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Only a show It usually comes to mind when you think of Adam Buxton plus podcast, and all you need to do is add a to get its title. But one of the format’s big beasts is about to expand…
Well, more or less. Buxton’s upcoming drama, Up in Smoke, is made in the style of a true crime series, but is actually a work of fiction, in which he plays a detective on the trail of a missing person. Its “presenter” is actor Mei Mac (currently starring in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s glorious production of My Neighbor Totoro), who supposedly presents an audio investigation of the mysterious incident. It feels like an exercise in gender and reality blurring that could be spectacularly effective or… a little strange. What will it be? This time next week, everything should be revealed.
In the meantime, we’ve got plenty of other great listens for you. Read on for everything from a stunning story of breast cancer treatment (and the role a former president’s wife played in revolutionizing it) to a tearful exploration of new beginnings in midlife brought to you by an icon They’re joined by a roundup of the best shows to dig into if you need comfortable listening, and a new show that solves listeners’ toughest problems, including helping a 30-something New Yorker learn to drive. What a public service!
Alex Duggins
Deputy television director
Picks of the week
start again
Widely available, weekly episodes.
Nothing provokes an existential crisis like a ’90s icon who’s an expert on midlife, but Davina McCall is the OG of the genre. Now comes a new podcast about new beginnings, twists, and the “wavy lines” of life. McCall is her usual ball of empathy, not afraid to cry with her guests, the first of whom is Fearne Cotton, who talks about her challenges. This isn’t your typical celebrity chat podcast, as McCall listens carefully and delves into her guests’ responses. Hannah Verdier
Hyperfix
Widely available, weekly episodes.
This light-hearted podcast bills itself as a help service for life’s toughest problems. Alex Goldman, the “overconfident idiot” (in his words), is as entertaining helping a woman try to convert US cups into grams to make the perfect pie as he is investigating why driving in New York is so horrible. high voltage
less radical
Widely available, weekly episodes.
Dr. Bernie Fisher was instrumental in improving the way breast cancer patients are treated: without his work, women could still undergo disfiguring surgeries. Here, Dr. Stacy Wentworth takes us from the operating room to the White House to show how Fisher, the women’s movement, and science fundamentally changed breast cancer treatment. Hollie Richardson
Elon’s spies
Widely available, all episodes now available
Does Elon Musk use undercover investigators to gather information about people he has personal interests with? That is the suspicion that deepens this series, which features an extensive interview with the British diver he called a “pedophile” after his astonishing rescue in an underwater cave of a trapped team of young Thai soccer players. Alex Duggins
Lost Notes: Groupies – Women of the Sunset Strip, from the pill to punk
Widely available, weekly episodes.
This podcast begins with teenagers being pursued by artists like Led Zeppelin and David Bowie in the ’70s. It’s surprising but superficial; There’s no shortage of wild party stories, and it’s a compelling listen, but judging by the first episode, it should do a lot more to question the ethics of power and age dynamics. ADVERTISEMENT
There’s a podcast for that.
This week, Raquel Aroesti choose five of the best comfort listensfrom a wedding mystery that went viral to Elizabeth Day’s seminal show about failure
Perfect day with Jessica Knappett
There are plenty of “perfect” podcasts out there, covering everything from dream meals (Off Menu) to ideal vacations (Life’s a Beach) to fantasy funerals (Where there’s a will, there’s a wake), but this relatively recent addition to the genre is undoubtedly the most comforting of all. This is partly due to the theme – listening to all the nice, relaxing things guests put on their agendas for a perfect day is quite a meditative experience – and partly due to our dryly hilarious hostess, who radiates affable energy (it helps that she actually be friends with her). guests, including Tim Key and Emerald Fennell) while leading a meandering conversation that’s not afraid to go off on strange tangents.
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Who shit on the floor at my wedding?
The rise of podcasting and the rise of true crime have gone hand in hand, and it’s no wonder: an immersive, detailed, and suspenseful investigation is the perfect fuel for the audio format. But what if you want all the satisfaction of solving crimes but none of the depressing global violence or corruption? The answer is this podcast, in which amateur detective Lauren Kilby tries to discover the culprit behind a defecation that occurred at her friends Karen and Helen’s boat wedding. The resulting group is a very fun and reassuring addition to the true crime genre. Even better, the team has recently returned with another rewarding and light-hearted mystery titled The Little Suit/Case.
As fail
Elizabeth Day’s hit podcast isn’t exactly an exercise in schadenfreude, however, by inviting celebrities (Kate Winslet, Bonnie Tyler, Richard Osman and many more) to divulge their top three failures, How to Fail certainly helps listeners feel a little better about the things that have gone wrong in their own lives. The show often acts as a reminder that no one’s life is completely great (a necessary corrective in the age of Instagram), but when guests come in telling stories of shocking adversity, it also provides proof that it’s possible to thrive afterward. of a period of turmoil.
Green Wing: Resurrected
Comfort is often inextricably linked to nostalgia; That’s why shows like Friends had a renaissance during the pandemic. In fact, there’s something about 2000s television that looms large in the collective comfort zone. For comedy fans of a certain age, the hospital comedy Green Wing definitely fits the bill, and for those looking for more than just a trip down memory lane, this podcast revival will be gratefully received. Green Wing: Resuscitated stays very faithful to the original show, with the vast majority of the cast members including Stephen Mangan (the pathetic surgeon Guy Secretan), Julian Rhind-Tutt (the fainting Mac) and Michelle Gomez (the link of the Crackers Sue staff) return. . Tune in to the familiar strangeness and uncompromising silliness.
Look what happens
For anyone in need of mindless solace, reality TV should be high on the agenda, especially the non-stop festival of bickering and trivial drama that is the Real Housewives franchise. This podcast, hosted by fans Ben Mandelker and Ronnie Karam, and published five times a week: Recaps all 11 USA Housewives shows (plus other shows on the Bravo reality network). It’s a comprehensive guide to all the characters, stories, and feuds, plus a chance to gossip, joke, and air grievances about the most annoying cast members. It’s all presented with the kind of mounting hysteria that such a relentless show is sure to generate.
Why not try it…?
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How to save ita hopeful series about conservation campaigns that are working, from saving manatees to healing Papua New Guinea’s coral reefs.
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Days out with Woody and Piersin which two indie musicians talk to fans about the trials and rewards of following your crew across the country (or even the world).
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Young America with Dylan Douglasa bold effort to understand the political needs of ucAmerica’s Generation Z.