Welcome to this Wednesday's Recommendation Engine from Podcast Rex, rounding up the week in podcast reviews. Get this in an email each week by signing up to be a supporter of Podcast Rex from £3.99.
Apple Podcasts New & Noteworthy:
- The Rest Is Entertainment
- Carrie Jade Does Not Exist
- Walk Tall
- The Official Doctor Who Podcast
- Oh What A Time…
Spotify New & 🔥
- The Rest Is Entertainment
- Springleaf
- What Now? with Trevor Noah
- Legacy
- A History of the World in Spy Objects
Big new releases: Springleaf, Carrie Jade Does Not Exist, The Rest is Entertainment, The Oatly Chronicles
On Tuesday, Apple Podcasts announced their shows of 2023, calling them “some of the most compelling podcasts of the year.” They include:
Fiona Sturges in the FT
- 28 Dates Later - “As the show progresses, it will be interesting to see if our host loses patience with these men, many of whom wear their flaws with pride, or if she will have cause to rethink her so-called “type”.
James Marriott in the Times
- The Rest is Entertainment - “The tone is insidery, sarcastic and sceptical. Our hosts are smart people who know a lot about how showbusiness works and why it matters.”
Miranda Sawyer in the Observer
- Lights Out - “Its six series have provided so many audio highlights, examined off-centre topics, nurtured new producer talent. They require the listener to do some work, eschewing more familiar storytelling arcs for an immersive, sensory experience.”
- The Bakersfield Three - “I listen to a lot of true crime shows and this is a guddun. The use of music is subtle and effective, the structure straightforward but compelling, and Olivia LaVoice really is excellent: a proper gumshoe reporter with great hair and high heels.”
- Heirs of Enslavement - “It’s an important and intensely emotive topic, especially around the area of reparations, but this show is hit and miss. It needs more context earlier on, more exact explanation of the Laura Trevelyan/ Clive Lewis history.”
The Guardian’s Hear Here column recommends
- Build the Life You Want - “Packed with Oprah magic and tips on how to live better.”
- Heirs of Enslavement - “Clive Lewis MP’s ancestors were enslaved and former BBC journalist Laura Trevelyan’s were enslavers – and both want to confront the past.”
- Third Eye - “An ordinary girl who’s destined to fight evil.”
- The Oatly Chronicles - “Prepare for some hard truths in this three-part investigation.”
And in the Guardian’s Guide newsletter
- The Oatly Chronicles - “Prepare for some soul-searching if you love an oat cappuccino just as much as I do.”
Highlights from the Radio Times
- French and Saunders Titting About - “Faff, embarrassment, showbiz and the paranormal”
- Underworld: Behind the Scenes of the NCA - “It seems to be a worthwhile use of public money.”
- Philippa Gregory’s Normal Women - “All the makings of a landmark series.”
- Too Much Effing Perspective - “The co-hosts have a ball asking musical folk for their ludicrous stories.”
- As the Actress Said to the Critic - “A bit sprawling, but a ton of theatre love pushes the action along.”
Heat’s Top of the Pods
Scott Bryan in Great British Podcasts
- Carrie Jade Does Not Exist - “A new series exploring how she was able to create so many identities.”
- Springleaf - “Acaster isn’t his real name at all… The comedian and his career was all a cover.”
- Unlawful Killing - “Shining a light on the hundreds of people who die in prison, in custody or in mental health facilities in the UK every year.”
- A Little Bit Richer - “Concise and practical.”
In PodPod’s Earworms column:
- Wybe Magermans, WMH&I: Song Exploder - “One artist takes apart a song of theirs, and piece by piece, tells the story of how it was made.”
- Ann Charles, Radio TechCon: Who Shat On The Floor At My Wedding? - “Mixes true crime and comedy.”
- Hannah Connolly, Acast: Beast: The Murder of Nora Sheehan - “For forty-two years, the case ran cold.”
- Keith Jopling, The Art of Longevity: The Paris Review - “A fabulous mix of modern writings mixed with deep classic archives.”
Already a user?Log in
