"Up and Vanished in the Midnight Sun" brilliantly stands out in the saturated true crime podcast genre. Set against the backdrop of remote Alaskan towns where summer daylight stretches endlessly, this podcast masterfully investigates mysterious disappearances with both compassion and journalistic rigor. What makes this show exceptional is its atmospheric storytelling and refusal to sensationalize tragedy. The host weaves complex narratives that examine each case within the context of tight-knit communities living in extreme conditions. Stunning production quality captures the haunting beauty of the landscape while expert research provides depth without resorting to speculation. This isn't just another true crime podcast—it's an immersive journey into a world where people can vanish without a trace, leaving listeners with profound insights long after each episode ends. Simply put, it's the best in its class.

If you have been an Up and Vanishes fan from day ONE, you KNOW that the wait is always worth it! Payne is the OG of solving unsolved cases. I have faith that this one will be another success. Either you are in or you aren’t! Buckle up and hang on tight!

This show used to be SOO good. It was my favorite podcast. Now I feel like 75% of the episodes are just Payne voicing his every thought. I’d prefer if they skipped a week of releasing an episode rather than just blabbing in circles.

Season 1 of this show was so good and I recommended it to a lot of friends. Season 2 and 3 got progressively worse and season 4 is a complete joke. You introduce a case, take a hard right turn to another case, then months of no updates… then you come back with recaps of previous seasons? Too many commercials and not enough content. Payne loves to hear himself talk about nothing and we’re all paying the price. I’m done.

What happened??? Chopped up episodes here and there, the same thing over and over again for more ads it seems, episodes promised and now still not out? What is happening, this used to be a good podcast and it's going downhill so fast

It’s been 15 months and 29 episodes bouncing between two cases and no real new info since the beginning. It’s just re-hashed and re-spun info in each episode. This is really tough to listen to.

Hey guys I know I told you we were gonna take a really long break, do our research and come back with a lot of new info for the second half of the season but after 2 30 minute episodes I was gonna put the finale out but something has come up (I got a phone call) so out of the kindness of my heart we’re gonna take another really long break and then probably let you guys down in the end with information we’ve already went over but don’t question the little bit of material I release in the future because what do you expect me to do? Give you guys a quality podcast to listen too? You act like you’ve paid me money or something so get ready there will be a lot of Q&A and behind the scenes to come. Your welcome

Theres a lot of filler, and feel like some of these episodes could have been captured in 1/2 the time. Patience wore thin towards the end of the season, so many clips repeated over and over and over. Feel like there was little progress after waiting a week and listening for 30-40mins, and could have been summarized in 5 minutes.

Best true crime podcast out there. It’s not just another true crime podcast though. Payne goes all in to try and solve the case. He truly cares about the people involved and you can definitely tell when listening. The production aspect is great too.

Payne has become the worst part of this show. I’d rather listen to ANYONE else. It feels a lot more Payne-centric than victim focused. Over it.

I love how committed Payne and his team are to the missing and their families. Although some of the episodes have recapped material, each episode gives more exposure to these cases. This is entertainment for many, but for the loved ones of the missing, this is a last glimmer of hope. Keep doing excellent work, Payne and the Up and Vanished team. Hopefully, you’re one step closer to the truth and justice for Florence and Joseph.

Payne has forgotten why he got into this. The game had gone to his head and the audio editing quality has gotten worse

The first seasons were pretty good. Really interesting stories that deserve coverage. I understand there isn’t usually resolution but this season 4 is too click baity and nothing is happening, episodes of explanation of how podcasts work, too much review of evidence with nothing new. If you don’t have anything, just wrap it up. I’ve stopped listening at this point.

I have listened to Up and Vanished since the beginning. I absolutely love Payne and admire his dedication to these cases. But I just listened to season 4 “Emergency Broadcast“ and I’m so frustrated! The episode starts with “we have this call and he all but confessed”… And then just goes on and on ad nauseam about nothing. About oh this is coming and that is comingand I talk to this person but I can’t release it. I’m about to give up on this. This episode, and several others are an absolute waste of time.

I have seen the reviews recently about how Payne is really drawing this out and it used to be a good show and blah blah blah. He is doing a real time investigation everyone calm down. Things are messy and won’t be on time. You should be thankful he’s trying so hard to find justice for these families and less about your schedule. Payne, keep on rocking, people appreciate what you do and we look forward to when you solve these cases!

