Posted on by Jordan

Year in Review 2015.5 HD Final REmix: Podcasts

Best Podcasts of 2015

  • The Cracked Podcast
    Synopsis: Host Jack O’Brien sits down with Cracked contributors to discuss and expand on Cracked articles.

    It probably says a lot that for a podcast that’s basically just conversational versions of Cracked‘s lists of fun pop culture facts, I picked out the two episodes about race and guns. I just don’t know if that says more about me or more about them.

    Although part of the reason why I eventually stopped listening to The Cracked Podcast was because Cracked fired almost everyone I actually liked (one of whom [featured in “The Gun Show”] turned out to be an abusive asshole so…that’s a thing), I think the other reason is that I just grew out of it. The pop-culture stuff started to feel frivolous, and I found other podcasts that covered the more serious topics with better research and actual investigative journalism.

    I’m not embarrassed about this period in my media diet history—for what it was it was pretty good, and it was another platform to hear from some of my favorite voices, like His Beanness, the great Michael Swaim, and Emmy-winner Daniel O’Brien (*tear* They grow up so fast). It also, via the Cracked Gets Personal podcast, introduced me to the work of Robert Evans, who now hosts or co-hosts 3 of my favorite podcasts. So, no regrets, but I’m fine with it no longer being a part of my life.

    Best episodes of the year: “Racist Stuff White People Believe”, “The Gun Show”
  • The Daily Show Podcast Without Jon Stewart
    Synopsis: A peek behind the curtain with interviews of correspondents, writers, directors, and producers on the The Daily Show.

    I feel like past me was kind of a jerk to pick the two episodes that were least in the spirit of the podcast. Granted, the Trevor Noah episode was recorded before the announcement that he would be taking over as host, but that’s definitely why past me picked that episode. To rectify this real jerk move by past me, I want to highlight “Episode 14: Tales of Rejection,” and “Episode 16: Flight of the Humble Bee.” Although The Daily Show is not what it was at Jon Stewart’s peak, it’s nice to reflect on the people who were a part of making it so good, and who have gone on to make their own stamp on the world of satirical news coverage.

    Best episodes of the year: “Episode 11: Meet Trevor Noah”, “Episode 20: With Jon Stewart”
  • The Dead Authors Podcast
    Synopsis: H.G. Wells (Paul F. Tompkins) uses his time machine to kidnap authors from the past and bring them back to the present to interview them live on stage. Not only do the authors not know the questions beforehand, they frequently don’t know the answers either. (It’s an improv show, is the joke.)

    Aw man, I’d completely forgotten about this show. This was a good show. I miss it. Now I’m sad.

    Best episodes of the year: “Chapter 45: L. Ron Hubbard” [Parts 1 & 2], “Chapter 47: Mark Twain”
  • Harmontown
    Synopsis: Dan Harmon (Community, Rick & Morty), joined by Comptroller Jeff Davis and Game Master Spencer Crittenden, talks about what’s on his mind, does improv, raps, and plays D&D, all in front of a live audience (most of the time).

    As sad as I am that Harmontown is coming to an end, listening to these old episodes I can understand why. The show just doesn’t have the energy it once did, both on stage and from the audience. I still enjoy it, but I’m forced to admit that it’s best days are behind it. But hey, don’t be sad it’s over, etc. etc. (I’ll write more about it in the Year in Review 2019 list.)

    Best episodes of the year: “151 – Row, Row, Row Your Boat”, “167 – Confirmed By A Well-Respected Arborist”
  • Here’s the Thing with Alec Baldwin
    Synopsis: Alec Baldwin has an interview show, it’s called Here’s the Thing, no one knows why.

    Another interview show I don’t listen to anymore, in this case I think because I just stopped being interested in his guests. And also, I mean, Alec Baldwin.

    Best episodes of the year: “Paul Simon”, “Penn Jillette’s Marathon Life In Magic”
  • Home of the Brave
    Synopsis: It’s like This American Life but also not.

    It’s hard to like every episode of Home of the Brave, with it’s slow pace and the host’s quiet, monotone delivery. But I keep coming back to it, because he goes to places other shows don’t, both literally and figuratively, and sometimes the more contemplative style is a nice break.

