Insights from recent episode analysis
Audience Interest
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Platform Reach
Insights are generated by CastFox AI using publicly available data, episode content, and proprietary models.
Total monthly reach
Estimated from 4 chart positions in 4 markets.
By chart position
- 🇸🇪SE · TV & Film#1261K to 10K
- 🇵🇱PL · TV & Film#2710K to 30K
- 🇰🇪KE · TV & Film#683K to 10K
- 🇬🇷GR · TV & Film#109500 to 3K
- Per-Episode Audience
Est. listeners per new episode within ~30 days
7.3K to 27K🎙 Weekly cadence·243 episodes·Last published 6d ago - Monthly Reach
Unique listeners across all episodes (30 days)
15K to 53K🇵🇱57%🇸🇪19%🇰🇪19%+1 more - Active Followers
Loyal subscribers who consistently listen
4.3K to 16K
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Reach across major podcast platforms, updated hourly
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* Data sourced directly from platform APIs and aggregated hourly across all major podcast directories.
On the show
Recent episodes
237: Judd Apatow & Michael Bonfiglio on Mel Brooks
May 7, 2026
Unknown duration
236: Raney Aronson-Rath on Frontline
Apr 30, 2026
Unknown duration
235: Oscar Shortlist Spotlight
Jan 8, 2026
Unknown duration
234: Ryan White & Megan Falley on "Come See Me in the Good Light"
Jan 5, 2026
Unknown duration
233: Alexandria Stapleton on "Sean Combs: The Reckoning"
Dec 20, 2025
Unknown duration
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| Date | Episode | Description | Length | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/7/26 |  237: Judd Apatow & Michael Bonfiglio on Mel Brooks | “Mel Brooks: The 99-Year-Old Man” (HBO Max) is the latest collaboration by Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio who previously profiled comedians George Carlin and Gary Shandling. Their latest two-part series looks at the creator of iconic works such as “The Producers,” “Blazing Saddles,” and “Young Frankenstein.” In this interview, Apatow and Bonfiglio describe how they sought to get to layers of Brooks’ life that he hadn’t discussed before.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction@thompowers1 | — | ||||||
| 4/30/26 |  236: Raney Aronson-Rath on Frontline | Frontline executive producer Raney Aronson-Rath speaks about leading PBS's current affairs series while President Trump is defunding public television. Instead of shrinking, Frontline is growing with new staff and an invigorated mission. Host Thom Powers interviews Raney a wide on a wide range of projects, including the Sundance prize-winning doc "One in a Million" that follows a family of Syrian refugees for ten years. The new division of Frontline Features will release the film to theaters later this year.Explore the Pure Nonfiction archives to hear interviews on past Frontline productions including "Abacus: Small Enough to Jail" (ep 49), "For Sama" (ep 114), and "20 Days in Mariupol" (ep 169).We wish to thank all our listeners as Pure Nonfiction celebrates its 10th anniversary.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction@thompowers1 | — | ||||||
| 1/8/26 |  235: Oscar Shortlist Spotlight | Fifteen films are shortlisted for the Oscars Feature Documentary category. On this episode, we hear from four of the directing teams:- "The Alabama Solution" with Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kauffman- "Yanuni" with Richard Ladkani- "My Undesirable Friends Part 1 - Last Air in Moscow" with Julia Loktev- "Cutting Through Rocks" with Sara Khaki and Mohammedreza EyniThese conversations were recorded an online edition of Documentary Spotlight, co-presented by The Ankler.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1 | — | ||||||
| 1/5/26 |  234: Ryan White & Megan Falley on "Come See Me in the Good Light" | "Come See Me in the Good Light" (Apple TV) portrays a love story of the spoken word poets Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley as they make the most of their lives in the face of a terminal cancer diagnosis. The film is joyous, funny and shortlisted for the Oscars' Best Documentary category. Pure Nonfiction host speaks with the director Ryan White and the one of the film's key figures Megan Falley. You can hear producer Jessica Hargrave interviewed on episode 229.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1 | — | ||||||
| 12/20/25 |  233: Alexandria Stapleton on "Sean Combs: The Reckoning" | Director Alexandria Stapleton discusses her Netflix series "Sean Combs: The Reckoning," backed by executive producer Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews Stapleton about each episode of the series and the participants who overcame years of fear and intimidation to finally speak out.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction@thompowers1 | — | ||||||
| 12/4/25 |  232: Apocalypse in the Tropics | "Apocalypse in the Tropics" explores the tumultuous battle to save democracy in Brazil. It reveals striking parallels to politics in the United States. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers speaks with director Petra Costa and producer Alessandra Orofino.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1 | — | ||||||
| 11/25/25 |  231: Docs from Five Countries | Host Thom Powers interviews the film teams behind five projects that are qualified for the Oscars:MY MOM JAYNE (director Mariska Hargitay, producer Trish Adlesic, editor J.D. Marlow) exploring the life of Hollywood star Jayne Mansfield through the eyes of her daughter. PUT YOUR SOUL ON YOUR HAND AND WALK (director Sepideh Farsi) profiling the Gaza photographer Fatma Hassona.CHILD OF DUST (director Weronika Mliczewska, producr Bao Nguyen) follows the lifelong dream of a man in Vietnam to meet his father in the U.S.NORITA (director Jayson McNamara, producer Sarah Schoellkopf) tells the history of Argentinian activist Nora Cortiñas.QOTZUÑI: PEOPLE OF THE LAKE (directors Michael Salama, Gastón Zilberman) looks at an indigenous community in Bolivia trying to recover from the disappearance of a massive lake.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1 | — | ||||||
