The Best Finds of October 2021

Transcript:
Hey Pod lovers, if you’re joining us for the first time, Welcome! The Mastercast is a podcast recommendation show that consists of seven non-spoiler, binge-worthy reviews of the best podcasts in a short and sweet two-to-three minute summary on everything you could want to know, from the number of hosts to on average how long you can expect each episode to be. For more details and more reviews, I highly recommend checking out the first four episodes. We have some lengthy reviews, which means I was very excited about these podcasts, so let’s get started.

"Your Brain on Facts"

Trivia nerds rejoice! "Your Brain on Facts" is an educational podcast about facts and the stories behind them. Host Moxie LaBouche, covers a wide range of well-researched topics with perfect delivery that hooks you in every time. Subjects covered in the past have included music, history, parties and so much more.

The writing and production are phenomenal. It’s well-structured and informational with no small talk. Despite this, there is a fair bit of comedy in how the stories are told.

While many people have credited the show with getting them into podcasts, LaBouche is also known for her amazing radio voice and does voice-over work as well. At first, I found her perfect radio voice a little too calming for work, but the facts are too interesting to make it a sleep podcast. Even the commercials are entertaining, and on a more important note, at a leveled volume.

She also has a book out similar to the podcast worth checking out. Apple Podcasts has 4.7 out of 5 stars and 133 ratings. So far the show has 202 episodes all about half an hour long with new ones coming out weekly on Fridays.

Some of my favorite episodes so far have been “We Can't Have Nice Things: Art & Antiquities Edition'' and “Project Pigeon and Acoustic Kitty” (trigger for violence against animals). OwlTail’s most popular according to listens are “Meeting New Peoples'' and “hiStory.”

The music is brief, as are commercials. The pod also has a great website with all of the episodes, scripts and sources. As a long-time listener, I highly recommend the show. Facts truly don’t get much better than this.

Similar Pods: "Damn Interesting," "Historical Blindness" and "The Constant: A History of Getting Things Wrong"

"Patient Zero"

"Patient Zero" produced by New Hampshire Public Radio is a deep dive look at Lyme disease; its history, origins, but also the precariousness that comes with the diagnosis. Lyme disease is a tick-borne illness that causes symptoms such as fever, headache, fatigue, skin rash and, when left untreated, heart, nerve and joint issues.

I didn’t know there could be so much controversy around a disease. I thought that in the medical profession there were knowns and unknowns, but it makes sense there are things up for debate. This podcast confronts this and so much more, like misinformation of this understudied illness.

No matter what you’re into, this podcast touches it a bit. It listens like true crime, but instead of crooks, the offenders are bacteria. That being said, I don’t think the show is gross when it comes to the medical details at all.

The eight-part series has three really great bonus episodes, but they should all be listened to in order. It’s chock-full of compelling reporting and solid production quality, which comes as no surprise seeing as it came from the same team that produced "Bear Brook."

Host and reporter Taylor Quimby is also a senior producer for NHPR’s widely popular "Outside/In" podcast and comes to "Patient Zero" with personal experience. In 2017, Quimby had his own confrontation with the infection, which he speaks about lightly throughout the pod. The search for answers about the condition was a major motivation for the show.

Apple podcasts has 4.1 stars and 1,300 ratings. It was also named one of the best listens of 2019 by the same. The average episode length is 33 minutes, and the music is discreet. The script involves some interviews and the host narrating the story of the disease. Sound effects were barely noticeable to me but bothered some. Trigger warnings for hopelessness and medical scenarios.

Similar Pods: "This Much is True," "This Podcast Will Kill You" and "Emerging Infectious Diseases"

"Doomsday: History's Most Dangerous Podcast"

I love "Doomsday: Historoy's Most Dangerous Podcst" so much! The morbidly funny 2020 show covers some of the most shocking days and disasters in history with wit and solid production quality. All of the episodes cover events I had never heard about. It’s solo hosted by Brad Choma and part of the Funeral Kazoo Productions. Funeral Kazoo seems to p...