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Podcast recommendations

Started by JayzusB.Christ, 29 January, 2016, 12:56:07 PM

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Dudley

Quote from: JayzusB.Christ on 29 January, 2016, 12:56:07 PM
Anyone got any?  My work involves a lot of being on my own listening to headphones, and my podcast intake is gargantuan. 

Not hugely interested in comicy ones (apart from the various 2000ad-related ones which I already subscribe to).  I'm looking for comedy, science, history, interesting facts, that kind of thing.


Hi -

I know you're mainly looking for fact/comment things, but any 2000AD fan should be checking out Limetown (http://www.limetownstories.com/), a fictional sci-fi series told in a Serial/This American Life format.  First episode is astonishingly good, and though there's the occasional bit of shonky voice acting the plot is enough to keep you powering through all seven episodes of season one.  Really can't wait for season 2.

You should also listen to The Thrilling Adventure Hour, a spoof of 1940's radio sci-fi, with some great contributors including Paul F. Tompkins & Paget Brewster, plus guest stars like Neil Patrick Harris, Patton Oswalt, Nathan Fillion, Karen Gillan (you get the idea).  It's worth starting at the beginning and giving both of the main stories ("Sparks Nevada: Marshal on Mars" and "Beyond Belief") a couple of episodes to settle down.  The series has finished, but you have about 200 hours to get through.

I've only just started listening to it, but The Black Tapes seems pretty good, if a bit too obviously derivative of the X-Files.  They're using audio in some interesting ways to create new types of monster in these early episodes, and the main character is a good twist on "grumpy scientist."

Finally, not connecting with any of my previous recommendations, try out Mystery Show.  Host Starlee Kine (yes, really) investigates weird little real-life mysteries, like where the prank being played by John Travolta in a picture on a 30-year-old lunch box comes from, or who dropped a particular belt buckle in the woods in 1970.  What makes it great is Starlee's personality: she is very good at drawing out her informants, making each episode just incredibly charming.

JayzusB.Christ

"Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest"

James Dilworth


The Legendary Shark

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Theblazeuk

The Thrilling Adventure Hour  :'( :'( :'( Now I have the Sparks Nevada theme stuck in my head. Brilliance in its purest form.

Something that fills the void for me is The Adventure Zone. Very different. But if you like D&D/Tabletop at all, and fun in general, you should check out The Adventure Zone. Will drive purists to distraction but it's just fun and has got me into D&D in a big way after years of just being idly interested from afar. Helps that they changed names such as 'Sildar Hammerfell' into 'Barry Blue Jeans'. Still a good story going on amidst the jokes though! http://www.maximumfun.org/shows/adventure-zone

For some more contained listening, I recently checked out an interesting SF drama series from General Electric of all people. http://themessagepodcast.com/ It's about a team of cryptographers decoding a message received from space in the 40s. An SF 'Serial' in a sense.

Oh and on a Factual/Comment basis, The Nerdist main podcast has some wonderful people featured in its interviews. Highlights include Brian Cranston, Bruce Campbell, Clive Barker, Patrick Stewart, Ron Perlman, Tim Burton, Mark Hamill - they're all good. Particularly great one is the Eddie Izzard & Eric Idel one. Hosts can be a bit annoying sometimes but they get on well with the guests and its all more natural and interesting than the usual interviews, more personal and freeform, though of course there is some plugging to be had.

rogue69

On the comedy podcasts there's Do The Right Thing, Richard Herring's As It Occurs To Me & the Radio 4's Friday night comedy normally the News Quiz or The Now Show

richerthanyou

Quote from: Dudley on 03 February, 2016, 01:57:43 PM



I know you're mainly looking for fact/comment things, but any 2000AD fan should be checking out Limetown (http://www.limetownstories.com/), a fictional sci-fi series told in a Serial/This American Life format.  First episode is astonishingly good, and though there's the occasional bit of shonky voice acting the plot is enough to keep you powering through all seven episodes of season one.  Really can't wait for season 2.



That was so good I listened to every one in a single sitting. Which is annoying because I had so many things to do but oh well.

Brilliant show. Can't wait for season 2 either. Everyone who hasn't listened to it yet has to hear it!
(  ゚,_ゝ゚)   

JayzusB.Christ

That's Monday's listening sorted!  Thanks again, everyone, I'm spoiled for choice.
"Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest"


Echidna

Was just about to recommend Nightvale myself. Haven't heard of Limetown before but it sounds like a similar sort of thing; looking forward to checking that out.

Here's another good fiction podcast:

"The Black List Table Reads takes the best and most exciting screenplays Hollywood hasn't yet made, and turns them into movies, for your ears. Black List founder Franklin Leonard presents a new script every month read by a rotating cast of talented actors, along with interviews from the Hollywood screenwriting community and beyond."

The interview with Alex Garland was excellent, and he name-checks 2000 AD as one of his major influences.

The Legendary Shark

"Download hundreds of free audio books, mostly classics, to your MP3 player or computer. Below, you'll find great works of fiction, poetry and non-fiction, by such authors as Twain, Tolstoy, Hemingway, Orwell, Vonnegut, Nietzsche, Austen, Shakespeare, Asimov, HG Wells & more."

700 Free Audio Books: Download Great Books for Free.
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Famous Mortimer

Quote from: Echidna on 07 February, 2016, 11:39:58 AM
"The Black List Table Reads takes the best and most exciting screenplays Hollywood hasn't yet made, and turns them into movies, for your ears. Black List founder Franklin Leonard presents a new script every month read by a rotating cast of talented actors, along with interviews from the Hollywood screenwriting community and beyond."

The interview with Alex Garland was excellent, and he name-checks 2000 AD as one of his major influences.
I tried to listen to the first one, and despite it having a lot of my favourite comedy actors in it, the script wasn't that good at all. A fun idea, I guess.

Uhh Yeah Dude

Just two American guys chatting about the day. One of them is a low-level actor, the other does sound occasionally for movies, and the podcast just did its 10th birthday. Definitely worth a try.

rogue69

On the comedy Sci-Fi side there is STRANGENESS IN SPACE it's written & staring Trevor & Simon with Sophie Aldred. They have had special guests like Rufus Hound & Alexis Sale appearing
It's free to download & so far they have only made 3 episodes so far by are using crowd funding to make more episodes through merchandising & donations

www.Strangenessinspace.com

JayzusB.Christ

Some brilliant stuff here. Thanks, everyone!
"Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest"

ming

Punt PI is, er, worth a punt.  Various real-life mysteries investigated in an amusing manner by Steve Punt.  Not many episodes but I enjoyed it.