What’s new to listen to

Ximena Smith rounds up the best of recent podcasts.

The Coldest Case In Laramie

This eight-part limited series from Serial Productions and The New York Time follows Pulitzer Prizewinning journalist Kim Barker as she investigates an almost 40-year-old cold case in her hometown of Laramie, Wyoming. Barker was a high-school student when 22-year-old Shelli Wiley was the victim of a grisly murder in her own apartment. The brutality of the unsolved case has long played on Barker’s mind, so in 2021, she decided to take a look. The series is a slow-burn and the long, low-quality clips of archival audio required a certain degree of concentration – but in the end, its shocking revelations made the show’s gradual build-up worthwhile. All episodes widely available.

The News Agents

Global Media & Entertainment’s The News Agents is arguably the pick of the crop of daily news podcasts, drawing on the heavyweight journalistic chops of hosts, former BBC North American editor Jon Sopel, former BBC Newsnight anchor Emily Maitlis and former Sky News political correspondent Lewis Goodall. Each edition generally begins with the hosts discussing a current affairs story before bringing in a broad crosssection of authoritative guests: journalists, of course, but also lengthy sit-downs with politicians and other luminaries (comedian Joe Lycett, chef Nigella Lawson and writer Armando Iannucci). The podcast is understandably dominated by UK-centric political stories, but the trio – Goodall in particular – take pains to provide context, both in the prologue and in their rich, well-researched questions. New episodes released Tuesday through Saturday NZ time on all major podcast platforms.

Untidy

Media personality Matilda Green and children’s author Hannah Davison host this Kiwi series about the messy complexities of parenthood. Alongside a different guest every episode, Green and Davison plunge into thorny topics, such as postpartum sex and reclaiming your identity after having children. Green and Davison are podcast rookies but with the production help of the experienced team at Popsock Media, each episode is slick (save for a few slightly clunky musical interludes). Usually stories about traumatic childbirths and baby poo stains can be off-putting for many, but the genuineness, vulnerability and humour that Green and Davison bring to each episode make the prospect of parenting a little less scary and would be a comfort to both new and old parents alike. New episodes every Tuesday.