Against The Odds

6,221

Humans are resilient. In our toughest moments, we will fight, we will struggle, and we will triumph...often against the odds. 

In this immersive series from Wondery, host-adventurers Mike Corey and Cassie De Pecol will share thrilling stories of survival. From the daring rescue of a soccer team trapped in an underwater cave in Thailand, to a woman taken hostage by Somali pirates, these stories made headlines around the world. AGAINST THE ODDS will make you feel as though you’re living these experiences with our heroes as they push themselves to their limits.

Listen to Against The Odds on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/shows/against-the-odds now.

Recent Episodes

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Recent Reviews

Happy-guy123

Love it

It is not he best podcast ever
AnnaPrekeges

Mostly interesting

There’s several fascinating seasons, some are misses for me though. I do find it extremely annoying that they will repost a season and call it an “encore,” but it’s a rebroadcast they add nothing. It’s very annoying.
ꏂαгวยιςꏂ

Addictive and Accurate

Can’t stop listening to this show. I’ve listened to a bunch of books they’ve listed as references (I love survival stories) and have come to appreciate how accurate these compositions are. Keep it up!
DodieL15

Rock climbing galore

This started as a great podcast with impressive narration, but why are so many episodes lately about rock climbers or things to do with mountains? ⛰️🥱
nina w321

Compelling

I don't usually like immersive/dramatized podcasts, but this is done as well as such a style can be! I listened to "Lost in the Rainforest" all in one go, and I'm looking foward to others. They've picked such fascinating stories.
KKCare1b

Encore again?

I upgraded to a Wondery subscription because I loved this podcast so much. But unfortunately they just keep releasing more encores. When do you expect to put new content out?
Jetsy156

Really good

I really like this show, content and reporting. My only gripe is the music. Why a boy band? As a girl who ripe for NKOTB fandom, I, have always hated boy bands, and question those who use them in serious content. Aren’t we as adults, in agreement that they are silly fodder of youth.
Karen non-meme-adjacent

Well researched

Great detail without opinions, good choice of stories
THE fun BEST

So good

WOW🤩! Listening to podcasts like this Is what I want! Listening to this is like actually your in the story, the detail, the emotions! Wow, I seriously cried during this!! 🥳
podtownreview

Captivating and entertaining

Great podcast that covers amazing situations. I love the writing, narration, sound effects, and production quality. With some episodes it’s like the audio equivalent of watching a movie, so it’s fun to listen to favorites again. It’s also cool they have interviews with people involved or someone who’s written about the event. Mike Corey is an excellent interviewer. He helps make something I might’ve skipped over actually a huge bonus. Highly recommended overall!
JenLev77

Resilience

Incredible stories about human resilience. This is one of my favorite podcasts and I recommend it to friends and family all the time! Thanks for sharing!
bobareba

Nome Serum Run

Will we every hear the end of the Nome Serum Run without a subscription? If we don’t I’ll consider this a scam!
Lacy Listener

Excellent podcast based on true stories!

I enjoy this podcast very much as stories are based on real life and I like the multi-episode format because I listen to them all at once rather than waiting week to week. I am surprised at the poor reviews as they are not appreciative of the amount of work and good quality of a free podcast. I agree that female and male actor voices would be much less confusing to follow the dialogue. Thanks for a great show!!
Salz1616

My favorite

I’ve listen to almost every season. Of course some are less interesting than others but overall I love it!This is hands down my favorite podcast. I love the story telling, sound effects, the “fluff” as some call it. It’s gripping enough to keep me interested but light enough I can keep listening. I am invested in the characters and have been teary eyed a time or two. Keep it coming!
tripleHlove

Dragggssss

This podcast drags on way too much. Every story I’ve listened to could have been wrapped in a one episode, not a whole season. G.e.t.t.o.t.h.e.p.o.i.n.t. We don’t need theatrics and made up conventions in between facts.
Domtron83

