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Best podcasts of the week: Michael Caine reveals his all-time heroes

<span>Photograph: Richard Saker/The Observer</span>
Photograph: Richard Saker/The Observer

Picks of the week

Michael Caine: Heroes
“Nobody said being a hero was easy,” says the host in the most Michael Caine way ever, before he launches into his slick new podcast full of powerful true stories. Sally Becker and Erin Brockovich get their moments of glory, but the series opens with the heroes of the Piper Alpha oil rig explosions, who give terrifying eyewitness accounts of how the disaster unfolded. Hannah Verdier

Abuse of Power
“Corruption, feuding cartels and billions in laundered money.” A sober six-part crime podcast from David Rudolf – lawyer for the accused in the baffling murder docuseries The Staircase – and his wife, fellow lawyer Sonya Pfeiffer. Did British businessman Krishna Maharaj execute a father and son in Miami in 1986? If not, why has he spent so long on death row? The story involves police corruption and Pablo Escobar. Hannah J Davies

Media Storm
Journalists Helena Wadia and Mathilda Mallinson host this smart series – released under the Guilty Feminist umbrella – about groups of people maligned by the media. Vice UK editor Zing Tsjeng is particularly thoughtful on anti-Asian hate in the Covid era, and toxic stereotypes. HJD

Ghostwriter
Kate Mara and Adam Scott star in this movie-length podcast about an ex-journalist who’s tempted back to ghostwrite a murder mystery novel for an eccentric billionaire. She lives alone with her cats and a complicated back story, while he’s got a fatal tale that may or may not be true. What could possibly go wrong? HV

Dear Daughter
Do you have a daughter? Namulanta Kombo – winner of the BBC’s International Podcast Competition – says this series is for you. In fact, she wants you to help her keep creating it. The show hears letters written to daughters from around the world, from the inspiring and poignant to the funny, celebrating the most important relationship a woman can have in life. Hollie Richardson

Producer pick: Storytime With Seth Rogen

Chosen by Max Sanderson

During the last couple of years, I’ve found myself increasingly drawn to comedy podcasts and have spent mindless hours listening to funny people talk about all sorts. There’s a ton out there (some of which I’ve written about before) and they usually follow the same format; two (or three) funny people freewheeling for hours on end about their lives and experiences. It’s not particularly enlightening from a production point of view, but it does the job.

Storytime with Seth Rogen is nothing like those podcasts. It takes the usual ‘funny people telling stories’ format and gives it the full audio storytelling treatment with scripting, music and a healthy dose of kitsch sound design. And to great effect.

My favourite so far was their opener Glorious Basterds, which tells the story of how Quinta Brunson, a former Jehovah’s Witness, was forced to rethink her personal and romantic life after a chance encounter with actor Paul Rudd. It may not sound appealing, but the key to this series — like all good standup comedy — is that it’s all in the delivery.

Talking points

  • Who says the monarchy doesn’t move with the times? In an Apple podcasting collab, Prince William has guested on the Time to Walk podcast to talk about cutting-edge topics like Tina Turner and spending Christmas in an ancient church.

  • Why not try: Eclipsed | Proper Mental | Life Sentence

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