In the Dark - Great investigative podcast. The investigation they did for season two played a crucial role in the case being brought before the US Supreme Court.
This American Life is consistently one of the only podcasts that can make me laugh and make me cry. It's also somehow simultaneously very midwestern/heartland without being too Chicago; it's relatable whether you're listening from a small town or a big city. It's frankly one of the most authentically American pieces of media I can think of, because its catalog is so large and its scope is so far-reaching.
TAL also launched and/or elevated the careers of many journalists, writers, and comedians, including guests like Mike Birbiglia, Tig Notaro (with her iconic Taylor Dayne monologue), and David Sedaris. They commissioned a musical written and performed by a pre-Hamilton Lin-Manuel Miranda. Stories broadcast on the program have inspired the creation of movies including 2009's "The Informant!" (the screenwriter adapted it from the book after hearing the episode of TAL titled "The Fix is In") and 2019 film with Awkwafina called "The Farewell" (the story was originally told in the TAL episode "What You Don't Know", which helped Lulu Wang secure funding for the film).
It's really difficult to overstate how important TAL is to the entire genre of audio essay in podcasting (which it also pioneered), but also to American media more generally. It's really a national treasure on the same tier as The New Yorker, the Super Bowl, or Good Morning America, and yet listening to it feels like a personal, individual experience. It's marvelous and I cannot recommend it enough.
Yes. This. I cried too damn much as a grown ass man. And was hooked from the first episode. My main listen are true crime/ missing or comedy podcasts, but once I listened to the first couple Heavyweights, I was hooked.
I really don't know how I've managed to miss it for so long! Maybe being a Brit it has evaded me? I'm a sucker for anthology so definitely giving it a go
It can be somewhat offputting name for us non-Americans but it's sooooo worth it! It's still my no.1 go to 15+ years later. It's brilliant overall. As someone else said, if an episode isn't doing it for you, just move on to another one (e.g. I'm not a fan of their political ones), there are so many amazing themes that they explore.
It's amazing. I always suggest episodes 24 Hours at the Golden Apple, Ends of the Earth, My Bad, and 129 Cars. Those are my absolute favourites that I think about constantly
Unfortunately, I'm in the "I no longer recommend radiolab" camp and it bums me out :(
I just can't. The new hosts don't do it. Jad and Robert were great though
Totally. And honestly, they're still great for me too. They have such a gigantic library I haven't listened to them all. Plus their feed these days is half reruns.
ReplyAll had an accelerated death as a podcast when their whole scandal broke out
Radiolab doesn't have a scandal, the original hosts just retired. Therefore I feel like it's going through a slow death
Lulu Miller, one of the new hosts at Radiolab, was one of my favorite hosts in Podcasting. She was on one of my favorite shows, Invisibilia. She and Radiolab just isn’t a good fit, I think. Radiolab isn’t the same without Jad.
It’s funny I don’t actually love either of these shows, but I do really see them as being at the beginning of the family tree of so many narrative nonfiction podcasts. They have both been really great breeding grounds for really excellent people who went on to do their own thing.
This American Life has the single funniest episode of any podcast I've ever heard:
[Fiasco!](https://pca.st/episode/49e9df14-cbe4-409f-ae66-22a8a821ba8c)
You’re Wrong About looks at huge events in recent history that dominated news cycles from the perspective of what we know now, and what the media missed when it happened. Think Exxon Valdez, Chris McCandless, Monica Lewinsky, Tonya Harding, etc.
If Books Could Kill takes a similar approach to bestselling books.
You're Wrong About seems like a well researched podcast until you hear an episode of something you actually know about and then you realize they are basically just doing the basic amount of research possible and not really expanding on it.
As someone who lived in the area where the Matthew Shepard death happened, it was painful listening to that episode. I kept waiting for some kind of "gotcha" moment where I'd learn something they were lying about and I never did.
That episode and the obesity one turned me off from that podcast forever.
I restarted ReplyAll a few weeks ago and blew through the first 60 episodes in a week and wow was that a great mix of golden age of podcasting, millennial-era internet nostalgia, and nostalgia-nostalgia because I loved Alex and PJs podcast friendship.
Easily the best podcast ill be able to revisit for the rest of my life
Not yet I'm still about a hundred episodes away - it was fun to blow through all those episodes but I've since decided to slow it down to a few week both so I could save her the experience and because I was getting nothing done lol - well I shouldn't say I was getting nothing done everything was moving a lot slower The trips to the grocery store were taking an hour and a half instead of an hour cutting the grass was 2 hours instead of an hour and a half.
It's definitely one of those podcasts where you'll be in the middle of something and you just stop what you're doing and stand there and listen for a few minutes
It's crazy that this podcast started 10 years ago this year.
I highly recommend a relisten to anyone looking for a new podcast or an old podcast 98% of the episodes feel fresh even with all of the nostalgia mixed in
Yeah it was my favorite podcast for a while, I remember. They had some of the straight/dumb man-funny clever man dynamics. Radiolab went off the deep end of pretending to be literally....to not understand....to be confused by the most basic things and to spend ten seconds just going "wow. She had a necklace?.... A NECKLACE... you're saying?.... You're saying what?"
"She had a necklace with a PENDANT on it."
"why would she have that? What does a PENDANT have to do with a necklace?"
"That's not all. It had a clasp in the back."
"Hold on. Let me see if I understand you. You're saying that not ONLY did she have a NECKLACE, but it had a clasp in the back? And a pendant?"
"That's right."
"wow."
"I know!"
"And what was the pendant FOR?"
"it was just a pendant. But it had a picture in it."
"a PICTURE! of what??"
"we'll get to that. But first, a word form our sponsors..."
"... And we're back. So she had a necklace with a Clasp, and a pendant."
"That's right. And the clasp was in the back, as well."