Compelling storytelling

I very much like the subject matter so I may be biased, however, I always look forward to the show. It seems to be very well researched and any kind of assumptions were made up. Dialogue seem aligned with the source material. The liberties they take to make it a good coherent story don’t take away from the facts or mislead the listener. My one problem is the voices could be more buried. There are sound effects and I don’t know why Cassie and Mike can’t both lender voices to the different characters in each episode. Cassie could do voices of all female characters and Mike could do the voices of all the male characters. I think this would make the dialogue easier to follow. This is an easy fix. Otherwise a fun and informative listen.
Bschora

FLUFF FACTOR: 22% (ugh zone)

/ Episode length: 41 mins. / Fluff time, round-up: 9 mins. / Avg time between fluff: 08.20. / Fluff%: 22%. / Based on episode: S46E4 ==========================
EmLeFay

Pronunciation please!!!

If you’re going to do a series on a plane crash — please learn how to pronounce the common term “altimeter.” Pathetic.
Shuturmouth69

Great podcast

I love this podcast and I understand that they can only upload once a week but I wish that they could upload faster
Rshell81

Season 46 - Disappointing

This story was ultimately a disappointing example of a person choosing his addiction over his wife and children. Yes, the survival story is unique however I don’t like how the show glorifies and downplays the addiction that it ultimately boils down to.
composeyourself

One of my favorite podcasts

This podcast has some solid writing and excellent storytelling. Very high quality production with powerful stories of survival. There is a lot of death in this podcast too, despite the fact that there are always survivors. Many of these stories will stick with me forever. Thank you for the great podcast!
The Eckhert

Great stories but voice acting off

I love the podcast and listen to it whenever episodes come out but I just wish they wouldn’t use the narrator as the voice actor. It’s just super corny and distracts from the story. Especially if we don’t know the full story.
bamabillsfan

Sound effects

The sounds effects in the episode Bitten by a Rattlesnake were so distracting! I had a difficult time following the story because of the loud sounds effects.
spikeme84

I love this!

I’ve become so engrossed in some of these stories! I like them because as I listen I can create scenes in my mind as the story unfolds and sometimes this is a much needed break that allows me to “get away” from worries in life temporarily. 😊
Zimboy63

Disjointed

Sorry to say I started listening to a program and then can’t find the next installment 9 days in the desert?
FourInchesPyle

Mauro

Episode recap: Mauro Mauro Mauro Mauro Mauro…..
Ellen F K

Please get rid of the man

His voice is horrible :-(
BiggusBallsworth

Outstanding Storytelling(sometimes)

Can’t get enough of this podcast, the cream of the crop for survival enthusiast ;) Edit: enough with the “encores” already, we will happily wait for a new season.
f1-fan not taken

Excellent drama podcast

It’s not a history book. If you want boring facts go read Wikipedia. This is entertainment. I like how they dramatize stuff but keep it realistic and factual.
LPA82

Mostly Great!

I’m enjoying the episodes about Whakaari, they seem to be well-researched, but the added acting/dramatization is not my fave and takes away from the subject matter.
JudyKKing

Season 36

Lost interest almost immediately. The added sounds were incredibly annoying. Fake laughing, etc.
avg podcast enjoyer

Great pod/recommendation.

Great pod been listing for years, listened to some seasons more than once. They should do a series on the divers at deer island Boston, I’m actually suprised they haven’t yet.
Tekmnd

Well made

I really enjoy this podcast. I recently found it and have been listening to a couple of episodes every day. I have now listened to almost all of them. The editing on these is really good! The sound effects, the volume differences…. There can be little things that bother me when they are done poorly. The editing on these are really really good! These are well made! Both narrators are good too, the stories are written well. However, the editing and sound is what gets it a full 5 stars from me.
Jester 26

Extremely immersive

I started listening to this podcast a few weeks ago. I have listened to 22 seasons so far and I am hooked. It’s like TV for your mind. It’s extremely well written. I highly recommend it!
Edward bidding man

I love the historical episodes.

