Will you want a deeper look into life? How about the numerous scandals? Or would you rather listen to celebrities—like Bill Gates and Rashida Jones—with each other? Either way 2020 has bought a big podcast for you.
Below are some options for those who are searching for something different to binge.
Blind Spot: The Road to 9/11
The two hijacked planes that brought down the Twin Towers did not come from anywhere; they were the product of the war that had been going on for more than 10 years before Sept. 11, 2001. This six-part episode follows the story of the previous 10 years. Containing interviews with FBI agents, people who heard about the 9/11 perpetrators, reporters, and more, this is a strong but valuable podcast sequence from History and WNYC.
Slow Burn
The first season is looking at Richard Nixon’s presidency and the responses of politicians, the public, and the media to Watergate. Consequent seasons look at President Bill Clinton’s indictment and deceased rappers Biggie Smalls and Tupac. Do people living through crazy times know how chaotic the time is? This is the ambiguous theme of Slow Burn, a podcast from Slate.
In Bed with Megan and Nick
Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally are supposed to play the emotionally divorced husband-and-wife duo of Ron Swanson and Tammy in Parks and Recreation. They’re both husband and wife in reality, too and a podcast launched this year. They decided to join bed—by the likes of Alec Baldwin, Rob Lowe, Aubrey Plaza, and more. If you’re looking for something cheery to chill out this is a fine place to begin.
Crossfire
With the tumultuous intensity of 2020, the allegations made by President Donald Trump and Russia to promote his 2016 presidential campaign sound like generations earlier. But the fiasco that sparked the Special Council Investigation and, ultimately, the trial, is worth a detailed re-examination—and that’s what the Telegraph’s six-piece Crossfire sequence does.
Fake Doctors, Real Friends
If you were meant to see Scrubs again this podcast gives you an extra excuse. Zach Braff and Donald Faison, who is the best-selling tandem of JD and Turk on the show, host Fake Doctors, True Friends. Each edition of the series goes through the episode of the show—in chronologically, fortunately. Great if you want to recall the 2001-10 medical comedy.
We Need to Talk About the British Empire
The past and legacy of the British Empire are complex. It’s also a tale that many people don’t even care about—and, if they do, they seldom learn about it completely. Enter We Need to Talk About the British Empire, a six-part audible podcast that discusses the enduring effects of the Imperial power through the personal experiences of those who lived through everything. To use the cliché, history comes to life in a highly interesting way.
Bill Gates and Rashida Jones Ask Big Questions
An odd pair for a strange time: Bill Gates, of Microsoft star, has teamed up with Rashida Jones, Public recreational stardom, for a podcast. Adding ‘cast’ to this list is a little early, because there are only two episodes so far, raising doubts about injustice and misinformation.