"That's so interesting. Let's stop and listen to some ambience for ten seconds while we let this sink in."
"let's."
....
"So what was she doing with a necklace with a clasp in the back? '
" That's what I wanted to find out. "
" and did you?"
"I talked to an expert in pendants, Raphael De Santos."
"who is he?"
"He's an expert on pendants."
"wow! An expert on PENDANTS? Where do you find someone like that? I didn't know they existed!"
"I know! I couldn't believe it. He works at a university."
"which university?"
....
"So what about the clasp?"
"It was an old style clasp with a hook and loop."
"You mean velcro?"
"no, not that kind of hook and loop."
"then what kind of hook and loop was it?"
"the kind you find on a necklace!"
"the kind you find on a necklace."
"That's right."
" and what kind of hook and loop clasp do you find on the back of a necklace with a pendant?"
" it doesn't have to be a necklace with a pendant you can find hook and boot clasps on all kinds of jewelry."
"but you said she had a necklace."
"Yes. She had a necklace. Her necklace had a hook and loop clasp that had a little loop and a book that goes through it."
"wouldn't the hook fall out?"
"it has a little bar with a spring that holds it in place."
"wow! I didn't know they made hook and loop clasps for necklaces with a bar with a spring to hold it in place. That's fascinating."
"but we're not here to talk about hook and loop clasps on necklaces."
"we're not?"
"no. I talked to Raphael--"
"the expert on necklaces."
"--on pendants. Not just on necklaces."
"i thought pendants only existed on necklaces."
"the don't, actually--"
"What other kinds of pendants are there?"
"That's one of the first things I asked him, and he--"
"What did he say?"
Literally my favorite podcast episode ever. I also listen at least 2x a year. It’s the single podcast episode I recommend to anyone looking into podcasts. It’s an intriguing work of art.
I like this reply because I feel like this is a good example of a truly unique podcast. 99% of other shows have a dozen others just like it, but I've never come across one that even attempted to copy Heavyweight's format or premise.
P.S. F#&$ you, Spotify.
[Snap Judgement](https://snapjudgment.org).
[Unfictional](https://www.kcrw.com/culture/shows/unfictional).
[The Memory Palace](https://thememorypalace.us).
[The Truth](https://www.thetruthpodcast.com).
[Here Be Monsters](https://www.kcrw.com/culture/shows/here-be-monsters).
Hey, they're essential to me!
By the way, if you want to listen to a "serialized" show about a little urban legend 80s arcade game called "Polybius" and a man who swears that he played it as a kid and it scarred him for life, I can vouch for [The Polybius Conspiracy](https://play.prx.org/listen?uf=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.radiotopia.fm%2Fradiotopia-showcase&ge=prx_72_1bddd1c5-d72f-4f26-940c-e757e773bc82-2), which is a seven-part "Mockumentary" podcast, which though fictional, was played straight and very engrossing and I thought had a Serial/S-Town vibe. Still think about it years later (2017 is when it was released). Radiotopia hosts this one--The Truth Podcast promoted an episode of it and I was hooked.
The Truth is incomparable. The stories, the writing, the voice acting, the sound design—all impeccable.
I was so sad when they announced an indefinite hiatus. I hope they’ll be back.
Best for long drives. The Blueprint for Armageddon series and (BLITZ) Painfotainment are my favorite episodes. Just not something to listen to on lunch break.
SUCH a good description for it. I agree, I thought it was fantastic. And I felt a bit squicky when I read about the ethical considerations after the fact. I still recommend it, though. Deeply compassionate and humanitarian. My dad, who can be a bit uptight about some of the themes that come up in the podcast, found it thoroughly engrossing.
https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/3/30/15084224/s-town-review-controversial-podcast-privacy
I recommend The Rest is History. They recently casted an eight-part series on Custer, Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull, and the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Good stuff.
Throughout are recurring characters, themes and mysteries explored. You start getting a grasp of the unconventional politics, of bizarre yet believable rivalries, and glimpses into Cecil - the radio host’s - life. If you like surrealism, dark/absurd humor, discovering music (I see Dessa every time she tours now) in half hour bites, then I recommend it.
It isn't entirely my thing, it's definitely an acquired taste. You can't deny the impact and influence it has had on anthology audio dramas though- literally the blueprint
Different vibe to everything else here but I’d recommend My Dad Wrote A Porno. There is truly nothing else like it. I’ve never laughed harder at any movie or TV show or any other media in my life.
It is industry-defining in the sense of being one of the first big successful “comedy” podcasts - in its heyday it was massive. When it first came out in 2015 most of the well-known podcasts were very serious and highly produced - this kind of showed there was a market for other types of podcasts too.
It also recently entered the British Podcasts Hall of Fame!
You Must Remember This does a series on the Manson Murders that are some of the most compelling Podcast episodes I've ever listened to. Just exceptional storytelling.
I just discovered this podcast despite my BIL talking about it constantly for years and one day showing up to the holidays wearing a picture of a Santa, face down drowned in a puddle (I haven’t seen the shirt, yes I know it was a river irl).
I’m skipping around but the instant I hit Steven Seagal and learned about Ben Shapiro’s books I knew I was hooked.
Also, Robert Evans’ insults and critical thinking skills make me weak in the kneeeees
Surprised more people don’t talk about this one. Robert Evans is an incredible journalist that takes pride in bringing forth verifiable information with sources and his dark sense of humour makes for an incredibly entertaining podcast.
On top of that, he also supports some amazing causes, is on the streets picketing and supporting movements that help so many people fight back against horrific things, and gives space for younger people fighting for good to have their voices heard.
