollercoasters. Both Seasons provide first person recordings or writings that document the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of the parties involved. We know that the narrative will end in a murder or murder/suicide, yet I still listened to find out why. I thought both Seasons were able to show the frustrating reality of adults in a codependent system. Of course as outsiders we want those involved to make different and difficult decisions but they didn’t. The journalist was able to show the emotional and mental trap of each perpetrator. I don’t think that by showing this she was trying to excuse their actions to commit murder. If you had an emotional reaction to the content, if you felt frustration with how the perpetrators chose to solve their “problems” then you know the journalist provided excellent documentation.

Good coverage and detail. Only 4 stars because the same content read from Jill’s emails was repeated in full each time

I love all the audio, records, and detail. One of my favorite podcasts I’ve listened to by far!

I have not listened to the 1st season, but I am loving the 2nd. It’s an easy listen, makes you wonder, and keeps you guessing. I’m not going to dissect the journalism, the ‘wrong’ stance on how to tell this story, or slightly entertain the notion that both Barbara and her writers were out to get anyone by producing this podcast. The title of this review is take note because I find it hilarious all the negative reviews are recent… caterwauling about the ‘offensive’ nature. Point is, if you don’t need your diaper changed every time your feelings are hurt, give it a listen. #2023 😜

Interesting case but an unbearable number of ads.

I’m only on episode 3 and can feel the compassion fatigue of her sister. She desperately needed HELP! It’s very hard to find help and have a semi balanced life when you’re a ft caregiver. I can’t help but think if she had help and could have set boundaries without being gaslit and could of had a life this would not have happened.

Worth the listen. Incredibly produced and although tragic, very good deep dive into a common yet painful and controversial topic. Thank you for putting it out there.

They say how good the poor dead sister is, she was great, an amazing person, beautiful soul… I’m not denying any of that is true, why didn’t they help? Why didn’t they take her in or help with money so the other sister could hire help at home. The parents left all responsibility to the sister, and didn’t help in the slightest, why? Why not take their daughter back home and care for her, only because they are elderly, right! Good point, then you can all give them money so they can get help for their daughter, no? I have a close friend and sister, they both had to take the difficult decision to send their mother to a nursing home because the mother had a stroke, they tried for years to take care of her at home, it made their lives impossible, they couldn’t do anything without their mother, they had to be with her every day, all day. When they finally decided to take this most difficult step, their whole family came down on them, how could they be so heartless, their mother was a great person, the best, who are they to send her away? They told them: “how about you people take her? You bathe her, change her, clean her after the bathroom, do it for a week, then come talk to us.” Do you think anyone else tried? No, no one tried, and they treat them like crap for their decision. Where are the people abdicating for carer burnout? Of course this is a tragedy, but it took years, years of feeling alone and with no way out. Where were those “friends” that could have help avoid this ending? No one should have to believe murder suicide is their only way out, people saw their plight and did nothing.

I was shocked at the way this story was painted with Jennair as the victim. I had empathy for her pain to a point but not enough to justify her behavior the way this podcast has. If Jennair was a man and doing all of these things to a women we’d be looking at this like a horror story . I was also surprised by how Mark is portrayed. Sounded to me like he was handling Jennair with kid gloves compared to how most men would . Also doesn’t mention the fact that she had pretty much controlled his life since teenage years maybe that’s why it was so hard for him to leave. He wanted her to make the decision and leave , because she was the decision maker .He was still being controlled by her and putting his dates With Meredith in a calendar so Jennair would be satisfied in knowing when he was with her. If this were a women it would be painted as a “why don’t women leave” stories.

Biased puff piece from one white woman in favor of another. If the host could get past referring to Jill as smart, brilliant or some other superlative, the host could possibly tell the story. Go watch grass grow instead of listening to this.

We’ll done, interesting story. I couldn’t get over how the husband played both women, and what a mess he created in the end with both women melting down over him. C’mon, he’s just a human being, not worth destroying lives over.

Just finished season one, and it was a wild ride. But, doctor what-ever-her-name-is, added less than nothing to the narration. She is a misandrist (hates men), everything she said started with “and then mark did” or “and then mark said”. But all of the awful stuff that Jennair was doing? She seemed to think it was all justified…because her fewwings got hurt. Grow up, life is not fair, if you wanted fair you picked the wrong universe, the wrong planet, the wrong species. Still a pretty good listen though. Four Stars.

