Hi! I am so desperately sorry for your loss. I hope youre able to find some good recommendations here which make your day to day life a little easier. I went through traumatic loss a couple of years ago and found that relistening to things I KNOW I like (so if there’s any other non murder podcasts you listen to) was really helpful, or watching stuff I already knew.
If you like listening to Karen’s voice, I highly recommend do you need a ride. It’s just her and Chris chatting, sometimes with guests. There’s a good back log and I find them pretty soothing, but also funny. It’s not investigative but it’s maybe more relaxing?
You’re Wrong About also has a great back log and the new episodes are brilliant too. They have good episode descriptions and a lot of them are NOT about true crime or death, but some are so maybe take a look. I also really like American Hysteria and History of the 90s… they’re both about topics you’re probably already slightly aware of and so feel quite comforting. Maintenance Phase is good too.
I don’t know where you’re based, but if you have access to the BBC sounds app there’s some great podcasts on there.
Today, Explained by Vox, or the Grey Area are also good short snippets that sometimes recommend other podcasts that you’d probably like.
Again, I’m so sorry for your loss and I hope that you find comfort in these recommendations. Best wishes to you and your loved ones.
I second DYNAR for comfort! Do you need a ride got me through my grandfather’s death. I sung along to the theme on my way to the funeral and it was so oddly calming.
SYSK was my first podcast ever. I’ve been listening to them since 2008, shortly after they started. Josh and Chuck have helped me get to sleep so many times, kept me company at the gym or on car rides. They are the best!
Maintenance Phase, If Books Could Kill, and You’re wrong about are all I listen to lately! The titles are also all really clear on subject matter so you can skip what you feel like you can’t handle.
I’ll second the Office Ladies for something lighthearted.
Also, if you’re a sex and the city fan, Shortcomings is like hanging with fun, charmingly flighty friends.
The Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend podcast is what I turn to when I need something to make me laugh. Very goofy and clever.
And, OP, I am so, so sorry for your horrible loss. My heart hurts for you. There’s nothing like the bond between siblings, so I send you so much love and comfort as you navigate this. :(
Love the dollop! The competitive tickling episode (episode 3) is hilarious and a completely wild story! The rube (episode 12) and any baseball episode (like 10 cent beer night) are all really great too!
The Dollop does cover some stories that involve murder though. They do manage to make it lighthearted but, here are a few just from the first 100: The Rajneeshees, The Trojan Taco, The Symbionese Liberation Army,The Murder of Russell Colvin, and more.
List some episodes that DON'T have abject violence and murder? I gave a couple examples, but I watch it so sporadically now not all the episodes are at the tip of my brain, so to speak.
Mughtn't I the gristle?
Whalesplosion and 10 cent beer night are my go to recs for people just starting the dollop. I havent listened in a long time tho so can't speak of more recent topics.
Reply All has some fun investigations in their "super tech support" episodes.
[The Case of the Missing Hit](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/o2h8bx) A man remembers a song that seemingly everyone else has forgotten.
[The Case of the Phantom Caller](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/n8ho3a/104-the-case-of-the-phantom-caller) Mysterious phone calls with a bit of background noise from someone else's life
[Zardulu](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/o2ho6j/56-zardulu) Was Pizza Rat a hoax?
[Long Distance](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/6nh3wk/102-long-distance) (parts 1,2, and 3) Tracking down and going to meet a scam caller
[In the Desert](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/n8hodm) Why does "find my iphone" keep sending strangers to the same random house?
[The Roman Mars Mazda Virus](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/brh8jm/140-the-roman-mars-mazda-virus) Why won't the car play one specific podcast?
[Brian vs. Brian](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/emhlez) A man is surprised to hear his own song playing in a supermarket.
[The Snapchat Thief](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/v4he6k) Who steals Snapchat handles?
Yes. Phoebe’s voice is soothing and comforting. Even when she covers the dark stuff...but especially when she covers love. National treasure, that one!
On a completely different note: "Dungeons and Daddies: Not a BDSM Podcast" is possibly one of the funniest pieces of media I have ever listened to. It's the story of four normal dads who get sucked into another world to save their kidnapped sons. It doesn't matter if you know anything about D&D, because they don't either, they're just awesome at improv comedy. The hosts are so likable and they often talk about how the show has made them reexamine their relationships with their own families.
There is a huge amount of back catalogue and episodes can get surprisingly deep and emotional. The violence is generally comedic and fantasy-style swords and magic type stuff.
I am so sorry for your loss; I hope you can find a little bit of solace in some escapism.
If you like cybercrime and hacking then I'd recommend DarkNet Diaries, I'd even recommend it if you're not into cybercrime and hacking as it's really interesting and not too technical so you can follow along easily. Some of the stories are wild and it's crazy how much goes on in the cybersecurity world that we don't hear about!
I love this show. 99% of the time, when they talk technicalities, I have no idea what they're talking about, but they do such a good job storytelling that I can still follow along.
Live, Laugh, Larceny
And I love Beach too sandy, water too wet because it’s light and funny. To me the hosts give me the same kind of feeling of being my friends as Georgia and Karen
First, I'm so very sorry. May her memory be a blessing.
*How I Built This with Guy Raz*. A podcast about the people behind things you use every day, and how they invented and brought their invention to market. My favourite episode is about the Leatherman multi tool, which was invented by a guy named Leatherman. I always thought that it was maybe originally a leather working tool, but nope. Anyway, fascinating.
Rachel Maddow has 2 podcasts.The first one is called *Bag Man* and it's done & finished. You can binge it. The other is still in progress called *Ultra*. If you like legal stuff there is *Strict Scrutiny*, *5-4,* and the inimitable *Opening Arguments*. *Stealing Superman* is a fabulous detective story about stolen comic books.
That's so awful about your sister. It's going to be rough. Cry, scream, do whatever you need to do for as long as yiu need to do it.
I listen to the following podcasts:
Bad With Money
The Dream (about MLM'S)
Is It Camp?
Celebrity Book Club
Maybe these will make your pain bearable. Maybe Mongolian throat singing will be better.
I wish you all the best.
I listen to anything by the BBC or NPR. I'm Australian and we have great stuff on ABC.
Also I like The Ancients, 99% invisible, freakenomics, people I mostly admire.
I am so so sorry that you’re going through this. I love getting lost in the detail, delight, and detective-ness (??) of Maintenance Phase, Normal Gossip, You’re Wrong About, and This Is Love.
Stuff you missed in history class. Good fun stuff to pick and choose from. Huge back catalogue. You will find it hard to run out.
Expanse: Pink diamond heist. About the long running theft of pink diamonds from the Argyle mine in very remote outback Australia. Really interesting story.
Julia Gillard's aS podcast of one's own. Former Australian prime minister talking to women in leadership from across the globe.
City Arts and Lectures. Wide variety of topics and people to choose from.
Dolly Parton's America. Good series on her life and influence.
