Really great content and guests. The writing is good, I think the stories and explanations are done well. My gripe is with the hypothetical questions asked to the listener, which are jarring. I’m already thinking about what I would do, I don’t need to be asked directly, it completely disrupts the show. Same with the sarcastic comments sprinkled throughout. It’s unnecessary and takes away from the guest.
It is so odd to make a show like this, then have, what appears to be, only one source for the info. This one source, who speaks often, is frequently provably inaccurate and seems to present his assumptions, in many cases, as common opinions or even facts. It is sad, because the horrors the CIA forced upon the world, and still does, needs to be available to the public. This show attempts to tell how awful the CIA is, yet goes about it in a childish, sloppy and somewhat arrogant way. It is all just a waste of time.
The channel offers a mix of the good and the bad. Many of the autobiographical stories and explorations are fascinating. Some of the historical retellings tend to be more varied. As an example, relying on a conspiracy theorist like David Talbot to weigh in on the early history of the Cold War seems like a pretty poor choice. 0 stars for the Old Man and the CIA.
I love this podcast and these stories, many of which I’m familiar with or had at least heard of, but getting a complete telling of them really pulls the curtain back.
Not sure why so many people are leaving negative reviews claiming political bias. The CIA has done something’s that, with today’s lens, are almost unbelievable, illegal and everything else, but those in power at the time, for better or worse, we’re doing what they thought they needed to do, what they believed best for can interests. It’s history, it happened.
Settle down, nobody’s coming for your guns.
There seem to be a lot of negative reviews on the podcast and I think that comes from the misconception that the guests are without their own bias. These stories are really interesting and should be used as a starting point to look into a topic further especially on a political or polarizing topic. And in case it’s not in every episode they do have a disclaimer…
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast are those of the subject. These stories are told from their perspective, and their authenticity should be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
The negative reviews seem to forget that these are the stories of the guests not the podcast, and their stories are for your individual consideration, not necessarily fact or the opinion of those who run this podcast. The stories are informative and the people who are so bothered by different opinions by experts and first hand accounts need to get out of their echo chamber.
When you say that the Guatemalan president was headed toward Marxism, but later in the episode, whine about the way that president’s efforts toward bringing democracy to his country were upset….we’ll, which is it? Was he a Marxist, or did he want democracy? Those two things are not interchangeable. At least the narrator was honest enough to admit the president was all about wealth redistribution. Only took a couple more episodes to be fed up with the bias — shameful, when claiming historical accuracy.
This is one of my go to podcasts. Well produced with excellent storytelling. For those complaining about subscriptions. You want something for nothing? Do you go to work for free? The professionals work hard to produce this product. If you don’t want to pay then don’t subscribe.
As for those complaining about “left leaning” stories, seems if anyone tries hard enough they can find a leftist hiding under every tree. Put your biases away and enjoy the product. If you can’t do that then produce a podcast that reflects your opinion.
Each episode (especially undercover cop) is such an overdramatized tale. If an undercover feels the need to turn their “mission” into a fantasy episode then perhaps in the wrong business. It’s embarrassing listening to some of these. People wanting to create heros out of themselves. So unoriginal
Love this podcast. So interesting to hear these real stories! But I question many of the sound effects used. Why, oh why, is there a rainbird-style lawn sprinkler going off in nearly every episode??
Great podcast if you can get past the exclusively western-centric POV of these stories . Would love to hear some episodes from the “Bad Guy’s” perspective. There are tons of big league foreign agencies with great stories that have been seemingly ignored.
I mostly enjoyed it until I started getting whiffs of political bias. Comparing Trump to Slobodan Milosevic ruined it for me. If it were something similar aimed at a D president I know you wouldn’t have aired it. In that statement he’s doing exactly what he’s accusing Trump of and you’re participating.
Not willing to pay for a subscription. It was only a matter of time before commercialisation of podcasts spoiled the product. It’s sad as I really enjoyed True Spies but I feel like I’m being nicked and dimes to death with these individual podcast subscriptions.
I find this podcast to be very fascinating and enticing. However, once they went to a subscription model they broke up a typical episode into 2 to 3 episodes to squeeze you to pay for their subscription. To add insult they don’t even post the episodes in order to finish the story and move to the next topic. It is cheap and wrong to string people along for a subscription based model.
TL/DR: Once they went to a subscription they don’t post in order and made the episodes longer to just to split them into more episodes.
Great podcast but… what’s up with the sprinkler sound effect? Is that the only effect you have? Do you just really like lawncare? I get it where the story is mentioning someone’s normal suburban life that was really a facade. Or even meanwhile back at the CIA farm. But sprinklers when talking about WWII Vienna? Sprinklers when talking about terrorist plots? Sprinklers in Kabul and the Kremlin?
The storyline of episode 118 sounds like im listening to a political thriller novel. If I’m a filmmaker, I’d make this a movie in a heartbeat. It even has a working film title “Hands Across Libya”.
The obvious political slant to this podcast takes away from the stories. Especially when you listen to old episodes, pushing a narrative that has now been proven completely false in court. The script is written in a way that it leaves out context and widely available information while dropping these little innuendos throughout. Makes me wonder if this podcast would have been available in 2012 or 2014, would the script be so open to discuss things like the false pretenses for the Iraq war? A war fully supported by Tony Blair.
Please, drop the political innuendo and condescension. There’s plenty of that on the news, we don’t need it here. Thank you.
I loved this podcast, but to wake up one day and find it’s now completely subscription without any warning, is really bad form. And to not have the option of subscription or ads? Sends a clear message that driving revenue is THE only parameter for the producers & execs. All done.
When I found this podcast you were 40 or shows in so I started at one and been working my way through sometimes twice and I’ve been sharing the show with like minded friends keep up the great work thx. Walter
They do a great job of storytelling along with their guest telling first person accounts of spy, undercover, top-tier military actions. Also the main host Vanessa Kirby has a great voice for podcast!
This used to be one of my favorite podcasts, but, like so many things, nothing seems sacred anymore, and they have reduced themselves to propagandizing. Terrible podcast.
A very fun listen
That Jack Barsky sounds German to me. He doesn’t roll his Rs. His Rs hard hard. Also his THs are German sounding. I would pick him out. It’s subtle but he has an accent.