Breaking down beats Fiction podcasts worth bingeing

Rebecca van Besouw

Many students know the pain of being stuck without any entertainment during loadshedding, or the boredom that comes with commuting to university. Luckily for those who just need something engaging to listen to while walking, doing mindless chores or sitting in the dark, fiction podcasts have plenty to offer. Most fiction podcasts tell episodic stories that include horror, science fiction, fantasy or mystery elements, making them perfect to download and binge while on the go. Here are five of the best from various genres:

1) The Magnus Archives

Archivist Jonathan Sims works at the Magnus Institute, a research institution in London that investigates paranormal occurrences. The podcast takes the form of his recorded notes as he works through the archives, recounting strange events and eventually discovering that the institute itself may be harbouring dangerous secrets. The Magnus Archives strikes the perfect balance between intriguing and creepy, with a slow-burn plot that will hook any listener.

2) The Amelia Project

The Amelia Project concerns an agency that offers its clients an unusual service – faking their deaths and providing new identities for them to assume. The podcast consists of interviews with clients, highlighting the absurdities of their current lives and their desperation for a fresh start with biting wit that anyone with a dark sense of humour will appreciate.

3) Alice Isn’t Dead

A truck driver on a road trip across the United States searches for her missing wife, who she knows is, in fact, not dead. Along the way, she encounters strangers in diners, a small town lost in time and a dark conspiracy that stretches beyond her wife’s disappearance. It is a chilling mystery that paints a vivid picture of the deserted American road.

4) Wolf 359

Doug Eiffel is the communications officer in the USS Hephaestus, a space station orbiting a red dwarf star. Eternally bored in his position, Doug spends most of his time annoying his crewmates and looking for ways to avoid responsibility. However, he and the rest of the crew soon learn that their survey mission has deeper implications for their survival. Science fiction fans will love the isolated space setting and the dysfunctional cast of characters.

5) Critical Role

Critical Role is perhaps the most popular piece of media that utilises tabletop roleplaying games to tell stories. The cast primarily plays Dungeons & Dragons and has finished two long-running campaigns with a third currently underway – all of which include thrilling adventures, dangerous magic and a cast of loveable adventurers played by some of the most talented voice actors in the business. Anyone interested in captivating fantasy storytelling, or D&D in general, should give this a chance.

Images: Wikipedia, ameliaproject.com, and spotify.com

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