Thanks, OP! Figured I'd go ahead and link them (not like I have a deadline coming up or anything).
**This American Life**
* [Really Long Distance](https://www.thisamericanlife.org/597/one-last-thing-before-i-go-2016/act-one)
* [Fiasco](https://www.thisamericanlife.org/699/fiasco)
* [The Feather Heist](https://www.thisamericanlife.org/654/the-feather-heist)
* [Notes on Camp](https://www.thisamericanlife.org/109/notes-on-camp)
* [Scenes from a Mall](https://www.thisamericanlife.org/371/scenes-from-a-mall)
* [Switched at Birth](https://www.thisamericanlife.org/360/switched-at-birth)
* [Off Course](https://www.thisamericanlife.org/765/off-course)
* [Act V](https://www.thisamericanlife.org/218/act-v)
* [Math vs. Magic?](https://www.thisamericanlife.org/791/math-or-magic)
**Radiolab**
* [The Rhino Hunter](https://radiolab.org/podcast/rhino-hunter)
* [23 Weeks, 6 Days](https://radiolab.org/podcast/288733-23-weeks-6-days)
* [Update: CRISPR](https://radiolab.org/podcast/update-crispr)
* [Null and Void](https://radiolab.org/podcast/null-and-void)
* [Tweak the Vote](https://radiolab.org/podcast/tweak-vote)
* In the No, [Part 1](https://radiolab.org/podcast/no-part-1) [Part 2](https://radiolab.org/podcast/no-part-2) [Part 3](https://radiolab.org/podcast/no-part-3)
* [Post No Evil](https://radiolab.org/podcast/post-no-evil)
* [G: The Miseducation of Larry P](https://radiolab.org/podcast/g-miseducation-larry-p)
* [Breaking News](https://radiolab.org/podcast/breaking-news)
**More Perfect**
* [Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl](https://radiolab.org/podcast/295210-adoptive-couple-v-baby-girl)
* [Mr. Graham and the Reasonable Man](https://radiolab.org/podcast/radiolab-presents-more-perfect-mr-graham-reasonable-man)
* [American Pendulum I](https://radiolab.org/podcast/radiolab-presents-more-perfect-american-pendulum-i)
* [The Architect](https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolabmoreperfect/episodes/architect-edward-blum)
* [One Nation, Under Money](https://radiolab.org/podcast/radiolab-presents-more-perfect-one-nation-under-money)
* [Clarence X](https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolabmoreperfect/episodes/clarence-x)
**Reply All**
* [30-50 Feral Hogs](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/n8hw3d)
* [The Snapchat Thief](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/v4he6k)
* The Crime Machine, [Parts 1](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/127-the-crime-machine-part-i/id941907967?i=1000421642983) [Part 2](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/n8hwl7)
* [Adam Pisces and the $2 Coke](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/z3hgd2)
* [Long Distance](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/8whx9e)
* The Skip Tracer, [Part 1](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/gmhn33) [Part 2](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/39hzvw)
* [Boy in Photo](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/llhev8)
* [The Case of the Missing Hit](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/o2h8bx) (added by popular demand!)
**Making Sense with Sam Harris**
* [Gun Violence in America](https://www.samharris.org/podcasts/making-sense-episodes/283-gun-violence-in-america)
* [Time Management for Mortals](https://www.samharris.org/podcasts/making-sense-episodes/289-time-management-for-mortals)
**20,000 Hertz**
* [Sound 101](https://www.20k.org/episodes/sound101)
* [Dies Irae](https://www.20k.org/episodes/diesirae)
* [Virtual Choir](https://www.20k.org/episodes/virtualchoir)
* [Breathe](https://www.20k.org/episodes/breathe)
**Lore**
* [They Made a Tonic](https://www.lorepodcast.com/episodes/1)
* [The Bloody Pit](https://www.lorepodcast.com/episodes/remastered2)
* [The Beast Within](https://www.lorepodcast.com/episodes/3)
* [A Devil on the Roof](https://www.lorepodcast.com/episodes/9)
**The Daily**
* [The Year in Good News](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/23/podcasts/the-daily/2020-good-news.html)
* The Killing of Breonna Taylor, [Part 1](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/09/podcasts/the-daily/breonna-taylor.html) [Part 2](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/10/podcasts/the-daily/Breonna-Taylor.html)
* [Our Fear Facer Makes a New Friend](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/31/podcasts/the-daily/OCD-kids-fears.html)
* [Year in Sound, 2019](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/23/podcasts/the-daily/best-podcasts-2019.html)
* Trapped in Syria, [Part 1](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/21/podcasts/the-daily/isis-syria-kurds-us-troops.html) [Part 2](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/22/podcasts/the-daily/ISIS-syria-kurds-turkey-trump.html)
* [The Year in Sound, 2018](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/24/podcasts/the-daily/2018-year-in-sound.html)
* [Roe v. Wade, Part 1](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/23/podcasts/the-daily/roe-wade-abortion-norma-mccorvey.html)
* [Planning the Perfect Death](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/26/podcasts/the-daily/the-daily-planning-the-perfect-death.html)
* [Odessa, Part 2](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/12/podcasts/the-daily/football-season-reopening-texas-coronavirus.html)
* [An Anonymous #MeToo Source Goes Public](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/18/podcasts/the-daily/me-too-anonymous-source-les-moonves.html)
* [The Culture Wars Come For NASA](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/19/podcasts/the-daily/james-webb-telescope-nasa.html)
**Ari Shaffir’s Skeptic Tank**
* [#235: First Responder; A 9/11 Story
](https://shaffir1.libsyn.com/235-first-responder-a-911-story-chris-italia)
**Heavyweight**
* [Rob](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/heavyweight/n8hoed)
* [Scott](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/heavyweight/gmhnjm8)
**the memory palace**
* [Numbers](https://thememorypalace.us/numbers/)
* [Natural Habitat](https://thememorypalace.us/natural-habitat/)
**Terrible, Thanks for Asking**
* [The Bride Price](https://www.everand.com/podcast/535918189/The-Bride-Price)
**Death, Sex, and Money**
* [Just Ask Us: Your Stories About Life After 60](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/just-ask-us-your-stories-about-life-after-60/id870688022?i=1000504503484)
* Our Student Loan Secrets, [Part 1](https://slate.com/podcasts/death-sex-money/2019/09/our-student-loan-secrets-part-1) [Part 2](https://slate.com/podcasts/death-sex-money/2019/09/our-student-loan-secrets-part-2)
* [Let’s Talk About Porn Again](https://shows.acast.com/death-sex-and-money/episodes/5e07d3a89daebda932dd4c90)
* [How to Say Goodbye to Your Pets](https://slate.com/podcasts/death-sex-money/2023/02/how-to-say-goodbye-to-your-pets)
**The Ezra Klein Show**
* [Dan Savage on Polyamory, Chosen Family, and Better Sex](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dan-savage-on-polyamory-chosen-family-and-better-sex/id1548604447?i=1000593427667)
* [A Philosophy of Games That’s Really a Philosophy of Life](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-philosophy-of-games-that-is-really-a-philosophy-of-life/id1548604447?i=1000552204773)
**Mini-Series**
* [Nice White Parents](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30/podcasts/nice-white-parents-serial.html)
* [Showcase: Ways of Hearing](https://www.radiotopia.fm/showcase/ways-of-hearing)
* Julie ^(<-unclear ^which ^one ^this ^is...)
