As I fly and drive hours on end this summer, sometime's I need something that feels more substantial than music but not as big of an investment as an in-flight movie to help me pass the time. Whether it's humor to make my descent into a new airport a little smoother or something that helps me feel like I'm retaining at least a few brain cells in the summer heat, podcasts have become my new travel go-to!
Need a new favorite? Keep scrolling to find your new summer listening romance...
Sandra
Just like your average, airport weary traveler, Helen (voiced by "Arrested Development" star Alia Shawkat) searches for an escape from reality. Her promising new job, however, quickly goes from gleaming Emerald City to more sinister Man-Behind-The-Curtain goings on. With its unique take on artificial intelligence and call center environments, "Sandra" quickly goes from a quiet hometown tale with a technological twist to something so much bigger. Be wary of binging this one.
The Thrilling Adventure Hour
It's thrilling, adventurous, and absolutely hilarious. Enough said.
Committed
Brought to you by HowStuffWorks, this podcast will make you feel warm inside regardless of your relationship status. My personal pick is "Forget It".
Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness
Whether you're a committed "Queer Eye" fan or a newbie to the series, you've almost definitely seen or heard of Jonathan Van Ness. While we may not all have his hair styling finesse, we all have that piece of us that's curious about how the world works, which is what "Getting Curious" is all about. Are you looking to know more about the world in big ways, like how we can lower suicide rates? Or are you searching for something smaller, like which of the Renaissance artists was most like Beyonce? Regardless of your answer, the insightful guests and hilarious, heartfelt commentary from Van Ness in these thirtyish minute episodes are sure to delight.
Lore
If you're like me, you like stories. You like thrillers. You want something that will leave you a little spooked but VERY distracted from that baby crying three rows ahead of you. That's when you pull up an episode of Lore. Created, produced, and written by Aaron Mahnke, "Lore" offers a trek into the historical and hard to swallow. From grisly murders to strange sightings to centuries-old mythology, each episode leaves your skin crawling and mind racing... in a good way. Plus, with over 80 episodes, you don't have to worry about running out of content anytime soon!
Alice Isn't Dead
Running with the "spooky" theme, leave it to the creators of" Welcome To Night Vale" to give you a podcast that is bound to make your heart race. Follow a truck driver searching for her presumably dead wife (who, well, isn't dead) across three artfully crafted seasons. From the vocal performance to the jolting storytelling method, to the captivating elements of danger along the way, you're strapped in for this ride as much as the one you're on in real life.
The Daily
Sometimes you (and by "you," I mean, well, me) want to know what's happening in the world from someplace more reliable than Twitter and less soul-sucking than the local news. So, you turn to The Daily, the New York Times' business week journalism podcast. You get a straightforward and comprehensive recap of the biggest stories taking place in America and across the globe in manageable twenty-minute episodes. What more could you ask for when it comes to news?
The Bechdel Cast
Do you like movies? Do you like addressing how movies treat women? If you answered "yes" to both of these, then have you just scored the podcast jackpot! If you answered "no" to one or BOTH of these questions... maybe we should talk.
Joking aside, this might be one of the wittiest and most entertaining podcasts I've listened to in the past few weeks. It uses the Bechdel Test — "a way of evaluating whether or not a film or other work of fiction portrays women in a way that is sexist or characterized by gender stereotyping... must feature at least two women, these women must talk to each other, and their conversation must concern something other than a man" — as grounds for reviewing hit movies. You're sure to fall in love with Jamie Loftus and Caitlin Durante's fiery feminism five minutes in.
Happy listening!
