Buzz
When you think of fiction podcasts, you might imagine serious, speculative, or dystopian stories like The Bright Sessions or Limetown. But podcasts are a medium, not a genre, and there's a wide variety of fiction shows, including a bunch of hilarious and quirky comedies. Some of my personal favorites take you on wild adventures like solving a mystery on the Warped Tour, attending a summer camp, or investigating Willy Wonka's criminal activities, alongside a fictional Christian rap group, CrossBread. (See what they did there?) Each show is more absurd than the last, and all are well worth adding to your podcast list.
CrossBread
CrossBread is a musical mockumentary podcast that chronicles the rise and fall of the Christian rap duo CrossBread, led by twins Josh and Joan Burns. The story is narrated by Ken Lim, the band’s ultimate fan and social media manager, who supposedly presents these audio tracks from the band's archives. The show is packed with hilarious Jesus-themed puns, surprisingly good music (if you can look past the ridiculous lyrics), and two incredibly confident lead characters attempting to win $1,000 in the Battle of Believers competition.
The Candyman
You’ve probably laughed and sung along to the 1971 classic Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, but have you ever considered that the factory itself might be the site of a gruesome crime scene? Many of the events in the story could have been prevented with basic safety measures like handrails, safety interlocks, and protective covers. In The Candyman, “investigative journalists” Ella, Maddie, and Millie (members of the comedy group Big Big Big) revisit the film, digging deep into Wonka's sinister actions and demanding justice. The production is brilliantly crafted, offering endless originality with a punch of silliness in every moment.
Who Killed Avril Lavigne?
Whether you're into conspiracy theories or not, there's one intriguing rumor suggesting that Avril Lavigne died in 2003 after her first album's success and was replaced by a body double named Melissa Vandella. Who Killed Avril Lavigne? follows Derek Walker, a pop-punk fanatic from the 2000s, as he uncovers a plot to destroy the world unless he can travel back in time to 2005's Warped Tour to prevent Avril's abduction and replacement. Through a time-travel adventure (via a porta-potty), Derek must form a band and perform the greatest show ever to save the world. The script is completely original, packed with catchy pop tunes, and filled with classic sci-fi elements—aliens, time travel, conspiracies—all served with a dose of humor and zero seriousness.
Valley Heat
Freelance insurance adjuster Doug Duguay (voiced by comedian Christian Duguay) becomes suspicious that his pool guy is using his trash can for drug drops, but he's too awkward to take action. (Totally relatable.) So, instead, he creates a podcast about it. Valley Heat is that podcast—a humorous investigation into what’s really happening with Doug’s trash can and all the strange happenings in his neighborhood, the Rancho Equestrian District in Burbank. This delightful show features eccentric characters and original music by Cephalopods Are People, the area's hottest rock band. The best part might just be the hilarious faux commercials for local businesses like Karate Trophy City, Janie Cakes Breakfast Ice-Cream, and Pants by Jan Robinson.
Starship Q Star
Written by real-life queer couple Meegan May and Lauren Anderson, Starship Q Star is a unique blend of Star Trek and The L Word. It follows former lovers Aurelia and Sim, who are selected by a clueless space agency as the “first all non-men crew” for a PR stunt to Mars, only for Earth to be obliterated shortly after they depart. This sitcom-style podcast chronicles their adventures as they travel from one planet to another, encountering new worlds, strange creatures, and bizarre civilizations.
Corked
Corked is a narrative “true” crime comedy podcast that follows Jeffers Tatum Trench as he recruits investigative journalist Miles Fletcher to uncover the truth behind the disappearance of Frances Meyer, the missing girlfriend of renowned winemaker Lyle Le Monde. Trench believes Lyle is responsible for her murder, but as the investigation unfolds, Miles uncovers a tangled history between Jeffers and his client—once partners in crime in Louisiana. Every time Miles thinks he has a breakthrough, a new twist arises. Corked blends humor with the typical true crime format, making it a delightful surprise for fans of public radio-style investigations.
Wooden Overcoats
Wooden Overcoats, set in the fictional Channel Islands village of Piffling Vale, explores the rivalry that ignites when Eric Chapman opens a funeral home directly across from the long-established, family-run Funn Funerals, once the town’s exclusive provider of funeral services (despite Rudyard Funn, the owner, being widely disliked). The townspeople are drawn to Eric’s cheerful approach to funerals, and the competition between the two businesses shakes up the entire town. The story is narrated by Madeleine, Rudyard’s best friend, who happens to be a mouse living in Funn Funerals.
Mockery Manor
Mockery Manor appears to be just another theme park—until people begin disappearing. It's then up to twin teens to uncover what’s happening. Set in the 1990s, this show offers an immersive worldbuilding experience, with later seasons exploring spinoff parks Dunkelschloss and Claytonville (inspired by the music of country legend Clayton Woodrow III), and another season dedicated entirely to “tapes” from one of the P.I.’s cases. The twins get pulled deeper into increasingly strange mysteries, exploring the surreal nature of theme parks, all accompanied by eerie, atmospheric music and carnival tunes. (It has a distinct Disney After Dark feel.)
In the Cards
Remember Dead Eyes, the podcast where actor/comedian Connor Ratliff set out to uncover why Tom Hanks fired him from a minor role in the 2001 HBO miniseries, Band of Brothers? Well, Conor’s dead eyes are back in In the Cards, an audio drama featuring Gil (Ratliff), a disastrously unlucky low-level ad man who writes copy for restaurant table tents. After a tarot reading reveals that the universe is indeed against him, Gil takes matters into his own hands and tries to take control of his fate for the very first time. The show is cleverly written, infused with Gil’s self-deprecating humor, and filled with deep, existential reflections on destiny. It’s a delightful mix of comedy, romance, the supernatural, and a truly heartwarming story.
Summer Camp: The Case of the Phantom Pooper
Summer Camp: The Case of the Phantom Pooper brings us to a nostalgic summer camp, reminiscent of your childhood days filled with campfire songs, arts and crafts, and more. But this camp has a mystery—a phantom pooper on the loose. Who could it be? Summer Camp is an entertaining detective story that feels both wholesome and nostalgic, all while embracing its outrageous scatological humor. (Inspired by actual events!)
Cold Case Crime Cuts
Cold Case Crime Cuts is a podcast that delves into some of the most bizarre (fictional) crimes ever depicted in pop songs. Who really murdered the radio star? Who was behind the shooting of the sheriff? The “detective” employs actual lyrics from each song to crack the case. It’s a fun way to creatively analyze those catchy tunes, and it’s a delight if you're familiar with that overly dramatic style of true crime podcasts. However, it’s also hilarious even if you're completely clueless about either genre. (The best episode so far centers around the Copacabana.) This show has pioneered an entirely new type of humor that’s endlessly amusing.
We Stay Looking
We Stay Looking is a satirical “true crime” podcast—a continuation of the Insecure-inspired show Looking for Latoya, which followed the fictional search for a missing Black girl named LaToya Thompson (played by SZA). That series, starring “Rose Cranberry” (Terri J. Vaughn), humorously critiques investigative podcasts, using the search for LaToya to highlight systemic flaws in the justice system. Looking for Latoya ran for a single episode, with LaToya’s “discovery” serving as a biting commentary on how law enforcement’s efforts often fall short when it comes to missing Black women. In season two, Rose returns, this time not just searching for women, but anyone who has vanished and been ignored. (Season two has only six episodes, because, as the show jokingly points out, “The budget only allows for so many Black stories a year. Apparently, after six, they hit their quota for diverse material.”) It’s hilarious, but it really makes you think.
