To find the best podcasts of the year, we talked to two veritable experts in the form: Leah-Simone Bowen, host of ‘Podcast Playlist’ from the CBC, and Nick Quah, podcast critic for Vulture. In order to make it on their lists this year, both Leah and Nick said shows had to really push the envelope in format or reporting.

From heavy investigations to a show that Nick calls “cotton candy sprinkled with more cotton candy,” here are the best podcasts of 2023. For links, pics and more info, check out our website!

• ‘The Redemption of Jar Jar Binks’
• ‘The Retrievals’
• ‘Slow Burn: Becoming Justice Thomas’
• ‘If Books Could Kill’
• ‘Everything is Alive Presents: The Animals’
• ‘Murder on Sex Island’
• ‘Bloodlines’
• ‘Ghost Story’