This is one of my favorite blog posts I make each year. I always get comments from the hosts of these podcasts saying how much they like my rankings and appreciate my brute honesty. That said, I will once again post a disclaimer: this ranking is not in any way meant to belittle or drag any podcasts down. If I didn't like the podcast, it wouldn't be in my rotation. This is meant to be a fun thing, celebrating what I like about each of these podcasts and trying to draw attention to them so that other people listen to them. At the very worst, some constructive criticism is delivered in my write-ups. Not one tiny drop of hate or malice went into these rankings. I always feel obligated to write this, although never once has anyone ever been mad at me over their place in my rankings.
Another reason I like the podcast is because of the games that they select for it. Always a retro game. Sometimes a game I know, sometimes a game I don't. Even when it is a game I don't know, I don't skip over it because I want to see what these guys are going to say. I've discovered a few fun games that I've played through after listening to these episodes, like Mansion of Hidden Souls. Some of my favorite episodes on the podcast are games I had never heard of before, like Young Merlin and General Chaos. They play a ton of games I am familiar with, too. It's a great mix. Just scrolling through the list of episodes, nearly every single title they pick jumps out at me. They do a really great job picking games, good and bad.
I suppose it is time to begin! As always, we start with #1....
#1:
Retrovaniacs
Hosted by Jeremy Parmentier, Jeremy Gregory, and Billy Holiday
Congrats, Retrovaniacs! Last year, this podcast clocked in at #14 on my list. Why so low? I had only just started listening to it. I even said in my write-up: don't be surprised to see this podcast higher on my list next year. Those turned out to be prophetic words. But who would have thought it would skyrocket all the way to #1?
This is a great podcast for many reasons. The hosts are one of them. Billy in particular is one of my favorite podcast hosts of all time. He just has a way of making these little observations that always make me laugh. I like how he phrases things. He uses the word "that" a lot. "I decided to start playing that Overwatch game" instead of "I decided to start playing Overwatch." I don't know why, but I always find it very endearing when he says stuff like that, which is quite often. And while he seems like such a nice polite guy, all of a sudden he'll drop these random F bombs when talking about frustrating moments he encounters while gaming. No disrespect to the other hosts, but Billy is the most entertaining to listen to because you never know what he's going to say.
Speaking of bad games, it's always fun when they don't like a game. Maybe I'm just a sadistic prick, but I actually enjoy it when they play games they don't like. Must be the part of me that likes to see people suffer.
Last but not least, I like the length of each episode. It rarely goes over an hour or an hour and a half. The episodes are tightly focused and there isn't a lot of meandering. They stay on subject and don't allow themselves to get derailed by other crap, as many other podcasts tend to do. I don't even mind when they talk about what games they've been playing outside of the podcast. They keep the discussion short and sweet, and I'm always interested to see what they play when they aren't feeling obligated to play games for the pod. Again, it is not like with other podcasts where they spend 30+ minutes talking about other stuff before they dive into the game described in the episode title. That kind of thing drives me nuts, but Retrovaniacs handles it perfectly and with ease.
There is not much more I can say about this podcast. If you are into retro gaming and you listen to podcasts, there is no excuse for not having Retronauts in your rotation.
Last episode played: Episode 76: Chakan the Forever Man
Next episode in line: Episode 77: Shenmue
#2:
Staff Picks
Hosted by Mario Lanza
Coming in at second place for the second year in a row is Staff Picks. This is probably historically the "best" podcast according to my rankings. In the 4 years it has made the list, it has finished 1st, 1st, 2nd, and 2nd again. Now that is consistency! Unfortunately, I am almost fully caught up to the podcast in real time. At the time of this post, I only have 3 episodes left to listen to.
For those unfamiliar, Staff Picks is a podcast where the host Mario discusses a movie that needs a little more love. Whether it is a movie no one has heard of before, a movie that is unfairly shit on, or a movie that used to be popular a long time ago but is now forgotten, Mario will talk about it. Each episode he brings on a special guest to talk about the movie of the week. Sometimes there are repeat guests, sometimes there are one timers. In fact, I have an open invitation to come on and talk about the old version of The Running Man with Arnold Schwarzenegger. I've been dragging my feet on this a bit, because I'm shy and extremely nervous about coming on a podcast. Plus, I'm not a great talker or a great conversationalist. What if I bomb?
The thing I love about this podcast is how it always seems to sell me on the movie, no matter what it is. It's recapped in great detail, so you never leave an episode thinking "sounds interesting, but what the heck is it about?" This actually happens in a few other podcasts further down on my list. It seems like they talk about everything in the movie except what it is actually about.
