Academy
4.1/5
Critic Rating
Welcome to Bishop Gray Academy, a world of high-stakes and cut-throat competition.Academy, a riveting coming-of-age audio drama co-produced by AT WILL MEDIA and Wondery, follows the story of Ava Richards, a scholarship student who transfers to Bishop Gray, one of the most elite and competitive boarding schools in America.As Ava tries to find her place in this high-pressure environment, she soon crosses paths with an underground society known as The Night of the Wolf, which caters to the school's wealthiest students and enforces strict secrecy. With trust in short supply, Ava must navigate a dangerous and alluring world...
Critic Reviews
Score: 4
Miranda Sawyer • The Guardian • Jul 29, 2023
"It’s well-produced and peppy, moving at a good pace. This is not a PG series. There’s a lot of sex, right from the start. The acting is a bit banged-out, and the gender politics are icky...The effect is that of a very racy YA novel. If that’s your bag, dive in."
Score: 4
Crystal Stone • Common Sense Media • Jul 20, 2023
"Academy is an entertaining drama podcast, but it's mature content may be too much for some of its target audience...it can start to feel reminiscent of Wednesday or even Gilmore Girls, but the frequent references to sex, drugs, and some negative representations of friendship make it more like Euphoria...it's an enjoyable listen, although much of its risky content makes its target audience unclear."
Score: 3.5
Keelin • Mentally? A Magpie. • Jul 20, 2023
"An audio drama from Wondery and At Will Media that’s quite good on the surface, but things about it sit uncomfortably as I listen. The writing and general design of the show do feel like it was a television show that didn’t get green light for a television studio, so it found its home in audio. Academy prides itself on “erotic scenes that push the limits” and this is where I tell you they do. They are uncomfortable to listen to, and honestly, I’m wondering how you make listening to a sex scene not uncomfortable. Especially as an adult listening to fictional children having sex for the first time."
Score: 5
Hannah Verdier • The Guardian • Jul 20, 2023
"...big ambitions collide in this sparky drama set ...Cue secret societies and Euphoria-style action (ie podcast sex scenes)."
