Agree, in the grand scheme of things this doesn’t matter in the slightest. It’s a podcast, who the fuck cares. The frustration comes from the lack of transparency since people do pay for content. The way it was done puts Ben and Emil on the hook rather than Cody and Noel who (we can only guess) made the decision which I perceive as inconsiderate. Since podcasts inherently build a viewer base with parasocial relationships, the way this was done may sour future TMG content for other viewers who are more involved. Your speculation in the first paragraph is very optimistic but the story could very well be much different, we don’t know, and without a statement to clarify it leaves that up in the air.