Mario does a great job at selling me on the majority of these movies, even ones I've already seen before. For example, I just listened to the American Pie episode. I saw that movie once when I was a teen, and I haven't had much desire to come back and watch it again. Now, I suddenly want to after listening to the episode. It's like this for pretty much every movie discussed on the podcast.
If you are a movie lover, I implore you to look no further than Staff Picks for your next movie podcast to listen to. It's easily the best movie pod in my rotation, and I am going to be sad when I'm all caught up and have nothing left to listen to. Hopefully Mario keeps churning out episodes so it can be on my ranking next year.
Last episode played: American Pie
Next episode in line: Fateful Findings
#3:
Fantasy Football Happy Hour
with Matthew Berry
For the second year in a row, Fantasy Football Happy Hour comes in at #3 on my list. There's not much else to say that I didn't say the last time. It's fun. It's informative. It just feels like I'm hanging out with a bunch of guys talking about fantasy football. A bunch of guys who are having a blast.
What sets it aside from the other fantasy football podcast I listen to, is that it doesn't take itself too seriously. It is more of a casual look at fantasy football, focusing on players skill sets, coaching, and specific player driven situations. It's not analytics driven, and it doesn't focus on things like 40 speed and RAS score and that kind of thing. It doesn't seem like they watch a whole lot of tape. Or maybe they do, and it doesn't come across like they do. It seems more like they're just watching football, sharing their observations, and having fun. Lots of jokes, lots of life stories.
Occasionally there are guests on the pod. I always enjoy Super Bowl week, and how they do the shows live from the venue. They'll just be doing an episode and oh look here's Christian McCaffrey popping into say hello and play beer pong with the guys. During the season, the podcast really pumps out a lot of episodes. And I am sure by sheer volume this is one of the podcasts in my rotation I listen to the most. I don't have time to listen to every episode, though. Especially in the middle of the season, when I am falling behind and there are 6 episodes in my download list. I often trim it down to the 2 most recent episodes and delete the rest. I just don't have time to listen to every episode they put out there.
But yeah. This is a great podcast. I can put it on any time, anywhere, and I know I'm going to have fun. What more can you ask for?
Last episode played: Daniel Jones, Romeo Doubs headline more free agency deals + Kyler Murray bound for the Vikings?
Next episode in line: Broncos trade for Jaylen Waddle + Connor's Top 10 Prospect Positional Rankings
#4:
The Cartridge Club
Hosted by Rocket Sauce, Musty Hobbit, and a rotating crew of cohosts
Here's another consistent finisher in my ranking: The Cartridge Club at #4. They finished in 4th last year, as well. So my 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place finishers from last year all placed the same again this year. That must be really exciting for you, the reader. At least it shows that my tastes haven't changed much in the last year.
I feel as if I've really hit the prime part of the Cartridge Club podcast. The weekly episodes are over. I felt that they kind of watered things down a bit. CC Portable was really good, although it is coming to an end where I am in my chronological playthrough of the episodes. That's kind of sad. Curtiss is an amazing host, and I liked hearing about all these handheld games I missed out on as a kid. I never had a Game Boy, Game Gear, or anything like that growing up, so many of these titles are brand new to me.
But the meat and potatoes of the podcast are the game of the month episodes. I like how different people from all walks of life, with various differing opinions of the game are always brought on. The episodes never seem like an echo chamber. Everyone is always honest and passionate about their opinions, which is great to see.
One of the side effects of this podcast is how I've developed favorite hosts. P1, P2, and Curtiss will always be my favorites, but I've listened to so many great cohosts over the years, like Mr and Mrs QDawg, Church, Musty Hobbit, Rocket Sauce, Captain Algebra, Caleb J Ross, Round 2 Gaming, Matt Bandy, etc. I'm not really too big of a part of the CC community, but I am on the Discord. All of these fine folks have helped make this one of the more enjoyable podcasts I listen to. The only thing I'm sad about is that it appears I missed the heyday of this podcast. It seems like things were really active and hopping in the Cartridge Club back in like 2019/2020, but it has died down quite a bit in recent years - right around the time I discovered the pod. I guess I drove everyone away.
Last episode played: Cartridge Club Summer of Games 2020 - EA Play and MORE!
Next episode in line: Gears of War - Cartridge Club - ep. 82
#5:
Collateral Gaming Video Game Podcast
Hosted by Ashley Chancellor, Beau Maddox, Megan Gomez, Zachary Guillot, Dan Rockwood, and guests
Smoke it if you got it! Collateral Gaming continues to hang around the top of my podcast ranking. It moves up from #6 last year to #5 this year.
