The Megyn Kelly Show: Deep Dives WWI & WWII Review

The Megyn Kelly Show is a long-form interview program on SiriusXM featuring deep dives into politics, culture, and history. This episode—"Deep Dives on World War I and World War II"—is a 190-minute historical exploration with historian Sean McMeekin from Bard College, who unpacks the geopolitical roots, progression, and lasting impact of both world wars.

If you want a listen that actually teaches you something, this delivers. Kelly excels at asking follow-ups that surface nuance: not just "what happened?" but "why did people keep fighting?" and "how did it change the world?" McMeekin is engaging and sharp, explaining pre-WWI alliance systems, the consequences of German unification in 1871, and how the treaties ending WWI set up WWII. Her husband Doug Brunt, also a historian, adds warmth and collaborative energy to the discussion.

Score: 7.5/10. A well-researched, genuinely educational conversation that resonates with history buffs and anyone curious about modern geopolitics. Ad load is minimal: just 3 ads (1.1 minutes total, 0.6% of the episode), so you're getting mostly uninterrupted content.

What Makes The Megyn Kelly Show 'Deep Dives on World War I and World War ' Work

The episode's strength is in specificity. Rather than surface-level war narrative, McMeekin digs into the international power structures of the early 1900s—the alliance systems that created a domino effect when Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated. Kelly pushes for the human angle: why did soldiers keep fighting? Why did empires continue sinking resources into seemingly unwinnable conflicts?

"The United States was certainly emerging as a World Power. But as far as the old world it was still not necessarily the post...the European powers ruled over something like 85% of the surface of the globe."

This quote perfectly captures McMeekin's approach—rooting the wars in broader geopolitical context rather than just battle narratives. He explains how Britain's empire, despite its global reach, was already showing cracks, and how the First World War accelerated the shift toward American and Japanese power. It's the kind of conversation that makes you genuinely understand why the 20th century unfolded as it did.

Kelly's interviewing style is warm but probing. She's clearly done her homework (her husband's enthusiasm for McMeekin's books isn't just flattery), and she lets the expert breathe while asking questions that surface unexpected details. For a 190-minute episode, the pacing doesn't drag—which is a genuine achievement for dense historical discussion. If you enjoy Kelly's approach to complex topics, her episode on Trump's Taiwan Talks, Pra shows the same probing style applied to current events.

The Ad Load on The Megyn Kelly Show: 3 Ads, 1.1 Minutes

The Megyn Kelly Show carries 3 ads totaling 1.1 minutes, which is just 0.6% of this 190-minute episode. That's refreshingly light for a long-form show. The ads are spaced throughout rather than dumped at the start or end, so they feel less intrusive than a typical podcast load.

Skip The Megyn Kelly Show ads automatically with PodSkip, and you'll get straight to the historians.

The Megyn Kelly Show Review: Is 'Deep Dives on World War I and World War ' Worth Listening?

7.5/10. If you're a history enthusiast or curious about how the world's current power dynamics came to be, this is a solid listen. It's educational without feeling like a lecture, and McMeekin's explanations make complex geopolitical systems genuinely understandable.

The caveat: at 190 minutes, you need to be willing to commit. If you're not already interested in early-20th-century history, you might find your attention wandering by hour three. But if the topic appeals to you at all, the quality of the conversation more than justifies the time investment. Kelly's conversational style—whether discussing the world wars or current politics like in her Colbert's Hissy Fit Farewell episode—remains consistently sharp and curious. You can find more reviews of her episodes on PodSkip.

FAQ: The Megyn Kelly Show 'Deep Dives on World War I and ' Review

Who is hosting The Megyn Kelly Show episode?

Megyn Kelly hosts, with historian Sean McMeekin from Bard College as the primary guest, plus her husband Doug Brunt, a historian and podcast host. McMeekin brings deep academic expertise on both world wars; the family dynamic keeps the conversation warm and accessible despite the heavy subject matter. Brunt is currently writing a book on this exact historical period, so his insights add real-time research perspective.

How long is this episode, and what's the ad situation?

The episode runs 190.4 minutes (just over 3 hours) with 3 ads totaling 1.1 minutes—less than 1% of the runtime. You're getting a nearly commercial-free history conversation, which is rare for a long-form show. The Megyn Kelly Show on Apple Podcasts has full episode details and her complete back catalog if you want to explore more episodes.

Is The Megyn Kelly Show worth subscribing to?

If long-form interviews on current events, politics, and history appeal to you, absolutely. This episode shows Kelly's core strength: her ability to ask smart follow-up questions that pull nuance out of genuinely complex topics. She's not performing; she's genuinely curious, which makes even dense material engaging. She brings the same quality to every genre she covers, from politics to cultural commentary to history.

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