Robert Spear Announcer: 0:21

Welcome to One Good Thing Media, your official podcast review channel. We search the vast digital landscape on a daily basis to discover the best shows that podcasters have to offer. Are you ready to discover new favorites to add to your playbook? Stay tuned and listen to One Good Thing Media.

Jeryl Spear: 0:56

My is name is Jeryl Spear and I am the host and creator of our podcast. All of July, we are celebrating summer with our Easy Summer Listening Series. One Good Thing Media focuses on eclectic podcast listeners who crave variety in all aspects of their life. If you're an avid podcast listener or want to become one, love to learn about what's available to entertain, enlighten and engage your mind, or if you're like me and listen to podcasts to shed stress, enjoy brief moments of escapism and for company, you've come to the right place. Each week, we review and recommend some of the best shows on the podverse that we have personally listened to, sometimes binged on, and really feel strongly that you, the eclectic listener, will love to listen to as well. We also have a lot of fun on our show and I look forward to laughing with you when appropriate and being outraged when appropriate. So let's get going.

Jeryl Spear: 2:21

I am ready to dive into season 2, episode 27, of our One Good Thing Media podcast. Did you know that you can support us by supporting who Gives a Crap? A company that really does give a crap? We've been loyal customers of WGAC for five years. They produce the greenest toilet paper and paper towels on the planet, have a microcarbon footprint and donate 50% of their profits to help underdeveloped countries safely manage human waste. Please give a crap by clicking on the sponsor link in our show notes and go even greener. Starting today, because this is our summer series, we're highlighting entertaining podcasts that are perfect for family road trips. If you've ever taken a road trip as an adult trying to keep your kids from killing each other in the back seat, or your antics were so legendary as a kid that they're now part of your family lore, you know what I mean. Mom, he's touching my knee again. Dad, she won't stop smacking her lips. Oh my god, he just farted. Roll down the windows, hurry. And then there's the oft-repeated question Are we there yet? Are?

Jeryl Spear: 3:50

we there yet Are we there yet? And throughout it all, you're just trying not to get in an accident, oh, and enjoy the scenery. Of course, there's always the license plate game that keeps them entertained for maybe 10 minutes if you're lucky. But I have a better idea, and it's one that's guaranteed to work for at least 50 miles, and I know that you already know what I'm talking about Engaging, entertaining podcasts for the entire family that kids as young as six and as old as 16 will love to listen to. My first highlight is for a podcast called Tomorrow.

Jeryl Spear: 4:33

If you're a fan of the Annie stage play or even the Little Orphan Annie comic strip, you and your family will love the Tomorrow cast by GZM, aka Gen Z Media. Annie Warbucks is played by singer, songwriter and dancer Abby Grace Levi and Agatha Hannigan. The villain in Annie is brought to life by Tony Award winner Laura Benati. Tomorrow is an original scripted podcast series that stays true to the Tony Award-winning stage play, but it also seamlessly modernizes the story into a contemporary tale set in post-pandemic New York City and five years after Annie was adopted by billionaire Oliver. Daddy Warbucks Andy, by the way, in this particular presentation is 15 years old.

Jeryl Spear: 5:29

Daddy Warbucks is played by the late actor and musician, lance Reddick, who had prominent roles in the Wire, bosch, white House Down and, of course, john Wick. He died in March of 2023 at age 60 and left a huge hole in the hearts of all fans, including me. Before going on, I just want to say that I deeply admired Lance Reddick's contributions to film and TV and still mourn his passing. Tomorrow has 50 episodes and all of them are 18 minutes or less, so they have short, sweet and fun episodes that engage kids of all ages, particularly young ones, because, you know, sometimes they get a little restless. I'm going to play a very short clip for you. It is from the trailer and will give you a pretty good idea of the spirit of the show.

Annie Tomorrow Preview: 6:28

The sun will come out tomorrow. Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow they'll be through.

Annie Tomorrow Preview: 6:42

Good morning, prisoner 845384. Please state your name for the record, my name is Agatha Hannigan, and I appreciate the opportunity to tell my side of the story. Annie Warbucks and Agatha Hannigan, two names forever connected by events that made one of them the richest girl in the world and sent the other to prison tell me what you did, dad.

