Current State of (my) Podcast World

For reasons I won't expound on, I temporarily lost access to my phone and had to use a substitute until the global chip shortage allowed me a new one (new phone acquired, order is restored). However, in doing so, I spent a month with little storage or processing space and a phone that could not run some apps, including my Google Podcast app. I love the Podcast app, I like the layout and interface, but for a month, I had to access podcasts on my phone via the web. This showed me exactly how many podcasts I am subscribed to and it's...a lot. 

Most of them are single season investigative reporting or limited series sort of things, which are nearly always my favorite. But they're cluttering my space and trimming dead wood is my current focus, so I want to unsubscribe from them if they are no longer publishing to that feed. As long as I stay on one podcast from each studio, I'll still get the new show updates that I currently get a dozen times over from podcasts that have been done for a few years. 

Before I remove them, though, my sense of completion and desire to get things I loved more visible means I need to review them here. So I'll be doing that and adding the label "complete" to indicate the run is done and unlikely to update (i.e. some of the investigations are ongoing or in courts so those I will keep while they keep updating as developments unfold). 

Also, a note on this - Parcast has decided to move all their shows exclusively to Spotify. As I don't use Spotify, I am no longer listening to anything they put out except International Infamy by Ashley Flowers (of audiochuck) because it's still updating. It's a limited series as well, so hopefully it finishes out on Google. Parcast was always hit or miss since they get very sensational about true crime in a way that can be uncomfortable, but a few of their shows were enjoyable (Cults and Medical Murders were my favorites). I really hope this does not start a trend of moving to exclusive platforms but given Spotify has decided to get aggressive about beating Apple Podcasts, I have to assume this is something we're going to see. 

The other side of this is that Crime Junkie has decided to make an app for their show. It's incredibly well done and I unsubscribed from them on Google Podcasts after confirming it won't hurt any of their metrics. I'd love to see an audiochuck app since I follow all of their shows, but the CJP app is really good if you listen.