This is usually a great podcast. Definitely left leaning but usually not offensive and always has interesting takes on ideas. Episode 855 is so biased against Trump it aims to make you feel stupid for believing anything president Trump says.

Maybe this show will be able to dig its way back, but currently so partisan it’s comical.

One of changes TAL has made is disappointing. Since introducing the subscription service I noticed that the episodes are no longer numbered. As a long time listener, the number would alert me to a rerun. For sure, many episodes are worthy of a second listen, but I would like the advantage of making that decision. I love the program and will continue to do so.

This is my favorite podcast overall, except when I stopped listening for a couple years when it got too political and too preachy after COVID. Then they seemed to go back to their original premise, and I started loving it again. I didn’t listen to the Talking While Black episode because of the way it opened- so sarcastic, and the recent episode on NPR was all about how Trump lies. I already know that… I hear it all the time. I don’t want sarcasm, I don’t want to be preached at. This American Life can be the calm in the storm. I enjoyed every single episode in the last several months until the last 2 mentioned. If there’s another, I will stop listening to This American Life until they get it out of their system.

Why do you guys do this to me!? Crying like little baby. Thank you.

I love most of the shows. The last episode by Zack Mack (10 Things I don’t want to hate about you) and the story about his father and family saddened me. My heart breaks for his mother and sadness for his sister. Prayers for everyone especially Zack’s dad. Good story line. Thanks for sharing your pain with us. This episode really touched me.

I think this story will hit close to home for many of us.

There are so many thing to listen to but “American Life “ stands at the top. Can’t say enough.

The February 23, 2025 story by Zach Mack (about his father, the conspiracy theorist) made me feel despondent about the worsening political divide in this country. Because it’s not about legit substantive differences in political ideology. It’s rooted in brainwashed people who are dug into crazy beliefs and “values”. I don’t know how Mack maintains patience with his father. I feel for his mother and sister. I even feel for his father, who is so far gone. May this country withstand its current existential challenges…

They are so deeply woke - they work in propaganda when you least expect it - it’s a good quality show but be aware that you are being manipulated as opposed to simply being presented with a story where you are allowed to make up your own mind.

Since most content today is interwoven with politics, it would be nice if a publicly funded organization like this could be apolitical. Informative yet irksome if you’re hoping to avoid the jabs at a particular political viewpoint.

No other podcast can compare.

Hmmm! Still hating America interviews.

One of if not the best. Thanks for sharing. PS. Love to Phil Collins.

Listening to this podcast helps remind me what an “American” life truly is. It calms my inner Chicken Little and reassures me that being “American” is and will continue to be a good thing. Don’t let fear win.

I’ll try to keep this as concise as I can (as someone with a tendency to ramble). Ira Glass and his team manage to take you on an emotional journey that often leads with laughing out loud. It then follows up with some heartwarming excerpt that gives you the fuzzy feelings inside. Inevitably you will be sobbing in the most cathartic way. Every episode ends with a hopeful note that even if they just shared the most tragic story you’ve heard in months, you’re left with a feeling that there is still some hope and redemption for humanity. As someone raised Christian and still practicing in a somewhat unconventional way, I can only compare this storytelling to the most lifegiving, inspiring sermons I’ve heard and this show never misses. It has no religious bent or anything of that sort, but it hits in a similar way that challenges and inspires the way that you will live your life. TLDR: This podcast will make your top 5 all time if you keep an open mind and appreciate excellent storytelling from people with decades of experience sharing stories.

This is a great show that really does show Americans back to themselves. I’m going to become of a member because of your stories on Palestinian struggle over the years and the recent one on the Jewish hostage. How do you manage to get it right when most of media get it so wrong? Thank you.

In the first 10 minutes, I’m hearing a gay man get offended because his family wants to know who the man in the family is. And then black women playing tricks on their dates, looking for ways to get offended Ope. And then a rip on Ron DeSantis. Y’all are miserable.

Saw all the Trumpers crying for truth and all that nonsense. Such snowflakes. Keep up the great reporting. You can tell you are hitting towards truth by how mad Trumpers are.

A top experience of content, time & time again. These ppl are born to make this content. Thank you for your hard work - you challenge and remind m e of important things in life. This podcast makes me a better person.

Long time IG listener but I’m disappointed by how precious the show has become and had lost its focus on good storytelling.

I love to listen to it I’m young and it does have quite a few cuss words but they do warn you before you listen so no complaints here!

This podcast is great and funny and you can’t help LOVING it. It’s also funny, interesting and has a new episode weekly. It’s the ultimate podcast because I ya just amazing. It totally deserves its awards. I LOVE SO MUCH.

I hope they went back for the turtle I couldn’t listen after hearing the pet turtle may have been abandoned

latest episode demonstrates the downfall since profits became the focus……..

It’s a very interesting show that talks about things that most shows don’t, it’s unique. But almost all of the episodes are subscriber only.

Glass is a world-class storyteller that is the very best thing about NPR.