Collateral Gaming is an OG member of my podcast rotation. I remember looking through my podcast app back in like 2021. I was at a tire store getting one of my tires changed after a flat. I wanted to listen to something new, so I randomly downloaded an episode of Collateral Gaming. It coincidentally turned out to be one of Ash's few solo podcasts, talking about his favorite Zelda dungeons. I don't remember it being a particularly great episode, but it was enough to get me to download episode 1 of Collateral Gaming and start from the beginning when I got home.
I've worked through all the episodes and I am now caught up in real time. Luckily, the pod still comes out with new episodes fairly regularly. One of the reasons I am thankful for the podcast is that it is my finger on the pulse of modern gaming. My newest system is a PS4, and I haven't purchased a "new" game since I bought the Resident Evil 2 Remake on day one back in 2019. That was 7 years ago, in case you are keeping track. I enjoy hearing about all the games I haven't had the chance to play, like Metroid Prime 4, the Switch Zelda games, Silent Hill 2 remake, Ghost of Yotei, Clair Obscur, Death Stranding 2, etc.
Not to say retro games are ignored. The last year or so has been great for retro games on the pod. I told Ash, I always like it when Beau picks the games. I think he and I are of a similar age, and we tend to share a lot of the same tastes when it comes to games. Not movies, though, but we'll get to that later.
The hosts are probably my favorite thing about this pod. Everyone on this podcast brings something unique to the table. Beau is the cool stoner, Zach is your average guy, Dan brings the professionalism, and Megan brings the energy. Everyone compliments each other in so many different ways. And then there is Ash, the main host. I've always liked Ash as a human being. There's something about him that I relate to. On the surface he may seem like a nice, generic host. But he's a very complex individual that paints an interesting story of his life through the thoughts and experiences he shares not only on this podcast, but on Collateral Cinema as well. I think I said this last year as well, but I am oddly fascinated by him and his life. But not in a creepy, stalker way. I just legitimately find him and his life very interesting.
Last episode played: Ep 61: Digital Pictures' Night Trap
Next episode in line: Whatever is released next, maybe a Vandal Hearts episode?
Please don't sue us, we're poor,
And fuck Dakota.
#6:
The Losers' Club
Hosted by Randall Colburn, Dan Caffrey, McKenzie and Justin Gerber, and more!
The Losers' Club is on the rise, moving up from #8 to #6 on my list this year. This podcast has powered its way up the list through sheer volume. My original plan with my podcast rotation was to have two Stephen King pods going at the same time: this one and the Stephen King Cast. I would listen to the episodes in order of the subject material. Like, I listen to the Stephen King Cast episodes on Carrie. Then I move over to the Losers Club. Then I do the Stephen King Cast episodes on Salem's Lot. Then I move over to the Losers Club, etc.
But the problem with this plan is that The Losers Club has spread its wings A LOT over the years as I've listened to the pod. It doesn't just cover King's work in chronological order anymore. There are sooooo many side episodes, like Hollywood King episodes, King-adjacent episodes (like In the Mouth of Madness and Jurassic Park), interviews with directors and producers of King works, interviews with authors who were inspired by Stephen King, reviews of Joe Hill books, in-depth looks at movie trailers whenever a new King work comes out, etc. Just lots and lots of extra content, most of which is absent from the Stephen King Cast. So now things have slowed to a crawl on that side of things. I have to power through about 10 episodes of The Losers Club before I can listen to even 1 of the King Cast.
But that's not really a problem. The more episodes, the merrier. This podcast has really grown on me. It took long enough. I've only been listening to it for 5 years now. But I love it. The hosts are great. I love the recurring jokes and all the call backs which I wouldn't have noticed if I didn't start this podcast from the beginning. Chambray shirts, jahoobies, Cooj, the T knocks, relentlessly mocking child actors. I could go on and on. I also have to say, I always look forward to "The Kingies" episodes. Those are just so incredibly fun to me.
Where am I in the pod? I just finished the episode on Black House, which they recorded in 2022. So I am still 4 years behind in real time. I look forward to continuing on this journey. Pretty soon (ish) we'll be approaching the end of the Dark Tower series. This is one of the main reasons I even started listening to King podcasts is my love for the Dark Tower.
Anyway, thank you to all at The Losers Club for the fine work you do. This podcast has been a mainstay in my life for five years now, and it looks like it is not going anywhere for a long time.
Last episode played: Black House
Next episode in line: Stephen Graham Jones on My Heart is a Chainsaw, Scream, and Stephen King
#7:
The FF Dynasty
Hosted by Casey, Chev, and other cohosts
What... is.... good?