Keep up the good work. Us true die hard fans appreciate the work and the actual effort and thought into solving these cases. Not just dumping a show out. I loved the recap episodes with the new info. Didn’t think I would, but I did. Real life plays out the way it does. So let’s go for the ride. Trust your gut and we’ll be listening.

I recently about a month ago just started listening to season 4 and became a huuuuge fan of your work. I hope Joseph and Florence will finally get the justice they deserve soon! Your work is incredible Payne, very inspiring. Love you and your crew, Payne!!!!

I have been a loyal listener from the beginning but this season as many others have noted was a total let down. Promises of new revelations, many episodes and resolutions all led to literally nothing new. IDK if Payne is trying to do too much or what but now I feel a bit scammed.

Payne, my dear friend. I’m so, so sad 😭 this podcast was literally the first ever podcast I listened to that got me into podcast listening. A literal day one fan, and noooowww idk what’s happening smh. The show is all over the place. I hope you take some advice from the reviews and get back to the original reason you started this!!

I have spent the last few weeks binging UNV, and love it! I have become a huge Payne Lindsey fan. Your honest and thoughtful approach with the families and the communities that you get involved with. You’re such a great & patient listener. Your bravery in approaching the angry people whose names come up in the investigations is amazing. You have a great voice, to. I love it all.

I don’t know man. You keep hearing this is coming back, things are happening, stay tuned, and then you get a recap episode, a 25 minute car exam and a season finale after how many months of nothing? Seems like a carrot was dangled and then someone took that carrot and threw it off the cliff.

Just clickbait….and nearly every episode recaps or literally replays segments for half of the episode and no new info is provided… simply for ad revenue and podcast revenue. The attention he drives to the cases is fabulous but compared to season 1&2 it’s literally only for suspense and drama.

I have considered myself a longtime fan and supporter of you and your mission until I listened to one of the more recent episodes and heard the ad from AIPAC. If you really claim to stand for victims you would not be taking money from an organization like that.

I used to love this episode, even though I noticed starting season 2, that the episodes and seasons started to be dragged out. But Season 4 is a joke. I can’t even make sense of how much it has started and stopped. After waiting months for new eps, we get rehashes of the first seasons with nothing new. I just listened to the most recent episode—nothing was revealed. This show has become a shameless cash grab.

This show does start good. And the investigation work is really good. But after a little while, it becomes a parent that they are going to milk this series for as long as possible to make as much money as possible, by repeating the same things over and over again Without any real updates. Also the dishonesty in saying that you’ll be back in a couple weeks and then a year goes by is insane. And then to be as bold as to say that you’re still focused on this case, but have ads for a new show that you’ve been working on just shows where the focus is.

I love the show, but please, stop repeating clips and information over and over and over. I understand recapping things, but this show dragged on so much because of repeating things over and over. It really took away from the overall enjoyment. You could have done this entire show in 10 episodes if so much wasn’t repeated. Plus, how could you not go meet Oregon John at the gun range?! You meet him at a bar and he’s wearing a side arm, but you refuse to meet him at a gun range and then go months without communicating with him? Something doesn’t make sense. You finally get your start witness and let him go?! If he was going to harm you, he would have done it outside the bar.

It’s amazing how many episodes this guy can make without giving ANY new info. You’ll only have to wait a few months between episodes and you’ll get another episode with no new info.

I have always loved the show and appreciate what good it has done. This seems so drawn out for add money.

All this for 3 more episodes!? Really all this for 3 episodes that came over a month late. The first episode had literally no new information. The second was boring…this “finale” could have just been released with the first or second episode. The claim that in the midnight Sun was “coming back” and not specifying for 3 episodes feels like a slap in the face for loyal listeners. Payne it seems obvious you are doing too much. UV weekly never has you on. It is getting such poor reviews you are using the review section for people to ask questions to flood it with high star reviews. Americas most wanted is great but it feels like that is getting your attention over anything at tenderfoot. It’s really disappointing as someone who has been here for a long time

This was great. It did move along. It was well written. Props to the writer! But it now feels and sounds like a sink hole. May 2025 and it has clickbait disappointment. So much so that after the second commercial segment nothing has happened and everything repeated a half dozen times. Just share feels and thoughts and say nothing happened. Or let the suspense be 15 minutes shorter….

This show is soooo good! I hope you keep solving and get some comfort for these families. Good for you!!! Im totally down with the new AI voice - i would appreciate more content - like more edge of my seat, screaming at my phone kinda content !!! You can do it!!!

Could’ve done that recap at beginning of an episode with new developments.