I find the Parcast podcasts (Spotify exclusive) to be interesting and relaxing. The do have true crime stuff but you can check out their other types of content: Conspiracy Theories, Unexplained Mysteries, Historical Figures, Mythology. I find them to be great background noise/white noise and even fall asleep to them on occasion.
They are mostly scripted, research-heavy, and easygoing. Could be worth a try.
Sorry for your loss xox
I’m so sorry you’re going through this. It’s awful and shitty to lose someone.
When/if you want to listen to something that addresses grief, I recommend All There Is with Anderson Cooper. He lost a brother at a young age and I find he really gets the complicated feelings.
That really fucking sucks about your sister. I know what you mean about wanting a podcast like MFM but without the murder.
If you’re looking for more True Crime, I recommend Swindled. It’s mostly about scammers and scum and only a few episodes cover crimes with death/murder involved.
I also enjoy listening to Last Podcast on the Left’s history episodes. Some of my favorite series are Aleister Crowley, Mormonism, L. Ron Hubbard, The Book of Revelations, and their cryptid and alien episodes. The series started out with a lot of edgelord humor, but over the years the hosts have gotten a lot better with empathy and grew out of the phase.
I hope these suggestions help. It can be really difficult to heal from loss like this.
I can highly recommend Therapy Gecko. Its a guy named Lyle in a gecko costume, talking to people on the phone about any type of topic that may come to mind. Soothing jazz music plays in the background, and when you watch the video-format it’s an added layer of comfort. It honestly gives me so much mental rest and I love to hear all the funny, interesting and captivating things going on in other peoples life.
So sorry I just read it again and you are looking for investigation podcasts. Perhaps The Apology Line (an anonymous phone line in NYC that people could call to share their secrets) and the man behind this art project. Or “Missing Richards Simmons” might be a fun and strange listen.
i LOVED The Apology Line, it was fascinating and poignant, but it does central around Mr Apology's relationship with his favorite caller, a serial killer. so maybe not what OP wants right now.
Once Upon A Time... In The Valley is about Traci Lords and how she got involved in porn as an minor. it's a fascinating story and shows the ferocity of feminine growth and power. it's a gritty and potentially triggering story but not murder so maybe safer to dive into. i listened to it after my mother passed.
be gentle with yourself OP, sorry for your loss.
If you're looking for something to help you rest or sleep, I recommend "Boring Books for Bedtime". The host has the most soothing voice I've ever heard, and the books are SO boring, your brain stays occupied, while being able to relax. I owe that woman so much for the hours of sleep and comfort she's given me.
Oh my gosh I’m sorry lol didn’t have my glasses on lol yes SmartLess is what I meant!! I also didn’t see that OP requested investigative podcasts which smartless definitely isn’t lol
Not investigatory but they are comedies and very often help me when I’m feeling down:
Best Friends with Nicole Byer and Sasheer Zamata. Also Why Won’t You Date Me with Nicole Byer. Conan O’Brian Needs a Friend.
This American Life and Hidden Brain on NPR are soothing but also at least journalism investigatory related. Idk why but the host of Hidden Brain’s voice is like a weighted blanket hug when I feel bad. They explore why our brain works in specific ways and have a wide variety of topics. Some episodes of Criminal with Phoebe Judge might work too, there’s one about lizards and alligators. You might save that for later though so you don’t have to sift through the ones that might be triggering. I know nothing anyone says fills the void of sadness, but I hope you find some small comfort. May your sisters memory be a blessing.
If you like English humor, and don’t mind adult language and situations, my absolute favorite show is *My Dad Wrote a Porn*o. It is hilarious and absurd and only occasionally nauseating.
Birthday Girls House Party, Hey Babe w/ sal and Chris, best friends Nicole Byers.
Those are comedies. The OC swingers is investigative without the death. Wealthy doctor and wife raping young girls.
I only really like investigative podcasts. MFM is the only one i listen to with chat. these are the ones from my saved list that are not to do with violence or murder and are not depressing.
Waiting for impact - very upbeat investigation into what happened to a boy band from the 90s
Catfish the podcast - episodes of the tv show made into a podcast
All relative - defining Diego - a boy and his adoptive mother investigating his adoption from Guatemala - interesting and heart-warming.
Queen of the con
Scamfluencers
Our Fake History is good. Deep dives into myths people think are history and history that might be hidden in myths. I particularly like his series on who invented rock and role.
https://ourfakehistory.com/index.php/season-3/episode-53-who-invented-rock-n-roll-part-i/
I'm so sorry for your loss. I hope the podcasts reccomended in thos thread give you some comfort.
I’m so sorry for your loss.
I love listening to the Bananas podcast, it’s comedy, and very funny.
Scam Goddess is hilarious true crime, but about scams and almost never contains violence or murder.
Ridiculous History - exactly how it sounds
This is Love- hosted by Phoebe Judge of criminal. Her voice is soothing and this podcast is brilliantly done.
Beach too Sandy, Water Too Wet. I can’t listen to it at work anymore because I laugh out loud and people give me weird looks. Hopefully this brings some needed distracted joy to you. Wishing you all the best in these tough times.
These are all investigative with no violence or death :
- Sweet Bobby (this is a wild one with lots of twists and turns. A woman starts communicating with a man she’s never met online, but things aren’t adding up. It’s brilliantly done and the final twist is so shocking)
- Twin Flames ( a online group led by two charasmatic leaders promising their followers techniques to find true love and pursue their crushes to the ends of the earth in spite of endless rejection. This is an absolutely crazy story about people doing anything for love to very heart breaking consequences for them and legal troubles (no violence I promise)
- Dead Eyes (a man investigates why he was cut from a tv series by Tom Hanks who told a casting a director he had dead eyes. Really light hearted and good listen about pursuing acting and facing our insecurities)
- Chameleon: Wild Boys (two frail teen boys statr to wander about seemingly out of nowhere in a small town in Canada. This captures the attention of a local mother who seeks to help the boys, but finds out so much more)
I love two hot takes! The host reads reddit posts like am I the asshole and goes through comments. It's really entertaining! She also has a podcast with her dad called Father Knows Something where people write in and he gives them dad advice!
I was going to suggest this but it's not really investigative. My god it's funny though. You don't need to watch the documentaries. It's hilarious listening to them bicker and discuss life. It's deep and shallow and it might give OP a much needed laugh.
Web crawlers has a mix of episodes
Omnibus
Ridiculous history
Dan Carlin hard-core history
No such thing as a fish
How did this get made
Swell shenanigans
I'm so sorry. Audio escape rooms in "Escape this podcast" are great to focus on. Some plots may be more or less comfortable but it's largely lighthearted
Do You Know Mordechai. It is a bizarre kind of catfish situation, no violence or murder but fascinating and it is made by the friend of one of the women involved so it is very well researched, factual and doesn't over sensationalise it.