This is a fairly decent rise for the FFD, as it was only #10 on my list last year. If I had made this list back in, say, July or August of last year, this would have ranked much higher. But I find that my interest in listening to a devoted dynasty podcast like this actually wanes a bit in the middle of the NFL season.
That seems a little strange, right? You'd think I would listen to more dynasty stuff as the games are actually being played. But it was the opposite for me. I preferred to listen to Fantasy Football Happy Hour more during the season. The episodes are quick, entertaining, and the fantasy evaluation is short and to the point. But this pod takes a more dry and meticulous approach that didn't quite work for me during the season. But after the season? This is where I find myself enjoying this podcast the most.
The amount of research these guys do is incredible. I get 100% of my dynasty information on rookies and young guys coming into the league from this podcast. It's not just the top guys like Jeremiyah Love and Carnell Tate that they talk about (although they do talk about these guys). It is the "other guys" that make this podcast worth listening to. I would have never heard of Mike Washington or Ted Hurst or Eli Stowers or Chris Bell if it wasn't for this podcast. That's where this pod has the definite leg up on Fantasy Football Happy Hour, which is more for "casuals" than anyone else (although would a casual really be listening to a fantasy football podcast?). When it comes to dynasty, this podcast is the real deal. That's probably why I like listening to it more in the offseason. It fills that void where there is no football going on. It gives you something to look forward to in rookie dynasty drafts. It fills my head with player names and positions, where they should be drafted, what their values are, etc. There are days I can't get dynasty football off my mind, and this podcast is a big part of that.
Last episode played: Post NFL Combine Rookie Mock Draft 2026
Next episode in line: NFL Free Agency Review (EVERYTHING'S CHANGED!)
#8:
Retronauts
Hosted by Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, and others
This was the closest call so far on my list. You could easily flip flop Retronauts and The Retrograde, which finished 9th, with each other, and both placements would be fine with me. It came down to a simple matter of preference.
Retronauts is a more historical dive into the history of gaming. Each episode covers a franchise, a single game, a console, or a particular era in gaming. You're not really here for humor or to be entertained by the personality of the hosts. This is a much more dry podcast, like you are attending a class in school and it is about video games. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to go to a class like that. But when I am looking over my list of downloaded podcast episodes, I am more likely to pick something more fun like Retrovaniacs or The Cartridge Club than this.
But that doesn't mean I don't like it. 8th out of 19 podcasts is pretty darn good. Plus, I am not forcing myself to listen to every single episode in this show's backlog, like I am for most of the other podcasts I listen to. There are over 800 hundred episodes listed. I will never be able to listen to all those. I will only pick and choose the ones that sound interesting to me. I am allowing myself to skip over episodes that I don't really care about (for example, episodes about systems like the ZX Spectrum and gaming franchises I've never played or heard of).
This is a podcast that won't be going anywhere for a long time. Even though it may not always be the first podcast I'd choose when perusing my list of options, I always end up enjoying it when I do listen to it.
Last episode played: Episode 114: Gradius
Next episode in line: Episode 115: Food Mascot Games
#9:
The Retrograde: A Video Game Podcast
Hosted by Andrew Bascom and Mikey Ehrenworth
I feel kind of bad about this. Not only has the Retrograde been an OG mainstay in my podcast rotation, it's always consistently been one of my favorite podcasts in the rotation. But if you've been paying attention to my rankings the last few years, it has really started to slip its way down the charts. It went from a podcast that would normally be #2 or #3 on my list to #5 last year. And now it slips even further, all the way down to #9. Ouch. What happened?
Simple. It just hasn't been quite hitting the spot when it comes to scratching that retro gaming itch. It often seems like it is more about the hosts being funny and making jokes than it is about the subject matter. They have also begun to stray from their classic 16-bit rating strategy. To demonstrate the point, here is a brief glance at some of my recently played episodes: Super Mario Bros Movie Review, Top 5 Mario Appearances in a Non-Mario Game, Top 10 Greatest Weapons in Games, Gaming's Hottest Takes, Last of Us Season Finale Review, Top 5 Video Game Crushes of All Time, etc. None of these are classic retro game reviews. Then they keep playing non-retro stuff like Dream Daddy and KFC Dating Simulator. And for the love of Christ: please stop talking about Overwatch.
I still love this podcast, and despite what I said earlier, I enjoy the hosts and their very unique personalities. They operate so differently from pretty much ever other podcast host in my rotation. Every time I fire up an episode, I know I am not going to be bored. There is always going to be something in the episode that makes me laugh. Just please get back to retro gaming reviews.