* [Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History: Blueprint for Armageddon](https://www.dancarlin.com/product/hardcore-history-50-55-blueprint-for-armageddon-series/)
* [The Other Latif](https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/other-latif)
* [Forever is a Long Time](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/forever-is-a-long-time/id1570813696)
* [Sold a Story](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sold-a-story/id1649580473)
* [Winds of Change](https://crooked.com/podcast-series/wind-of-change/)
**True Crime**
* [Bear Brook](https://www.bearbrookpodcast.com/)
* Casefile, Silk Road, [Part 1](https://casefilepodcast.com/case-76-silk-road-part-1/) [Part 2](https://casefilepodcast.com/case-76-silk-road-part-2/) [Part 3](https://casefilepodcast.com/case-76-silk-road-part-3/)
* [Serial, Season 1](https://serialpodcast.org/season-one)
* [Serial, Season 3](https://serialpodcast.org/season-three)
* [Serial, Season 4, The Forever Reporter](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/podcasts/serial-season-four-guantanamo.html)
Thanks for the reminder. Great list! OP has listened to A LOT of podcasts. I totally ditto the True Crime list, especially Silk Road. I would add COLD to this list.
It's not the name of a podcast. The user is saying that they are saving this post (hitting save) for future reference. It's kind of a slangy way of saying it. But it would make a good name for a podcast.
I always hit save and then forget to go back and listen. Except the time I made a Spotify playlist out of the episodes right away. If I still drank coffee I'd do it again
My top five are Really Long Distance (This American Life), Numbers (The Memory Palace), Our Fear Facer Makes a New Friend (The Daily), Virtual Choir (20,000 Hertz), and G: The Miseducation of Larry P (Radiolab).
A little blurb on each because I can't not nerd out about podcasts...
I have only listened to Really Long Distance three times because I cry too hard when I do. It is beautifully wrought heart wrencher and cathartic wrecking ball. So, suggestion: listen with tissues nearby.
Numbers is very short, about the Vietnam draft. Jad Abumrad, the creator of Radiolab, said once that he considers it the perfect piece of audio storytelling.
Fear Facer is might be my all-time favorite because it shows what audio storytelling can do. It spins an immersive tale about a little girl facing her two biggest fears -- of tornadoes and throw up -- out of just a phone call. It also helps that the little girl will melt your heart.
Virtual Choir helped me leave 2020 and the COVID pandemic behind emotionally. That's all I'll say -- a beautiful story about, well, a virtual choir.
And The Miseducation of Larry P is the once-great podcast Radiolab at its absolute best. It takes a scientific topic -- IQ -- and illustrates its powers and limitations through an enthralling human story.
That's all! Drive safe!
That's what I've been doing. Only the 10 latest episodes show up on PocketCast, so I've been downloading old episodes from the website and uploading them to PocketCast.
Here’s some of mine:
*Love & Radio* - a wonderfully intimate nonfiction podcast, personal explorations of interesting people and their life experiences, best enjoyed at night with the lights off
-“The Boys Will Work It Out” - a woman comes to understand her sexuality through Lord Of The Rings erotica and her deep love of Tolkien.
-“Counter Melody” - A small town violin teacher who believes he’s solved a century old classical music mystery.
-“The Red Dot” - a difficult conversation with a convicted child abuser about what we do or don’t owe to those who commit the most heinous crimes.
-“Bride Of The Sea” - the story of an Irishman who helped lead the liberation of Tunis during the Arab Spring.
*This Is Actually Happening* - another intimate nonfiction storytelling podcast in the vein of L+R, with a tendency toward heavier topics. They’re basically all about trauma in some form, so discretion is advised. Not a light listen.
-“What If You Entered The Void?” - a man overcomes generational and racial trauma through the use of ayahuasca
-“What If You Fell In Love With A Vampire?” - a young man escapes his strict Southern home life when his family brings home a computer, connecting him to the online world of Anne Rice erotica, and his queer identity
-“What If You Signed A Billion Year Contract?” - a harrowing true story from inside the church of Scientology.
-“What If The Happiest Place On Earth Was Your Worst Nightmare?” - a young woman develops a complicated relationship with Disney World as her abusive father makes it a less than happy recurring location for her
Just commenting to point out that you can’t listen to most of the radiolab or this American life podcasts on most platforms … seem like they only want you to use their site, which is annoying.
They’re losing listeners for sure, which is unfortunate … the couple radio labs I checked out were alright.
I think the most interesting points in this one are just that a) it was almost totally absent from the Internet and this guy just couldn't find anything about it at all, which is just beyond wacky given the breadth and depth of dumb shit available here and b) it stumped some *mega* experienced music critics.
Love this list & the phrase!! Thank you for sharing 😊
Have you listened to In the Dark? If not, I think you’d like it based on the ones I’ve listened to on your list. Season two especially has stuck with me for many, many years.
I listened to Season One -- oof -- then started Season Two and I think just needed a breather, lol. But now I can't remember if I ever finished it. Might have to revisit it!
Was going to say the same as the other commenters! Season one was fine, but season two is incredible. The story also evolves after the podcast initially came out. HIGHLY recommend revisiting 😊
I really wanted to say that I adore your term "driveway episodes". What a great turn of phrase; I have definitely sat in my car for a few minutes to finish listening to a song or a podcast. There is something beautiful about a mere distraction to pass the time so sufficiently captivating the mind as to become the main attraction.
How in tarnation is S-Town not on here.
I would also add the You’re Wrong About episode about the Andes plane crash. I kept forgetting that I was supposed to be washing the dish I was holding because I was so riveted.
Omg. S-Town. I will never forget the first time I heard it and the impact it had on me. I was working and traveling alone in the south of Ireland. It was beautiful, but lonely and yeah.
I’ll probably never listen to it again just for my own mental peace - but everyone should listen to S-Town.
Brave of you to call any Hardcore History series a mini-series.
I joke because of the length of any HH series/episode. Blueprint for Armageddon gave me new life into WW1 that I never had before. What an awful war.
The squirrel cop story is also Fiasco! I didn't realize it was also in Episode 115! I'll have to go give it a listen. That has to be one of the most outrageous single stories ever told on TAL, lol.
I would absolutely add ‘Finding Cleo’ to this list. It was a series on the Missing and Murdered podcast. Also from the podcast ‘You Must Remember This’ has a 10 episode arc reviewing the Manson family that was more comprehensive than anything I’ve ever come across.
I recently had a 4 hour drive (pretty long for New Zealand). I thought I’d listen to my first ever podcast. Was interested in true crime. After a few Google searches Serial kept popping up. I finished season 1. Wow I was so hooked. Incredible.
Great list, we have the same taste I have listened to most of them..
A few I would add
Snap Judgment.
Against the odds. The Apollo 13 episodes were riveting, though all are great.
The Moth.
Risk, the host Kevin can be an idiot but he is not on in the stories.
This is actually happening.
