Podcasts for iOS broken.

I've been using podcasts for iOS since the iPhone 3. I listen to podcasts on my commute, and during most drives. Over the last seven years, I've accumulated over 1000 podcasts. In its infinite wisdom iTunes has now elected to duplicate the contents of my iPad, my iPhone and my MacBook's podcasts. Despite the fact that all podcasts are IDENTICAL in name, the podcasts app copies each one to each device. But it's even worse. I can't delete the unwanted duplicate without deleting ALL three copies. So the Podcasts app recognises that these podcasts are identical enough for the removal of one to trigger the removal of all. BUT I still have three copies sitting in iTunes, and 3 copies on my iOS devices too.

OK, I thought, I'll wipe the iPad and iPhone and re-install.

No luck. 3 duplicates again.

I also completely wiped my podcasts from my Mac, re-downloaded them all. Then, when I tried to install the podcasts onto my iPhone, duplicates were loaded onto BOTH my Mac and iPhone.

I can't even install ANY podcasts (my most used app) without syncing because my backup is stored on my laptop, and it duplicates all content on my iPhone iPad. so that I can save it as needed.

All devices use the latest iOS (8.4.1) or OS X (10.10.5) All apps and Applications are to date.

You'd think this would be BASIC functionality... but no. Not in the new Apple.

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What am I hoping for? I want to use the podcasts app (or iTunes) to download podcasts and be able to sync my iOS devices and my Macbook without phantom duplication of files. iOS and OS X USED to do this. I would like it to work, the way it USED to! If anyone from Apple is listening, please fix the sync issue, SOON!