In Podmass, The A.V. Club sifts through the ever-expanding world of podcasts and recommends 10–15 of the previous week’s best episodes. Have your own favorite? Let us know in the comments or at [email protected].
Doug Loves Movies
DC Pierson, Cameron Esposito, Grant Lyon
A mix of nerves and alcohol were apparently to blame for Onur Tukel’s rambling non sequitur-filled performance in Michigan last week, and based on how sincere Doug Benson sounds during the introduction of this Madison Comedy On State recording, it seems like the Summer Of Blood actor-writer-director redeemed himself the following day during a panel, so good on him. The discussion portion this time around is far less fraught, fortunately, with easygoing returning guests DC Pierson and Cameron Esposito, as well as first-timer Grant Lyon. The filmography of Scarlett Johansson gets an overview during a round of Love, Like, Hate, Hate-Like. Under The Skin prompts some fun debate, Pierson chats about his Captain America: The Winter Soldier experience, and everyone shares their thoughts on Edge Of Tomorrow. Of the two episodes that plopped this week, this one has less competitive giggling. [DJ]
Geek’s Guide To The Galaxy
Charles Stross
An official podcast of Wire magazine, this episode is part interview and part discussion. Host David Barr Kirtley conducts his interview with science-fiction writer Charles Stross with a great deal of curiosity, both about Stross’ work and his literary politics. Stross combines post-modern spy thriller sensibility with humor and the horror of H.P. Lovecraft, meaning there is much to discuss about how Stross pieces his inspirations together. But Stross has also become a player in Amazon.com’s efforts to manipulate and marginalize publishers like the writer’s own publisher, Hachette. This in turn leads to a lively rant on the history of techno-thrillers and how Edward Snowden’s misadventures may end up playing into the world of fiction. Regardless of a listener’s investment in the independent publishing wars, fiction, or security politics, the three topics collide so fascinatingly in this interview it will likely spark interest in at least one of the three realms. If listeners would like a bit of palate cleansing after said interview, the second half of the podcast is a discussion about the heyday of the original Nintendo Entertainment System with guests Alison Haislip and Blake J. Harris. Both halves are conducted remotely, leading to a few awkward stutters in communication, but Stross is a bracingly focused personality, and Haislip and Harris are both so genial that no moments feel lost in translation. [DT]
The Gist
Chris Gethard Shows Off His Guns
Ex-NPR Sports golden boy Mike Pesca left the public radio conglomerate in early 2014 and joined Slate to become the new face of their podcast network at the helm of The Gist, a half-hour daily digest with edge. The format sees Pesca relay some world news, interview a personality, and close with a rant about a topic that’s bothering him. Pesca has the sometimes bullheaded opinions and the commanding speech patterns of a lifelong talk-radio pro, but he corners a far more centrist market underrepresented on the dial. On Tuesday’s episode, he invites A.V. Club favorite Chris Gethard to the studio to continue to publicly work through the evolution or death of his eponymous public-access program The Chris Gethard Show. Gethard is his typically frank self and clearly appreciates Pesca’s line of questioning as he spends the segment talking meaningfully about the kinds of kids still attracted to public access and the kinds of celebrities who alienate them. The Gist is worth a half an hour every day, especially when it lands guests that can match the host’s thoughtfulness. [NJ]
How Did This Get Made?
Sharknado 2: The Second One (With Scott Aukerman)
About a year ago, a TV movie about sharks in a tornado became an out-of-nowhere cultural phenomenon. Sharknado was such a hit that the How Did This Get Made? crew immediately rearranged their schedules and rushed out a magnificent tribute to the movie. Last week, SyFy aired Sharknado 2: The Second One, the first inevitable sequel of many. Scott Aukerman returns after appearing on the original Sharknado episode. His signature purposeful stupidity inspires a lot of great running jokes—who knew a giant lady lived inside the Statue Of Liberty?—but it also derails promising threads a few times too many. Also joining the crew is Paul Scheer and Diane Raphael’s brand new baby, whose cooing occasionally keeps Raphael occupied off-mic. In a rare situation, the opinions are split between Sharknado 2 being a terrible movie and being a decently self-aware romp. The funniest conversations come from the crew riffing on the movie’s unintentional stupidity, like Tara Reid’s unimaginably childish handwriting, and pointing out numerous missed opportunities. That last thread leads them to challenge themselves to preempt next year’s shark tornado by writing their own script for Sharknado 3. If there is any justice in this world, we’ll have two versions of Sharknado 3 to choose from next year. [MK]
How Was Your Week?
