Two New Podcasts I’m into (for the moment 😂)

  1. Ned’s Declassified Podcast Survival Guide (rewatch podcast)
  2. Growing up with Devon

I fill a lot (too much) of my time with ✨content✨, so I feel compelled to make recommendations whenever I come across something that feels particularly high quality, or unexpectedly good. I plan on periodically returning to this quick rec1 practice as I continue to develop the site.

I wanna elaborate on why these two got me to sit down and make this post, but to get there, here are some very un-hot takes that are worth repeating, even if they’ve become pretty standard:

1) There’s a growing surge of rewatch podcasts (mostly sitcoms), where casts reunite to somewhat quell their fanbases’ insatiable appetites for in-universe content.
1.5) Old (or old-adjacent) media = familiarity, which can be particularly welcoming for those navigating unprecedented crises—like adulthood!
1.75) “Adulting” has become a sub-genre of content (blogs/self-help/even entertainment media), probably due to the current moment in tech/social media2.

So naturally, one worries that these rewatch pods just unscrupulously cash in on nostalgia, rather than providing something new, informative, or intriguing.
To my pleasant surprise, the Ned’s rewatch podcast doesn’t feel like that at all!

Ned’s Rewatch

Yes, Devon/Lindsey/Daniel had to cope with the pressures of being child-actors in Hollywood, but aside from the relief that they didn’t permanently buckle under that weight, it’s nice to see that they all became thoughtful people3. In particular, it’s been a privilege to take in Devon’s honesty and vulnerability about post-Ned life. And his manner of observation is most striking. He doesn’t bemoan his lack of superstardom; it feels really genuine that he’s reflected on what it means to have been a successful child-star of a series, how that came with a set of expectations, and (often humorously) how he’s humbled himself in reckoning with the realities of continuing to work in entertainment and growing as a person.

I’d already identified pretty strongly with the character he portrayed on one of my favorite shows growing up—a sort of everyman4 afforded some measure of social mobility between the archetypical high school cliques by seeking to (and being sought out to) help those around him. But setting that aside, it’s been reassuring to hear about his experiences, at least partially given my own aspirations to some kind of notoriety. The second rec can be framed as a kind of joint project with the rewatch show:

Growing Up With Devon

Everything I’m pleasantly surprised by in the rewatch show, but without the constraint of relating discussion back to the experience of Ned’s as much as possible. Devon is an excellent host who gets authentic with interesting guests (like Alyson Stoner!5), listens empathetically, asks engaging questions, and has discussions worth listening to. It’s still early in the show, but I also like the format of asking guests in closing about adulthood survival tips/practices. Kind of like how the Bodega Boys (RIP) used to close by asking their guests on HBO what their neon sign would say.

Update: 5/20/23 – After spending more time with these shows I want to acknowledge a few things that my initial quick rec didn’t address:
i) my own nostalgia definitely primed me to have an affinity for Daniel/Lindsey/Devon, so I wouldn’t be surprised if a non-Ned’s fan were less invested.
ii) it’s a podcast happening in LA, so of course gross overshares abound. Listeners beware. On the one hand, these aren’t the most enriching moments of conversation; but on the other, there’s something to be said for the trend in podcasts. Maybe it serves as a testament to developing intimacy among friends, old and new.

Notes

  1. for sure, inspired by my favorite YouTube channel, MicTheSnare, and the “Quick Review Basheroo” format he used to do for album listens.”
  2. just wanna acknowledge that “the current moment in tech/social media” has become a trope that gets talked to death & admit to the hypocrisy of taking it even deeper than the 6 feet it was already under.
  3. I should elaborate on what I mean by “thoughtful”, at least in part due to Lindsey’s recent Tik-Tok controversy. (I know just barely enough about it to know that I don’t need to: i) look further into it, or ii) offer some kind of moral judgment of the situation).
    “Thoughtful”—Each member of the trio speaks with careful consideration during their discussions, and their interest in transcending the superficial is refreshing.
    That said, it’d be irresponsible to not cite the very real possibility that my bar might be relatively low for meaningful conversation from former child-stars. And if that’s the case, then I guess I’m just outing myself for being biased/judgmental/pretentious. So maybe, this is just a post disguising itself as a quick rec, but in actuality it’s just my version of realizing that “actors can be articulate conversationalists.” Which sounds a heck of a lot like the paradigm-shattering, totally revolutionary epiphany that “actors are people too.” 😮 Dehumanization rears its ugly head even in small, unexpected ways!
  4. it feels like a lie of omission to not acknowledge my ongoing “narrator complex”, so I should mention that it’s entirely possible I fancied myself a Ned figure, more than I actually was.
  5. it makes sense that Devon’s pool of people to pull from includes a lot of former child-stars. Jaleel White was up to a similar project for a short time, and it would be great to see his podcast, Ever After, revived. Jaleel would make an excellent guest on Devon’s, as well!