Hello All, I’m Sara, and I’m a podcast addict.
It’s ok to admit that you are too, this is a safe space for you.
If you’re not…like, do you want to be, bc it’s kind of fun?
Or, perhaps you’re wondering, what is a girl/guy to do with all this excessive consumption of nothingness? With all the downtime of quiet (insert kids screaming in the background, husband asking for the ketchup for the 10th time whilst basically touching it, you staring into the abyss able to completely tune it out), we dare be bestowed?
Well worry not friends, I have hours of mindful escape prepared for you in this list of casts, and bring you Podcasters Anonymous, meeting number 2!
Now, please, for the love of all things enjoyable in life, if you haven’t already done so you really need to check out my last podcast roundup!!
Once again, I want to remind you that all of these podcasts are entirely free.
I use the podcast app on my iPhone to listen to all of them, and I’ve never paid a dime.
As a disclaimer, I do not have ANYTHING to do with writing, producing, or critiquing them. I do not own their names or content. I am not getting paid, not by them, not by you, I’m offering fun for free, woo. I am only here to share what I have listened to, and what I have liked, and my own opinion on each podcast series in hopes that you may check them out and like them as well!
If you have a mobile device, you can listen on:
Apple podcasts
Spotify
Apple music
Google podcast
Radiopublic
Stitcher
The list goes on…
If you don’t have a mobile phone, each of the podcasts below have their own website you can listen to casts on for free, and some even have Patreon pages where you can subscribe and gain additional material for a small fee, if you’ve binged them dry and want to hear more.
Now, for the goods.
True Crime:
Crime Junkie:
I know I’m a little late to the party on this one, but MAN it’s good! I flat out binge listened to every single episode. Ashley Flowers, and her bud Brit Prawat dive into mysterious vanishings, missing persons, captured criminals, murder investigations of some of the best and least known acts of crime worldwide. Crime Junkie is very well written and produced, and will have you handing at the edge of your seat with every episode! Alongside being a dedicated listener, it’s almost hard not to become an invested crime junkie while listening to Ashley and Brit speak. They advocate for awareness and solution of these crimes, and give very sound, realistic speculation for and against all parties involved. It’s the light of my week to listen to receive a new episode, and they always send me right back to my laptop to do my own web sleuthing and advocating for resolutions.
Bad Batch:
If you’re down for a complete shock of the system, order up Bad Batch. I mean, please tell me you listened to Dr Death? Well wondery is back with another season of rivitening healthcare fraud exposure. The theme of this season is another completely dangerous, totally disgusting feed off of vulnerable america. This season dives into a tainted stem cell operation that lands desperate, vulnerable patients on their deathbeds, all at the mercy of one man’s greed.
Sick
Like, definitely a little uneasy talking about this one. However, it’s literally riveting.
Imagine this – you’ve been told all your life that you were conceived via sperm donor, until one day a group of individuals contacts you, speculating that you may be their sibling. You think, ‘wow, this is cool, I have other siblings out there’, until you find out there could quite possibly be hundreds of them. This season explores one doctor’s way of *ahem* contributing to his patient’s infertility circumstances in ways you wouldn’t believe.
Detective Trapp
When I listen to Detective Trapp I just picture the real-life version of Maggie Q’s character on Designated Survivor. A true badass woman of justice..
Detective trapp follows Anaheim detective Julissa Trapp as she hunts a notorious California serial murderer. Worth a listen, worth a binge… you’ll happily take the long way home just to finish listening to these episodes.
Have You Seen This Man
This is a 6-part podcast tracking the real-life disappearance of an Ohio criminal who escaped from police custody in 1973. This man, Lester Eubanks, is still today considered to be at large for the murder of a 14 year old girl, when he was 22. However, he may be still living among us, and people are starting to talk.
Murder in Oregon
One word: twisted.
This podcast, brought to you by iHeart Radio, details the twists and turns of a corrupted Oregon Criminal Justice system of the 80’s. When an officer is murdered in 1989, outside his office in Salem, what was initially dubbed as a robbery gone wrong ends up exposing a corrupt police scandal that traced back to the biggest names in the political forefront.
Up and Vanished Season 3
If you’re a true, True-Crime podcast junkie, you know Payne Lindsey is here to deliver the goods.
Season 3 is a new take on crime-casting, and is centered around his recent Oxygen series. These episodes are additional information on 7 disappearances, and 5 cold cases he is working on exposing. Worth a listen.
