I've listened to a substantial faction of those 1k episodes without noticing any of that point-scoring. But then, I might not: the whole thing is so dry and aca

I've listened to a substantial faction of those 1k episodes without noticing any of that point-scoring. But then, I might not: the whole thing is so dry and academic that even vicious arguments could be coded up in such a way that I could miss it. That's what I love about it. It's always real academics, rather than popularizers of the topic. They don't have that polished persona of the author-on-a-book-tour feel. They're experts, trying to explain why that topic is worth knowing, and willing to risk being dull to do it. They want to interest you rather than thrill you, and to me the result feels more sincere and thoughtful. I've been told that Bragg is regarded as a national treasure in the UK, and I believe it. I sometimes idly ponder what it would be like to host a show like that.