Many of the podcasts that discuss TV do so from the perspective of reviewers or fans. Whenever a new season of a beloved series releases, there are myriad podcasts critiquing the episodes and celebrating them in equal measure. But, on occasion, there are some podcasts that serve as companion pieces to enhance a television experience.
Tie-in podcasts help promote the show, but they also help deepen the storytelling present within the fictional realm. Whether it's behind-the-scenes interviews that dive into how a show was made or a series of vignettes set in the same world as the show, TV tie-in podcasts always make for fun endeavors.
10 Bridgerton: The Official Podcast
One of the biggest new shows of 2021 has earned recognition in the audio medium, as well. Bridgerton: The Official Podcast breaks down all the episodes of Bridgerton from a number of different perspectives.
After all, so much goes into a television series. Music, set design, costumes, writing, acting. On this pod, from the official Shonda Rhimes empire, all is revealed in anticipation of forthcoming seasons.
9 The Chernobyl Podcast
While Netflix has made big splashes in podcasting before, it's HBO that tends to be on the ball with some of their more high-profile shows, especially the classic HBO miniseries. That's exactly the case for 2019's acclaimed Chernobyl series.
The Chernobyl Podcast was a short-run companion podcast that primarily focused on the stories and historical anecdotes that helped shape the series that eventually made its way to HBO. The best part is that the pod was led by veterans of the medium. NPR's Peter Sagal hosted in tandem with Chernobyl creator, Craig Mazin, who also hosts Scriptnotes.
8 The Official Watchmen Podcast
Another HBO audio foray that tied into another acclaimed 2019 HBO miniseries was The Official Watchmen Podcast. As the title suggests, the show dove deep into Watchmen, one of the most buzzed-about miniseries in recent memory.
Craig Mazin was also a part of this show, as he hosted the episodes that displayed a great deal of insight into how Watchmen was made, how it connected to its source material, and what Damon Lindelof had to say. Lindelof's perspective is always worth engaging with.
7 Zoo Town Podcast
Moving on to a 2020 miniseries, USA's Briarpatch never quite got the attention it deserved. Fortunately, though, USA put its full "Characters Welcome" weight behind the Andy Greenwald-Sam Esmail-Rosario Dawson collaboaration. This came in the form of the excellent Zoo Town Podcast.
Zoo Town embodied many of the tropes of the true-crime podcast genre, but spun them in the eccentric, off-kilter tone of Briarpatch. It served as a really thought-provoking and fun way to recap episodes and flesh out the community further.
6 Brooklyn Nine-Nine: The Podcast
This August, Brooklyn Nine-Nine will come to an end after an eight-season run that spanned both Fox and NBC. As one of the best network comedies in recent memory, the series deserves all the fanfare in its denouement and perhaps its official podcast will tie into that final arc, too.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine: The Podcast was a short-lived affair that only covered each season of the show, back in early 2020. It would definitely be welcome if the podcast did an episode-by-episode deep dive for season eight. Plus, as a bonus, the pod feed has a special Parks and Recreation roundtable, too.
5 The Crown: The Official Podcast
Back to Netflix, their top contender for an Outstanding Drama Series Emmy (it would be their first win) this year is The Crown. The ever-revolving period drama about British royalty has become a fascinating phenomenon in recent years.
Perhaps this has been buoyed somewhat by The Crown: The Official Podcast, which explores the true stories and the on-set stories associated with the prestige series. While a binge release of a season makes for tough podcasting companionship, it's worth a listen, if not only because top-tier show talents like Peter Morgan and Olivia Colman stop by.
4 Lovecraft Country Radio
A show like Lovecraft Country is perfectly suited to the podcasting treatment. After all, a true-crime homage for Briarpatch is a perfect marriage. So, too, is Lovecraft Country Radio, which was initially promoted as a small-town radio signal with some unsettling goings-on.
Over time, Lovecraft Country Radio evolved more to discuss each episode of the show, as opposed to spooky stories. But those discussions from Ashley C. Ford and Shannon Houston were some of the best television listens in 2020.
3 Late Night With Seth Meyers Podcast
A big departure from the horror dramas of HBO is the late-night talk shows of NBC. Yet, the Late Night with Seth Meyers team has created one of the best television companion podcasts around. The Late Night with Seth Meyers Podcast is a masterstroke in maintaining relevance for talk shows in the 2020s.
Because of how focused on conversation and dialogue Seth's edition of Late Night is, he translates perfectly into podcasting. The episodes include his "A Closer Look" segments, as well as interviews with guests like Ewan McGregor and Amy Poehler. Plus, there is always bonus audio for super-fans, which include behind-the-scenes chats and occasional "making of" discussions with Meyers and producer Mike Shoemaker.
2 For All Mankind: The Official Podcast
A show that has been surging in popularity and acclaim ever since its second season wrapped in April is Apple TV+'s For All Mankind. Fortunately, Apple jumped on the podcasting wagon with their space sci-fi series. They must have known what a hit they were about to have.
For All Mankind: The Official Podcast is hosted by one of the stars of the show, Krys Marshall (she plays Danielle Poole). While there are always interesting conversations to be had with the team behind the show, what sets this pod apart is that Marshall often speaks with real scientists and NASA staffers. It makes it that much more authentic.
1 The Good Place: The Podcast
For many, The Good Place: The Podcast really broke the mold of what a television tie-in podcast can be. Hosted by Marc Evan Jackson (he played Shawn), there is one podcast episode for every episode of The Good Place, with some occasional bonuses thrown in, too.
Each episode contains recaps of the show, interviews with everyone from creator Michael Schur to star Kristen Bell to writer Demi Adejuyigbe, and a segment entitled "What's Good?" that looks for positivity and optimism to be injected into each installment before signing off.
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