1. You Must Remember This
Due to contract disputes, it all but seemed like Karina Longworth's essential Hollywood history podcast was never going to be seen again. After several months she emerged with a story that's just as exciting as it is controversial. With Disney+ currently flickering on in every family household across the nation, she decided to explore one film that won't likely see the light of day. By exploring Song of the South, she gave a nuanced take that managed to explore its problematic history and why it was the influence of Splash Mountain but otherwise remains forgotten. Like all of her work, it's a lesson in how history informs the present attitudes and why it's important to never forget what came before.
2. Fighting in the War Room
If one was to ask themselves who would be some of the most influential film critics in the next 10 years, they'd be lucky to guess that a lot of them came from this show. The quartet met in New York and felt the need to make a show discussing their opinion on all types of film ranging from blockbusters to obscure arthouse. The show is as much about deconstruction as falling in love with the different personalities, who all clash in a friendly manner and form certain bonds over the love of different media. Their Quarter Quells are a chance to hear them get personal and understand why we love film, to begin with. Still, the charisma of its hosts is unprecedented and has lead to major figures writing for Vanity Fair (Katey Rich), Indiewire (David Ehrlich), Polygon (Matt Patches), and the enjoyable Game of Thrones/Lost podcast Storm of Spoilers (Da7e Gonzales). It's hard not to find something to love about this show, and while their reviews may have been cut back, it's in part from their private lives becoming parents. It's a sweet little twist of fate and one that shows just how media grows and changes as things change.
3. Dissect
If there's one show that has continued to add legitimacy to the hip-hop genre, it's the one that proves just how complex the recording process is. With history lessons that add meaning to every song written, host Cole Kushna gives the classic albums a chance to breathe as he dives into every last note and every last instrument to determine what their rhythmic tone means on a symbolic level. The results are often eye-opening and present a new perspective on songs that we've heard dozens of times before. His show continues to be the standard-bearer for music theory and will hopefully make you appreciate what hip-hop has been bringing for decades now. It's an ear-opening experience that also happens to have a lot of catchy numbers that will hopefully get your feet tapping as well.
4. WTF with Marc Maron
With over 1,000 episodes now in the books, Marc Maron doesn't seem to be showing any signs of stopping. While he does seem to have moments of despair, he is largely in a better place than he had been a decade ago. It's a testament to the medium that he's been able to become one of the essential hosts by exploring his grief and talent with guests of varying professions. Still, in a year that has seen him gain acclaim for his work on GLOW and a brief cameo in the controversial film Joker, he has managed to be candid and open about his feelings on his status as a public figure. He's become a raw nerve in the process of healing, and to hear him grow with the years and even months is as heartwarming as any of his best interviews.
5. Amy Nicholson:
Unspooled, Quentin Tarantino's Feature Presentation
While Amy Nicholson looks to be producing some of the best work of her career in Unspooled, it has become an annual tradition for her to explore other interests in various miniseries. This year she took Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood as a chance to discuss with Quentin Tarantino what films impacted his life. Much like her flagship show, it's a great moment that gives insight into the filmmaking process and how great art is spawned from crucial moments of youth. She has a passion for the medium that is looking back at its rich history while wanting to know what great future lies ahead. Unspooled is reaching the end of its run, though there's a good chance it will only lead to better options with her and host Paul Scheer as they find a new topic to sink their teeth into. The film is a growing medium, and few are as welcome to that change as Nicholson.
6. Awards Season Coverage:
Little Gold Men, This Had Oscar Buzz
While future generations may feel differently, the year of Green Book and Bohemian Rhapsody made for one of the oddest Oscar seasons in recent memory. Few shows have gotten to the heart of awards season as well as Little Gold Men, whose weekly releases highlight the latest news and trends that lead to Oscar Sunday. That just so happens to include all of the controversy surrounding said films as they got to the finish line with a bit of a bumpy path. On the flip side is This Had Oscar Buzz, which takes a look back at films that missed the mark entirely and try to understand why they did. It's an informative and enjoyable show that only helps to explain why awards season is a fickle mistress and why certain trends should be taken for granted. Together they make the season all the more enjoyable.
7. Extra Hot Great
If one show deserves to be the gold standard for the TV criticism variety show, it's this one. Over the course of many websites and hosts, the show has covered the spectrum of series from modern classics to old-timey nonsense, all accompanied by delightful clips. The show is a celebration of why we turn on the TV in the first place, finding heated opinions mixing with comedic bits that all create its own magical show. It even ends regularly with a game-time where they compete for glory. You don't have to love the show they're talking about to have a good time. In fact, it's likely to move onto another topic in 15 minutes. You just need to love the tube and everything high and low brow to get the most out of this show's love for a medium that seems to change more often than not. Thankfully, the charm of this show never goes out of fashion.
8. Score: The Podcast
The world of podcasting is full of shows wanting to interview actors and directors, but what about the people behind the scenes? Following the successful release of Score: The Movie, the creators decided to take to podcasts to interview the various composers who have made the greatest music put to film. What results is a nice mix of lectures on craft and a dive into how they got started. Considering that everyone seems to come from the same community, it becomes a friendly exchange that knows no bounds. It's the exploration of how film can impact our emotions of films and why we should be thankful that these creators are so generous to one another. It's a show that makes a discussion of film scores more accessible and interesting in ways that hopefully will continue to grow in the decade to come.
9. The Dana Gould Hour
On the flip side of the dispensable, accessible podcasting spectrum is Dana Gould. While the show originates as something resembling an hour, the average one now is thrice that length and is published on a monthly basis. With that said, he remains one of the more charismatic hosts whose mix of experience in comedy and classic horror leads to some nerdy conversations that are silly and weird. What should seem exhaustive ends up being a look inside the mind of a man with so much passion that he can't help but share? Some of it even gets personal, such as a period where he got divorced and needed money. It's the perfect show for those who love to be immersed in a conversation, flowing in and out when things get boring or tedious.
10. Gimlet Media:
Science Vs., Every Little Thing, Reply All, etc.
In a landscape full of podcasts wanting to teach you anything and everything, none have been as consistent and enjoyable as Gimlet Media. Over the past few years, they have an established amount of shows that explore trends that interest listeners while presenting it in a bite-sized format that is accessible. The topics range from science to music to the internet and beyond. Anything that has humans curious has been turned into a show on this network, and their hosts are some of the most charming individuals imaginable, in love with their subject while not afraid to share in friendly banter. It's the network that offers so much that it feels like there's something for everyone. No network has come close to being this consistently great show to show.
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