Best Imaginary Radio Network Podcasts (2025)

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24. Why Do We Forget So Much of What We’ve Read? 34:01

3d ago34:01

34:01

Also: do we overestimate or underestimate our significance in other people’s lives? This episode originally aired on October 25, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

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Teaching the Mystery 1:22:01

5d ago1:22:01

1:22:01

Steven welcomes the return of fellow podcaster and educator John Brooks to this episode to discuss John's experience with teaching the Shakespeare Authorship Mystery to high school freshman as part of their humanities curriculum and analysis of Shakespearean works. Support the show by picking up official Don't Quill the Messenger merchandise at www…

1
23. Is It Wrong to Crave Praise? 38:41

11d ago38:41

38:41

Also: should everyone have their own trauma score? This episode originally aired on October 18, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

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22. Why Do We Buy Things We’ll Never Use? 31:35

18d ago31:35

31:35

Also: how is social media like a knife? This episode originally aired on October 11, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

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"Juliet & Romeo" The Pop Sensation 1:07:36

20d ago1:07:36

1:07:36

Steven welcomes filmmaker Timothy Scott Bogart to this episode to discuss Tim's new film adaptation: "Juliet & Romeo," featuring a pop music spin on the classic 14th century story. Together, they discuss the intricacies of filming on location in Italy, choices within the script, the score of the film, and performances delivered by the cast. Support…

1
21. How Can You Identify Hidden Talent? With Eric Schmidt. 35:14

25d ago35:14

35:14

Also: is there a downside to billionaire philanthropy? This episode originally aired on October 4, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

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Presenting “Smart Girl Dumb Questions” 47:32

29d ago47:32

47:32

Nayeema Raza describes her podcast as “a curiosity party.” In this episode of Smart Girl Dumb Questions, she asks chef and food writer J. Kenji López-Alt whether cooking is an art or a science — and whether brunch is a scam.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

1
20. Should We Separate the Art From the Artist? 32:44

1M ago32:44

32:44

Also: what is the meaning of life? This episode originally aired on September 27, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

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Shakespeare's Imaginary Constitution 1:48:40

1M ago1:48:40

1:48:40

Steven welcomes Professor Paul Raffield from the School of Law at the University of Warwick to discuss his book, "Shakespeare's Imaginary Constitution." Raffield is an accomplished actor and law professor with great insight into the works of Shakespeare and their ability to capture the legal and political aspects of their time. Support the show by …

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19. Is There Such a Thing as Good Estrangement? 34:31

1M ago34:31

34:31

Also: how do you know if you have a “bad personality”? This episode originally aired on September 20, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

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18. How Do You Raise a “Likable” Kid? 29:39

2M ago29:39

29:39

Also: what’s so great about friendship? This episode originally aired on September 13, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

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William Shake-Speare: Deciphering the Name 2:28:33

2M ago2:28:33

2:28:33

Steven welcomes the return of one of his most popular guests, the multilingual polymath Luis Sousa, who joins Steven all the way from Portugal to decipher the pseudonym, "Will Iam Shake Speare" and the over-arching central theme of the Shakespeare canon. Support the show by picking up official Don't Quill the Messenger merchandise at www.dontquillt…

1
17. How Can We Get More Virtue and Less ‘Virtue Signaling’? 32:31

2M ago32:31

32:31

Also: is it better to be a thinker, a doer, or a charmer? This episode originally aired on September 6, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

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16. What’s the Downside to Being Goal-Oriented? 31:42

2M ago31:42

31:42

Also: how does a cook become a chef? With Gabrielle Hamilton. This episode originally aired on August 30, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

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Poem Unlimited 1:39:34

2M ago1:39:34

1:39:34

Steven welcomes his wife, Annie, back for another episode to take a deep dive into what it is like to prepare for tackling the role of Hamlet. Together, they discuss the actor's process, the complexities of the script and the role, famous women who have played the Prince of Denmark, why "Hamlet" is so important to actors, and more. Support the show…

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15. How Much of Your Life Do You Actually Control? 36:37

2M ago36:37

36:37

Also: why do we procrastinate? This episode originally aired on August 23, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

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14. Are You a Maximizer or a Satisficer? 24:12

2M ago24:12

24:12

Also: what is the best question you’ve ever been asked in a job interview? This episode originally aired on August 16, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

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Comedy of Errors: Apologies and the Law 44:11

3M ago44:11

44:11

Steven dives deep into the origins and history of the Bard's shortest play to reveal the deep layers and themes within the comedic layers of the play while finding clues about why it was written and the audience it was intended for. Support the show by picking up official Don't Quill the Messenger merchandise at www.dontquillthepodcast.com and beco…

1
13. How Can You Stop Comparing Yourself With Other People? 33:57

3M ago33:57

33:57

Also: how can we stop confusing correlation with causation? This episode originally aired on August 9, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

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12. Does “As If” Thinking Really Work? 32:57

3M ago32:57

32:57

Also: how effective is the placebo effect? This episode originally aired on August 2, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

