Discussion-based Podcasts

Post date: 2018-07-19 23:58:02

It finally dawned on me that the common thread among podcasts I've enjoyed is that they're people talking to each other and not to the listener. Unfortunately this does not seem to be the direction the medium has taken, so I come looking for recommendations. I'm fairly agnostic as to subject. I would like podcasts that are either regularly recorded or have extensive back catalogues. Examples and non-examples inside.

The three active podcasts I listen to are Football Weekly, Good Job Brain and The West Wing Weekly. Football Weekly is literally a (pre-planned, edited) discussion and basically defines what a podcast should be for me. I don't really like the parts where someone has pre-recorded a report about the goings on in league X. The West Wing Weekly is "we watched and episode of the West Wing and now we're going to talk about it". Notably, I've enjoyed TWWW less as time has gone on and they've spent more time interviewing people and less time talking about the episode in detail. Good Job Brain is basically "each person tells the others about some thing they've researched or gives the others a quiz", which isn't a discussion, but is people talking to each other, naturally.

Things I don't like: basically anything "reported" or performed, especially things in the "voice" of This American Life. So: Radiolab, 99% Invisible, the 30 for 30 podcast, sadly even Game of Our Lives. The Moth. I've never bothered listening to Serial because it's so obviously in this mould. S-Town mentioned yesterday on the Blue is another obvious no.

Revolutions (which I should perhaps go back to--I tried it when I didn't have a public transport commute) is an edge case. It's one person talking, so seems like it should be a no, but it feels natural. I do like Fighting Talk as well.

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