The Good Whale
4.9/5
Critic Rating
Fans of the movie “Free Willy” are outraged to learn that the real whale who played Willy lives in a tiny pool at an amusement park in Mexico City. So well-intentioned experts embark on an epic science experiment to try to teach one celebrity orca how to be free — while the world watches. Sign up for our newsletter to see photos and videos of Keiko, and get a behind the scenes look at the making of The Good Whale. Sign up at nytimes.com/serialnewsletter Subscribers to the New York Times can listen to all episodes of The Good Whale early...
Critic Reviews
Score: 5
Chloe Walker • PodcastReview.org • Dec 10, 2024
"That nonjudgmental acknowledgment of human fallibility in the face of even the best intentions, combined with one hell of a central story, is what makes The Good Whale such a compulsive listen."
Score: 5
Stephen O. • Podcast Delivery • Nov 25, 2024
"The Good Whale feels like something out of a Hollywood drama – fame, captivity, and a second chance at freedom. But this story isn't fiction, and that's what makes it so enthralling."
Score: 5
Lauren Passell • Podcast The Newsletter • Nov 25, 2024
"What a creative idea to make a podcast that was already so strong something completely innovative and memorable. …"
Score: 5
Patricia Nicol • The Times UK • Nov 17, 2024
"I have heard the whole series, this barely takes you to the end of episode one. Even if you already know whether Keiko got his Hollywood ending, or a more nuanced indie film one, this is still worth diving into for Alarcón’s enjoyable storytelling. There is lovely colour...I was tickled by the genre-pushing spirit embraced in episode five when the podcast pivots into a musical imagining of the whale’s perspective..."
Score: 4.5
Fiona Sturges • Financial Times • Nov 17, 2024
"...has the feel of a big-budget yet tastefully unshowy production. I’m not keen on showtunes at the best of times. ...literary chops are clear from the writing, which is atmospheric, expansive and lyrical...for long stretches Alarcón’s voice is the only one we hear, which gives the project the immersive feel of an audiobook. "