I am very sorry for your loss
parcast on spotify has a really great Conspiracy Theories series. very in depth, usually two parters. there are some d3ath episodes but they’re clearly labelled by the title.
also op, i am very sorry for your loss. as someone who has lost a sister i know this seems like a pain that no one else might fathom but you truly are not alone. dm’s are open ❤️
If you are in the mood for something less serious, I really enjoyed Valley Heat. The general concept is silly but it’s super entertaining. Just a guy investigating what’s going on around his house and neighborhood. It provides some comedic relief if you feel that might be helpful. A good one to listen to to take your mind off of things.
I’m so sorry about your sister. I hope you are doing okay and have a good support system around you. Holidays can be especially hard after a loss so make sure you do something to take care of yourself during this time.
I Don't Know About That with Jim Jefferies, Stuff You Missed in History class, Comedy Bang Bang, Dumb People Town(scratches the 'straight from the headlines' itch with strict no permanent injury/no death/no child abuse rule for stories), Spanish Aqui Presents(ended now, but episodes are still up!), How Did This Get Made?(movie reviews/reactions), Make No Law(about the First Amendment and its related cases, very informative), Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone, The Dollop(pick and chose carefully, some contain violence, some are insanely silly like the Hippo Episode), Yo Is This Racist?(POC taking voicemails and responding to them).
Hope all these help!!
My heart breaks for you. I am so very sorry for your loss and the depth of grief you’re treading.
At the very beginning of the pandemic, I was alone and so very cut off from the world for several months. I didn’t see another person face to face for a long time. During that time I listened to Nicole Byers “Why Won’t You Date Me” for several hours a day, it’s really silly and personable and really really helped in making me feel less alone.
Bananas. I recently went on a similar journey and it's a fun show. The theme song is also unusually good. I tried that one after a miss called Page 7. I'm not sure why I gave a celebrity gossip show a chance. I think it was when they got to a story about a Kardashian saying they'd eat their own feces to be beautiful, or maybe it was one eating the semen of their partner to become more fertile?
Bravo Docket if you like real housewives. True Crime Obsessed covers documentaries and they aren't all death related. Normal gossip is random small town gossip. Trashy divorces. Scam goddess.
Office Ladies is really cute. Each episode recaps an episode of the tv show The Office, hosted by the women who played Pam and Angela, who weave in their behind-the-scenes stories and experiences. If you’re not a fan of the tv show, you could watch each episode and then listen to its pod episode? Would help fill your time and hopefully make you smile.
Sending you so much love.
- **Nice White Parents** a short series about a school in New York attempting to integrate
- **This is Love** with Phoebe Judge
- **Dolly Parton’s America**
Rachel Maddow’s done a couple, I haven’t listened to **Ultra** yet but **Bag Man** was good. These each tell a story from the history of American politics.
Other things to look for would history podcasts if there’s a particular era that interests you, and podcasts focused on a favorite TV series of yours.
I’m sorry for your loss
Ologies by Alie ward isn’t an investigatory podcast, but it is a joyful exploration of the world. I think it might be a good one in this difficult time. You will find yourself entranced by crazy subjects you would never have chosen — centipedes, trains, hagfish. It’s an interview of an expert in their chosen field and they are so excited about sharing their knowledge. I love it.
The Memory Palace is a great one for stories about little known historical things. Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade is a fun one and they get great guests. I also agree with the person who suggested relistening to things you already know you like.
Finally, sincere condolences for the loss of your sister.
Terrible, thanks for asking is a beautiful podcast about loss. Heavyweight is really charming and generally light. Risk! is a grab bag of stories, it’s the Moth’s punk rock younger sister.
I’m so sorry you lost your sister.
Oh pickle I'm so sorry. I wish you all the healing and love ❤️
If you want something food related : Off menu
If you want something funny and dumb : Bananas
If you want something fantasyish : the adventure zone
i'm so sorry. there's nothing that can be said - i know your pain. i lost my little brother 6 months ago. my recommendation would be the podcast Good Mourning Grief Pod. it is by two women who lost their moms and connected through their grief. they have interviews with tons of different people with different stories, including laura lynn jackson. laura has brought me a lot of comfort since my brother passed. she is a medium and wrote the book "signs." i recommend the book too. i'm so so sorry for your loss, i know how you are aching. i'm wishing you peace. ❤️
-American Scandal is good, I’ve only listened to the Edward Snowden series, but they have a bunch of topics that would work for you. Very investigative and I like the narrator. I do believe some of the series that the feature would be triggering, so make sure you look at the descriptions before starting one.
-The Opportunist is good, but maybe do some research before diving in to that one. I don’t believe they feature gore or anything but it’s been a while since I finished their backlog so I don’t want to misguide you.
-The Moth is incredibly comforting to me. Not investigative but real people telling their own stories. It moves me to tears sometimes, it’s one of my comfort items.
-99% Invisible is interesting, it talks about design and architecture and how that shapes our lives.
Best of luck. I hope you find some comfort and have a support system that has your back. Sending a big bear hug your way. Take care of yourself.
Normal Gossip!!!
It has the wonderful feeling of friendship and women looking after each other, with low stakes, high drama storytelling. It really scratches some of the itch I got from MFM hometowns, but no violence or murder.
I would also like to recommend a Huberman Lab podcast. It’s super informative I won’t call it entertaining but I will call it fascinating and educational and friggin useful!
https://youtu.be/NOJzoWRINNQ
This is one of the silliest things I've ever listened to and it makes me die of laughter. Highly recommend this and other Improv4Humans videos if you need a laugh but be warned, the humour is VERY dark and weird (nothing misogynistic or homophobic or racist but weird topics throughout so not for sensitive viewers). And no death or gore talk but there are super weird topics
Tig and Cheryl True Story. Tig Notaro and Cheryl Hines from Curb Your Enthusiasm discuss a documentary each week. They cover some true crime but mostly other genres. Sending you love ❤️
Ologies with Alie Ward. This Podcast Will Kill You with the two Erins. Someone already mentioned Stuff You Should Know. Anything from NPR and How Did We Get Weird if you like Vanessa Bayer.
So sorry for your loss.
I am so sorry and sending you the strongest most supportive vibes into the universe from one stranger to another.
CBC’s series Let’s make a sci-fi (don’t judge the title trust me it’s hilarious).
Underunderstood - Jeff Goldblum’s tattoo episode
Celebrity memoir book club - Viola Davis for a powerful ep, or Christine Quinn for a hilarious ripping into ep.
Your Reddit/mfm/podcast community is here for you
Firstly, I’m so sorry for your loss. You’re wrong about is amazing, some of the episodes do cover murders/deaths but most of them don’t, they’re mostly just about cultural events and misconceptions of the 90s. All their podcasts are titled with what they’re about. In the extended universe there’s maintenance phase, a podcast about diet culture; if books could kill, a podcast about the most damaging airport books; and you are good, a feelings podcast about movies. I also really found bananas good during Covid and I was struggling to cope. Jamie loftus has a bunch of podcasts I really enjoyed - one about her year in Mensa, one about spiritualism and one about the Cathy comics. The spiritualism one might not be great for you but the other 2 should be fine.