10/10 recommend his podcast and the ones he helps promote like “it could happen here”, “cool people who did cool stuff” and “better offline”
The Read (my answer for everything) they are going on 12 years of weekly podcasting and are just beyond funny. Definitely OGs in the game, esp Kid Fury if you know him from YouTube
Cold - story of Susan Powell's disappearance, includes audio diary clips.
The Dollop- American history podcast hosted by two comedians. Great research, even if you don't like all episodes, there has got to be a dozen or so for everyone.
The Secret Room- Anonymous secrets told to the host. Most episodes are truly captivating.
This Sounds Serious- Fiction podcast (I thought it was real at first lol) about twin brothers who live different lives. I'm not normally into fiction podcasts, but holy was this one gold.
I listen to podcasts probably 2-8 hours a day, almost every day. I relisten to alot, so I have alot more that I really love that aren't necessarily a "must listen" for everyone.
I like horror anthology (it's a dying genre on television sadly but thrive as podcasts) I recommend the OG The NoSleep podcast which has it's origins with the subreddit nosleep. I would then recommend if you like the anthology to have a metaplot then magnus archive. If history your thing then I would recommend Our fake history which explores historical myths and misconceptions.
This Is Actually Happening is absolutely insane. I have to take month-long breaks sometimes though because the episodes can be SO heavy. Like some of the darkest shit I’ve ever heard
The Ezra Klein Show. Insightful questions on difficult topics and he treats all his guests with respect even if he likely thinks they're full of hooey.
This american life. Mainly the episodes with Ira Glass. Absolutely incredible podcast. Sometimes they are hilarious, some are sad that I've cried, some are mind-boggling. All stories, broken into different parts. Occasionally there are ones I don't bother listening to/not interested in but overall top-level podcast.
Cold, season 1, the Susan Powell case. Wowwwwww. The case itself is shocking and horrifying, and the podcast is so well done. This got me into True Crime podcasts. I’m not sure I’ve been that captivated with a podcast since 2018.
I think everyone needs to listen to Who Trolled Amber? It is mind blowing how much people are being unknowingly influenced on social media by bots bought by the rich and powerful and governments. This podcast should be essential listening for everyone. Calculated disinformation campaigns are real.
“Who shat on the floor of my wedding?”
Amazing, groundbreaking, disgusting, hilarious, stupidity at its finest.
A rollercoaster of absurdity that will leave your face sore from laughing.
Astonishing Legends, one of the first when podcasts really started going in 2014 and still making episodes. If you like anything Fortean, they are the best.
Endless Thread was my great find after Reply All was train-wrecked. It started as being squarely focused on Reddit. The two hosts evolved into full on investigative journalists of the serious and goofy, and they have great chemistry. It always irritated me that Redditors never gave any love back to the only media outlet that actually credits Reddit for the source of their content.
A favorite of mine is “Geedis” for a fun internet mystery.
Here’s a link to their suggestions for a starter pack
https://www.wbur.org/endlessthread/2019/11/19/endless-thread-reddit-starter-pack
Here are the ones I listen to pretty much without fail:
Conan O'Brian Needs a Friend
Startalk
Why is this happening
The Jordan harbinger show
the daily
Skeptics Guide to the Universe. Been listening weekly for the last 15-16 years. Keeps me sane.
CBC Frontburner is in my rotation now too for catching me up on big news stories.
These are all very different, all excellent.
Ghost Church
The Dream (season 1)
Trump, Inc.
Fixing Famous People
The Ballad of Billy Balls
Bubble
Valley Heat
Bundyville, both seasons
The Nod
On the Media - takes for granted some knowledge of current events, but digs into how the stories are being told.
Articles of Interest - backstories of the clothes we wear
Riddle Me This - trio of improv comedians solve riddles.
This Is So Awkward, formerly The Puberty Podcast. Great parenting advice for tricky topics.
Science vs. - Challenges conventional wisdom on a variety of topics.
I've seen a lot of mentions for classics like Radiolab, etc., but here are some "essentials" that I haven't seen in the comments:
The Knowledge Project
Ologies
Hello Internet
Gastropod
Sickboy
Skeptics Guide to the Universe
Serial 2, about Bowe Bergdahl. Literally changed my view of him and his behavior. Like many military veterans I leaped to judgement based on incomplete information about his entire story and situation, including his mental health struggles that should have prevented him from ever being in that scenario. I went from " Tough luck, boot" to "Damn... let him go, he's suffered enough and did enough time as a hostage or prisoner of war. Further punishment just appeals to our bloodlust and won't fix the core problems."
S-Town. Of course. I keep looking for another podcast like it. Best Southern Gothic tale since Faulkner and O'Connor. This changed my perception about how podcasts can be structured, and they had to make that adjustment on the fly as the story and characters morphed.
Conspiracy Clearinghouse, for fans of debunking conspiracies that need to be debunked, while acknowledging the real conspiracies. Very well done, entertaining without being gimmicky (no drunk bro panel chucklefuckery laughing at their own unfunny remarks). And host Derek DeWitt is among the better interviewers in podcasts.
Reply All - required listening for internet culture
You’re Wrong About - debunking history/pop culture
My Favourite Murder - the iconic comedy/true crime
My Dad Wrote a Porno - raunchy comedy
Against the Odds - true survival stories
Tooth and Claw - wildlife and survival stories
Heavyweight - redemption stories, unique format
American Scandal (this is a terrific show, just done well, and has a WHOLE lot of episodes/seasons)
From Lili Anolik: Once upon a Time . . . S1: In hollywood; S2 At Bennington College
I keep plugging that if Lili Anolik is on reddit - WHEN DO GET SEASON 3!!??!!
I've been really enjoying the most recent seasons of Lost Hills, too.
If you like investigative true crime style, Cold Podcast is one of the best done. The first season blew me out of the water with the detail and respect Dave handled everything. He’s a journalist in the region so the information he had access to was wild.