My really drawn into the series’ they have for the more historical stories. The Donner Party, the USS Indianapolis. The narrator is awesome, really draws you in. I usually pick up a book about the subject after the listen to the podcast.
Tailgunner12

Amazing

I absolutely love this podcast, it makes these stories seem real. I’m saddened by Indianapolis, infuriated by buried alive, and agrivated by Johnstown. It is amazing, and I’ll recommend it to anyone.
sarahtuch

Good Stories, Bad Telling

ATO does a great job of storytelling. However, the background music and absolutely over the top voices by both hosts is so cringe I can barely listen. It’s giving Acting 101 and it’s embarrassing.
bauserjm

So good!!

I can’t stop listening to these wonderfully made, true stories. Highly recommend them!
bichzbtripin

Addictive

I just can’t listen to anything else and I am not sure what I will do when I am caught up! Each series really stays with you and I find myself talking about it to anyone that will listen.
Zeegha

Inspirational

Enjoy this podcast especially the series about the late John McCain. It’s hard to understand how someone would refer to him as a coward; he certainly wasn’t in my opinion. Thank-you.
ScooterBooter2012

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

Hands down, the best podcast I listen to. Thank you.
Buxac

Love this show

Great job guys, keep em coming!
wepvid

Good but sounds are annoying

Please consider tweaking the sound effects. The length they run is REALLY annoying. It’s truly painful to listen while we’re also hearing the sounds of footsteps crunching along for what seems like 5 minutes! The effects run an atypically long time, that’s really annoying and it’s also just distracting. Depecol’s enunciation is off, too. Good stories but the sounds detract significantly.
Driver Increíble

Engrossing!

The most dreaded task is made vibrantly exciting when listening to this podcast. The dramatic play is exciting, the realism and fact checking honest and thorough. This podcast is entirely wonderful-highly recommend.
Nurse\Jen

Top tier podcast

I don’t give 5 stars often (always room for improvement, right?), but this podcast is so well done. It’s the perfect combination of drama and information. My favorite seasons have been the Paradise Fire and the Mt Hood Disaster. I’ve enjoyed reading some of their sources afterward as well.
Shaycr16

Thank you!

I love your podcast! Thank you for all the amazing story telling. I really love how both of you tell the story. I always look forward to the next episode or season! Keep up the great work! And thanks again!
Betelguese

Everest ‘96

Thanks for recreating the most harrowing mountaineering tale of all time on your channel. I’d already seen the movies and read all three books multiple times, including listening to Krakauer’s own tortured reading of Into Thin Air. My one nitpick is about pronunciation: - Lohtse rhymes with BOAT-see - Lopsang rhymes with HOP-song - Khumbu rhymes with ZOOM-boo - Beidleman rhymes with IDLE-min - Watney rhymes with COT-knee Congrats on knowing that “cwm” is pronounced KOOM! Anyway, keep the good work.
DotTheBC

My favorite podcast EVER

Among the trillion podcasts out there, Against the Odds is at the top of the list as the best podcast ever!
Delmar9770

The best podcast ever

This is a great podcast. DO NOT change a thing. If I had to pick the best podcast out there it would be this one by a country mile. Just so well put together. I could say 1 million good things about this podcast, and not one bad thing. This is a easy 5 stars
cochablabla

Unbelievably true and engaging stories well told stories about survival.

Due to the type of Manual work I do, I listen to 10 hours of podcasts at 1.5 speed daily. Naturally I go through a lot and there is only so much news and commentary you can take before it gets repetitive. Then there is crime. Easy listens but what does listening to hours a day of stories about murder and sadness say about ones character? Is there not anything out there as engaging but less sadistic? In comes this show. Incredible stories of survival and endurance and many times historically significant and true to boot!!! Very well told in a style reminiscent of old radios novelas with character dialogue and great narrative. Scroll through seasons to see which peaks your interest. I think you will be entertained.