Let’s be honest, this six-month quarantine period has not been easy, especially as the world crumbles around us while we stay indoors, forced to live in isolation. Sometimes, there’s nothing more that we want than to have the chance to escape and be rid of pandemics, poverty, corruption, incompetence, and natural disasters, which is exactly why so many people signed up to go on the Mars mission by NASA. When you feel like there’s nothing you can do to fight the bad things from happening, it’s natural to want to just want to flee.

These days, most people rely on the power of music or the compelling stories of movies and series to escape, and rightly so. There’s nothing like putting on earphones and feeling like you’re in a little bubble, away from everything and everyone else.

In fact, the success of podcasts in recent years can be attributed to our need as human beings to feel like we’re part of a discussion, and the need to sometimes just be quiet and listen. The podcast world is such a diverse place with different shows dedicated to motivational, worship, discussions, talk shows, or comedy sketch types of content, and it’s easy to find something that’s exactly your cup of tea.

Here we list down some podcasts that are perfect for getting sucked into a wormhole of stories and escaping all our real-life worries, at least for a little while:

 

Welcome to Night Vale (Horror)

Welcome to Night Vale is a podcast that tells the story of a small desert town in the form of community updates on the local weather, news, announcements, mysterious lights in the sky, unidentifiable dark hooded figures, and other cultural events. Now on its 173rd episode, the show has grown into a passionate community dedicated to unraveling the mysteries of Night Vale, and resisting the urge to go and hide.

In 2015, the creators published the Welcome to Night Vale book detailing the events of the universe that transpired in the first few episodes. Since then, the team has published a total of seven novels focused on different characters, and mysteries in the fictional town somewhere in the American Southwest.

 

Hello From the Magic Tavern (Comedy)

Hello From the Magic Tavern takes its listeners to the fantasy world of Foon, which host Arnie Niekamp found through a dimensional portal behind a Burger King, and he interviews all sorts of creatures as he travels the world. Taking up an improvised narrative comedy style, he chats up an interesting cast of characters from distressed damsels, to dragons and wizards.

The show is now on its third season, and has grown into a community of supporters eager to hear the latest news from the multiverse, and the crazy adventures of Foon’s travelers as they avoid the watchful eye of the evil Dark Lord.

 

36 Questions — The Podcast Musical (Drama musical)

36 Questions takes an interesting format of a musical drama told through voice memos in the characters’ phones. The story revolves around a husband and wife trying to fix their marriage and bring it back from the brink of divorce with 36 questions designed to make strangers fall in love, which was also the set of inquiries they asked one another at the very beginning of their relationship.

The three-part show stars Grammy-winner and two-time Tony nominee Jonathan Groff, famous for his roles on Glee, Frozen, Hamilton, and Spring Awakening, and Jessie Shelton from Broadway productions of Waitress and Hadestown, in an emotional and captivating story of love, truth, and forgiveness. (Major bonus: an ultra-catchy soundtrack!)

 

That’s What I’m Tolkien About (Fantasy discussion)

As you can probably tell from the title, That’s What I’m Tolkien About is a podcast dedicated to the overwhelmingly vast universe of the Lord of the Rings created by J.R.R. Tolkien. The show follows host Mary Clay Watt as she reads the original trilogy for the first time, and although this one isn’t necessarily a fiction story-based podcast, it does the job of magically transporting you from the real world to Middle Earth.

Each episode takes on one chapter which Watt discusses with some hardcore LOTR fans, and it’s perfect for those who’ve always wanted to explore the series more, but are too intimidated to try and pick up the books. You’re basically reading alongside Watt as she recaps the major events from each chapter, and goes on a full-blown discussion on certain characters’ questionable decisions, hilarious moments, and iconic dialogues.

 

The Truth (Anthology)

If you don’t really want to commit to a hundred-something episode podcast with a whole universe to catch up on, The Truth compiles short fictional stories that make you question human nature and life in general. The show tells the stories of post-apocalyptic worlds where inhabitants are afraid to go outside, a young woman gifted with a device that tells her how happy she’ll be with each decision, and unforgettable lessons on democracy, to name a few. This one handles a lot of heavy topics, so beware. But if you’re into shows like Black Mirror, this might just pique your interest.