Last episode played: Super Mario World
Next episode in line: Top 10 Villains in Video Games
#10:
Collateral Cinema
Hosted by Beau Maddox, Robert Ortegon, and Ashley Chancellor
Collateral Cinema moves up two spots in my ranking this year, from #12 to #10. Of all the podcasts I listen to, this is the one that feels the most like hanging out with a group of buds and shooting the shit. The hosts are very chill and down to earth. They have a good sense of humor. It's the sister podcast to Collateral Gaming, which you noticed earlier on the list. The hosts often migrate back and forth between shows and appear on each other's pods. The real consistent one is Ash, who is almost always on every episode for each podcast.
The reason this one ranks a little lower is the subject matter. There are so many movies selected that I simply do not care about, yet the completionist in me compels me to listen to each one. Lots of anime, Japanese horror films, B-Slasher movies, oddball stoner movies, and that kind of thing. Most of the time when I listen to these episodes, I am just kind of zoning out. This is more of a podcast for people who already like these kinds of movies The hosts do not a great job of selling me on them.
When they do talk about movies I know, I love it. I noticed they recently did episodes on Evil Dead and Dead Alive. Normally, I listen to the episodes in order of publication. But I did decide to skip ahead and listen to these ones, simply because they are two giant influential movies from my youth. And these episodes were great, because I knew what they were talking about and I had the same reverence for them that the hosts did.
One thing I don't understand is the need for spoiler free episodes. If someone doesn't want to be spoiled on a movie, they shouldn't listen to a fucking podcast episode about it. That's always something that has bothered me. Like the recent collab episode with Collateral Gaming about the Silent Hill movie. They had to walk on eggshells around plot details. Just tell us what happened, yo. But these spoiler free episodes are few and far between, so I won't nitpick too much.
I still have a ton of episodes to listen to. Don't be too surprised if this podcast makes its way up my list a little bit higher next year. I really like the hosts, and I feel like I know them the best out of the other podcast hosts I listen to. But the problem is that while I may connect with them I don't always connect to the subject matter. Maybe that will change in the future.
Last episode played: Ep 64: Thomas Schlamme's So I Married an Axe Murderer
Next episode in line: 4/20 Special: Charles Band's Evil Bong
#11:
Arcade Attack
Hosted by Keith, Adrian, Dillon, and James
This is another podcast I feel guilty about ranking so low. I really love Arcade Attack. I feel as if this podcast should be much higher than #11. It's more about the quality of the podcasts above it than it is about this podcast itself. I feel like when I am looking through my list of pod episodes to listen to, this is always one of the lowest ones on my list. Again, not because I don't like it, but because other podcasts call out to me much more!
The main episodes are my favorite, but recently they have been very chaotic and out of control. Seems like each episode devolves into the hosts talking and chatting over each other at a hundred words a minute. It makes me feel like my head is whipping back and forth at a tennis match. Not only is it chaotic, but each episode is filled with lots of inside jokes followed by maniacal laughing. I feel like this podcast started out pretty well at bringing you into the "friend group", but it has gotten a lot more self indulgent lately. But then every once in a while they release an episode like the Metal Slug episode I recently listened to, and it reminds me once again of how much I love this podcast. More of that please!
The interview episodes are much more calm and gathered, but they still are not my favorite. I like getting so much behind the scenes scoop from industry insiders, but a lot of these people are not natural storytellers, resulting in some very boring episodes.
Again, I feel bad ranking this podcast so low. The main host Adrian is a stand up guy, and he's reached out to me about my feedback from these rankings in the past. I feel like he's going to be disappointed to read this. All I can say is that I plan to stick with this podcast. I know that they take a break around episode 300, regroup, and come back about a year later. Maybe I just need to get to that little break and hope that the hosts hitting the refresh button is exactly what is needed to get the pod on track for me.
Last episode played: Metal Slug
Next episode in line: Robocop - The Good, The Bad & The Ugggggllyyy
#12:
Creepy: A Horror Podcast
Hosted by Jon Grilz
This is a relatively new podcast in my rotation. I only started listening to it in February, when I had a few days at home to myself. I figured it would be a good thing to put on and listen to while I was cleaning out the house and my storage unit. I quickly fell down the rabbit hole of stories to listen to, from Smile Dog to Dead Bart to Ted the Caver to Squidward's Su!cide.
This is the perfect fiction podcast for me, because the episodes are so short. It is easy to stay focused on them. I've tried listening to longer novels or works of fiction through audio books, and my mind always wanders. But not here. Each episode is only ten minutes or so long. Some are shorter and some are longer. But it is perfect for me.
