Feeling "Off" About the More Recent Seasons

I want to say first and foremost, I am a huge fan of Normal Gossip, have been for years, and this is not one of those "I liked it before it was cool so present day is stupid and bad" posts. I work in a similar industry that produces regular non-fiction content and I know that things are hard out there, especially right now, but there has been a notable shift, especially in this season, but I'd say at least in part in last season, too, where the magic of the pod just is not there. I'd say the only one I'd listen to again from this season is Forbidden Feline Fanfiction, but the rest were just not it for me.

I think that there has to be ever-evolving change needed in this industry but maybe it's conforming to new standards set out by Radiotopia, maybe it's Kelsey having her time shifted to writing, editing, and planning on touring her new book (which I can't wait for!), the expanding and changing team of NG folks, etc. I just know that there is something different in the content being produced, and I would say not in a positive way.

Not every episode has to be a banger (obviously) but I feel like the overall quality of structuring episodes has really gone downhill. To find out that there are stories getting sliced and spliced together and misrepresenting the gossip in general is a bummer to hear, mostly because I feel like the stories don't make as much sense in the long run. The guests, repeats or not, are fine, but there are some who just do not seem excited or happy to be there, a few of them come to mind where they are actively antagonistic about the story in a way that just feels...joyless?

I don't know - I think that I'd rather have longer breaks between episodes if it meant better episodes. I know that there can't possibly be a decrease in gossip being submitted because of the, let's be real, exponential growth of the show, but it just seems like the ones that are being picked are just not hitting.

Anyone have any thoughts or feelings to share with the class?