THE DRUNK MONKEYS
TOP TEN PODCASTS OF 2013

10.) FILMSPOTTING

9.) THE BEST SHOW ON WFMU

8.) THE UNKNOWN SHOW WITH BUD SMITH

7.)  COLD READS

6.)  GRANITE STATE OF MIND

5.)  MY BROTHER, MY BROTHER, AND ME

4.) NOW PLAYING

3.)  X-STRIKE TRIPLE RADIO

X-Strike Triple Radio may not be the most well-known podcast, but the cast shares a chemistry and irreverence that makes me wish more people knew about it.  Starring Tim, Rory, Dave, Juese and a rotating group of friends and guests, Triple Radio is a (mostly) weekly podcast that takes a look at new games and movies.  Has that been done to death?  Maybe, but Triple Radio has been around for a very long time and you can tell from the way everyone plays off each other.  Trust me, it’s worth a listen.

Taras D.,  staff writer

2.) COMEDY BANG BANG

With all of the time and energy he put into his (equally excellent) TV version of Bang Bang, Scott Aukerman could have been forgiven for letting the quality of the podcast dip. In fact, the opposite happened—2013 was the best year for CBB in a long time (and maybe ever). Big guests came to the show—some, like Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg, more than happy to play along—as did the usual miscreants that the “open door policy” provides. There was even a visit from Kulap “my wife” Vilaysack. From the deliriously obscene Tom Leykis, to the ongoing saga of the passionate romance between Gillian Jacobs and Mr. Garry Marshall (please, call him Garry), to the welcome return of orphan-out-of time Fourvel, each week was a must-listen.

Matthew Guerruckey, Editor-in-Chief

1.)  HARMONTOWN

A great man, trapped in the rigid confines of an ancient story structure, once said, “If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine”. That certainly held true for Dan Harmon in 2013. Fired from Community, a series he had dedicated his life and sanity to for three years, in 2012, Dan used his time off to take the podcast version of his weekly live showHarmontown to the people. Dan, along with Harmontown comptroller and improv genius Jeff Davis, took the show on the road, touring the country in a series of sometimes hilarious, sometimes surly, and always fascinating live shows.

As you might expect from an insular talent like Harmon, the shows often revolved around the man himself, but the stated mission of the series—to create a true community for misfits and outcasts–persisted, and led to some truly moving discussions, both from the rotating cast of friends and fans, and sometimes from random audience members. In 2013, Harmon also began to invite more guests onto the show, like the quick-witted Mitch Hurwitz, the rapid fire Robin Williams, and all-around MVP of Podcasts this year, Kumail Nanjiani.

It’s impossible to guess what lies ahead for Harmon in 2014, now safely back at the helm ofCommunity, but here’s hoping that he’s still able to stand tall each week and bare it all for us. Just maybe not literally.

Matthew Guerruckey, Editor-in-Chief

LISTS OF NOTE

RYAN ROACH, staff writer

1.) Harmontown
2. Now Playing
3. Extra Hot Great
4. Battleship Pretension
5. Filmspotting
6. The Film Vault
7. Stop Podcasting Yourself
8. Comedy Bang Bang
9. Snap Judgment
10. Throwing Shade

MATTHEW GUERRUCKEY, Editor-in-Chief

1.) My Brother, My Brother and Me
2. Comedy Bang Bang
3. The Best Show on WFMU
4. Harmontown
5. The Flop House
6. The Indoor Kids
7. Jordan, Jesse, Go!
8. Doug Loves Movies
9. Now Playing
10.The Bugle