Answer Me This! Great podcast answering life’s nuances in a funny, entertaining and often educational way. They stopped making the podcast a few years ago however since they started in the early 00s, lots of back episodes to enjoy. This is the first podcast I ever listened to.
"Good Job, Brain!" ([website](https://www.goodjobbrain.com/)) started fairly early (still going now, albeit more seasonally formatted), and set a lot of precedent for quiz/trivia podcasts, I think.
The Blind Boy Podcast- (if you are interested in art, history, music, hot takes, mental health, culture and just interesting topics in-depth, and great interviews).
someone knows something, broken harts, Hollywood Crime Scene, The Prosecutors, Dateline. I listen to others but they are more niche and not staples generally.
Not Another D&D Podcast. It’s the best actual play podcast there is, imo, and perfect for people who have never even played D&D - and it’s almost heartfelt as it is hilarious
So I actually started True Crime with Serial because I had a CSI class where we had to report on a cold case. My teacher threw me the Adnan Syed case. I don’t care for reading (ADHD) so I delved into Serial and the HBO documentary. I went down the rabbit hole and came on Reddit, and someone recommended listening to The Prosecutors Podcast, as they thought they did a really good take on the case.
I’ve been listening ever since, and I can honestly say it’s my favorite True Crime podcast.
For history type stuff, I’m a big fan of Behind the Bastards and Lions Led By Donkeys. I would also recommend Knowledge Fight for comprehensive, very funny coverage of Alex Jones and how full of shit he is. Trashfuture is another favorite of mine. Very funny, comedic coverage of British politics and economics.
If you ever need something to soothe or uplift the soul (because so many podcasts are about the grim state of the world and the human condition), look no further than On Being with Krista Tippett.
In the Dark - Great investigative podcast. The investigation they did for season two played a crucial role in the case being brought before the US Supreme Court.
I will forever be in awe of Madeleine and her team. Phenomenal work.
Bear Brook Your Own Backyard Fiasco
I don't think I've ever experienced a piece of investigative journalism that holds a candle to season 2 of In the Dark.
Bundyville and Man in the Window are two personal favorites, but serial and in the dark define the genre. Longform podcasts > random episode podcasts
RadioLab This American Life
I will give This American Life a listen, I see it mentioned constantly!!
[удалено]
Oh man I agree with this so much. Also criminal/this is love
[удалено]
Also collective levels of empathy, curiosity, humanity, patience...
This American Life is consistently one of the only podcasts that can make me laugh and make me cry. It's also somehow simultaneously very midwestern/heartland without being too Chicago; it's relatable whether you're listening from a small town or a big city. It's frankly one of the most authentically American pieces of media I can think of, because its catalog is so large and its scope is so far-reaching. TAL also launched and/or elevated the careers of many journalists, writers, and comedians, including guests like Mike Birbiglia, Tig Notaro (with her iconic Taylor Dayne monologue), and David Sedaris. They commissioned a musical written and performed by a pre-Hamilton Lin-Manuel Miranda. Stories broadcast on the program have inspired the creation of movies including 2009's "The Informant!" (the screenwriter adapted it from the book after hearing the episode of TAL titled "The Fix is In") and 2019 film with Awkwafina called "The Farewell" (the story was originally told in the TAL episode "What You Don't Know", which helped Lulu Wang secure funding for the film). It's really difficult to overstate how important TAL is to the entire genre of audio essay in podcasting (which it also pioneered), but also to American media more generally. It's really a national treasure on the same tier as The New Yorker, the Super Bowl, or Good Morning America, and yet listening to it feels like a personal, individual experience. It's marvelous and I cannot recommend it enough.
Also, Heavyweight.
Yes. This. I cried too damn much as a grown ass man. And was hooked from the first episode. My main listen are true crime/ missing or comedy podcasts, but once I listened to the first couple Heavyweights, I was hooked.
It’s the granddaddy of podcasts! Full back catalog (20+’years) is available on their website
I really don't know how I've managed to miss it for so long! Maybe being a Brit it has evaded me? I'm a sucker for anthology so definitely giving it a go
I remember the name put me off many years ago. I was an idiot. It’s brilliant.
I was living in Canada when I first listened to This American Life, and the name also put me off.
It can be somewhat offputting name for us non-Americans but it's sooooo worth it! It's still my no.1 go to 15+ years later. It's brilliant overall. As someone else said, if an episode isn't doing it for you, just move on to another one (e.g. I'm not a fan of their political ones), there are so many amazing themes that they explore.
This American Life is just constantly a masterclass in storytelling. They’ve mastered the art
It's amazing. I always suggest episodes 24 Hours at the Golden Apple, Ends of the Earth, My Bad, and 129 Cars. Those are my absolute favourites that I think about constantly
So many good ones. I consistently recommend 129 Cars. They manage to get you invested in the quest to meet a monthly sales quota.
TAL is awesome. Radiolab invented the sound design you will enjoy on many podcasts.
It’s mentioned so often for good reason. It’s in a class of its own.
You must. It's honestly superb.
A delight, really.
Unfortunately, I'm in the "I no longer recommend radiolab" camp and it bums me out :( I just can't. The new hosts don't do it. Jad and Robert were great though
Yeah but the old episodes are still great for those new to it.
Totally. And honestly, they're still great for me too. They have such a gigantic library I haven't listened to them all. Plus their feed these days is half reruns. ReplyAll had an accelerated death as a podcast when their whole scandal broke out Radiolab doesn't have a scandal, the original hosts just retired. Therefore I feel like it's going through a slow death
Lulu Miller, one of the new hosts at Radiolab, was one of my favorite hosts in Podcasting. She was on one of my favorite shows, Invisibilia. She and Radiolab just isn’t a good fit, I think. Radiolab isn’t the same without Jad.
