It’s been 15 years since the word “podcast” was first attached to downloadable audio files, but don’t worry; this is not any sort of retrospective on the medium. This is a snapshot of where podcasts are right now, halfway through 2019, and if the landscape could be defined by any particular trends this year, it’s been the proliferation of every one of its subgenres, a tidal wave of content for even the most specific and discerning audio tastes. With infinite selection comes infinite selectivity, and to help you wade past series with 17 co-hosts and series where the guests were clearly not researched beforehand and series whose hosts attempt to hold their phone up to the mic to play a relevant movie clip directly from YouTube for the listeners at home and series that just plain aren’t that interesting, The A.V. Club presents our list of the best podcasts of the year so far, sorted into 12 very official categories. Here’s hoping you find your next Spontaneanation among them.
With podcasts always growing in popularity, it’s no surprise that many celebrities have jumped at the chance to get involved. While many of them have chosen the interview format, many have been known to lend their voices to audio fiction, a natural extension of their work onscreen. There have been impressive fictional podcasts featuring celebrities in past years, such as Homecoming, starring Catherine Keener and David Schwimmer, and The Orbiting Human Circus by Night Vale Presents, featuring Tim Robbins and Mandy Patinkin. The transition to pure audio turns out better for some actors than others, but Oscar winner Rami Malek has raised the bar to exceptional heights in Blackout. He does not just lend his voice; he becomes the small town radio DJ Simon Itani, pulling in listeners with both his words and his hopeless silences. He builds suspense in the way his voice tremors and stutters authentically in times of shock. Malek makes listeners feel as though they just happened to flip over to his broadcast and are along for the harrowing journey as a small town descends into chaos. [Nichole Williams]
In a world that can feel dystopian and grim at the best of times, writing speculative fiction that truly scares its audience isn’t an easy task, but it’s one The Deca Tapes has accomplished with the series’ eight stellar episodes. What starts as a simple but intriguing mystery slowly unravels to reveal layer upon layer of messed-up and unethical capitalist abominations, thanks to its effective and to-the-point writing; The Deca Tapes makes it clear the audience wasn’t intended to gain access to the stories they’re being told, and it’s precisely this voyeuristic relationship with the series that makes it so remarkable. The audio format helps drive the point home that much more, because the audience can hear the characters’ distress and emotions in the found footage that serves as the podcast’s framing device, and many crucial elements are left to the imagination, which makes the setting even scarier. According to the meta in-universe corporation DECA, we were never meant to hear The Deca Tapes, but what a waste that would have been. [Alma Roda-Gil]
In 1961, when President John F. Kennedy stood before Congress and proposed that the United States commit itself to landing a man on the moon by the end of the decade, such a mission was not even within the realm of possibility for NASA engineers. Less than 10 years later, however, the world witnessed the Apollo 11 lunar module safely make its 13-minute descent from orbit to the surface of the Moon. How this astounding, seemingly impossible feat was accomplished is the subject of the BBC’s new documentary miniseries, 13 Minutes To The Moon. Using a mix of archival audio, interviews with the surviving NASA engineers, scientists, and astronauts, and a soaring score composed by Hans Zimmer, host Dr. Kevin Fong explores the various moving parts of the Apollo program, each of which contributed to the 11th mission’s crucial success. Most notable of any of the incredible tidbits Fong brings to light is the fact that the average age of people working in Mission Control during the Moon landing was 27. Imagining these fresh-faced college graduates accomplishing something no human being thought possible for most of recorded history is deeply inspiring to say the least. [Dan Neilan]
Don’t let this superlative fool you: “Best Podcast No One Asked For” is a category we hold in the highest esteem. The Ron Burgundy Podcast is based on and hosted by Will Ferrell’s beloved Ron Burgundy character, now 15 years on from 2004’s Anchorman. While the film became a cult classic since its release, to say that the world was waiting with bated breath for this podcast would be an overstatement. However, that doesn’t mean its arrival wasn’t welcomed with open arms. In the crowded podcast landscape, even A-listers have had trouble setting themselves apart, but luckily, Will Ferrell isn’t your average A-lister. This podcast is an unexpected breath of fresh air, and as absurd as the idea is, Ferrell somehow manages to pull off the absurdity in a way that constantly engages and delights listeners. Not quite comedy, or self-help, or advice, but somehow a mixture of it all, one episode might feature poetry with the legendary Peter Dinklage while another raises awareness of bullying. The Ron Burgundy Podcast is one we might not have asked for, but the one we all needed. [Vannessa Jackson]
