So I listened to Balance around the time they were going from Amnesty into Graduation and it took a while to catch up. I meant to listen to Amnesty (still might someday, but it's low priority) and don't really intend to listen to Graduation.
BUT! Since I caught it relatively near the beginning, I did start listening to Ethersea, beginning with the pre-series where they create and shape the background story of the world they'll be playing The Quiet Year. I think that's proven to be a really good idea, and has made a big influence on the direction of the show without like, predicting its direction or making it obvious.
Anyway, overall I'm enjoying it! There's some interesting stuff going on, storywise, and a few decent character moments and a lot of great NPCs, including one that made me shout for joy when I figured out what Griffin was doing with it just a moment before the reveal. Plus, the setting is pretty awesome, with underwater ship combat and such. It's had some ups and downs, of course, but I've been liking it and have stayed current with it since. Anyone else listening?