Season 2 of Guards of Eden Review
Firstly, it feels very surreal to be writing this particular blog. On August 23rd I got back to recording podcasts as I started with Suzie Clark before she set off to Bali (She would be the 2nd episode of season 2) and I’ve been obsessed/immersed ever since. Focused purely on making the second season of Guards of Eden an elevation of something I was already extremely proud of in season one.
Let’s start at the beginning of this particular chapter in the Guards of Eden story.
I was conscious of the fact that I needed to improve in a bunch of areas when it comes to impacting the final product of an episode. The first thing was getting over the fear that comes with approaching people to see if they would come on the podcast to share their story. It’s still not a process I’m comfortable with as I worry about maintaining the personal relationship and communicating that I understand if it’s something they’re not interested in and that doesn’t impact our friendship in any way. With the fact that I’m approaching people that I respect and know personally; I want to protect the relationship and that can be tough when I’m asking for something too.
That’s been challenging and it’s actually meant that I’ve spoken to 7 people this season which I had never met or in the case of the season finale just one time before recording. The fact that has led to all 12 guests being so open, whether they know me or not has spoken volumes about the quality of character in the guests for this season. That openness is the next point I want to talk about…
Season 2 has given me incredible growth in terms of discussing topics which I may have shied away from in the past because of an inability to broach them respectfully and also not understanding that people will go as far into a given topic as they feel comfortable with. Here’s some topics that have been brought up and discussed in season 2:
Suicide
Depression
Body Shaming
Sexuality
Building A Business
Parenthood
Gender Issues in the Workplace
The Prison & Rehabilitation System
The Pitfalls of Social Media
Self-Discovery and Development.
I enjoy the idea of season 2 being an evolution of what was the foundation of Guards of Eden and the fact that it’s forced me to evolve and growth as a human being as well. I could bore you with my learnings in terms of episode preparation, editing & promotion and although they have been quietly vital to improving the quality of the episodes on my side, pushing myself as a person to grow has been my biggest takeaway from the past 12 amazing stories.
One thing that I mentioned in the season 1 review blog has really stuck with me and that’s the most rewarding feedback I’ve had has been from the guests themselves from their own episodes. I will never take for granted the fact that an episode is a representation of the guest and it’s my responsibility to facilitate telling their story in a way that they’re comfortable with.
I have no desire to turn Guards of Eden into a platform that seeks out clickbait-y bullshit. It’s about giving a voice to special people who are using their very life’s work to help make the world a better place. As much as I understand the idea of “They have X number of followers and/or a blue tick, get them on and you’ll get loads of plays”, I didn’t build Guards of Eden to chase numbers. I want to share stories of people I love, respect, admire and/or believe can provide people value to their life. I believe that’s been achieved with these 12 episodes and that feeling gives me a sense of pride and overwhelming joy that comes from two things.
The first being that I didn’t cheat the process or myself by taking shortcuts or selling out my integrity to get someone on the podcast that maybe would’ve got tons of clicks, but may be isn't someone I truly believe in. The second being that I’ve put hundreds of hours and pounds as well as a ton of energy in to Guards of Eden with the very driving force being bigger than myself. A true purpose. That’s led to 23 episodes; 26 hours of content in 2019 across 2 seasons.
What you are now left with after the dust from season 2 has settled is 13 people coming together to provide 12 amazing stories with the hope of inspiring, motivating and entertaining people. Hopefully enough to impact their life in a positive way.
I have to thank the 12 guests with all my heart. You were all amazing; you provided me and the listeners with more then you probably know. Being one of those 13 people is enough to excite me for what is to come with season 3, but for now, I’m simply appreciative and grateful for what season 2 became. I also shouldn't forget to thank anybody who has listened to an episode of Guards of Eden. You've invested time in to something I care deeply about and I will not, can not and will never take that for granted.
Season 3 is likely to be in Spring 2020 and in the range of 6-8 episodes (let’s be honest, who knows in terms of episode numbers). I’ll be going back to the drawing board in 2020 with regards to any potential changes. Right now, I’m going to bask in feeling that season 2 came out as more than I ever imagined it would be before embarking on this journey.
If you want to check out any episodes from season 2 or even season 1 then please visit my Guards of Eden page on this website or through the links below:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/guards-of-eden/id1465822776
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1MAEkvrfI7fbG0qOEYg1xP?si=RZmImOiaRgCtJfoLHpbFdA
Anchor: https://anchor.fm/guardsofeden
Thank you for taking the time to read this and for supporting this platform. I’m excited to see you for season 3.
One love, Luca :) x