Podcast roundup: Our picks for the week, from Art Newspaper Weekly to In Our Time and GOTcast

Podcasts have seen a rapid upsurge in popularity in recent years. From true crime to design, popular culture and modern relationships, fiction to in-depth reportage, podcasts have proliferated to the point where no matter how esoteric the subject, there’s bound to be a show that deals with it. Amid this cornucopia of audio delights, however, how do you pick the podcast that’s most worth your while? This is where our weekly curated playlist steps in; it’s a lowdown on the best episodes from a selection of podcasts that deserve a listen. Ready to tune in? *** — The Art Newspaper Weekly The Notre Dame fire: what happens next? Plus, Cold War Steve About the podcast: Hosted by Ben Luke, the weekly podcast delves into the art world’s biggest stories — from breaking news to insights into the exhibitions and the events around the world — with the help of special guests. About the episode: Luke talks to Jonathan Foyle about the effects of the fire at Notre Dame, the building’s history, including moments of neglect, and what happens next. Later, Christopher Spencer, the man behind the Cold War Steve, talks about his extraordinary journey from a cult Twitter collagist to Britain’s favourite satirical artist. Runtime: 50 minutes Listen to the episode here.

—  The Guardian’s Audio Long Reads Smart talking: are our devices threatening our privacy? About the podcast: The Guardian’s Audio Long Reads podcasts are a selection of the Guardian’s  long read articles which are published in the paper and online, presented in a well-produced audio format — in-depth writing from around the world on immigration, crime, business, the arts and much more. About the episode: Millions of us now have virtual assistants, in our homes and our pockets. Even children’s toys are getting smart. But how safe and privacy-oriented are these devices, and when we talk to them, who is listening? Runtime: 23 minutes Listen to the episode here.

—  The Flop House Episode #282 – Castle Freak About the podcast: Hosted by  Elliott Kalan (former head writer for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and now the head writer for Mystery Science Theater 3000), Dan McCoy (comedian and Emmy-winning writer for The Daily Show), and Stuart Wellington (comedian and bar proprietor in Brooklyn, New York), The Flop House is devoted to the worst in cinema. The three have decided to express that friendship not by doing productive or enjoyable things, but instead by watching critical or commercial flops and then discussing those terrible movies length. Although, as they would admit, most of the time the talk is just about random bulls**t. About the episode: The podcast is joined by B-movie aficionado Joe Bob Briggs to discuss the fabled Castle Freak (1995). Meanwhile, McCoy asks salient questions about Grimace’s anatomy, Kalan denies all of McCoy ’s best bits, and Wellington fulfills his destiny. Runtime: 113 minutes Listen to the episode here.

— In Our Time A Midsummer Night’s Dream About the podcast: BBC radio discussion series exploring the history of ideas, presented by Melvyn Bragg since 1998. About the episode: Bragg and guests discuss one of Shakespeare’s most popular works, written c1595 in the last years of Elizabeth I. “… a comedy of love and desire and their many complications as well as their simplicity, and a reflection on society’s expectations and limits… also a quiet critique of Elizabeth and her vulnerability and on the politics of the time, and an exploration of the power of imagination.” Runtime: 55 minutes Listen to the episode here.

— GOTcast Game of Thrones season 8 episode 1 About the podcast: Plugging one of our own, GOTcast is Firstpost’s weekly Game of Thrones podcast. Over the coming weeks, we’ll be dissecting, predicting and opining over all the updates around the show. About the episode: The podcast discusses the several reunions, Euron and Cersei’s odd coupling, why she drinks wine when she’s supposed to be pregnant, Sansa and Dany’s magic carpet ride on the Dragons, Bran and Jamie’s encounter, among several other updates. Also, predictions for the next episode and what was lacking from the first one. Runtime: 21 minutes Listen to the episode here .