I did not expect for the orca that played free Willy is dead but it’s crazy that it’s 2025 and he died in 2003 like dam time flys by so quick that you can’t see it and also with the song they should make Keiko into a musical or something

What a wonderfully written and thoughtfully produced podcast! It’s heart wrenching and heartwarming at the same time.

Through fascination and tears— I was hooked listening to this.

It’s such a disappointment to see more and more schemes to get people to pay for podcasts. It was one thing to want to go ad free, but total content block? Hard pass. I’m not about to subscribe to a paper that isn’t doing its job as a paper to fight against the blatant authoritarianism tearing our country apart to listen to a few podcast episodes. If you guys decide to do your jobs, maybe I’ll reconsider starting my subscription up again.

i love the show but its missing publicitity

Serial has a paywall now? No thanks

Chair sit, no sit

A thoroughly researched story with episodes that left me in tears.

I loved listening to this story. It was well thought out and well spoken. I had to skip through the musical episode.

making this a subscribers-only podcast — except the first two episodes — is infuriating.

I love whales and this makes me love them even more

Well written and spoken. Fairly raises questions from an unbiased yet uniquely human perspective. Loved it!

Can’t believe Serial created a lame musical episode because they didn’t have knowledge of Keiko’s whereabouts. That, and making the last few episodes subscription-only, have finally made me give up on Serial. None of the Serial seasons were as good as the Adnan season.

I’ve never written a review for a podcast but it feels necessary. What a heartbreaking story, so beautifully narrated.

Boo paywall boo

I listened to the entire series even though there were multiple times where I considered stopping because it was just so brutal and so painful. Nothing bad on the part of Serial. They did everything very well. But it's just such an awful story with such terrible suffering that it was hard for me to finish. I don't think I've ever cried listening to a podcast before, but I did with this one.

Loved hearing the beginning of the story before I was cut off by the paywall!

I binged this show in less than 24 hours — beautiful, powerful storytelling on a topic that is so important to cover, so we never make these mistakes again. A tragic story that I’ll think about for years.

It’s a beautiful bittersweet podcast about freedom sacrifice and independence a coming of age story if you will rip Keiko should have eaten the fish

I couldn’t wait for the next episode to come out. Excellent story telling.

A truly profound story that had me smiling and crying and feeling some type of way about humanity and the natural world.

Spoiler alert: There is a song and music video. And THIS in a weirdly wonderful offers a glimpse of what his few weeks of total freedom may have felt like.

Deeply touching. Really got to know this whale and his personality. I felt very bad for him especially during the episode when his calls were played. He really did sound like a baby still.

Truly so good. The challenging questions of our culture based around choice and who really gets to make the decisions. Wonderful story telling and I’m so thankful to know more about this wild love story.

If you are an animal lover of any kind please be warned. This was a very well done series but the thought of animals in captivity is heart wrenching to me. The story is just a good example of humans being human, we’re trying to do our best, I know that so many people cared deeply for this animal. But I could hardly get through the last two episodes. Should he have just stayed in captivity? That’s a question that will haunt me.

This was researched, heartfelt, and still maintained a neutral position on this very important issue. If you have seen Blackfish, which obviously leans one way, and think this is another story like that, it is not. Serial gets to the heart of well meaning humans and the animals they love and treats all with respect. I really appreciated the deep respect this podcast gave to the Mexican park in particular. Keiko had a connection with Mexico, and he was so loved there. It was not the best place for him, and they willingly gave him to what they knew was a better home, but the love they truly had for him and the care they showed him was evident. They really show that humans and animals can have meaningful connections while also showing how our desires to keep those connections can sometimes hurt the ones we love most.

Great series. As a kid, I saw Keiko at the Newport Aquarium. I always wondered what happened to him and this was such good storytelling. Very well done.

Another act of fantastic storytelling by Serial Productions! Heart warming, sad and inspirational all at the same time. Narrator (who happens to also be the writer) has a magical voice. So easy to listen to!

This is one of the best podcasts I’ve listened too in years! Expert journalism and such a beautiful story.

