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, in my asks on tumblr, or on twitter.
This week, I reviewed the delightful Solutions to Problems and Love and Luck audio dramas. I also gave my list of the top 10 things I wish all podcasts would do, inspired by some pet peeves I’ve accumulated as I’ve gotten more requests for reviews. That post is by far our most popular already, so be sure to check it out! This was also a pretty steady week for podcasts with nothing that left me disappointed, so there won’t be any pitfalls this week.
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Highlights
Station to Station
“Ep. 10 – The Cost of Doing Business”
I’ve been hoping that more podcasts would get a little strange and experimental with their production work, and it shouldn’t come as a surprise that when Station to Station did this for its first season finale, the results were incredible. This audio drama has been gorgeous from the start, but “Ep. 10 – The Cost of Doing Business” solidified everything that makes it great. The writing was heartbreaking, the performances were moving, and the production work was strange but absolutely integral to the storytelling. I’m curious to see where the show is going to go in its second season, but I have absolute faith it’s going to be fantastic.
The Hilarious World of Depression
“Reggie Osse Puts it Together”
In this week’s The Hilarious World of Depression, host John Moe has a conversation with hip-hop figure Reggie Osse, aka Combat Jack, shortly before Osse’s passing. The conversation is largely unedited, making for more authenticity from Moe than the audience usually gets to hear–and Osse’s discussions of masculinity and mental health in hip-hop is absolutely moving.
This Week’s Ratings
Sunday, 1/14/18
- The Hilarious World of Depression, “Reggie Osse Puts it Together”: B+
- The Cryptid Keeper, “Episode 42- The Owlman”: C+
Monday, 1/15/18
- Hello from the Magic Tavern, “Season 2, Ep 42 – Former Bird (w/ Joel Kim Booster)”: C
- Reasonably Sound, “39: Automated Copywrongs”: B
- Potterless, “Ep. 33 – Order of the Phoenix Ch. 28-29 w/ Hannah McGregor”: B
Tuesday, 1/16/18
- Beautiful Stories from Anonymous People, “95. Monogamous Animals”: B-
- Love and Luck, “Episode 20 – Meeting Cindy”: B
- My Brother, My Brother and Me, “MBMBaM 389: Horsebonology”: C
- Station to Station, “Ep. 10 – The Cost of Doing Business”: B+
- 99% Invisible, “291- Thermal Delight”: C
- Note to Self, “Dear Manoush: The Advice Episode”: B-
- Code Switch, “A Racial Impostor Epidemic”: B
- Join the Party, “18. Pool Party VII”: B
Wednesday, 1/17/18
- Spirits, “Episode 60: Tarot (with Jolie Kerr)”: B
- Join the Party, “Afterparty: Pool Party VII”: B
- Wonderful!, “Ep. 18: That Smooth Soup”: C+
- Song Exploder, “Julien Baker – Appointments”: B-
- Yesterday’s Chip Paper, “28: An Old, Wet Man and a Turtle. The Lies and Times of Louis de Rougemont”: B-
Thursday, 1/18/17
- The Adventure Zone, “Amnesty – Episode 2”: B+
- The Amelia Project, “How Would You Like to Disappear?”: B-
- Pop Culture Happy Hour, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and What’s Making Us Happy”: B
- Dining in the Void, “1. All Good Ships Float Into the Sun”: B-
Friday, 1/19/17
- Showcase from Radiotopia, “Secrets #2 – How to Create a Secret”: C
Saturday, 1/20/17
- 2298, “ENTRY FOUR / SHAKING & RETCHING”: B
- It Makes a Sound, “rememberwimfaros”: B+
Wil Williams Writes 
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