Starter episode: Karaoke & Heartbreak
Over the last couple of years, A-list podcast ensembles have become more and more common, and this gripping sci-fi treat from QCode features several actors you know and love. Thirty five years after the U.S.S. Hope disappeared, the families of its crew have long assumed that their loved ones are dead. But when the spaceship unexpectedly returns to earth, a sole survivor (Richard Madden, David Budd in Bodyguard and Robb Stark in Game of Thrones) remains on board and even more strangely, he hasnt aged a day. What this heady concept means is that Madden and Brian Cox (the paterfamilias Logan Roy in Succession) get to play twin brothers, even though they are 40 years apart in real life; Maddens Edward went to space, while Coxs Hunter stayed behind and aged normally. As Edwards joyful reunion with his family takes a sinister turn, youll be hooked quickly.
Starter episode: Some Kind of Impostor
A wry, gently surreal British sitcom about rival small-town morticians, Wooden Overcoats is as entertaining as it is strangely comforting. Set on the fictional British Channel island of Piffling (just one of many outrageously quaint names), the show follows the twin Funn siblings, Rudyard and Antigone, who run their familys funeral home. Since theirs is the only one on the island, the Funns have gotten away with doing the bare minimum for decades but that changes when an obnoxiously charming and competent rival, Eric, sets up shop across the street. Thanks to carefully drawn and uniquely bizarre characters, impeccable sound design and writing thats at once sharp and wholesome, Wooden Overcoats has earned its status as a podcast classic and after a long hiatus, a fourth season is on the way.
Starter episode: The Bane of Rudyard
As countless classic movies have proven, theres no better setting than outer space to delve into the psychological impact of isolation. And in an audio drama, without any visuals to distract you, that isolation takes on an even more intimate quality. Wolf 359 takes place on a remote space station, and initially feels lightweight, focusing on a smartass slacker named Doug whos just trying to stave off the intense boredom of his days in space. But as the ensemble broadens, and a vast, disturbing conspiracy begins to reveal itself, the show gradually becomes a twist-filled, profoundly gripping psychological character drama, blending moments of visceral horror with empathetic reflections on mental illness and abuse.
Starter episode: Succulent Rat-Killing Tar
Mabel begins with the most classic of horror story setups: A woman takes a live-in job at a mysterious, remote house, and soon becomes disturbed by strange occurrences within the house. In this case, our protagonist is Anna Limon, a home nurse whos been hired to take care of Sally, an isolated older woman with dementia. As Anna tries in vain to contact Sallys only living relative, her estranged daughter Mabel, Annas unanswered stream-of-consciousness voice mail messages become the narration to the show. And as things get spookier and spookier inside the house, so does the audio were hearing. The result, told over 40 episodes, is a nuanced and endlessly surprising ghost story.
Starter episode: The Letters
Though Wondery is one of the biggest names in podcasting (and was recently scooped up by Amazon), theyre known more for buzzy nonfiction thrillers like Dirty John and Dr. Death than scripted fare like Blood Ties. But this tightly plotted mystery series, which stars Gillian Jacobs and Josh Gad as two siblings whose parents die unexpectedly in a plane crash, is so binge-worthy that its two seasons may last you only a day. While grieving the loss of their parents, the siblings uncover dark secrets about their family business, and their own relationship begins to fray under the pressure.read more
7 Fiction Podcasts Ready Made for Vacation