Matt Berman “One of the Few Living People That Has a Ghost”
Julie Klausner has created a delightfully singular vision with How Was Your Week? The program’s specific point of view is an asset in this standout installment, which features a frenzied monologue that highlights some of Klausner’s talents as a storyteller and personality. The opening is an incredibly fun frolic through meeting Dennis Haskins of Saved By The Bell fame at a Broadway show, making a terrible comeback to Whitney Cummings, ranking fruit, and being a victim of a mistaken pregnancy comment from a stranger. Klausner gets the most out of the stories, which lead into the wonderful detail and absurdity of the fruit list (guava is number 30 out of 30 fruits, because she’s never had guava). An interview with Matt Berman, former creative director of John F. Kennedy Jr.’s George magazine, is also a good time as he sounds like he’s blushing while Klausner tries to get him to talk about his late boss’ hunkiness or dish about Barbara Walters and Barbra Streisand. Berman never sounds like he’s going through the motions of a book tour during the interview, which feels both casual and concise. [TC]
Judge John Hodgman
Daily Security Beefing
In this week’s episode, Judge John Hodgman and guest bailiff Monte Belmonte hear a case involving a long-time couple, sharing an apartment in a crime-ridden area of Pittsburgh, who cannot agree on the efficacy of shutting the blinds on their unlockable windows during the day as a deterrent to burglary. Of course, this minor squabble serves as a convenient entryway into the push-and-pull—anxiety-inducing cautiousness vs. disturbing recklessness—of their relationship. It also gives Hodgman a chance to pull out his “dumb husband voice” and issue his first “buzz-shaming” edict to the couple’s apartment management company. The happiest surprise of the episode comes when “Hodgmina,” the judge’s “12-year-old daughter who’s technically 35 years old inside” enters the studio to weigh in on some of the cases from the docket. Since we so often hear husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, parents and children interacting, arguing, and bickering as family members will, it’s a treat to hear some of Hodgman’s own family dynamic seeping onto the show. [DD]
Never Not Funny
Maria Bamford
In an odd sort of way, Eliot Hochberg’s explanation of the rules for hopscotch serves as an unintentional framing device for Never Not Funny’s season 15 premiere. The show’s unofficial punching bag is asked for his input early in the episode, gets immediately cut off, and then gets the opportunity to advance his description by a few words here and there, whenever things get slow. Not that there are many slow moments, with Maria Bamford and Jimmy Pardo sharing a room. In her usual endearingly damaged way, Bamford lets the audience into her world, explaining why she encourages her Las Vegas audiences to walk out of her performances mid-set and admitting that she cried three times during Guardians Of The Galaxy. People who already love Bamford’s comedy will almost certainly enjoy this one, and those who don’t may still. It’s certainly not weighed down by her neuroses. She seems to be in a pretty good place in her life, making for a very loose but engaging episode. Oh and, after about 90 minutes, listeners eventually learn all the rules to hopscotch. [DD]
No Such Thing As A Fish
No Such Thing As A Dangerous Daffodil
The BBC panel/game show Q.I. has been hosted by Stephen Fry for over a decade, and its habit for delving deep into science and history means its research department always has far more than they can share on the telly. Cue the No Such Thing As A Fish podcast, curated by the research team that is known colloquially as the Q.I. Elves. The elves have helped to perfect the light and humorous edge the show has come to be known for, and the quick deluge of facts featured here often weave into each other. For instance, after a long discussion about a bee-stinging experiment, the subject is broached about an old myth that bees hate bad language and sting people who swear, which eventually leads to yet another myth about swearing. And once some voice-acting facts about Disney are discussed, a seemingly never-ending rabbit hole of Disney facts is revealed, such as Disney World being the second largest purchaser of explosives in the U.S. after the military in order to keep up its fireworks supply. The episode’s host panel is composed of researchers Anne, Andy, Dan, and James, all of whom have a great rapport that allows them to riff off of each other easily and go after even the darkest of arsenic jokes. [DT]