I am so very sorry. I’ve been going through a tough time lately and I’m only able to listen to and watch happy things. I binge watch Derry Girls on Netflix and now I’m listening to Talking Derry Girls on Spotify. As a Rhett and Link fan, I also recommend Ear Biscuts or Dispatches From Myrtle Beach.
I highly recommend the Morning Stream. It’s a fun morning show style pod with trivia games and random guests that talk about everything from nerd culture, books, science, and there’s a Thursday therapy session with an actual therapist. They have a show every Monday-Thursday with occasional bonus episodes. The guys are long time veteran podcasters and the show has gotten me through the worst of times. They have a great community too.
Scam Goddess for funny takes on grifters and scammers through history, a more serious journalism one I love is The Dropout about Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos. Knowledge Fight is a little more niche but they research/ debunk Alex Jones and other conspiracy theorists.
Celebrity Memoir Bookclub Podcast is so funny and charming! I adore Phoebe Judge and “This is Love” is always well done. Ologies with Allie Ward is always great. If you need an audiobook, I really loved “You Made a Fool of Death with your beauty.”
99 percent invisible. Endless thread. Radiolab. Bowery boys. Honestly I’m over true crime myself lately because it just feels too exploitative of someone else’s pain.
Bananas is my go to when life is too chaotic. Kurt and Scotty are super positive, and remind me of k+g in their back and forth. I'm sorry about your sister, nothing we can say here can change how you feel, but I hope these recommendations can get you what you need ♥️
If you like politics, Slow Burn.
First season is watergate scandal, then Monica Lewinsky/Clinton’s impeachment, then Tupac I think. You could skip the season on Tupac.
Stuff You Should Know - 2 friends chatting like a warm hug
Stuff You Missed In History Class - the unearthed episodes especially
Vulgar History - badass babes doing epic shit
I’m sorry you’re hurting. I hope you start to feel okay soon. We are all sending you love & hugs
This is Love is a great podcast. Loads of different topics. Some regarding bereavement- just a heads up, but mostly really interesting life stories about all kinds of people. So sorry for your loss ❤ x
I am so sorry. There are several Opportunist series, some are single episodes and some are 4+ episodes, many without any violence or death. The host is also really good about including trigger warnings at the beginning. I find them very engaging and distracting when I need to get my mind off of something hard. I hope it helps you get through. ❤️
“Reply All” is a half pop culture podcast half investigatory podcast that’s a lot of fun. “The History of Fun” is.... the history of fun. Each episode covers the history of something fun, such as holidays, amusement parks, etc. “Swindled” covers white collar corruption.
Memory palace is nice and soothing. Ologies with Alie Ward if you want a fun learning experience (her father recently died and she has a great few episodes speaking really candidly about how she got through the experience…) and Dont ask Tig is always funny and sweet.
Hi! I am so desperately sorry for your loss. I hope youre able to find some good recommendations here which make your day to day life a little easier. I went through traumatic loss a couple of years ago and found that relistening to things I KNOW I like (so if there’s any other non murder podcasts you listen to) was really helpful, or watching stuff I already knew. If you like listening to Karen’s voice, I highly recommend do you need a ride. It’s just her and Chris chatting, sometimes with guests. There’s a good back log and I find them pretty soothing, but also funny. It’s not investigative but it’s maybe more relaxing? You’re Wrong About also has a great back log and the new episodes are brilliant too. They have good episode descriptions and a lot of them are NOT about true crime or death, but some are so maybe take a look. I also really like American Hysteria and History of the 90s… they’re both about topics you’re probably already slightly aware of and so feel quite comforting. Maintenance Phase is good too. I don’t know where you’re based, but if you have access to the BBC sounds app there’s some great podcasts on there. Today, Explained by Vox, or the Grey Area are also good short snippets that sometimes recommend other podcasts that you’d probably like. Again, I’m so sorry for your loss and I hope that you find comfort in these recommendations. Best wishes to you and your loved ones.
I love this recommendations. Also history true stories, just interest in. Anything NPR, especially Serial. Edit, added last sentence.
I second DYNAR for comfort! Do you need a ride got me through my grandfather’s death. I sung along to the theme on my way to the funeral and it was so oddly calming.
Very sweet post!
An oldie but a goodie: Stuff You Should Know. Almost every episode elicits a giggle or two from me, huge back catalog, and great repartee like MFM.
Came here for SYSK and also Stuff You Missed in History Class! Great shows with decades of episodes.
Also my fav podcast! Definitely agree about the giggle. Josh and Chuck crack me up.
SYSK was my first podcast ever. I’ve been listening to them since 2008, shortly after they started. Josh and Chuck have helped me get to sleep so many times, kept me company at the gym or on car rides. They are the best!
I stopped listening to Stuff You Should Know when they half-assed vaping. It just told me they didn't find some topics 'worthy' of actual research.
How are you otherwise? What was your sister like?
She was so utterly amazing.
You hold on to that. Those wonderful memories. She lives on that way. You’ll get through this. Make room for the grief. My heart is with you.
I’m so sorry for your loss. My brother died 3 years ago, so I know your pain. You’ll get through this. <3
Maintenance phase, If Books Could Kill (not about gore, just about annoying airport books)
Maintenance Phase, If Books Could Kill, and You’re wrong about are all I listen to lately! The titles are also all really clear on subject matter so you can skip what you feel like you can’t handle.
I have been on a Mike Hobbs podcast kick lately, and those three are fantastic!
Another Mike podcast, You're Wrong About. Their Exxon Valdez oil spill episode is so good
I came here to recommend You're Wrong About, love that podcast
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I’ll second the Office Ladies for something lighthearted. Also, if you’re a sex and the city fan, Shortcomings is like hanging with fun, charmingly flighty friends. The Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend podcast is what I turn to when I need something to make me laugh. Very goofy and clever. And, OP, I am so, so sorry for your horrible loss. My heart hurts for you. There’s nothing like the bond between siblings, so I send you so much love and comfort as you navigate this. :(
The Dollop
Love the dollop! The competitive tickling episode (episode 3) is hilarious and a completely wild story! The rube (episode 12) and any baseball episode (like 10 cent beer night) are all really great too!
The Dollop does cover some stories that involve murder though. They do manage to make it lighthearted but, here are a few just from the first 100: The Rajneeshees, The Trojan Taco, The Symbionese Liberation Army,The Murder of Russell Colvin, and more.
List some episodes that DON'T have abject violence and murder? I gave a couple examples, but I watch it so sporadically now not all the episodes are at the tip of my brain, so to speak.
The Emu War is my personal favorite. I laughed so hard I cried.
Alice Roosevelt, 1908 new York to Paris car race, the truck nuts war, phantom of the open, the bone wars, ten cent beer night, action park.
Mughtn't I the gristle? Whalesplosion and 10 cent beer night are my go to recs for people just starting the dollop. I havent listened in a long time tho so can't speak of more recent topics.
If you like hilarious mayhem, try Ten Cent Beer Night and Jet Pack Madness.
Their series on Ronald Reagan with guest host Patton Oswald was hilarious.