Annie Tomorrow Preview: 7:08

I'm not some little kid that you need to protect everything is at risk, and harrigan is exactly the kind of problem we don't need.

Annie Tomorrow Preview: 7:14

Gen z media presents tomorrow an original scripted audio adventure inspired by Annie, the musical beloved by generations.

Annie Tomorrow Preview: 7:24

I spent my whole life looking for you, Mom and Dad hoping that maybe what is it Sandy?

Annie Tomorrow Preview: 7:31

Hello, who's there?

Annie Tomorrow Preview: 7:38

Tomorrow brings the magic of Annie to the world of podcasts, with great music and a brand new immersive story full of humor, heart, hope and mystery, starring Tony Award winner Laura Benanti as Agatha Hannigan, alan Ruck as Drake, abby Grace Levi as Annie and Lance Reddick as Oliver Warbucks.

Annie Tomorrow Preview: 7:59

What it's a broken rocket Exactly like mine.

Jeryl Spear: 8:14

Tomorrow is so finely crafted and so richly produced, I hope that everyone in your family has the opportunity to listen to tomorrow. The next show I'll be highlighting is another roadworthy podcast that's filled with far-fetched fun and please take me literally on that that will keep your kids entertained while you do what you set out to do in the first place. Take a road trip where going there is more than half the fun. The show is called Discovering Dad by Gen Z Media. It stars Broadway and television actors Adam Godley, christopher Sieber, alexa Nissinson and Banks Pierce. Jess, by the way, is an angsty, angry high schooler and Corey is a nerdy middle schooler who appears to be pretty clueless in most things that aren't book related. And Dad Dan is a fastidious middle school science teacher who is obsessed and I mean obsessed with keeping his family safe, to the point they feel smothered to the point they feel smothered. But then Dan's secret past finally begins to come to light when an old nemesis shows up and kidnaps one of his kids. Because there's something for everyone in your family, including you.

Jeryl Spear: 9:38

Discovering Dad is a great romp with an engaging storyline that will appeal to kids of all ages, I promise, and their parents. There are daring new exploits that show dad's real skills, rival those of Indiana Jones. They go treasure hunting and they defeat the bad guys. The episodes are short, action-packed and always end in a cliffhanger. It's like a Saturday cereal and the cliffhanger I just mentioned. Well, sometimes that's a literal cliffhanger. So there you have it Several hours of listening and hopefully hundreds of miles of peace and harmony.

Discovering Dad: 10:19

Not exactly the adventurous type.

Discovering Dad: 10:21

You know what they say Uncluttered kitchen, uncluttered mind. Who says that? I do. And you know what else I say it's a new day.

Discovering Dad: 10:31

Full of possibilities.

Discovering Dad: 10:33

Ha Time to vacuum. At least that's what they thought, until his past caught up with them.

Discovering Dad: 10:38

Leave now and no one gets hurt. Knife twirling what? Are you some kind of ninja? No, he's a middle school science teacher, turns out, the mild-mannered Dan used to be someone else entirely. Get out of my house.

Discovering Dad: 11:00

Who are you?

Discovering Dad: 11:05

You get to the minivan, drive where You're not driving anywhere, let go of me. You overgrown shrimp, wannabe, or what or?

Discovering Dad: 11:19

Or my dad will totally knock you out with a frying pan. Come on, I don't know how long you'll be out.

Discovering Dad: 11:24

What are you about to say now, good man? Come on, jess, buckle up, wait.

Discovering Dad: 11:38

Wait, just tell me where you learned how to do that knife stuff.

Discovering Dad: 11:40

It's called tanto jutsu. I trained in Japan as in the country. Yeah, it's, it's. I'm not driving until you buckle your seatbelt.

Discovering Dad: 11:49

I'm not buckling my seatbelt until you explain.

Discovering Dad: 11:54

They're on the hood of the car. Yeah, yeah, I can see that. Just hold on, jess. You're going backwards and you yielded me for driving too fast. Well, these are obviously extenuating circumstances. Watch out, minilocks. Squirrel, mr Combs. Honey, calm down, I just need to.

Discovering Dad: 12:14

Watch out, watch out there.

Discovering Dad: 12:21

Better A 180 in a minivan Are you kidding me, that was fire.