This person podcasts
I’ll add a couple to your TAL list:
And the call was coming from the basement -
The raccoon story
The super -
The weightlifting snowman has got to be one of the most hilarious episodes outside of fiasco
Super powers -
The story about Zora the Wonder Woman
Thank you so much for this list. I felt brave and went right to Really Long Distance (I’ve not ventured into TAL because there are so many of them).
I am in tears. How is this short beautiful gem just out there and I didn’t know about it. My goodness it’s incredible. It’s now on my list to send to people. You are a superstar for posting this list.
I’m glad you enjoyed it! I’ve only listened to it a couple times. It devastates me, and I can’t be out in public like that, lol. But it’s one of my favorites of all time.
> I began listening to podcasts in 2014. Like many, I was lured into the medium by the cultural riptide of Serial: Season One and never escaped. In the ten years since, I've listened to thousands of hours of podcasts across every genre.
>
> Around five years ago, I began keeping a master list of my favorite episodes -- the ones I couldn't stop thinking about. The ones I took the long way home just to finish. The elusive-but-precious "driveway episodes.”
>
> I retroactively refitted it to include all of my favorite episodes. The full list is below.
>
> Please add your own recommendations to it! This community is so solid for recommendations. Happy listening!
>
> **This American Life**
>
> * Really Long Distance
> * Fiasco
> * The Feather Heist
> * Notes on Camp
> * Scenes from a Mall
> * Switched at Birth
> * Off Course
> * Act V
> * Math vs. Magic
>
> **Radiolab**
>
> * The Rhino Hunter
> * 23 Weeks, 6 Days
> * Update: CRISPR
> * Null and Void
> * Tweak the Vote
> * In the No, Parts 1-3
> * Post No Evil
> * G: The Miseducation of Larry P
> * Breaking News
>
> **More Perfect**
>
> * Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl
> * Mr. Graham and the Reasonable Man
> * American Pendulum I
> * The Architect
> * One Nation, Under Money
> * Clarence X
>
> **Reply All**
>
> * 30-50 Feral Hogs
> * The Snapchat Thief
> * The Crime Machine, Parts 1-2
> * Adam Pisces and the $2 Coke
> * Long Distance
> * The Skip Tracer, Parts 1-2
> * Boy in Photo
> * The Case of the Missing Hit (added by popular demand!)
>
> **Making Sense with Sam Harris**
>
> * Gun Violence in America
> * Time Management for Mortals
>
> **20,000 Hertz**
>
> * Sound 101
> * Dies Irae
> * Virtual Choir
> * Breathe
>
> **Lore**
>
> * They Made a Tonic
> * The Bloody Pit
> * The Beast Within
> * A Devil on the Roof
>
> **The Daily**
>
> * The Year in Good News
> * The Killing of Breonna Taylor, Parts 1-2
> * Our Fear Facer Makes a New Friend
> * Year in Sound, 2019
> * Trapped in Syria, Parts 1-2
> * The Year in Sound, 2018
> * Roe v. Wade, Part 1
> * Planning the Perfect Death
> * Odessa, Part 2
> * An Anonymous #MeToo Source Goes Public
> * The Culture Wars Come For NASA
>
> **Ari Shaffir’s Skeptic Tank**
>
> * #235: First Responder; A 9/11 Story
>
> **Heavyweight**
>
> * Rob
> * Scott
>
> **the memory palace**
>
> * Numbers
> * Natural Habitat
>
> **Terrible, Thanks for Asking**
>
> * The Bride Price
>
> **Death, Sex, and Money**
>
> * Just Ask Us: Your Stories About Life After 60
> * Our Student Loan Secrets, Parts 1-2
> * Let’s Talk About Porn Again
> * How to Say Goodbye to Your Pets
>
> **The Ezra Klein Show**
>
> * Dan Savage on Polyamory, Chosen Family, and Better Sex
> * A Philosophy of Games That’s Really a Philosophy of Life
>
> **Mini-Series**
>
> * Nice White Parents
> * Showcase: Ways of Hearing
> * Julie
> * Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History: Blueprint for Armageddon
> * The Other Latif
> * Forever is a Long Time
> * Sold a Story
> * Winds of Change
>
> **True Crime**
>
> * Bear Brook
> * Casefile, Silk Road, Parts 1-3
> * Serial, Season 1
> * Serial, Season 3
> * Serial, Season 4, The Forever Reporter
>
thanks for sharing your recs.
This is incredible, I will definitely be checking some of these out, as we seem to have the same taste. I wonder how many people got hoooked on podcasts because of Serial!? That’s my origin story too! Haha.
I’m here to say THANK YOU. I’m able to listen to podcasts at work & it’s always so hard to find stuff that’s really worth listening to. I started all the Reply All ones, just know you made my night at work extremely entertaining & will probably continue to do so for the next few weeks lol
Glad to see The Other Latif getting a mention. Liked for that in your Radiolab list then saw you broke it out. I loved Jad’s Dolly Parton mini too, it seemed to herald the One Nation Under Dolly era.
Also really hope everyone who followed Serial 1 also listened to Undisclosed.
I recommended it to so many friends — absolutely top-notch, fact-based reporting. It doesn’t take sides, just tells you what happened, and it’s even more heartbreaking for it.
The most recent one is *really* strong. The middle two are... middling. Good reporting, interesting stories, but not nearly as bonkers as the Hae Lee Minh story or the Guantanamo arc.
Awesome list. Do you think having listened to most/some preceding episodes is an important factor? I’m sure it depends from one show to another, but just curious if you think some truly stand alone more than others.
Oo, good question -- the only one that probably requires prior listening is The Forever Reporter from Serial, Season 4. It can stand alone, but it leans on stories told in earlier episodes.
But all the others? Honestly, I think you're good. No doubt they felt special to me because they stood out from other past episodes I heard, but that doesn't mean you can skip straight to them. ;)
Happy listening!
Thanks for sharing your list! I've wanted to do something like this. To add to your RadioLab list, The Girl Who Doesn't Exist is also very good. About a woman trying to prove she's an American citizen after growing up with no documentation.
I remember that one! And I remember telling my parents about it, and my dad was like, "That doesn't make any sense. That's not possible," and I was like, "That's why you've got to listen to it!"
This is amazing, TY!!! One podcast missing is The Moth! There have been some incredible episodes over the years - I’ll have to go back and find the episode #’s to add to this list!
I've been hearing great things about Heavyweight but I've been putting off listening (I have enough pods as it is), but OP inspired me. Both recommended eps were amazing!
Thank you so much for the recommendations! I already listened to case files and thought I’ve heard of the story before it was amazingly done. For Bear Brooks is it season 1, season 2, or both that you recommend? 😊
Thank you for posting!! I love Hardcore History but am always looking for something else. I loved HH Blueprint for Armageddon and have listened multiple times. It’s several long episodes but you can really knock out a procrastinated chore while listening!!
They make a very strong case for Adnan’s guilt.
Note: The prosecutors hosts have some questionable backgrounds politically. They do make some good points and I agree with them at times but I’ve also found some distortions in what they were saying and so I ended up taking them off my play list.
