The Kallys® 2024 – Best Podcasts
The second annual Kally® awards continues here with my personal picks of the best podcasts of the year. As a format, it continues to be one of my absolute favourites, and puts paid to the myth that attention spans are dwindling. We are all more than happy to engage with long form content if it is excellent (anyone binge 6 episodes of something on Netflix recently?). So, in that spirit, here are some of my favourite podcasts that will draw you in and keep you hooked for their (long, but not excessively long) duration.
See also The Kallys® for: Best TV of 2024 \\ Best Books of 2024 \\ Best Films of 2024 \\ Best YouTube of 2024 \\
1 \ Hyperfixed
2024 Podcast of the Year: #1
Hosted by the ever-curious Alex Goldman (yes, of Reply All fame, my favourite podcast series of all time), Hyperfixed invites guests to share their deepest, weirdest, most passionate fixations and questions. Goldman then does his level best to get an answer for them (or gives a reason why an answer is effectively unattainable). From mysterious foul-mouthed badges to doorless fridges in supermarkets, his mix of genuine interest and dry humour makes even the quirkiest topics interesting. It’s a podcast that is clearly still in its infancy and finding its feet, but it has an ease about it that feels like a familiar friend (It has echoes of the popular Super Tech Support slot on Reply All). This is easy to listen to and hard to define, but an immensely listenable podcast that turns niche obsessions into fascinating explorations. Give it a spin. [hyperfixedpod.com]
2 \ The Louis Theroux Podcast
2024 Podcast of the Year: #2
I’ve been a whopper Louis Theroux fan for decades, with his Weird Weekends shows holding a special place in my heart for its curious approach to the subcultures of our world. Theroux has always had an uncanny ability to get under the skin of his subjects in this own inimitable unassuming way. The Louis Theroux Podcast is no exception. Whether he’s chatting with cultural icons or under-the-radar trailblazers, there’s a genuine warmth and curiosity that makes every episode feel like eavesdropping on a chat between two interesting people. Ordinarily I would only listen to interview podcasts where I know the interviewee, but with Louis I know I’m in safe hands, and I’m happy to listen to every single episode. Give it a listen, you won’t be disappointed. [Louis Theroux on Spotify]
3 \ The Rest Is Entertainment
2024 Podcast of the Year: #3
Marina Hyde and Richard Osman’s The Rest Is Entertainment is fun and brilliantly breezy. Each episode feels much like sitting in on a witty little chat between two of the sharpest minds in pop culture. Hyde’s incisive observations and Osman’s understated charm make for the perfect little pairing as they tackle everything from the best TV moments to the minutiae of manufacturing modern pop culture. This is not going to blow your mind or crack open the doors of perception, but it’s definitely entertainment about entertainment at its most entertaining. Give it a go. [The Rest Is Entertainment on Spotify]
