best podcasts of 2023
I wouldn’t call myself a podcast aficionado by any stretch of the imagination, but I do have a few podcasts that I listen to consistently and enjoy, so I thought I’d share a short list of my favorites that I’ve voraciously devoured over the course of the past year. Based on my TV interests, I’d think that I’d gravitate towards the true crime serial type shows, but I actually don’t listen to any true crime podcasts, oddly enough. I think I’ve found that my sweet spot is learning/unlearning things paired with snarky shit talking.
5-4 was a new podcast for me in 2023, and it became one of my absolute favorites. It’s one of the only podcasts that I actually pay for the subscription to access bonus episodes and since I’m fully caught up, I’ve been delving into the archives to get even more 5-4. Oddly enough (for me, I suppose) 5-4 is a podcast about the Supreme Court. More specifically it’s a podcast about how much the supreme court sucks. Having grown up in a conservative household and worldview, I never thought much about the supreme court or the decisions of the supreme court being positive or negative. I think I probably had the opinion that it was a protective body upholding the constitution. But I’ll admit outside of landmark cases like the recent Dobb’s decision, the Supreme Court wasn’t something I thought about much, especially in the context of my current leftist perspective. Learning from Michael, Rhiannon, and Peter — all left leaning lawyers— about notable supreme court decisions that have helped (negatively) shape legal precedent and US society has been really illuminating. And their hilarious commentary and snarky take downs make the podcast something I’ve laughed out loud to on many occasions, not something I would have thought I’d do listening to a podcast about the supreme court.
Maintenance Phase has been a staple in my podcast lineup since 2022. It’s essentially a podcast about debunking junk science and cultural ideas about health and weight. The hosts, Michael and Aubrey, take turns each podcast teaching the other about a topic, book, or public figure that has made an impact on the cultural discourse or widely accepted “science” surrounding weight, nutrition, and health. And while the hosts themselves are absolutely hilarious to listen to (again, a podcast I regularly laugh out loud to) they actually do a remarkably thorough amount of research for each episode. In a way I feel like it’s sneaky the way they spoon feed me so much incredible information and research because the podcast is a brilliantly enjoyable listen. Michael and Aubrey have the wittiest rapport with one another and, like 5-4, their humor is snarky and biting— right up my alley. These two are doing some serious heavy lifting in dissecting and debunking so much in the realm of fatphobia, and have been instrumental in a lot of my own personal unlearning in that area.
You might recognize the names of the hosts of If Books Could Kill— Michael is a host on Maintenance Phase and Peter is a host on 5-4. My podcast taste is a little incestuous it seems. What really happened is that I listened to Maintenance Phase and then Michael announced his new podcast If Books Could Kill and I knew that I’d enjoy it because I love Maintenance Phase so much. Then I listened to If Books Could Kill and enjoyed Peter so much, when I discovered he was on 5-4, I started listening to that. So there you go.
If Books Could Kill is essentially a podcast debunking and, you got it, talking shit about the runaway bestselling books that America has fallen in love with and potentially fallen for some bullshit ideas wrapped in the shiny cover of a seemingly life-changing book. So think… your Atomic Habits, The World is Flat, The Five Love Languages, The Coddling of the American Mind, The Secret, etc. This podcast has a similar format to Maintenance phase where each episode one of the hosts basically teaches the other one about a book or topic that they’ve read and deeply researched (though Peter will admit, Michael does the lion’s share when it comes to research). It’s wildly entertaining and oddly educational.
We Can Do Hard Things is a podcast that I don’t find myself listening to each and every episode of, but I do enjoy quite a few of their guests, so I’ll cherry pick here and there when they’ve got a guest who I’m interested in hearing. Most recently I listened to the newest Liz Gilbert episode, and the Dr. Becky Kennedy episodes are some of the most impactful parenting information/perspective I’ve gotten from a podcast. The format is typically the three hosts conversing with a guest, but they do have quite a few episodes where it’s just the hosts— Glennon Doyle, Abby Wambach, and Amanda Doyle. Glennon and Abby are married, and Glennon and Amanda are sisters, so they all have a fun dynamic. It’s a super heartfelt podcast that often has a deep spiritual and life-lesson-y focus, but they’re more irreverent and funny than, say, your Oprah SuperSoul podcast. They have lots of big-name guests on the show, including Kamala Harris, Michelle Obama, Brene Brown, etc. If you’re doing some deep shadow work and emotional healing in 2024, this might be a podcast you find helpful!