Discovering Dad: 12:30

I'm going to be covering Gen Z media in the near future, but if you want to get a jump on it now, you can go up to gzmshowscom. We do have some new shows that I want to alert you about. I'm going to cover them in more in-depth next week, but just be aware that there is a great audio thriller, slash science fiction, slash mystery called Oak Bridge. And would you believe this? Marvel now has its own podcast. It's called the Official Marvel Podcast and there is some inside information that is shared there that you'll want to know about if you're a Marvel fan and at this point you know there are very few people that aren't right Enjoy it. We'll talk more about it next week. Jerald, oh no, not you. Again. What are listening to? Are you spying on me? Oh, ais, you can't trust them. But yes, welcome to. What Are you Listening To? A segment where I share what I've binged this week, and it's a good one.

Discovering Dad: 14:00

This week I am in the process of binging on the Dating Detectives. It is a light-hearted investigation show hosted by private investigator Mackenzie Fultz, f-u-l-t-z and comedian Hannah Anderson. Each week, the ladies expose liars, cheaters and con artists who've left a trail of broken hearts, shattered egos and empty wallets behind. They also shine a light on the red flags to look out for when you're dipping your toe into the untamed and often dishonest world of dating apps. The episodes are divided between guests telling their stories and Mackenzie Undercover episodes where she retells some of her most outrageous cases. Because most of the episodes are standalone stories now you can pretty much cherry pick your way through the shows, which is what I'm doing right now.

Discovering Dad: 14:58

At the moment, I am listening to a McKenzie Undercover episode called Nail Salon Secrets. Of course, I come from the beauty industry so I wanted to listen to that where she tails her surveillance subject into a nail salon and sits right next to her while the woman receives a pedicure. Having perfected the art of small talk, mckenzie soon gets her subject to open up about what she's really been up to for the past few months. Uh-oh, the one thing that almost made me pass on this show I'm going to be honest is the amount of small talk that goes on before Mackenzie and Hannah get into the featured subject or story. Before I explain a bit more about that and my personal irritation, I want to say that not everyone would find this off-putting If you love to engage in small talk and there's a big benefit to being inclined that way their banter will likely give you a more personal connection to them and their stories.

Discovering Dad: 16:01

As for me, once small talk goes beyond just a few sentences, I break out in hives. Now this is just as an aside. My boyfriend can carry on small talk with anybody at any time and I can't go to a local market with him that he doesn't run into somebody he knows casually. And you know, it's weird because I find myself feeling trapped right away and I start feeling my blood pressure drop and then I swear I feel like I'm getting ready to go catatonic. So I have to bolt and go to some other part of the store. And it's not like I haven't tried. I have actually even studied articles that say things like what to talk about when there's no topic. What are the most interesting topics? What is not considered small talk? What to talk about instead of gossip? I almost broke out in hives reading about how to do it.

Discovering Dad: 16:56

I tested several episodes because I wanted to see how much of a problem this would be for me, and I found that some shows are much chattier than others. For the long-winded ones, I decided to fast forward through the BS at least halfway through their conversation so that I could listen to some great stories without having to reach for a Benadryl. I recommend that you check out Dating Detectives and let me know what you think. If you want to listen with me, my next episode will be In the Nude, and this is one where Mackenzie goes undercover at a nudist community.

Discovering Dad: 17:35

I'm really curious how she's going to pull this off without a recorder, a camera or even a pen to hang on to, and even though she'll probably be carrying a phone wherever she goes pretty obvious when you're recording. So I'm not really sure how she's going to pull it off, but if you know me, you know I'm going to find out. I'm going to be playing a clip for you and it is about a gentleman that came to McKenzie. He told her he believed his wife was cheating and he wanted her to tail her and find out what she was up to, particularly Friday through Monday, because those are the days every week that he was away on business and things just seemed hinky while he was gone. The story is going to pick up where she starts tailing her. Here we go.

Dating Detectives: 18:23

So it's Friday afternoon, right, the first day I'm doing surveillance on her and she goes to a nail salon, right, and I'm thinking, oh good, nail salon. And by the way, to the professor who said you're a girl, you'll never make it as a PI, whatever. This is the exact reason why we need girl PIs is because a dude can't go into and I mean dudes can go in a nail salon they can, but you're gonna notice them.

Dating Detectives: 18:41

My husband goes and gets pedicures, but it's always like 20 other women and like my husband and like people look at him.