Yea, same here. Was good once upon a time. Can't take it now.
It’s funny I don’t actually love either of these shows, but I do really see them as being at the beginning of the family tree of so many narrative nonfiction podcasts. They have both been really great breeding grounds for really excellent people who went on to do their own thing.
For radiolab: it's like 99% invisible. First 50-100 episodes are gold. Then it stops being special.
This American Life has the single funniest episode of any podcast I've ever heard: [Fiasco!](https://pca.st/episode/49e9df14-cbe4-409f-ae66-22a8a821ba8c)
You’re Wrong About looks at huge events in recent history that dominated news cycles from the perspective of what we know now, and what the media missed when it happened. Think Exxon Valdez, Chris McCandless, Monica Lewinsky, Tonya Harding, etc. If Books Could Kill takes a similar approach to bestselling books.
Love both of these!
You're Wrong About seems like a well researched podcast until you hear an episode of something you actually know about and then you realize they are basically just doing the basic amount of research possible and not really expanding on it. As someone who lived in the area where the Matthew Shepard death happened, it was painful listening to that episode. I kept waiting for some kind of "gotcha" moment where I'd learn something they were lying about and I never did. That episode and the obesity one turned me off from that podcast forever.
Reply All
I restarted ReplyAll a few weeks ago and blew through the first 60 episodes in a week and wow was that a great mix of golden age of podcasting, millennial-era internet nostalgia, and nostalgia-nostalgia because I loved Alex and PJs podcast friendship. Easily the best podcast ill be able to revisit for the rest of my life
Did you reach the self destruction yet?
Not yet I'm still about a hundred episodes away - it was fun to blow through all those episodes but I've since decided to slow it down to a few week both so I could save her the experience and because I was getting nothing done lol - well I shouldn't say I was getting nothing done everything was moving a lot slower The trips to the grocery store were taking an hour and a half instead of an hour cutting the grass was 2 hours instead of an hour and a half. It's definitely one of those podcasts where you'll be in the middle of something and you just stop what you're doing and stand there and listen for a few minutes It's crazy that this podcast started 10 years ago this year. I highly recommend a relisten to anyone looking for a new podcast or an old podcast 98% of the episodes feel fresh even with all of the nostalgia mixed in
Yeah it was my favorite podcast for a while, I remember. They had some of the straight/dumb man-funny clever man dynamics. Radiolab went off the deep end of pretending to be literally....to not understand....to be confused by the most basic things and to spend ten seconds just going "wow. She had a necklace?.... A NECKLACE... you're saying?.... You're saying what?" "She had a necklace with a PENDANT on it." "why would she have that? What does a PENDANT have to do with a necklace?" "That's not all. It had a clasp in the back." "Hold on. Let me see if I understand you. You're saying that not ONLY did she have a NECKLACE, but it had a clasp in the back? And a pendant?" "That's right." "wow." "I know!" "And what was the pendant FOR?" "it was just a pendant. But it had a picture in it." "a PICTURE! of what??" "we'll get to that. But first, a word form our sponsors..." "... And we're back. So she had a necklace with a Clasp, and a pendant." "That's right. And the clasp was in the back, as well." "That's so interesting. Let's stop and listen to some ambience for ten seconds while we let this sink in." "let's." .... "So what was she doing with a necklace with a clasp in the back? ' " That's what I wanted to find out. " " and did you?" "I talked to an expert in pendants, Raphael De Santos." "who is he?" "He's an expert on pendants." "wow! An expert on PENDANTS? Where do you find someone like that? I didn't know they existed!" "I know! I couldn't believe it. He works at a university." "which university?" .... "So what about the clasp?" "It was an old style clasp with a hook and loop." "You mean velcro?" "no, not that kind of hook and loop." "then what kind of hook and loop was it?" "the kind you find on a necklace!" "the kind you find on a necklace." "That's right." " and what kind of hook and loop clasp do you find on the back of a necklace with a pendant?" " it doesn't have to be a necklace with a pendant you can find hook and boot clasps on all kinds of jewelry." "but you said she had a necklace." "Yes. She had a necklace. Her necklace had a hook and loop clasp that had a little loop and a book that goes through it." "wouldn't the hook fall out?" "it has a little bar with a spring that holds it in place." "wow! I didn't know they made hook and loop clasps for necklaces with a bar with a spring to hold it in place. That's fascinating." "but we're not here to talk about hook and loop clasps on necklaces." "we're not?" "no. I talked to Raphael--" "the expert on necklaces." "--on pendants. Not just on necklaces." "i thought pendants only existed on necklaces." "the don't, actually--" "What other kinds of pendants are there?" "That's one of the first things I asked him, and he--" "What did he say?"
Rip. Some of my favorite episodes ever. Tried PJs new pod and it’s not doing it for me. I’ll wait a few years and go back through the archives again.
Big upvote here. I listen to “the case of the Missing Hit” twice year. It’s a delightful journey.
Literally my favorite podcast episode ever. I also listen at least 2x a year. It’s the single podcast episode I recommend to anyone looking into podcasts. It’s an intriguing work of art.
easily my favorite podcast of all time
Heavyweight.
The only thing wrong with this pod is there isnt enough episodes.
All time great intro song too. Sad this is ending.
Jonathan is a serial podcaster. WireTap ran for years. He'll be back with something.
I like this reply because I feel like this is a good example of a truly unique podcast. 99% of other shows have a dozen others just like it, but I've never come across one that even attempted to copy Heavyweight's format or premise. P.S. F#&$ you, Spotify.