Radiotopia’s The Truth branched back into serialized fiction this spring with “The Body Genius,” a miniseries about a Hollywood personal trainer who has to help solve the murder of a celebrity. Basically, imagine if Brad Pitt’s character from Burn After Reading took over for Sarah Koenig on Serial and really, really wanted to solve the murder himself. What ensues is a hilarious true crime parody with the protagonist, Chris Cafero’s Evan, narrating alongside his investigation. The plot is a perfect combination of dumb luck and character growth, but most importantly, it does what every successful parody must: it works well not just as a comedy, but as a “true” crime mystery. There have been plenty of true crime parodies, but “The Body Genius” is one of the only works so far that really commits to its bit, allowing the comedy to come through the characters versus just making jokes about the form. The twists and turns are as worthwhile as the laughs, and the ending makes relistens even better. The five-part series can be listened to on The Truth’s feed. [Wil Williams]
Earlier this year, journalist Jon Mooallem, best known for his writing on nature conservation efforts, premiered a new project, stepping away from the familiar. Whereas most podcasts might invite guests on their show to talk about, say, the concept, history, or benefits of using their two legs to move forward, The WALKING Podcast is not about the topic of walking—it’s a recording of it. No talking. Just the sounds of Mooallem’s feet, his keys dangling from his body, and occasional light breathing. There are also birds chirping, planes flying overhead, leaves crunching, the noises of a shoe slightly pivoting over gravel. In one episode, you can hear Mooallem replying with a kind “hello” to an approaching stranger. In another, a seal barks off at a distance. He falls in episode three. But overall, The WALKING Podcast is a simplistic, brilliant piece of passive recording that provides a break from constant digital overstimulation by way of an auditory nature experience. This is pure meditative bliss that sits somewhere between ASMR and amateur field recordings. [Kevin Cortez]
After the whole pussy-hat moment came a deluge of feminist podcasts, some of whose politics were more evolved than others, some voices and identities amplified more than others, and some voices missing entirely. All My Relations, hosted by visual storyteller Matika Wilbur (Swinomish and Tulalip) and writer/activist Adrienne Keene (Cherokee Nation), expands this conversation by joining forces with other Native artists, organizers, and scholars. By facilitating exacting/fun/accessible conversations about being Native and fostering a relationship with the land and each other, we learn along with the hosts, becoming accomplices or comrades or allies. From exploring food sovereignty with The Muckleshoot Food Sovereignty Project, to gushing over Louboutins hand-beaded by J. Okuma, to examining what it means to be indigiqueer, All My Relations illuminates what being Native looks like today and how all of our liberation is tied to each other. Wildly generous and commanding, Wilbur and Keene model feminism at its best, a holistic investment in our relationships with each other and with the earth. For indigenous folx that want more access to community or non-Native people who want to listen and learn, this podcast changes how you view Indigeneity and the inclusiveness of your feminism. [Morgan McNaught]
In little more than five minutes, the speakers who add to 10 Things That Scare Me’s growing catalogue of fears reveal so much of themselves just by mentioning what scares them. Guests come from all corners of society, and it’s true that some fears are hyper-specific to certain lifestyles. Novelist Marlon James, for instance, fears writing a book that will lead to his death, while former Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano fears a nationwide cyberattack. But listen to a handful of episodes and it’s clear that more parallels than divergences exist between the anonymous and the affluent. A Toronto butcher’s apprentice’s fear of being cheated on, for example, mirrors Samin Nosrat’s fear of never finding a romantic partner. And Anthony Scaramucci doesn’t come off as a man eager to meditate on his vulnerabilities in public, so listening to him worry aloud about the impact divorce proceedings will have on his children exposes a bit of the Mooch present in private moments. Stripped of power-player status, the universal humanity of these participants emerges in mutual concerns over illness, death, and the fate of loved ones. We might try to define ourselves through bravery, but our fears are what unite us. [Zach Brooke]
