Table of Contents
Selections of the week
Tom Slick: Mystery Hunter
Widely available, weekly episodes.
Owen Wilson, Sissy Spacek and Schuyler Fisk star in this story about “the most interesting man you’ve never heard of.” Wilson relishes the role of Slick, a scientific legend, intrepid explorer and occasional spy with plenty of adventures to tell. His granddaughter Liv (Fisk) and mother Claire (Spacek) find hidden tapes detailing his exploits in pursuit of the Yeti and his confrontation with notorious bank robber Machine Gun Kelly. Hannah Verdier
Extra Story: Sanitary facilities through time
Widely available, weekly episodes.
A sponge on a stick, the rumble of a bum and a devil lurking in the toilet – this deep dive into history reveals some fascinating details. Dr David Musgrove teams up with a team of historians for a four-part feature covering Roman, medieval, Tudor and Victorian bathroom habits, which reveal much about the past. High voltage
In the news this week
Widely available, weekly episodes.
How funny is Donald Trump’s running mate? that A photo destined to be as historic as Ed Miliband eating a bacon sandwich? This programme from the team behind Have I Got News for You (which fills the gap when the TV series isn’t on) is as witty and full of jokes as you’d expect. Alexi Duggins
Rock and Roll Birdwatcher
Widely available, weekly episodes.
In this immersive series about birdwatching, amateur and modern-day ornithologist Matt Spracklen goes on a weekly walk with bird experts. The first episode of the second series is a relaxing and informative listen in which he visits Sherwood Forest with Springwatch’s wildlife expert. The key takeaway? A common way to identify birds is by their “sperm” (the general impression you get of their shape, movement, etc.). ADVERTISEMENT
The Podclass
Widely available, weekly episodes.
Elizabeth Day knows a thing or two about writing a blockbuster novel, but in this revealing how-to, she takes a backseat and hands the reins to a collective of literary powerhouses: novelist Sara Collins, agent Nelle Andrew, and editor Sharmaine Lovegrove. First: how to know when that idea might be worth working on. Hollie Richardson
There’s a podcast for that.
This week, Charlie Lindlar choose five of the best podcasts of old historyfrom a Horrible Histories star’s comedic take on stories you didn’t learn in school to a myth-busting stroll through the ages.
The Ancients
When it comes to showcasing the sheer breadth of human history, there aren’t many podcasts that can match the scope and ambition of Tristan Hughes. In over 450 episodes and counting, The Ancients has looked at the remarkable achievements of those who came before us and how yesterday’s actions resonate in today’s world. Hughes seamlessly weaves Ice Age cave art in Indonesia, Ireland’s first settlers 10,000 years ago, and ancient Kazakh warlords into a coherent theme: who were we, and what does that tell us about who we are today?
Total range
With a format more akin to a sports show than a typical history podcast, Totalus Rankium pits Roman emperors against each other in a series of categories (their military aptitude, despotic tendencies, and sheer eccentricity among them) to decide who was ultimately the “greatest” of them all. Each episode runs an hour, and there’s a batch There’s a lot of depth in each episode, but you won’t believe who wins.
You’re dead to me
Moving away from the old frontrunners, Greg Jenner’s accessible and funny BBC podcast sees the comedians behind Horrible Histories talk about the real, unfiltered history you didn’t learn in the classroom. Recent episodes reveal the gruesome truth about everything from Victorian bodybuilders to circus impresario PT Barnum, and their archives have something for everyone. With Paris 2024 just around the corner, the 2021 episode revisiting the original Olympics will leave you with a sore feeling just listening to it.
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Let’s talk about myths, honey!
Another light-hearted take on ancient history, this show is a humorous exploration of the often shocking but always inspiring worlds of Greek and Roman “gods, goddesses, heroes, monsters, and everything in between.” Few hosts have as much fervor for their field as Liv Albert, who even goes through Homer’s Odyssey chapter by chapter for the true classics nerds among us. The ace up this podcast’s sleeve, though, is that it champions lesser-known or completely ignored stories of mythological heroines, dives into queer theory, and questions the ways in which myths inform our understanding of human sexuality.
A taste of the past
To understand our past in a different way, this show explores what our ancestors ate and how their choices not only helped their survival but also influenced food and culture today. Culinary historian Linda Pelaccio serves as host, investigating the importance of food rituals in Judaism, how fasting became a core belief for many, and where the idea of a “national dish” came from. Pelaccio also looks to the future, often asking what past eating habits might tell us about the future of food in the face of our climate crisis.
Why not try…?
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A new look at an infamous shooting on Audible Pulse: The untold story.
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Audio diaries offer a window into the horrors of the conflict in Inside Kabula new adaptation of an acclaimed French podcast.
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NPR Tried offers a sensitive and insightful look at the long history of controversial “sex verification” in sport.
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