For big TV fans, one of the only things more satisfying than watching a really good show can be talking about the really good show you just watched. Whether you just want to shout about how great it was or you need to talk about how you can't believe so-and-so finally kissed Their One True Love, everyone wants someone to talk about it. Of course, sometimes just one or two friends isn't enough. And for that, there's podcasts!
People have been podcasting about television since we created podcasts. Whether you want something general or you need someone to obsess over your favorite show with you, there’s bound to be a podcast you’ll want to subscribe to on this list.
…These Are Their Stories
Kevin Flynn and Rebecca Lavoie can’t get enough of talking about crime. The true crime writing duo and hosts of the Crime Writers On… podcast started …These Are Their Stories after talking about Law & Order on their original podcast. This podcast is hugely popular among Law & Order fans, no matter which spin-off is your favorite. The podcast is part episode analysis, part interview with a guest star, and part recap of the true crime that inspired the episode’s storyline.
Recent episodes include There are pedophiles in the chatroom!! (we already know, Law & Order) and Someone stole that guy’s kidney! As of this writing, they’ve done over 80 episodes and counting.
Pop Culture Happy Hour
From NPR’s stable of high-quality podcasts comes Pop Culture Happy Hour, a twice-weekly podcast often hosted by Linda Holmes and several other regular ists, including Glen Weldon, Sam Sanders, and Stephen Thompson. NPR describes it as a “free-wheeling chat about the latest movies, television, books, and music.”
It is definitely a broader pop culture podcast, but PCHH is definitely worth a listen. They frequently talk television and are also able to smartly contextualize television within the larger pop culture world—and real world—around us. Pop Culture Happy Hour is always a great listen and easy 30-minute listen.
The West Wing Weekly
If you thought Joshua Malina got enough of The West Wing when he was on it playing the character Will Bailey, you were wrong. Now, he and Hrishikesh Hirway co-host The West Wing Weekly, a show all about analyzing and recapping one of the most beloved political shows in history. They often bring on guest stars from the show, including Bradley Whitford.
Currently, the podcast is drawing to a close; The West Wing ran for 7 seasons and they’re currently plugging through season 7. However, that doesn’t mean that you should skip it. Just like it’s never a bad idea to start rewatching The West Wing, this podcast is always a good one to start back over. Watch an episode then listen to Hirway and Malina talk to their guest star about the behind the scenes tidbits.
The Talking Dead
The Walking Dead shares a name with the Chris Hardwick’s show on AMC, but the podcast came first! They’ve been creating and publishing episodes about The Walking Show since September 2019. At this point, that’s over 350 episodes.
Hosts Jason and Chris do a recap every episode of The Walking Dead then discuss what new thing have come up in the show. When the show isn’t in season, they look at other major pop culture stories as well as other zombie movies. Tune in to catch up with everything that’s happened on The Walking Dead so far, then get ready for Season 10 with their analysis of the trailer that dropped during San Diego Comic Con.
Very Good TV Podcast
Unfortunately, Indiewire’s Very Good TV Podcast already ended, which is a sad tale for TV lovers everywhere. But just because no new episodes are coming, that doesn’t mean the podcast isn’t worth tuning in to. The show did weekly examinations of the best stories, shows, and trends on television, and recommended content everyone should be watching. Those recommendations are still totally valid, as is their great analysis of what makes great television.
So, if you start listening to Very Good TV, just think of it like a mini series you missed the initial boat on but discovered through your friends constantly talking about it. Fleabag, anyone?
Pop Life
NPR hosts many podcasts, so it’s fitting that more than one would end up on this list. Pop Life is similar to Pop Culture Happy Hour, but with a more centralized focus. WAER’s Joe Lee along with Bob Thompson from Syracuse University discuss television and streaming content in smart and fascinating ways. Bob Thompson brings an interesting academic point of view to the show without sounding like the pretentious blowhard you knew in film school.
Recent episodes have covered Marvel’s original shows on Netflix. This podcast is a great one to add to your subscriptions when you want a smart look at television.
Game of Owns
The fan podcast Game of Thrones fans. As of this writing they’ve done over 400 episodes, most of which have been about the television show, which they talked about episode by episode. Many of the episodes also bring in a guest who was involved with the show as an actor, artisan, or producer, which gives unparalleled insight into one of America’s most watched shows of the decade.
Of course, now that the show has ended they’ve returned to reading and discussing the original series by George R.R. Martin, going chapter by chapter and analyzing them.
Buffering the Vampire Slayer
I’m sure you can guess which iconic TV show Buffering the Vampire Slayer is about. This bi-weekly podcast is hosted by Jenny Owen Youngs, a professional musician and Whedon fan, and Kristin Russo, a professional writer. They discuss Buffy one episode at a time, as well as answer other important questions like: Who would win in a fight—Buffy or Dracula? Tune into their podcast to find out.
For extra fun, each installment of the show includes an original song recapping each episode. They also take their show live on the road, so if you’re a Buffy fan it’s worth seeing if there are tickets available near you.
Here To Make Friends
If you think a podcast of two women talking about The Bachelorette is the last place anyone would be having a smart dialogue about feminism in America today, then you’ll be surprised by Here To Make Friends. This podcast from the Huffington Post is a witty and smart discussion of these two rating reality contests that manages to surprise listeners with every episode. They unapologetically love the show, and it really shines through.
Every week has a new guest on it, and they’ve begun doing live shows as well. See if they’re coming to your home town soon.
Shondaland: Revealed
Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, The Catch, and more are all fair game for this podcast.
Of course, the last episode of the show was published in May 2017. It doesn’t seem to say that it was the last one, so who knows? Maybe this podcast will be picked up again in the future. Until then, listen to the 109 episode backlog and learn more about Shonda’s greatest hits.