Good reporting uncovers the truth, but the best reporting provides clear context, solid data, and synthesis that sticks in your gut. In this regard, Drilled is a complete meal: full of complexity, but digestible. The show sets its sights on one of the most sophisticated social influence campaigns of all time: Exxon’s insidious and largely successful attempt to deny science, manipulate facts, and create a culture of climate change denial that halted legislation and alternative energy markets for decades. Host and climate journalist Amy Westervelt (The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal) is here for it, digging into long-lost internal company documents, creepy Koch-funded think tanks, and even the psychology of denial itself, interviewing scientists, engineers, whistleblowers, attorneys, former oil execs, and yes, actual climate deniers. The second season puts a face to all these corporate shenanigans, covering the story of a group of crab fishermen suing the oil industry for livelihoods lost by climate change effects such as algae blooms. We all know by now that Big Oil is evil, but it’s worth knowing (and trying to learn from) the details, and Drilled reminds us that it’s worth staying mad as hell, too. [Amber Cortes]
There’s still a lot about Elizabeth Holmes that remains shrouded in mystery, but one thing’s for sure: The people she used to work with are not her biggest fans. ABC’s podcast miniseries The Dropout stands out for its thorough treatment of the rise and fall of Holmes and her fraudulent healthcare startup Theranos. Holmes created and maintained a strange but impeccable public character, sparking debate over what was “real” about her and what was fake—a debate that was never divorced from her status as a successful woman, albeit one who was also a criminal. The Dropout’s numerous interviews with people who mentored Holmes, worked for her, or invested in her company deflate that mystique entirely. The people who knew her best, it turns out, are mostly just frustrated with her. With the public’s interest in scams currently at its peak, the scammer has become a reified figure. It can feel just as exciting to hear about someone getting away with fraud as it can feel cathartic to hear about them getting caught. But for all its testimonials from former colleagues, The Dropout stops short of concluding that Elizabeth Holmes was a robot or a supervillain. She might just be a manipulative screwup who was a little too easy to believe in. [Adrian Jade Matias Bell]
Let 2019 be known as the year that podcasting embraced its rowdy, thirsty, steamy side, because if there’s one thing CARAVAN excels at, it’s that perfect blend of delayed gratification and climax. Essentially, tie together the heat of True Blood and the deeply emotional and adventurous storytelling of Pyre, and then hang on to your hats. Protagonist Samir goes on a journey through this literal hell, a canyon he remembers falling into, to save the people of the Canyon and get himself back up to his own world. On the way, Samir meets larger-than-life heroes and demons, people jacked with supernatural abilities and creatures so familiar he can’t help but want to know everything about them, and grows into the parts of himself he didn’t believe existed. Every part of Samir’s journey is charged with the desire to live in the best, brightest, sexiest way he believes in. Creator Tau Zaman understands the complexity of sexual and emotional intimacy, especially when paired with defying death and fighting through hell, and embraces that intricacy by including Samir’s internal monologue. CARAVAN provides answers to what it means to love even when everything around you is on fire. [Elena Fernández Collins]
The efforts undertaken by Crackdown host Garth Mullins and his team will save lives. It’s just that simple. The show approaches the topic of drug use and addiction honestly and sympathetically, outlining the ways that individuals and governments can address the current overdose crisis. This series seeks to destigmatize and humanize drug use, lending credence to the experiences of those in its grip. Mullins—a writer, documentarian, and activist living in Vancouver—is himself a current opioid user, and his aim with the show is to present the story of the War on Drugs as told by those fighting on the front lines. Drug users as war correspondents. It is incredibly powerful stuff, the kind of show that shakes listeners out of the somnambulance cultivated by decades of prohibitionist government rhetoric. While narrative nonfiction podcasting has drawn criticism in the past for its imbalance—crafting compelling documentaries from the misfortunes of others for largely affluent audiences—Crackdown flips that notion on its head. This is a show created by and for its own community, while also using the platform as a megaphone to call for policy change and a more humane understanding of the realities at play. Crackdown exemplifies the many virtues of this constantly surprising medium. [Ben Cannon]
112 Comments
i thought Running From Cops was pretty good.
Indeed
Agreed, it was outstanding.
I binged it in one day and was sad when it ended.
I thought I Could Happen Here was pretty good. It talked about the possibility of a Second American Civil War and how it would play out.
Seconded.
Just came here to say this. I only got turned onto it recently (only up to ep 5) and while I don’t agree with all of Evans’ analysis and predictions so far, it’s an important exercise in our current political environment.
I think the country is too old (in terms of the average age of its citizens) for that. Wars are fought by young men.