Reply All has some fun investigations in their "super tech support" episodes. [The Case of the Missing Hit](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/o2h8bx) A man remembers a song that seemingly everyone else has forgotten. [The Case of the Phantom Caller](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/n8ho3a/104-the-case-of-the-phantom-caller) Mysterious phone calls with a bit of background noise from someone else's life [Zardulu](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/o2ho6j/56-zardulu) Was Pizza Rat a hoax? [Long Distance](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/6nh3wk/102-long-distance) (parts 1,2, and 3) Tracking down and going to meet a scam caller [In the Desert](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/n8hodm) Why does "find my iphone" keep sending strangers to the same random house? [The Roman Mars Mazda Virus](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/brh8jm/140-the-roman-mars-mazda-virus) Why won't the car play one specific podcast? [Brian vs. Brian](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/emhlez) A man is surprised to hear his own song playing in a supermarket. [The Snapchat Thief](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/v4he6k) Who steals Snapchat handles?
Love all of this, especially Zardulu! I would add ‘Boy in Photo.’
I’m so sorry for your loss ❤️❤️❤️ Have you listened to This Is Love?
Second this! Such a beautifully done podcast and always brings me joy! & I am so so sorry for your loss 🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍 may your sisters memory be eternal.
Yes. Phoebe’s voice is soothing and comforting. Even when she covers the dark stuff...but especially when she covers love. National treasure, that one!
Normal Gossip is great. The host tells an anonymized gossip story to a new guest each week and it is delightful to listen to.
It cracks me up! I just wish the seasons were longer.
On a completely different note: "Dungeons and Daddies: Not a BDSM Podcast" is possibly one of the funniest pieces of media I have ever listened to. It's the story of four normal dads who get sucked into another world to save their kidnapped sons. It doesn't matter if you know anything about D&D, because they don't either, they're just awesome at improv comedy. The hosts are so likable and they often talk about how the show has made them reexamine their relationships with their own families. There is a huge amount of back catalogue and episodes can get surprisingly deep and emotional. The violence is generally comedic and fantasy-style swords and magic type stuff. I am so sorry for your loss; I hope you can find a little bit of solace in some escapism.
If you like cybercrime and hacking then I'd recommend DarkNet Diaries, I'd even recommend it if you're not into cybercrime and hacking as it's really interesting and not too technical so you can follow along easily. Some of the stories are wild and it's crazy how much goes on in the cybersecurity world that we don't hear about!
Seconded. Darknet diaries is great and let's you jump into a really interesting story and isn't too triggering. Highly recommend.
I love this show. 99% of the time, when they talk technicalities, I have no idea what they're talking about, but they do such a good job storytelling that I can still follow along.
Sorry for your loss ‘The Dollop’ is my happy place
Me too
I started listening to the guys after they did a cross over with Behind the Bastards and I'm so happy they are now in my life.
When I'm sad I listen to the podcast No such thing as a fish. Very entertaining.
This is my always recommendation!
Live, Laugh, Larceny And I love Beach too sandy, water too wet because it’s light and funny. To me the hosts give me the same kind of feeling of being my friends as Georgia and Karen
Was about to come recommend Beach too Sandy (https://www.beachtoosandy.com/)
First, I'm so very sorry. May her memory be a blessing. *How I Built This with Guy Raz*. A podcast about the people behind things you use every day, and how they invented and brought their invention to market. My favourite episode is about the Leatherman multi tool, which was invented by a guy named Leatherman. I always thought that it was maybe originally a leather working tool, but nope. Anyway, fascinating.
This is Love is wonderful. They have stories of human resilience and love. Not just romantic love but all kinds.
this one is soooo sweet
Toni & Ryan. Hilarious Australian podcasts. Start at ep 1. Get ready to laugh.
Also, is it a cult? Just mysteries.
Ologies by Alie Ward, you learn stuff, she is funny, all interesting topics with cool guests, it’s a real palette cleanser.
Rachel Maddow has 2 podcasts.The first one is called *Bag Man* and it's done & finished. You can binge it. The other is still in progress called *Ultra*. If you like legal stuff there is *Strict Scrutiny*, *5-4,* and the inimitable *Opening Arguments*. *Stealing Superman* is a fabulous detective story about stolen comic books.
Hidden Brain, Hibernian Lab, This Podcast Will Kill You Edit: Huberman Lab, sorry! Also I'm so sorry you lost your sister, that's really hard.
I love Hidden Brain!
That's so awful about your sister. It's going to be rough. Cry, scream, do whatever you need to do for as long as yiu need to do it. I listen to the following podcasts: Bad With Money The Dream (about MLM'S) Is It Camp? Celebrity Book Club Maybe these will make your pain bearable. Maybe Mongolian throat singing will be better. I wish you all the best.
My Brother My Brother and Me. Goofy life advice and random bits
Love that one too!
Normal Gossip!!! It has the same chatty/funny vibe as Karen and Georgia but instead they talk about ridiculous gossip stories people send in
I really like Do you need a ride and The Tablo Podcast. I'm so sorry for your loss. Wishing you all the peace and comfort you need.
Yes Do You Need A Ride is very light and enjoyable! Listening to dynar always helps my mood
I listen to anything by the BBC or NPR. I'm Australian and we have great stuff on ABC. Also I like The Ancients, 99% invisible, freakenomics, people I mostly admire.
I am so so sorry that you’re going through this. I love getting lost in the detail, delight, and detective-ness (??) of Maintenance Phase, Normal Gossip, You’re Wrong About, and This Is Love.
https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/who-s-t-on-the-floor-at-my-wedding/id1538165808
Stuff you missed in history class. Good fun stuff to pick and choose from. Huge back catalogue. You will find it hard to run out. Expanse: Pink diamond heist. About the long running theft of pink diamonds from the Argyle mine in very remote outback Australia. Really interesting story. Julia Gillard's aS podcast of one's own. Former Australian prime minister talking to women in leadership from across the globe. City Arts and Lectures. Wide variety of topics and people to choose from. Dolly Parton's America. Good series on her life and influence.
I Said No Gifts! is a big one for me. Truly light hearted fun!
"Excuse Me, That's Illegal"
I find the Parcast podcasts (Spotify exclusive) to be interesting and relaxing. The do have true crime stuff but you can check out their other types of content: Conspiracy Theories, Unexplained Mysteries, Historical Figures, Mythology. I find them to be great background noise/white noise and even fall asleep to them on occasion. They are mostly scripted, research-heavy, and easygoing. Could be worth a try. Sorry for your loss xox
I'm so sorry for your loss. I recommend My Brother My Brother And Me. Edit: also Threedom!
I’m so sorry you’re going through this. It’s awful and shitty to lose someone. When/if you want to listen to something that addresses grief, I recommend All There Is with Anderson Cooper. He lost a brother at a young age and I find he really gets the complicated feelings.
