(Image via The Message podcast)
2.) The Message
To be fair, The Message is billed as a science fiction podcast. However, it is eerie enough to qualify for this list quite a few times over.
Presented by the Panoply podcast network and the GE Podcast Theater, this fiction podcast benefits from the professional backing of the two entities. From the website:
The Message is a new podcast following the weekly reports and interviews from Nicky Tomalin, who is covering the decoding of a message from outer space received 70 years ago. Over the course of 8 episodes, we get an inside look at a top team of cryptologists attempting to decode, and understand the alien message.
The Message has plenty of science fiction tropes, what with the aliens, mysterious sounds, and a race against the clock to cure a seemingly unbeatable disease. However, the horror of the disease and the downright creepiness of the message itself are sure to make you think twice when you hear some static on the radio. Plus, since this series is only eight episodes long, you can enjoy a well-told tale without reserving the next few years of your listening life.
Best episode
Yet again, I urge you to start at the beginning. Part of the fun of The Message comes from the slow build of the mystery and the character work that comes along with it. Remember, this podcast is short and sweet (at least compared to many other podcasts), so you’ll have plenty of time to savor it.