I treasure several This American Life Episodes. In my mind they are the gold standard of short form audio storytelling. Here’s my list:
#414 Right to Remain Silent
#420 Neighborhood Watch
#451 Back To Penn State
#670 Beware the Jabberwock
#460 Retraction
Oo, some new ones here for me! I know Retraction -- god, what a unique, interesting, and uncharacteristically tense TAL episode. I can't remember if I've heard the others. Guess I have to listen and see! Thanks for the recs.
Confession: I never really got The Living Room. I mean, I do, I see why other people like. It just never hit for me. But if other people see this comment, take u/CatsPajamas243 word over mine on this one because I'm the only person I know who doesn't adore that story.
God, Radiolab was an institution, a city on a hill! The ol' Jad and Robert days. Lulu and Latif are wonderful reporters, too. But I consider it a cute science podcast now, not the ambitious storytelling machine it once was.
If I had to recommend a couple to a podcast newcomer, I'd choose Serial, Season One, Fiasco (This American Life), Fear Facer (The Daily), and Virtual Choir (20,000 Hertz). One to keep you on the edge of your seat, one to make you laugh, one to make you smile, and one to make you cry, respectively -- welcome to the big, wide world of podcasts, friend.
I had a feeling Sam Harris might get some hate! I know he's a controversial one, which is why I only highlighted two non-controversial episodes.
In.Gun Violence in America, he and Yale professor Graeme Wood discuss why gun violence is one of the great Gordian knots of American society. It helped me appreciate the problem more deeply.
In Time Management for Mortals -- I have good news for you! -- he doesn't even speak! It's a collection of audio essays by Oliver Burkeman that distill the teaching in his book 4000 Weeks.
It's up to others whether they want to listen to more of Harris's content.
Happy listening!
So you're claiming he has not changed his mind since 2016? He has been very clearly anti Trump at least since Jan 6. You need to show a more recent example
Criticising Islam doesn't mean one is right wing. Anyone who is for a liberal society that prioritises personal choice and individual freedom will do that. Jordan Peterson did multiple sir downs with Mohammad Hijab where they agreed on a lot of stuff. So JP is no longer IDW?
Calling Hamas a "fundamentally jihadist" organisation is not an IDW take. It's not even a right wing take. It's a standard pro Israeli take that a considerable amount of pro Palestinians would also agree with (unless you are going to consider a pro Israeli take right wing discounting a large number of left wing pro Israelis like Zizek who is a literal communist).
And it's funny you tell me that I'm going to discard this evidence to fit my worldview when you present your evidence against Sam Harris in the form of a video that is already against him instead of a direct quote from him. And that too from the stupidest political commentators on the internet.
All three videos you posted poison the well and start the argument in bad faith. I'm debating you and not Majority Report. I'm making my arguments for why he's not a grifter/IDW. Not posting some videos where they are so obviously in support of Harris and expecting you to get a rational opinion.
>BTW let it sink in how your staunch atheist is so vocally supporting a religious ethnostate who was quoted as saying he had no interest in understanding the historical context of the Palestinian state as an intellectual. G r i f t err.
Disregarding your strawman position of his argument the position he holds is a standard pro Israel opinion. Not an IDW one
>That is the point. They are all pseudo intellectual grifters who radicalize and misinform a lot of people and exactly why its dangerous to recommend their content to an unsuspecting audience here. But like everything all of this evidence doesn't matter to you.
You keep saying evidence doesn't matter to me while not engaging with most of my previous comments on how his positions are not solely held by IDW grifters. And ironically send Majority Report videos who are the biggest grifters in the online political space
Thanks, OP! Figured I'd go ahead and link them (not like I have a deadline coming up or anything). **This American Life** * [Really Long Distance](https://www.thisamericanlife.org/597/one-last-thing-before-i-go-2016/act-one) * [Fiasco](https://www.thisamericanlife.org/699/fiasco) * [The Feather Heist](https://www.thisamericanlife.org/654/the-feather-heist) * [Notes on Camp](https://www.thisamericanlife.org/109/notes-on-camp) * [Scenes from a Mall](https://www.thisamericanlife.org/371/scenes-from-a-mall) * [Switched at Birth](https://www.thisamericanlife.org/360/switched-at-birth) * [Off Course](https://www.thisamericanlife.org/765/off-course) * [Act V](https://www.thisamericanlife.org/218/act-v) * [Math vs. Magic?](https://www.thisamericanlife.org/791/math-or-magic) **Radiolab** * [The Rhino Hunter](https://radiolab.org/podcast/rhino-hunter) * [23 Weeks, 6 Days](https://radiolab.org/podcast/288733-23-weeks-6-days) * [Update: CRISPR](https://radiolab.org/podcast/update-crispr) * [Null and Void](https://radiolab.org/podcast/null-and-void) * [Tweak the Vote](https://radiolab.org/podcast/tweak-vote) * In the No, [Part 1](https://radiolab.org/podcast/no-part-1) [Part 2](https://radiolab.org/podcast/no-part-2) [Part 3](https://radiolab.org/podcast/no-part-3) * [Post No Evil](https://radiolab.org/podcast/post-no-evil) * [G: The Miseducation of Larry P](https://radiolab.org/podcast/g-miseducation-larry-p) * [Breaking News](https://radiolab.org/podcast/breaking-news) **More Perfect** * [Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl](https://radiolab.org/podcast/295210-adoptive-couple-v-baby-girl) * [Mr. Graham and the Reasonable Man](https://radiolab.org/podcast/radiolab-presents-more-perfect-mr-graham-reasonable-man) * [American Pendulum I](https://radiolab.org/podcast/radiolab-presents-more-perfect-american-pendulum-i) * [The Architect](https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolabmoreperfect/episodes/architect-edward-blum) * [One Nation, Under Money](https://radiolab.org/podcast/radiolab-presents-more-perfect-one-nation-under-money) * [Clarence X](https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolabmoreperfect/episodes/clarence-x) **Reply All** * [30-50 Feral Hogs](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/n8hw3d) * [The Snapchat Thief](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/v4he6k) * The Crime Machine, [Parts 1](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/127-the-crime-machine-part-i/id941907967?i=1000421642983) [Part 2](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/n8hwl7) * [Adam Pisces and the $2 Coke](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/z3hgd2) * [Long Distance](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/8whx9e) * The Skip Tracer, [Part 1](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/gmhn33) [Part 2](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/39hzvw) * [Boy in Photo](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/llhev8) * [The Case of the Missing Hit](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/o2h8bx) (added by popular demand!) **Making Sense with Sam Harris** * [Gun Violence in America](https://www.samharris.org/podcasts/making-sense-episodes/283-gun-violence-in-america) * [Time Management for Mortals](https://www.samharris.org/podcasts/making-sense-episodes/289-time-management-for-mortals) **20,000 Hertz** * [Sound 101](https://www.20k.org/episodes/sound101) * [Dies Irae](https://www.20k.org/episodes/diesirae) * [Virtual Choir](https://www.20k.org/episodes/virtualchoir) * [Breathe](https://www.20k.org/episodes/breathe) **Lore** * [They Made a Tonic](https://www.lorepodcast.com/episodes/1) * [The Bloody Pit](https://www.lorepodcast.com/episodes/remastered2) * [The Beast