My favorite TV show ever was “The Shield”, and it still holds up today. I would put it up against “Breaking Bad”, “Game Of Thrones”, and “The Wire”. It was a show that I enjoyed along with my wife and it was appointment viewing. We couldn’t wait to watch the recorded version. We had to see it in real time.
At that time podcasts were gaining ground but were nowhere near today’s popularity. And there certainly weren’t many podcasts on my radar that were taking on TV shows on an episode by episode basis. I could discuss the show happenings with my wife and that was about it. I am sure there were TV forums dissecting “The Shield” on a weekly basis, but I didn’t have time for that. A podcast that dove into the show on a deeper level would have made my favorite show even better. I can listen to podcasts as I do other tasks like work or exercise so there is no time costs like would have come from reading a message board.
Now there are tons of TV show podcasts. Some will just go over what happened each week and comment on each scene. Those are OK, but I like the podcasts that really dig into each episode of a great TV show. I want the hosts to point out things I failed to notice and show me the details and meanings I may have missed. And of course I want to be entertained along the way.
Of all the podcasts that I currently subscribe to, I usually put my TV podcasts at the top of my listening order. I love the NFL podcasts and a couple of business audio shows, but I will move them down on my playlist as soon as one of my favorite TV show podcasts is available. There is something about getting the extra entertainment after the TV episode ends. There is a lot to talk about after the credits roll on great television episodes.
The podcasts that interest me in the TV genre are not your run of the mill shows. I don’t need a recap of Teen Mom 2 or the latest idiotic reality show. If I get sucked into an episode of one of these shows that is quite enough punishment for me. I don’t need a podcast to extend my poor decision to watch such shows. I pay attention to the best TV show podcast recaps like “Game Of Thrones“, “Boardwalk Empire“, and “Breaking Bad” when it was on air. I even listen to a “Walking Dead” podcast even though I am lukewarm on that particular show. The “WD” recap I listen to on my iphone is sometimes better than the actual show for me.
The main podcast I listen to for television break downs is “Bald Move“. You can just search them on itunes or whatever podcatcher you may use. The hosts are just two regular guys who are good friends and love talking TV. They are very entertaining, insightful, and funny to boot. They recently went full time into podcasting, quitting their “real jobs” in order to do more shows. That is one of the coolest things I have ever heard. I would love to make a living talking with a buddy about weekly TV shows or movies.
If you are a real fan of the “Golden Age Of TV” that we are currently enjoying, make sure and take advantage of the podcasts that enhance the already awesome shows available. You will gain insights that you were not getting by watching alone. It is also a good way to join a community of listeners who are into the same type of shows that you love. Listener feedback is another great part of these podcasts. I love hearing people’s takes on what happened and what may happen next week. I also enjoy listeners who email the hosts with their disgust at plots that are not going like they would like. It is like they want to write the script and are upset when the real writers go away from the viewer’s desired set up. Let a popular character on a show get whacked and you will hear what I mean.
Download a few shows today. You’ll be glad you did. I don’t like a lot of chatter in the room when I am watching a good TV drama. But I love discussion after the episode goes off.