Dating Detectives: 18:46

So you would notice, especially if he was like checking out, like focused on another girl that's creepy.

Dating Detectives: 18:51

Thank you, exactly. So she goes into a nail salon and typically I, on a case like this, I'm not going to follow someone into a nail salon because I don't need to know. Like you know, she's going to a nail salon there's it's not a nightclub, like the husband said. So, specific to the case this it wouldn't make sense for me to go into the nail salon unless it's like a, a, like a workers comp case or something where, like I need to see what their injuries are or whatever. But because a nail salon is like kind of a gossip hub a little bit. Yes, I was just thinking that. So of course I'm like, yeah, like I want to go in and hear, like what's what's going on. So I go in because I can fit in and I want to hear, like what's going on and I cannot record audio, but that doesn't mean I can't still obtain information, right? So I'm, nail salons are where people spill the beans, like it's just like your hair, your hairstylist, like you spill all the goss to her, right?

Dating Detectives: 19:50

So I'm in this nail salon, she's in a pedicure chair by the time I go inside and you know how, like when you go into a nail salon, they tell you oh, go to this chair, go to that chair. I didn't, I just sat down, I sat right next to her because I was like, oh hey, I'm just going to sit down right here. So I did. So I sit down in the chair and I am just like ready to get some information. And the nail tech ladies were like, okay, you're doing this. You were just kind of sitting down.

Dating Detectives: 20:19

What are they going to do? Make you move.

Dating Detectives: 20:21

Right, exactly, and so, like the customer, they're going to go to the customer, they're not going to lose money and risk you leaving, and so sometimes, sometimes, you just have to, like, own the space and if you just have to assume the position and not wait for someone to tell you what to do, you just have to do what you have to do to get the information. So that's what I did and it worked out. It usually does. So I'm starting a conversation with my pedicure lady, because it's kind of quiet, no one's really talking, and so I ask her I say oh, what are you doing this weekend?

Dating Detectives: 20:47

You know, just kind of, and you can tell that I'm clearly just trying to start conversation, to kind of break the ice or whatever, but I make sure that I say it in a way that's kind of loud and my personality, anyways, is very inclusive, and so when I'm, when I walk into a room, I never meet a stranger. I'll talk to anybody, right? So I don't mind kind of talking to her, looking over at the girl next to me and be like, oh, you know, what are you doing for?

Dating Detectives: 21:08

the weekend or whatever.

Dating Detectives: 21:10

And yeah, I'm bubbly and I wanted to drum up conversation, get everyone talking, and I said I'm kind of new to the area, I'm recently single and so I started asking about the nightclubs when should I go to meet people Exactly? Where's a cool?

Dating Detectives: 21:26

place to party and hang out and whatever. And so we're I'm talking to the, the nail tech or whatever, and she's like, oh, I, you know, I don't go out very much, like I have small kids, and so she's kind of quiet about it, hush, hush, like she doesn't have much to say. But I am, like I said, making an effort to include all the ladies in the salon in the conversation, kind of like steel magnolias in the hair salon.

Dating Detectives: 21:47

You know what I mean like it's girl talk. Yeah, absolutely you. Hmm, I wish there was someone around here who goes out on the weekends that might know Exactly what I can do.

Dating Detectives: 21:57

That's what I wanted to do. So finally, after kind of like talking and you know, kind of chit chat a little bit here and there, homegirl chimes in and she shocks me Like she. I do a double take at her when she starts talking, because when she starts talking she sounds like freaking Jessica Rabbit, like that very sultry voice or whatever, and I'm like holy shit, okay, wait, can you do it? What does she say, okay? So she says you know, if you're looking for a really great nightclub, you should try this one. Like okay, thank you.

Dating Detectives: 22:35

She gives me the name of a nightclub that I've never heard of. Now, I'm from this area, but I don't get around to this particular area of town very much. So I just chalked it up to I've just never heard of it. Like I'm just not from this particular area. Whatever it makes sense, I don't think anything of it. Well then she hands me a business card with this name of the club on it and she's talking to me and she goes here you go, and she's got these long, beautiful fingernails, and she hands me this card and like all sexily, and I'm like okay, and I'm like are you hitting on me?

