This Week in Podcasts is a weekly roundup of mini-reviews of all of the podcasts I’ve listened to in a week. If you see any podcasts that you feel are missing from my list, there’s a good chance I haven’t listened to the show yet! You can see my current list of podcast subscriptions here. Feel free to give me recommendations–as well as any feedback or discussion!–in the comments below or on twitter. You can see a list of every episode that has scored within the A range here.
Highlights
The Shadows
Episodes 1-6, Released in Full
After her beautiful and wildly successful The Heart, Kaitlin Prest brings us a six-part fiction mini-series that somehow seems more honest, personal, and real than her nonfiction work. The story follows a fictionalized Kaitlin as she falls in love with a fellow puppeteer, Charlie–and then also finds herself wound up in a romance with someone she meets while traveling, Devon. The story is very specifically not a love triangle, but instead, an inquiry in monogamy, love, romance, and sex. The Shadows is a frustrating, sometime excruciating listen–which is exactly what it should be.
Adventures in New America
“The End”
Night Vale Presents’s newest fiction feels delightfully Night Vale Presents and delightfully new. Following IA, a man in desperate need of medical care and with no way to fund it, the narrative weaves around the Afrofuturist New New York City, a setting made up of vampire zombie aliens and gentrified poke bowl restaurants with embarrassing menus. Adventures in New America has more jokes per minute (and social critiques per minute) than almost any other audio fiction being made right now.
This Week’s Ratings
Sunday, 9/23/18
- The Allusionist, “85. Skin Story”: B
- We Fix Space Junk, “S02E02 – Sensory Overload”: B
- The Hilarious World of Depression, “Neko Case Leaves Bad Places, Goes to Better Places”: C+
Monday, 9/24/18
- Nancy, “Perfect Son”: B
- Song Salad, “Ep. 128 – The Fog Beyond”: B
- The Shadows, Episodes 1-6: A-
- Reasonably Sound, “43: Hold, Please”: C+
- My Brother, My Brother and Me, “MBMBaM 426: The Home of Smooth Daddy”: C+
- Potterless, “Ep. 51 – Half-Blood Prince ch. 21-22 w/ Meghan Freuhauf”: B
Tuesday, 9/25/18
- The Big Loop, “The Eye of the Lord”: B
- Join the Party, “34. Labor Party IV”: B
- Love and Luck, “Episode 50 – House and Healing”: B
- Song Exploder, “Blood Orange – Saint”: C
- 99% Invisible, “Kids’ Clothes: Articles of Interest #1”: B+
Wednesday, 9/26/18
- Join the Party, “Afterparty: Labor Party IV”: B
- Wolverine: The Long Night, “Chapter 4: Hunters”: B
- Spirits, “Episode 96: Ghost Stories (with Paul Bae)”: B
- Wonderful!, “Ep. 52: NPR Takeover”: C+
Thursday, 9/27/18
- Serial, “Misdemeanor, Meet Mr. Lawsuit”: C
- Pop Culture Happy Hour, “Fall Movie Preview”: C
- Adventures in New America, “The End”: B+
Friday, 9/28/18
- The Good Place: The Podcast, “Ch. 27/28: Jameela Jamil, Actress | Jen Statsky, Writer”: C+
- Pairing, “The Princess Bride”: B-
Saturday, 9/29/18
- StarTripper!!, “StarNappers!!”: B
- The End of Time and Other Bothers, “13: Between, Part 1”: B
- Kaleidotrope, “Episode 8”: B
These weekly roundups are some of my favorite to write, but they’re also some of the most exhausting posts to write. Keeping up with all these podcasts is time consuming! These posts are brought to you with deep thanks to my Patreon supporters and people who have supported me via Ko-Fi. Becoming a supporter will get you access to my planning blog, customized podcast playlists, and the ability to request reviews for podcasts you love. Find out more here!
Wil Williams Writes 