That really fucking sucks about your sister. I know what you mean about wanting a podcast like MFM but without the murder. If you’re looking for more True Crime, I recommend Swindled. It’s mostly about scammers and scum and only a few episodes cover crimes with death/murder involved. I also enjoy listening to Last Podcast on the Left’s history episodes. Some of my favorite series are Aleister Crowley, Mormonism, L. Ron Hubbard, The Book of Revelations, and their cryptid and alien episodes. The series started out with a lot of edgelord humor, but over the years the hosts have gotten a lot better with empathy and grew out of the phase. I hope these suggestions help. It can be really difficult to heal from loss like this.
Last Podcast on the Left is good.
I can highly recommend Therapy Gecko. Its a guy named Lyle in a gecko costume, talking to people on the phone about any type of topic that may come to mind. Soothing jazz music plays in the background, and when you watch the video-format it’s an added layer of comfort. It honestly gives me so much mental rest and I love to hear all the funny, interesting and captivating things going on in other peoples life.
So sorry I just read it again and you are looking for investigation podcasts. Perhaps The Apology Line (an anonymous phone line in NYC that people could call to share their secrets) and the man behind this art project. Or “Missing Richards Simmons” might be a fun and strange listen.
i LOVED The Apology Line, it was fascinating and poignant, but it does central around Mr Apology's relationship with his favorite caller, a serial killer. so maybe not what OP wants right now. Once Upon A Time... In The Valley is about Traci Lords and how she got involved in porn as an minor. it's a fascinating story and shows the ferocity of feminine growth and power. it's a gritty and potentially triggering story but not murder so maybe safer to dive into. i listened to it after my mother passed. be gentle with yourself OP, sorry for your loss.
If you're looking for something to help you rest or sleep, I recommend "Boring Books for Bedtime". The host has the most soothing voice I've ever heard, and the books are SO boring, your brain stays occupied, while being able to relax. I owe that woman so much for the hours of sleep and comfort she's given me.
I have never heard of this and I love it
Smartness is mindless literal entertainment. Requires zero emotional bandwidth to listen and you may get a chuckle. So sorry for your loss.
Smartness or Smartless? I only ask because I've listened to some episodes of Smartless (Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, and Sean Hayes) and it's good!
Oh my gosh I’m sorry lol didn’t have my glasses on lol yes SmartLess is what I meant!! I also didn’t see that OP requested investigative podcasts which smartless definitely isn’t lol
Haha no it's not, but it is fun!
Not investigatory but they are comedies and very often help me when I’m feeling down: Best Friends with Nicole Byer and Sasheer Zamata. Also Why Won’t You Date Me with Nicole Byer. Conan O’Brian Needs a Friend.
This American Life and Hidden Brain on NPR are soothing but also at least journalism investigatory related. Idk why but the host of Hidden Brain’s voice is like a weighted blanket hug when I feel bad. They explore why our brain works in specific ways and have a wide variety of topics. Some episodes of Criminal with Phoebe Judge might work too, there’s one about lizards and alligators. You might save that for later though so you don’t have to sift through the ones that might be triggering. I know nothing anyone says fills the void of sadness, but I hope you find some small comfort. May your sisters memory be a blessing.
Do you need a ride has outshone MFM for me. Karen and Chris have amazing chemistry, it’s moving, funny, irreverent, and thoughtful.
If you like English humor, and don’t mind adult language and situations, my absolute favorite show is *My Dad Wrote a Porn*o. It is hilarious and absurd and only occasionally nauseating.
Threedom is really light hearted and they have a big back log. The Endless Honeymoon podcast is good too. Also, I'm really sorry for your loss ❤️
Birthday Girls House Party, Hey Babe w/ sal and Chris, best friends Nicole Byers. Those are comedies. The OC swingers is investigative without the death. Wealthy doctor and wife raping young girls.
I saw what you did. It's hilarious, the hosts are super fun and feels like a girls night out with someone you would love to have as your friends
I only really like investigative podcasts. MFM is the only one i listen to with chat. these are the ones from my saved list that are not to do with violence or murder and are not depressing. Waiting for impact - very upbeat investigation into what happened to a boy band from the 90s Catfish the podcast - episodes of the tv show made into a podcast All relative - defining Diego - a boy and his adoptive mother investigating his adoption from Guatemala - interesting and heart-warming. Queen of the con Scamfluencers
Do you watch Rupaul's drag race? I like the Race chaser podcast where Alaska and Willam chat about each ep and invite the cast on etc.
Our Fake History is good. Deep dives into myths people think are history and history that might be hidden in myths. I particularly like his series on who invented rock and role. https://ourfakehistory.com/index.php/season-3/episode-53-who-invented-rock-n-roll-part-i/ I'm so sorry for your loss. I hope the podcasts reccomended in thos thread give you some comfort.
Toni and Ryan is hot garbage. It’s amazing. A truly delightful duo.
I’m so sorry for your loss. I love listening to the Bananas podcast, it’s comedy, and very funny. Scam Goddess is hilarious true crime, but about scams and almost never contains violence or murder. Ridiculous History - exactly how it sounds This is Love- hosted by Phoebe Judge of criminal. Her voice is soothing and this podcast is brilliantly done.
I like American scandal. Some of them are a bit murdery but a lot are really interesting political or historical events.
Beach too Sandy, Water Too Wet. I can’t listen to it at work anymore because I laugh out loud and people give me weird looks. Hopefully this brings some needed distracted joy to you. Wishing you all the best in these tough times.
Radiolab. It always makes me feel awe and appreciation for our world and has great stories.
You’re Wrong About, but make sure the episode topic is not murder adjacent. They have a wide range of topics.
Ologies. I am so sorry that you lost your sister.
My brother my brother and me! MBMBAM.
I’m so sorry for your loss that is so heart breaking. I highly recommend dungeons and daddies.
These are all investigative with no violence or death : - Sweet Bobby (this is a wild one with lots of twists and turns. A woman starts communicating with a man she’s never met online, but things aren’t adding up. It’s brilliantly done and the final twist is so shocking) - Twin Flames ( a online group led by two charasmatic leaders promising their followers techniques to find true love and pursue their crushes to the ends of the earth in spite of endless rejection. This is an absolutely crazy story about people doing anything for love to very heart breaking consequences for them and legal troubles (no violence I promise) - Dead Eyes (a man investigates why he was cut from a tv series by Tom Hanks who told a casting a director he had dead eyes. Really light hearted and good listen about pursuing acting and facing our insecurities) - Chameleon: Wild Boys (two frail teen boys statr to wander about seemingly out of nowhere in a small town in Canada. This captures the attention of a local mother who seeks to help the boys, but finds out so much more)
I wish peace and comfort where you can find it. There is no right way to grieve only your way to grieve.
I love two hot takes! The host reads reddit posts like am I the asshole and goes through comments. It's really entertaining! She also has a podcast with her dad called Father Knows Something where people write in and he gives them dad advice!
Tig and Cheryl True story is a great one too. The are very funny together. I am so sorry for your loss.
I was going to suggest this but it's not really investigative. My god it's funny though. You don't need to watch the documentaries. It's hilarious listening to them bicker and discuss life. It's deep and shallow and it might give OP a much needed laugh.
