Emmy and Academy award-nominated producer and screenwriter, Marc Smerling co-created the shows Crimetown, The Ballad of Billy Balls / The RFK Tapes, and most recently, the investigative podcast Morally Indefensible.
These podcasts succeed at storytelling; introduce the listener to new worlds; and reveal important aspects of our humanity in unexpected ways.
Revisionist History
Malcolm Gladwell’s refreshed look at past events allows for a radical adjustment of my own thoughts on a series of fascinating subjects.
Dirty John
Usually these insider looks into obsessive relationships that turn violent feel exploitive and seedy. But Chris Goffard’s telling of a woman seduced by a pathological con man is heart-wrenching and, in the end, heroic.
S-Town
Brian Reed’s podcast about murder in a small Southern Town reveals so much more than most crime podcasts and a side to the American dream that I’ve never seen before. It’s just stunning.
Love and Radio
The hard work that goes into telling a story in audio relying solely on interviews, found footage, music and design can seem insurmountable. But Nick van der Kolk makes it sound so easy.
Slow Burn
Who doesn’t like to rip the lid off politics in America, especially when the stories told on Slow Burn are so often stunningly absurd. This podcast always finds interesting ways to look at stories we think we know.
Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel
Who wouldn’t want to do a couple’s counseling session with a Belgian therapist who seems to have a bottomless well of forgiveness. People are so strange!
Root Of Evil
Who would have thought that a companion podcast to a television series would be better than the series itself? Talk about a dysfunctional family!
Rabbit Hole
I’ve been thinking that the instantaneous gratification and easy manipulation of ideas presented to millions of bored and sad people on the internet was not going to be good for mankind. This podcast confirmed that thought.
Wind Of Change
The idea that the premise behind this podcast could actually be true, and the journey to figure out whether it is true, makes this a stand out piece of storytelling.
Song Exploder
The interview with Lindsey Buckingham about the writing of the song “Go Your Own Way” for Fleetwood Mac is enough of a reason to listen to this podcast. It’s short and simple and always delivers something more than just how a song was written.
Pocket Casts Blog 