Best Misery Machine Podcasts (2025)

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2+ Hours Of The Worst Moms Your Parents Warned You About (The Misery Machine Plus Episode) 2:13:47

Play Pause

2h ago2:13:47

2:13:47

In the world of true crime, some cases don’t just shock us... they shake us to our core. They leave us wondering how anyone could cross a line so sacred, so unthinkable, that it defies every instinct we have as human beings. Today’s video is a deep dive into some of the most disturbing and heartbreaking cases in recent memory... crimes committed no…

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The Internet Is a Misery Machine with Hank Green 56:40

7d ago56:40

56:40

In this inaugural episode of Galaxy Brain, Charlie Warzel examines the state of the internet as it stands now in November 2025 with Hank Green, a true citizen of the internet—somebody who has made a living riding the algorithmic waves of the social web. Warzel and Green look back on a time when the internet felt small, more serendipitous, and inspi…

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Rated or Dated: Flash Gordon (1980) 28:28

24m ago28:28

28:28

A superhero with no special powers. An intergalactic wrong 'un trying to destroy the earth. Brian Blessed dressed as whatever that is. Welcome to this week's Rated or Dated. Now with added lasers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Standard Issue

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Small is beautiful, with Emma Rice 23:54

7m ago23:54

23:54

The Emma Rice Company's adaptation of Dylan Thomas’ A Child’s Christmas in Wales opened last week to rave reviews. Hannah grabbed some time with its founder, writer and director Emma Rice, to talk about a change of name, a new venue in Somerset, and Thomas. And a lot more besides, including Emma’s time as artistic director at The Globe, something t…

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The Case of Wade Wilson 34:41

3h ago34:41

34:41

In the shadowy corners of Southwest Florida, where the sun-soaked streets of Cape Coral give way to quiet neighborhoods, a darkness was quietly taking shape... one that would eventually erupt into a series of crimes so brutal, so senseless, that the entire state would be left stunned. This is the story of Wade Wilson (not Deadpool), a man whose tra…

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Bonnie Langford knows how old you are 26:30

2h ago26:30

26:30

Paddington the Musical – a brand new show written by Jessica Swale, with music by Tom Fletcher – opens its doors at the Savoy Theatre in London this week. Among its impressive cast is Bonnie Langford, who many of us have grown up alongside, given she first graced our television screens back in 1971, aged six. Jen caught up with Bonnie to talk about…

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Is it sometimes harder to play against ten men? 1:19:08

22m ago1:19:08

1:19:08

Your football calls with Robbie Savage and Chris Sutton. Phone 08085 909693 free from mobiles and landlines. Text 85058 at your standard message rate.By BBC Radio 5 Live

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Goals galore in the Premier League as Black Cats Back in Top 4 1:22:29

2d ago1:22:29

1:22:29

Your calls with Alistair Bruce-Ball & Chris Sutton after goals galore in the Premier League. Pompy struggling in the Championship and where can Hearts finish this season?By BBC Radio 5 Live

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America’s Slide Toward Simulated Democracy with Eliot Higgins 58:42

24h ago58:42

58:42

In this episode of “Galaxy Brain,” Charlie Warzel sits down with Eliot Higgins, founder of the open-source investigative collective Bellingcat, to examine how our public sphere slid from healthy debate into what Higgins calls “disordered discourse.” Higgins is an early-internet native who taught himself geolocation during the Arab Spring and later …

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Outside The Box: November '25 42:22

1h ago42:22

42:22

In this month's telly round-up, we're watching Death By Lightning, The Beast in Me, Down Cemetery Road, Plur1bus and Caroline Flack: Search for the Truth. Plus Hannah's finally got round to watching Where's Wanda?. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Standard Issue

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The Bush Telegraph: Rage against the (old washing) machine 25:45

6d ago25:45

25:45

Are you angry? Like really angry? Of course you are. Well, does Hannah have a dinner service for you. This week, she and Mick are asking whether the justice system is about to get a little less just, looking at the newly discovered age epochs of the human brain, celebrating having a bank account, and metaphorically smashing small TVs with a sledgeh…

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Rated or Dated: Santa Claus: The Movie (1985) 29:45

7d ago29:45

29:45

Christmas already? We know. But can we redeem ourselves if it’s Christmas by way of Jeannot Szwarc’s cult classic, Santa Claus: The Movie? A box office flop, it was nonetheless a hit in the UK, thanks to Dudley Moore’s turn as Patch the ambitious elf, some delightful animatronic reindeer, and top baddy-ing by John Lithgow. But will we agree? Learn …

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Have you heard the good news, with Generation Rent 23:58

8d ago23:58

23:58

All hail the Renters’ Rights Act, the biggest shake-up to renting in England for more than 30 years, which officially comes into play next May. It’s a bundle of positive news for tenants in private housing, not least the ditching of section 21 “no fault” evictions. So Mick got on the Zoom with Bismah Naqui from Generation Rent, an organisation that…