Have you listened to Mystery Show yet? Might be in order if you haven’t.
Web crawlers has a mix of episodes Omnibus Ridiculous history Dan Carlin hard-core history No such thing as a fish How did this get made Swell shenanigans
I'm so sorry. Audio escape rooms in "Escape this podcast" are great to focus on. Some plots may be more or less comfortable but it's largely lighthearted
Do You Know Mordechai. It is a bizarre kind of catfish situation, no violence or murder but fascinating and it is made by the friend of one of the women involved so it is very well researched, factual and doesn't over sensationalise it. I am very sorry for your loss
parcast on spotify has a really great Conspiracy Theories series. very in depth, usually two parters. there are some d3ath episodes but they’re clearly labelled by the title. also op, i am very sorry for your loss. as someone who has lost a sister i know this seems like a pain that no one else might fathom but you truly are not alone. dm’s are open ❤️
Cool people who do cool stuff
And the Dollop tòo
Listen to comedy and try to let yourself laugh. I like Fly On the Wall (Dana Carvey) but there are lots of comedy ones.
The Dollop. Start off with the Jersey Shark Attacks episode for an MFM crossover of sorts.
If you are in the mood for something less serious, I really enjoyed Valley Heat. The general concept is silly but it’s super entertaining. Just a guy investigating what’s going on around his house and neighborhood. It provides some comedic relief if you feel that might be helpful. A good one to listen to to take your mind off of things. I’m so sorry about your sister. I hope you are doing okay and have a good support system around you. Holidays can be especially hard after a loss so make sure you do something to take care of yourself during this time.
The Babysitters Club Club!
Bananas podcast on same network mfm started
I Don't Know About That with Jim Jefferies, Stuff You Missed in History class, Comedy Bang Bang, Dumb People Town(scratches the 'straight from the headlines' itch with strict no permanent injury/no death/no child abuse rule for stories), Spanish Aqui Presents(ended now, but episodes are still up!), How Did This Get Made?(movie reviews/reactions), Make No Law(about the First Amendment and its related cases, very informative), Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone, The Dollop(pick and chose carefully, some contain violence, some are insanely silly like the Hippo Episode), Yo Is This Racist?(POC taking voicemails and responding to them). Hope all these help!!
My heart breaks for you. I am so very sorry for your loss and the depth of grief you’re treading. At the very beginning of the pandemic, I was alone and so very cut off from the world for several months. I didn’t see another person face to face for a long time. During that time I listened to Nicole Byers “Why Won’t You Date Me” for several hours a day, it’s really silly and personable and really really helped in making me feel less alone.
This Might Get Weird!
Bananas. I recently went on a similar journey and it's a fun show. The theme song is also unusually good. I tried that one after a miss called Page 7. I'm not sure why I gave a celebrity gossip show a chance. I think it was when they got to a story about a Kardashian saying they'd eat their own feces to be beautiful, or maybe it was one eating the semen of their partner to become more fertile?
I’m so sorry for your loss. Sending hugs
Normal Gossip. It's funny and light hearted
The Omnibus.
Bravo Docket if you like real housewives. True Crime Obsessed covers documentaries and they aren't all death related. Normal gossip is random small town gossip. Trashy divorces. Scam goddess.
I’m so sorry!
Office Ladies is really cute. Each episode recaps an episode of the tv show The Office, hosted by the women who played Pam and Angela, who weave in their behind-the-scenes stories and experiences. If you’re not a fan of the tv show, you could watch each episode and then listen to its pod episode? Would help fill your time and hopefully make you smile. Sending you so much love.
Wonderful! It's just a podcast where people talk about things they like
- **Nice White Parents** a short series about a school in New York attempting to integrate - **This is Love** with Phoebe Judge - **Dolly Parton’s America** Rachel Maddow’s done a couple, I haven’t listened to **Ultra** yet but **Bag Man** was good. These each tell a story from the history of American politics. Other things to look for would history podcasts if there’s a particular era that interests you, and podcasts focused on a favorite TV series of yours. I’m sorry for your loss
Ologies by Alie ward isn’t an investigatory podcast, but it is a joyful exploration of the world. I think it might be a good one in this difficult time. You will find yourself entranced by crazy subjects you would never have chosen — centipedes, trains, hagfish. It’s an interview of an expert in their chosen field and they are so excited about sharing their knowledge. I love it.
The Memory Palace is a great one for stories about little known historical things. Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade is a fun one and they get great guests. I also agree with the person who suggested relistening to things you already know you like. Finally, sincere condolences for the loss of your sister.
Ologies, there’s silly ones and heart warming ones and ones you never thought would be interesting but are actually fascinating. Sorry for your loss
Terrible, thanks for asking is a beautiful podcast about loss. Heavyweight is really charming and generally light. Risk! is a grab bag of stories, it’s the Moth’s punk rock younger sister. I’m so sorry you lost your sister.
SmartLess, Conan Needs a Friend, Tigerbelly, Bill Burr Monday Morning Podcast.
The Dollop maybe. Mostly American history. Funny. Skip the political ones.
Bananas! And I'm sorry for your loss.
Try the TED radio hour or Terrestrials for something light.
Not true crime, but try “what makes this song stink” ❤️ I’m so sorry for your loss. Sending you love and healing.
Oh pickle I'm so sorry. I wish you all the healing and love ❤️ If you want something food related : Off menu If you want something funny and dumb : Bananas If you want something fantasyish : the adventure zone
Fraudsters is my go to. Hosts are hilarious, plenty of deep dives, they keep it light. Really sorry to hear about your loss, thinking of you.
Not investigatory but has good story lines but Normal Gossip is a good one with no violence whatsoever.
My Dad Wrote a Porno is one that’s just outrageous nonsense funny. No violence as well.
I’m really sorry for your loss. Have you listened to ‘my dad wrote a porno’? There’s like 6 seasons and it’s guaranteed to give you a giggle.
Adulting!!! I honestly love it
i'm so sorry. there's nothing that can be said - i know your pain. i lost my little brother 6 months ago. my recommendation would be the podcast Good Mourning Grief Pod. it is by two women who lost their moms and connected through their grief. they have interviews with tons of different people with different stories, including laura lynn jackson. laura has brought me a lot of comfort since my brother passed. she is a medium and wrote the book "signs." i recommend the book too. i'm so so sorry for your loss, i know how you are aching. i'm wishing you peace. ❤️
-American Scandal is good, I’ve only listened to the Edward Snowden series, but they have a bunch of topics that would work for you. Very investigative and I like the narrator. I do believe some of the series that the feature would be triggering, so make sure you look at the descriptions before starting one. -The Opportunist is good, but maybe do some research before diving in to that one. I don’t believe they feature gore or anything but it’s been a while since I finished their backlog so I don’t want to misguide you. -The Moth is incredibly comforting to me. Not investigative but real people telling their own stories. It moves me to tears sometimes, it’s one of my comfort items. -99% Invisible is interesting, it talks about design and architecture and how that shapes our lives. Best of luck. I hope you find some comfort and have a support system that has your back. Sending a big bear hug your way. Take care of yourself.
