I was looking for an audio supplement to accompany a Harry Potter reread, and, as fun as they are, the numerous “reading Harry Potter for the first time” copycats lose their novelty fast. I was drawn to Muffliato based on their unique approach relative to other HP podcasts, and after several episodes in, I’m pleased to say I made the right choice.
As a long-time fan, it’s a delight to learn new canon, lore, and interesting fan theories about one of my favorite stories to this day, and to do so along with the hosts whose enjoyment is apparent and mirrors the listeners as they learn simultaneously. The literary analysis lens is also immensely rewarding, and has served to deepen my understanding and in turn my enjoyment of the source material.
Production-wise, the audio is crisp and clear, and the hosts waste no time with housekeeping, dead air, moral/political grandstanding, or hemming and hawing. Honestly, I would invite more tangents, considering some of the funniest moments have been when Blake and Josh got a little off-track. These dudes run a tight ship and appreciate the listener’s time.
My only caveat is that if you haven’t read the books and are the type of person who prefers to avoid spoilers (and if you have managed to avoid spoilers for this franchise into 2023 you are an actual wizard), consider waiting to listen until after you’ve read the series, as this podcast is more of a deep-dive and therefore pretty spoiler-heavy. If you don’t care about spoilers, or you’re already a fan of the series, I highly recommend.
