I used to love this podcast. It was so moving and engaging. I keep trying, but I rarely can even get through an episode anymore. Obviously they’re trying to hit a different demographic. It’s become so shallow; I’m not interested in a host trying so hard to relate to these unlikable guests. I’m disinterested in her sex life, single hood, drug use, girlfriend hangouts, etc. This show used to have depth and interest. What on earth happened? It’s become like many host-centric podcasts that I avoid like the plague. A real loss.

She interjects too much and her cackle is off putting

What happened to the essays?! I miss the essays!! Now it’s just guests and Anna talking about themselves.

Happy for Katie and Mark. It’s like Seinfeld’s “Schmoopie” episode, but with a better outcome.

Interesting guests. Would benefit from a different host.

What’s with all the negative reviews, people? This podcast is as good as ever, and the show descriptions allow you to pick and choose what you want to hear. Hate celebrity chats? Skip ‘em! Only want to hear the column read out loud? Easy! Love you, Anna Martin. Your insightful questions and compassionate responses when your guests show vulnerability are appreciated by this long-time listener.

Modern Love used to be awesome. Anna Martin interrupts too much and tries too hard to relate to the guests. The guests are entitled…it so hard to feel bad for them. The concept for this podcast is great. Bring back Meghna Chakrabarti.

The voices, the upspeak, need I say more?

Dear Host: Please stop commenting on being single, being 31 and stop being an interruptor. Allow the guests to tell their own story and guide the interview rather than shifting the focus to your direction.

Super disappointed by the change in format. I’m all for giving the new host a chance but this isn’t working. Please change it back, Modern Love used to be my favorite!

For years, this was my favorite podcast— I loved hearing the Modern Love essays read aloud, by whoever! Now, the format seems to be only conversations, and it’s become like all the other chatty podcasts out there—the art is gone. Hopefully sometime soon the producers will pivot the show back to its unique and winning format. Until then, unfortunately I’m out. :(

Anna Martin, please trust that your interviewee can speak for themselves without constant interruption/clarification by you.

I find some recent episodes still pull me into someone’s life and inner world. Listening to this Bridesmaids episode I’m loosing my mind , I had no idea rich people got so crazy about consumerism and control and n their weddings … I cannot relate to this and sounds so insane to “make” people buy and perform … have a potluck , resist the toxic consumption.

This show used to be a treasured pocket of joy in my week. They used to invite a guest to read a story from the column and then discuss it after. I absolutely loved hearing the stories spoken aloud. They came to life and often left me feeling so deeply, whether that was loss or wonder or joy. Now it is a vapid talk show that inspires nothing in me. I actually grieved a little when they changed it. Please please please bring back the old format!!

I used to love this podcast. I thought the stories and format were really relatable and engaging. This is a podcast for a different audience now and it’s very disappointing. As many have mentioned there are a lot more celebrity features instead of real stories. There is also a much larger focus on intercourse and sexuality instead of a focus on love which I recognize has a good amount of overlap but Anna manages to make almost all topics about sex even when the interviewee doesn’t bring it up. On the topic of the host, somehow Anna Martin has gotten worse with the new format. She use to be so good at eliciting interesting information from her guests and now she chimes in so much with stuff that actually detracts from a good story. For instance, if somebody is having a hard time describing something she might say “oh I totally know what you mean” and move on. I don’t know what they mean! Help them paint a better picture for me, the listener, which is actually something I use to appreciate about her. Maybe this is due to the lack of genuine and interesting guests as all the new guests are just celebrities and she is simply a victim of that but these changes have made a previously perfect podcast into overly sexualized celebrity endorsement ads.

I really hate the sellout to celebrities. The original point of the column was regular people with their love stories. Now it seems like the podcast is just pimping movies and venerating celebrities. There are other podcasts for that.

I love this podcast it’s my all time favorite.

So sad to hear a woman with low self-esteem try to convince herself that her husband‘s infidelity isn’t that bad. Sounds straight out of the 1950s. MODERN Love shouldn’t be giving a platform to this regressive view, at least not without challenging it.

I loved when the stories were read, followed by an interview. The interview alone is baseless and kind of boring.

is too high. “What the world needs now is love, sweet love.” Love is transformative, not a profit center. I hope you find a balance between being accessible and covering your business expenses.

I fell in love with the Modern Love Podcast when it was the actual essays read aloud by a rotating cast of excellent readers. Most often it was an actor of renown, but more importantly, it was someone who expressed themselves beautifully and read the piece with great care and emotion. These readers chose which essay they wanted to read, so the piece resonated with them—and you could feel it in their interpretation. I so appreciated the subsequent interviews with both reader and sometimes the author as well. Always satisfying and enlightening! The new format is flat and not unique at all —although Anna is a charming host. I find the Friday subscriber installments maddening! If I have to hear Jenine Edwards robotically read yet another essay…🫩😖. It is disrespectful to your listeners, and especially to the authors of the essays! Please, please say this new format was a failed experiment and reinstate what made this podcast MATTER. Thanks for considering!

Such a disappointing episode. The first one I’ve ever not been able to finish. Sounded more like a push for the book than the story behind it. And his attempt at humor came off rehearsed. I’m sorry, but a real turn off for me. I’ll try to write reviews when I love the expire too

I really enjoyed this interview with Jordan Carlos. I have missed his Adulting podcast with Michelle Buteau!

