Long commute? Listen to these entertaining podcasts to bide your time
Just yesterday it seems like podcasts were brand new to the media scene. Now, they’ve become mainstream and the preferred method of telling detailed stories, analyzing history and current events, getting the latest news or just listening to people chat about random things.
Whether you’re a casual or avid podcast listener, these four podcasts are sure to entertain anyone who tunes in.
Focused on one of the biggest corporate scandals of the 2010s, “The Dropout” tells the story of Elizabeth Holmes and her business, Theranos, a health technology company that falsely claimed it could conduct hundreds of medical tests with a single drop of blood.
Initially released in January 2019, the show ran for six episodes that detailed the rise and fall of the company, and how they managed to fool investors and patients into thinking that their technology worked miracles.
As much as the story is about Theranos, it’s also a profile of Holmes, and how she went from a Stanford dropout to successfully lying to patients and defrauding investors like billionaire businessman Rupert Murdoch and the Walton family of the Walmart fortune.
But in August 2021, the podcast began releasing more episodes that detailed trial proceedings, jury conflicts, revelations, defenses and testimonies after Holmes went to trial for fraud.
“The Dropout” is an enjoyable listen for those who might be curious about how a promising company met its demise, how its founder kept up a charade that violated ethical standards and what the legal process looks like. Each original episode averages approximately 30 to 45 minutes, but the trial episodes can last more than an hour.
“Crime Junkie,” hosted by Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat, is really the only true-crime podcast you need. The show covers both infamous and lesser-known unsolved murders, missing person cases, serial killers and strange disappearances, among a litany of other crime-related content.
Even though the podcast is scripted, it still feels like you’re listening to two true-crime-obsessed friends having a conversation. They don’t simply relay the police reports — they tell the victims’ stories in a way that listeners can relate to and understand, sometimes including interviews with friends, family members and law enforcement who were on each case.
The show is so popular that it’s listed as No. 8 on Spotify’s podcast charts, and Flowers now hosts numerous other podcasts in the true-crime vein.
Each “Crime Junkie” episode varies in length. Some can be 10 minutes long, usually quick updates on unsolved cases, and others can be nearly 2 hours, or even so lengthy that they're split into two parts.
Incredibly, "Crime Junkie" also helped to identify a Jane and John Doe by raising money to run their DNA tests, according to the show's update episode on the Sumter County Does.
"S-Town"
Filled with scandal, death, clocks, missing treasure, feuds, intriguing small-town rumors and one distinctive man, “S-Town” is a true story about an Alabama town and its inhabitants. What draws the show’s creators to the town is a resident who alleges that the son of a wealthy family is bragging about getting away with murder.
Hosted by Brian Reed and created by the producers of "Serial," this podcast starts as an investigative story but turns into an in-depth profile of one man. The fascinating and intricately crafted tale about the human condition and life is broken into seven chapters, each lasting approximately 45 minutes to an hour. Out of an abundance of caution, not much more can be said about this audio documentary without spoiling the story.
Hosted by Michael Barbaro and produced by The New York Times, “The Daily” is a mark of trustworthy journalism and has at least one episode that can pique your interest. Each episode takes a deep dive into a hot, current issue instead of covering multiple stories in 15 minutes, as many news podcasts do.
The show features other journalists from The Times and helps listeners understand complex problems and address the implications issues. Another podcast highlight is Barbaro’s soothing voice, which seems to take some of the sting out of the fact that the news is pretty grim nowadays.
Released five times a week, each episode averages approximately 30 minutes — give or take 10 — and is ideal for those who want detailed analyses of current events.
Created by NPR and hosted by arts journalists Linda Holmes, Glen Weldon, Stephen Thompson and Aisha Harris, “Pop Culture Happy Hour” covers the latest pop culture news and offers recommendations on what to watch, read, play or listen to, as well as some commentary on the entertainment world's latest releases and trending topics.
In one of the most recent episodes, the hosts discuss their likes, dislikes and strategies for Wordle, the vocab-based game that has taken Twitter and peoples' friend groups by storm.
The show is a bit light compared to some of the other podcasts on this list, with the episodes averaging approximately 15 minutes — in fact, they rarely even last more than 30 minutes and some last no longer than 10. It’s a great listen if you’re in an entertainment slump and are looking for advice on what should be your next binge.
These podcasts are just a tiny portion of the vast podcast landscape that has something for everyone. If you’re looking for a new audio adventure, consider giving one of these shows a listen!
