The Best Finds of September 2021
The Mastercast
12/06/21
•13m
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Hey Pod lovers, if you’re joining us for the first time, Welcome! The Mastercast is a podcast recommendation show that consists of seven non-spoiler, binge-worthy reviews of the best podcasts in a short and sweet two-to-three minute summary on everything you could want to know, from the number of hosts to on average how long you can expect each episode to be. For more details and more reviews, I highly recommend checking out the first four episodes. We have some lengthy reviews, which means I was very excited about these podcasts, so let’s get started.
"Your Brain on Facts"
Trivia nerds rejoice! "Your Brain on Facts" is an educational podcast about facts and the stories behind them. Host Moxie LaBouche, covers a wide range of well-researched topics with perfect delivery that hooks you in every time. Subjects covered in the past have included music, history, parties and so much more.
The writing and production are phenomenal. It’s well-structured and informational with no small talk. Despite this, there is a fair bit of comedy in how the stories are told.
While many people have credited the show with getting them into podcasts, LaBouche is also known for her amazing radio voice and does voice-over work as well. At first, I found her perfect radio voice a little too calming for work, but the facts are too interesting to make it a sleep podcast. Even the commercials are entertaining, and on a more important note, at a leveled volume.
She also has a book out similar to the podcast worth checking out. Apple Podcasts has 4.7 out of 5 stars and 133 ratings. So far the show has 202 episodes all about half an hour long with new ones coming out weekly on Fridays.
Some of my favorite episodes so far have been “We Can't Have Nice Things: Art & Antiquities Edition'' and “Project Pigeon and Acoustic Kitty” (trigger for violence against animals). OwlTail’s most popular according to listens are “Meeting New Peoples'' and “hiStory.”
The music is brief, as are commercials. The pod also has a great website with all of the episodes, scripts and sources. As a long-time listener, I highly recommend the show. Facts truly don’t get much better than this.
Similar Pods: "Damn Interesting," "Historical Blindness" and "The Constant: A History of Getting Things Wrong"
"Patient Zero"
"Patient Zero" produced by New Hampshire Public Radio is a deep dive look at Lyme disease; its history, origins, but also the precariousness that comes with the diagnosis. Lyme disease is a tick-borne illness that causes symptoms such as fever, headache, fatigue, skin rash and, when left untreated, heart, nerve and joint issues.
I didn’t know there could be so much controversy around a disease. I thought that in the medical profession there were knowns and unknowns, but it makes sense there are things up for debate. This podcast confronts this and so much more, like misinformation of this understudied illness.
No matter what you’re into, this podcast touches it a bit. It listens like true crime, but instead of crooks, the offenders are bacteria. That being said, I don’t think the show is gross when it comes to the medical details at all.
The eight-part series has three really great bonus episodes, but they should all be listened to in order. It’s chock-full of compelling reporting and solid production quality, which comes as no surprise seeing as it came from the same team that produced "Bear Brook."
Host and reporter Taylor Quimby is also a senior producer for NHPR’s widely popular "Outside/In" podcast and comes to "Patient Zero" with personal experience. In 2017, Quimby had his own confrontation with the infection, which he speaks about lightly throughout the pod. The search for answers about the condition was a major motivation for the show.
Apple podcasts has 4.1 stars and 1,300 ratings. It was also named one of the best listens of 2019 by the same. The average episode length is 33 minutes, and the music is discreet. The script involves some interviews and the host narrating the story of the disease. Sound effects were barely noticeable to me but bothered some. Trigger warnings for hopelessness and medical scenarios.
Similar Pods: "This Much is True," "This Podcast Will Kill You" and "Emerging Infectious Diseases"
"Doomsday: History's Most Dangerous Podcast"
I love "Doomsday: Historoy's Most Dangerous Podcst" so much! The morbidly funny 2020 show covers some of the most shocking days and disasters in history with wit and solid production quality. All of the episodes cover events I had never heard about. It’s solo hosted by Brad Choma and part of the Funeral Kazoo Productions. Funeral Kazoo seems to p...
Previous Episode
The Best Finds of August 2021
October 10, 2021
•14m
Transcript:
Hey pod lovers. If you’re joining us for the first time, welcome! The Mastercast is a podcast recommendation show that consists of seven non-spoiler, binge-worthy reviews of the best podcasts in a short and sweet two- to three-minute summary on everything you could want to know, from the number of hosts to on average how long you can expect each episode to be. For more details and more reviews, I highly recommend checking out the first three episodes. We have some lengthy reviews which I’m sure you know by now means I was very excited about these podcasts, so let’s get started.
"Surprisingly Brilliant"
"Surprisingly Brilliant is about science history, covering the hidden stories and unsung heroes of some of the greatest accomplishments of science. For iHeartRadio and Seeker, passionate hosts and writers Maren Hunsberger and Greg Foot take turns telling each other the origins of fascinating scientific ideas from all disciplines of science in a way that is not only easy to understand but jaw-droppingly entertaining.
You don’t have to have a background in science or have had gotten top marks in school to enjoy the topics. The detail in each hour-long episode is made greater by an esteemed guest from the field who helps tell the story lost to history books. It’s so nice to hear a show coming from people who genuinely love science and have a dynamic that makes them sound like they grew up friends.
Apple Podcasts has an average of 4.5 stars, 365 ratings and 80 written reviews. The 2020 show has two seasons so far and a total of 30 episodes, and Hunsberger confirmed via Twitter the show's third season is in the works.
When releasing, episodes usually come out on Fridays. The most popular episodes according to OwlTail are "The Puzzle Beneath Your Feet" and "The Electronic Ear." I LOVED the electronic ear episode also. As a huge fan of audio, I thought it was fascinating to hear about implants and the preferred terms and language associated with them. I think it’s so important to make the medium of podcasting more accessible.