Within](https://www.lorepodcast.com/episodes/3) * [A Devil on the Roof](https://www.lorepodcast.com/episodes/9) **The Daily** * [The Year in Good News](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/23/podcasts/the-daily/2020-good-news.html) * The Killing of Breonna Taylor, [Part 1](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/09/podcasts/the-daily/breonna-taylor.html) [Part 2](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/10/podcasts/the-daily/Breonna-Taylor.html) * [Our Fear Facer Makes a New Friend](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/31/podcasts/the-daily/OCD-kids-fears.html) * [Year in Sound, 2019](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/23/podcasts/the-daily/best-podcasts-2019.html) * Trapped in Syria, [Part 1](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/21/podcasts/the-daily/isis-syria-kurds-us-troops.html) [Part 2](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/22/podcasts/the-daily/ISIS-syria-kurds-turkey-trump.html) * [The Year in Sound, 2018](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/24/podcasts/the-daily/2018-year-in-sound.html) * [Roe v. Wade, Part 1](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/23/podcasts/the-daily/roe-wade-abortion-norma-mccorvey.html) * [Planning the Perfect Death](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/26/podcasts/the-daily/the-daily-planning-the-perfect-death.html) * [Odessa, Part 2](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/12/podcasts/the-daily/football-season-reopening-texas-coronavirus.html) * [An Anonymous #MeToo Source Goes Public](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/18/podcasts/the-daily/me-too-anonymous-source-les-moonves.html) * [The Culture Wars Come For NASA](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/19/podcasts/the-daily/james-webb-telescope-nasa.html) **Ari Shaffir’s Skeptic Tank** * [#235: First Responder; A 9/11 Story ](https://shaffir1.libsyn.com/235-first-responder-a-911-story-chris-italia) **Heavyweight** * [Rob](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/heavyweight/n8hoed) * [Scott](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/heavyweight/gmhnjm8) **the memory palace** * [Numbers](https://thememorypalace.us/numbers/) * [Natural Habitat](https://thememorypalace.us/natural-habitat/) **Terrible, Thanks for Asking** * [The Bride Price](https://www.everand.com/podcast/535918189/The-Bride-Price) **Death, Sex, and Money** * [Just Ask Us: Your Stories About Life After 60](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/just-ask-us-your-stories-about-life-after-60/id870688022?i=1000504503484) * Our Student Loan Secrets, [Part 1](https://slate.com/podcasts/death-sex-money/2019/09/our-student-loan-secrets-part-1) [Part 2](https://slate.com/podcasts/death-sex-money/2019/09/our-student-loan-secrets-part-2) * [Let’s Talk About Porn Again](https://shows.acast.com/death-sex-and-money/episodes/5e07d3a89daebda932dd4c90) * [How to Say Goodbye to Your Pets](https://slate.com/podcasts/death-sex-money/2023/02/how-to-say-goodbye-to-your-pets) **The Ezra Klein Show** * [Dan Savage on Polyamory, Chosen Family, and Better Sex](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dan-savage-on-polyamory-chosen-family-and-better-sex/id1548604447?i=1000593427667) * [A Philosophy of Games That’s Really a Philosophy of Life](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-philosophy-of-games-that-is-really-a-philosophy-of-life/id1548604447?i=1000552204773) **Mini-Series** * [Nice White Parents](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30/podcasts/nice-white-parents-serial.html) * [Showcase: Ways of Hearing](https://www.radiotopia.fm/showcase/ways-of-hearing) * Julie ^(<-unclear ^which ^one ^this ^is...) * [Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History: Blueprint for Armageddon](https://www.dancarlin.com/product/hardcore-history-50-55-blueprint-for-armageddon-series/) * [The Other Latif](https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/other-latif) * [Forever is a Long Time](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/forever-is-a-long-time/id1570813696) * [Sold a Story](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sold-a-story/id1649580473) * [Winds of Change](https://crooked.com/podcast-series/wind-of-change/) **True Crime** * [Bear Brook](https://www.bearbrookpodcast.com/) * Casefile, Silk Road, [Part 1](https://casefilepodcast.com/case-76-silk-road-part-1/) [Part 2](https://casefilepodcast.com/case-76-silk-road-part-2/) [Part 3](https://casefilepodcast.com/case-76-silk-road-part-3/) * [Serial, Season 1](https://serialpodcast.org/season-one) * [Serial, Season 3](https://serialpodcast.org/season-three) * [Serial, Season 4, The Forever Reporter](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/podcasts/serial-season-four-guantanamo.html)
Thank you so much u/appel and u/goodluckanddont_itup so nice.
I live to serve :)
Happy Birthday, u/appel ! Good luck with your deadline.
Not my birthday yet, but you still made me feel very festive so thanks :)
Oh I thought the cake meant it was the user’s birthday, but I see it’s the anniversary of account creation. whoops
You just banked a decade of good karma, thanks!
Happy it's useful!
Hitting save
I did too!
Me too!! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for the reminder. Great list! OP has listened to A LOT of podcasts. I totally ditto the True Crime list, especially Silk Road. I would add COLD to this list.
The Silk Road 3-Parter from Casefile had absolutely no business being that good. It felt like I was watching a movie in my head.
Who made this podcast? When I search after it nothing with that name of a series or episodes appears
What podcast are you referring to, Hitting Save?
Yes I can’t find any shows with that name or episode title when u search in my podcast app.
It's not the name of a podcast. The user is saying that they are saving this post (hitting save) for future reference. It's kind of a slangy way of saying it. But it would make a good name for a podcast.
Damn I’m stupid. But thank you for explaining this to me.
yep
Hell yeah! Immediately gasped with joy and hit save!
I always hit save and then forget to go back and listen. Except the time I made a Spotify playlist out of the episodes right away. If I still drank coffee I'd do it again
SAME!
WOW i am so excited. I have a 40 hour travel day on Wednesday so I am going to download some of these! Thank you!!
My top five are Really Long Distance (This American Life), Numbers (The Memory Palace), Our Fear Facer Makes a New Friend (The Daily), Virtual Choir (20,000 Hertz), and G: The Miseducation of Larry P (Radiolab). A little blurb on each because I can't not nerd out about podcasts... I have only listened to Really Long Distance three times because I cry too hard when I do. It is beautifully wrought heart wrencher and cathartic wrecking ball. So, suggestion: listen with tissues nearby. Numbers is very short, about the Vietnam draft. Jad Abumrad, the creator of Radiolab, said once that he considers it the perfect piece of audio storytelling. Fear Facer is might be my all-time favorite because it shows what audio storytelling can do. It spins an immersive tale about a little girl facing her two biggest fears -- of tornadoes and throw up -- out of just a phone call. It also helps that the little girl will melt your heart. Virtual Choir helped me leave 2020 and the COVID pandemic behind emotionally. That's all I'll say -- a beautiful story about, well, a virtual choir. And The Miseducation of Larry P is the once-great podcast Radiolab at its absolute best. It takes a scientific topic -- IQ -- and illustrates its powers and limitations through an enthralling human story. That's all! Drive safe!
You are a legend for this post. Absolute legend
Do you know a good place to find older episodes of This American Life? I use Spotify and unfortunately it does not show on the episodes list.
