I’ve been listening since 2024 and was immediately hooked. I loved the banter, the research, and the thoughtful commentary, and Shameless quickly became one of my favorite podcasts.
However, since the episode structure changed, I feel like the overall quality and listening experience have dropped. I miss the two-episode-a-week format, not necessarily because I want more content, but because the episodes felt more intentional, cohesive, and well-edited. I also miss the old structure around ads and recommendations, which made the show feel more polished and easier to follow.
Dumb Stuff Friday in particular rarely feels cohesive to me. The episodes often feel empty and, compared to what I used to get out of the podcast, don’t add much value.
I understand the move toward being less edited and more conversational, but I think it has gone a little too far. There’s now a lot of breaking the fourth wall, like talking about the episode structure, commenting on how well or poorly they think they’re doing, acknowledging mispronunciations, tapping the mic, and other little production moments. Those things repeatedly pull me out of the conversation and make the episodes feel less polished.
I still really enjoy the hosts and what originally made Shameless so good, which is why I’ve continued listening. I just miss how intentional, focused, and high-quality the show used to feel.