Dating Detectives: 23:05

Thank you so much. And I'm like, oh, are you a bartender there? Or whatever, like trying to ask her questions, like get her talking about this club. So I'm like, are you a bartender there? And she goes, oh no, I bring my dates here. And I'm like I'm sorry, what, like that was too easy. The math wasn't mathing for a second. And I'm like, ok, like I'm sorry, what Like what for a second. And I'm like, okay, like I'm sorry, what like what. And so then after a minute, like I had this light bulb like eureka moment, and I'm like looking and I was like, oh, oh, okay, she's an escort it definitely has the vibe of a girlfriend show and if that's what appeals to you which it does to me I suggest you listen to it.

Jeryl Spear: 23:55

Let me know what your favorite episode is and I'll report back next week on In the Nude, which I talked about earlier in the show. And now it is time for the main attraction, for our review segment. I am going to be talking about two separate podcasts. The first one is definitely a pg rating. It doesn't really throw up any triggers, but I will tell you there is one mysterious death in this particular podcast, although it is not graphic at all until it isn't, because there is some action in it and the calmness allows you to bond quicker and better with the characters. I believe it's now ranked number seven as of this week, but it has been as high as number one for science fiction podcasts. Now I have listened to the entirety of season one and thus far nothing about science fiction has been mentioned or even alluded to in the series. Now that could change with season two, which isn't out yet, but I don't know. It's not science fiction to me, not yet anyway. The second season is scheduled to drop in mid-August.

Jeryl Spear: 25:30

Trap Street is a new mystery from the creators of Strange Air, and it has to do with an unemployed gamer named Josh, who has received a mysterious email with two attachments that magically open up. The first image is that of a woman with red hair and green eyes, and the second is an old map of a town called Ocean Bay, which is several hours away from where Josh lives. Josh is a very sweet, a very nice guy. He lacks drive, he's unmotivated, he is content to float through life. He's not sure why he's being sent to Ocean Bay, he doesn't ask enough questions, but once he arrives in Ocean Bay, events unfold that force Josh to make decisions, be more assertive, and by the time the first season ends, I will happily report that I no longer wanted to kick him in the behind to get him going. Here's a clip so you can understand the mood in the middle of San Francisco.

Trap Street: 26:55

I know, it's just a weird thing.

Trap Street: 26:57

Well, at least you look like your pictures.

Trap Street: 27:00

Thanks, so do you.

Trap Street: 27:03

Are you?

Trap Street: 27:04

ready to order? Yes, I'll have a whiskey sour With bourbon or rye Bourbon and you Prohibition ale, please Great, I'll be right back. So have you been on many of these dates? No, not really, just a few.

Trap Street: 27:21

I've been on 19.

Trap Street: 27:24

Is that a lot Sure? Feels like it.

Trap Street: 27:27

Well, I promise to make the next hour as entertaining as I possibly can. Hmm, you're sweet, so what brings you here? Did you break up with someone? Can I be honest? That would definitely make this date stand out from all the others. My best friend's wife gave me a six-month subscription as a gift. Well, I'm guessing that means you're the third wheel in their marriage. That's funny. I never thought of it that way. I got this really strange email last night. I need to see what's going on with this mystery file. Hey, it's a map of a town called Ocean Bay. Someone sent these images to you for a reason. I'm so lost right now.

Trap Street: 28:11

When was the last time you chose a direction and followed it?

Trap Street: 28:15

I'm going to Ocean Bay.

Trap Street: 28:19

We don't get many tourists this time of year.

Trap Street: 28:23

Ocean Bay is a friendly town, but we're not that friendly.

Trap Street: 28:26

I never sent you an email.

Trap Street: 28:29

I don't even know you.

Trap Street: 28:30

And why exactly are you here?

Trap Street: 28:35

The map is the reason we're here.

Trap Street: 28:36

Maps help when you're lost.

Trap Street: 28:38

Do you know what a trap street is?

Trap Street: 28:40

Trap streets aren't real. They don't exist.

Trap Street: 28:44

Don't trust anyone unless they give you a reason to trust them.

Trap Street: 28:48

I think he's dead.

Trap Street: 28:54

How could so much damage happen to a human body in such a short period of time? What the hell is going on here.

