It’s a new week and we have a new set of shows for you to dig into. From science fiction stories that could easily be our near future, to stories about heartbreak and a surreal trip through the world of art museums, these podcasts are perfect to tune into on a long drive or your next trip to the salon.
Flash Forward (For fans of Invisibilia)
“Flash Forward is a show about the future. Every episode we take on a specific possible, or not-so-possible, future scenario. First, we go to the future to hear what that’s like, and then we come back to now and talk about how it would really go down with a team of experts,” host Rose Eveleth says while introducing her hit podcast. Each month, the show focuses on a possible future scenario — everything from the existence of artificial wombs, to what would happen if space pirates dragged a second moon to Earth. Half science, half fiction, Flash Forward works because of the guests Eveleth ropes in to discuss these possible futures, often scientists and tech experts who are not afraid to get a little hypothetical.
The Thread (For fans of Revisionist History)
A brand new podcast by OZY network aims to explore history’s interlocking lives and events. “Discover how various strands are woven together to create a historic figure, a big idea or an unthinkable tragedy,” reads the tagline. It’s recommended to tune into the show from the very first episode, where the hosts begin with the death of John Lennon and connect it to communist leader Vladimir Lenin. Along the way, they meet some of the 20th century’s greatest figures.
The Heart (For fans of Modern Love)
A podcast about intimacy and humanity, The Heart is an “audio art project” founded by Kaitlin Prest in her bedroom in 2014. The podcast has since been nominated for the Peabody Award for its intense exploration of the personal lives of the show’s hosts. From talking about sexual assault to breaking down concepts of masculinity, from lessons on setting boundaries in relationships to revealing stories about puberty, The Heart is ideal for people who are looking to listen to extremely real stories about love, gender and the self.
Within the Wires (For fans of Steal the Stars)
The hit audio drama Within the Wires returned on September 5 with season two: this time with a story told through found audio from an alternate universe. Museum Audio Tours exists in the guise of ten audio museum guides. Over the course of a decade of worldwide exhibitions, these walkthroughs unravel the complex story of a mysterious disappearance of an artist’s mentor. From the guys at Night Vale Presents, the show displays mastery over the podcast form, weaving the story seamlessly into the audio platform. You have no excuse to not be listening to Within the Wires right now.
And for those of you who haven’t yet listened to season one, the self-contained, ten-parter followed a set of “relaxation tapes”, told through a single narrator, revealing a world much more complex and sinister than a disembodied voice instructing you to pay attention to your breathing.