Down the Hill:
Honestly, this one has me so worked up as a web sleuth that I have had to literally stop and walk away many times. This is the story of the recent murders of two little girls Abby and Libby, in Delphi IN, in February of 2017. This is a podcast by HLN that is very well written and produced, giving honor to the victims and their families, as well as detailing shocking information surrounding this case that will have you back at home working your own web sleuth abilities. This is definitely a case that needs widespread public attention, especially with the evidence that is available to the public, in hopes to bring justice to these girls.
Interesting People:
Disorganized Crime: Smugglers Daughter
World, meet Rainbow Valentine, the alias of the daughter of one of California’s biggest pot smugglers. If I was Rainbow, finding out that my entire childhood was in fact a fascinating, riveting lie, I would probably make a podcast about it too! This podcast literally has me r.o.l.l.i.n.g. Every single episode! A production of iHeart radio, sure not to disappoint.
Over my dead body, Season 2
I feel now that the world has already been heavily exposed to the Netflix monster unleashed last week…. All I need to say is – The Tiger King. Thats exactly the theme of season 2, a Wondery production. Get ready for a wild ride.
Finding Fred
Every evening during my early childhood, I would arrive at my grandmother’s house after a quick walk home from school, and flip on the 4pm PBS reruns of Mr Rogers Neighborhood. I’m a late PBS’er, growing up in the years of re-runs instead of live-broadcasts of the man in the red sweater, but there’s a little nostalgia about that man’s voice that just elicits a calming response.
Finding Fred is yet another very well written and produced series by iHeart Radio, hosted by Carvelle Wallace, that dives deeply into the life and legacy of Fred Rogers. This series has you wishing for more Mr Rogers in our time, and performing deep introspection into the people we are today because of these spiritual revolutionaries that played a little role in raising us.
I Spy
Spies don’t talk? Well, someone slipped.
I Spy is a multi episode-series based on first-hand accounts from foreign and domestic spies, written by Foreign Policy. Each episode is an interview with a different spy, detailing events from becoming master disguise artists, involvement with the KGB, political leader poisonings gone wrong… you know, the usual spy stuff!
Noble Blood
Honestly, the family history of the monarchy is a little effed up. Not to say I didn’t binge this with Jake on one of our many road-trips last month. But man, there is real family dirt exposure in this series! There is alot of killing, I’ll be frank. You just never would have thought so many family members would have been responsible for it.
This series, Written by iHeart Radio and Aaorn Mahnke (who you’ll recognize from Unobscured) hosted by Dana Schwarts. These episodes detail the history of the royal family’s drama, affairs, and more. There are episodes on Marie Antionette, the death of Tsar Nickolas, and Maximillion the first, etc. A very good listen for all the history buffs out there.
Illegal Tender
Short, sweet, to the jaw dropping point.
A podcast by Yahoo Finance, that dives into the shocking scandal committed by Anna Delvy, a NYC scam artist who conned her world into believing her ploy to make millions, and leaving many around her to suffer the repercussions.
The Dropout
If you’re begging to dig up more dirt on the psyche of scam artists, here’s a good place to start! Anyone out there remember Theranos? Elizabeth Holmes? Well if you have, (or just here for a good shock), take a dive into the world of industrial grade healthcare fraud of The Dropout. A self-proclaimed Steve Jobs progeny, once named as the youngest and wealthiest self-made billionaire in America by Forbes, Holmes derived a plan to create a medical laboratory testing device that could manufacture hundreds of lab test results with just a single drop of blood. However genius and exciting the idea may be, the world would soon find out just how dangerous these false claims to fame would be.
Psychology, introspection, and constructive listens
The Happiness Lab
Listen. Up.
This podcast is good, and I mean really good.
It’s not self-help, floating in the clouds, step by step guide to bullshit, it really just explains the meaning of happiness and how we as humans interpret the world.
I’ve been listening from the beginning and every time that smiley face pops up announcing a new episode, it really does have me excited to listen to Dr Santos spill her wisdom on the workings of psychology and interaction. Especially in the state of the world we are currently in, this may be an asset to share with your friends and family.
Tara Brach
Thank you Karen Kilgariff (My Favorite murder, which you should also listen to, pls and thank you) for this suggestion. It’s an interesting listen, with guided meditation on topics such as fear, presence, honesty, kindness, overcoming trauma, navigating conflict, impermanence, anger, intimacy, the list goes on. It’s an excellent resource to have on hand, and although you can easily listen on the podcast app, her website is also easy to navigate and provides many additional resources.
Unlocking Us
Hello Brene Brown.
This woman’s Trailer was the top listened-to podcast episode for literally a week after it aired, if it doesn’t tell you how thirsty the world is for Brene wisdom. She just aired the first episode, an introduction to the podcast, and I am already armed and ready for the next. Give us more!