The stories themselves are a mixed bag. Some are really good, like the ones I listed above. Some are downright terrible. You never know what you're going to get when you turn one of these on. But for the most part, they have been pretty good. I can't wait to listen to more!
Last episode played: The Theater
Next episode in line: Annora Petrova
#13:
Unsolved Mysteries
Hosted by Steve French
We're approaching the end of an era, here. I only have two episodes of this podcast left, and then I am all caught up and done with it forever. My history with this podcast has been hot and cold. Sometimes I get into a groove and I can binge several episodes of this in a row. Other times it winds up buried in my rotation and I don't listen to an episode of it for weeks on ends.
Admittedly, some of these mysteries have been kind of underwhelming. The TV show usually does a good job presenting creepy, unsolved cases that seem to defy logic. They really get your brain working overtime, trying to wrap your mind about what could have happened. The episodes of the podcast are more straightforward. For example, they often know the killer, but then the killer disappears and is not seen again. That's the mystery. Where did the killer go? To me, that is not very compelling. I like ones that challenge you and really make you think about the how and why of things.
That said, this was always a podcast I could put on whenever I was in the mood for something grim to listen to. I guess that is probably why I started listening to the Creepy podcast - to fill the upcoming void of creepy material that Unsolved Mysteries will leave behind. I'll miss you, Unsolved Mysteries. May this podcast make a roaring comeback someday.
Last episode played: Jacob's Last Drive
Next episode in line: Double Murder on the Fifth Floor
#14:
The 7th Rule: A Star Trek Podcast
Hosted by Cirroc Lofton and Ryan T Husk
I once had hopes that I would catch up with this podcast in real time before they reached the end of their Next Generation rewatch. Looks like that is not going to happen. As of the time of this writing, they are up to season 6, episode 17 of the show. I am only up to season 4, episode 18 of the podcast. I'm quite far behind.
The 7th Rule was initially started with Aron Eisenberg (AKA Nog from Deep Space Nine) as one of the main hosts. But unfortunately, he passed away back in 2019. The cohosts have kept the podcast going, as they watch through the entire catalog of The Next Generation episodes. Cirroc (AKA Jake from Deep Space Nine) has never seen TNG before, so he is seeing this all for the first time.
This journey through the Next Generation has been so fun to listen to. Denise Crosby was a regular guest on season 1, when Tasha Yar was still on the show. She was a lot of fun. It was a blast listening to her insider knowledge of the workings of the show, even if she didn't remember a lot of things.
My interest in the podcast has waned off and on the last few years. At one point I was nearing the end of season 2, and they had just started season 4. So I thought I could catch up. But now I find myself farther behind than ever. It's probably just because I have so many other podcasts to listen to. Plus, I haven't really been that gung ho or excited for Star Trek in a long time. I don't even know when I've last seen a Next Generation episode.
This is always a pleasant podcast to listen to. It's a bunch of dorks hanging around and talking about Trek. I like the rotating panel of guests. I've heard those names spoken so many times now, I can essentially recite them along with the host, Ryan. Speaking of Ryan, I enjoy the sports references, like to Dikembe Mutombo and random baseball players. I feel like most Star Trek geeks wouldn't understand these references, but I do. I like the limericks, Jake Sisko guessing the IMDB score, all that kind of stuff. This podcast has such a strong and unique identity, and you can really tell that the hosts and the panelists have a sense of community among them.
I look forward to listening to more of this podcast. Its low ranking has nothing to do with its quality. More like I am really just not feeling Trek much these days.
Last episode played: The Flying Counselor w/ Ace Hatem. TNG 4.17 "Night Terrors" T7R #310
Next episode in line: Tech Difficulties w/ Michael Westmore. TNG 4.18 "Identity Crisis" T7R #311
#15:
Stephen King Cast
Hosted by Constant Reader
Every year, I feel like I am under ranking the Stephen King Cast. This year is no different. There is no way this can only be the 15th best podcast in my rotation, right? I love the Stephen King Cast. One man and his snoring dog's musings on the works of Stephen King. The episodes are quick, informative, and easy to digest. I always look forward when this podcast's turn comes up in my rotation.
The problem is that this podcast been completely swallowed up by The Losers Club. I am trying to listen to episodes on all of King's books and movies in order, switching back and forth between the two pods to get two different perspectives on things. The problem with this is that The Losers Club has soooo many more episodes. I have to listen to about ten of them before I can move on with one episode of the King Cast. And as a result, it feels like I barely ever get to listen to this podcast.
