Podcast Sunday - November 2023
A new home for monthly podcast recommendations with stories from the Global North AND the Global South
You already know me, my list and don’t need an intro? Great!
Just scroll down and head straight to my November 2023 Podcast recommendation list.
For everyone else:
Hey listener!
For more than a year I’ve been posting monthly podcast recommendations on Instagram that are linked to the Spotify playlist Podcast Sundays for my friends, who kept asking me for podcast recommendations. In my IG stories, I usually explain in a little more detail what it is that I loved about a certain podcast, be it whole shows, one-off episodes, docs or just part of an episode. Anything goes as long as there is a narrative involved.
Over time this project grew and grew and today I don’t just do it for all my friends but for everyone who just gets a little lost when it comes to finding new podcasts. What I do is, I go through the best-off lists, like Vulture’s fantastic podcast reviews like this recent one. I keep my ear on the ground in podcast communities. I listen to recommendations from friends and colleagues. Sometimes, when I sit on juries or go to festivals, I come across some great one-off stuff. That’s how I find my treasures.
How I go about my recs
A smart person once said: “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” That’s the attitude I try to keep when writing my recs. I’m not here to make anyone look bad. I will focus on the positives, but not totally omit the things I didn’t quite like. After all, you need to know what you’re getting yourself into.
I come at it from two perspectives. For one, I’m just a podcast and audio nerd. I enjoy the occasional sonic experiment that’s been made just to try something new, or something that might be a bit too “out there” for the average listener, like f.ex. The Skewer, or Chicken Man (*RIP. What a great show!)
On the other side, I come at it from a journalistic and production perspective. I think about what it takes to actually make these pieces happen. What might be the challenges here? What have they done better than others? And what can I learn from these podcasts to up my skills in my own productions?
The list for narrative podcast recs
I’m clumsily trying to avoid the term “storytelling” because I think it’s overused, but at the end of the day: If a piece of audio contains some form of story, I’m interested in it. If it tugs at my heartstrings, I’m interested. If it makes me chuckle, I’m interested. If it makes me go “NO WAY!” or laugh out loud in a full metro, it’s going on my list.
While chatty podcasts with A/B/C celebrities are valuable and are a very successful in the podcast world, it’s not the corner of the podcast world that I’m into, or an expert at for that matter.
Because Instagram seems finicky and isn’t necessarily always the best space to post this kind of stuff while our world is burning, I’ve decided to create a new home for Podcast Sundays here. You’re invited to check out what I’ve put up on the figurative shelf for you each month whenever it suits you.
If that’s something you’re interested in, make sure to subscribe to this Podcast Sunday substack. Once a month - that’s all. Unless on some rare occasion I might have more to say.
November 2023 Picks
My November picks might include some “older” shows or episodes because I haven’t posted in 3 months or so. Lots to catch up on and so many cool new things on my list for next month.
(If you still find yourself desperate for good shows even if they’re older, you can find all previous editions of this recommendations list in my story highlights on IG)
So, let’s get into it. Here’s some of the best stuff I’ve come across in the last 3-4 months.
All the (first episodes) are on the Podcast Sundays playlist on Spotify (unless they’re exclusive to a different platform)
1. Vishal (BBC)
When I first listened to this, I couldn’t stop recommending it to other people. The episodes are short, extremely focused and draw you in without using lame cliffhanger tropes. Somehow, it all works. Yes, sure. It’s true crime, but it doesn’t feel like it. It feels like I’m learning about a time, a family, the failures of the police and the legal system.
This is the story of an investigation, which was started by the family member of a boy called Vishal, who disappeared on the day Princess Di and Prince Charles got married. There’s a very smart and well-motivated host-switch somewhere in there. I don’t want to spoil it for you.
But it’s a lesson of how to keep your focus, how to make shows in which the host has an intrinsic motivation to follow the story and how to not try to “do it all.” Jaw-dropping in parts. Highly highly recommend.
2. A Diaspora Dilemma — The Stoop
I’ve been listening to The Stoop on and off for YEARS! Both hosts Leila Day (,who if you’re in the podcast world happens to be in the credits of some of the best shit that’s out there. Does The 11th ring a bell? ) and Hana Baba (with the most soothing voice on the internet) look into stories of what it means to be Black and celebrates Black joy. They take on issues at home (in the US), they tune into Black diaspora stories and they reach across the pond to find stories from the mother continent, Europe and elsewhere.
This was a great episode probably because I could identify to some extent. That odd feeling you can’t escape when you go home to the country you’re from for a visit, and you somehow don’t feel like you’re fully FROM there. Like your identity is diluted in some way. Hana and Leila tackle the uncomfortable topic of diaspora privilege.
Both hosts have a unique sensibility to tackle hard topics with love and care. They’re not here to judge and yet often when they talk, you’ll find them asking the exact same question that’s on your mind. That’s exactly what they did in this episode which takes us to Kenya.
3. The Seagulls — Radiolab
If you don’t find the joy in science with Radiolab, are you even a podcast fan? There are some episodes that I will always remember because I learned so much from them. Latif Nasser and Lulu Miller! Are you kidding? These two are legends!
This episode is about homosexual seagulls. Fun! I mean, we all love queer penguins. So, here’s to seagulls and the rest of the LGBTQi+ animal queendom! The Radiolab team puts so much love into making their stories happen and manage to make sure the science doesn’t go over your head. And somehow they manage to make it funny! .. ok. Clearly, I’m a fan.