I really like Evans and think he does a great job on a variety of subjects, but I got pretty freaked out by the middle of the first episode and had to stop listening. I’m too much of a pessimist to listen to podcasts like this and not be affected, especially given all that is happening right now in real time. I don’t need add fuel to the fire. As much as I feel like I should be listening to this, I have to put my head in the sand just to prevent myself from becoming too overwhelmed.
Wow. No mention of Hollywood Handbook which is having such a corker of a year, smdh
Hollywood Handbook is definitely having a great year! This column was intended to feature only series that debuted in 2019, or so close to the end of 2018 that they might have missed their window for end-of-year coverage.
That’s really not clear in the title or the opening. You should really add ‘new in 2019’ somewhere
Try Month is still happening and it’s been well over a month. The boys are killing it each and every week.
sucking my dad’s hairpiece? singing mom’s darkest harmony? snoring mostly dulls hearing?
The first one
The Pro Version keeps getting better, too.
Can you give me the TLDL (too long, didn’t listen) on Hollywood Handbook? I’m unfamiliar with that podcast, but always looking to add something new to the library.
It’s nice, but also cool and fun and good at sports.
It’s hard to describe. It started as a sort of a parody of obnoxious hollywood insiders, now it’s mostly weird interviews with very complicated ironic premises. I think the recent episode with Desi Lydic is a good example of what the show sort of is.
This may also be TL, but this fan appreciation article is a pretty great distillation of what HH was, what it’s supposed to be and what it is now:https://blog.usejournal.com/when-irony-comes-full-circle-hollywood-handbook-ascends-to-comedy-heaven-4ab003e42356
Original premise: Two reasonably successful TV writers aggressively pretend to be top-flight Hollywood power brokers who know the ins and out of not just screenwriting, but acting, directing, producing, musicianship…basically, whatever their guest is good at, they’re better.These days: Two laid-back but still very self-important goofs (and their long-suffering producer/engineers) conduct interviews that are either designed to confuse their guests and throw them off their game, or are essentially high concept long-form improv scenes (i.e., “predicting” the results of a recent awards show by pretending that they are recording the episode over a year in advance; attempting to one-up Black Mirror’s “Bandersnatch” by linearly recording a “choose your own adventure” episode in real time.)
Speak on that.
podcasts suck ass
I see you’ve listened to CARAVAN.
I’m sure these are all fine shows.That said, there’s a whole world of amateur/hobbyist podcasting that is tremendous. Most of the stuff I listen to falls into that category. Nobody trying to sell me a mattress, nobody looking for clicks, just people creating stuff. They sound pretty great too, gone are the days when indie/amateur podcasts sounded lousy for the most part.
Can you mention some of those? I’m looking for history/science in general podcasts, and the ones listed in the article seem to be mostly fiction and documentary.
Sure, now, this might be somewhat self serving….Spit and Twitches is about animal cognition, no new episodes since 2015, but there are 19 in depth discussions there.Tangential Convergence is about tech, history and science fiction.Best Episode Ever is about retro TV. All pre 1989.(I do those, among others).War College is about warfare in general, and dabbles in history quite a bit. Started out as a Reuters podcast, but has been kept going after the hosts left Reuters and has no ads, they’re just having fun.This Week in Evolution is great. I don’t think they do ads, and if they do I don’t notice. Just scientists talking about biology.You’re Just The Worst is a fun show where a guy and sometimes a guest talk about the worst music from otherwise great bands/musicians.Stories From Sackville is from two guys who grew up in the 80s in Sackville Nova Scotia, it’s a lot of fun. They just started last year, so they’re working some of the kinks out in earlier episodes, but they really play off each other well.The 27th precinct is a really well done Law and Order fan podcast.Dicksnjanes by ‘the Scarborough Dude’ is a lot of fun. He’s an older guy who just rambles, in the best possible way. It’s really down to earth.LoveHateThings is a solo podcast by a guy in Hamilton Ontario who just talks about stuff. He’s really good.Finally, there’s a facebook group called ‘the podcast emporium’ that is all amateurs. Mostly Canadian, check it out.
Thanks!
The Orange Groves Network is a great podcast network full of indie podcasters doing shows on fairly niche subjects!!
