Well, 'Welcome to Night Vale' has some excellent scary elements. It's set in a strange desert town where all kinds of odd and often terrifying things occur. There are strange creatures, secret government experiments, and a general sense of unease that pervades the entire podcast. 'The Magnus Archives' is another really good one. It's about an archive of statements regarding the supernatural. Each episode is a new, scary story that builds on the overall lore of the podcast. The way it uses horror tropes and twists them is really engaging. And then there's 'SCP - Archive', which contains a lot of disturbing and scary stories about various 'entities' that are often grotesque and pose a threat to humanity.
'This American Life' is also great. It features a wide variety of true stories. Each episode has a theme, and different stories are woven together around that theme. The stories can be humorous, heart - breaking, or thought - provoking. It's like a collection of short stories from all across America, told by the people who lived them.
For me, 'The NoSleep Podcast' stands out. It creates a terrifying atmosphere with its narration and sound effects. The variety of horror tales it presents is impressive.
The 'My Favorite Murder' podcast has some great stories too. For example, their coverage of the Zodiac Killer case is really interesting. They bring in a lot of historical facts and theories about the case. They also add their own humorous take on things, which might seem strange for a true crime podcast but it actually makes it more engaging. You get to hear different perspectives and learn a great deal about this infamous unsolved case.
In - depth research is key. The podcast should present accurate facts, details about the crime, the investigation process, and the people involved. It should also explore different angles of the story. Take 'My Favorite Murder' for instance. They do a good job of researching the cases and presenting them in an interesting way. Also, the ability to keep the listener hooked episode after episode is important. There should be cliffhangers, new revelations, and a good flow to the storytelling.
I'd say 'The Penumbra Podcast'. Its Juno Steel stories have a really unique premise. It's set in a sort of science - fiction noir universe. Juno is a private detective in a world that has elements of space travel, alien races, and yet still has a lot of the gritty crime and mystery elements. The horror comes from the often - dangerous situations Juno gets into, the strange and sometimes malevolent aliens he encounters, and the overall mystery of the cases he takes on. It's not your typical horror podcast, but it definitely has a unique and engaging scary aspect.
One of the best podcast stories could be 'Serial'. It's a true - crime podcast that delved deep into a murder case. The host's in - depth investigation and interviews with various people related to the case made it extremely engaging. It had listeners on the edge of their seats, trying to piece together the evidence along with the host.
One of the best podcast 2020 stories could be those about personal growth during the pandemic. Many podcasts shared real - life experiences of people learning new skills, like cooking or painting, to cope with lockdowns.
Some of the best podcast 2021 stories might include those about personal growth and transformation. For example, podcasts that feature people who overcame great difficulties in their lives, like dealing with a serious illness or financial ruin. These stories are inspiring as they show the human spirit's resilience.