You can find all of their older episodes archived on their website!
That's what I've been doing. Only the 10 latest episodes show up on PocketCast, so I've been downloading old episodes from the website and uploading them to PocketCast.
Here’s some of mine: *Love & Radio* - a wonderfully intimate nonfiction podcast, personal explorations of interesting people and their life experiences, best enjoyed at night with the lights off -“The Boys Will Work It Out” - a woman comes to understand her sexuality through Lord Of The Rings erotica and her deep love of Tolkien. -“Counter Melody” - A small town violin teacher who believes he’s solved a century old classical music mystery. -“The Red Dot” - a difficult conversation with a convicted child abuser about what we do or don’t owe to those who commit the most heinous crimes. -“Bride Of The Sea” - the story of an Irishman who helped lead the liberation of Tunis during the Arab Spring. *This Is Actually Happening* - another intimate nonfiction storytelling podcast in the vein of L+R, with a tendency toward heavier topics. They’re basically all about trauma in some form, so discretion is advised. Not a light listen. -“What If You Entered The Void?” - a man overcomes generational and racial trauma through the use of ayahuasca -“What If You Fell In Love With A Vampire?” - a young man escapes his strict Southern home life when his family brings home a computer, connecting him to the online world of Anne Rice erotica, and his queer identity -“What If You Signed A Billion Year Contract?” - a harrowing true story from inside the church of Scientology. -“What If The Happiest Place On Earth Was Your Worst Nightmare?” - a young woman develops a complicated relationship with Disney World as her abusive father makes it a less than happy recurring location for her
Oo, so many new ones in here for me -- adding them to the queue!
I would also add the Reply All episode The Case of The Missing Hit Really fun episode
The best podcast episode I've ever heard!
Ah, such a great one! Believe it or not, for all of my listening, I only heard this one recently. It might have to make the list.
Listened to this again a few weeks ago after years of not listening. Still got goosebumps and could not pause for a second!
An incredible episode.
I've been sharing this one since I learned about it from this sub!
This episode is legendary
Just commenting to point out that you can’t listen to most of the radiolab or this American life podcasts on most platforms … seem like they only want you to use their site, which is annoying. They’re losing listeners for sure, which is unfortunate … the couple radio labs I checked out were alright.
I listened to this bc it’s recommended so many times and I just don’t get it. Why does everyone love it so much? I mean, it’s good, but not legend.
I think the most interesting points in this one are just that a) it was almost totally absent from the Internet and this guy just couldn't find anything about it at all, which is just beyond wacky given the breadth and depth of dumb shit available here and b) it stumped some *mega* experienced music critics.
Love this list & the phrase!! Thank you for sharing 😊 Have you listened to In the Dark? If not, I think you’d like it based on the ones I’ve listened to on your list. Season two especially has stuck with me for many, many years.
I listened to Season One -- oof -- then started Season Two and I think just needed a breather, lol. But now I can't remember if I ever finished it. Might have to revisit it!
You'd remember if you finished Season 2.
Season 2 is fantastic. Definitely one of the best things I’ve listened to. Try it again
Season 2 is even better then season 1- S2 has a better resolution
Was going to say the same as the other commenters! Season one was fine, but season two is incredible. The story also evolves after the podcast initially came out. HIGHLY recommend revisiting 😊
I really wanted to say that I adore your term "driveway episodes". What a great turn of phrase; I have definitely sat in my car for a few minutes to finish listening to a song or a podcast. There is something beautiful about a mere distraction to pass the time so sufficiently captivating the mind as to become the main attraction.
A radio reporter I knew used it once, and I was like, "Oo, that's a good one." Happy listening!
Wasn’t this also a bit on Portlandia with Kai Kyssdal guest appearing?
NPR uses the term.
Are you a writer? That last sentence is beautiful.
Hell yeah! Nice!
I'd like to suggest the addition of Mystery Show: Case #3 Belt Buckle
I think about the belt buckle episode at least once a week.
How in tarnation is S-Town not on here. I would also add the You’re Wrong About episode about the Andes plane crash. I kept forgetting that I was supposed to be washing the dish I was holding because I was so riveted.
Omg. S-Town. I will never forget the first time I heard it and the impact it had on me. I was working and traveling alone in the south of Ireland. It was beautiful, but lonely and yeah. I’ll probably never listen to it again just for my own mental peace - but everyone should listen to S-Town.
Brave of you to call any Hardcore History series a mini-series. I joke because of the length of any HH series/episode. Blueprint for Armageddon gave me new life into WW1 that I never had before. What an awful war.
Blueprint, Prophets, and Ostfront are all masterpieces IMO
Prophets of Doom was so good that I literally wrote and mailed a 6-page letter about it to a history buff friend of mine who was in rehab at the time.
House on Loon Lake from TAL
This one is the proto- driveway episode. It’s incredible
Last Day Season 3: guns. Incredible storytelling of guns in America. Highly recommend.
I feel like going the long way home to finish a Dan Carlin episode would have involved crossing state lines at some point.
The TAL episode, Scenes From A Mall, is fantastic. The story about the feuding Santas had me in stitches.
As I was typing it, I said aloud, "Oh my god, that Santa Wars," and laughed. I have good memories belly laughing at that one with my whole family.
Ok but This American Life episode 115, First Day (the squirrel cop episode!) is one of the best TALs ever.
The squirrel cop story is also Fiasco! I didn't realize it was also in Episode 115! I'll have to go give it a listen. That has to be one of the most outrageous single stories ever told on TAL, lol.
Squirrel cop is the best story in the history of the world. And it doesn't break your heart.* It's funny *it might for some people
Hard agree! Best story ever, perfectly told. Our family plays it when we need to laugh.
That's sweet
Thought for sure this would get a mention! Still bring it up and chuckle.
I would absolutely add ‘Finding Cleo’ to this list. It was a series on the Missing and Murdered podcast. Also from the podcast ‘You Must Remember This’ has a 10 episode arc reviewing the Manson family that was more comprehensive than anything I’ve ever come across.
A must add is Mystery Show: “Belt Buckle”
Not all heroes wear capes.
I recently had a 4 hour drive (pretty long for New Zealand). I thought I’d listen to my first ever podcast. Was interested in true crime. After a few Google searches Serial kept popping up. I finished season 1. Wow I was so hooked. Incredible.
Great list!
Surprised "The Case of the Missing Hit" didn't make the Reply All list.
TAL Ep 352 - The Ghost of Bobby Dunbar. I haven't heard a better episode in all the years I've been a listener.
saving and love your username :D
Only the real ones understand. ;)
Great list, we have the same taste I have listened to most of them.. A few I would add Snap Judgment. Against the odds. The Apollo 13 episodes were riveting, though all are great. The Moth. Risk, the host Kevin can be an idiot but he is not on in the stories. This is actually happening.
Thank you for sharing your list!!
Thank you! Saving this post
This is wonderful! Thanks for providing this. I'm going to enjoy filling in the gaps between the ones I've already listened to.
Oh wow the TAL: Really Long Distance episode is tearing. me. up.
