I've found myself recommending podcasts and key episodes a few times, so I thought I'd write them up. I'm adding a ⭐ next to stories you absolutely have to listen to.

Reply All

A podcast about internet culture that digs into weird digital stories. There's a couple of recurring segments like "Yes Yes No" where the hosts, PJ and Alex, explain moments of confusing internet culture to their boss, and Super Tech Support where the hosts solve weird tech problems submitted by listeners.

• ⭐ Long Distance Part 1, Part 2, and an update 3 years later. An investigation into a tech support scammer, including a trip to India to meet him in person and high-pressure moments.
• ⭐ The Case of the Missing Hit. A man is haunted by a 90s pop song that seemingly disappeared from existence, leading to an obsessive quest to prove it was real.
• ⭐ The Mold and The Beautiful. Jason Mantzoukas joins the hosts to discuss the bizarre Wayfair conspiracy theory in a hilarious Yes Yes No segment.
• ⭐ Boy in Photo. The hosts unravel the mystery behind a single photograph that launched a decade-long obsession for an online community.
• America's Hottest Talkline. Emmanuel investigates a mysterious phone line that connects lonely people seeking conversation.
• The Bitcoin Hunter. Writer Jia Tolentino enlists Super Tech Support to find bitcoins she purchased six years earlier and now can't locate.
• Apocalypse Soon. A Yes Yes No segment where the hosts explain complex internet phenomena to their boss, featuring conspiracy theories and internet culture.
• The Snapchat Thief. After a woman's Snapchat gets hacked, Alex investigates the creepy world of SIM swapping and account theft.

Hyperfixed

The last episode of Reply All was in 2022, and both of the original hosts went on to launch their own shows. Hyperfixed is Alex's and it's currently my favorite podcast, and one of only two (along with PJ's Search Engine) that I pay to support and for extra stories. It very much feels like the successor of Reply All's Super Tech Support segment.

• ⭐ Two Birds, One Hundred Stones. Keenan seeks help from the podcast to uncover a mystery about his mother's past in this brilliantly-told (live) episode.
• ⭐ 'Only to be Consumed' in Canada. Why is there a "Only to be Consumed in Canada" labeling on icing tubes? Why only in Canada?
• The Sequence Master (for premium subscribers only). Scott, a man with an exceptional eye for details and patterns, finds a new community.
• The Best Worst Date (for premium subscribers only). A horrific dating story.

Search Engine

The other half of the Reply All duo, PJ handles bigger topics through investigative journalism.

• ⭐ Why didn't Chris and Dan get into Berghain? Part 1 and Part 2
• ⭐ Am I the victim of an international sushi scam? Part 1 and Part 2
• Why are there so many illegal weed stores in New York City? Part 1 and Part 2
• Why are there so many chicken bones on the street? Part 1 and Part 2
• What's the best phone to do crimes on?

Heavyweight

This podcast makes me feel big feels. Often I tear up or cry. Sometimes that's happiness and sometimes it's sadness. Jonathan Goldstein helps people resolve lingering questions from their past in a podcast with a unique tone that is both funny and profound.

• ⭐ #58: Harry. Before dying, Scott entrusts his beloved pet parrot Harry to his brothers, who can't look after him and give him up. Years on, they try and make right on their promise.
• ⭐ #32: Vivian. Twenty-five years after her uncle Helio died of AIDS, Vivian embarks on a search to understand his life and legacy.
• #27 Scott. A former heroin addict crossed a line he thought he'd never cross and seeks to make amends.
• #52 Lenny. Lenny was Jonathan's childhood best friend, but they drifted apart as they grew into adulthood. Now, Lenny is dying and needs a friend.
• #5: Galit. Jonathan reconnects with his first serious girlfriend who dumped him years ago, exploring how relationships shape us even after they end.

Normal Gossip

A show about juicy, strange, funny, and utterly banal gossip about people you'll never know and never meet. There's often two stories each episode, with the second being the title reference.

• ⭐ It Was Never About the Figs. A seemingly innocent dispute over fig trees reveals deeper neighborhood tensions and hidden motivations in this captivating tale of suburban drama. The title makes sense at the very end.
• ⭐ The CHAIR SAGA. A tale about what happens when your cousin is too rich for your own good. Featuring an excellent piece of printing with unique materials.
• ⭐ Forbidden Feline Fanfiction. An online cat enthusiast community implodes when a member's creative writing about felines crosses boundaries and sparks heated controversy.
• Spot the Scammer. A girls' trip takes an unexpected turn when one friend's suspicious behavior leads others to question her true identity and intentions.
• Slut for Paperwork. A volunteer organization on an island becomes entangled in bureaucratic chaos when members discover their passion for documentation has unexpected consequences.

The Others

There are four other podcasts I want to recommend, but don't have specific episodes to recommend.

• Heart Starts Pounding is a podcast about horrors, hauntings, abd mysteries. It's a combination of paranormal and crime stories.
• The Missing Cryptoqueen is a story of the biggest scam of the 21st century and the hunt for the founder of the cryptocurrency scam gone wrong.
• Scam Factory is six episodes only about the inner workings of scam compounds through the stories of real people stuck inside.
• The Pitch is a business podcast where real entrepreneurs pitch to real investors for actual funding.

Hope you enjoy!