I found myself questioning the reason for this podcast, and the intentions of the hosts and writers. The same way I questioned the husband Mark. What was the motivation for the podcast? And what was the motivation for Mark to write the book? One would argue both were for money and attention. I actually didn’t have a dog in the fight when it came to the cheating. I can tell from some of the comments that people have been hurt before and so they leave a scathing review for Mark. I mostly felt bad for Marks wife and it made me sick to listen to her audio recordings. That’s when I started questioning the host and the writers motives. Anyone in that relationship could’ve left at any time they wanted to. No one had to stay in it for any reason at all. It’s surprising that Jennair stayed in considering that she wouldn’t even date Mark when they met because he had a girlfriend. Everyone was wrong in the situation.. It’s terrible to blame one person. Everyone made their own choices and their own decisions. It may be important for this story to be heard by people that are in relationships that are considering stepping out on their significant other, and that it could have consequences. Whether it’s hurting the other person or more severe consequences. I’m glad I stuck around to the end. I especially liked the interview with Mark and the psychiatrist. Thank you to all for the story

Every effort was clearly made to ensure you care as little as possible about the sisters and the so-called story. If you’re a dog lover, this podcast could potentially make you ambivalent about even dogs. That’s how hypnotic this story is. If gray was a sound, this would be it. Imagine endless hours of church. This podcast is so uninteresting even white people and yellow labs reject it. It’s mayonnaise without the eggs (or oil). Pretend you have to eat tuna casserole for every meal for the rest of your life…YEP! That’s the exact way this anti-story makes you feel. Anyway, there’s nothing else to say…but they keep right on yammering away like a mother-in-law before she learns your real personality. But give it a try. Maybe you’re so hopeless it will be interesting to you.

“You either give energy or take it” ? So offensive that a persons worth should depend on how lucky and untouched by suffering they have been. Meredith wronged jenair. Meredith took from jenair. If meredith and mark treated people better than this tragedy would not have happened.

Overall enjoyed the thorough and thoughtful treatment of season 1 case; especially the inclusion of the psychologist, Season 2 is intriguing so far; but I hope we get a deeper understanding of the psychological factors at play given such stark contrast between the known lives and personalities of these women and the seeming willful destruction of life that occurred. WHERE IS EPISODE 3 ??

Where’s the third series????

I really really love this series. I was listening to it all day today and I was really sad to find out there was not a third episode……. I really hope they plan to publish that… seeing how episode two ended with a following episode that is not on here……….

This podcasts shines light on the dark story of Jennair Gerardot, allowing the listener a far deeper, more nuanced view of what happened, and why. The headlines can only convey so much information. Even an article in a newspaper or magazine can only realistically provide a two-dimensional picture of a crime. The real story is far more complex.

The lesson to be learned from this incredibly told human tragedy is that in reality people are not winning or losing so much as surviving while trying to “get it right” based on what their past taught them and how they feel about their own lives through the lens of their collective cultural molds. To be honest I am surprised that this sort of story doesn’t get told more often; or maybe it does but it is not ever framed in such a way that leaves space for the listener to go away feeling confused and conflicted because they sense all sorts of injuries and injustice occurring but not in the usual simplistic and linear modalities that we have gotten used to. To me it seems to point to the old saying that “All is fair in Love and War” which of course is meant to mean that nothing is truly fair and that no person is completely a hero or a villain entirely. I think it says something about our culture that we have such a ingrained understanding of a phrase that means the opposite of what is written and yet we still all keep repeating it without actually truly explaining what this means. It’s a rare occurrence where you find such a moral-less event that gets all of us hoping for the most moral of endings and yet what we do eventually learn is that it continues to be a disturbing mess of good vs bad acts and the person who is left at the end is responsible for the telling and framing of the tragedy but also allows the world to further scrutinize his actions by allowing access to the written and spoken words of the deceased in a way he is unable to control. There is a ongoing sense of no-win scenario here that is both incredibly important to understand so others may be able to relate or avoid repeating and also creates an opportunity to analyze in depth the deep seated cultural and emotional pathologies present in our society which we desperately need right now. I don’t think anyone can listen to this and not connect with at least one of the characters involved if not all of them. Adding Dr. Ramani to the conversation is without a doubt one of the most cognizant ways to defuse and clarify the many many issues that this podcast touches on. It is without a doubt a fantastic way to tell a sad truth about ourselves and also a touchstone for how to address future tragedies without sensationalizing them or sorting them up into tidy piles of good or evil. It simply confronts our struggles head-on and encourages all of us to think critically and empathize about the lives of others, their struggles, and our own unquestioned wants and fears that drive us throughout our lives. Hopefully this podcast will inspire others to reflect deeply on our truths and perhaps work on redirecting the parts that cause us to become less well adjusted. What a fascinating podcast.

This is a wild piece of reporting. I really like Barbara Schroeder’s narration. I do feel that sharing these recordings of Jennair is unethical because she was obviously so unwell. It’s also disturbing to me how many of these reviews fail to recognize that she manipulated and controlled her husband—no doubt much of his reluctance to swiftly end the marriage was due to the 24+ years of how he’d been treated. While we often hear about men abusing women, women are also capable of abusing men. The two additional episodes—discussions with Dr. Ramani and Mark—were my favorite episodes because they didn’t feel as “produced”, but rather authentic, imperfect conversations.

