Recap: 40 podcasts, single-elimination brackets — 1 winner will emerge!
For the thesis, read the first post here, then come back for the results.
Midwest, Game 1: Top 4 v. Hello Internet
First up, Top 4. Basically, what I’m doing here but in podcast form! A husband and wife team test things (or take a list) and rank their top four. The show is a half hour, which is a perfect length for ranking a short list of things.
I listened to the episode on Girl Scout Cookies. While I may have come to a different ranking had I been testing out many kinds of cookies (thin mints forever!), it was an entertaining premise. It’s going to be hard to beat, but next up we have…
Hello Internet. Grey and Brady (an American and a Brit) discuss life and various topics. This time they talked about pets, sports (specifically, the Superbowl, in which the Brit explained things to the American), YouTube ads/ incentives, and tattoos.
This was basically Reconcilable Differences, but with different guys? Again, I didn’t listen to the first episode, I listed to episode LXXVIII, but 90 minutes seems like a while to listen to 2 guys ramble.
While interesting, I could use more structure (or at least more brevity) in my podcasts.
Winner: Top 4
Midwest, Game 2: Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History v. The History Chicks
First up, the History Chicks. I listened to episode 64: Beatrix Potter. This podcast is two women researching and giving a bio, interesting details, successes, and failures of historic female figures. I love the books of Beatrix Potter and her delicate watercolor illustrations, and found the story of her life interesting.
As with many historic figures, I’m extremely grateful to live in the 21st century. The sound quality of this podcast wasn’t the very best, but the podcast was only an hour long. I also appreciated that the hosts gave a long list of references for further reading/ study at the end.
Next, I scrolled through the episode list for Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History. You guys, this one broke me. Yes, history is long, and yes, it’s good to have context and detail, but I’m on a listening schedule.
Most of the episodes were part of a longer arc, so I looked at the most recent offering, cheerily named “Destroyer of Worlds.” IT’S SIX HOURS LONG, YOU GUYS.
I couldn’t do it. Dan Carlin is too hardcore for me. I disqualified this podcast on the grounds that I’m never going to make it to round 3 if I spend six hours on one podcast. Even if I play it at one-and-a-half speed (which I could probably do; Dan’s a deliberate speaker), it would still take many hours to reach the end. Why didn’t he put out more episodes so he could break them up into 1 or 2 hour segments??
Send your complaints on my lack of attention span to me anytime, preferably via Twitter, 140 characters at a time.
Winner: The History Chicks
Next time: Midwest, Round 2.2.
Austin Fey 