When I first stumbled upon Gimlet Media’s “Reply All” podcast, I found myself drawn to some obscure episodes with titles like “Sandbox” and “Lost in a Cab,” but I decided to start at the beginning. “Reply All” was released in 2014 and is about the Internet and the ways people interact through different forms of social media.
The first episode is called “A Stranger Says I Love You.” It painted the picture of a recently broken up couple who didn’t know how to communicate their lasting feelings to each other. Before Ariel, the ex-girlfriend, moved across country, she turned to the app “Somebody” to deliver a message to her ex-boyfriend. This app (no longer in use because of its flawed-nature) was a way to send messages through a stranger, to eliminate the awkward and directness of personally sending a message. Cut to the boyfriend Sam at work when a stalky, blonde guy entered and said, “I fucking love you,” from Ariel. I felt the adrenalin rushing through my veins as the two hosts, PJ Vogt and Alex Goldman uncovered the meaning behind this message and what Ariel and Sam’s relationship came to be, or in fact, didn’t come to be. After receiving the message, Sam responded to Ariel with a simple email saying something along the lines of “Thanks that was nice of you,” and that was the end of their communication.
This podcast features a crew of individuals who explore the Internet by finding interesting and bizarre anecdotes. The hosts are personable and make any listener feel like they are on an exploration of the web and recent social media advancements. Even if you are not a millennial familiar with the apps Tinder, Snapchat and Grinder, this podcast is still for you. Take episode 68, “Vampire Rules,” for instance. It does not take on the typical podcast form, but instead ventures into investigative journalism where the listener is dragged down a rabbit hole to uncover the mystery behind the woman in the Tinder profile picture. I felt discomfort settling in as eerie music played in the background of the interview. I felt frustration at the fact that the couple had never seen this woman before, even though she was sitting in their living room. This narrative was one example of the compelling stories that air on “Reply All.”
There is a reason why this podcast is called “Reply All,” and that is because it is for everyone. This podcast is a good way to relax on your next family road trip, or listen to in your ear buds while walking to class.
Cover image from Reply All Facebook.