    Best episodes of the year: “The End Of The World”, “The Cover Up”
  • Intelligence Squared
    Synopsis: (Mostly) live debates on the most pressing issues of the day. (That’s what used to be, anyway, apparently now there’s all sorts of talks and interviews and stuff.)

    I think the IQ2 debates were a useful stepping stone in my intellectual development, but debate is a great way for clever, charismatic people to convince you they’re right, and not a great way to actually learn about the issues and draw your own conclusions. Also things like this tend to platform terrible people under the auspices of a sort of neoliberal intellectualism that believes “the marketplace of ideas” is the best way to sort out good ideas from fascism.

    Best episodes of the year: “An Evening With Britain’s Best Poets”, “Keep ‘Em Off The Streets And Behind Bars: Tough Prison Sentences Mean A Safer Society”
  • Invisibilia
    Synopsis: Exploring the invisible forces that shape our lives.

    I just realized that any given episode of Invisibilia is sort of an extension of This American Life, Radiolab, Reply All, or 99PI, depending on what it’s about. It’s like it’s always almost one of my favorite shows.

    Best episodes of the year: “The Secret History Of Thoughts”, “How To Become Batman”
  • Radiolab
    Synopsis: “Radiolab is a show about curiosity. Where sound illuminates ideas, and the boundaries blur between science, philosophy, and human experience.”

    I like the stories they tell, and I like the way they tell them.

    Best episodes of the year: “The Trust Engineers”, “Elements”
  • Reasonably Sound
    Synopsis: Mike Rugnetta (PBS Idea Channel) delves into the wonderful world of sound, melding the technical with the philosophical.

    Mike Rugnetta is one of my favorite writers and thinkers of the last decade, and while it is incredibly frustrating how infrequently new episodes of this show (currently the only ongoing self-directed project he has, as far as I know) come out, I’m never disappointed when one does.

    Best episodes of the year: “23: The Real Song of the Summer”, “32: Light Dinner Conversation”
  • Seminars About Long-Term Thinking
    Synopsis: Hosted by The Long Now Foundation, these talks focus on thinking not just 1 or 5 or 10 years ahead, but decades and centuries ahead.

    I’m sad and kind of embarrassed to say that I just couldn’t muster up the wherewithal to actually pay attention to these long (and not necessarily well-orated) talks. But I certainly recommend them if you have a long attention span and don’t mind hearing from academics who are maybe not the most engaging speakers.

    Best episodes of the year: “Michael Shermer: The Long Arc Of Moral Progress”, “Neil Gaiman: How Stories Last”
  • Tiny Desk Concerts
    Synopsis: Bob Boilen (All Songs Considered) invites artists to perform behind his desk for some reason.

    For a long time I was really committed to watching these as a podcast even after I found out they were on YouTube. I don’t know why. If I’m being honest I’ve never gone back to the Sam Lee performance or listened to his stuff, but I stand by the Oh Pep! performance and oh hey they put out an album last year?

    Best episodes of the year: “Sam Lee”, “Oh Pep!”
  • The Truth
    Synopsis: Short radio dramas (but not old timey).

    The Truth is a great source for indie radio drama, but I just wish they were more consistent. There was a whole year where they really wiffed hard, and though they’re back on the ball now (and really making some of their best stuff), I don’t know if they’ll be able to sustain that level of quality. It might even be best if they just took a year off every once in a while. But these stories are good. Pre-wiffing.

    Best episodes of the year: “Falling”, “Tape Delay”
  • WTF
    Synopsis: Marc Maron reads some ads, complains talks about his life, reads some more ads, talks some more, reads some more ads, then interviews someone, then reads some more ads.

    Look, I get being cynical about the Obama interview, and Maron’s awe-struckness after the fact is a little whatever, but in the interview itself he does his job and he does it well, and I think a lot of other people put in that position would have dropped the ball, hard. I still think it was a fascinating moment in political and cultural history.

    Best episodes of the year: “Episode 604: Terry Gross”, “Episode 613: President Barack Obama” & “Episode 614: The President Was Here”
  • 99% Invisible
    Synopsis: Exploring the world of design in all its forms.

    99PI understands that the best way to make a story interesting is for the person telling it to be interested. It’s hard to hear Roman Mars and the rest of the crew nerd out about design and not find yourself drawn in.

    Best episodes of the year: “174- From The Sea, Freedom”, “183- Dead Letter Office”

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