They’re sponsored, but Daniel and Jorge Explain the Universe, and Stuff to Blow Your Mind are really great science-y podcasts that make me feel smart for a day. Also, the STBYM guys made Invention, which focuses on one groundbreaking historical invention each episode.
If I could pop in for a minute: My buddy and I talk about movies sometimes. Here lately we’ve been comparing and contrasting different Cannon Pictures films. We recently re-launched after a year off because he became a father. We’re called The Wrong Company Podcast if you care to look us up.
Will do!
The Doofcast is tremendous, especially their book club. They also have a podcast where they do a deep dive into one author’s work, called We’ve Got Worm (and We’ve Got Ward). I highly recommend them.
Yeah, I too much prefer it when people put a lot of work and time into a thing and then have no means to be recompensed for it while I consume it. I also like eating and just need to find myself a nice amateur grocery store that gives me food for free too, damn corporate shills!
If you’re a music fan and not catching “Disgraceland,” you’re missing.
I like Disgraceland mostly, but the constantly-escalating tone of the host’s delivery is intense, and often he editorializes about what someone was saying or thinking that leads me to wonder how much detail is research-based and how much is embellishment.
So you are saying there should be a companion podcast ala Chernobyl to explain where the embellishments deviate from reality?BTW: Best companion podcast of 2019: Chernobyl
I liked the first season, but it went off the rails pretty quickly. Jake Brennan presents as fact thoughts and feelings he couldn’t possibly know about, and I find the glee he takes in describing violence (usually being perpetrated against women) creepy and distasteful.
Every episode of Disgraceland should have the disclaimer “based on a true story”… because every one is a sensationalized version of the truth.Even worse it really seems to revel in the violence it describes. Pretty creepy to the point of fetish.
I’m fine with the delivery. It’s a story telling podcast first and foremost. For most of these stories we know the dull facts. The embellishments and imbued emotions is part of why he makes it into a compelling narrative. Otherwise it’s just reading a wikipedia page.
“It’s a story telling podcast first and foremost.”Does the host know this? It’s billed as true crime.
I will never understand why people don’t just write fiction rather than twist real stories to make them “a compelling narrative”.
Eh. How is the “True Crime” genre not exactly this already?
As great as Rami Malek is in Blackout, no one else in the show even comes close to the bar he’s set. They all sound like they’re doing a caricatured accent from a different region of New England (Boston, Maine, New Hampshire, it’s a free-for-all).
Shudder put out “Video Palace” and that was a lot of fun. Nothing overly ambitious and they leave a lot unexplained, but that’s kind of what keeps it feel scary in the end. They don’t try to tie it to the larger world or weave in templar style intrigue (the fatal flaw of “The Black Tapes”) but instead keep it a concentrated blast of mindfucking
Limetown put out season 2 as well finally. A lot of people seem to be disappointed by the change of how it was presented but I liked it quite a bit as a wrap up to the story.
Um, hey, for some reason the Deca Tapes link goes to the NL apple store.Just… FYI.
Nope. The best podcast is still Jordan, Jesse, Go!
I’ve been enjoying Blocked Party. I find it very satisflying.
Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend has reinvigorated my love for Conan, as I stopped following the tv show after the move to TNT, more or less. It’s a consistent delight.
The Bill Hader episode is a classic.
The show also gets a really good mix of guests and they do a good job of mixing stories with good conversation.
I also love that each episode has 10-30 minutes of him berating Sona and Matt Gourley.
Insulting Gourley is so important that they reveal on latest episode that they had a stunt Gourley replace him and be insulted recently while Gourley was in Thailand.
The fact that Matt Gourley, one of the funniest people in the world and a podcasting legend, is a second or third banana on this show, proves just how stacked it is. Also, yes, as much as I enjoy the interviews, the Conan/Matt/Sona parts are by far the highlight of each show, for me.
Amen. Was hoping to see it in this list. I know there’s a lot of “let’s just sit at a mic and casually make jokes” podcasts out there, but his is the best of them I feel. He is one of the funniest off-the-cuff comedians going, and yet he manages to mix constant hilarity with genuine, sincere affection for the people he’s talking to. It’s a delight.
Agreed. My neighbors must think I’m a bit weird at the way I keep laughing out loud while mowing the lawn.
I’ve always big a fan of Conan, but I have never laughed out loud as hard and as consistently as I have during his podcasts!