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The Case of Colleen Stan 31:58

7d ago31:58

31:58

Imagine being 20 years old, carefree, and hitchhiking your way toward a friend’s birthday party... only to have your life stolen in an instant. In 1977, Colleen Stan accepted a ride that would plunge her into one of the most disturbing and prolonged abduction cases in American history. For seven years, she was held captive in ways almost too shocki…

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Cindy Reymond spots an opportunity in women’s football 26:03

9d ago26:03

26:03

Cindy Reymond is one of the eight women secretary generals who represented host cities during this summer’s UEFA Women’s Euro in Switzerland. That’s right: they were all women. Jen catches up with Cindy to chat about her city of Geneva, what it takes to plan a major sporting event, not being the only woman in the room for a change, and why anyone w…

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Too Eze for Arsenal against Spurs... 1:20:54

18m ago1:20:54

1:20:54

Your football calls with Robbie Savage and Chris Sutton. Phone 08085 909693 free from mobiles and landlines. Text 85058 at your standard message rate.By BBC Radio 5 Live

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Slot's Liverpool Slump Continues & Eagles Fly Into Top 4 1:23:09

4d ago1:23:09

1:23:09

Your calls with Aaron Paul and Clinton Morrison after Newcastle beat Manchester City and reaction to Liverpool's 3-0 loss to Forest. Plus Crystal Palace climb into the top 4.By BBC Radio 5 Live

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Are Sports the Most Valuable Commodity in the World? with Pablo Torre 50:32

12h ago50:32

50:32

Are sports the most valuable commodity in the world? On this episode of Galaxy Brain, Charlie Warzel is joined by Pablo Torre, a longtime journalist and the host of the podcast and YouTube show Pablo Torre Finds Out. They talk about the role that sports and rampant sports betting are playing in our politics, culture, and economy. Are same-day parla…

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Alice Loxton is walking through history 26:54

1h ago26:54

26:54

When Queen Eleanor died, her husband - Edward I - ordered that 12 enormous crosses be built along the route her body had travelled back to London. Some survive today. Historian Alice Loxton decided to walk that route on the same days. Which sadly for her, was December. Alice tells Hannah about that journey and her new book Eleanor: A 200-Mile Walk …

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The Case of the Hi-Fi Murders 52:41

8d ago52:41

52:41

In the quiet city of Ogden, Utah, the spring of 1974 should have been ordinary, filled with warm evenings, small-town routines, and a sense of safety people trusted without question. But on one April night, that calm was shattered inside a small, unassuming electronics store: the Hi-Fi Shop. What began as a simple robbery spiraled into one of the m…

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The Bush Telegraph: Whoa! Back to the island 29:07

13d ago29:07

29:07

Jen gets a swift and thoroughly unexpected trip through US political rumours this week, as Hannah looks at the latest from across the Atlantic. Plus there's skorts, sports and women-only carriages. What more do you need? Saturday Night Live on edited Trump speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SesRWE02PIU Learn more about your ad choices. Visit m…

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Rated or Dated: Misery (1990) 37:47

14d ago37:47

37:47

Another week, another one of film’s most villainous women: this time it’s deranged devotee Annie Wilkes, a role which bagged Kathy Bates an Oscar for mangling the feet, mind and spirit of novelist Paul Sheldon (James Caan). Its credentials are impeccable, with a William Goldman screenplay based on Stephen King’s novel directed by Rob Reiner. But, a…

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Ultra Women with Emma Wilkinson and Lily Canter 27:10

15d ago27:10

27:10

Back in 2019, ultra runner Jasmin Paris made headlines when she smashed the Montane Spine Race, winning the 268-mile race in the depths of winter outright – while still breastfeeding. Her story was sold as an outlier – woman wins mixed race – but there are a lot of them about, particularly when it comes to ultra-endurance running, swimming and cycl…

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The Case of Julia Rawson 24:10

1h ago24:10

24:10

In May of 2019, 42-year-old Julia Rawson left her home for what should have been an ordinary night out. Instead, she crossed paths with two strangers whose fascination with gore, fantasy violence, and dark role-play would spiral into one of the most disturbing murder cases the West Midlands has ever seen. When Julia went missing, her family hoped s…

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Sarah Grant on history’s most fashionable queen 27:17

24m ago27:17

27:17

More than two centuries since her execution, Marie Antoinette continues to influence fashion and culture, and is now the subject of a major new exhibition at the V&A South Kensington, Marie Antoinette Style. Jen catches up with senior curator of the exhibition, Sarah Grant, to talk about the ill-fated former queen of France, why she still fascinate…