It’s good to hear an update with a new episode. I have missed you and your crew Payne! I am praying for Florence Okpealuk and Joseph Balderas’s cases for closure. Amen

The repetition in each episode is WILD. Incredible work and story but please don’t tell us the same stuff a million times - we heard it the first time.

The seamlessly integrated ad for an online casino was surprising and upsetting considering the subjects of this podcast are often lock in cycles of addiction and poverty. In very poor taste, Payne.

I have been a huge fan of Up and Vanished since a friend suggested season 1 but this latest season has really been a disappointment. I was hoping it was true that they were gathering info and then the reboot would be back to the “Old Up and Vanished” but it’s just more recap of the same story over and over. Super disappointed and shut it off.

The lastest episodes are nothing but regurgitated repeats of previous seasons and episodes. Even WITHIN the episodes it’s repetitive . Someone will tell their experience and Payne will then literally repeat verbatim what they just said, and not because the interviewee was difficult to understand, but clearly as filler. Payne is riding the coattails of his first successful season. Each successive season gets worse. There is absolutely no correlation between Joesph and Florence’s cases, and the insinuation is that there is some dark underbelly connecting them . The only reason Payne lumped them together is because, even without all the repetition , he didn’t have enough content to do Flo’s case as a standalone. Also I have come to hate Payne’s narration. He has the charisma, personality and intonation of a fifth grader reading a book report. Edit.. the lastest ep that was supposed to be a bombshell revelation just came out ( season 4, ep 27). It is 43.35 long and when you remove intro, outro, regurgitated info, ads, the “new content” is about 16.5 minutes long. I timed it lol. And said “new info” is basically a bunch of hearsay from non reliable sources, and a manufactured emergency about how to transport Joseph’s truck . Like, dude, it’s been sitting there for over a year and anything of evidentiary value is going to be compromised . This podcast has truly turned into a joke.

I really enjoy listening to this podcast! It is one of my favorite podcast. Payne Lindsey is awesome! Love the determination to get answers. Justice has to prevail for these families.

Not a fan of the new narrator platform. Bring back just PL. Also agree with another review that there is too much coverage of back /history info. Maybe suggest ppl listen from the start.

A great podcast died a slow and painful death for his loyal listeners.

What’s with the AI voice? This is so disappointing. Why even put out new episodes if they’re going to be computer generated regurgitated information? I thought Tenderfoot was better than this.

Love this show. Will listen over and over

I am a subscriber to tenderfoot and I’m pretty disappointed these days. The most recent season of UAV was largely just repeated information over and over again; the episodes never picked back up when they said they would and they gave no update or communication about when the show would return, leaving listeners wondering what is happening for months on end. I’m not disappointed so much about the lack of episodes but rather the lack of communication. Y’all have lost a subscriber—I would love to return again if things improve.

Payne is the best. The hard typing sound or made up typing sound during the interviews were a bit loud

Absolutely love this show and is always so intriguing and no can’t stop listening. I have listened since the early days of Tara Grinstead. Please stop with eating so much of episodes though duplicating what you said last episode and chill with all the ads. A “45 min” episode actually only had about 30 mins or less of new content.

Noticing many 1-star reviews lately... and i love it! This podcast is phenomenal. The day Payne isn't being divisive, is the day I stop listening. GREAT WORK UP AND VANISHED TEAM!! Keep it up , please. (navigating the episodes on the apple podcast app on my phone is a nightmare)

I’ve listened to a couple seasons and found the reporting interesting and engaging at first until he becomes emotionally involved. Then he becomes biased, and judgmental, which is a bit of a turn off for me.

Very well produced podcast, but lack of transparency around why uploads are so inconsistent. For instance, there should have been a new episode yesterday. There is no new episode and no explanation on their social media as to why.

I'm not sure what's happened here. I used to be very invested in the first few seasons. Season 4 is confusing and frustrating). There's been huge pauses in episode releases (months long pauses in episodes), and now it seems like the Florence investigation has completely and abruptly ended? I'm really disappointed. Also, selling merch feels ...insensitive. I hope Florence's family gets justice

Sorry.. why hasn’t the loop been closed on the Nome investigation? As in: explicitly, can’t do more, so do (or don’t) stay tuned. Sort of a rhetorical question; the pod is a business and keeps the line cast. At bare minimum though, if you’re going to regurgitate old episodes it helps to make them separate seasons so it doesn’t mislead and seem like there’s an update to In The Midnight Sun