Music is subtle and comes in and out at important parts of the story. The commercial amount is average. I can’t express how much I’ve enjoyed the show. I can’t wait for season three to come out. If you’ve been a fan of Hunsberger ’s YouTube, Seeker or "Science in General," this podcast is a must-listen.
Similar Pods: "Short Wave," "SideDoor," "99% Invisible" and "Ologies"
"No Strings Attached"
It’s April 5, 2015, and Vicky Cilliers, an army captain, loving wife and mother goes to jump out of an airplane like she has so many times before. The experienced freefall instructor has completed 2,600 jumps safely, but on this Easter Sunday her parachutes have been tampered with causing them to fail. Will she survive the 4,000-foot fall? What looks like an accident leads detectives to uncover a story of infidelity, debt and manipulation when Cilliers’ picture-perfect life turns out to be not what it seems.
From ITV News and hosted by Rob Murphy, "No Strings Attached, the 2020 podcast has 4.8 stars from Apple Podcast, 17 ratings and only 2 written reviews. The hidden gem is completed with eight episodes total that average about 32 minutes in length. Each contains interviews from those involved with the case as well as insight into how the British legal system differs from the American system.
Extra video content can be found on their website. No commercials and minimal music.
Trigger warnings for abuse and violence.
Similar podcasts: "Conning the Con," "The Sure Thing" and "Culpable"
"I Spy"
"I Spy" offers an amazing inside peek into the world of espionage and intelligence agency operations. It’s produced by Foreign Policy, the makers of the news magazine and website by the same name.
Each half-hour well-produced episode is a first-person account of a specific event they were involved in, and the subject is something completely original. What other podcast has behind-the-scenes access to secret missions? It’s hosted by Margo Martindale who plays a very minimal role, doing only the intro and outro. The interview questions seem to be edited out, resulting in the guest telling...
Next Episode
The Best Finds of October 2021
March 1, 2022
•14m
Transcript:
Hey Pod lovers. If you’re joining us for the first time, welcome! The Mastercast is a podcast recommendation show that consists of seven non-spoiler, binge-worthy reviews of the best podcasts in a short-and-sweet two- to three-minute summary of everything you could want to know, from the number of hosts to on average how long you can expect each episode to be. For more details and more reviews, I highly recommend checking out the first five episodes of "Mastercast." Let’s get started.
"A Piece of Work"
Abbi Jacobson knocks it out of the park with this approachable podcast, "A Piece of Work" done for WNYC Studios in partnership with the Museum of Modern Art. Fans of "Broad City" might recognize Jacobson as one of the show’s main characters, whose wit and charm carry over into real life. She’s an art major, but it’s clear her talented voice was made for radio.
One of the best parts about the show is that it is always so refreshing to hear someone speak about something they clearly adore. For most of us, art can seem intimidating, but this funny, down-to-earth pod says art is for everyone. It doesn’t matter if you dislike art or work full time in an art museum, Jacobson makes informative and comprehensive cases for all sorts. Her passion for creating a podcast about art that educates while it captivates in a way that isn’t pretentious is the sort of attitude the subject needs.
The show gives an inside look into MoMA with the help of some of Jacobson’s friends. She brings them along to gauge their reactions to some of the works she discusses. It’s so interesting to hear the different impressions and perspectives. Guests include Hannibal Buress, RuPaul and Questlove to name a few. Everything they have to say is useful and adds to the presentation, unlike what I’ve seen in other shows.
I’ll admit I was skeptical about how hearing people talk about art would be with just the audio, but this 10-part series is out to prove anyone with the same doubts wrong. While it’s completely possible to enjoy the show without viewing the art, a quick Google search gives you so much more to appreciate. For an easy way to make sure you’re looking at the right piece, I recommend checking out the show’s website.
Apple Podcasts has 4.8 out of 5 stars, 1.4 thousand ratings and 278 written reviews. Episodes are about 20 minutes long, commercials are average for the length and music was minimal. You can listen to the episodes out of order with slight nods to guests from older episodes being the only building information.
OwlTail can’t generate the most popular episodes for this short series, but my favorites were “Samantha Irby Gets High on Light” and “How Questlove Learned to Love Silence.”
No trigger warnings for this one. I’m sure it’s obvious by the length of the review that I loved this show. It is definitely in the running for my podcasts of the year. I would give it 10/5 stars if I could.
Similar Pods: "The Art History Babes," "ArtCurious Podcast," "The Week in Art," (bonus YouTube recommendation) "The Art Assignment"
"Newton’s Law"
"Newton's Law" is a brand-new eight-part series from iHeartpodcasts and is a perfect blend of history, true crime and action. It follows the lesser-known occupation of famous British scientist Isaac Newton (yes, that Isaac Newton), as lawman and Warden of the Mint.
While the position doesn’t exist anymore, this podcast makes it feel more real than ever as it brings to life late 17th century culture and customs. For example, did you know that coffee shops were the social media of the day? Lords (ladies were rarely permitted) would print pamphlets to distribute there as well as gather to talk politics or gossip.
It might seem like this time is a world away from us today, but the story told by this show is one we are all familiar with: the law vs. the criminal. Newton takes the job thinking it will be cake and give him plenty of time for his other interests.
However, he has his work cut out for him tackling the rampant counterfeiting trend happening and more when he meets William Chaloner, a legend among the underbelly of the country. The two led a relationship filled with cunning back and forth that leads to you wanting to know when will Newton get his man.
Apple Podcasts has 4.7 stars and 109 ratings. Linda Rodriguez McRobbie is both host and researcher for the show, a dual role she pulls off seamle...
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