The Dave Ramsey show
I do own the hand-me-down CD-roms of the Dave Ramsey success academy, and I’m almost certain he is a staple in the home-made financial freedom world we live in… but if not – give this a good hard listen. Dave is a true pioneer in teaching of financial freedom, and I personally have been a follower of his advice, which has brought me a lot of peace of mind and financial stability. I loved his CD’s, I love his podcasts.
The Tony Robbins Podcast
Tony really is a trailblazer in the self-improvement industry. From business, psychological balance, relationships, physical health, and more, Tony has an episode for it. For me, it’s been a good way to start the day lately. The episodes get my wheels turning on how I could improve my finances, pursue my business ideas, improve my self sufficiency, etc. It’s been a morning therapy session that offers a little ray of hope each morning by hearing the stories that feed the hunger or whatever I am needing that day.
Interesting stories and tales:
Supernatural with Ashley Flowers
You’re not seeing double, she’s just killing the game in two major podcasting genres! Ashley flowers (from Crime Junkie) has just released her second podcast, partnered with Parcast, to bring us Supernatural. After listening to literally all of the other Parcast series, I am happy to hear of this partnership. They do an excellent job, and her narration only adds to it. Right now she has released 3 episodes in this early journey, and they are pretty riveting. I mean I’m not sure i really believe in ghosts or aliens, but there are some pretty twisted stories out there and she’s doing an excellent job at digging up the truth and lies behind each of them!
Unobscured, Seasons 1 and 2
Aaron Mankhe (a co-producer of Nobel Blood as well) brings us two seasons of a revisionist-type history that had me questioning our history books and willful blindness.
Season one is centered around the Salem Witch trials… you know, the ones we were told were basically a killing of women who looked or acted differently in society? Yeah…not exactly how it went down. This season really had me up in arms about our historical depiction of colonial justice, and how much we have left out of the history books. Not sure that I would want my pre-teen future children hearing these tales too early, but as adults we should certainly be aware of all aspects of our history, especially the dark ones. This series brought up a lot of conversation in my household about the state of the world. Stories like this need to be shared so that we all learn from past mistakes, and ensure we never make them again.
Honestly though, I could say the same for the second season.
Season two is all about the time of Spiritualism, and how it really did shape some of our greatest, yet misunderstood political decisions and historical religious awakenings. Tales of the times of mediums, of people falling into trances that lead to healing and medical advancement, Abraham Lincoln’s spiritual consultations, and other supernatural sounding tales. Now that all episodes of each are released, they are free to your binging pleasure!
Odd Ball
Once upon a time a child was playing in the woods behind their house when they came upon a small metal-looking sphere, which of course they took back into the house to show their mother. The sphere seemed normal, an interesting find, but it became apparent that there was more to its origin when it began vibrating, rolling away without being touched, and behaving as if it had a mind of its own. The family kept the sphere until the Navy demanded it be investigated, only to have a sphere returned ages later lacking all of its original characteristics. This podcast by WJCT, talks about the story of the odd metal sphere, and why the family is hiding over its legacy today.
Moonrise
Are you a space nerd? A history buff? Join the club, we can be friends. I am obsessed with astronomy, the race to the moon, all of it – bring it on.
This is a great podcast for all you space nerds out there, who need a little saucy examination of the interesting details behind the race to the moon. This series by The Washington Post reveals the JFK tapes, aeronauts behind the scenes during the race, the real goals of the mission, and more.
Scripted and Semi-Scripted:
Blood Ties
Ok disclaimer, I am not a huge fan of scripted series, sorry if you are… but i mean ignore that if you are and proceed to paragraph two! I listened to this after listening to the audiobook Something in the Water, and it gave me all those vibes.
This is a scripted series of family betrayal, when the parents of two young siblings are lost in a plane crash on the way to a family vacation, leaving behind the secrets which would soon have been exposed around the family’s dirty business history. Definitely worth a listen, and all episodes are currently out!
Radio Rental with Payne Lindsey
Partially scripted, partially true encounters, this was Payne Lindsey’s first dive into a semi scripted series which is actually hosted by Rainn Wilson! (The Office)
In Radio Rental, Payne traveled the country putting out calls for stories of superstitious encounters, mystery, and odd experiences, and he got just that. Some of the stories are less eventful, some are actually chilling. It’s interesting to the least. Give it a listen!
Thats all for this round up, but don’t you worry, I’m not changing up this habit any time soon!
I’ll let you know when I drop the next post in the series, but until then I hope this keeps you occupied!
Before you leave, make sure you hit subscribe on the top right corner of the page, and leave a comment so I know you were here!
Until next time,
xoxo Sara