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A flawless campaign for England, and Republic of Ireland keep World Cup dream alive... 1:20:32

10d ago1:20:32

1:20:32

Your calls with Natalie Pike and Clinton Morrison. Phone 08085 909693 free from mobiles and landlines. Text 85058 at your standard message rate.By BBC Radio 5 Live

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Tuchel's team sheets & National League promotion debates 1:18:39

17d ago1:18:39

1:18:39

Your calls with Natalie Pike and Clinton Morrison. Phone 08085 909693 free from mobiles and landlines. Text 85058 at your standard message rate.By BBC Radio 5 Live

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I, Spy (with Agnes O'Casey) 24:26

18d ago24:26

24:26

There are a lot of spies in pop culture right now. This pleases Hannah immensely, so she jumped at the chance to get on the Zoom with Agnes O’Casey to talk about her role in upcoming play, The Spy Who Came In From The Cold, based on John Le Carre's best-selling book. They chat about spies and why we're so fascinated with them, Agnes's role in anoth…

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The Crimes of Jaime Osuna 30:54

16d ago30:54

30:54

In the heart of California’s Central Valley lies Bakersfield, a city known for its oil fields, country music roots, and tight-knit community. But in 2011, it became the backdrop for one of the most disturbing crime stories in recent memory. Jaime Osuna, a heavily tattooed man who relished being called a “real-life monster,” was arrested for the bru…

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The Bush Telegraph: Another workplace ruined 27:22

20d ago27:22

27:22

Bloody women. Is there anything they won’t ruin? Well, Mick and Jen take a stab at this week’s news, in which some institutions are too busy ruining themselves to notice: they’re looking at you the BBC and NHS Trusts. There’s also Spinderella, Stevens, and Jen very much NOT talking about Mary Earps in JOTB. Honest. Learn more about your ad choices.…

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Rated or Dated: One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (1975) 35:25

20d ago35:25

35:25

You know, the one with the good guy versus the evil nurse. Or is it? One of many questions we'll be asking as we watch Miloš Forman's Oscar botherer, set on a ward in a mental health hospital. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Standard Issue

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Hollie McNish: Virgin 26:55

3d ago26:55

26:55

One of our firm favourites, poet Hollie McNish’s latest collection, Virgin, explores a six-letter word with outsized power. A power that should also be outdated, but is sadly not. It is, as you’d expect from Hollie, a brilliant collection, packed with humour, rage, beauty, heartbreak and hope. She and Mick chat about dangerous words, what ‘virgin’ …

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The Crimes of Robert Ben Rhodes 30:28

19d ago30:28

30:28

Robert Ben Rhodes was a man who lived on the road... a trucker who seemed like just another face behind the wheel. But hidden behind that calm exterior was a darkness few could imagine. His truck wasn’t just a vehicle; it was a prison. A place where people’s lives ended in terror. Rhodes’ crimes stretched across years and state lines, leaving behin…

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Supplementary Ruth Tongue on nutrition 30:16

4d ago30:16

30:16

Instagram is a right old pain in the proverbial when it comes to advertising, and our Jen has noticed she’s suddenly getting A LOT of ads targeted at peri/menopausal women. Nutritional supplements promise women everything from a peachy bum to a sound night’s sleep, but how much of it is actually true? So she jumped on the Zoom with Ruth Tongue, nut…

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1000 up for Pep and a grand day for City 1:15:45

22d ago1:15:45

1:15:45

Your football calls with Robbie Savage and Chris Sutton. Phone 08085 909693 free from mobiles and landlines. Text 85058 at your standard message rate.By BBC Radio 5 Live

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Sensational Sunderland and manager misery at Middlesbrough 1:10:55

19d ago1:10:55

1:10:55

Your football calls with Alistair Bruce-Ball and Chris Sutton. Phone 08085 909693 free from mobiles and landlines. Text 85058 at your standard message rate.By BBC Radio 5 Live

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Flicking #67: Wicked 37:56

19d ago37:56

37:56

There’s no doubt that Yosra’s picked* one of last year’s juggernauts: John M Chu’s cinematic take on Winnie Holzman’s ridiculously successful musical version of Gregory Maguire’s dark adult novel reimagining the L Frank Baum children’s books that became a 1939 film classic still beloved today. Phew! That’s a whole load of fan bases to tickle. But w…

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The Devil's Den Murders 30:37

20d ago30:37

30:37

This week, Drewby and Yergy head out to The Ozarks to discuss the murders of 43-year-old Clinton David Brink and his wife, 41-year-old Cristen Amanda Brink. The couple, along with their 7 and 9 year old daughters, were on a hike in Devil's Den State Park when they came across 28-year-old Andrew James McGann, who brandished a knife. Clinton and Cris…

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The Bush Telegraph: Dawn of the Planet of the Arbury Apes!!!!!! 31:47

