I thoroughly enjoyed Madam Secretary. I only recently discovered AfterBuzzTV, and depending on whose on the panel, it can be fun to listen to. However, one major issue that creeps up in all the ABTV podcasts I've heard is poor public speaking skills… this podcast is not nearly as bad in that regard, but some panelists more than others have difficulty speaking without the majority of their verbalizations being along the lines of "I kinda think that, like…" or "Like, I don't know…" or "I mean… like, you know?" This type of speaking is extremely difficult to listen to, and I've stopped listening to many of the ABTV podcasts altogether because it came across as ignorant. I'm not suggesting the panelists who speak that way are ignorant, I'm merely saying that is how they sound when they cannot articulate a thought without having those throw-away words and phrases wrapped around their thoughts. My 2nd comment that is specific to this particular show (Madam Secretary) is that panelists covering/discussing this show should have some knowledge of current events. MadSec utilized many real current events as plot/context tools. While listening to the ABTV podcast about episode 4 (I believe) the primary host of the show started discussing how the US would "never get oil from Canada" - "who would believe that?" I literally slapped my forehead while driving and listening because it became apparent that this young lady has no idea what's happening in the US regarding Canadian oil pipelines. The Keystone Pipeline controversy has been in the news regularly for months, even years… and this gal was oblivious that this was actually a real thing. The gentleman host kindly pointed out that, indeed, oil is extracted from Canada, and ND, and informed her of fracking, etc. I understand that AfterBuzz is a relatively new platform (and a great idea) and that kinks will be worked out overtime. But, if you assume your listeners are as oblivious as some of the hosts, then you will lose many listeners. Please, in the future, I would ask that you choose hosts/panelists for shows carefully. In the case of MadSec, which utilizes real-world issues and events, the panelists should demonstrate at least some basic awareness of ongoing political & social events. Finally, if your job is to host a discussion panel and speak about a show, the hosts really need to know basics, like the main character's names, and every third sentence should definitely NOT be "blah blah blah." If you have to say "blah blah blah" 15-20 times in a 30-40 minute podcast, then it seems that particular host does not actually have much to say… which makes listening difficult.