How is it that we can’t see that this is classic personality disorder, in action? I feel for this guy, having been there before. There is serious mental illness, obviously displayed, from day one. I feel for this guy. He is trying to make her happy and, unfortunately, doesn’t have the courage to disconnect from her. Which, is the problem, from day one. He simple can’t break up with her, because he won’t hurt her.

I really enjoyed this podcast. I’ve listened to this guy on others before, but never heard from Gennair. It really puts things in a different perspective. He definitely strung her along and drove her deeper into dispair. Maybe the outcome would have been different if he was honest.

I am so grateful for the details and depth you offer in contrast to 20/20’s version, which must have had some strict parameters per Mark Gerardot’s agreement to be interviewed. Through your podcast we learn about, among other things: Mark’s previous betrayals (that’s plural) of Jennair re: other women; his convincing Meredith NOT to file a restraining order against Jennair when she probably should have; and his claiming he had no idea about what Jennair was planning. Though he doesn’t really explain this part, we are left to supposedly accept that, even though he was paying all bills at the time, he evidently never looked at his own credit card statements listing Jennair’s purchase of a gun (5-6 weeks prior to crime), a black wig, an all-black outfit from Kohl’s, target practice classes, and months prior to that all kinds of specialty listening and GPS devices. All this from the man who was supposedly, finally going to live independently. Now I can’t help but believe Mark Gerardot is using his master marketing skills to re-brand himself as a humble, repentant, wiser soul here to school us all on some of the most obvious, terrible things most of us would not do anyway in ending any kind of relationship, including copious lying and dishonesty right up to both women’s last day when Jennair sent him a photo of his used condom in Meredith’s trash, after his insisting even in his interviews that they hadn’t had sex for months. Here’s what I’m grateful for: 1) the amount of extra material you obtained from Mark (even though I believe it’s at least a partly controlled good guy attempt from him and we don’t know what he has withheld). It offers a counter to his growing claims re: Jennair’s mental health status, all made post-mortem btw by him, with secondhand references to mental health specialists and lists of traits he found online. 2) You have brought especially strong and needed light to the Woman Scorned concept, I think another version at times of the “hysterical” woman, versus the cowardly, enabling husband who evidently has no responsibility to stop a wife’s bullying, demand she get help, and/or step away as his enabling is just as harmful and cruel as the wife’s behavior. I don’t recall Mark ever referring to himself as a coward, much more so as a veiled victim. 3) My greatest takeaway is that we are all responsible for our own mental health, single or in a relationship, and that is just as true for Meredith who, from Day One had none to little sympathy, not even acknowledgment, of Jennair’s predicament. Many people involved say there were no red flags, but collectively they all make it very clear there was a train wreck coming from 50 miles away, and no one would get off the tracks. I imagine someday soon Mark will be offered a film option, and I hope by then that, like our new awareness re: narcissism, we will hold the passive enablers, who don’t act responsibly, just as responsible as the scorned spouses who finally act out. Thanks again!

Well done pod but I really, really hate Mark. He literally drove his wife crazy with his lies, gaslighting and mental abuse. He’s an awful person and yes he’s a narcissist. He’s nothing without his victim status.

had dreams all night about this, incredible story. I am sorry this happened.

Thanks to TikTok, women like Jennair are making their “Selfie Videos” public. Now how to get this podcast to man who really needs to hear this….. Mark- I didn’t like you throughout the podcast, but you redeemed yourself in the interview. You’ve done a good thing by making the tapes public. I really do hope you save some lives. RIP Meredith 💔

I feel for all involved and wish the best to the surviving victims (Mark, the families and loved ones.)

I like the interviews can i get more on this care or any case. Loved it

I had to turn this off. I was so furious. I’m a feminist and a staunch advocate of protecting women from abuse and highlighting the prevalence of femicide - when a man (for any NUMBER of reasons) murders a woman. Yet flip the tables and we are supposed to see Jennair as a victim of trauma because her husband was cheating, as a wounded soul who knows not what she did. We are supposed to see her as helpless to her despair. Absolutely not! Women are brilliant, strong, and capable. Women feel devastation when their relationships break up. But if we entitle Jennair to societal empathy and reduced culpability for her crime, then what does that say about the hundreds of thousands of men who murder their wives, wives’ new boyfriend, or their own children out of identical despair. Jennair was desperate and devastated. She was also a terrifying stalker who is no different than the men who stalk women. She is not entitled to a different analysis because of her sex. Her behavior was unconscionably self centered and vicious; and every one of the interviewees who attempts to rationalize it is handing society a reason to shrug when a man stalks and murders a woman because of his “trauma” that the relationship is over. Shame on this podcast developer for painting such a horrific narrative.

