Back in the golden age of radio, from the 1920s to the advent of television, American families made a nightly ritual of gathering around their home radios to listen to programs like The Shadow, Abbott and Costello, and CBS Radio Mystery Theater. Now that we’re in the golden age of screens, there’s something singularity satisfying about falling in thrall to today’s audio dramas, ultra-compelling with their cliffhangers, rapid-fire dialogue, and familiar voices (is that you, Kristin Wiig?) Below, a selection of serialized fictional podcasts that you won’t be able to pull yourself away from: 

Blood Ties

Like Succession? You’ll love this chart-topping ripped-from-the-headlines family saga about a brother and sister left to pick up the pieces when their parents’ private plane crashes en route to their offshore family holiday. There’s a little bit of everything: tropical breezes, prescription drug problems, and a #MeToo subplot. The two lead characters are played, to terrific effect, by Josh Gadd and Gillian Jacobs.

Motherhacker
With shades of Where’d You Go Bernadette?, this thrilling and thoroughly innovative project is a tour of the dark web, presented as a series of dropped calls. Left hanging on the line is Bridget, whose ex-husband is in rehab and who must track down a hacker in order to save what’s left of her family. With appearances by Tavi Gevinson and Lucas Hedges. 

Homecoming

A whip-smart psychological thriller starring some of our favorite performers including Catherine Keener, Amy Sedaris, and David Schwimmer. The show is about a soldier who is sent to a facility to help him rejoin civilian life… though life isn’t what he remembered. It’s presented as a sophisticated tapestry of telephone calls, therapy sessions, and overheard conversations. Once you’ve binged it, check out the Amazon Studios adaptation, featuring Julia Roberts and Bobby Cannavale. 

Passenger List
Atlantic Airlines flight 702, connecting London and New York, has disappeared with 256 passengers on board. Who was behind this disaster? Kaitlin Le, whose twin brother has gone down with the flight, is determined to solve the mystery. A riveting series starring Broadway legend Patti Lupone and Star Wars’s Kelly Marie Tran.

The Seventh Daughter
Historical fiction deserves its own podcast too! In this hypnotic and haunting series, set in the early 1900s, a mysterious woman tutors a young girl in the arts of mind reading and clairvoyance. This highly atmospheric show gallops from street-corner medicine shows to vaudeville amusement halls. Bonus: the producers of the program also made sure that it has its own accompanying music.