Picks of the week
The Antidote
Extensively accessible, episodes weekly
Two of the writers of HBO’s Insecure, Amy Aniobi and Grace Edwards – who're additionally finest pals in actual life – try and inject pleasure into the “dumpster hearth” that's trendy life. It’s an enjoyably chatty peek at life’s pleasures, from musing on the meditative joys of flower arranging or hikes in nature to pleasingly sweary moments of pleasure (notably, exclaiming “You might be objectively effective as fuck” in an interview with Black-ish actor Tracee Ellis Ross). Alexi Duggins
Untold Killing
Extensively accessible, episodes weekly
Persevering with its detailed investigation of the Bosnian battle, the second season of this incisive podcast tells the story of the invention of focus camps within the city of Prijedor. With testimony from reporter Ed Vulliamy, it's a harrowing and cautionary account of human cruelty. Ammar Kalia
Eureka!
Extensively accessible, episodes weekly
Rick Edwards and Dr Michael Brooks promise a raft of pub information of their science podcast – they usually definitely ship. In turbulent instances, it’s reassuring to ponder questions comparable to: “Will we ever speak to animals?” The episode the place Edwards takes down individuals who brag about being dangerous at maths is a winner. Hannah Verdier
Scamfluencers
Wondery, episodes weekly
Healers, pyramid scheme retailers, health consultants: in the event that they’re scamming, writers and hosts Scaachi Koul and Sarah Hagi are right here to uncover their methods. They begin off with a “mini Fyre Fest of the ballet world”, the place as an alternative of Ja Rule and dangerous cheese sandwiches, the bait was a seemingly inclusive alternative to affix a dance firm. HV
HeidiWorld: The Heidi Fleiss Story (and the Secret Historical past of LA)
Extensively accessible, episodes weekly from Monday
This 10-part collection takes a deep dive into the life story of the infamous Hollywood madam. It’s extremely detailed – probably too detailed at first, with the opening episode full of knowledge on her childhood. However future instalments are full of multimillion-dollar tales of hanging out with big numbers of massive Hollywood names. AD
Reader’s alternative
Final week, we highlighted 5 of the perfect podcasts about ladies, and requested to your solutions. Right here is one from reader Bella Black:
The Receipts podcast makes me howl with laughter. I like that its hosted by these three agony aunts/pals [Tolani Shoneye AKA Tolly T, Milena Sanchez and Audrey Indome] who've such a detailed bond. The titles are virtually nearly as good because the episodes, too – who wouldn’t be intrigued by “my dad is being catfished”?!
There’s a podcast for that
This week, Ammar Kalia chooses the finest audio dramas for scripted podcast followers, from spooky small-town goings-on to a historic blockbuster starring Rosamund Pike
Edith
Scripted dramas can usually look like an excuse for audio manufacturing firms to stuff their new releases with movie star names, fairly than robust concepts and strong scriptwriting. Podcast community QCode has develop into one thing of a specialist on this celeb audio drama business – with combined outcomes – however Edith, launched final yr, is one in all their best choices, its high-profile casting matching the grandiosity of the script. Starring Rosamund Pike as Edith Wilson, the collection recounts how she secretly took over from her incapacitated husband, US President Woodrow Wilson, in 1919 after he suffered a stroke. Mixing excessive stakes with farce – and a pleasant American accent from Pike – the result's a wry tackle the historic machinations of energy.
Welcome to Night time Vale
Arguably the primary massively in style scripted drama podcast to kick the whole craze off, this fictional radio present reporting on the eerie goings-on in a small US city kicked off in 2012 and has since run to over 200 episodes. Following within the footsteps of different early scripted podcast hits like Limetown, a TV adaptation can be presently within the works, whereas new episodes of the podcast can be found twice a month. Begin with episode 13 – a meta-narrative which takes you, the listener, as its mysterious topic.
36 Questions
This three-part 2017 creation from Chris Littler and Ellen Winter is a delightfully experimental journey into an estranged couple’s faltering relationship, advised via track. Spring Awakening’s Jonathan Groff and Jessie Shelton star because the pair, attempting to reconnect via 36 Questions That Result in Love: a psychological survey designed to encourage intimacy. The couple report themselves within the type of a confessional, making a tightly structured narrative that's delivered with gusto by Groff and Shelton. The 13 songs in 36 Questions show that podcasting has ample scrope to discover and play with musical conventions.
Right here Lies Me
For followers of coming-of-age teenage tales like Pen15 and Massive Mouth, author Hillary Frank’s 2021 podcast Right here Lies Me is crucial listening. Tackling the significantly thorny age of eighth grade (13 to 14 years outdated), Frank’s YA narrative follows 13-year-old Noa as she navigates crushes, rivalries and altering friendships. Right here Lies Me’s strengths lie within the casting of precise youngsters in its varied roles – significantly Ollie Grishaber as Noa – in addition to Frank’s willingness to not shrink back from troublesome matters comparable to sexual consent and racism.
Moonface
With shades of author Ocean Vuong’s poetic realism, James Kim’s emotively nuanced 2019 collection tells the story of Korean American Paul (Joel Kim Booster) and his makes an attempt to return out to his mom, although her English is shaky and his Korean is minimal. Involved with the frictions of confusion as a lot as it's with which means, Kim’s script harnesses the silences between phrases all through its brisk six episodes. Somewhat than counting on polished scripts, Moonface provides us a style of authentically strained communication between a mom and son, and a listening expertise that's quietly thought-provoking.
Did we miss your favorite audio drama off our listing? Tell us your choose in 50 phrases to your probability to be featured subsequent week – simply e mailnewsletters@theguardian.com
Why not attempt …
Extra strained relationships below the microscope, as Esther Perel continues season 5 of The place Ought to We Start?
Thrilling true crime, within the finale of former Guardian podcast of the week Conviction: The Disappearance of Nuseiba Hasan
From Bennifer to Brangelina, our 2000s movie star obsession dissected in Simply Like Us: The Tabloids That Modified America
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