Continuing through Listmania is a look at my personal picks for the Top 20 podcasts of 2014 (spoiler alert: no Serial). These are the shows that managed to make an impact on the past year whether through talking about things important to the hosts. As the medium continues to grow, things begin to get more interesting and the production values continue to rise. While it is hard to mention all of the great ones, here is a look at some that are worth putting a subscription button onto, even if only for an episode or two. These stand out as being something unique and the ultimate power of talking heads.
1. WTF with Marc Maron
This is still a very tough podcast to overthrow for a lot of reasons. For starters, the host's honest vulnerability is unlike anything else out there. Mixing personal problems with humor, he manages to find something profound in grief. It also helps that even after 550 episodes, he continues to find guests that are still attention getting. While the show didn't quite have the same narrative arc as last year's, it does have probably the most powerful episode in the show's existence with episode 500 in which he confronts his past. It doesn't work unless you are a fan. If you are, it may be one of the greatest moments of catharsis in the show's running narrative.
2. Fighting in the War Room
For starters, I met Matt Patches at Sundance this year (nice guy) and it confirmed something about podcasts for me. Hearing people who you admire only through headphones talk to you in person is one of the most surreal things you can do. Thankfully in the 11 months since that incident, my continuous love for this film news and review show has remained in tact. As the show becomes more assured of its focus, its actual "fighting" can turn into some of the finest film criticism out there with four hosts giving very different opinions. It's almost a bummer when they all agree on something. Still, few shows are this anticipatory for me and as enjoyable as they are informative. It raises the bar on film conversation and the occasional game makes for a fun analysis of current events.
3. The Dead Authors Podcast
If you love reading and comedy, this remains the quintessential crossroads. Lead by Paul F. Tompkins as H.G. Wells, he interviews random comedians dressed, as the title suggests, dead authors. Some stick to the script while others use it for their own rambling character. Even then, the show tries to add a humorous twist to teaching us about the brilliantly frustrated writers of our past. When it announced late this year that it was reaching its end, there was a sense of sadness that followed. The show is an invaluable source of comedy that hasn't been matched by anything else (even Tompkins' own long forgotten The Pod F. Tompkast). You don't have to like the author to like the episode, but it wouldn't hurt.
4. The Bugle
It's not fair that John Oliver gets to be so great at everything. Last Week Tonight is one of the best new shows and The Bugle continues to be the most enjoyable news podcast out there. With his partner Andy Zaltzman, their take on world events is both informative and hilarious on a weekly occasion. Despite a brief hiatus this past summer that saw a series of lackluster bonus content, the show continues to thrive on the absurd problems around the world. They may go blue sometimes, but they're always highbrow about it. It may not feature any Last Week Tonight-level rants from Oliver, but it does feature some of the best chemistry from two political voices currently out there.
5. Firewall & Iceberg
Dan Fienberg and Alan Sepinwall remain the definitive voices for TV news and reviews. Not only do they have great chemistry, but their veteran statuses make even the smallest of gripes have an authoritative feel to them. More than any other outlet (save for maybe The A.V. Club), they have turned me onto a lot of great new shows and have influenced me to avoid others not worth mentioning. Even with a failed online show, they managed to present the latest in TV news with a lot of energy and insight. If you care at all about TV, this is probably the most essential thing you'll hear.
6. The Dana Gould Hour
Let's face it, this show's name has become a lie. The past few episodes have been closer to three hours, which is an ambitious level for podcasts. However, Dana Gould's obsessions and aloof interviewing style makes for some of the best content out there. Unlike most other shows, there's a sense of care that goes into each episode, which revolves around themes and even features history lessons on things he likes, though mostly The Planet of the Apes stuff. Thankfully he has become more frequent with releasing them in the past year despite them being longer than before. Even then, he makes the length worth every second and the farewell at the end sadder knowing that we'll have to wait for more of his brilliance for a little bit.
7. Sawbones (Maximum Fun)
You're likely noticing the lack of My Brother My Brother and Me on Listmania. Do know that I like the show, but after watching The Knick, I have become obsessed with this show featuring one of the said brothers. Every week, they dissect outdated medical practices that are just as funny to hear about as they likely were scary to deal with. No topic is off limits and with occasional humor thrown in, it is the best way to learn about how society got better at making us feel better. It is the most accessible that information on Heimlich Maneuvers and Ebola will likely ever be, so cherish that. Also, one of the people on the show is a medical professional if you had any doubts to the credibility.
8. The Auteurcast (Battleship Pretension)
One of the saddest losses this year was when this podcast announced its retirement during the start of a Terry Gilliam series. The show which was built around determining whether any given director could be considered an auteur became an essential due to its in depth coverage and vast knowledge. It also helped that no director was off limits and that few directors no matter how great were free of a few duds. They were honest, insightful and managed to turn film criticism into an excellent serialized format that could serve as great entry points for various directors.
9. The Cracked Podcast (Earwolf)
While the show's comedy tends to be interpretive, they are at very least very engaging hosts on a weekly basis. The show comes across as NPR if they played hip hop music. Their topics tended to dissect any pop culture event that was currently going on in the world and apply it to events whether psychological or social. The show is very informative and much like the website, will teach you things that you didn't know. True, some of their topics feel less essential, but they still manage to make each episode a worthwhile investment. If nothing else, they mix good information with sometimes solid music recommendations, so we can at least thank them for that.
10. The Flop House (Maximum Fun)
It is the bad movie podcast that all others must step down to. Every other week, they cover random films that you likely would never see otherwise. Thankfully, they also have some of the best chemistry and can riff for minutes and take tangents to unexpected places. It is a wonderful way to feel like you have seen the movies as their commentary is a mix of passion, criticism and just using improvisational skills like no other. Even if they end the average episode with a letters segment that often ranges from good to inane, they still manage to find inspiration in the dumbest of details. They also recommend great movies at the end, so it isn't all bad.
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