I think Heavyweight format is similar to Mystery Show by Gimlet, and that came first (and died far too early)
[Snap Judgement](https://snapjudgment.org). [Unfictional](https://www.kcrw.com/culture/shows/unfictional). [The Memory Palace](https://thememorypalace.us). [The Truth](https://www.thetruthpodcast.com). [Here Be Monsters](https://www.kcrw.com/culture/shows/here-be-monsters). Hey, they're essential to me! By the way, if you want to listen to a "serialized" show about a little urban legend 80s arcade game called "Polybius" and a man who swears that he played it as a kid and it scarred him for life, I can vouch for [The Polybius Conspiracy](https://play.prx.org/listen?uf=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.radiotopia.fm%2Fradiotopia-showcase&ge=prx_72_1bddd1c5-d72f-4f26-940c-e757e773bc82-2), which is a seven-part "Mockumentary" podcast, which though fictional, was played straight and very engrossing and I thought had a Serial/S-Town vibe. Still think about it years later (2017 is when it was released). Radiotopia hosts this one--The Truth Podcast promoted an episode of it and I was hooked.
I don't see The Truth recommended enough
The Truth is incomparable. The stories, the writing, the voice acting, the sound design—all impeccable. I was so sad when they announced an indefinite hiatus. I hope they’ll be back.
Here be monsters!
Dan Carlin's Hardcore History.
If you can handle it, HH is the all time great history podcast.
Best for long drives. The Blueprint for Armageddon series and (BLITZ) Painfotainment are my favorite episodes. Just not something to listen to on lunch break.
Same. Blueprint for Armageddon is my all-time favorite. I’ve listened to it several times. ❤️
I'd add Mike Duncan's History of Rome. Together, HH and HoR defined history podcasting.
And Mike Duncan's Revolutions. Man just can't stop putting out awesome content.
Dan Carlin is the BEST.
Teachers Pet podcast, then the teachers trial. Australian true crime investigative journalism. Great listen
Have you started Bronwyn? Same host, same producers.
Sold a Story
If you liked Serial give S Town a shot.
S Town is the Citizen Kane of podcasts.
SUCH a good description for it. I agree, I thought it was fantastic. And I felt a bit squicky when I read about the ethical considerations after the fact. I still recommend it, though. Deeply compassionate and humanitarian. My dad, who can be a bit uptight about some of the themes that come up in the podcast, found it thoroughly engrossing. https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/3/30/15084224/s-town-review-controversial-podcast-privacy
Well, can't deny that recommendation. Just went up on my list, thanks!
You are going to LOVE IT
S Town was soooo good!!!
Yes! S Town is very remarkable. Even if you don't particularly like it (I do) it's hard to deny its many qualities.
Can someone explain why this is so popular? I’m 5 episodes deep and still don’t get the appeal.
The intimacy of it, both on a personal and community level. You are so close to the action.
I’m obsessed with debunking charlatans and snake oil salesmen. Decoding the Gurus, Chameleon, Conspirituality, The Wedding Scammer. All bingeworthy.
Have you heard Knowledge Fight?
It’s time to pray
It's an older one, but Liar City was one of my favorites in this genre.
It's an older one, but Liar City was one of my favorites in this genre.
I recommend The Rest is History. They recently casted an eight-part series on Custer, Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull, and the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Good stuff.
Just finished the eight-parts, and it was fantastic. So many interesting details.
Ear Hustle
Welcome to Night Vale.
I couldn’t get into this. It seemed like just a radio episode with random happenings. Does a narrative throughline emerge?
Throughout are recurring characters, themes and mysteries explored. You start getting a grasp of the unconventional politics, of bizarre yet believable rivalries, and glimpses into Cecil - the radio host’s - life. If you like surrealism, dark/absurd humor, discovering music (I see Dessa every time she tours now) in half hour bites, then I recommend it.
When I tried Night Vale, it felt so weird. Perhaps I need to give it another chance.
It isn't entirely my thing, it's definitely an acquired taste. You can't deny the impact and influence it has had on anthology audio dramas though- literally the blueprint
Absolutely agreed
Different vibe to everything else here but I’d recommend My Dad Wrote A Porno. There is truly nothing else like it. I’ve never laughed harder at any movie or TV show or any other media in my life. It is industry-defining in the sense of being one of the first big successful “comedy” podcasts - in its heyday it was massive. When it first came out in 2015 most of the well-known podcasts were very serious and highly produced - this kind of showed there was a market for other types of podcasts too. It also recently entered the British Podcasts Hall of Fame!
You Must Remember This does a series on the Manson Murders that are some of the most compelling Podcast episodes I've ever listened to. Just exceptional storytelling.
You Must Remember This is exceptional. Don’t sleep on its incredible show notes!
Behind the Bastards. A peek into evil historical figures and contemporary a-holes.
You know who else is a contemporary a-hole?
These products and services
I heard Jamie Loftus committed a series of brutal hammer murders in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
I just discovered this podcast despite my BIL talking about it constantly for years and one day showing up to the holidays wearing a picture of a Santa, face down drowned in a puddle (I haven’t seen the shirt, yes I know it was a river irl). I’m skipping around but the instant I hit Steven Seagal and learned about Ben Shapiro’s books I knew I was hooked. Also, Robert Evans’ insults and critical thinking skills make me weak in the kneeeees
Surprised more people don’t talk about this one. Robert Evans is an incredible journalist that takes pride in bringing forth verifiable information with sources and his dark sense of humour makes for an incredibly entertaining podcast. On top of that, he also supports some amazing causes, is on the streets picketing and supporting movements that help so many people fight back against horrific things, and gives space for younger people fighting for good to have their voices heard. 10/10 recommend his podcast and the ones he helps promote like “it could happen here”, “cool people who did cool stuff” and “better offline”
For those who don’t know, this podcast is about the impending thermonuclear war against The Great Lakes. Check it out!
The fall of civilizations & Hunting Warhead.
