I know a lot of you are driving, running, cooking, working, or sitting around in need of something to occupy the silence; I have some podcasts just for you. Most of these are singular story podcasts, some real, some fictional, but all podcasts you should check out. I’ve done this eight times before, so feel free to check out my other 80 podcasts I listen to here:
Let’s Talk 10 More Podcasts #8 - December 2019
True Crime Podcasts #7 - November 2019
Let’s Talk 10 Podcasts #6 - September 2019
10 of my Favorite Singular Story Podcasts (#5) - February 2019
Up (4) Another 10 Podcasts To Check Out In 2018 - October 2018
10 Podcasts (X3) To Listen To In 2018 - February 2018
10 More Podcasts You Should Listen to Today - October 2017
Top 10 Podcasts To Listen To Today - April 2017
Let’s get into another 10 podcasts I listen to.
10. Bad Batch
“Patients are offered a miracle cure, but instead they end up rushed to the hospital in critical condition. The race is on to track down what went wrong with several patients in Texas before more people get hurt. The trail leads to a stem cell company with a charismatic CEO, and to an entire multibillion dollar industry where greed and desperation collide.”
This series from Wondery, hosted by Laura Beil (producer & host of Dr. Death), was a little dry to me. I’m not sure if the topic wasn’t super interesting, or the story wasn’t well presented, but it consists of six 40 minute episodes that cover what happens when a “Bad Batch” of stem cells is injected in a bunch of patients. The six episodes (+ two bonus) will go pretty quick, so if you are looking for another nightmare story about the healthcare industry, this is it!
9. Room 20
“The sign above his hospital bed called him Sixty-Six Garage. For more than 15 years, he would lay there unidentified and unconscious. Or so, everyone believed. From LA Times Studios comes “Room 20,” a story about the search for a man’s identity and the truth about his accident. Investigative reporter Joanne Faryon’s two-year journey is filled with twists and turns. Now, she’ll finally reveal who Garage really is. But one important question remained for her upon this discovery: has Garage been conscious this entire time?”
This story is presented by the LA Times (Dirty John & Man in the Window from previous podcast blog posts) and was fairly interesting. This podcast is only six 25 minute episodes, so it will go quick. I actually started this podcast awhile back and had only listened to one episode, finding it a little slow and strange. Then I found the story takes place in El Centro, a border town in California where my brother-in-law and sister-in-law currently work. The story gets kinda crazy from there, considering that no one ever knew who this person was for 15 years until an investigator spends the time to crack the mystery.
“Veteran journalist Joe Nocera had a Hamptons neighbor: Ike, therapist to celebrities and Manhattan’s elite. He had star-studded parties at the vacation house. But one summer, Joe came back to discover that Ike was gone, and the summer house next door had never belonged to Ike in the first place. It was Marty’s, a therapy patient of Ike’s who had finally broken free from Ike’s psychological domination. “The Shrink Next Door” is the story of one therapist’s psychological manipulation as he crossed lines and defrauded his patients — and he’s still out there.”
This podcasts also comes from Wondery and consists of six, 40 minute episodes all about the shrink named Ike, who took advantage of many of his patients. Seems like we are 3 for 3 on podcasts that deal with some type of American healthcare issues and are singular story quick listens. Find out what Ike did to his patients by giving this one a try.
“Take a journey through the wildest, and sometimes darkest, chapters of American history. From the Salem Witch Trials to the gangsters of the 1930s to assassins, traitors, outlaws, scandals and events that still defy explanation, you’ll hear them all on this historical true crime podcast. Hosted by Chris Wimmer, this show features our signature cinematic music and sound design.”
“Infamous America” is a historical story telling podcast. It reminds me a bit of a podcast from a previous blog, American History Tellers. The first season, which I listened to, is about The Salem Witch Trials back from the 1692. A classic story that most of us may know from High School is told in five, 40 minute episodes and goes into great detail about how all the steps of this historical event went down.
