Top 5 Podcasts You Need to Listen To This Year
During a turbulent year for podcasts, with many shows terminating, directors changing, and brilliant talents changing roles, these sustaining shows kept the podsphere shining. The portrayal of Heidi Fleiss, the "Hollywood Madam," by Molly Lambert encapsulates the punitive and puritanical nature of this nation's views on sex, wealth, and women who rise to positions of authority. A must-have audio.
1. The Story of the Trojan Horse
A reexamination of the well-known British scandal in which severe measures in schools were justified by a fictitious letter that was intended to stigmatise Muslim populations. Produced by the same team that brought us the smash true-crime series Serial, the podcast explores the events surrounding a bizarre letter that claimed Islamic extremists were infiltrating select Birmingham schools with the intention of imposing a strict Islamist curriculum. It comes out that officials continued to target Muslims while knowing the letter was a fake. In an attempt to ascertain who sent the letter and why, American journalist Brian Reed teamed up with British-Pakistani journalist Hamza Syed, a former doctor. Their inquiry reveals a suspect and an unexpected reason for the affair, as well as hints that a minor staff disagreement may have started the affair.
2. Sewage
There are other popular podcasts besides The Trojan Horse Affair. Twenty Thousand Hertz is an intriguing audio that analyses the sounds in our environment. Everything is fair game, from the bum-wobbling note THX used to demonstrate their movie systems to the intricate design of a lightsabre's vvvvvvwing to the multi-layered composition of an Elton John song. If you work in healthcare, Medtech Talk, a massive podcast, has you covered. This podcast, which is hosted by Russ Branzell (President & CEO, CHIME), contains fascinating discussions with leading figures in digital healthcare. This podcast is the greatest way to stay up to date with industry innovators in fields like healthcare and remote patient monitoring.
3. Behind the idiots
Evans recounts the origins, ascent to prominence, and eccentricities of one of the greatest bastards in history in each episode. Together with a guest, they talk about those who somehow made the world a worse place than when they found it. Cult leaders (e.g., L Ron Hubbard, Keith Raniere of NXIVM) and those who launched coups but managed to hold onto power as dictators in their respective countries (e.g., Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo against his brother Francisco Macias Nguema) are heavily featured. The episodes go beyond the synopsis to reveal the strange truths surrounding cultists, snake oil salespeople, and actual Caligulas. During commercial breaks, producer Sophie frequently interrupts to bring the conversation back on course when it veers off course. The programme combines music, fiction, and old-fashioned interviews.
4. Not coiled
Comedian Paul Scheer and film critic Amy Nicholson decided to take a more serious approach in new Earwolf series Unspooled, following years of ridiculing bad films with their co-hosts on the popular comic podcast 'How Did This Get Made?' Every episode, the pair examines a movie from the AFI's ranking of the 100 most important American films and renders a decision either its inclusion or removal. They break down the movies' famous scenes and talk about how the film affected filmmakers and business people. Both casual podcast listeners and movie lovers will like this programme. Both Twitter and the Facebook page Unspooled Podcast are home to a vibrant online community for the show. Both Nicholson and Scheer have a passion for films and a deep understanding of the history of cinema.
5. Where Do We Start?
Although podcasting has become comfortable with a few formats, there are occasionally some truly outstanding series that emerge. One such is the television programme Script Apart, in which writers read aloud from their first draughts of their works to the guests. Notable figures such as British Vogue editor Edward Enninful discussing anti-heroines with FKA Twigs and actress Keira Knightley explore misogyny in movies. It's a really original format that's engaging to listen to.
