“Companion podcasts” are the latest hit format

When you are not watching your new favourite TV show, you may be thinking about it. How did they come up with that plotline—and how did the lead actor feel when he read the script? Where did they shoot that memorable scene, and with how many retakes? How long did it take to make that bejewelled costume?

A new format has emerged to satisfy fans’ curiosity: the companion podcast. Recently listeners have devoured episodes about “Beef”, a mini-series, and plunged into “The Pitt”, a medical drama. This month, ahead of its tv remake of “Harry Potter” in December, HBO is releasing a podcast revisiting the eight movies. And on May 15th viewers will return to Rutshire for the second season of “Rivals”, an adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s bonkbuster novel. An official podcast will chronicle “the joys and challenges of bringing 1980s television and naughtiness to life”.

At least 17 companion podcasts have launched this year alone (see chart). They tend to offer fans a glimpse behind the scenes, as the tv show’s cast and crew chat about the decisions and antics on set. Take, for example, Neil Druckmann, who developed the video game “The Last of Us”, and became host of a podcast accompanying the television show. He let fans in on the adaptation process, including how he “just could not crack” a film and how he was “unburdened by teaching people how to walk, move, jump and crawl”, as he rejigged entire plot points for a passive, non-gamer audience.

Becky Rho, HBO’s director of podcasts, says the format appeals in an “age of information”. Audiences are eager to know: “How did they pull off that stunt? How did this character or story arc come together?” Such podcasts should be “genuinely immersive and insightful”, says Darby Dorras, a producer on the recent “Peaky Blinders” tie-in. It is no good “assuming the audience is going to stick around for a bit of a fun chat”. Some podcasts bring in subject experts to add authority and analysis. A paediatrician has dissected the medical storylines in “The Pitt”, and a space scientist has guided viewers through the astrophysics of “3 Body Problem”.

There has long been demand for this kind of content. Back in the day, dvd box sets came with special features and interviews. (Streaming did away with DVDs and their behind-the-scenes bonuses, to the dismay of enthusiasts.) Unofficial “rewatch podcasts”, in which fans scrutinise their favourite shows, filled some of the gap and gained a popular following. In the 2010s two comedians found a huge audience with “Gilmore Guys”, an affectionate tribute to the teen drama “Gilmore Girls”.

So for networks, companion podcasts are a no-brainer. They are relatively cheap to produce, bolster retention and can be enjoyed anywhere. “One of the core objectives here is to introduce content that can be consumed on the move,” reckons Matt Trickett of Ampere Analysis, a research firm. Fans can be thinking about their favourite show all day long, not just when they watch it on the sofa after work.

In time, a saturation point will surely come. Can you imagine if even half of the 1,100 shows released in America in 2025 had an official podcast? But for now, they are thriving. Television audiences are primed for an earful. ■