Jeryl Spear: 28:57

Just as an aside. I actually knew about this podcast months and months ago. I never was curious about it because you know they're trap houses, right, they're drug houses. So I figured Trap Street that would have to be a whole block full of trap houses and I wasn't interested in that. And I'm so glad that I gave it a third and even a fourth look until I finally gave in and listened to the show.

Jeryl Spear: 29:51

My last review for this episode is a podcast called the Metal Detective, and it's definitely not family-friendly. I personally was fascinated by it, but I was glad that I wasn't alone, that I didn't listen to it just before I went to bed, and I definitely didn't listen to it while on a long drive in the dark. Although there's all manner of violence and murder in this podcast, for me it was still one heck of a ride. Of course, my warnings are for people like me who don't watch zombie movies, at least not the newer ones people getting their heads smashed and all manner of blood and gore. So you'll have to gauge your own tolerance accordingly. The Metal Detective from Velocity Studios is part of their Greatest Scripts series, which adapts Hollywood's best unproduced scripts into limited episodic podcasts Mixed in Dolby Atmos, which is short for Atmosphere, and mastered in IAX, which stands for Immersive Audio Experience. The resulting soundscape makes listeners feel as though they're in the best seats of an IMAX theater. As such, if you want the full effect of this podcast, please wear your headphones or your earbuds so that you will get the complete surround sound effects. It consists of four regular episodes and one bonus episode, as well as several interviews with leading voice talent, the producer and the director.

Jeryl Spear: 31:22

It's set in the year 2045, when the world is suffering the effects of global warming. There is tension and social polarization among humans and human-like robots. And as a historic winter slams into New York City, detective Jacqueline, aka Jack Irons, learns her marriage is over. She's running from her fellow men in blue and is forced to seek shelter at the opulent Bradbury Hotel after it becomes impossible for her to hightail it out of town before her family-in-arms catches up with her.

Jeryl Spear: 32:03

But instead of spending a night surrounded by luxury, jack is thrust into a real-life nightmare when an unknown killer begins systematically knocking off the hotel's society guests Because of the white-out conditions. The only person who could possibly stop the killing was Jack, our reluctant yet fearless hero With no one to trust, human or robot. Jack aims to catch the killer before the sun rises and before her own past catches up with her. You see, jack not only got tossed out of her home, she is also wanted by the police department that she actually belongs to. And with each murder, detective Irons becomes more frantic in her investigation, knowing that until she finds out who in the hotel is doing the killing, more people are going to die. And that, my dear listeners, is the bare bones plot to seek shelter from the storm.

Metal Detective Preview: 33:06

In the vicinity, an artificial human being preserved. Stop, stop, stop.

Metal Detective Preview: 33:11

Stop, stop, stop, stop Stop.

Metal Detective Preview: 33:13

Stop Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop Stop.

Metal Detective Preview: 33:35

Stop, stop, hollywood's best unproduced scripts.

Metal Detective Preview: 33:43

We're tracking a Category 6 superstorm developing Expect winds upwards of 200 miles per hour. All residents are asked to seek shelter in superstorm-rated, shielded buildings.

Metal Detective Preview: 33:57

There is an open bar tonight. Perhaps you can drink a few thousand credits worth. That sounds like a damn good idea. There's a dead woman in room 74.

Metal Detective Preview: 34:07

Are you sure? I'm no doctor, but I can guarantee you she has no pulse A woman was murdered In my hotel.

Metal Detective Preview: 34:15

You lowered the storm shields after I arrived. The killer's still here.

Metal Detective Preview: 34:19

He's still inside the hotel. We'll work to find the killer quickly and quietly, let's do this.

Metal Detective Preview: 34:26

What the hell is this? That's a main power. The metal detectors Get me out of here.

Jeryl Spear: 35:09

Before we close, I want to ask all of you to please support our podcast. You can do this by supporting our sponsor who Gives a Crap, by clicking on the link in our show notes and checking out the company. Also, if you would follow us and leave a five-star review, we would absolutely love you forever. I hope all of you are loving your time in the sun and we will be here next week. Same time, same channel. Love you all. Same time, same channel. Love you all.

Jeryl Spear: 35:41

Mwah One Good Thing Media is brought to you by our host and creator, Jeryl Spear, all things technical are by David Dodd and our announcer is Robert Spear. Our theme song for Season 2 is Force by HGST.

Jeryl Spear: 35:57

Thank, you Bye.