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Cinthio's Desdemona: The source for 'Othello' 1:26:31

3M ago1:26:31

1:26:31

Steven welcomes Italian-Australian lawyer and author, Michael Curtotti, back to the series to discuss his work translating Cinthio's "Desdemona" as a study of the source material for what became Shakespeare's "Othello." Support the show by picking up official Don't Quill the Messenger merchandise at www.dontquillthepodcast.com and becoming a Patron…

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11. Are Ambitious People Inherently Selfish? 36:03

3M ago36:03

36:03

Also: why do we habituate to life’s greatest pleasures? This episode originally aired on July 26, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

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10. Why Are Stories Stickier Than Statistics? 30:28

3M ago30:28

30:28

Also: are the most memorable stories less likely to be true? This episode originally aired on July 19, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

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The Cause, My Soul: A Voyage into Othello with Ted Lange 1:25:05

3M ago1:25:05

1:25:05

Steven welcomes the return of actor, producer, director, and playwright Ted Lange to this episode to talk about Ted's prequel to "Othello," and other plays he has written, including "Shakespeare Over My Shoulder," touching on the Shakesperare Authorship Mystery. Support the show by picking up official Don't Quill the Messenger merchandise at www.do…

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9. Why Is It So Hard to Be Alone With Our Thoughts? 33:40

4M ago33:40

33:40

Also: how do you avoid screwing up your kids? This episode originally aired on July 12, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

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8. Wouldn’t It Be Better to Hear Your Eulogy Before You’re Dead? 36:58

4M ago36:58

36:58

Also: how does a comedian cope with tragedy? With Eugene Mirman. This episode originally aired on July 5, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

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James The Poet King 1:23:11

4M ago1:23:11

1:23:11

Independent researcher Ian Stockdale joins the series to discuss his book, "Shakespeare: The King James Version," and evidence of the connections between James and the Shakespeare canon. Support the show by picking up official Don't Quill the Messenger merchandise at www.dontquillthepodcast.com and becoming a Patron at http://www.patreon.com/dontqu…

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7. How Do You Handle Criticism? 30:27

4M ago30:27

30:27

Also: is it better to send a congratulatory note to someone who deserves it or a condolence note to someone who needs it? This episode originally aired on June 28, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

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6. Is Incompetence a Form of Dishonesty? 39:19

4M ago39:19

39:19

Also: should we all have personal mission statements? This episode originally aired on June 21, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

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Sixth Anniversary Show! 1:44:24

4M ago1:44:24

1:44:24

Steven and Jake take a look back at 2024 and the sixth season of DQTM to talk about reviews, emails from listeners, fun moments from the series, previews of the coming season and more. This episode was filmed and streamed live on January 14. Find the video replay at our Patreon Page. Support the show by picking up official Don't Quill the Messenger…

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5. What Do Tom Sawyer and the Founder of Duolingo Have in Common? 29:34

5M ago29:34

29:34

Also: is there such a thing as too much science? Plus, our special guest, Luis von Ahn, an inventor of CAPTCHA and a pioneer of free online language learning. This episode originally aired on June 14, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

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4. Does All Creativity Come From Pain? 31:50

5M ago31:50

31:50

Also: is life precious because it’s finite? This episode originally aired on June 7, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

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Rise of the Tudors 53:56

5M ago53:56

53:56

Steven explores the incredible history of the rise of an obscure Welsh family to become one of the most famous dynastic families in the history of England. The story of Henry ap Edmund ap Owen ap Meredith ap Tudor is indeed extra ordinary. Support the show by picking up official Don't Quill the Messenger merchandise at www.dontquillthepodcast.com a…

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3. What Does It Mean to Be a “Hard Worker”? 26:34

5M ago26:34

26:34

Also: how does age affect happiness? This episode originally aired on May 31, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

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The Dead Hamlets 1:16:15

5M ago1:16:15

1:16:15

Steven welcomes Canadian author Peter Darbyshire to this episode to discuss his new editions of the Cross series, especially the second book in the series, "The Dead Hamlets" - a foray into historical fantasy fiction involving the Shakespeare canon, Kit Marlowe, and the curse of "Hamlet." Support the show by picking up official Don't Quill the Mess…

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2. What is the Optimal Way to Be Angry? 34:54

5M ago34:54

34:54

Also: why do we treat pets better than people? This episode originally aired on May 24, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

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1. Did Covid-19 Kill the Handshake? 39:20

6M ago39:20

39:20

Also: why can't humans handle uncertainty already? We’re replaying No Stupid Questions, starting here with the very first episode, from May 17, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

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223. What About All the Questions We Haven’t Answered? 44:06

6M ago44:06

44:06

How can you learn to love uncertainty? Is it better to cultivate acceptance or strive for change? And, after 223 episodes, what is the meaning of life? SOURCES: Jessica Alquist, professor of psychology at Texas Tech University. Roy Baumeister, professor of psychology at The University of Queensland. Raymond Carver, 20th-century American short story…

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