Welcome to the best week of the damn year and it's all thanks to podcasts
It's that blessed time of year again, and don't think for a second I'm talking about the holidays.
I'm talking about the torrential downpour of podcast content that will rain down on my grateful ears this week. For this is the time of year when so many of my favorite podcasts put out enormous year-end packages where they look back and celebrate all the cultural shenanigans that happened the previous 12 months.
It is an absolute boon to humanity and my favorite week of the year.
The algebra on this is pretty simple. I love podcasts; I listen to them every single day. I love year-end stuff and putting context to the previous 365 days. So, all of that naturally equals the best of all possible worlds for me.
More than that, I have lucked into listening some of the most verbose and expansive podcasts on the planet. And you better believe they go all out for the last week of the year.
The timing makes it even better. The last week of the year is such time limbo. Nothing happens, many people aren't working, and it seems like there is endless time to kill.
So here, let me give you a run down of what I will listen to this week and how giddy it will make me.
Comedy Bang Bang
This popular improvisational podcast does the end of year right. Normally, they have hour-long episodes with a guest and a few improvised characters. It's almost always a great time.
Every year in early December, they ask fans to vote for their favorite episodes. Then, they put out four or five episodes showcasing the Best of the Year. Host Scott Aukerman and delightful regular guest Paul F. Tompkins play clips from the top 20 in these two-hour podcasts.
Filmspotting
My favorite film podcast is out of Chicago and gets played on the public radio station WBEZ. For the year-end Best Of stuff, regular hosts Adam Kempenaar and Josh Larsen are always joined by the wonderful Chicago Tribune film critic Michale Phillips and usually joined by the very esteemed Tasha Robinson, The Verge's Film/TV Editor, to discuss their Top 10 lists.
Every year, these intelligent people add new weight to movies I loved, new perspectives on ones I didn't, and I always come away with at least a few new films I need to watch immediately.
The Watch
The Ringer's television/culture podcast one of the best places to go for opinions about the waning days of Peak TV™. And their end of year stuff is always full of great guests and even better top 10 lists.
Hosts Andy Greewald and Chris Ryan offer two long podcasts this month to get the most out of what was this odd year. They looked back on the best television, joined again by Mr. Robot creator Sam Esmail. And comedian Jason Mantzoukas (who also features heavily in Comedy Bang Bang) joins them for a general Best of Culture discussion.
Slate's Political Gabfest
The best political podcast is easily Slate Political Gabfest. All apologies to the bros of Pod Save America.
The inquisitiveness of David Plotz, the hyperintelligence of Emily Bazelon, and the journalistic behemoth that is John Dickerson have given weekly analysis of the world's worsening politics for over 12 years now. And I've listened for at least nine.
You should always listen to this one, but this time every year, they do a special Conundrum Episode. They ask for listeners' conundrums (one of the most famous being "Would you rather be a fish or a tree?") and have been making a live show out of it for the past few years. It's always just a total joy.
Giant Bomb
Listening to the Giant Bombcast is how I will spend 25 hours of my life this week.
Giant Bomb is a personality-driven, video-heavy video game website that's less about reviews and more about the experience. They have two, weekly, two-hour+ podcasts, which I love. And they go waaaaaaayyyyy too far for year-end stuff.
Just like many other video game sites, they make lists of the top 10 best games, as well as a rank games in a bunch of other categories. Unlike many other video game sites, they record every second of the deliberations and put them out for podcasts. There are five days of this and Jesus are they intense. Yesterday's podcast was over three hours and the one for today that my phone just downloaded is over five hours.
In the four years I've been listening to the big crew there, I've grown to really appreciate their viewpoints and I enjoy listening to them talk for literal hours. Their in-depth, well-reasoned, and fascinating discussions are something I look forward to every year.
If you hate podcasts, I can't help you. If you think year-end lists are a foolish way to judge art, I understand you, but I also can't help you.
However, if you are like me, and take supreme pleasure from both of those things, then join me in welcoming this, the best week of the whole damn year.
I have done neat stuff all over these United States from sailing lessons on the Puget Sound to motorcycle maintenance on the backroads of upstate New York. My professional experience extends from newspaper reporting in the mountains of Eastern Oregon to fixing espresso machines throughout Kentucky. I also have kept a cat alive for 10 years.