27d ago31:47

31:47

There's a cryptid been spotted in Cambridge and it's far from the least believable thing you'll hear in today's podcast, where Mickey and Hannah are chatting about exclamation marks, assisted dying, renters' rights and AI being bad for older women in the workforce. * If you're missing your Jenny Off The Blocks fix, get over to our Substack where Je…

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Rated or Dated: Charlie’s Angels (2000) 26:17

28d ago26:17

26:17

The Destiny’s Child theme tune celebrated all the women being independent, but – question - how appropriate are those lyrics for McG’s 2000 “action-comedy” film version of the 1970s TV series? Was it made for Jen, Hannah and Mick? Was it made for any women? And how many Susan Faludi references can Mick fit into a single episode? Learn more about yo…

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Introducing: Galaxy Brain with Charlie Warzel 1:33

28d ago1:33

1:33

The internet has warped public life: Politicians behave like influencers, the economy resembles a casino, and people can no longer agree upon a consensus reality. New conspiracy theories, memes, and main characters seem to pop up every day. A constant war is on for your attention, and it’s easy to feel lost. Each week, Galaxy Brain and its host, Ch…

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Selling cowboy country with Ellie House 26:12

25d ago26:12

26:12

Radio 4 and BBC World Service reporter and producer Ellie House makes some really interesting podcasts. Her latest, The Real ‘Yellowstone’: a battle for the cowboy way of life, focuses on the proposed sale of public land in Montana and the strange political bedfellows that have resulted. Ellie and Hannah also chat about the introduction of National…

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The Case of Patrick Benway 30:00

27d ago30:00

30:00

🥀 Do you know Patrick Benway? Please reach out to Steele's Funeral Home with any information: (863) 324-1475 This week, Drewby and Yergy head to Florida to discuss the case of Patrick Benway, and 81-year-old mean living in a group home with 3 other roommates. One of those roommates was 18-year-old Moses Ojeda, who had been placed in the facility af…

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Outside The Box October 2025 55:16

27d ago55:16

55:16

It's another OTB of two halves this month, with Mickey joining Hannah to chat about Riot Women, Only Murders In The Building, The Last Frontier and High Potential. Then Jen tag teams in to talk about Slow Horses, Coldwater, Blue Lights and How Are You? It's Alan (Partridge). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

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The Case of Mark Kilroy 37:54

30d ago37:54

37:54

In March of 1989, a bright and promising college student named Mark Kilroy vanished while on spring break in Mexico. What began as a night of partying with friends in Matamoros quickly spiraled into one of the most shocking and disturbing murder cases in history. When investigators uncovered what had happened to Mark, they stumbled upon a cult prac…

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The Bush Telegraph: What a faff 26:46

21d ago26:46

26:46

As the concept of ID cards rears its ugly head once again, Hannah and Jen are asking if Keir Starmer’s revolutionary way of eliminating faff will be as effective as Brexit in terms of reducing bureaucracy. Elsewhere, it seems the Home Office could do with some help in getting its day job done. Meanwhile, Henry VIII is repping Sexism of the Week via…

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Rated or Dated: The Long Good Friday (1980) 30:34

1M ago30:34

30:34

Or is it the long good objectification of a young Pierce Brosnan? Mick, Hannah and Jen are here to prove a Rated or Dated can be both, as they watch the cornerstone British gangster flick written by Barrie Keefe, directed by John Mackenzie, and which made a full-blown film star out of the late, great Bob Hoskins. He’s joined by a host of familiar f…

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The Case of Kimberly Hill 33:44

1M ago33:44

33:44

🥦 Use code THEMISERYMACHINEFB50 to get 50% OFF your first Factor box plus free breakfast for 1 year at https://bit.ly/3Vso5Sm! This week, Drewby and Yergy head to Corpus Christi, Texas, to discuss the case of Kimberly Hill, a retired Marine Corporal and mother of two working as a hospice caregiver. That was until her 18-year-old son, Kevin Davis, d…

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There she goes, Gosia Buzzanca’s Beautiful World 25:28

1M ago25:28

25:28

As an 18-year-old in search of freedom and adventure, Gosia Buzzanca left her small hometown of Poznan, Poland, eventually settling in Wales. In her new book, There She Goes, My Beautiful World, she charts her physical and emotional journey, teenage traumas, love and loss. Jen chats to Gosia about her book, growing up in Poland, post-Brexit immigra…

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The Case of the Richardson Family 1:10:19

1M ago1:10:19

1:10:19

In April of 2006, the quiet city of Medicine Hat, Alberta, was shattered by a crime so disturbing, it seemed unimaginable. Inside a modest suburban home, police discovered the bodies of three family members... Mark, Debra, and their young son Jacob. At first, investigators thought it might be a home invasion gone wrong. But the truth was far darker…