I feel so bad for Jennair. Mark was a horrible husband and Meredith was an adulterer and home wrecker. I wish it hadn’t ended this way and that Mark had done the right thing and been faithful to his wife of decades. I know Jennair wasn’t perfect, and she’s wrong for ending two lives, but I feel sympathy for the despair that Mark and Meredith caused her. 4 stars because they weren’t honest about Meredith’s role in ruining Jennair’s life.

This is a very tragic story. I wasn’t married to my husband nearly as long as the Geradots but marriage is marriage nonetheless. I uprooted and moved states for my husband shortly before we got married and within 1 year he started an affair with the only person who was my *friend* in our new state (16 years his junior and 18 mine). He lied. She lied. Repeatedly. Now I never went so far as to plant recording devices and follow them around (I don’t think I could have stomached listening and knowing so much) but I can say from experience: when you find yourself in an unfamiliar state, no job, unable to have children (by choice), no friends and no family or support system, you begin to have crazy thoughts. I totally relate to Jennair feeling like her life was over, and I imagine listening to all the tapes pushed her farther into “wanting justice”. Again, I know every single feeling she had. Not wanting Mark to be happy, knowing he will live with the guilt and shame; and feeling like Meredith just rides in on her perfect horse stealing her life without a single ramification. As humans we want karma and we want it now. I can tell you right now, whether Meredith was in the picture or not… this story was going to have a tragic ending no matter what. Whether Jennair would have committed suicide alone or would have taken Mark with her is the unknown. When you wrap your life around someone or something, it’s unhealthy for all involved. NONE OF THIS IS AN EXCUSE FOR MURDER. But everyone has culpability in this situation. I remember waking up one day after a particularly cruel evening and lies from my husband and realizing “I don’t care if I have to work 3 jobs for the rest of my life and I sleep on a bare mattress… I need to get out of here”. And karma did catch up with those involved and I ended up doing just fine. No one can see the end of the rainbow when you are so deep in the storm, but it’s there. And it’s not easy and it’s not quick. I wish Jennair could have seen that. It took me months to realize I was thinking of a very permanent solution to a temporary (albeit very painful) problem. Just as each person is responsible for admitting to themselves ‘maybe it’s time I talk to someone’ and taking control of their own mental health, we have a responsibility of making sure we don’t push people that are already struggling. Mark did a zillion things wrong and so did Meredith knowing how fragile Jennair was. But ultimately, Jennair holds all the responsibility of altering the situation past the point of no return. I didn’t hear narcissism or personality disorders… I heard a lot of selfishness, avoidance, immaturity and eventually, self realization. No one is perfect, but the old saying “treat people as you want to be treated” rings very true in this story. Very sad and I do hope Mark finds some peace with himself.

Wow does this capture the mental and emotional unraveling in marital betrayal. And on the other side, the oblivious selfishness of finding a new shiny object, to the devastation of the wronged spouse. If only she had known that this too would pass. I’ve been there and said many of the same things she recorded. She fed her own mental break by surveilling, which is why I refused to do anything of the kind. Any listener will be so saddened by how things could have gone another way, and those in the know understand that the mental break is temporary, especially with enough help. She instead acted so the breakdown has permanent and indelible reverberations. It’s still hard to not be both frustrated with Gennair and to also feel empathy. Such a tragedy, and well-told.

I’m not a true crime nerd but I stumbled onto this show and it was great

I appreciate the light being shone on just how much cheating on a spouse can harm them. It’s real trauma that can and does neurologically harm the brain. Yes, all three of these people are perpetrators. All three of them are the bad guy. People think it’s far more simple than it is. Far less traumatic than it is.

Tragic story. Very well done.

This podcast was mostly amazing. The production quality is super high, it’s tastefully gripping and psychologically fascinating. Jennair was obviously a toxic narcissist who was emotionally abusing her spouse and others. In this light, it was rich to hear the psychologist call Mark a narcissist, and seemingly to lessen Jennair’s guilt. Is it even legit to diagnose someone from afar? Does everyone who has an affair qualify as a narcissist? All the Dr Ramani stuff seems pretty overblown and arrogant. Why does one expert opinion get so much play? I think the podcast would have been better without it, or at least with less.

I first read Mark’s book and was left with many feelings and questions that it stirred up inside me. This podcast ( which could be listened to completely alone, without reading his book, but I am so glad I did both) is such a comprehensive study into Jennair, the events leading up to the tragedy, and the possible “ingredients” to this recipe for disaster. My heart aches for all the friends and families that have been affected by the tremendous loss of two human beings. I am also grateful to Mark, who I know many are seething at for his involvement, for swallowing his pain, fear, pride, etc and allowing the recordings to be played and his sit down with Dr. Ramani on the podcast. I feel it will help MANY others. The host Barbara Schroeder has a super easy voice to listen to as well. I binged this entire podcast in one day. Listen to this, without judgement but with an open mind and heart if possible!