About This Episode
What is this episode about?
The episode "The Journey, Episode 3: The Industry" from In the Dark covers how a stunning lack of regulation in the surrogacy industry made it possible for a couple to build an unusually large family. The reporting, led by Ava, traces how gaps in oversight across the industry created room for the couple's plans to move forward largely unchecked.
The episode is part of a series called The Journey, and this particular installment, The Industry, focuses specifically on the systems and structures that surround surrogacy arrangements — the clinics, agencies, and professionals whose lack of coordinated regulation allowed the couple's project to expand without meaningful checks. Rather than centering on a single crime scene or courtroom, the episode pulls back to examine an entire industry and the conditions that let it operate with minimal scrutiny.
Hosts and release
Madeleine Baran hosts In the Dark, a show known for prize-winning investigative journalism that uncovers hidden truths behind high-profile criminal cases. The show first aired in 2016 and is published by The New Yorker, with its most recent season, Season 3, released in 2024. Listeners can find the show on Apple Podcasts and Audible. This installment, episode 3 in the season, runs 59 minutes and was released on September 29, 2026.