Another reason it ranks so low is because of the rearranging that was done on the podcast feed, which started within the last two months. Admittedly, this is a petty reason on my behalf. I had been listening in order, and I was up to episode 83. Then, all of a sudden, the episode order got rearranged. I suddenly found myself on episode 170 something. So now I have to go back through all the old episodes and make sure that future episodes weren't moved behind ones I've already listened to. I've already noticed a few glaring changes that are going to drive my OCD brain nuts. For example, the episodes on It: Welcome to Derry are now earlier in the feed than they would have been normally. So I am going to have to backtrack from where I am right now to listen to them and then hop back into my normal rotation. Look, I know the host did this to group all the King projects together, but it is making my chronological listen-through quite difficult to keep track of.
The good news is that we are slowly approaching what I consider to be the heart of Stephen King's work: the conclusion of the Dark Tower series. The Dark Tower was the reason I decided to listen to two Stephen King podcasts to begin with. I'm a Tower head, and it has been many years since I've read through the series. I not only wanted a reminder of how great the books are, but I also wanted to listen to a super in-depth analysis that ties everything together. I'm getting there, but it sure is taking its sweet time.
Last episode played: Episode 174 - Bonus: Black House, Dark Tower
Next episode in line: Episode 175 - From a Buick 8
#16:
Post Show Recaps: The White Lotus
Hosted by: Ariel and Dr. Amanda
I always enjoy having a good ole Post Show Recap podcast somewhere in my rotation. One thing I like about PSR is how it was essentially formed around Survivor. All of the hosts have seen Survivor before. The big guy Rob has been on it before. It doesn't matter what PSR you are watching, there are always going to be Survivor jokes and references, and I love it. I was just thinking the other day. It's nice listening to a podcast where the hosts constantly make references that most people wouldn't understand, but I get 100%. Everything is Survivor flavored, and it makes me feel like I'm in the know. This comes into extra focus with this podcast, which covers The White Lotus. It was created by Mike White, a Survivor contestant, so of course Survivor is going to be referenced quite often.
Let me tell you why this is so low on my ranking. Most of the time when I listen to Post Show Recaps, it is so I can get more insight on the episodes and for the hosts to point out critical things I may have missed the first time around. But The White Lotus is a pretty straightforward show. There isn't as much to discuss as there would be for a show like, say, The Leftovers. There isn't much to interpret. So I feel as if this podcast is a bit lacking, not because of the hosts, but because of the subject matter itself. I watched The White Lotus. I enjoyed it. Do I really need to listen to two hour-and-a-half long podcast episodes recapping each episode of season 2? There are only 7 episodes of the actual show, translating to about 7 hours of screen time. Listening to 3 hours of analysis for each 1 hour episode seems like overkill to me.
That being said, I am almost done with this podcast, as there are no episodes covering season 3. I think PSR was disbanded in between seasons 2 and 3, so they never got around to it. That is very sad. I will have to pick a new PSR to add to my rotation soon. I'm going to aim for something that is more open to interpretation this time around. Something that can really generate some interesting discussion. I think Dark is that podcast. But it's been so long since I've seen that show. I feel like I'd need to rewatch it to follow along and remember what they are talking about. I guess we'll see. Maybe I'll do Better Call Saul. That's been on my list for a while. Lost, as well. Decisions, decisions.
Last episode played: Season 2 Episode 6 Feedback, 'Abductions'
Next episode in line: Season 2 Episode 7 Finale Recap 'Arrivederci'
#17:
Looking Back at Lost
Hosted by Matt Lafferty
I just recently started rewatching the show Lost. Lost is an all-time favorite of mine, and I used to obsess over this show weekly in the mid 2000s. I wanted a good companion podcast to listen to, in conjunction with the show... something that analyzed all the little Easter Eggs the show leaves for you. Looking Back at Lost was one that earned high praise, so I decided to check it out. It is only so low on the list because I just started listening to it. I've only listened to 7 episodes at the time of this writing.
It seems good so far, but 7 episodes is a small sample size to go on. Episodes are 30ish minutes long, so it is nice and brisk. There's no fat to trim. It's focused and on target. It assumes you've already seen the show, and it points out clues and hints that may be important later on down the road. It's a very straightforward and no-nonsense dive into each episode of the show. It's also very dry. Hopefully the host can find a way to inject some life into the podcast, and this changes sometime soon.
There is really not much I have to go on at this point. I am going to make the prediction that this podcast finishes much higher on my ranking next year, assuming I don't finish it completely in the meantime.
Last episode played: 107 - "The Moth"
Next episode in line: 108 - "Confidence Man"
#18:
Sega Saturn, Shiro
Hosted by Patrick and Saturn Dave
After a brief resurgence on my ranking last year, Sega Saturn, Shiro drops all the way down to 18th on my list in 2025. Second to last place. Ouch.
