I occasionally like to mention the podcasts I'm listening to. Podcasts primarily rely on word-of-mouth, so hopefully these choices will influence a few people, one way or the other. In a slight change, they're in descending order (1-10):
1. Mark Kermode (Five Live) I love this podcast. It's become a sign that the working week is over for me. Simon Mayo and Mark Kermode make for an enjoyable double-act (Mayo pricking film critic Kermode's ego, elitism and pretentiousness) as they run through the box-office top 10 and review the week's new releases. The specials (interviews with directors, writers and actors) are also very good. Lots of quirkiness and injokes, such as the alternate names for bad actors (Ikea Knightley, etc.) Good fun, a popular film podcast, and listened to be celebs like Jason Isaacs ("hello!"), David Morrissey, Stephen Fry, and others. So good that Mayo and Kermode have recently started doing their shtick as a ten-minute segment on BBC's The Culture Show.
2. /Filmcast. I've only started downloading this in the past 5 months, or so, but it's definitely one of the best podcasts around for film fans. Every week, David Chen, Devindra Hardawar, Adam Quigley (and a different guest) discuss movie news, what they've been watching, and the week's big film release. It's an easy listen, pretty funny, quite informative at times, and the guest reviewers (other online critics or celebs) are good value. They also flag spoilers, helpfully. There's also a follow-up podcast called After Dark, which is arguably better because it's more freewheeling and includes television.
3. Adam & Joe (Six Music) Their '90s show was great fun, but this double-act never got the break they deserved. Their brand of homespun comedy is all the rage 10 years later, thanks to YouTube. On radio in the '00s, they're just as good, and put a phenomenal amount of work into each episode. The "Song Wars" feature alone must take days for them to compose and record, and they even accompany some of their spoof songs with animated videos. Check out the Quantum Of Solace and Australia ditties. Oh, and: Stephen!
4. Scene/Unseen Movie Reviews. I sometimes find myself irritated by this podcast, actually, because the American reviewers (Chris and Jimmy) have opinions and tastes I don't always agree with (both hate fantasy films, Jimmy won't watch animated "talking animal" movies). But, the concept of the podcast is very good: Chris watches a movie, Jimmy doesn't, and they create a film review based on their differing vantage points. L.A-based, it's also attracted a few celebs their way (David Lynch, David Fincher, Seth Rogen, Kevin Smith) and is always quite informative. Although I do kinda prefer it when Jimmy goes on holiday and they get some guests to replace him! Sorry, Jimmy.
5. Scott Mills Daily (Radio 1) This wouldn't be so high if I listened to Scott Mills' drive-time show, as it's just a highlights package, but it's one of the more enjoyable podcasts if you haven't heard the content. Scott, Chappers and Becky are the trio behind a mix of games, interviews, and banter. Typical Radio 1 fluff; good fun, hilarious at times, with plenty of recurring gags/catchphrases ("a horse for one bin!") and a few inventive ideas.
6. The Official Lost Podcast/The Lost Initiative. The oficial ABC podcast (presented by Lost execs Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof) is very good, but suffers slightly from the fact the creators are wary of revealing too much, and certainly won't go into speculation about the show (for obvious reasons!) The Lost Initiative is UK-based, presented by Iain Lee, and I find it more entertaining in many ways. Each episode is torn apart and picked over at the Sky1 pace, with interesting theories, enjoyable banter and phone calls. Both great podcasts for fans of the show -- although, technically, the Initiative is now a vodcast and only available through the Sky1 website.
7. Iain Lee (Absolute Radio) A two-hour phone-in show that takes awhile to get into, but can provide dumb, silly entertainment. It's mainly an outlet for oddball listeners to call up and spout inane nonsense; it's the audio equivalent of the X Factor auditions round, in that enjoyment comes from laughing at numbskulls. And there's not as much singing. It's so weird that even a fake regular (octogenarian Bob From Watford) fits in perfectly, and has become a cult character in his own right with stage appearances and an occasional slot on Radio 2's Steve Wright Show.
8. Chris Moyles (Radio 1) Another highlights package of the week's morning shows, so it's rather tedious if you're a regular listener to BBC Radio 1 every day. But, as the flagship show, there are big-name guests and an enjoyable zoo-style from Chris and the gang. Interestingly, the intro and outro's for the podcast are the worst bit, and those are new content.
9. The Now Show / The News Quiz (Radio 4) Both shows are part of the "Friday Night Comedy" strand on R4, and can be pretty good. I'm not a big fan of The Now Show, really -- but The News Quiz is the audio equivalent of Have I Got News For You (not as funny, but more on-topic), so it's worth listening to.
10. Collings & Herrin. The least polished podcast on this chart (and perhaps anywhere in Podcastland?), writer/critic Andrew Collins and writer/comedian Richard Herring basically waffle on for 66 minutes about current affairs. It's uneven in quality, but that's part of its grubby charm. It's just two blokes, sat in an attic, putting the world to rights, taking the piss out of each other, venting their spleen, and occasionally delving into dark-but-cheeky territory. Infantile and increasingly meandering, but oddly compelling.
