I’m a bit of a true crime podcast addict. I’m not sure what that says about me but, judging by the number of podcasts on the topic out there, at least I know I’m not the only one.
I do feel guilty at times about deriving ‘enjoyment’ from listening to stories of others’ misfortunes (usually murder), but I love the podcasts that have a mystery that gets solved over a number of episodes. Of course I could get that from crime fiction, but reality adds another layer of fascination.
As much as I love true crime, or at least podcasts on the subject, there are other podcasts that I really enjoy, and they come without guilt. As a science nerd I love ‘The Infinite Monkey Cage’, which features Professor Brian Cox and comedian Robin Ince. Their show presents science fact in (usually) pretty basic terms and with great humour. Similarly Dr Karl’s ‘Shirtloads of Science’ is fun and insightful.
History lovers could do worse than listen to ‘The Rest is History’ and lovers of local stories will likely get enjoyment from the Herald Sun’s ‘In Black and White’ podcast. The Herald Sun is a Melbourne newspaper, but this podcast takes in stories from across Australia, many of which I’ve never heard.
For sports lovers I would highly recommend ‘Sports Bizarre’ a podcast presented by comedians Mick Molloy and Titus O’Reily. Mick and Titus have the ability to turn an obscure sporting story into a rollicking adventure with plenty of laughs thrown in. I think even those who claim to hate sports would enjoy their podcast.
For a human angle, I would highly recommend ‘Heavyweight’ presented by Jonathan Goldstein. Each self-contained episode takes on the story of one person’s unresolved moment or incident from the past. It is a genuine ‘you will laugh and cry’ type of show. Bizarrely, this show has not been renewed on Spotify and is looking for a new home. For now though, all 58 episodes are still available on the platform.
What else is out there I should know about? What are your ‘must listen’ podcasts?
.