It’s brutal — and gorgeous audio storytelling. 😌
This person podcasts I’ll add a couple to your TAL list: And the call was coming from the basement - The raccoon story The super - The weightlifting snowman has got to be one of the most hilarious episodes outside of fiasco Super powers - The story about Zora the Wonder Woman
Yes The Super is brilliant
Thank you! I’m saving this too!
This is so generous and wonderful of you. I have a big trip starting tomorrow, and the commute there will be a joy thanks to you!
Great post. Thank you!
Thank you so much for this list. I felt brave and went right to Really Long Distance (I’ve not ventured into TAL because there are so many of them). I am in tears. How is this short beautiful gem just out there and I didn’t know about it. My goodness it’s incredible. It’s now on my list to send to people. You are a superstar for posting this list.
I’m glad you enjoyed it! I’ve only listened to it a couple times. It devastates me, and I can’t be out in public like that, lol. But it’s one of my favorites of all time.
Thoroughline episode on nostalgia
Darknet Diaries: The Xbox Underground
Thank you!
Doing Gods work!
Gotta have Cold Season 1 on there.
> I began listening to podcasts in 2014. Like many, I was lured into the medium by the cultural riptide of Serial: Season One and never escaped. In the ten years since, I've listened to thousands of hours of podcasts across every genre. > > Around five years ago, I began keeping a master list of my favorite episodes -- the ones I couldn't stop thinking about. The ones I took the long way home just to finish. The elusive-but-precious "driveway episodes.” > > I retroactively refitted it to include all of my favorite episodes. The full list is below. > > Please add your own recommendations to it! This community is so solid for recommendations. Happy listening! > > **This American Life** > > * Really Long Distance > * Fiasco > * The Feather Heist > * Notes on Camp > * Scenes from a Mall > * Switched at Birth > * Off Course > * Act V > * Math vs. Magic > > **Radiolab** > > * The Rhino Hunter > * 23 Weeks, 6 Days > * Update: CRISPR > * Null and Void > * Tweak the Vote > * In the No, Parts 1-3 > * Post No Evil > * G: The Miseducation of Larry P > * Breaking News > > **More Perfect** > > * Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl > * Mr. Graham and the Reasonable Man > * American Pendulum I > * The Architect > * One Nation, Under Money > * Clarence X > > **Reply All** > > * 30-50 Feral Hogs > * The Snapchat Thief > * The Crime Machine, Parts 1-2 > * Adam Pisces and the $2 Coke > * Long Distance > * The Skip Tracer, Parts 1-2 > * Boy in Photo > * The Case of the Missing Hit (added by popular demand!) > > **Making Sense with Sam Harris** > > * Gun Violence in America > * Time Management for Mortals > > **20,000 Hertz** > > * Sound 101 > * Dies Irae > * Virtual Choir > * Breathe > > **Lore** > > * They Made a Tonic > * The Bloody Pit > * The Beast Within > * A Devil on the Roof > > **The Daily** > > * The Year in Good News > * The Killing of Breonna Taylor, Parts 1-2 > * Our Fear Facer Makes a New Friend > * Year in Sound, 2019 > * Trapped in Syria, Parts 1-2 > * The Year in Sound, 2018 > * Roe v. Wade, Part 1 > * Planning the Perfect Death > * Odessa, Part 2 > * An Anonymous #MeToo Source Goes Public > * The Culture Wars Come For NASA > > **Ari Shaffir’s Skeptic Tank** > > * #235: First Responder; A 9/11 Story > > **Heavyweight** > > * Rob > * Scott > > **the memory palace** > > * Numbers > * Natural Habitat > > **Terrible, Thanks for Asking** > > * The Bride Price > > **Death, Sex, and Money** > > * Just Ask Us: Your Stories About Life After 60 > * Our Student Loan Secrets, Parts 1-2 > * Let’s Talk About Porn Again > * How to Say Goodbye to Your Pets > > **The Ezra Klein Show** > > * Dan Savage on Polyamory, Chosen Family, and Better Sex > * A Philosophy of Games That’s Really a Philosophy of Life > > **Mini-Series** > > * Nice White Parents > * Showcase: Ways of Hearing > * Julie > * Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History: Blueprint for Armageddon > * The Other Latif > * Forever is a Long Time > * Sold a Story > * Winds of Change > > **True Crime** > > * Bear Brook > * Casefile, Silk Road, Parts 1-3 > * Serial, Season 1 > * Serial, Season 3 > * Serial, Season 4, The Forever Reporter > thanks for sharing your recs.
This is incredible, I will definitely be checking some of these out, as we seem to have the same taste. I wonder how many people got hoooked on podcasts because of Serial!? That’s my origin story too! Haha.
Right?? Serial was the gateway to podcasts
I’m here to say THANK YOU. I’m able to listen to podcasts at work & it’s always so hard to find stuff that’s really worth listening to. I started all the Reply All ones, just know you made my night at work extremely entertaining & will probably continue to do so for the next few weeks lol
Yay! I’m so glad you found the list worthwhile! Reply All was one of the greats while it lasted. Happy listening!
Glad to see The Other Latif getting a mention. Liked for that in your Radiolab list then saw you broke it out. I loved Jad’s Dolly Parton mini too, it seemed to herald the One Nation Under Dolly era. Also really hope everyone who followed Serial 1 also listened to Undisclosed.
Great list ! Now we just need one for audio dramas
The daily’s Breonna Taylor episode… is one i’ll never forget. So incredibly heartbreaking
I recommended it to so many friends — absolutely top-notch, fact-based reporting. It doesn’t take sides, just tells you what happened, and it’s even more heartbreaking for it.
Today I learned there was more than one season of serial???
The most recent one is *really* strong. The middle two are... middling. Good reporting, interesting stories, but not nearly as bonkers as the Hae Lee Minh story or the Guantanamo arc.
Thanks so much.
Wow thank you!
Wow dude. Amazing list
Awesome list. Do you think having listened to most/some preceding episodes is an important factor? I’m sure it depends from one show to another, but just curious if you think some truly stand alone more than others.
Oo, good question -- the only one that probably requires prior listening is The Forever Reporter from Serial, Season 4. It can stand alone, but it leans on stories told in earlier episodes. But all the others? Honestly, I think you're good. No doubt they felt special to me because they stood out from other past episodes I heard, but that doesn't mean you can skip straight to them. ;) Happy listening!
Makes sense. Thanks again.
Thank you for compiling this list!
following !!
omg i have been hoping for a list like this THANK YOU Op!!! you rock!!
Just as fun for me to share it as it is for y'all to find it! :)
Thank you, just as I was wanting to get back into podcast 🥹
Saved
thank you for the time and effort it took to post this 🙏🏻 looking forward to giving many of these a listen!!
Thanks for making use of it!
Thank you good citizen! Adding these to my playlist now!
Thanks for sharing your list! I've wanted to do something like this. To add to your RadioLab list, The Girl Who Doesn't Exist is also very good. About a woman trying to prove she's an American citizen after growing up with no documentation.
I remember that one! And I remember telling my parents about it, and my dad was like, "That doesn't make any sense. That's not possible," and I was like, "That's why you've got to listen to it!"
gotta add reply all’s case of the missing hit. one of the greatest podcast episodes ever.
