The Podcast I Hated—And Why I’m Giving It A Second Chance: A Lesson in Right Media, Wrong Time

by Stevie D. Rosenfeld

The difference between something being bad and someone disliking something is a

distinction many people fail to recognize, myself included. There is a big difference between media being poorly written and just not being your cup of tea. Increasingly common, however, is media being your favorite cup of tea, but you forgot it on the counter and let it get cold.

That was my situation with “Spirit Box Radio.” The series followed the narrator Sam as

he navigates the supernatural world his mother left behind. On paper, it seemed like the perfect show for me: diegetic medium, charming host, personifications of arcane concepts, and twisted family ties. These are all things that usually draw me into a piece, rather than push me away.

Yet, “Spirit Box Radio” did not really work for me. I got to the end of season 2 and just

could not keep going. I had a couple of reasons, but perhaps it is better to say I had excuses.

For one, it felt like there were very suddenly a lot of characters to keep track of; each

with extremely specific backgrounds, abilities, and relationships integral to the story. Once vital characters seemed a world away, villains were turning into allies overnight, romantic

relationships felt heavy handed, and the lax magical rules that I originally loved seemed to

become a means of avoiding plot holes.

By the time I stopped listening, I had completely lost the thread. I did not know the

story’s lore, the stakes of each conflict, or the characters’ goals. But after a few weeks away from the show, I found myself wondering: were these problems with the show or with me?

During my break from “Spirit Box Radio,” I took some time to think about why I did not

like it. I sat, pretentiously nitpicking every flaw in the series to justify why I was giving up on it. But as the time since I had listened grew, my list of problems became smaller. The things that bugged me when I first listened seemed trivial after time away. I realized that I had not really given the series a chance. My dislike of the series was not derived from the actual content, but from my stunted, distracted interactions with it.

My main issue with the show was pacing. Everything seemed to happen too quickly,

escalating the stakes before you could get a grip on the context. Initially, I criticized the writing as rushed. But after break, I realized I was the one rushing. This is the binge-watching generation; we are used to consuming all our content in one bite. I have been known to finish television series over a weekend, full length novels in a day, and I had listened to seventy-eight “Spirit Box Radio” episodes in about two weeks. Not only was this ruining my experience of the show, but it was disrespectful to the writer and the other creators who had put profound effort into precisely pacing a complex story. Episodes were released once a week and were designed to be listened to on that schedule. Pacing was not the problem with “Spirit Box Radio,” my inability to pace myself was.

My disrespect extended beyond pacing and into elementary school levels; I wasn’t paying

attention in class. Podcasts are lauded for providing entertainment while working on

assignments, doing chores, or exercising. On the surface, podcasts seem like a multitasker’s best friend. They offer the ability to be informed and entertained without interrupting our daily routine. I was listening to “Spirit Box Radio” while doing home workouts in the middle of the pandemic. While Sam’s narration may have been fueling my attempts at 90-day-abs, it wasn’t getting my full attention. The show did have a lot of characters and incredibly complex lore which could be difficult to keep track of, but my complete lack of focus did not make things easier. I had podcasts for every occasion; specific shows I listened to when I exercised, when I was studying, when I was driving, getting dressed, doing laundry, even assembling my parents' furniture. But the shows that I loved, my true and honest favorites, were the ones I listened to just sitting in my bedroom. The shows I loved the most were the ones I gave undivided attention to. Was I giving them my attention because I loved them, or did I love them because I took the time to really focus on the stories?

Finally, there was the matter of balancing my personal taste with my appreciation of art. I

love supernatural stories that build a unique universe. I love immortals constantly re-evaluating their place in a growing world. I love virtuous characters grappling with the streak of evil running inside them. But I do not love romance. I am not one for Ellen Hildebrand books or Noah Centineo movies. For me, romance served more when it was integrated into the plot and not the focus of it. Even though the relationship between Sam and love-interest Oliver was relevant to character development, their romance seemed completely separate from the main plot of the show. It could have been a fantasy romance series all on its own.

But was it a bad fantasy romance?

The romantic plotline an intense emotional rollercoaster prone to sharp left turns and

rapid changes. Generally, these are things I dislike in a story, but that does not mean they are poorly written. In fact, for fans of supernatural love stories, these might be benefits rather than drawbacks. Meanwhile, I was letting a well-written aspect of the podcast that simply did not appeal to me distract from a story I could have truly loved.

I do not think I am alone in my experience with Spirit Box Radio. We have more access

to media than ever before, but that means standards are getting higher. If things do not

immediately sate us, we give them up. This means we never learn the twist that perfects the

book, never let the new series hit its stride, and never hear the tragic hero of an audio drama become lord of the universe.

If a piece of media is not working for you, a break might be just what you need. But

during that time, try to evaluate if you are giving the series a fair chance. Consider if you are

being too harsh toward minor details, if you are truly focused, or if you are taking on too much too soon. When you come back to the piece with an open mind, you will be more ready to evaluate whether it is something you like, just not for you, or if it’s just a piece of garbage. Who knows, maybe it will be your favorite piece of garbage.