Came here to say this as well. I’ve always thought he was great, but I’ve never been much of a late night talk show fan. This format is perfect for him, and it’s kind of ruining other interview podcasts for me as most of them seem to drag in comparison. And he has struck gold with Sona and Matt as sidekicks.
My favorite Podcasts this year were: Let Me Talk Over my Guest, The Interrupting with Pointless Tangents Podcast, The Poorly Recorded at SomeNounCon Podcast, and The TooLoudNowTooQuietNowTooLoud Podcast.
I like Two People Having A Conversation About Something They Don’t Really Know Anything About.
What I really like about the title “Stuff you Should Know”, is that it’s both a description of the content, and something you can consistently yell at the hosts.
Those are good, but the catalog of WeLaughLoudlyAtNotFunnyThings is tough to beat.
I’m a podcast head and your comment is astonishingly good.
So you listen to the Sklar brothers, do you?
That Walking podcast is exactly the kind of thing I always hope to find listed in Podmass. Brilliant.
If you have any music history nerd in you, or you just like cool stories that are entertainment-adjacent check out Cocaine and Rhinestones : 20th Century Country Music.
Cocaine and Rhinestones was a Best Of 2018 Podmass Superlative! Glad it resonated with you, too.
I’ve really enjoyed Radio GaGa, which takes a deep dive into a different album. Musical insight, stories about production, general history. It’s great.
Thanks for the rec! I’ve been craving some behind-the-scenes music stuff about my favorite bands.
ah yes. new to ME, this year.
How about DISGRACEDLAND? It’s usually pretty good.
Cum Town isn’t the pick for the horniest show? Disgraceful. And QAnon Anonymous is an amazing podcast that’s only gotten better.
If you actually read the article (I’d recommend it, there’s plenty good podcasts you could replace Cumtown with), it’s for podcasts from 2019, or late late 2018.
It’s a joke Sumner
Non-Cum Town listener spotted. The pod is not horny at all, 2/3 of the hosts’ dicks don’t even work.
That was before the big BlueChew sponsorship!
Who’s dick are you saying works?
Adam- he’s the only normal, well-adjusted one of the 3.(Just kidding! it’s your dad’s)
How many podcasts are actually asked for?
I’ll have you know that my forthcoming podcast about the perverted arts has been loudly demanded by the masses!Well, loudly demanded by Scruffy. But he’s been very, very persistent.
Would it blow your mind if I told you most creative work isn’t asked for?
Yes it would, since so many people have been pointing out that Toy Story 4 succeeds despite no one asking for it, and that MIB: International failed because no one asked for it, I just assumed all movies were asked for
Hollywood Handbook’s Masked Engineer episode tops everything on this list. This whole year slaps.
The only thing about podcasts that piss me off more than shilling corporate productions over independent creators is only linking to apple. I guess we android users don’t listen to podcasts or something.
I’m an Android user too, but the very word “podcast” is a reference to an Apple product after all. Shouldn’t Android people listen to, what, galaxycasts? pixelcasts?
it’s a god damn shame you’re not capable of looking them up on your podcast app of choice manually
I am addicted to Casefile, but it’s not new.
Just wanted to drop some recommendations: You Can Tell Me Anything with Theresa Lee, The History Chicks, Behind the Bastards, The Bechdel Cast, Wine & Crime and Female Criminals.
Kind of sad “It Could Happen Here” wasn’t mentioned. That one fucked me up.
I don’t mean to be a contrian, I’m just genuinly curious if others feel the same way…personally I’d say about 2-3 years ago I started heavily dialing back on my podcast listening and have continued to do so ever since.Sure, there’s more podcasts than ever before…but are they really all that essential?
Anyone have good (new or new-ish) fiction podcast recommendations? I’m caught up with CARAVAN (which I think is great) but I’d love to get into more. I thought they just weren’t really my thing but I’ve warmed up to them after listening to The Strange Case of Starship Iris.
The Deca Tapes is interesting so far, but I consider Forest 404 to also be speculative fiction and so far at least, imo, it is way better. Different league better.Maybe I’m not super clear on the speculative fiction genre though.
What? No Gay Future? It is definitely the best new podcast of the year, in most of the above categories. Do your ears a favor and listen in.
Motherfuckers wanna laugh! Doughboys, Hollywood Handbook, Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, Cum Town, Never Not Funny, We Hate Movies.And doughboys is the horniest thing in the world.