The reason it ranks so low is because I've gotten everything out of this podcast that I wanted to get out of it. I've listened to all the mainline and Editor's Corner episodes. Originally, I had skipped over all the weekly episodes. But now that all I have left are weekly episodes, I have come back and started listening to them in order. But to be honest, I am not a huge fan of the weekly episodes. Lots of technical mumbo jumbo, and lots of talk about "projects" people are working on (only for me to never hear about any of these projects again).
The only reason I am keeping this podcast in my rotation is because I am a big Saturn fan myself. There's still a large chunk of the system's library I haven't been able to play yet. Some notable titles include Shining Force III and Panzer Dragoon Saga. I am going to keep listening until the pod tells me how to get my hands on these games and play them without having to spend hundreds of dollars on original copies. I'm still not too familiar with Saroo and Satiator and some of the emulation devices they talk about, but the idea of these devices intrigues me. The ability to pop something into your Saturn and be able to play every single game in the console's library? Yes please! I guess I'll keep listening, and eventually I'll make my move on one of these devices once I become more familiar with them and how to operate them. Right now, I'm still in the dark on them. I know what they do, but I don't know the logistics of them or how they work, or what I have to do once I buy one. Techie stuff is above my paygrade, and I'm worried they'll be too complicated for me to get going. I need something I can plug in and play. And that's what I am holding out hope of word for one day.
Last episode played: Live Show: May 21, 2021 - Pseudo Saturn Kai v6.437, DIY Taisen Link Cable, Doom Link Cable Support
Next episode in line: Live Show: May 28, 2021 - Sonic Central, Virtua Fighter Remake, DIY Taisen Cable
#19:
Ear Biscuits
Hosted by Rhett and Link
Poor Ear Biscuits It seems like it is dead last nearly every single year I do this ranking. It's not even that I don't like the podcast or I have something against Rhett and Link. I clearly don't, or I wouldn't be listening to them. The problem is that I want MORE Rhett and Link. I want to hear heartfelt stories where they share childhood memories and make us laugh, that kind of thing. Right now, all they are doing is interviewing other YouTube stars. To be frank: I don't really care about other YouTube stars or personalities. I am here for Rhett and Link.
The fact that I've been listening to this for about four years now and I'm only on episode 71 probably says a lot. I'm barely listening to 20 episodes a year. I generally only listen to an episode when it falls to the very bottom of my downloaded list - meaning it has been sitting there the longest. I'm sure someday the switch will click in my brain, and I'll start enjoying this podcast more. But that will probably happen only when these darn interviews are over with. Which should be soon.
Last episode played: Ep. 70 Sorted Food
Next episode in line: Ep. 71 Epic Lloyd
BUT WAIT
Here is an honorable mention for podcasts I recently finished or caught up with:
The Left Right Game
The Retro Blast
Survivor Historians
Retro Blast won my list last year, and easily could have had a top 5 finish this year, but they didn't meet my criteria, as I've listened to every episode, and a new one hasn't come out in the last 30 days.
The Left Right Game was meh. Survivor Historians has (I think) one episode left and then it is done for good. It is the OG podcast of all podcasts that I've listened to, as it started me on this track back in 2020 when I listened to the first episode of Historians while taking my newborn for a walk in his stroller. When that episode drops, it is going to be a sad, yet happy moment.
ALSO
With Unsolved Mysteries, Staff Picks, and PSR: The White Lotus almost finished in my rotation, I am going to need a few more podcasts to add to the rotation. Some under consideration are:
Post Show Recaps: Dark
Post Show Recaps: Better Call Saul
Post Show Recaps: Lost
Post Show Recaps: Rings of Power (season 2, I already listened to season 1)
DrunkFriend
3 Guys and a Flick Movie Reviews
Now Playing: The Movie Review Podcast
Secret Levels: Retro Game Reviews
Secret Levels: Retro Game Reviews
Genesis Gems Retro Gaming Podcast
Digging Dexter
Classic Gaming Today: A Retro Gaming Podcast
Dispatches from Myrtle Beach
Serial
ROM of the Week
Gates McFadden Investigates
I Finally Watched...
Gaslight
Kingslingers: A Dark Tower Podcast
I could also use another Survivor podcast to listen to. I know there's a million out there. I should probably be listening to RHAP but I am one of those people who likes to start at the beginning, and none of the podcast feeds I follow go back that far.
Any suggestions?
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If you are curious, here are the past editions of my podcast rankings:
For a complete index of all my past posts and game reviews, click
>HERE<
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