Welcome to this week's Recommendation Engine from Podcast Rex, rounding up the week in podcast reviews. Get this in an email each week by signing up to be a supporter of Podcast Rex from £3.99.
Apple Podcasts New & Noteworthy:
Spotify New & 🔥
James Marriott in the Times:
- The Kids are Alt Right? - “So stark is the young = left wing, old = right-wing divide in Britain that we often forget that just over the sea in Europe, new right-wing parties are incredibly popular with young people.
“In France’s last election Marine Le Pen won a majority of 25-34-year-olds but only 30 percent of over-65s. In the Netherlands under-35s were more likely to vote for Geert Wilders than over-35s. In Italy Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy could not have succeeded without huge enthusiasm among the young. What is going on?”
Miranda Sawyer in the Observer
- Catching the Kingpins - “This is a good yarn, and one of those rare true crime series that you don’t ever feel too scared or too icky about… the real delight is in the detective work, the working out who’s who from little clues in the messages, such as a picture of a girlfriend’s dog.”
Fiona Sturges in the FT
- Shocking, Heartbreaking, Transformative - “The series is partly about her own career crisis, as she wonders whether her choice of job is a worthy one, and a wider interrogation of the documentary industry that continues to flourish around people and their personal stories. Documentaries are often seen as spaces that give voice to those who might not otherwise be heard. But who benefits from these interactions — and who loses out?”
The Guardian’s Hear Here column recommends
- The Godmother - “Nichole Perkins paints a picture of the straight-talking lawyer who brought Lucky Luciano to trial, but was sidelined and kept out of the spotlight by the rules of her time.”
- Making Sense of Social Housing - “This infuriating miniseries that crunches the housing crisis.”
- Hollywood Exiles - “Game of Thrones’s Oona Chaplin is your host for this podcast about how her grandfather Charlie was forced out of Hollywood during a campaign against communism.”
- Ghost in the Machine - “When 19-year-old Belgian cyclist Femke Van den Driessche was found to have a motor in her bike, it caused uproar. But was she a cheat or a victim?”
- Exposed: The Ashley Madison Hack - “This series tells the story of the elaborate hack with sensitivity and even a little romance.”
And in the Guardian’s Guide newsletter
- Things Fell Apart - “Ronson digs deeper than most, and connects these present-day battles to stories from the recent and not-so-recent past.”
Highlights from the Radio Times
- Exposed: The Ashley Madison Hack - “Sophie Elmhirst and Katy Davis talk to people caught in the middle.”
- The Rob Auton Daily Podcast - “The shows are little gems.”
- The Swinging Christies - “Plenty of unexpected observations.”
- Like a Magic Spell - “Superfan Adrian Stirrup is joined by a guest to explore two songs in Abba’s back catalogue.”
Heat’s Top of the Pods
- British Scandal ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Ghost in the Machine ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Scott Bryan in Great British Podcasts
- Michelle Visage’s Rule Breakers - “Michelle Visage interviews a well-known name about sticking to your guns and ignoring bad advice.”
- The Hidden 20% - “Features interviews with neurodivergent minds to talk about their experiences, covering the challenges, but also highlighting and amplifying the strengths that neurodivergency can bring.”
- Walter’s War - “A bizarre story, and an engrossing one.”
- Simon Mayo’s Confessions - “Rejoice, the confessional has now finally had a reboot on Greatest Hits Radio.”
In PodPod’s Earworms column
- Gianluca Cataldo, Octave Audio: Dish - “Refreshing and authentic, making you feel as if you’re at the kitchen table with them.”
- Pete Donaldson, Stak: Dudesy - “It’s wildly variable quality-wise - which is how the best podcasts are, frankly.”
- Andrea Swann-Martinez, Forever Audio: Here For The Craic with Emma Niell - “A relatable, unfiltered young lass talking about common issues us young adults are all probably dealing with but aren't necessarily addressing.”
- Kate Cocker, The Presenter Coach: The Media Podcast - “Seriously light, and lightly serious.”
- Claire Gould, Lower Street: Root of Evil - “Blending often shocking tragedy with much needed heartwarming moments.”
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