Pick of the Week
IMO: Style Stories
This new spin-off from the former first lady's audio series aligns with the launch of a hardcover volume documenting her wardrobe transformation. The production is sleek (as expected from the Obamas), with appearances by including ex-Teen Vogue chief Elaine Welteroth and iconic performer Jane Fonda. Similar to Michelle personally, the podcast offers depth together with its polish, uncovering fascinating perspectives about the pressures she faced as the inaugural African American first lady to occupy the White House.
Waiting Game
Test results. Public transport. Your marriage ceremony. We're familiar with the mixed emotions linked to waiting. Now imagine waiting for a lover in prison? A child delivered by a gestational carrier? Or the time between death and resuscitation? This contemplative show, narrator Katy Davis hears extraordinary stories of navigating such uncertainty.
The Preventionist
This production by an established audio team maintains their tradition of in-depth reporting into controversial topics. Host Dyan Neary speaks with parents whose minors were removed from their care after allegations of abuse were linked to the same doctor, and probes whether an overly cautious strategy was justified.
Revelations
Government document petitions aren't the sexiest topic, but reporter Jason Leopold and legal expert Matt Topic turn them into a lively listen. The information they've obtained through these methods in the US include getting Donald Trump's chief of staff to state in legal proceedings that the president doesn't mean what he tweets.
EU Nations: Best Practices
This special production puts EU nations head to head on accommodation, parental support and substance regulations to identify the top performer. The parenting segment examines different concerns such as Iceland's gender equality walkout to the reality that much-vaunted Sweden nightmarishly limits daycare for young children if the family expands. The top-ranked support service? Surprisingly, it's not Nordic.