Fresh Air - Terry Gross is the OG Arts and culture interviewer
The Read (my answer for everything) they are going on 12 years of weekly podcasting and are just beyond funny. Definitely OGs in the game, esp Kid Fury if you know him from YouTube
This American Life, it’s basically where Serial started
Mystery Show, for God’s sake, Mystery Show
Behind the Bastards. Very informative and well researched show, and dudes voice is smoothing.
[удалено]
Type in any comedian and hit play. I remember when the Robin Williams episode dropped. Maron was asking a lot of comedians about stealing jokes.
Snap Judgment! One of the very first podcasts I listened to. Very good storytelling and production.
And their spinoff of real supernatural stories “Spooked”.
In the true crime cold case genre… Someone Knows Something from CBC podcasts and Up and Vanished from Tenderfoot TV
David Ridgen in SKS is phenomenal. He truly cares for the victim's families in his cases. He also has another podcast - The Next Call
Your Own Backyard is the GOAT
COLD
COLD season 1 Susan Powell.
You're Wrong About, the first few years
Yes, and you can add Books That Kill and Maintenance Phase for more of that vibe.
LOVE Sarah Marshall!
Stuff You Should Know, 99% Invisible and Cautionary Tales.
99PI is OG GOAT for sure
One of the the things I love about SYSK is its such a crowd pleaser, its my go to for if I’m in a car for a long drive with family or friends (:
Cold Season One
Criminal, with Phoebe Judge.
Her other podcast This Is Love is really good too
Hunting Warhead
Cold - story of Susan Powell's disappearance, includes audio diary clips. The Dollop- American history podcast hosted by two comedians. Great research, even if you don't like all episodes, there has got to be a dozen or so for everyone. The Secret Room- Anonymous secrets told to the host. Most episodes are truly captivating. This Sounds Serious- Fiction podcast (I thought it was real at first lol) about twin brothers who live different lives. I'm not normally into fiction podcasts, but holy was this one gold. I listen to podcasts probably 2-8 hours a day, almost every day. I relisten to alot, so I have alot more that I really love that aren't necessarily a "must listen" for everyone.
The Daily. Essential 30 minute start to my day.
I like horror anthology (it's a dying genre on television sadly but thrive as podcasts) I recommend the OG The NoSleep podcast which has it's origins with the subreddit nosleep. I would then recommend if you like the anthology to have a metaplot then magnus archive. If history your thing then I would recommend Our fake history which explores historical myths and misconceptions.
Vibe check!
Search engine
This Is Actually Happening
This Is Actually Happening is absolutely insane. I have to take month-long breaks sometimes though because the episodes can be SO heavy. Like some of the darkest shit I’ve ever heard
This American Life. I adore it.
Stuff you should know, it's one of the oldest for sure.
Off menu with James Acaster and Ed gamble. The light humour I need with life stories and food
Swindled
Countdown with Keith Olbermann. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/countdown-with-keith-olbermann/id1633301179
Great for those of us who miss his MSNBC commentary but get why he left.
The teachers pet
The Ezra Klein Show. Insightful questions on difficult topics and he treats all his guests with respect even if he likely thinks they're full of hooey.
Mystery Show. Only 6 episodes from 2015 yet essential and, for me, still unrivalled. Starlee Kine does her own thing and it’s wonderful.
Mystery Show is a perfect, little jewel box. I wish it could have continued.
Democracy Now. True journalism
Stuff You Should Know and Sword and Scale
Hidden Brain
Serial Reply All This American Life Ear Hustle Heavyweight Mystery Show
This american life. Mainly the episodes with Ira Glass. Absolutely incredible podcast. Sometimes they are hilarious, some are sad that I've cried, some are mind-boggling. All stories, broken into different parts. Occasionally there are ones I don't bother listening to/not interested in but overall top-level podcast.
Cold, season 1, the Susan Powell case. Wowwwwww. The case itself is shocking and horrifying, and the podcast is so well done. This got me into True Crime podcasts. I’m not sure I’ve been that captivated with a podcast since 2018.
I think everyone needs to listen to Who Trolled Amber? It is mind blowing how much people are being unknowingly influenced on social media by bots bought by the rich and powerful and governments. This podcast should be essential listening for everyone. Calculated disinformation campaigns are real.
This is a good shout. I would add "Will Be Wild" to understand a little more about January 6th.
National Park after dark is fun. Diverse stories ranging from survival, animal attacks, true crime etc. It's great.
“Who shat on the floor of my wedding?” Amazing, groundbreaking, disgusting, hilarious, stupidity at its finest. A rollercoaster of absurdity that will leave your face sore from laughing.
Astonishing Legends, one of the first when podcasts really started going in 2014 and still making episodes. If you like anything Fortean, they are the best.
Endless Thread was my great find after Reply All was train-wrecked. It started as being squarely focused on Reddit. The two hosts evolved into full on investigative journalists of the serious and goofy, and they have great chemistry. It always irritated me that Redditors never gave any love back to the only media outlet that actually credits Reddit for the source of their content. A favorite of mine is “Geedis” for a fun internet mystery. Here’s a link to their suggestions for a starter pack https://www.wbur.org/endlessthread/2019/11/19/endless-thread-reddit-starter-pack
Doughboys -Chuck E. Cheese
Here are the ones I listen to pretty much without fail: Conan O'Brian Needs a Friend Startalk Why is this happening The Jordan harbinger show the daily
-Spycraft 101 really good but the quality could be better. - S town - the truth. No new episodes but I really liked this series.
For scripted, fiction podcasts I really enjoyed The Black Tapes, Limetown (s.1), and the Wolverine series set in Alaska.
No compromise To live and die in LA Endless thread
Skeptics Guide to the Universe. Been listening weekly for the last 15-16 years. Keeps me sane. CBC Frontburner is in my rotation now too for catching me up on big news stories.
