Verity! is a podcast that didn’t exist several years ago when I wrote the Doctor Who installment of my “Podcast Roundup,” but if it had I’m sure it would have been at the top of the list. In the year that it has been around, it has become one of my favorite podcasts out of all of the podcasts that I listen to, not just the Doctor Who ones. Named after Who‘s first producer Verity Lambert, the show’s tagline “Six Smart Women Discussing Doctor Who” precisely describes the podcast’s content but doesn’t come near to adequately expressing the awesomeness that is Verity!
Who is Verity!?
These “Six Smart Women” are not your average Whovians — all six are award-winning writers, editors, and bloggers in their own rights. It is also quite likely that Who fans who are versed in the DW-related media community have at least heard the names of several of these women. The panel is moderated by Deborah Stanish (contributor to Chicks Dig Time Lords and co-editor of Chicks Unravel Time), who is joined by L.M. (Liz) Myles (also contributor to Chicks Dig Time Lords and co-editor of Chicks Unravel Time), Lynne M. Thomas (co-editor of Chicks Dig Time Lords, contributor to Chicks Unravel Time, and moderator of the SF Squeecast podcast), Tansy Rayner Roberts (Australian fantasy writer and contributor to Chicks Unravel Time — I’m sensing a theme here…), Erika Ensign (whom you might have heard on a number of Who podcasts) and Katrina Griffiths (another podcaster who, like me, got into Who by way of Torchwood).
Content/Format
Every week, some combination of the six get together to discuss some aspect of Doctor Who, not only current episodes but also such topics as favorite/best companions (which may or may not be the same thing, depending on which Verity! you listen to), representative episodes from each Doctor’s era, current events in the world of Who, and whatever else they can think of. Podcasts go out weekly, alternating between numbered episodes that follow a regular schedule of topics that the ladies have set out ahead of time, and Verity! Extras, usually shorter podcasts on a variety of Who-related tangents and happenings. Since Verity!’s first year was also the year leading up to the DW 50th Anniversary, the regular episodes had a retrospective focus, covering past and present Doctors, companions, monsters, etc. That was fun, but right now I am really looking forward to 2014 as they discuss the villains of Doctor Who from a variety of angles.
Why You Should Listen
Verity! is funny, intelligent, insightful, and covers every aspect of Who, Classic and New, that you can imagine plus several you never knew existed. I love Verity! because it holds my attention and keeps me in stitches. Over the months that I have been listening I have come to look forward to each new episode to hear what crazy, thought-provoking things the ladies are going to say. They sometimes squee over silly things like the fangirls they are, but more often they engage in intelligent discussions about every aspect of the show they (and many of us) all love. Sometimes I completely identify with what they are saying, sometimes I disagree with them (though probably not quite as often as they disagree with each other), and always I come away with a new perspective. An all-female podcast crew is somewhat of a rarity in the world of Who, and they certainly offer a refreshing new perspective on the fandom. There’s plenty to love for any Whovian, though — whether you’re female, male, or something else, you should be listening to Verity!
Where To Find Them:
The Verity! Podcast main website has information about the podcast, podcast RSS feed, episode descriptions/show notes, and occasional extra content from the hosts. Verity! also has a Tumblr for you to follow if you do that sort of thing, and a Facebook page you can like!