This episode is a masterclass in how to build a narrative with a science topic, how to get the most out of your expert interviewees, how silly you can get with your sound design, what details to keep in and which not, how to not take yourself too seriously in front of the mic. Just a little bit of joy for your commute. But also: it might be worth analytically listening to this to hone your craft.
4. The Dig Presents - A Garden in Cairo
This is an indie documentary show with documentaries from different contributors from around the world. So, it sometimes manages to feature stories from the Global South.
When I came across this one — and that may be because I’m Egyptian — I was immediately intrigued. It’s the story of potential, corruption. A symbol for what Egypt could be but probably won’t become any time soon. It’s this story that played into my fear of ever returning to Egypt because of the changes it’ll have undergone. And what I loved is to hear all these Egyptians. Their accents feel like home.
They managed to paint a microcosm with minimal tape. There are no scenes (I think) and yet, it paints a vivid picture. I could tell how disciplined the team was in talking about the Arab Spring, which is hard.
Anyway: A story about a microcosm in Cairo. A garden. A neighbourhood and its people.
5. The Girlfriends (iHeart & Novel)
Yes. True crime. Yes, pure entertainment. So entertaining in fact, that Novel sold this to TV.
A bunch of ex-girlfriends who all dated the same guy ages ago come together to investigate their ex and find proof that he murdered his ex-wife. This is a documentary. This isn’t scripted and that’s what’s kind of unbelievable. You have this group of older ladies playing detective. And boy! Do they have stories.
It’s cute.
If you want a bit of a distraction, and you want something “easy” to binge and you want to be one of the people who say “the podcast was better” when the movie comes out, listen to this one.
6. Foretold (LA Times)
Truth be told: It took me two tries to get into this. But once I was in it, I was IN!
I binged the entire show in a week (8 eps). Sinti and Roma have always been somewhat of a mystery to me. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve learned about them in history books. But who they are, the nuances of their culture has been covered with a mix of urban myths, stereotypes and clearly ignorance.
I have a fascination with podcasts, for which the creator or reporter has spent years and years listening to people. When it’s often not clear, why the journalist is so invested but is somehow driven to follow the story and then see where it takes them. When the journalist doesn’t “just” pick it up to sell the story, but because THEY want to know how it ends. This is that kind of story.
This is the story of how a young Romani woman is navigating and in part resisting, yet yearning for her own culture. She decides to leave it all behind and redefine her identity. And I’ll leave it at that because there’s a few twists and turns in the story that I don’t want to spoil.
There’s a point in this story, where the reporter takes a hard critical look at her own reporting. She takes on criticism. She investigates her motives. I thought that was smart and gave the entire podcast more weight and authenticity.
Give this a chance, maybe even a second and a third chance. It’s worth it!
7. Buying Time (Audible)
Audible does this mean little thing and keeps hiding some gems behind their paywall. Why so stingy Audible?
This show’s plot reads like a scifi movie. Absolutely mindblowing. The story that is. The production is standard: clean, glossy, neat. But the story! That’s where it’s at. It goes like this.
There’s this woman who says she can cure ageing and has already gone through a new experimental treatment. She tries it first before she goes to sell it for tens of thousands of dollars to all those folks out there who never want to die. This is a story about how hackable the science-community is. It’s good journalism. Surprising at times.
An insight into this world where people want to live forever… like. Really?
8. Open Hearts (ARTE, French)
Sometimes you’re hesitant to go to an event because it doesn’t seem super exciting. But then you find the energy to go and you come across things that blow your mind and that you’ll continue to talk about for ages! The Prix Europa this year in Berlin was one of these events.
I came across two pieces that I want to urge you to listen to because I think they indicate a shift in the development of podcasts and explore a future of audio that we might be heading towards if the industry lets us.
First up: Open Hearts (best audio documentary at the Prix Europa)
This is a French audio documentary. You can find the subtitled version here. It’s worth sitting down and just enjoying the experience even with other people.
For ARTE, Léa Chatauret artfully explores the world of hearts in her family only to come across a family secret. Just as her father is getting a heart transplant, Léa hears her unborn child’s heart for the first time, and her grandmother’s heart beats for the last time.
Incredibly disciplined sound design and storytelling that went into this. It could’ve gone into a billion directions. But this was heartwarming and heartbreaking all at the same time. Totally deserved award winner.
9. Shit Town — Trondheim (NRK, Norwegian)
Not to be confused with of course the legendary Shit Town podcast from Serial. This Norwegian gem won best audio doc series at the Prix Europa, and deservedly so.
The story: An audio journalist explores his origins and goes to see his mother and siblings who live in social housing in Norway (which already is breaking with the stereotype that Norwegians are mostly rich). His mother is the main protagonist and my! She’s funny! So funny, a room of 50 people chuckled and belly laughed, while listening to her attitude towards life.
At the same time, creator Ole Martin Hafsmo finds a way to talk about poverty, about systemic failures without explanatory journalism. When even the sad parts are delivered with ease. When you learn and you criticise while you laugh. And when you realise your laughing is only an inch away from crying.
What a fantastic piece. You can watch & listen here with subtitles. This may be my favorite thing I listened to all year.
Next on my list:
On my list of things I want to listen to in the next 2 months in case you want to listen along and compare notes later:
Alaska is the center of the universe (Audible)