‘Bubble’ Might Be Your New Favorite Sitcom… Except It’s Actually A Podcast

Podcast culture is interesting. It’s one of the only mediums in which there are entirely too many offerings, yet we’re always looking for new recommendations. Every day truly is a winding road.

Scott Aukerman and Jeff Ullrich’s Earwolf provides a plethora of entertaining comedy podcasts — the network’s Hollywood Handbook is a subversive treat — but if your ears are looking for something with a bit more narrative bite, I highly suggest downloading Maximum Fun’s exceptionally funny scripted podcast Bubble. Written and created by Jordan Morris, the eight-episode series takes place in the town of Fairhaven, a literal bubble that’s mostly sealed off from the otherworldly beasts, goblins, and imps that live in the surrounding brush. The show follows a small faction of monster killers — voiced by Alison Becker, Mike Mitchell, and Keith Powell — who join a service that’s basically the Uber of goblin-killing. A fresh take on the maddening yet relatable world of gig economy, the show is described as “Broad City meets Buffy meets the BBC radio version of “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy,” which certainly tracks.

The talented aforementioned trio are joined by Eliza Skinner, Cristela Alonzo, and Tavi Gevinson (whose droll narration is one of the many highlights of the series), and features appearances from Judy Greer, John Hodgman, Martin Starr, and, of course, Paul F. Tompkins. I’m not 100% up to date on audio comedy law, but any podcast that doesn’t include the silky vocals of Paul F. Tompkins are subject to fine and/or suspension.

Photo: Maximum Fun HQ

What sets Bubble apart from other podcasts, besides the show’s sitcom-like structure, is its sharp comedic writing. The show doesn’t miss an opportunity for humor, injecting laughs into character descriptions (“Morgan is out for a run in a look that says, ‘Hey, maybe don’t try to talk to me while I’m jogging?”‘) and absurd, hilariously original one-liners (“This guy opened with a 30-minute story about how someone he used to go to high school with used to eat bees!”)

Listen, I get it. There are approximately five billion podcasts currently vying for your attention. My boring neighbor whose only job seems to be standing outside my window and talking about how his former boss owes him hundreds of thousands of dollars has a podcast — and he’s the living, breathing embodiment of the word worst — but Bubble is good. Very good. An absorbing combination of clever writing and tremendous voice acting make this delightful audio adventure a journey worth taking.

Bubble premieres today with new episodes dropping every Wednesday. You can stream Episode 1 on Maximum Fun’s website, iTunes, or wherever you get podcasts.