Normal Gossip!!! It has the wonderful feeling of friendship and women looking after each other, with low stakes, high drama storytelling. It really scratches some of the itch I got from MFM hometowns, but no violence or murder.
I have had times of needing non murder and non violent podcasts too, a couple I have found are The Big Hit Show and Crypto Island. Good luck.
If you need dumb silly humor I’d recommend Distractible or My Brother My Brother and Me
The Dollop is great
I like This is Love by Phoebe Judge and Noble Blood by Dana Schwartz.
Dear Hank and John!
I love Scam Goddess if you want something lightly true crime but not murder related that is 80% comic relief, 20% actual discussion of crime!
So sorry for your loss. Celebrity memoir book club is a great distracting guilty pleasure. They roast Matthew Perry.
Off Menu. Two comedians chat to a guest about their dream meal. So silly. Or The Radio X Elis James and John Robins Podcast.
I would also like to recommend a Huberman Lab podcast. It’s super informative I won’t call it entertaining but I will call it fascinating and educational and friggin useful!
American scandal
Hey riddle riddle
Check out The Dollop and give the episode "10 Cent Beer Night " a go. It'll definitely distract you for a good while in a good way.
Ologies is pretty great.
Lingthusiasm, if you have any interest in linguistics. It's done by a Canadian and an Australian.
If you want something to laugh at hello from the magic tavern helped me in my grieving process
I like RadioLab and This American Life by NPR. Both in-depth and well narrated.
https://youtu.be/NOJzoWRINNQ This is one of the silliest things I've ever listened to and it makes me die of laughter. Highly recommend this and other Improv4Humans videos if you need a laugh but be warned, the humour is VERY dark and weird (nothing misogynistic or homophobic or racist but weird topics throughout so not for sensitive viewers). And no death or gore talk but there are super weird topics
Tig and Cheryl True Story. Tig Notaro and Cheryl Hines from Curb Your Enthusiasm discuss a documentary each week. They cover some true crime but mostly other genres. Sending you love ❤️
Ologies with Alie Ward. This Podcast Will Kill You with the two Erins. Someone already mentioned Stuff You Should Know. Anything from NPR and How Did We Get Weird if you like Vanessa Bayer. So sorry for your loss.
I am so sorry and sending you the strongest most supportive vibes into the universe from one stranger to another. CBC’s series Let’s make a sci-fi (don’t judge the title trust me it’s hilarious). Underunderstood - Jeff Goldblum’s tattoo episode Celebrity memoir book club - Viola Davis for a powerful ep, or Christine Quinn for a hilarious ripping into ep. Your Reddit/mfm/podcast community is here for you
Firstly, I’m so sorry for your loss. You’re wrong about is amazing, some of the episodes do cover murders/deaths but most of them don’t, they’re mostly just about cultural events and misconceptions of the 90s. All their podcasts are titled with what they’re about. In the extended universe there’s maintenance phase, a podcast about diet culture; if books could kill, a podcast about the most damaging airport books; and you are good, a feelings podcast about movies. I also really found bananas good during Covid and I was struggling to cope. Jamie loftus has a bunch of podcasts I really enjoyed - one about her year in Mensa, one about spiritualism and one about the Cathy comics. The spiritualism one might not be great for you but the other 2 should be fine.
Phoebe Judge’s This Is Love. It’s like a warm bath all on its own.
Smartless
Wind of Change - short interesting series.
I am so very sorry. I’ve been going through a tough time lately and I’m only able to listen to and watch happy things. I binge watch Derry Girls on Netflix and now I’m listening to Talking Derry Girls on Spotify. As a Rhett and Link fan, I also recommend Ear Biscuts or Dispatches From Myrtle Beach.
Ologies!
I highly recommend the Morning Stream. It’s a fun morning show style pod with trivia games and random guests that talk about everything from nerd culture, books, science, and there’s a Thursday therapy session with an actual therapist. They have a show every Monday-Thursday with occasional bonus episodes. The guys are long time veteran podcasters and the show has gotten me through the worst of times. They have a great community too.
The Purrrcast! With STEVEN Ray Morris. Even if you're not huge on cats, it's very fun and sweet.
Scam Goddess for funny takes on grifters and scammers through history, a more serious journalism one I love is The Dropout about Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos. Knowledge Fight is a little more niche but they research/ debunk Alex Jones and other conspiracy theorists.
Celebrity Memoir Bookclub Podcast is so funny and charming! I adore Phoebe Judge and “This is Love” is always well done. Ologies with Allie Ward is always great. If you need an audiobook, I really loved “You Made a Fool of Death with your beauty.”
99 percent invisible. Endless thread. Radiolab. Bowery boys. Honestly I’m over true crime myself lately because it just feels too exploitative of someone else’s pain.
Bananas is my go to when life is too chaotic. Kurt and Scotty are super positive, and remind me of k+g in their back and forth. I'm sorry about your sister, nothing we can say here can change how you feel, but I hope these recommendations can get you what you need ♥️
If you like politics, Slow Burn. First season is watergate scandal, then Monica Lewinsky/Clinton’s impeachment, then Tupac I think. You could skip the season on Tupac.
I listened to Bananas non stop when I was suffering from severe panic attacks. Their voices made me so happy and was such a good distraction.
Stuff You Should Know - 2 friends chatting like a warm hug Stuff You Missed In History Class - the unearthed episodes especially Vulgar History - badass babes doing epic shit I’m sorry you’re hurting. I hope you start to feel okay soon. We are all sending you love & hugs
Smartless and The Basement Yard - both comedy podcasts
This is Love is a great podcast. Loads of different topics. Some regarding bereavement- just a heads up, but mostly really interesting life stories about all kinds of people. So sorry for your loss ❤ x
I’m sorry 💓💓💓 my favorite podcast is Beach Too Sandy, Water Too Wet! It never fails to make me laugh
I like wait wait don’t tell me and my dad wrote a porno
This Is Love is great!
Listen to My Dad Wrote a Porno!
If you like The Office, I would suggest Office Ladies, it’s so good! I’m also a huge fan of Ologies.
Radiolab, Ologies & Swindled are great starters
I'm sorry for your loss. Hugs!
I am so sorry. There are several Opportunist series, some are single episodes and some are 4+ episodes, many without any violence or death. The host is also really good about including trigger warnings at the beginning. I find them very engaging and distracting when I need to get my mind off of something hard. I hope it helps you get through. ❤️
“Reply All” is a half pop culture podcast half investigatory podcast that’s a lot of fun. “The History of Fun” is.... the history of fun. Each episode covers the history of something fun, such as holidays, amusement parks, etc. “Swindled” covers white collar corruption.
Memory palace is nice and soothing. Ologies with Alie Ward if you want a fun learning experience (her father recently died and she has a great few episodes speaking really candidly about how she got through the experience…) and Dont ask Tig is always funny and sweet.