This was so beautifully done. The narrators voice is buttery smooth. I felt how many people truly cared about him. Loves it!

My faith in humanity is uplifted by listening to the tale of hundreds of humans spending millions of dollars to restore the freedom to one whale who had his freedom ripped from him when he was a baby. May his tale be a forever reminder why whales and dolphins (and any wild animal in my opinion) should not be kidnapped from their homes and kept in artificial environments for the entertainment of people. I’m incredibly moved at the lengths that were attempted to right the wrongs that were dumped on this poor orca. The podcast itself was very detailed and informative of the story of Keiko and the project to restore his freedom, I was very captivated. Some people are complaining of episode 5, the musical, and normally I’m not one for Broadway type songs, but it left a lump in my throat and a tear in my eyes, very well done. I do feel the earlier episodes were meatier, and the final seemed a bit rushed, but maybe there was just nothing more left to say at the sad end of the tale of Keiko. May he forever be swimming free in the great oceans beyond.

This podcast was done very well. It did a great job describing the details of Keiko life. I personally did not know the story, and enjoyed learning it.

How am I crying? I thought the idea of the song imagining where he had gone at first was so silly but it was really incredible! So well done 💜

I grew up in the Free Willy era and shamefully never thought further about what happened to the whales who were the focus of the movies. Having been to aquariums and attended killer whale shows I’m kicking myself. This was so well done and I had hopes Keiko would reintegrate himself. Tears were shed when I realized that was not the case. Thankfully there are caring, dedicated people who can further the cause of really freeing “Willy”.

I can’t seem to quit Serial/Serial productions. The good whale is better than some of their projects but this podcast could have been 3 episodes and the episode that was a “musical” was completely unnecessary. I’ll be back for the next one hoping it’s better.

I really wanted to like this story. I live in the PWN and love Orcas. This was an interesting story but could have been done in less episodes. The host spends too much time personifying Keiko. It also felt like they were reaching for something important to say or express about conservation and our obsession with capturing animals but it never really got there. In my opinion not worth listening to all 6 episodes.

Free Willy was a movie I loved growing up. This podcast was so good. I appreciate this sort of journalism. The story and facts were given with interviews in such a great way. While the ending was not what anyone wanted this big guy was certainly special. He served his purpose to spread awareness but he also showed how animals love those that love them.

So good. One of the best series I’ve listened to in a long time. Maybe the best ever.

Appreciate the objective journalism of Keiko’s story. Felt so many emotions while listening. Short, informative episodes. I hope we can eventually live in a society where animals can not be put into captivity for entertainment.

Amazing storytelling. I enjoyed learning about Keiko’s story and those that were apart of his life.

As a kid who grew up loving “Free Willy” and sea life, this was so emotional to listen to! Beautifully told and well produced. Highly recommend listening!

Highly recommend this series! I was surprised by how much effort went into to caring for Keiko and the arch of the story.

wow i laughed i cried i couldn’t stop listening. what an amazing podcast and so beautifully written ❤️

Thoughtful. Emotional. Intelligent Provocative

This podcast was so so good. I listened to it twice so far and will likely listen again. One negative.. epi 5, the musical. It was silly. IMO added nothing of value and was a bit childish. But the rest… incredible!

This story made me laugh, cry and feel just about every other emotion in between. Everyone should hear Keiko’s story. The writing in this series is beautiful and a perfect concoction of the science and the humanity involved in freeing Keiko.

I applaud all who worked on this podcast, it is a deeply moving story beautifully told.

🎶🎶days. Upon days upon days upon days 🎶🎶

I really loved this story.

I’ve been teary eyed as I’ve listened to all of the episodes over the past two-three days. I joke that my only parasocial relationship is with Keiko. Lol. As a 90’s kid who loved Free Willy, he holds such a special place in my heart. The avg. lifespan of a male orca is 30-60 years and he passed at 27. It’s so hard to be certain what the correct solution would have been, other than for him to never have been inhumanly captured in the first place. It seemed like every other solution was never quite enough. Thank you for making this podcast for all of us 80-90 kids.