Editor's note: This story has been updated with news of Serial's return.
Chances are, you or someone you know got hooked on the Serial podcast when it debuted last fall. The show vaulted into the public pop-culture consciousness in a way that perhaps no other podcast had before, and when the first season ended, many felt a void.
The long wait for season two is finally over, as the first episode premiered Dec. 10. Go nuts. But don't limit yourself to just Serial; there are countless podcasts out there that will make your commute more interesting. We've rounded up a dozen that we love from across various genres. Check them out:
Another Round
Heben Nigatu and Tracy Clayton are editors at Buzzfeed and they are leveraging the popular platform to promote their podcast Another Round. They engage in thoughtful, boozy debate and banter, bringing their perspective to topics such as world news events, the lives of squirrels and questions of class and race. They've landed interviews with Hillary Clinton, David Simon (creator of The Wire), Ta-Nehisi Coates and many more incredibly intelligent people. If you're looking to expand your world view, especially on issues of race in America Another Round is a great place to start.
-- Hannah Wise
Stuff You Missed in History Class
Hosts Tracy V. Wilson and Holly Frey take an in-depth look at a single topic each week that, as the title implies, most likely was not covered in your history classes. There are nearly 800 episodes of this show, which has been around since 2008, so there is something for everyone. Some of my favorite topics have included the rivalry between queens Mary Stuart and Elizabeth I, the tragic fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, the dark legacy of Sea Monkeys, and a two-parter on notorious Deadwood figure Al Swearengen. (Pro tip: If you want to go way back in the episode archive, skip the first 30 or so episodes.) missedinhistory.com
If you like Stuff You Missed in History Class, I also recommend two more podcasts also on the How Stuff Works network: Stuff Mom Never Told You and Stuff You Should Know.
-- Amanda Wilkins
Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men
It's exactly what you think: two comic book geeks going story arc by story arc through the convoluted X-Men universe. Eighty-five episodes in, and they're still in the mid-'80s. The podcast is sort of like your comic book store staff combined with the speed and riffing of the Gilmore Girls. rachelandmiles.com/xmen/
-- Jeff Mosier
My Brother, My Brother and Me
Anybody can give advice. Most people give bad advice. But when the McElroy brothers (Justin, Travis and Griffin) give bad advice, it's really funny (and also very inappropriate. This is not a show for kids, unless they're cool babies).
Half the questions they answer are from their listeners. Questions like, "What is the socially acceptable age group for visiting a petting zoo if you don't have kids?" or "What are some good honeymoon ideas for someone on a tight budget?" (Full disclosure: That latter one was mine, which the McElroy brothers answered years ago.) The other half of the questions? They get those from Yahoo Answers, so you get responses to gems like, "If I come into court in my karate uniform, am I good?" and "Why did so many critics not like Without a Paddle?" MBMBaM on iTunes.
-- Britton Peele
Women of the Hour
Lena Dunham continues to take over the Internet. Her podcast Women of the Hour is created in partnership with Buzzfeed. The content of the podcast is similar to her email newsletter, Lenny Letter -- lots of talk about friendship, feminism, body positivity and interviews with interesting people. If you already like Lena and her show GIRLS, this is a must listen. The podcast is slated as a miniseries and it began Nov. 5 so there is still time for you to catch up on the hour-long episodes and the shorter standalone interviews. Women of the Hour on iTunes.
-- Hannah Wise
Effectively Wild
A podcast sponsored by Baseball Reference, so it's sabermetrically inclined rather than the typical sports bloviating and cliches. A tech website that turned me on to this described it as sports talk for people who hate sports talk. It's also ultra-casual. At one point, one of the hosts was grinding coffee beans and making coffee during the recording. Find it here.
-- Jeff Mosier
The Black Tapes
The 12-episode (so far?) series follows a NPR-type producer who is launching her own spin-off podcast. Originally framed around "interesting people doing interesting jobs," Alex Reagan's first story follows paranormal investigators. This leads to a non-believer who investigates to debunk and his eponymous Black Tape Boxes. Richard Strand keeps the evidence of all his debunked cases in white plastic VHS tape holders. About a dozen black tape holders catch Reagan's attention and she finally learns that they are cases Strand has not solved ... "yet," he says. Reagan falls down the rabbit hole, and the entire podcast shifts focus from interesting jobs to these Black Tapes case. The homage to Serial is hard to miss. theblacktapespodcast.com
-- Holly Ann Rusak
Limetown
This is another fictional podcast crafted with an obvious head nod to Serial. Investigative reporter and radio host Lia Haddock begins to investigate the mystery of Limetown, a small town in Tennessee where every resident disappeared under strange -- and possibly violent -- circumstances. Of course, Haddock soon finds herself tangled in a mystery that goes much deeper than she ever could have bargained for. Limetown is equal parts creepy and compelling. It's also digestible, with each episode running about 25 minutes. limetownstories.com.
