A loving tribute to pop culture, too: This week’s best podcasts | TV and radio

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Remember me? With Maisie Adam and Scott Bryan

It’s very easy to make fun of popular culture, too. This series from comedian Maisie Adam and journalist Scott Bryan does the opposite, embracing people who found sudden fame—most of them in the ’90s and ’00s—and telling their stories with humor and interest. Guests include Liberty Hannah J. Davis
Widely available, weekly episodes

Don’t say a word

A potentially provocative podcast concept: Nicky Campbell uses his decades of hosting radio debates to explore how to navigate the gray areas of culture wars, identity politics and ‘cancellation’. It helps guests address topics with precision, such as when people ask “Where are you really from?” Holly Richardson
Widely available, weekly episodes

Currently: Sofia vs. AI Sloop

Journalist and Gen Z whisperer Sophia Smith-Gahler hosts this unique episode about internet sensationalism, inspired by her own experience purchasing a fake resume for herself that she found on Amazon. As we face a surge in AI waste, even reaching academic fields, its voice is essential. HJD
Widely available, episodes weekly starting Sunday, March 8

Real Vikings

Game of Thrones’ Iain Glen narrates this thrilling decathlete about Norse mythology and history, putting to rest notions that Vikings were merely ‘fur-clad thugs’. The tales of Harald Hardrada and Ragnar Lothbrok are barely forgotten by podcast and television, but the immersive sound design and Glenn’s delivery make them hard to resist. HJD
Widely available, episodes weekly starting Tuesday, March 10

The blood will tell

Twins Truong and Anh Tung were suspects in a 2014 murder in California, and the wrong brother ended up behind bars. This true crime series may seem far-fetched, but it’s rooted in true events, as Jennifer Miller examines the brothers’ neurotic past across six quick episodes. HJD
Widely available, weekly episodes from Friday March 13