What are you listening to? Podcast Edition!

[Bear-Pin]

So I don't know about you all, but I listen to a lot of podcasts, mostly when I work or commute. So in a fit of insanity, I'm going to list them here, give a brief blurb to give you an idea about what they kind of are, and hope that maybe one or two are shared podcasts with others for discussion or entice somebody enough to give them a listen. All podcasts that I listen to are free.

I currently use the podcast app on my iPod touch (yes you read that right) and hate it. So any suggestions of a better app are also appreciated.

I'm going to try to categorize them as best as I can. No promises about any coherence.


Comedy

Monday Morning Podcast: Comedian Bill Burr rambles and swears and answers emails. Very funny, not friendly to families or those that may get offended by politically incorrect statements. Episodes are twice a week and an hour to an hour-and-a-half long: Mondays are full episodes; Thursdays are half episodes with a half episode of archived episodes accompanied by some music. Doo doo doo doo Me Undies, Me Undies, no more sweat balls.

We Have Concerns: Technically a Science/Comedy podcast. Jeff Cannata and Anthony Carboni look at interesting, if not peculiar, science or feats of human brilliance/stupidity/badassery. Most of the time their discussion is intelligent and breaks into improvised comedy routines. Probably my favorite podcast. Episodes are usually 20-25 minutes long and update on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.


Science and Informational

Startalk Radio and Startalk All-Stars: Neil Degrasse Tyson, comedic co-hosts, and usually an expert or two talk about scientific topics. Episodes are usually 1 hour long and update weekly.

Radiolab: NPR studio reporters investigate interesting stories and report on them. Episode length and frequency vary, but it's usually once a week and maybe an hour long.

Radiolab Presents: More Perfect: Radiolab, but focused on Supreme Court cases. Seasonal series. When court's in session, it's usually a weekly cast at an hour long.

Outside/In: New Hampshire Public Radio investigates nature/sustainability topics. Bi-weekly updates and 40 minutes to an hour long episodes.

Ear Hustle: Earlonne Woods, an incarcerated man at San Quentin Prison, and Nigel Poor present topics about prison life. Super interesting to me. Seasonal with weekly updates on Wednesdays when it's running. 30 minutes to an hour.

Don't Know Squat About: Justin Johnson talks to people about topics that he doesn't know squat about. Topics vary from beekeeping to being a pro wrestling ref to being a stuntperson. Episode lengths vary and it seems to update when he has an episode ready.

Nerdificent: Very new podcast hosted by Ify Nwadiwe and Dani Fernandez talk about geek and nerd culture topics in a way that gives average people insight into them. I just find the discussions really interesting and engaging. Usually, there's an expert guest that they interview. Topics have included conventions, cosplay, VR, eSports, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, fan films, Twitch, and tabletop games. Weekly updates, 1hour to 2hours long.

99% Invisible: Roman Mars and co. present interesting topics about things that have influenced everyday life, things we take for granted, or stories that may not be at the forefront of the everyday dronings. 30-45 minutes long and weekly updates.

What Trump Can Teach Us about Con Law: A seasonal cast that does 10 episodes per season about how the things that the Trump Administration is doing fit into US Constitutional Law. Weekly updates, about 30 minutes per episode.


Gaming

DLC: A gaming (Video games, VR, and tabletop) Jeff Cannata, Christian Spicer, and one or two guests talk about the past week's gaming news and what they've been playing. The usual order is Gaming News, the Playlist (video games), Jeff's VR Segment (VR games that have been played) and/or Tabletop Time (board games that have been played), and Parting Gifts (non-gaming recommendations from the hosts and their guests). Sometimes ends with an interview with video game or tabletop game industry personalities. Another of my favorites. Weekly updates with episodes ranging from an hour-and-a-half to 2 hours.

The Dexcast (possibly defunct): The gang from the National Dex (Alex Faciane and PokeKellz) discuss and present Pokemon news. Episodes are usually an hour long. When it was running regularly, episodes were weekly (as were their youtube videos), but they've had maybe 2 episodes since before Ultra Sun and Moon were released (for various reasons). I need a new weekly pokemon podcast. Suggestions welcomed.


