12 Funniest Sci-Fi Comedy Podcasts

When you think of fiction podcasts, you probably think of serious, speculative and/or dystopian pieces like The Bright Sessions or Limetown . But podcasting is a medium, not a genre, and there are all sorts of art shows out there, including a ton of hilarious and quirky comedies. My favorite comedy-fiction podcasts will take you to summer camp to solve a mystery during the Warped Tour and investigate the criminal activities of Willy Wonka and a fictional Christian sibling rap group called CrossBread. (Got it?) Each one is more absurd than the other, and they all deserve a place in your art podcast queue.

CrossBread

CrossBread is a music mockumentary podcast chronicling the rise and fall of Christian rap duo CrossBread, led by twins Josh and Joan Burns. Narrated by Ken Lim (the band’s greatest fan and social media manager), who ostensibly shares these audio tracks from his archives, it’s an outrageous storyline filled with Jesus’ hysterical puns, actually good music (if you can get over the absurdity of the lyrics), and the two main characters overconfidently trying to win $1,000 in the Battle of the Believers Prize.

Candyman

You laughed and sang along to the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory , but did you ever consider that the factory was the scene of a horrific crime? Many of the atrocities described in this story could easily have been avoided with handrails, security locks, protective covers, or any other standard safety equipment. In the Candyman series, “investigative reporters” Ella, Maddie, and Millie (of the Big Big Big comedy trio) take another look at the film, digging deep to uncover Wonka’s dark deeds and demand some accountability. The production is brilliantly staged, every second is original and riddled with stupidity.

Who killed Avril Lavigne?

I don’t know how into conspiracy theories you are , but there is one that claims that Avril Lavigne died back in 2003, shortly after the release of her successful first album, and was replaced by a doppelgänger named Melissa Vandella. Who killed Avril Lavigne? is the story of Derek Walker, who is obsessed with 2000s pop punk and discovers that forces are closing in to destroy the earth unless Derek can go back in time for the 2005 Warped Tour to stop Avril Lavigne’s kidnapping and replacement. Time-traveling in a portable pot, he races to gather the band and take to the main stage to play the greatest show of all time and save the world in the process. The completely original script is filled with catchy pop music and includes all the familiar elements of a sci-fi audio drama – aliens, time travel, conspiracies – taken with 0% seriousness.

Valley of heat

Freelance insurance examiner Doug Duguet (voiced by comedian Christian Duguet) suspects his pool boyfriend is dumping drugs in his trash can, but feels too embarrassed to do anything about it. (Available.) Instead, he makes a podcast about it. “Valley Heat” is a show, an investigation into what’s going on with his trash can and everything else that’s going on in his neighborhood, Burbank’s Ranch equestrian district. This goofy show is filled with quirky characters and original music from the Cephalopods Are People (the biggest rock band in the Rancho Horse District). Perhaps the best part is the fake ads for local companies like Karate Trophy City, Janie Cakes Breakfast ice cream, and Ian Robinson pants.

Starship Q Star

Written by real-life gay couple Meaghan May and Lauren Anderson, Q Star is a creative mix of Star Trek and The L Word . It follows former girlfriends Aurelia and Sima, who are chosen by a deaf space agency to be the “first all-male crew” for a PR mission to Mars, only to have the Earth destroyed upon their departure. This sitcom-style pod follows Aurelia and Sim’s planet-to-planet adventure as they discover new worlds, strange creatures, and bizarre civilizations.

corked

Corked is a narrative “real” crime comedy podcast that follows Jeffers Tatum Trench as he seeks the help of investigative journalist Miles Fletcher to solve the mystery of what happened to Frances Meyer, the missing girlfriend of renowned winemaker Lyle Le Monde. Trench is certain that Lyle killed her, but as Miles investigates, he discovers that his client has a troubled past with Jeffers – the two were a crime duo in Louisiana years ago. Every time Miles finds a lead, a new one pops up. Corked combines silliness with the traditional true crime format , making it a welcome surprise for anyone familiar with public radio investigations.

wooden coats

Set in the fictional village of Piffling Vale in the Channel Islands, The Wooden Coats is about the rivalry that erupts when Eric Chapman opens a business right across the street from the Funn Funerals family business, formerly the town’s only funeral service provider (despite that no one likes the owner, Rudyard Fann.) The residents love Eric’s joyful approach to funerals, and the rivalry between the two companies turns everything in town. The story is told by Rudyard’s best friend Madeleine, a mouse living in Funn Funerals.

Mokeri Manor

Mockery Manor is no different than any other theme park until people start to disappear. The teenage twins then have to figure out what’s going on. Set in the ’90s, this show is a world-building experience: subsequent seasons cover additional Dunkelschloss and Claytonville parks (inspired by the songs of country music legend Clayton Woodrow III), and another season consists entirely of “cassettes” of one of the Case P.I. . The twins continue to delve into more and more intricate mysteries related to the bizarre nature of theme parks, filled with atmospheric, eerie music and carnival melodies. (I find it very similar to Disney After Dark.)

In maps

Remember Dead Eyes , the series in which actor and comedian Connor Ratliff made an attempt to find out why Tom Hanks fired him from a small role in the 2001 HBO miniseries Band of Brothers ? Conor’s dead eyes are back in In the Cards, an audio drama about Gil (Ratliff), a ridiculously unlucky low-level publicist (he writes copy for table tents in restaurants) who learns through tarot card reading that, yes, the universe exists. against him, a revelation that prompts him to take charge of his own destiny for the first time. The poignantly written show is filled with Gil’s self-deprecating humor and thoughtful, existential musings on the nature of fate. It’s a mixture of comedy, romance, supernatural elements and a truly delightful story.

Summer Camp: The Case of the Ghost Poop

Summer Camp: The Case of the Phantom Pooper tells the story of a summer camp just like the one you had as a kid, with campfire singing, crafts and everything. But at this summer camp, the ghost of poop is also on the loose. But who is it? Summer Camp is a lively detective story that evokes a sense of usefulness and nostalgia, albeit with a touch of scatological humor. (Based on a true story!)

Reduction of investigated crimes

Cold Case Crime Cuts is a podcast featuring some of the most horrific (fictional) crimes ever committed in pop songs. Who really killed the radio star? Who shot the sheriff? To solve the case, the “detective” uses real lyrics from each song. It’s great to think creatively about these earworms, and it’s also great if you’re familiar with that particular style of overly serious true crime podcasts. But this is also hysterical, even if you know absolutely nothing about either one or the other. (At the moment, the best episode is about Copacabana .) This series has a new kind of joke, and it’s endlessly funny.

We keep searching

We Stay Searched is a satirical true crime series that is a sequel to Insecure’s podcast Finding Latoya , which follows a fictionalized search for a missing black girl named LaToya Thompson (played by SZA). Starring “Rose Cranberry” (Terry J. Vaughn), this podcast satirizes investigative podcasts as a way to illustrate real-life corruption in the justice system. The search for LaToya lasted one episode before LaToya was “found”, which is a way of illustrating how lethargic law enforcement efforts are often when it comes to bringing back lost black women. Rose then returned in the second season to seek out not only the women, but everyone who was missing and ignored. (Season 2 only has six episodes, since “The budget allows for so many black stories a year. Obviously, after six, they would have reached their quota for diverse material.”) Funny, but damn, it’s really impressive. .