9 mockumentary podcasts delivering satirical takes, fictional crime investigations, a musical, funny news, and more
We’ve lassoed several mockumentary podcasts that might make you roll on the floor laughing with clever takes, facepalm yourself in disbelief from the absurdity, or feel awed by some series’ charming nature.
On our list, there’s a comedy podcast musical sharing fictitious archival footage from a rap duo’s rise and fall. For unexpected, hilarious, and fake news on the livestock industry, check out “Beef and Dairy Network.” Fans of true crime docuseries might enjoy a tale about a con artist filmmaker who disappeared with the film’s budget. Sports fans will love “The Offensive,” following a fictional Premier League Club’s shenanigans and news over the years.
In the style of investigative journalism podcasts, “A Very Fatal Murder” covers a crime where every resident in a small town is a suspect. For these shows and more, scroll through our list of favorite mockumentary podcasts.
A Very Fatal Murder
The Onion’s “A Very Fatal Murder” follows correspondent David Pascall’s trip from New York City to Bluff Springs, Nebraska to investigate a 17-year-old’s death. Before she died, Hayley Price loved animals, was popular in town, and was eager to launch her future. Everyone in town became a suspect. David reveals why the town’s investigation of Hayley’s death did not yield any answers. Meanwhile, a podcast host learns new info on the case and is ready to spill.
Limetown
When hundreds of residents vanished from the fictional “Limetown,” no one knew what happened until American Public Radio’s Lia Haddock started asking questions. Lia investigated and located several survivors to learn the truth. Limetown was the site of a research facility in Tennessee where experiments for a new invention were conducted. Patients received device implants intended to transmit ideas from one brain to another.
Everything is Alive
What’s it like to be a can of soda? A mousetrap? Or a grain of sand? Radiotopia’s “Everything is Alive” shares riveting interviews with inanimate objects. Each episode, host Ian Chillag hears an object’s life story and everything is true, obviously.
The Offensive
Stak’s “The Offensive” is a satirical sports podcast following the fictional Premier League Club Ashwood City FC for 5+ seasons. The series has been alive and kicking for over 160 episodes to stream from the very beginning to hear consistently clever takes on this modern game.
This Sounds Serious
Kirk Todd was ready to direct his first film in 1991 but disappeared with the film’s budget before his true identity was revealed. Kirk was a con artist living a double life, and host Gwen Radford searched for his other victims to trace his con over 30 years later in this comedy fiction series, presented by Kelly & Kelly.
Dear Joan and Jericha (Julia Davis and Vicki Pepperdine)
For 32 years, Joan Damry and Jericha Domain worked in various fields including life coaching, female sexual health, and sports journalism. Now, they’re both writers as Joan works on erotic-romantic adult fiction and Jericha wrote 5 books on depression. Hear satirical takes on their work, lives, families, and more in this Hush Ho and Pepperdine Productions podcast.
This is Branchburg
There’s one last milkman reminiscing the good ‘ole days, a middle school principal who used the school’s budget for a motorcade, and a local business owner who will gladly tie your tie for you in Branchburg, New Jersey. “This is Branchburg” has so many small town stories to tell, presented by Abso Lutely Productions.
Beef and Dairy Network
MaximumFun.org’s “Beef and Dairy Network” is a comedy podcast hosted by Benjamin Partridge bringing listeners through the world of animal products and the livestock industry. You’ll hear from guests like comedians Mike Wozniak, Tom Crowley, Nick Offerman, and Josie Long as they join to share bizarre news bulletins, cover documentary topics, and fictitious medical myths in episodes.
CrossBread
ABC Radio Comedy’s podcast musical follows a twin brother and sister’s Christian Rap duo named “CrossBread.” Hailing from Boronia, Melbourne’s outer suburbs, the group briefly trended on the streaming platform GodTube. In a 6-episode comedy, their former social media manager shares footage from their archives, sharing the duo’s first donut shop job, to why the band fell apart, and any regrets.