Recommended Audio Fiction Podcasts Horror, Science Fiction, Comedy and more

 

—Red Valley : not post-apocalyptic, not Lovecraftian - still DEFINITELY checks all the boxes for weird, sci-fi, horror fiction and has immaculate pacing - the early season one episodes set up a brilliant plot & a few thought provoking mysteries. season 1 and 2 both end in incredible twists & the final episodes had me at times crying, laughing out loud, crying again, and then left me thinking on them for days to come. season 3 has been announced

—The Cypher : truly great mystery (or mysteries..?), definitely a futuristic, world. Sci-fi thriller. Also by the BBC but available on most podcasting apps like the other BBC AD’s I have recommended here (spotify, Apple Podcasts, audible this one isn’t on Pocket Casts though)

—The Message

—LifeAfter

—Archive 81

—The Deep Vault (made by the Archive 81 team)

—The Oyster : this one I was apprehensive about & it was just… great. Cerebral, thought provoking, moving, psychologically horrible sci-fi. You will laugh & likely cry & feel your stomach fill with butterflies & it leaves a definite impression that lasts for days…

—The Imperfection : award winning. Any more description will ruin it. Go in cold.

—The Lovecraft Investigations : if you have already heard this BBC audiodrama, there are others by the same author Julian Simpson. He has an entire meta-verse within his Pleasant Green universe. I’m not a fan AT ALL of the typical Call of Cthulhu BS & certainly am no fan of HP Lovecraft as an “author” or even as a human- this is why I put off listening to this & then I kicked myself for judging a “book by its cover”

—The Piper - BBC sounds sci-fi triller

— Malevolent is all about Lovecraftian mythos without being obsessed with HP Lovecraft; instead it’s inspired by the best ideas from Lovecraft’s original writings (which aren’t very good) so you needn’t have any Lovecraft knowledge to enjoy this one .

—Drama from Radio 4 - it’s another random chocolate box of bottle episodes. I AM KANYE WEST is hilarious while being legitimately frightening and deeply thought provoking

—Lusus - another BBC AD, & it’s kinda like a short anthology (which I am not really into anthologies unless they are super original 😅) but if you really pay attention each VERY different story- can be linked. i see it as like a Valentine’s Day chocolate box of audios - each one is unique in its own subgenre of the horror/mystery category lol high production value (as its produced by the BBC), top of the range actors etc

—Limetown

—Limelight - another BBC AD: composed of mini-serials. So last month their supernatural horror drama was English Rose, 2 days ago their newest one Exemplar dropped. Earlier ones worth a listen include The System series 1 & 2, Dead Hand, and Steelheads

—No Place But the Water : another BBC AD- serialized sci-fi, horror/thriller set in a world flooded by water. Just concluded after dropping its final season last week.

—Forest 404 (is available on pocket casts, spotify as well as BBC sounds)

—Weird Tales : on BBC sounds & audible - I binged this all last night. Some of these were just phenomenal. They ease you in with The Fly (not associated with the movie) and then they dial up the psychological fear factor times 10 in the The Loop - which I believe was my favorite of the entire series.

—Dashing Onions Audio : I read a review while Google searching best audiodrama - the mini series When We Were Two was a perfect recommendation- this is how every Twilight Zone episode should have been. Upstairs, Upstairs was good just too short. Customs is a master class in script editing. Overall I prefer their mini series (when the comes round) - but I know lots of people these days prefer bite-sized “plays” - and with a m 15 minute run time Dashing Onion sure seems to spare no expenses. Quality is gold standard across the board.

—The Man in Black

—Dangerous Visions BBC AD.

—Tracks BBC . There are 5 different seasons - each could be listened to in isolation as they all have their own individual mysteries that are solved. All weird sci-fi, psychological thriller fiction

—Forest 404

—Ars Paradoxica (though it’s definitely indie and low on the sound effects/sound design) - I have issues with a single person narrating or monologue-ing for long periods at a time - I lose Interest - and I lost interest in this one quite a few times so… if you are reading this and empathizing u may wanna do this last)

—BODY HORROR (BBC) : psychological mystery thriller (contrary to the title of the piece, it’s not even remotely in the body horror subgenre lol - no gore or any talk of blood 🩸 because it’s not necessary - this one cuts deep in particular for women listeners…). if you already listened to & liked Red Valley, Life-After, and/or Tracks - Body Horror is for you.

—Drama on 3 (BBC) bottled episode or mini series drops - I recommend Strings & Love Thy Synth

—Mockery Manor

—Unknown 9: Out of Sight

—wake of Corrosion ((ongoing))

note Honorable mention if you are into the thriller genre I can recommendBatman Unburied by Spotify. I’m talking in particular about the first 2 episodes. I didn’t really think the rest of the series was much to celebrate unless you happen to be a lover of the Batman mythos or are into the classic (ie: superman, the flash, Batman etc) super-hero genre as a whole. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Non-horror/thriller full cast quality full cast audio drama production:

—EOS 10 : I’m not keen on labels especially for pieces that are singularly unique. EOS10 defies categorization. It’s full of heart and it’s definitely 1 of the most addictive as well as binge-worthy AD’s out there.

—MARSCORP

—We Fix Space Junk

—Audible’s Space 1969

—Wooden Overcoats

—Victoriocity

—Audible’s Heads Will Roll

—Alba Salix