Starter episode: “Welcome to the Hellmouth”
An early instance of a recap podcast co-hosted by one of many present’s stars, “The West Wing Weekly” avoids the pitfalls that may include that setup. However Joshua Malina’s tenure on the NBC drama was an uncommon one: His inscrutable character, Will Bailey, joined at a difficult second halfway by means of the collection, shortly earlier than the contentious departure of its creator, Aaron Sorkin. Because the actor nonetheless wryly notes in his Twitter bio, he’s thought-about by some followers to be among the many parts that “ruined The West Wing.” Malina, with that self-deprecating tone, and his co-host, the “West Wing” superfan Hrishikesh Hirway (identified to many podcast followers because the creator of “Track Exploder”), make for a profitable mixture. Friends for the reason that present’s debut in 2016 have included Sorkin, almost all the essential forged members, and political figures who had been followers of the present, like Pete Buttigieg and Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau. “The West Wing” has turned a preferred consolation look ahead to viewers in search of to flee right into a extra noble model of Washington, D.C., and the hosts’ rapport is a soothing aspect order, placing a tone that’s irreverent but heartfelt.
Starter episode: “Particular Interim Session (With Aaron Sorkin)”
Have you ever ever watched the pilot of a present, adopted instantly by the finale? The reply might be no, as a result of it’s an ill-advised (to not point out ridiculous) method to really expertise a present. However it does make for an entertaining podcast. Placing a comedic spin on the normal recap format, Alan Sepinwall, the chief TV critic for Rolling Stone, invitations a distinct actor onto the present every week for a crash course in a basic collection they’ve by no means seen. A lot of the enjoyable comes from the deliberate dissonance between visitor and topic — Jon Hamm of “Mad Males” exhibits as much as deconstruct “Gossip Woman,” and the comedic actress Eliza Coupe (“Completely happy Endings,” “Scrubs”) will get to grapple with “Breaking Unhealthy” — in addition to the friends’ bemused makes an attempt to determine the arc of a present having seen solely the start and finish.
Starter episode: “Jon Hamm Watches Gossip Woman”
HBO’s fantasy behemoth “Sport of Thrones” is tailored for intensive recapping, because of the dense mythology of its fictional world, its twist-filled storytelling, and its countless controversies. So unsurprisingly, there’s a dizzying array of “Thrones” recap exhibits to select from — even one meant to ship you to sleep — however this is without doubt one of the most constant and sharp. Hosted by David Chen, a veteran podcaster, and Joanna Robinson, a cultural critic who is without doubt one of the web’s most well-known “Thrones” commentators, “A Forged of Kings” offers detailed perception into each episode, and doesn’t shrink back from critiquing the present’s blind spots in relation to gender, race and sexual violence. It’s additionally spoiler-free, making it a perfect companion for many who are belatedly catching up on the present. And for many who’ve made it by means of all eight seasons of “Sport of Thrones,” the podcast just lately returned to cowl the brand new prequel collection, “Home of the Dragon,” with the leisure author Kim Renfro changing Robinson.
Starter episode: “A Forged of Kings — Collection Retrospective”
Bald Transfer was one of many earliest gamers within the fan-hosted TV podcast sport, and has been producing recap exhibits for buzzy dramas and style exhibits like “Justified” and “The Strolling Useless” since 2010. The corporate’s “Breaking Unhealthy” collection may be the very best showcase for the affable dynamic between the co-hosts Jim Jones and A. Ron Hubbard, who ship analytical run-throughs of every episode that maintain up simply as properly right this moment. Though the podcast started throughout the fourth season of “Breaking Unhealthy,” Jones and Hubbard have since gone again to recap the sooner seasons. With palpable enthusiasm, the duo delve into the psychologically nuanced story of Walter White, the chemistry trainer turned meth king, unpacking the deeper meanings of the present’s characters, visuals and even among the misogynistic parts of its fandom.