We love our kids more than ourselves is evident here. My ex tried to take our fake Xmas tree on his exodus out of the house after 2 years’ divorcing. My first feeling was murderous but thought my son is watching, so I smoothed it over by saying “we’ll get a real tree, so don’t worry “! while my sweet son watched. So Belle was very relatable here.

While I have been happily married for 40 years, I connected with Belle Burden’s story. She has an authentic voice that illuminates a heartbreaking experience. I purchased her book and send best wishes to her and her children ❤️

This show is incredible, it is beautiful. It is a way to interact with celebs different from any other and it is masterfully hosted. It was the first podcast where I was like “I would pay for this” (I didn’t have to but I would). The Andrew Garfield ep is an all time episode for all of podcasts 💜

Your father was home when you left

(This show makes me want to)

Wow!!!! Anna is beyond perfection with her beautiful voice, calm delivery and contagious laugh. Her questions and comments are absolutely spot on. This broadcast was so moving with Jessica Buckley’s story and her performance in Hamnet. I was already so moved by the conversation, but then to hear the essay, I was completely brought to tears. So powerful an experience. Thank you.

Imagine a community where men are not raping, stalking, assaulting, kidnapping, and murdering women. I’m not surprised that women’s-only communities are thriving.

I like this

Joining the chorus to ask for the essays back. This has been my favorite podcast since the show began, but lately I don’t listen to it anymore because it has nothing to do with modern love. I love Anna Martin, she is a great host but it’s so much more interesting when people read the essay and say why they choose or what they liked. Even when the author is on if they don’t read the essay you have no idea what’s going on. Now it’s become like so many other podcasts and lost what made it so special.

I really miss hearing essays read in the author’s voice. Having a voice actor read makes the essays seem less personal and more generic.

All, Trigger warnings are for a reason. Not just for SA or things like that but also the loss of a child. Your listeners are also pregnant women… 5 months pregnant.. why wouldn’t you be kind enough to give a trigger warning?

This format isn’t working. I tried on numerous occasions to give it a chance. I miss Meghna, the soothing piano intro and the engaging format of the old podcast. This new interpretation feels self-indulgent and, with all due respect, quite boring. The original Modern Love was absolutely perfect. Such a shame.

It was lovely when the author reads their essay and then Anna interviews them.

The new format of the show interviewing celebrities is taking away what I loved about this podcast- real, relatable stories from normal people about different versions of love. I miss the readings of the essays. I can’t relate to these new guests who are out of touch with a average person’s experience

The older episodes where the essays are read is sorely missed by me. The interviews are painful to listen to and Anna Martin’s questions are shallow and not thought productive. Please bring back the old format where celebrities read essays and that was the main focus of the show. The length of the episodes should also be closer to 20 to 30 minutes long. 1 hour long episodes makes it too long winded.

It’s nice that NYT subscribers get bonus episodes. What’s not nice is that the titles are all the same. What that means (at least on Apple’s default podcast app) is that one cannot tell if you’ve previously played an episode (both because the titles are all the same and because, on this app, the “Bonus - Subscriber exclusive” portion overwrites the area where the played indicator is normally (at least on this app, the default). So you begin listening, realize you’ve previously played, stop whatever you’re doing (driving, running etc) and skip to next. Of course it would be nice if this app did what it’s supposed to and ignored previously played episodes but this app too is a piece of junk and the app developers haven’t addressed this defect for forever, so get your act together NYT!!!!

Host needs to calm down, listen and let the guest talk. Martin repeatedly cuts off her guests, finishing their sentences. It’s uncomfortable to hear and disrespectful.

I miss when the essays where read aloud by the author. I’m not interested in all the side interviews that happen. It’s the thought provoking essays that touched my heart before. Please bring that part of the show back for every episode.

I’ve loved this podcast for years. Most recently, the podcast has gone through a few iterations in the way the podcast is structured. It feels jarring to go from the focal point being the essay featuring an author interview, to an author being the sole focus of an entire episode? I fear the plot has been lost! It is challenging (to put it lightly) to take interest with an author discussing-at length-the background to a story I have never heard! So while it is difficult to say goodbye to an old favorite, it honestly feels like I have no choice. I truly do appreciate the memories. The stories of love that challenged, inspired, and connected so many will be remembered fondly!

Anna, please don’t say “like” as much as you do it just ruins the show for me

This story is fantastic, I am so intrigued. How brave is she, I would never have the guts to search out that pleasure. Good on you!

Anna has resurrected a show that had once become stale and lost its footing. She is lovely, intelligent and wise and it shines through in the show structure and storytelling. A win!

Yikes

I’ve been a loyal modern love listener for many years now. If Anna ever left it would break my heart. She brings the emotion and empathy and a touch of humor to the most compelling stories. Thank you for making such an incredible podcast looking forward to listening for years to come ! You all are the best ♥️

we never, ever need to hear from Renee Rapp again.

Mel Robbins is a grifter who stole the let them theory verbatim from someone else

Repackaging Al-Anon wisdom and oversimplifying it