5 Fiction Podcasts Pushing Genre Boundaries
5 podcast episodes on a theme, each week curated by a different person
Podcast Recommendations: Pushing Genre Boundaries
Curated by...
Anderson Cook (he/him)
Why did you choose this theme?
Despite an infusion of Hollywood talent in the last few years, fiction podcasts are still the undersung younger sibling of the nonfiction podcasts that dominate the space. Many listeners aren’t quite sure what fiction podcasts are, how to listen to them, or what to call them (audio dramas? scripted podcasts? new-timey radio plays?)
There are some really innovative and engaging titles out there from indie creators and big studios alike. And while many fiction podcasts take after the most popular nonfiction podcast genres (horror, sci-fi, mystery, investigative journalism, found footage, etc.), I love the shows that burst out of the conventions of what a podcast can be, and venture into bold new genre territory.
My latest show, Academy, aims to do just that. It's a young adult comic thriller about an elite boarding school in the woods of New Hampshire, dissecting privilege and power with all the fun of a soapy teen drama.
PODCAST PICKS:
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The Shadows
This is one of the first fiction podcasts curator Anderson ever listened to, and it remains close to his heart. On the surface, it’s a simple love story — two people meet, fall in love, and fall out of love.
But that description really undersells the depth, intimacy, and examination of humanity that this podcast showcases, featuring incredible acting, writing, and production, with deeply warm, organic sound design and masterful control over the medium at large.
Dirty Diana
This is the most celeb-ified podcast on EarBuds curator Anderson's list, and it manages to overcome his distrust of big names rushing into this newfangled medium (often without appreciating what makes audio drama compelling).
Demi Moore stars as a dissatisfied finance professional turned softcore audio pornographer, and the structure of the show is as ingenious as the plotting and characters. Each episode starts with a different “client” (celebrity guest) retelling some sort of sexual encounter, broadly defined, from sexual intercourse to fantasies involving haunted houses. It’s funny, compelling, sexy without being gross, and really should get another season (or four).
Academy
Steamy love triangles, secret societies, drugs, heists, and friendship — all the ingredients of a great teen drama are here in EarBuds curator Anderson's new show. The salacious scandals grab you and hook you, and then the depth of characters, laugh-out-loud humor, and trenchant statements on privilege and power will make you binge the whole show in one sitting. With an all-star voice cast, Academy makes you wish you could attend Bishop Gray Academy, the most prestigious boarding school in the country — while making you cautiously intrigued by the danger lurking around every corner.
Dark Woods
Dark Woods is an eco-thriller about the ravages of capitalism, set in a national park. This could easily turn into a huge lecture, but instead, this show makes you forget about the didactic stuff with really compelling characters and extremely clever, twisty plotting. The show features great acting and writing, and it’s pulpy yet substantive.
This is the intro-level audio drama that EarBuds curator Anderson recommends to new listeners, as it feels the most like the television dramas that we’re all familiar with.
The Two Princes
Like a Pixar film, this kid's podcast is accessible for children, but complex and clever enough for adults to enjoy, too. The show follows two princes of warring magical kingdoms who embark on a delightful enemies-to-lovers journey together, subtly challenging gender norms through joy and discovery rather than trauma or oppression.
EarBuds curator Anderson loves all three seasons of this show, but he especially loves season three, which is a full-fledged musical with infinitely fun and funny songs.
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COMMUNITY:
🎤This week in Podcast The Newsletter: Lauren Passell writes: "Jess Shane is an artist, documentarian, and storyteller who, on her podcast Shocking, Heartbreaking, Transformative, is telling other people’s stories while at the same time asking really probing questions about the art of storytelling. She went to Craigslist to find people who felt they had a story that needed to be told. But instead of just telling the stories, she’s examining what it really means to do it, asking… what does it mean to tell somebody’s story? What does it mean to have your story turned into content for someone else? Who has the power when you’re telling someone’s story? What are the ethics? And so much more."
🎙️Well, Now is Slate's new podcast about health and wellness. We all want to achieve wellness, but how many of us have a clear understanding of what wellness is or how to measure it? Some believe it’s meeting a certain set of metrics around health. Others see it as becoming a more effective self-advocate when navigating our health challenges, or creating a balance in work, fitness, and family that promotes a sense of well-being. However we define wellness, we can all use advice from thoughtful people about how to find it for ourselves. Each week, Well, Now's expert hosts Dr. Kavita Patel and Maya Feller will tackle a new issue around wellness, from the latest exercise craze, to the controversy over BMI, to the best ways to promote sleep hygiene. Every episode aims to give listeners a new understanding of wellness and how to reach it.
❤️Josie’s Lonely Hearts Club is a semi-improvised audio drama set in the studio of New Mexico’s third-best romantic advice call-in show. On-air, listeners eavesdrop as Josie (Rachel Music, "How Do They Bone?") squares off against top improvisers and her engineer Frank (Maximilian Clark, Superhuman Public Radio). Each episode’s off-air vignettes chart her journey from melancholy Joanne Holtzinger to nationally syndicated sensation Josie Heller. What results is an often hilarious and surprisingly human show exploring the risks we idiots take every time we fall in or out of love.
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The Happiness Challenge
Hello happiness seekers! I’m Klaudia Mitura and I’m on a mission to explore the best happiness habits that science has to offer.
Like so many others, the pandemic cut me off from family and work — so I decided to use my training as a psychologist to discover what science can tell us about the art of happiness. What I found set me on a path to joy — and now I’m ready to share my journey with you! Each month I’ll be publishing three linked episodes where I’ll be speaking to a leading expert, putting their tips to the test and sharing my findings (and feelings). From mindfulness to exercise and random acts of kindness, I’ll be shining a light on the simple happiness habits that can bring more joy to our lives.
So join me as I embark on my challenge and together we can become more successful, resilient — and happy!
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