So, I love podcasts. A podcast is a magical revival of a time before video became the "be all end all" of media. I first got into podcasts in high school, I was looking for something that wasn't like anything I already had. I listened to music, watched TV, Youtube, all those things that everyone does, but then I found podcasts. These are some of my favorites, listed by their genres. So if you need something to listen to in the car, or while you're doing crafts I definitely recommend a podcast.
1. THE RADIO DRAMA
We mostly hear about radio dramas from our grandparents, or parents, but the radio drama is alive and well in universe of podcasts. The first one I really got into was "Welcome to Night Vale", a radio show about a fictional town. WARNING, you will either really love it, or not like it at all. It's hard to explain so I'd say google it and then draw your own conclusions, but I will say that while there is some overarching story, each episode can also stand alone. My second and probably my favorite radio drama is "The Bright Session", which tells the story of a therapist and her patients through recordings of their sessions.
The main difference is that patients have special abilities, like reading minds or taking on the emotions of others. The episodes are all reasonably short and Season 2 just started so I'm pretty pumped. I would advise starting with episode 1 and listening chronologically because it does have a plot line that moves from episode to episode. My third favorite is "Alice Isn't Dead", this podcast is made by the same people that created "Welcome to Night Vale" but I may like this slightly better. This podcast follows a long haul trucker who is looking for her missing wife and gets entangled in a strange world of mysterious creatures and disappearing towns.
2. THE TRUE STORY
So these are the big podcasts that can also be heard on the radio, but they're worth mentioning as podcasts. They tell real stories, about real people and just open your mind to the diversity in the world. So the first big one here is "This American Life" this is staple in most people's subscription list if you listen to podcasts. This podcast/radio show led by Ira Glass. There are 1, 2, or 3 stories told all relating to a certain theme. It's excellent, and I highly recommend it. I also love "Radiolab" and "Invisibilia" which are along the same lines as "This American Life".
3. THE TRUE CRIME PODCASTS
So the big one here is "Serial" a podcast that tells the story of crime, not necessarily murder as the second season is about a soldier who was captured during the war in the Middle East. If you want to hear a true deep dive into a case this is the podcast for you as each season is focused on one incident. My new favorite in this section is "Sword and Scale" a podcast about murder and the fact that monsters can live right next door to you. This one is not for the faint of heart, if you can't handle Dateline, psychological thrillers, or stories about true crime, this may not be for you.
4. OTHER
So maybe some of these podcasts could be filed away into some other genre, but I think they don't exactly fit anywhere else so here are truly some of my favorite podcasts. My all time favorite is called "Reply All" which is tells stories related to the internet, it's not strictly about the internet, in fact, it's kind of similar to "This American Life" but it tends to be more light-hearted and the overall theme is 'the internet'. My favorite segment they do is called Yes Yes No in which the two hosts explain a tweet to their slightly older, less internet savvy, boss. Another podcast I'll throw under the "other" tab as well is call "Bros Watch PLL Too" in which the two male hosts sit down to recap and discuss episodes of the popular show Pretty Little Liars. It's humorous, smart, and honestly, the best show recap I've ever heard or found. They started recapping at Season 5 and in between seasons they put out bonus episodes, with writers and sometimes cast from the show. The last podcast I'll mention is called "Harry Potter and The Sacred Text" in which the hosts read chapters of Harry Potter (in order) and discuss them through a certain theme, like disappointment or white privilege. They treat the Harry Potter texts like one might treat the Bible, or another sacred text. If you are a potter head like me you will certainly love this podcast.
Honorable Mentions: "The Jenna and Julien Podcast" (I watch this every week on Youtube, so I don't really count it as podcast, but I guess it is), "On Being with Krista Tippet", and "Truth & Iliza."
Those are the podcasts I love and I hope I've opened your eyes to new and growing media form. I get all my podcast through iTunes, but the majority if not all of these can be found on SoundCloud or in other internet hiding places!
