Podcast Review: Crackdown Doesn't Have Time For Your BS

Ok. Let me do my best not to fanboy here.

Garth Mullins, the host of Crackdown, doesn’t care about your BS views on drug use, or drug users. He’s going to tell the truth from the jump. And the show is gritty and rough as a result. Not an episode goes by that I don’t share it with someone. It’s that meaningful and that impactful. But it’s also difficult to listen to because they don’t sugarcoat anything. Each episode is like sandpaper.

Garth is a guy in recovery and a self-proclaimed punk rocker. He creates the show with people like himself. And, if I haven’t been clear enough about this, they don’t do the whole “journalistic both-sides” jazz. They peel back the curtain and show the real truth. Their shows are thoughtful. Their shows are REAL. And it says something that people all over the world, for whom the policies and procedures of Garth’s native Canada have no impact, follow Crackdown and call it one of the best, if not THE best, drug use and drug users podcast in the game.

As a guy who makes a show in the same orbit as Crackdown, they are my north star. I know, this is an awful review. It’s more praise music. Like a preacher talking about Jesus. But that’s how I feel about Crackdown. They are Michael Vick in Madden ‘04. Or Bo Jackson in Tecmo Bowl. In a world where perfection isn’t achievable, Crackdown comes as close as possible. They’re a cheat code.

But, because this is a review, I have to find SOME KIND of negative so I’ll say this. The shows are so thoughtful, and none of these guys are getting rich off it. So they only publish once a month. That’s my negative. I wish, WISH, they could find a way to make more money so they could publish the show more. Because the world needs Crackdown. As a guy in recovery who works in these communities, there are too few people telling stories like this. That’s Crackdown. They go there. And we’re all lucky for it.

I give them a 10 out of 10 and as a guy who listens to podcasts all day every day, I can say from experience that there isn’t a better show out there. Yes, that includes all of mine. And yes, all of yours too. Go listen to Crackdown today and tell me I’m wrong.

Learn more at https://www.crackdownpod.com/ and greatpods.co/podcast/crackdown.