I'm torn cause I think the messaging in this episode absolutely sucks. It's just very clunky and ends up going for a "actually the government establishment are the good guys facing evil injustices from the evil podcasters". It just absolutely fails at delivering the right message and it really proves that even without the Chibnall era production issues he struggles with this kind of thing.

HOWEVER, Jonah Hauer-King smashes it as Conrad and I really hope he gets more roles in the future as smug, obnoxious assholes because he is insanely good. That twist scene where it's revealed it was all a set-up was brilliant and he's really good at making you hate his guts.

Still, the episode is riddled with plotholes (Conrad breaks into UNIT, shoots a guy and starts pointing a gun at multiple people and he still thinks he can paint himself to be the good guy?? really??? after breaking that many laws?? also the fake Shreek scene just makes no sense cause he's trying to say that UNIT have a bunch of costumed monsters but the only costumed monsters there are the one's he hired, they're literally recording the whole thing. How does that in any way prove that UNIT is faking monsters????).

Anyway little ramble over I sincerely hope Pete McTighe doesn't get to go anywhere near the showrunner role but this episode tried it's best despite him.