Recap: 40 podcasts, single-elimination brackets — 1 winner will emerge!

For the thesis, read the first post here, then come back for the results.

West, Game 1: Pod4Ham v. The West Wing Weekly

This was a close game.

Pod4Ham is a podcast taking a look at each track of the Hamilton soundtrack. A different panel discusses each track and gives their impressions and some background information. They talk about some of the influences and especially the book that inspired Lin Manuel Miranda to rap about Alexander Hamilton in the first place. Mostly it’s a reflection on what struck them in the songs.

The West Wing Weekly is, as the title suggests, a weekly tour through each episode of the tv series The West Wing. Confession: I already listen to this podcast. But I needed one more podcast to round out my bracket, and Lin Manuel Miranda was famously inspired by The West Wing, so it seemed a worthy opponent.

Like the show, this podcast is so. good. Go watch The West Wing  (it’s on Netflix) if you haven’t, and then listen to this behind-the-scenes + fan podcast. I’m going to have to give it a slight edge. That last basket went in right before the clock ran out. I wanted to try to work in a flentl joke for WWW listeners, but I couldn’t figure out how to incorporate that into the post. Sorry, guys.

Winner: The West Wing Weekly

West, Game 2: The Bright Sessions v. The Moth

When I listened to the first episode of The Bright Sessions, it was before deciding to do a bracket, and I just downloaded the episode without any research. So I didn’t know it was a science fiction audio drama, which was funny, though quickly apparent. Since I’d already listened to episode 1, I listened to episode 2, in which a therapist records her sessions with young people with unusual abilities.

It’s an interesting series that uses its sci fi premise to explore humanity, as good sci fi does. Bonus, I know the composer. 🙂 (Evan, if you’re reading this, I like it so far!)

Second, The Moth. It’s another storytelling podcast, though with a focus on true stories, not fictional ones. Both are valuable, just different. I listened to the episode titled “Andrew Forsthoefel: Deluded in the Desert.”

This story was about Andrew’s walk across America to listen to people and their stories (this is starting to feel a little meta). On the way, he discovered he had a limit to himself and his capacity and desire to listen to and care for others. He’s a good storyteller with a good point about knowing our limits and how everyone needs community.

I enjoyed both of these, because I love stories, but only one can advance.

Winner: The Bright Sessions

Next time: The South, Round 2.2.