Podcast Subscription Issue

I want to subscribe to Wiser Than Me on Apple Podcasts. I thought I had. BUT the subscription does NOT show up in the list of my subscriptions. However, when I pull up the show on Podcasts, it has the iconography of the podcast and has the words "subscriber edition" under it, as if I AM subscribed. However, when I click on an Ad Free episode, a little box pops up that says "You must be a subscriber to listen to this content" and then an OK button. When I press OK, nothing happens. I am taken back to same screen.

• I have quit podcasts and reopened it.
• I have looked all over the podcast page for Wiser Than Me and there is no option to subscribe. No box, No offer, No nothing.
• I successfully subscribed to an NPR podcast tonight without a problem and saw the subscription in my subscriptions list in Settings. So I know it's not a subscription problem in general.
• I am on iOS 18.1.1.

If I delete the Podcast app and redownload from the App Store (it's available right?), will I lose my list of podcasts and my podcast settings? Do you think that will work or is there something else I can do first?

I loathe logging out of my Apple ID and having to reset everything when logging back in, such as in Wallet.