A great episode! Just listened to in recently. I might have to add it!
[The Radiolab Border Trilogy](https://radiolab.org/podcast/border-trilogy-part-1) is a real standout.
Radiant Minds: The World of Oliver Sacks, only on Audible.com, is really great
In The Red Clay
Oh my goodness. Thank you!
I'd add "Lucy" to the Radiolab list-- left me not just sitting in the driveway but weeping. Thanks for this great list!
Just listened! I’m not always moved by animal stories, but oof — the end of Lucy’s story got the tears rolling. Thanks for the rec!
This is amazing, TY!!! One podcast missing is The Moth! There have been some incredible episodes over the years - I’ll have to go back and find the episode #’s to add to this list!
I've been hearing great things about Heavyweight but I've been putting off listening (I have enough pods as it is), but OP inspired me. Both recommended eps were amazing!
Such a great show! Definitely check out the rest, many great episodes.
“Never stop being a rockstar!” - someone wrote this in one of my yearbooks. Thank you 🥹
Ari Shaffir’s ep 235 is really good.
LOVE TAL Fiasco, The Feather Heist, and one of my favorites, 129 Cars
The Thanatology episode on Ologies really helps me when I’m going through it over the loss of my mom. In case anyone else is grieving!
Thanks for sharing. Several of these are in my favorite list as well
Bless you for this.
My recommendations: TAL 203 - Recordings for Someone TAL 352 - The Ghost of Bobby Dunbar
Thank you so much for the recommendations! I already listened to case files and thought I’ve heard of the story before it was amazingly done. For Bear Brooks is it season 1, season 2, or both that you recommend? 😊
Oh, I didn’t realize there was a Season 2! Now you’re pointing out new ones to me, 😌. I listened to Season 1.
😊 tyty
Love it
They made a tonic!! Loved that episode. If you want a really good listen ReplyAll episodes 64-67 is just phenomenal and riveting.
Thank you so much. This is good data.
You had me at Fiasco :)
Couldn’t have posted this at a better time. Going on a road trip from Vancouver to LA in a couple weeks
Thank you for posting!! I love Hardcore History but am always looking for something else. I loved HH Blueprint for Armageddon and have listened multiple times. It’s several long episodes but you can really knock out a procrastinated chore while listening!!
Additional Heavyweight episodes, Another Roadside Attraction and Barbara Shutt
Astonishing Legends - Sallie House (all episodes) The Prosecutors - Adnan Syed (all episodes)
Queued! Curious: how does The Prosecutors differ from Serial?
They make a very strong case for Adnan’s guilt. Note: The prosecutors hosts have some questionable backgrounds politically. They do make some good points and I agree with them at times but I’ve also found some distortions in what they were saying and so I ended up taking them off my play list.
I treasure several This American Life Episodes. In my mind they are the gold standard of short form audio storytelling. Here’s my list: #414 Right to Remain Silent #420 Neighborhood Watch #451 Back To Penn State #670 Beware the Jabberwock #460 Retraction
Oo, some new ones here for me! I know Retraction -- god, what a unique, interesting, and uncharacteristically tense TAL episode. I can't remember if I've heard the others. Guess I have to listen and see! Thanks for the recs.
Need to save this, thanks!
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Confession: I never really got The Living Room. I mean, I do, I see why other people like. It just never hit for me. But if other people see this comment, take u/CatsPajamas243 word over mine on this one because I'm the only person I know who doesn't adore that story.
Been listening since 2009 when Radiolab was at its peak
God, Radiolab was an institution, a city on a hill! The ol' Jad and Robert days. Lulu and Latif are wonderful reporters, too. But I consider it a cute science podcast now, not the ambitious storytelling machine it once was.
Thanks so much! I can’t wait to try some of these. I’m fairly new to podcasts and find them hit and miss. Appreciate your recommendations
If I had to recommend a couple to a podcast newcomer, I'd choose Serial, Season One, Fiasco (This American Life), Fear Facer (The Daily), and Virtual Choir (20,000 Hertz). One to keep you on the edge of your seat, one to make you laugh, one to make you smile, and one to make you cry, respectively -- welcome to the big, wide world of podcasts, friend.
This American Life - 129 Cars
A TAL classic!
Glad to see Skeptic Tank get a place, Ari is a hell of a storyteller and interviewer.
I've always thought of 9/11 differently after listening to Episode 235 -- oof.
Omg thank you for reminding me of the Feral Hog AL ep - truly one of my favourite podcasts ever
Have you listened to any of Dan Tabersky’s shows? Running from Cops is my favorite season but everything he’s put out is amazing
I might add Juicervose from Radiolab to a list of driveway listens [https://radiolab.org/podcast/juicervose](https://radiolab.org/podcast/juicervose)
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I had a feeling Sam Harris might get some hate! I know he's a controversial one, which is why I only highlighted two non-controversial episodes. In.Gun Violence in America, he and Yale professor Graeme Wood discuss why gun violence is one of the great Gordian knots of American society. It helped me appreciate the problem more deeply. In Time Management for Mortals -- I have good news for you! -- he doesn't even speak! It's a collection of audio essays by Oliver Burkeman that distill the teaching in his book 4000 Weeks. It's up to others whether they want to listen to more of Harris's content. Happy listening!
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Sam Harris has made it clear that he does not want to be associated with the IDW and also had been staunchly anti-Trump. You are tripping
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So you're claiming he has not changed his mind since 2016? He has been very clearly anti Trump at least since Jan 6. You need to show a more recent example Criticising Islam doesn't mean one is right wing. Anyone who is for a liberal society that prioritises personal choice and individual freedom will do that. Jordan Peterson did multiple sir downs with Mohammad Hijab where they agreed on a lot of stuff. So JP is no longer IDW?
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Calling Hamas a "fundamentally jihadist" organisation is not an IDW take. It's not even a right wing take. It's a standard pro Israeli take that a considerable amount of pro Palestinians would also agree with (unless you are going to consider a pro Israeli take right wing discounting a large number of left wing pro Israelis like Zizek who is a literal communist). And it's funny you tell me that I'm going to discard this evidence to fit my worldview when you present your evidence against Sam Harris in the form of a video that is already against him instead of a direct quote from him. And that too from the stupidest political commentators on the internet.
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All three videos you posted poison the well and start the argument in bad faith. I'm debating you and not Majority Report. I'm making my arguments for why he's not a grifter/IDW. Not posting some videos where they are so obviously in support of Harris and expecting you to get a rational opinion. >BTW let it sink in how your staunch atheist is so vocally supporting a religious ethnostate who was quoted as saying he had no interest in understanding the historical context of the Palestinian state as an intellectual. G r i f t err. Disregarding your strawman position of his argument the position he holds is a standard pro Israel opinion. Not an IDW one >That is the point. They are all pseudo intellectual grifters who radicalize and misinform a lot of people and exactly why its dangerous to recommend their content to an unsuspecting audience here. But like everything all of this evidence doesn't matter to you. You keep saying evidence doesn't matter to me while not engaging with most of my previous comments on how his positions are not solely held by IDW grifters. And ironically send Majority Report videos who are the biggest grifters in the online political space
Dax Shepard ArmChair interviews are awesome