| 10/24/25 |  230: Storks, Orphans, Rebels & Predators | Hear the filmmakers behind four of this year's most acclaimed documentaries: director Tamara Kotevska ("Honeyland") and cinematographer Jean Dakar on "The Tale of Silyan"; first time director Beth Lane on "UnBroken"; co-director Mohammedreza Eyni on "Cutting Through Rocks"; director David Osit and producer Jamie Goncalves on "Predators." These talks were recorded before a live audience in Los Angeles at our Documentary Spotlight event in partnership with The Ankler.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1 | — | ||||||
| 10/23/25 |  229: Poetry, Murder, Prison & UFOs | Recorded live in Los Angeles, we partnered with The Ankler to bring you conversations covering four new documentaries: producer Jessica Hargrave (pictured) on “Come See Me in the Good Light”; director Dan Farah on “The Age of Disclosure”; producer Alisa Payne on “The Perfect Neighbor”; and directors Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman on “The Alabama Solution.”Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1 | — | ||||||
| 8/28/25 |  228: Contessa Gayles on "Songs From the Hole" | "Songs From the Hole," now playing on Netflix, won the SXSW Audience Award and the Blackstar Jury Prize for its artful approach to telling a story about solitary confinement. "It's eye-opening in a way you may have forgotten your eyes could still be opened," wrote critic Daniel Fienberg in The Hollywood Reporter. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews director Contessa Gayles about her career path from working inside CNN to going independent. Her other films include "The Feminist on Cellblock Y" and "The Debutantes."Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction@thompowers1 | — | ||||||
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| 7/24/25 |  227: Heidi Ewing & Rachel Grady on "Folktales" | Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady have been making films as a team for over 20 years. They have a fierce dedication to the art of observational documentary, even as that form becomes harder to finance. Among their celebrated titles are One of Us, 12th & Delaware, and the Oscar-nominated Jesus Camp. Their latest film Folktales follows three teens in Norway learning outdoor survival skills at a folk high school where they bond with sled dogs. The film is being distributed to U.S. theaters by Magnolia Pictures. Hear our previous interview with Heidi and Rachel from 2016 talking about Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You on episode 14.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1 | — | ||||||
| 6/13/25 |  226: Martha Stewart, Alice Waters, John Williams | Our Emmy contender conversations conclude with a look at three stand out biographies. Host Thom Powers interviews these directors:R.J. Cutler on "Martha" (Netflix) David Gelb with cinematographer Adam Bricker on "Chef's Table: Legends" (Netflix)Laurent Bouzereau on "Music By John Williams" (Disney+)Recorded live in Los Angeles at Documentary Spotlight, co-presented by The Ankler.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1 | — | ||||||
| 6/12/25 |  225: Will & Harper, Social Studies, Chimp Crazy | Thom Powers hosts conversations on three Emmy contenders:"Will & Harper" (Netflix) with participant Harper Steele"Social Studies" (FX) with director Lauren Greenfield and participants Sydney Shear, Dominic Brown, Jonathan Gelfond"Chimp Crazy" (HBO) with director Eric Goode and executive producer Jeremy McBrideRecorded live in Los Angeles on June 8, 2025 at Documentary Spotlight, co-presented by The Ankler.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1 | — | ||||||
| 5/30/25 |  224: Emmy contenders | Recorded live in New York City, Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews the filmmakers behind four Emmy contenders:Michelle Khare of "Challenge Accepted" (YouTube)Lance Oppenheim of "Ren Faire" (Max)Liz Garbus of "Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer" (Netflix)"The Fall of Diddy" (ID) team of Mary Robertson, Emma Schwartz, Yoruba Richen Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1 | — | ||||||
| 5/29/25 |  223: Questlove, Reginald Hudlin, David Tedeschi | Live from New York City, Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews the directors behind several projects contending for Emmy nominations:Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson on "Ladies and Gentlemen...50 Years of SNL Music" from Peacock; and "Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)" from HuluReginald Hudlin on "Number One on the Call Sheet" from Apple TV+David Tedeschi on "Beatles ‘64" from Disney+Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1 | — | ||||||
| 5/8/25 |  222: Sam Soko on telling African stories | Kenya's Sam Soko is a prominent figure in the rising wave of African documentary. He won international attention for his films Softie and Free Money at Sundance, TIFF and elsewhere. In this interview recorded at CPH:DOX, he explains there's a new crisis for African documentary. Cutbacks at USAID have hurt filmmakers who relied on NGOs for work. Whether or not you've seen Sam's films, this conversation evokes a critical moment for global storytelling. Titles mentioned in his conversation include: Softie, Free Money, Matabeleland, and The Battle for Laikipia.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction@thompowers1 | — | ||||||