A notch for Against The Rules, however disheartening it gets sometimes.
I’ve been loving the What the Tuck podcast, the only podcast about RuPaul Drag Race. The two presenters, Matt Rogers and Mano Agapion, are so funny, snarky but also really insightful in their analysis of Drag Race.Their episodes on the past S11 were so funny and gave me belly laughs.
For even more Drag Race podcast pleasure, “Race Chaser” might be of interest, too! https://aux.avclub.com/drag-race-fans-have-even-more-to-explore-with-alaska-an-1832648764
cheers. Will check it out.
The dropout is stunning. I knew a little bit about that setup, but the whole thing is just fucking nuts. And then you hear who was investing in her….and that most of them ended up in the trump government complex…OH GOD SAVE US. It’s also a hilarious look at how you don’t have to be smart to be rich. I’m going to check out Drilled. That looks good. Bearcreek is a fascinating look at how geneology is changing how we solve crimes and how that door is about to be shut due to privacy…which is bullshit. Here’s my other quick suggestions:Dr. Death – ungh….it’s a tough listen….made me cringe, but worth itGladiator – about Aaron HernandezRoot of Evil – The ol’ George Hodel as the black dahlia killer angle…it makes me wish Steve Hodel hadn’t written that batshit book about him being the zodiac and committing every other unsolved murder for the last 40 years….but this made me take a hard look again at the black dahlia murders, and I’m kinda obsessed with that crime. RADIOLAB – just listen to radiolab. It’s not new, or unpopular, just listen to itAstonishing Legends – do you love weird shit? enough to dive into it for 8 hour deep dives???? They did a 5 episode (maybe 6???) on the patterson – gimlin film (bigfoot)….hilariously indepth. I still think it’s fake. Sorry.Cryptonaut – What if we did weird alien/cryptid/spooky shit drunk? lol. That’s it. Pretty funny.American Scandal – SOOOOO GOOOD. I love this podcast. They usually do 4-8 episode chunks about, you guessed it, scandals. The Josh Cole Bluegrass Show – as a banjo player, LISTEN TO MORE FUCKING BLUEGRASS. DO IT.UNCOVER – specifically the episodes on NXIVM (or whatever the cult that Alex Mack was in….CRAZY SHIT. HOW DO PEOPLE GET WRAPPED INTO THESE THINGS!??!)various video game podcasts to listen to: Jimquisition (you either love Jim Sterling or hate him), Easy Allies (da’ best round table show out there), Kinda Funny (big Greg Miller fan…he’s positive in a negative world/industry), Unranked (if your buddies from college had a video game podcast – this would be it, Tom is also employed by io9, which….sorry io9…LOL. HE’S A FLAKE. A BRITISH FLAKE)ENJOY!
Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend
My brother, my brother, and me is still hilarious to me and those good boys have been doing it for years. I think this is a good article but we need something that also showcases the long running podcasts too.
I really liked ‘the Dream’ about MLM (multi level marketing), the history, the politics, the lies, and why they’re everywhere right now.
Cumtown
This list is garbage for not including “Your Mom’s House”
If you want something side splittingly funny, I cannot recommend enough Dungeons and Daddies (Not a BDSM Podcast). It’s about a group of dads trying to save their sons, set in a classic D&D setting and I have to be careful where I listen to it because it makes me laugh so hard.
The Tick fans, if you loved Arthur check out Blank Check podcast, freaking awesome! Also We Hate Movies is my #1 jam all time. Lowe Post, Bill Simmons during NBA season as he gets some decent guests and MBMBAM
Heist Podcast. Who doesn’t love heists?!
My favorite podcast at the moment is The Musical Man. The show, in the host’s own words, “aims to shed new light on the nominees and winners of the Tony Award for Best Musical.” Fun ride.
Counterpoint: the incessant ads for the Ron Burgundy Podcast completely invalidated not only its placement on this list but half of Will Ferrell’s career. Mostly the good half too.
I used to listen to everything in Podcast Land. I’ve found myself really only listening to the Pat McAffee Show anymore since they don’t take themselves too seriously. But I’ll take a look at these.
I listen to Puck Soup, ESPN on Ice, Harmontown, and Doug Loves Movies. Also Serial whenever a new season happens.
By measure of the Mueller report, the No Agenda show is the best podcast in the universe.
http://www.noagendashow.com/