While many Sydneysiders have been struggling with recent train delays and stoppages thanks to strikes and last-minute track works, as someone who already has a two-hour-plus train commute to the office I’m used to having to find creative ways to fill the time.
Today, it’s being used to write this article about one of the reasons I actually enjoy the long train journey — the best podcasts I’ve found along the way.
Like many, Serial was my gateway podcast and while I’ve expanded my listening pleasure into all kinds of different genres, as the following list will bear out true crime investigations are my kryptonite. Here are my current nine best podcasts for times you need a distracting — and engaging — listen while commuting.
1. Hysterical
Recently voted Apple’s best podcast of 2024, this docuseries revisits a strange case in the small town of Le Roy, New York.
Back in 2011, a female high schooler began suffering from Tourettes-like symptoms, experiencing uncontrollable tics, twitches and outbursts. Soon, a second girl began suddenly displaying the same difficulties. Then, a third. Eventually, more than a dozen female students at the school were afflicted and making national news. Were they faking it? Was it environmental? Or was it “conversion disorder” — the largest case of mass hysteria seen since the Salem Witch Trials?
Over seven episodes, investigative reporter Dan Taberski not only looks into this case but takes a deep dive into the meaning and diagnosis of hysteria — including its gendered bias — while looking at other unrelated and seeming inexplicable cases of conversion disorder in the hopes of uncovering the mystery. Each episode is roughly 40 minutes long — but prepare to binge a few if your journey is as long as mine.
2. Everything Is Alive
This little gem is an oldie but a goodie. In each short and sharp episode —usually clocking in at roughly 20 minutes — host Ian Chillag interviews an inanimate object to find out its life story. “And everything it says is true,” promises the show notes.
From a pillow to a New York City street lamp (who loves it when “Singin’ in the Rain” plays on a neighbouring apartment’s TV so they can see the star of the film — a fellow street lamp) to a baseball cap and many more the unscripted conversation is equal parts hilarious and poignant.
3. The Apology Line
When Marissa Bridge met her husband Allan in 1981, she had no idea she’d be drawn into an adventure that would prove equal parts fascinating and disturbing. A year earlier, Allan had conceptualised an art project he dubbed The Apology Project. Putting up posters in the Tribeca area of New York, Allan — or Mr Apology — listed a phone number to which people could call and leave a message confessing to wrongdoings they’d committed and say sorry anonymously, without fear of repercussions.
The answering machine in his loft would take over 1000 hours of confession over 15 years and come to consume both Allan and those around him. Each 30-40 minute episode of the six-part series tells pieces of the larger story and is completely gripping from start to finish.
4. The ChrissieCast
As listeners of her radio show and viewers of her TV work well know, Chrissie Swan loves to talk. But she also loves to listen and believes everyone has a fascinating story to share.
Our new columnist at The Weekly started this podcast in her very own living room to have a yarn with some of her friends (Jane Hall is my favourite regular) and a range of people she finds fascinating (from Bob Geldolf to Liane Moriarty to psychic John Edward) to talk about the lessons they’ve learnt in life and the things that fascinate them from pop culture to mid-life woes; current events to household chores and everything in between.
With no filter or subject off limits, Chrissie’s warmth allows the conversation to flow — and occasionally go completely off topic — with plenty of positive takeaways which leave you with the warm and fuzzies. Usually around half an hour per episode.
5. The Girlfriends
On her first date with handsome and successful plastic surgeon Bob Bierenbaum, Carole Fisher asked if he’d ever been married before. When he was a little cagey about the details, she joked, “What did you do, murder your wife?”. So starts this incredible true crime story which traces what really happened to Bob’s missing wife Gail Katz.
Carole dated Bob for six months in 1995 — a decade after Gail had gone missing — and their relationship ended following a series of disturbing behaviours from the man who appeared picture-perfect on the surface. It led Carole to find other women who’d dated Bob to see if her experience was unique. Between them, the women began comparing notes, forming a “The Girlfriends” club to try and get to the bottom of the mystery of Gail’s fate. These real-life Nancy Drews take us through what happened next — and it’s an unmissable listen. Nine episodes, each between around half an hour to 45 minutes.
6. Carrie Jade Does Not Exist
Carrie Jade Williams is dying. Suffering from Huntington’s Disease, the young disability advocate finds an audience on TikTok where she builds a community by sharing the highs and lows of what will be her short life. But as internet sleuths begin to unpick her story it soon becomes clear that Carrie Jade Williams is not only lying — she’s fooled people before under a slew of different identities and with many different heartstring-pulling stories.
Hosted by The Great British Bake Off host and comic Sue Perkins and journalist Katharine Denkinson, this is addictive listen over eight, roughly half-hour long, episodes.
7. Wiser Than Me
Why don’t we hear more from older women? This is something that Julia Louis-Dreyfus was determined to amend.
The Seinfeld star started her podcast to showcase the wit and wisdom of iconic women she feels she — and her listeners — can learn from. Author Isabel Allende, 82, activist Gloria Steinem, 90, EGOT winner Rita Moreno, 93, and actress Sally Field, 78, are just a few of the illustrious guests on her show who proudly pronounce their age before sharing personal stories of their long and rich lives along with a whole lot of laughs with 63-year-old Julia.
The best bit? At the end of each episode, Julia calls her 90-year-old mum Judith to recap what has taken place as well as get her thoughts on how much things have changed for women since her own youth.
Now in its third season, this is a guaranteed powerful and fascinating listen — set aside an hour or so to get through each episode.
8. Expanse: Spies in the Outback
In the late 1960s, Alice Springs a slew of Americans descended on the Northern Territory town to erect a mysterious facility named Pine Gap — its gleaming white domes clustered on the desert floor and firmly locked behind closed gates. Quickly, rumours of what is going on in this supposed “space station” take over the town — and the truth of Pine Gap remains unknown today.
ABC journalist and local resident and mum Alex Barwick went on a quest to solve all the unanswered questions (side note: she also wrote an excellent piece for The Weekly about it too), interviewing local residents, historians and more in the five-episode journey. Settle in to spend about half an hour with each one.
9. You Must Remember This
This podcast series usually long listens — around an hour or slightly over. Host Karina Longsworth explores some of the secret and/or forgotten histories from Hollywood’s first century. Stars, scandals and behind-the-scenes powerbrokers all come under the microscope and each episode has an “a-ha!” moment which keeps me coming back.
As the editor of our quarterly magazine, The Australian Women’s Weekly ICONS (focusing on mostly the Golden Age — go grab the most current issue from your local newsagent before it sells out!), I love how much Karina heavily researches her topics to sort out fact from fiction while presenting a totally engaging listening session each and every time.
With 20 seasons under her belt, there’s plenty to dip in and out of. I particularly enjoy stories of the silent screen era but the show doesn’t only look at the olden times – Karina goes up to the 1990s and beyond.
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