-- Amanda Wilkins
The Flop House
I can't get interested in other bad movie podcasts, but this one is brilliant. It's hosted by a current Daily Show writer, the former Daily Show head writer, and a Brooklyn bar owner who used to manage a fantasy gaming shop. That gives you an idea of the the styles. Lots of bizarre tangents and funny banter. Find it at flophousepodcast.com.
-- Jeff Mosier
The Adventure Zone
When I tell you, "This podcast is four people playing the pen-and-paper game Dungeons & Dragons in front of microphones," I wouldn't blame you for thinking it sounds boring and/or awkward. But The Adventure Zone isn't just interesting: It's hilarious.
This bi-weekly podcast features the three brothers from the aforementioned comedy podcast My Brother, My Brother and Me alongside their father, all on a fantasy adventure in which they collect ancient artifacts, solve a murder mystery on a train and enter a deadly battle wagon race. The first episode is a bit heavy on character creation and rule explanations, but once the story gets going, you'll be hooked. The Adventure Zone on iTunes.
-- Britton Peele
You Must Remember This
In this podcast, creator and host Karina Longworth (a former film critic for L.A. Weekly) takes a fascinating look at Hollywood's first century. It is thoroughly researched and utterly engrossing. I got hooked on it via an 11-part series on Charles Manson and his relationship to Hollywood. If you are remotely interested in the history of showbiz, this podcast will entertain you for hours. Longworth is currently finishing up a 15-part series of stories from the days of MGM Studios' star factory. You Must Remember This on iTunes.
-- Amanda Wilkins
Welcome to Night Vale
If your small-town radio station fell into The Twilight Zone, it might become Welcome to Night Vale. The bi-monthly half-hour-ish podcast is the brainchild of Joseph Fink and Mesquite-bred Jeffrey Cranor. Cecil Baldwin, our narrator, shares community updates from the small desert town of Night Vale.
Learn about the Eternal Scouts, who are as likely to die screaming as they are to earn a merit badge. Radio station interns often meet a similar fate. Resident and former mayoral candidate Hiram McDaniels is a literal five-headed dragon. And former child star Mara Wilson (Miracle on 34th Street) voices The Facesless Old Woman, who secretly lives in your home.
Avoid the dog park; people and dogs are not allowed in the dog park, which doesn't exist. All hail the glow cloud. Find it at welcometonightvale.com.
-- Holly Ann Rusak
The Indoor Kids
Podcasts about video games aren't hard to come by (one of my favorites is The Giant Bombcast, a three-hour monster of audio entertainment), but a lot of them cover the same news material every week. The Indoor Kids is a bit different.
Co-hosted by the husband/wife duo of comedian Kumail Nanjiani (whom you might know from stuff like Silicon Valley on HBO) and writer/producer Emily V. Gordon, The Indoor Kids goes beyond the typical "What have you been playing lately?" format by bringing in guest stars regularly.
Unfortunately the show just went on a (hopefully short) hiatus as both hosts are keeping busy with full-time gigs, but there are a lot of episodes in the backlog you can go back to. Find it here.
-- Britton Peele
Hey, we have podcasts too!
Not to get all self-promotional, but you should of course check out some of our podcasts:
Mixed Media: A weekly discussion of what's new and noteworthy in local and international culture. Our own culture critic Chris Vognar and FD's Christopher Wynn host along with Dallas Observer editor Lauren Smart. Find it on iTunes here.
From The Hip: Dawn Burkes and Tawnell Hobbes shoot from the hip about the latest happenings in Empire, along with other hot pop-culture topics. Find it here.
Texas CrimeCast: A weekly podcast about cops, courts and other public safety issues hosted by Dallas Morning News criminal justice reporters. Find it on iTunes here.
SportsDayDFW: A weekly podcast split into several episodes, featuring Cowboys, Rangers and colleges experts and regular guest stars. Hosted by SportsDay's Evan Grant, Barry Horn and Kevin Sherrington. Find it on iTunes here.