Put all the good episodes behind a $9.99 behind a paywall because that worked so well for the newspaper industry dummies

I could not survive these years without it. It’s entertaining, informative, makes me laugh , makes me cry, puts me to sleep but glad to wake up. The previous review pretty much says it all. Thank you Ira & all. Please stick around to help us through the hard times so we can celebrate the return of something approaching normal—or at least something that isn’t so weird & scary & wears way too much make up.

As a multi-decade NPR supporter I feel TAL is simply putting too much squeeze on its listeners. Booo hiss to fees. Just wait for the Platinum subscriber level next year!

I loved your episode, The Narrator, but please call it what it is - it is not a war, it is a genocide; to use this euphemism is cowardly.

Ira, this has been a tough year for many of us so your episode Fiasco! caught me at a perfect time. It was so funny! Peter Pan, the squirrel story, the interview all just killed me. Thanks to you and your team for pulling these stories together! Happy new year!

hello readers. if you liked this episode whatsoever, please go listen to Heavyweight, a beautiful podcast, the best of the best, which focused on stories like this each and every episode, except the stories were told better, and with more humor, and more emotion, with an insane amount of effort and time put in by host Jonathan Goldstein (who you may have heard before already as he got his start on TAL years ago). Heavyweight was tragically discontinued, and it really bothers me to see This American Life now attempting a weak facsimile of the same formula. i see a lot of reviews here decrying the political bent TAL has recently taken, and if you want relief from that and to go back to hearing stories about people and laughing and crying about it, i absolutely IMPLORE you to check out Heavyweight. it will enrich your life a hundredfold and i’m NOT exaggerating

Interesting how all the negative reviews have disappeared. Recently there were a number of negative reviews, then poof, theyi’re gone!rI’m always suspect of businesses that only have 5 star reviews. Maybe This American Life can do a segment on this phenomena.

Why can’t I listen to the bleeped version of the show within the app? Forcing listeners to go to the website to hear the version without the potty mouth defeats the purpose of having the app.

Lilly Sullivan was just awful to her Mom.

I never know what each week will hold, but this show is always thoughtfully woven together. I continue to think back to shows from even a few years back. Well done TAL team.

I left my heart at the episode, The Narrator. That was the American Life seeing an 8 year old girl in Gaza.

Beyond disappointed that this podcast — which was one of my favorites for many years — has descended into pro-Gaza propaganda. I miss the old This American Life. Would not recommend this to anyone anymore.

“Progressively” tiring and pretentious. All the virtue signalling you’ll need in your lifetime and then some more. One more sheep in the herd.

After years of superb radio, TAL wrote the book on how to produce a podcast. Head and shoulders above the rest.

I love this show. I made it a goal to listen to all episodes years ago. I paid for the (very cheap) app to do so. The app regularly became unusable and would then start working again later on. Now it seems like it was abandoned for good and they are demanding $10 a month for something I already purchased (albeit at a very low one time fee, <$10). That would be ok if all episodes were on here, but lots of the old ones are not. Now I’m paying a lot but still need to listen to old ones on their website. I’m irritated.

TAL’s fall from grace irks me. I have fond memories of listening on my own and discussing the week’s episodes with my family. Naturally, a shift towards monetizing the show was coming but for months before the move to NYT, the show started to lose its shine and luster. A predictable swing left was certain to turn off audiences that didn’t align, but what was even more disappointing was the apparent laziness in creation. TAL is known for its unique and profound storytelling, and the show pounded the rock of political and war coverage when I’m sure most listeners would welcome a break. Even more discouraging is the recycled episodes. While it’s very hard to produce new content, each week, it seems like the show is slowly drifting away from its compelling and irreplaceable storytelling that draws you in each Sunday night unless you submit to the paywall they so desperately encourage you climb. Whatever the future holds, This American Life certainly has seen its best days yet is a few more low-frills shows away from a return to glory.

I’ve been listening to this podcast for 5 years, I absolutely love the episodes featuring individuals from Gaza, so heartbreaking necessary listens.

This American Life is so good!

I will been listening to this podcast since the beginning. I’ve truly enjoyed every single podcast, but now I can’t listen to it on Mondays when I normally used to because I don’t have the money. Shame on you. I’m so disappointed in This American Life. I understand that you need sponsorship, but what about us regular listeners who’ve been there forever and who have donated to NPR?

Very entertaining. I didn’t see that much left leaning episodes that the other reviews talk about. Love this podcast!!!

Defund NPR. I used to enjoy so many shows like this on NLR until they became left wing anti Trump propaganda. Regurgitating the same unsubstantiated nonsense and talking points all of MSM partakes in. January 20th and DOGE can’t come soon enough.

Good lord, how can anyone stand the smug liberal certainty of this show ? You've gone woke, and now Ira reports you're going broke. 4 years of Trump and 8 years of Vance ought to put this show in the trash heap where it belongs.

Horrible complete and utter nonsense by communist