The host of the podcast has a great radio voice and there are now actually four seasons covering, The Salem Witch Trials, The Chicago Black Sox, Billy the Kid, and Dillinger. Check out the one which you are most interested in.
6. Radio Rental
“Welcome to Radio Rental. Bizarre, real life horror stories told by those who lived them.”
“Radio Rental” is presented by Payne Lindsey (Up and Vanished, Atlanta Monster & Right Side of the Tree - youtube) and consists of seven, 45 minute story telling episodes. Each episodes has a few real stories told by the individuals who experienced them. I really enjoyed the concept of the host of this podcast which was a guy from an old TV show popping in VHS tapes from the video store. Radio Rental is an extra good listen around spooky season… The next three podcasts will be fictional story telling podcasts.
5. Hunted
“From Legendary producer Dick Wolf comes a new fiction podcast starring Parker Posey about the U.S. Marshals dedicated to capturing the country's most dangerous fugitives. When four convicts escape from a maximum security prison, Deputy Marshal Emily Barnes is called in to pursue the criminals on one of the most treacherous and violent manhunts in United States history.”
A fictional podcast, “Hunted” consists of eight, 25 minute episodes. The story was well presented and really kept you wanting to listen to the next episode and find out what was going to happen. If you are looking for a podcast that plays similar to a book, this one is for you.
“Atlantic Airlines flight 702 has disappeared mid-flight between London and New York with 256 passengers on board. Kaitlin Le, a college student whose twin brother vanished with the flight, is determined to uncover the truth.”
Our second fictional, story telling podcast is about plane 702 that crashes. The sister of one of the passengers tries to solve what really happened. Very creative ads that read like the pilot talking on an airplane, or voicemails left on an unanswered phone. By far the most unique way I’ve ever heard an ad that resulted in me actually listening to them. A Radiotopia podcast that is eight, 35 minute episodes long, but it seems unfinished? Not sure if the show ended, or they just stopped making episodes, maybe she is just crazy? Try it out!
3. Blackout
“Academy Award winner Rami Malek stars in this apocalyptic thriller as a small-town radio DJ fighting to protect his family and community after the power grid goes down nationwide, upending modern civilization.”
A podcast that is produced by QCode & Endeavor Audio, featuring, Mr. Robot star Rami Malek. Our third and final fictional story telling podcast for this blog is eight, 27 minute episodes. Just like the two before this, “Blackout” will keep you on the edge of your seat wanting to listen for more! Definitely give it a listen if you like that story telling, book-style type of podcast.
“Two days after Christmas, 2011, Russ Faria came home to find his wife, Betsy, dead. Betsy’s brutal murder set off a chain of events that would leave another person dead and expose a diabolical scheme. “
One of the guys I coached with this fall, Trevor, hipped me to this podcast presented by Dateline. “The Thing About Pam” is a singular true crime story that consists of six, 30 minute episodes and will go down a road of twists and turns revealing that some people are not who they appear to be! Don’t always judge a book by it’s cover, people may be more twisted than they seem!
“In this intensely divided moment, one of the few things everyone still seems to agree on is Dolly Parton—but why? That simple question leads to a deeply personal, historical, and musical rethinking of one of America's great icons.”
And the number one podcast to listen to in early 2020 is, “Dolly Parton’s America.” Presented by Jad Abumrad (creator and host of Radiolab & More Perfect), this nine episode podcast will take everyone into the Dollyverse. Even if you don’t think you are interested in Dolly Parton, I wasn’t before listening, I highly recommend checking this out. Episodes range from 35-60 minutes and are very well constructed and presented. So join me, and dive into the world of Dolly Parton.
And with that, we are now up to 90 podcasts you can get for free by downloading on itunes, listening on the websites (links provided above), streaming on spotify, or using the podcast app on your phone like me.
I think I will do one more of these to get to 100 podcasts and then maybe stop listening to podcasts…
Josh