When I first started listening to Tooth & Claw late last year I fell in love with *almost* every aspect of it immediately. It is by far the most well-informed and educational of the animal encounter podcasts I have listened to (and I've listened to a lot), with Get Out Alive being a very close second. I have been a little back and forth between the two, strictly because Tooth & Claw has a lot of banter that doesn't necessarily tie in with the chosen animal of the episode and when it does tie in, I would frequently be a bit lost as some of the banter takes some knowledge to understand. Get Out Alive has significantly less back and forth, while still maintaining an entertaining and fun atmosphere and I think in general has easier to digest banter for somebody who doesn't know much, though not always. *However*, as I learned more and more about the animals, their behaviors, and what to do and not do during an encounter, I began to understand more and more of what Jeff, Wes, and Mike were talking about. Information can get a little redundant when talking biology, and some banter at these points is very welcome for somebody who has already heard the particular message. So once I had that basic understanding, I think that Tooth & Claw pulled ahead specifically because of the banter and fun conversations. Wes is generally the fact guy, and thus the one that handles the episodes with a more serious air about him, and he is a great guy to do so. I think he generally does a very good job of breaking down the biology and behavior of the animals in an understandable way, though at times it can be a little too much information all at once for me and I find myself zoning out a bit (especially when I first started listening and knew significantly less). Jeff is most definitely the humor guy, whose off the wall comments have often surprised me so much that I have burst out laughing, even when I am by myself. This is a feat in and of itself, as even most standup comics I enjoy can't get more than a snicker out of me when I'm by myself. Mike has less experience with animals than the Larson brothers (Jeff and Wes), which actually works very well. I find that Mike tends to be my best resource on the show, as he typically has a different perspective from the other two. This perspective from Mike tends to be more in-line with, I think, a majority of the listeners (including myself) and leads to questions that I find myself asking. On top of this, I think Mike does an impeccable job editing the show and making it ready for listening. Of course, these are generalizations of the roles these 3 play in the podcast, and they have been known to flip the script from time to time. All in all, even if you are like I was and are very "just the facts ma'am" about the podcast, or find yourself skipping the banter and just listening to the story, remember to keep this podcast in your back pocket. I promise, once you get a better grasp on the facts and biology/behavior, you will find yourself needing the banter and comedy mixed in. Mike, Jeff, and Wes are the 3 oddballs I never knew I needed in the podcast world, and quite honestly, they are tough to beat. I personally enjoy it so much that I chose to write about Tooth & Claw as a persuasive writing prompt for a college essay about my favorite piece of media (I got an A on the paper, and had a number of students and the professor tell me they'd check it out). Whether you are looking for an informational podcast about animals, a podcast about sometimes violent encounters with animals and how to prevent them, a podcast to make you laugh, a podcast to make you cry, a podcast to get you fired up, or just something different from any of the other thousands of podcasts out there, Tooth & Claw is the one for you.

17 days ago

cannholl