The Pod Piper

THE LIST 1. This American Life  - "We Are in the Future" One of the most ambitious episodes of  This American Life   I've heard in the past couple years, "We Are in the Future" delves into the Black futurism movement.  The conceit, spoiler alert, is that the future has already come to pass.  From a look inside a Detroit political campaign inflected with the ideology, to the implications of the movement in the comic book world, to a harrowing recounting from a young black woman who endured a role as a slave on George Washington's estate and, yes, the zany and magnificent song from clipping (Hamilton star Daveed Digs's alt-rap group, for the uninitiated) - this stretched my concept of the American experience in a way that the show does not always accomplish.  That is to say, many of the show's stories are fundamental to the present experience of the country, but this episode encompasses past, present and future in a prescient way that is hard to pull ...

THE LIST 1. Futility Closet - "A Case of Mistaken Identity" If you've got a sibling around your age, perhaps people have mixed up your names.  Some people have trouble distinguishing between the names of two people of the same gender (i.e. calling your brother by your father's name).  I have a female cousin named Erin, and it was always confusing when our families gathered together.  These situations are  easily laughed off, but what happens when a stranger projects their fears into a straw man that very much resembles you?  Wrongful conviction stories are sadly quite prevalent, especially for those convicted before the ubiquity of DNA testing, but people are rarely unlucky enough to be falsely accused twice in one lifetime.  Well, this edition of Futility Closet brings us the unbelievable tale of a man who suffered that very fate.  Not only was our tragic hero engulfed in circumstances beyond his control, but this accidental injustice took place in...

THE LIST 1. 99% Invisible - "Ways of Hearing" Stuck in my mind more than anything else I heard this week, this episode of 99 PI takes a journey into the act of listening.  For anyone who enjoys music, podcasts, concerts, theatre, movies or anything with sound, this is amazingly relevant.  The episode starts out with the first edition of a new Radiotopia project called Showcase  (which will feature short-run podcast specials that aren't full-fledged shows with seasons). Podcaster and musician Damon Krakowski takes the reins in the first installment, dubbed "Ways of Hearing," which recounts a brief history of sound's transition from analog to digital.  Even if that doesn't appear to be a thrilling topic, Krakowski integrates narrative expertly and had me on the edge of my earbuds.  It's kind of cheating to list this as a single episode, because after Krakowski's piece we are treated to a clip from an old 99 PI. We find a beamishly young Roman Mar...

THE LIST 1. Reply All - "Long Distance" ( Part I & Part II ) Reply All occupies an almost singular space in the world of podcasts.  It is narrative story telling in the vein of This American Life . It is relatable personalities gabbing about of-the-moment topics.  It is theme-driven podcasting with results that are consistently not contrived.  And this week, with "Long Distance" (a two-parter that should be consumed in order), Alex and PJ wrap it all up into a single succulent package among the most compelling episodes of the year.  The topic?  Tele-scammers who infect the computers of unsuspecting civilians and then swoop in to sell antivirus software. Sure, on it's face that setup is far from novel, and I'd wager there are several excellently researched and produced journal articles or even podcast episodes that explore the relevant areas of inquiry therein.  But in "Long Distance" the story grows legs as Alex and (Gimlet producer) Damiano ...