Interview Shows

Sex with Emily: Dr. Emily Morse talks about sex, love, romance, and all things associated with it in a twice-weekly podcast (Tuesdays and Fridays). She usually has a guest on and will answer emails/phone calls/voicemails sent in. No topic is taboo. Episodes aren't usually much more than an hour long.

Talk is Jericho: Chris Jericho interviews musicians, wrestlers, actors, comedians, and sometimes paranormal folks in a way that I find to be engaging and interesting. Most of you know who Jericho is, so I don't feel the need to elaborate on him. Episodes are an hour to 2 hours long and update Wednesdays and Fridays.


Movies

CinemAddicts: Greg Srisavasdi (film critic) and Anderson Cowan (small-time director and media personality) talk about films. Originally, the cast was Weekly and talked about 3 smaller, non-blockbuster films that came out or are coming out within that week. Now, it's a once-a-month show

The /Filmcast: David Chen, Davindra Hardawar, Jeff Cannata, and sometimes a guest discuss film and TV news and review a movie each week. The reviews are usually split between non-spoiler and spoiler sections with a good warning and bumper separating them. Updates on Tuesdays and last an hour and a half to 2 hours.


Stories (most are seasonal)

Alice Isn't Dead: Nightvale-produced Sci-fi mystery about a truck driver named Keisha searching for her lost wife. Along the way she encounters some non-human creatures that lead her into a deep creepy mystery. All stories are told over CB radio. Currently on its 3rd and final season. I love it. Give it a listen from the beginning. 20-30 minutes per episode.

The Orbiting Human Circus: Nightvale-produced stories dreamed up by a kid named Julian. Fantastic music accompanies each one that puts you right in 1920s Paris on a radio oddities show. Season 2 is coming in June or July. 20-30 minutes per episode.

Within the Wires: Nightvale-produced dystopian mystery series presented over casset tapes. Season 1 is told through Relaxation tapes. Season 2 is told through art museum guides. I'm not sure if the two are connected, but I believe they are in the same universe. 20-30 minutes per episode.

The Truth: Short stories that have a little bit of a black mirror/sci-fi horror-type of spin. 20-30 minutes per episode.

[Bear-Pin]

So obviously I'm the only one that's used this topic, but I'm sad to say that We Have Concerns will be ending with its 600th episode set to air on July 4th. Honestly, my heart hurts a little bit about it. If anybody can suggest a replacement, I'll be grateful (or...just any new podcast really).

[Satoshi]

I'm not a big podcast listener but I quite like Hello internet by CGP Grey and Brady Haran http://www.hellointernet.fm/
Two youtubers talking about... everything basically at some point.

[LtLukas]

Podcasts which are fucking awesome:

Revolutions

Mike Duncan is one of the best storytellers I have ever heard, and it is all the more impressive that he does not descend into hyperbole and exaggeration. He tells the histories of various political revolutions that have shaped our world in a compelling and interesting way. Sometimes the story gets a little bogged down (hello French revolution) but otherwise it is really good.

FiveThirtyEight

Data journalism. A lot of really good analysis without a lot of hot take garbage, which is nice to see. Some of them are needlessly contrarian, but for the most part it is really good. Their pods about gerrymandering were really in depth and interesting.

Podcasts which are good:

Thinking Sideways

The gang solves mysteries, while not taking themselves too seriously. Most murder/mystery/investigative podcasts are very full of themselves, but this one sounds like three friends talking. I wish they would investigate a little bit more, and meander a little bit less, but this is campy fun.

The Lowe Post

Basketball podcast. Zach Lowe is a smart fella, but he can get a little bit hot take-y at times. His guests are usually boring as all hell. But Zach himself has a lot of interesting looks at a sport I like.

The History of Byzantium

Robin tells the story of Byzantium. He adds quite a lot to a very good tale, if you can get over him pronouncing literally every single place name wrong (if I hear him say Chalcedon one more time I will have an aneurysm). He is more of a pure storyteller than he is a historian, but he does make it worthwhile.