The Daily Show With Trevor Noah offers up its first entry in a five-episode miniseries that’s kicking off a stream of podcast parodies (separate from its usual Ears Edition podcast). This first episode, “These American Lies,” apes This American Life to drill down into Donald Trump’s claim that three to five million people voted illegally in the 2016 presidential election. Daily Show correspondents Desi Lydic and Michael Kosta give us the scoop, unpacking Trump’s lie and explaining why the president was so bothered about losing the popular vote to Hillary Clinton. Lydic and Kosta give a dead-on impression of This American Life, their performance infused with The Daily Show’s political wit, absurdist humor, and deadpan delivery. There are even a few surprise faux-commercials. An interview with political science professor Brian Schaffner and a tale of a conversation Trump had with German pro golfer Bernhard Langer make this bite-sized political briefing hilarious and actually informative. [Kevin Cortez]
Radically intimate podcast The Heart has returned after a long winter’s sleep, awoken by new producers Nicole Kelly (NK) and Phoebe Unter, collectively known as PU/NK, and the audio art company Mermaid Palace. The Heart is known for its rawness and rich storytelling, and PU/NK’s inaugural episode is a love story that feels like the next natural phase for the podcast. It follows Unter and NK meeting, falling in love with feminism and art, and learning how to embrace even the angriest, most hopeless parts of themselves. This episode is comforting and familiar, and yet distinct—from the quiet introduction with host Kaitlin Prest to PU/NK’s longing, rage-filled letters. They describe their technicolor memories of life-changing journeys and feminist authors, and impart lessons about feminist utopias and privilege. [Elena Fernández Collins]
Crooked Media has created a spoonful-of-sugar remedy to the daunting, joyless slog of keeping up with the news. The 15-minute daily current events podcast, What A Day, has an energizing but low-key vibe; hosts Akilah Hughes and Gideon Resnick are like a more bantering and irrepressible set of NPR reporters. This episode is a crash course in the (mostly uneventful) Democratic debate in Iowa, highlighting Elizabeth Warren’s response to Bernie Sanders’ alleged comments on the electability of women, Tom Steyer’s affable way being, and where the candidates stand on Iran. If you haven’t had a chance to research the primary candidates yet, this is a great primer on what each is about. Also, an update on the Houston Astros illuminates what sign stealing is, why its fine is so high, and some weird news from Great Britain about paying to make Big Ben “bong” once more. [Morgan McNaught]
With an expansive story that appears in books, video games, and now a Netflix series, The Witcher has a lot going on. Luckily, Wind’s Howling (from the Lore Party Podcast Network) exists, serving as a companion to the Henry Cavill–starring series and providing both context and commentary. Each installment starts with a thorough synopsis of an episode, so those looking to avoid spoilers should be wary. For fans who might be too hungry to wait for season two next year, Wind’s Howling is a great listen. Since the hosts Abu and Brett are also familiar with the Witcher books and games, their insight helps listeners dig deeper into this TV series that deftly interweaves numerous timelines, complicated plots, and an extensive cast of characters. [Jose Nateras]
At the start of this episode, Michael Hobbes asks his co-host, Sarah Marshall, what she remembers about the D.C. snipers, and her answer is probably pretty close to what most Americans remember. Not too long after the September 11 attacks, a man and a teenage boy committed a series of random killings in the D.C. area, firing a high-powered rifle from a concealed position in a parked car. At the time, the killings were framed as a terrorist attack, but the culprits, John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo, didn’t end up fitting neatly into that narrative and soon fell out of the public eye. What we learn in this two-hour opener to a three-part miniseries is that the D.C. snipers’ real motive was far more pedestrian. By centering the narrative around Mildred Muhammad—mother, survivor, and long-suffering wife of John Allen—the hosts of You’re Wrong About reframe this horrific killing spree and remind us that behind every sensationalized event, there is often a series of forgotten victims who have been failed by our institutions. [Dan Neilan]
