The 16 Best Reply All Episodes of All Time

1) #102 Long Distance

When a tech support scammer calls Reply All host Alex Goldman, an international mystery unravels that takes listeners across the globe and gives them an inside look at the “epidemic” of telephone scam call centers in India. Told in two parts, plus a third update that you won’t want to miss, the Reply All Long Distance series will go down as one of the most interesting podcast investigations of all time. You have to give this one a listen; there’s a reason why it’s one of the greatest Reply All classics of all time.

2) #158 The Case of the Missing Hit

In this episode, host PJ Vogt helps a man who, as a teenager growing up in Arizona in the 90s, heard a song on the radio that no one else seems to remember. Together, they try to track down the original song. What results is a story about earworms, obsession, and the music industry bubble of the late 90s that Hannah J. Davies of The Guardian called "perhaps the best-ever episode of any podcast.”

3) #130 The Snapchat Thief

In a feat of unparalleled sleuthing, Alex Goldman hunts down the hacker who stole someone’s Snapchat account. But what he really uncovers is just how exposed we all are on the internet. This episode will leave you in awe, but it will also probably make you go change all your passwords immediately.

4) #104 The Case of the Phantom Caller

A woman comes to Reply All with a super tech support request: her work phone seems to be eavesdropping on other people’s lives. As Alex Goldman dives into this strange situation, he finds it may be less innocent than it seems. With its intriguing mystery and top-notch investigative reporting, this episode encapsulates what makes the Reply All podcast such essential listening.

5) #79 Boy in Photo

In this fascinating episode, PJ Vogt stumbles on a message board dedicated to a photo of a boy at a party. Who is he? And what happened to him? The case takes PJ back to his hometown to find answers that — like many of the best episodes of Reply All — show the humanity behind the internet.

6) #109 Is Facebook Spying on You?

If you’ve been wondering whether Facebook is constantly listening to you through your phone, you’re not alone. In one of the best Reply All episodes, PJ Vogt and Alex Goldman argue over this very question as listeners call in with their stories of suspiciously well-targeted ads on Facebook. It’s a relatable and funny episode that anyone on social media should listen to.

7) #166 Country of Liars

Who controls QAnon? In this episode, PJ interviews the creator of anonymous message board website 8chan who says he’s figured it out. This story is remarkable for its reporting, and for the way it highlights the way these kinds of internet mysteries tangibly affect the real world, sometimes in catastrophic ways.

8) #167 America’s Hottest Talkline

9) #112 The Prophet

10) #120 INVCEL

11) #132 Negative Mount Pleasant

12) #144 Dark Pattern

13) #115 The Bitcoin Hunter

14) #149 30-50 Feral Hogs

15) #140 The Roman Mars Mazda Virus

16) #91 The Russian Passenger