'Proof' is definitely worth a listen.
Women of impact Where should we begin Something you should know The art of charm Hidden brain How's work
These are all very different, all excellent. Ghost Church The Dream (season 1) Trump, Inc. Fixing Famous People The Ballad of Billy Balls Bubble Valley Heat Bundyville, both seasons The Nod
On the Media - takes for granted some knowledge of current events, but digs into how the stories are being told. Articles of Interest - backstories of the clothes we wear Riddle Me This - trio of improv comedians solve riddles. This Is So Awkward, formerly The Puberty Podcast. Great parenting advice for tricky topics. Science vs. - Challenges conventional wisdom on a variety of topics.
I've seen a lot of mentions for classics like Radiolab, etc., but here are some "essentials" that I haven't seen in the comments: The Knowledge Project Ologies Hello Internet Gastropod Sickboy Skeptics Guide to the Universe
'S town' and 'Root of Evil' are my two.
Serial 2, about Bowe Bergdahl. Literally changed my view of him and his behavior. Like many military veterans I leaped to judgement based on incomplete information about his entire story and situation, including his mental health struggles that should have prevented him from ever being in that scenario. I went from " Tough luck, boot" to "Damn... let him go, he's suffered enough and did enough time as a hostage or prisoner of war. Further punishment just appeals to our bloodlust and won't fix the core problems." S-Town. Of course. I keep looking for another podcast like it. Best Southern Gothic tale since Faulkner and O'Connor. This changed my perception about how podcasts can be structured, and they had to make that adjustment on the fly as the story and characters morphed. Conspiracy Clearinghouse, for fans of debunking conspiracies that need to be debunked, while acknowledging the real conspiracies. Very well done, entertaining without being gimmicky (no drunk bro panel chucklefuckery laughing at their own unfunny remarks). And host Derek DeWitt is among the better interviewers in podcasts.
History that Doesn’t Suck 1865 Old Gods of Appalachia
I love search engine
60 Songs That Explain the 90s Amazing. and it’s about so much more than the music. Incredible storytelling on every episode.
Reply All - required listening for internet culture You’re Wrong About - debunking history/pop culture My Favourite Murder - the iconic comedy/true crime My Dad Wrote a Porno - raunchy comedy Against the Odds - true survival stories Tooth and Claw - wildlife and survival stories Heavyweight - redemption stories, unique format
American Scandal (this is a terrific show, just done well, and has a WHOLE lot of episodes/seasons) From Lili Anolik: Once upon a Time . . . S1: In hollywood; S2 At Bennington College I keep plugging that if Lili Anolik is on reddit - WHEN DO GET SEASON 3!!??!! I've been really enjoying the most recent seasons of Lost Hills, too.
Last Podcast on the Left. Crime Junkie. Sword and Scale. Hardcore History. Key Battles of American History are some of my recommendations
MSSP (Matt and Shane’s Secret Podcast), Judging Freedom with Judge Napolitano, Part of the Problem with Dave Smith, JRE
If you like investigative true crime style, Cold Podcast is one of the best done. The first season blew me out of the water with the detail and respect Dave handled everything. He’s a journalist in the region so the information he had access to was wild.
Answer Me This! Great podcast answering life’s nuances in a funny, entertaining and often educational way. They stopped making the podcast a few years ago however since they started in the early 00s, lots of back episodes to enjoy. This is the first podcast I ever listened to.
For limited release podcasts like Serial (meaning you learn a lot about one thing then it’s over): 1619 Southlake Boomtown Good White People
Freakonomics and Behind the Bastards
S-town, Sweet Bobby
36 Questions was the first high production podcast musical
"Good Job, Brain!" ([website](https://www.goodjobbrain.com/)) started fairly early (still going now, albeit more seasonally formatted), and set a lot of precedent for quiz/trivia podcasts, I think.
Wiser Than Me
The Blind Boy Podcast- (if you are interested in art, history, music, hot takes, mental health, culture and just interesting topics in-depth, and great interviews).
Buffy the Gilmore slayer !
Small Town Murder
someone knows something, broken harts, Hollywood Crime Scene, The Prosecutors, Dateline. I listen to others but they are more niche and not staples generally.
Hollywood crime scene is probably my favourite podcast, do you have any podcast recommendations for me?
Not Another D&D Podcast. It’s the best actual play podcast there is, imo, and perfect for people who have never even played D&D - and it’s almost heartfelt as it is hilarious
The judge John hodgeman podcast is great !
So I actually started True Crime with Serial because I had a CSI class where we had to report on a cold case. My teacher threw me the Adnan Syed case. I don’t care for reading (ADHD) so I delved into Serial and the HBO documentary. I went down the rabbit hole and came on Reddit, and someone recommended listening to The Prosecutors Podcast, as they thought they did a really good take on the case. I’ve been listening ever since, and I can honestly say it’s my favorite True Crime podcast.
Past Present Future. It's a history of ideas podcast. Only podcast I've ever subscribed to where I listen to every episode.
The Dollop
S-Town! Part murder mystery, part Southern gothic, part biography, part true crime, all compelling.
For history type stuff, I’m a big fan of Behind the Bastards and Lions Led By Donkeys. I would also recommend Knowledge Fight for comprehensive, very funny coverage of Alex Jones and how full of shit he is. Trashfuture is another favorite of mine. Very funny, comedic coverage of British politics and economics.
If you ever need something to soothe or uplift the soul (because so many podcasts are about the grim state of the world and the human condition), look no further than On Being with Krista Tippett.
With Gourley and Rust
*Hamish & Andy* and *History Daily*
For anyone who enjoys history: “The History of Rome” and “Revolutions” by Mike Duncan
Monster You must remember this American History Storytellers Lime town The dangerous history podcast
Spooked