| 4/17/25 |  221: Sinead O'Shea on Edna O'Brien | "Blue Road: The Edna O'Brien Story" profiles the Irish novelist who broke taboos both in her writing and her personal life. Her early novels were denounced by the Catholic Church and banned by the Irish Censor Board. This stunning film puts her legacy into a new perspective. "Blue Road" premiered at TIFF and is now playing in theaters in Ireland and the UK, but hasn't yet found U.S. distribution. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews director Sinead O'Shea whose previous films include "Pray for Our Sinners" and "A Mother Brings Her Son to be Shot." Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1 | — | ||||||
| 3/27/25 |  220: Jeremy Workman on "Secret Mall Apartment" | “Secret Mall Apartment” tells the story of a group of artists who found a hidden space a Rhode Island mega mall that they occupied for four years while evading security. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews Jeremy Workman about how he convinced the artists to tell their story after they had turned down other documentary makers for over 15 years. He also discusses his day job editing movie trailers; and what he learned from his father, the filmmaker Chuck Workman.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1 | — | ||||||
| 2/14/25 |  219: Frederick Wiseman at 95 | Frederick Wiseman: An American Institution is the title of a career retrospective currently running at New York's Film at Lincoln Center through March 5. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews Wiseman at age 95 about how he maintained his independence for over five decades. They discuss a range of topics including what's happening with his 2005 documentary "The Garden" that was never released.Hear our previous interview with Wiseman on episode 55. You can also find his films on Kanopy.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1 | — | ||||||
| 1/9/25 |  218: Shortlisters, part 2 | Four interviews about films on the Oscars Shortlist for Documentary Feature: supervising editor David Teague and animator Renata Galindo on FRIDA; co-director Angela Patton on DAUGHTERS; producer Rafael Marmor on WILL & HARPER; director Shiori Ito on BLACK BOX DIARIES. Recorded live in New York City on January 5, 2025 at Documentary Spotlight, co-presented by Pure Nonfiction and The Ankler, and moderated by Thom Powers.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1 | — | ||||||
| 1/8/25 |  217: Shortlisters, part 1 | Three interviews about films on the Oscars Shortlist for Documentary Feature: Stephen Maing and Brett Story on UNION; Laurie Anderson and Gary Hustwit on ENO; Slava Leontyev, Paula Dupre' Pesman, and Joe Berlinger on PORCELAIN WAR. Recorded live in New York City on January 5, 2025 at Documentary Spotlight, co-presented by Pure Nonfiction and The Ankler, and moderated by Thom Powers.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1 | — | ||||||
| 1/7/25 |  216: "Queendom" with Agniia Galdanova & Igor Myakotin | "Queendom" profiles the non-binary Russian performance artist Jenna Marvin. We watch her challenge Russia's repressive laws against the LGBTQ+ community and protest the country's war on Ukraine, putting herself at great risk. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews director Agniia Galdanova and producer Igor Myakotin about what motivated them on this project despite the inherent dangers. "Queendom" is on the Oscars Shortlist for Documentary Feature and available on video on demand.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1 | — | ||||||
| 1/6/25 |  215: Ibrahim Nash'at on "Hollywoodgate" | After Afghanistan experienced a change of power in 2021, Egyptian filmmaker Ibrahim Nash'at embedded himself in the country and documented how the Taliban took control of over $7 billion worth of U.S. military equipment. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews Ibrahim about the making of "Hollywoodgate," how he coped with risk, the role of his mentors Talal Derki and Jess Search, and why he embraced therapy in the process."Hollywoodgate" is on the Oscars Shortlist for documentary feature. Watch it on Jolt Film.Hear Talal Derki discuss "Of Fathers and Sons" on episode 96.Hear more about Jess Search on episodes 168 and 200.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1 | — | ||||||
| 1/2/25 |  214: Adam Kinzinger & Steve Pink on "The Last Republican" | Adam Kinzinger was the first Republican Congressman to call for the impeachment of Donald Trump after the Jan 6 insurrection. That caught the attention of the Hollywood comedy writer and director Steve Pink ("Hot Tub Time Machine"). Although Pink is liberal and Kinzinger is conservative they shared a sense of humor and an opposition to Trump. "The Last Republican" follows Kinzinger over a year as he served on the Congressional committee to investigate Jan 6. The film is opening at New York's Film Forum. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews Kinzinger and Pink about releasing the film at a time when Trump is vowing to seek retribution against his enemies.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1 | — | ||||||
| 12/31/24 |  213: Alex Gibney & Alexis Bloom on "The Bibi Files" | "The Bibi Files" looks at the corruption case against Benjamin Netanyahu, drawing upon a vast trove of leaked interrogation footage. Netanyahu went to court trying to block the film from being shown, but that motion failed. Producer Alex Gibney and director Alexis Bloom discuss the challenges they faced in getting the film made and seen.Watch the film on Jolt.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1 | — | ||||||
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Chart Positions
4 placements across 4 markets.
Chart Positions
4 placements across 4 markets.