Podcast Episode Summary
Podcast: Fictional
Episode: No Episode This Week
Hosts: Jason Weiser
Date: August 20, 2025
Episode Overview
This special update episode of Fictional departs from the usual retelling of classic literature. Instead, host Jason Weiser addresses the audience directly to inform them about a brief hiatus due to a personal family loss. The purpose of this episode is solely to explain the absence of a new story and to reassure listeners about the future schedule.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
- Personal Update and Hiatus
- At the top of the episode, Jason explains there won't be a new episode this week due to a death in the family.
- He conveys the emotional difficulty of the situation, and emphasizes the need for a short pause from producing new content.
- Importance of Communication with Listeners
- Jason underscores that he wanted to give this update via the podcast feed to ensure all listeners are aware, aiming to avoid confusion or backlash about the delay.
- Reassurance and Scheduling
- The podcast will resume regular uploads on September 3rd, with four episodes remaining in the current season.
- Jason emphasizes that the podcast is not ending and assures listeners that he and the team are not going anywhere, just taking some time off.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On Sharing Personal News
- "There's not an episode of Fictional this week. I need to take a moment. We had a death in the family and it's hard."
— Jason Weiser [00:04]
- "There's not an episode of Fictional this week. I need to take a moment. We had a death in the family and it's hard."
- On Listener Communication
- "Sorry to junk up your feed, but it's the only way to assure that everyone gets this announcement and that I hopefully don't get the angry, hate filled messages that I tend to get when I miss a Fictional deadline. Because I just cannot deal with that right now."
— Jason Weiser [00:20]
- "Sorry to junk up your feed, but it's the only way to assure that everyone gets this announcement and that I hopefully don't get the angry, hate filled messages that I tend to get when I miss a Fictional deadline. Because I just cannot deal with that right now."
- Reassurance About the Show’s Future
- "Fictional will resume on September 3rd in two weeks, and there are four more episodes left of the season. So full season still coming out. I'm not going anywhere."
— Jason Weiser [00:36]
- "Fictional will resume on September 3rd in two weeks, and there are four more episodes left of the season. So full season still coming out. I'm not going anywhere."
- Gratitude to the Listeners
- "Thank you so much for your understanding and your patience."
— Jason Weiser [00:50]
- "Thank you so much for your understanding and your patience."
Timestamps for Important Segments
- 00:00 — Jason greets listeners and delivers the update about the missed episode
- 00:04 — Shares the reason for the hiatus (family bereavement)
- 00:20 — Explains intention behind podcast feed announcement
- 00:36 — Provides information about when regular episodes will resume
- 00:50 — Expresses gratitude to the audience for patience and understanding
Summary
In this brief but heartfelt episode, Jason Weiser steps away from the usual literary storytelling to share a personal update. Taking a compassionate, direct tone, he informs listeners that there will be a brief two-week pause in new episodes due to a family emergency, while reassuring fans that Fictional will return on September 3rd with the remainder of the season. The episode is candid and grateful, aimed at fostering understanding and continued listener support.