Hysterical
“I felt like Linda Blaire in The Exorcist” – one of the victims
There is a reason why I put this first on my list: it is because of the well-structured script and production that hook you within the first three minutes of the first episode.
This podcast from Wondery and Pineapple Street Studios investigates the mysterious 2011 outbreak that affected a group of high school girls at Le Roy Junior-Senior High School in New York. It is said to be the most severe case since the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. This podcast is filled with twists and turns, a fantastic music score, and a host who is engaged in every minute detail.
What caused the mass hysteria which all thought was long dead? Is there something in the water or inside the school or “all in the head”? The episodes cover it all.
The Modi Raj
“There have always been two Narendra Modi’s…”
With PM Narendra Modi returning to power for the third time this year, The Economist released “The Modi Raj,” an eight-episode limited podcast series exploring the rise of Narendra Modi and his transformation of India.
The podcast, hosted by The Economist’s Avantika Chilkoti, traces Mr. Modi’s life from 1950, the year he was born and moves periodically from there to map out his entire journey. She speaks to many people close to him, RSS members, and even his tailor. Topics such as the RSS, Mr. Modi’s time as a pracharak, his untold marriage, The Emergency and the Ayodhya dispute are covered, among others.
She tells us how Mr. Modi plans to balance both parts of his agenda and turn India into a superpower. PM Modi is seen in the spotlight like no other.
Wrongly Accused: The Annette Hewins Story
Annette Hewins was one of the three women convicted in 1997 for the deaths of Diane Jones (21) and her two daughters in Merthyr Tydfil, a town in Wales. She was accused of supplying petrol for the arson attack. This took a toll on Annette who died in 2017 less than 24 hours after being detained in a mental health unit. She suffered a fatal arrhythmia caused by the drug problem she developed in prison.
After serving 18 months in custody, the judges said there wasn’t sufficient evidence to convict her. So why was she targeted? This podcast from BBC Studios focusses on her story and is hosted by none other than Nicole Jacobs, who was just four years old when her mother was arrested for a crime she was wrongly accused of.
Ms. Nicole talks about everything in great detail. She takes us back to October 10, 1995, when the attack took place, and uncovers the truth.
The Good Whale
“An imperfect attempt to understand what might be best for an animal who can’t speak for himself. An intention to make things right for him, to make things better.”
This is a podcast from the studios of Serial and The New York Times. In it, host Daniel Alarcon tells the story of Keiko, the killer whale famously known as Willy from the 1993 classic Free Willy.
This limited series focusses on the science experiment to return Keiko to the ocean from an amusement park in Mexico. This celebrity orca needed a Hollywood ending, and how he ended up in Norway is a story you must listen to.
This 7,000-pounder became a good friend to me after the podcast — imagine the bond formed by those who cared for him. It’s truly a “deep dive.”
Broomgate: A Curling Scandal
Curling is one sport I wasn’t that aware of but the title intrigued me to listen to this six-part series by CBC which talks about “a broom that almost killed Curling.”
If you don’t know what that means, it’s fine, I didn’t know about it either until I discovered this. John Cullen, the host, reveals the never-told-before scandal that shook the sport of Curling. This podcast shows how a simple change to a piece of gaming equipment led to an uproar.
Players remained quiet for many years due to fear but this series swept the truth about a broom across the board.
Long Shadow S3: In Guns We Trust
“We were interested in going to the moon we are not interested in solving the gun problem.”
The United States has more guns than people, with more than 400 million privately owned firearms. There have been more than 488 mass shootings across the U.S. so far in 2024. The United States is the centre of gun violence compared to other countries.
In this podcast, host Garrett Graff’s exceptional presentation explains how firearms went from being an ordinary part of rural American life to a menacing element in modern society. How did the U.S. get here? How did the U.S. become so divided over guns? Can we find a way forward? Mr. Graff covers it all.
He investigates each mass shooting, starting with the Columbine High School massacre of 1999, one of America’s deadliest school shootings. The podcast also examines why the perpetrators did what they did and explores the main reasons behind these heinous crimes.
This is produced by Long Lead and Campside Media in collaboration with The Trace and distributed by PRX.
The Curious History Of Your Home
In this podcast from the Noiser Network, Historian Ruth Goodman, with her rich-toned voice, guides you through the surprising stories behind everyday objects in your home: coffee, beds, ovens, cats, fridges, and other simple items that were once precious discoveries.
Where did the concept of the oven come from? What was the connection between a wasp and the discovery of paper? Did you know that coffee was once called the ‘bitter invention of Satan’? Well, this is one podcast that may surprise you!
Black Box
In 2023, The Godfather of AI, Geoffrey Hinton, quit his position at Google after deciding he had to “blow the whistle” on the technology he helped develop. Mr. Hinton said AI will find ways to circumvent our restrictions and manipulate people to do what it wants.
This seven-part podcast series, brought to you by The Guardian, explores the collision of humanity and AI.
Michael Safi investigates the story of a technology so strange and complex that it’s even baffled its creators such as the tech has a mind of its own. This series looks at different weird interactions between humanity and technology.
The host also talks about a term I was first introduced to called ‘AI vertigo’ – dizziness when trying to comprehend what is coming with AI. This reminds me of the interaction between Theodore and Samantha in the 2013 film Her.
If you want to know what’s in store, the presenter dives into the question “If we are falling towards some new place with great speed, who pushed us?”
Soul Boom
We always thought of Dwight Schrute helping us grow beets right? but here he helps us grow spiritually.
The actor and comedian Rainn Wilson brings a podcast where he sits with super interesting people from actors, authors, and athletes, to comedians.
Whether it be the idea of the afterlife, religion, God, the Universe, spiritual practices, healing, love, mental space, or the journey of the soul, Mr. Wilson makes sure the conversations are meaningful and digs into the core of the human experience: creativity, spirituality, and psychology.
I’m sure you’ll have one favourite episode, mine is the conversation with Anne Lamott, What is the Key to Lasting Love?
Strangers on a Bench
After all these heavy recommendations, one podcast caught my attention. In it, Tom Rosenthal singer-songwriter and composer, approaches a stranger on a bench in the park and asks if he can sit down next to them and record their conversation.
He talks about random things to strangers with interesting thoughts, great lessons, and anecdotes that could brighten one’s day. The ambient sound invites us to sit with them on that bench to hear the stories.
Also, while you’re here. Listen to our homegrown podcasts of 2024
The Rearview
The Rearview is a podcast where the hosts Jacob Koshy and Sobhana K. Nair guide you on a scenic route through the history of science. Filled with fascinating anecdotes, deep archival dives, and a closer look at the quirky minds behind groundbreaking ideas. This is a podcast that not only refreshes my knowledge of history and general knowledge questions I once knew but also offers more in-depth conversations. This is the rearview of the time-travelling DeLorean automobile.
The Interface
Technological acceleration is increasing exponentially. Innovations that once took decades are now happening in a matter of years, or even months. AI, automation and robotics are making jobs and industries obsolete while creating new roles and economic opportunities. To better understand this acceleration, John Xavier engages with a diverse group of experts, including scientists, business leaders and policymakers such as Anima Anandkumar, Nitin Seth, Arundhati Bhattacharya, Mihir Shukla, and Bruce Schneier. The podcast aims to inform listeners about the dynamic technological landscape and the mindset needed to navigate this terrain.
Published – December 28, 2024 03:42 pm IST
