From the Seattle food scene to Barney the purple dinosaur, check out these new podcasts

Looking for conversation starters for the Thanksgiving dinner table? The NPR One team has it covered with podcast recommendations from across public media.

The podcast episode descriptions below are from podcast webpages and have been edited for brevity and clarity.

NPR’s Embedded: A Good Guy – NPR

Sergeant Joshua Abate says that he’s not a rioter or an insurrectionist. Those closest to the active-duty Marine call him “a good guy.” But he was part of the mob that attacked the Capitol on January 6th, 2021. On the eve of a new presidential election, what does his case tell us, as the nation still grapples with the legacy of that day? As they look into the military’s reckoning with extremism in the ranks, NPR’s Tom Bowman and Lauren Hodges examine Abate’s main line of defense: Don’t focus on what he did; focus on his promising career as a Marine, instead.

Start listening to part one, “279 Hours.”

Seattle Eats with Tan Vinh – KUOW

Seattle is a buffet of great food… if you know where to look. Seattle Times journalist Tan Vinh invites listeners to the area’s hottest restaurants, road-side food stalls and everywhere in between to find the best meals in the city and to meet the people who make them sing.

Listen to, “Seattle’s best pizza.”

Embodied – WUNC

Our understanding of the term bisexuality has been in a state of constant evolution. In a moment when bisexual adults make up the largest share of the LGBTQ+ population, how is bisexuality being re-imagined, reclaimed — and sometimes relinquished? Anita meets two people who have grappled with the term’s history, meaning and power for building community.

Listen to, “Bisexuality Beyond The Binary.”

Lost Notes – KCRW

In the early 1970s, LA’s Sunset Strip was the epicenter of the rock ‘n’ roll universe. Drugs, sex, private planes, limos, destroying hotel rooms – it wasn’t a myth. And at the center of it all, were groupies. It’s a story we all know – but it’s never been told from this perspective. This season, on “Lost Notes,” we bring you GROUPIES: The Women of Sunset Strip, from the Pill to Punk. The real, riotous, rock ‘n’ roll stories of the girls who lived it all, hosted by Dylan Tupper Rupert, from KCRW and Golden Teapot.

Start listening to episode one, “Lori Lightning and the Baby Groupies.”

Breakdown: Turning Anguish Into Action – Maine Public

What does it mean to be a victim? Or a survivor? In a few brief moments in October 2023, 18 lives were lost in Lewiston — and Maine was changed. “Breakdown” explores the missed opportunities to prevent the Lewiston shootings, the role of guns and hunting in Maine’s politics, and the aftermath for shooting victims, some of whom were deaf and hard of hearing.

Start listening to episode one, “Did we really survive this?”

American Experience Presents – GBH

American newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst’s immense wealth and power transformed the media’s role in politics and society. In this 4-part series, we delve into Hearst’s early life and his rise as a media titan, revealing how his prodigious appetites and control over vast media holdings allowed him to shape public opinion and influence major events. Hearst’s innovative and often controversial approach to journalism, known as “yellow journalism,” redefined the boundaries of news reporting and had a profound impact on American culture. Discover how his publishing empire not only sensationalized stories but also played a critical role in political campaigns and public perception during pivotal moments in history. Join host James Edwards for a richly detailed account of William Randolph Hearst, where expert interviews, rare archival audio, and compelling storytelling illuminate the legacy of this pioneering media titan whose impact continues to resonate today.

Start listening to part one, “Hearst’s San Francisco Sensation.”

Document – NHPR

A young police officer unexpectedly finds herself back in New Hampshire, and she’s not the same person she was when she left. Something happened to her – to all of us. But for Officer Emelia Campbell, this thing still lives in her brain and her body. This is her story of survival.

Start listening to, “Emelia’s Thing.”

Art Outside – WHYY

We’re back with Season 2 of “Art Outside,” a podcast from WHYY about the art of our public spaces and the people who create it. We’re taking you around Philly to learn about all kinds of art outside. From commissioned works in Love Park and the 9th Street Market. To more ephemeral works like wheatpasting on a shuttered UArts building. As multiple art institutions around the city close, the state of Philly’s famed arts world feels particularly fragile. On this season of “Art Outside” we’re thinking about where Philly goes from here as we explore this dynamic world.

Listen to, “Our Not-so-Italian Market.”

Generation Barney – Connecticut Public

Meet “Generation Barney,” a podcast about the media we loved as kids and how it shapes us. It’s about the purple dinosaur. But it’s also about music and love and backlash and toys and nostalgia. Most of all, it’s about the television that helps us become who we are, from the station that helped launch Barney into the world.

In the 90s, preschoolers went nuts for “Barney & Friends” — and that’s kind of by design. The people behind the show put a lot of thought into every detail, from the word choices in scripts to the behaviors Barney modeled. Barney spoke to kids in a language they could understand. And those little ones? They were also central to the creation, and evolution, of the show.

Listen to, “Toddler TV.”

24 Hours in Austin – KUT & KUTX Studios

What does a day in the life of Austin, Texas sound like? A team of audio producers from KUT spent the last several months documenting a handful of days in the life of Austin. We spent 24 hours straight in one location, talking to anyone who’d talk to us. Their stories. Their struggles. Or whatever happened to be on their mind. We found that as big as Austin has gotten, standing still, it gets a little smaller.

Listen to, “24 hours on 6th Street during SXSW: Part 1.”

Us & Them – West Virginia Public Broadcasting

West Virginia’s vaccination requirements for school children are what a lot of health experts call the gold standard. Only a medical exemption will get you out of school vaccine requirements. On this episode of “Us & Them” we look at a recent legislative proposal that would have changed that. It would have exempted homeschooled kids from vaccinations and let private and parochial schools set their own standards. The bill came from some parents who want relief from what they call the state’s oppressive compulsory vaccination laws. While the bill passed through the legislature, it did not become law after Gov. Jim Justice vetoed the measure. We’ll find out about this latest chapter in a state with one of the nation’s most robust vaccine histories.

Listen to, “Childhood Vaccines — Parental Rights vs. Public Health in West Virginia.”

NPR’s Jessica Green and Jack Mitchell curated and produced this piece.