Imaginary Worlds
Eric Molinsky | Daylight Media
4.8from 2,004 ratings
- 320
- Episodes
- 77
- Transcribed
- 2,004
- Ratings
- Bi-weekly
- Cadence
- 2014
- First episode
About Imaginary Worlds
Imaginary Worlds sounds like what would happen if NPR went to Comic-Con and decided that’s all they ever wanted to cover. The host Eric Molinsky spent over a decade working in public radio, and he uses those skills to create sound-rich storytelling, pop culture analysis and cultural commentary about speculative fiction and immersive worldbuilding. Eric interviews sci-fi fantasy creators of novels, TV shows, films, comic books, video games, tabletop games and anyone who works in the field of make-believe about their creative process. He also delves into fandoms, asking why we suspend our disbelief, and what happens if the spell is broken. Fantasy worlds may be set on distant planets or parallel dimensions, but they are crafted here on Earth and they’re always about our lived experiences. Imaginary Worlds has won Signal Awards for Best Arts & Culture podcast and Best Host (Culture), and received an Ambie Award nomination for Best Indie Podcast. Episodes of Imaginary Worlds have been featured on the podcasts 99% Invisible, Twenty Thousand Hertz, Decoder Ring, Cautionary Tales, Science Friday, and The Allusionist.
- Publisher
- Eric Molinsky | Daylight Media
- Category
- arts · fiction · society & culture
- Language
- en
- Explicit
- Yes
- First episode
- 10 Sept 2014
- Latest episode
- 4 Nov 2026
Latest episodes
77 of 320 episodes have a transcript.
4 Nov 2026TRANSCRIPT
The Back Row: An Audio Drama
21 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT
Boo! What Scares Our Listeners
7 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT
Stephen King and the Horror of the Ordinary
Inside a recent episode
The Back Row: An Audio Drama
Published 4 Nov 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] What is geocaching? I've got the worst, weakest handshake anybody's ever felt. I've never in my life talked anybody into anything. When I try to get someone to do something, they instinctively want to do the opposite. And people can smell that on me. So they write me off forever. No, no, no. […]
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See plansWho has been a guest on Imaginary Worlds
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
- Rob Hanton
- Brandee Iampietro
- Michelle Dwyer
- Adam Bennington
- Maje Adams
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
- Apple Podcasts (US)
- 4.8 / 5
- 2,004 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 55 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
- Quality
- 71
- Social presence
- 0
- YouTube
- 0
- Engagement
- 100
Contact Imaginary Worlds
- Guest appearances
- Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
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Questions about Imaginary Worlds
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes bi-weekly, based on its RSS feed.
Does Imaginary Worlds take guests?
Yes. Guests have been identified in episode analyses.
Where can I read transcripts?
77 of 320 episodes have a transcript on Pod Engine. Full transcripts are available with a Pod Engine plan.
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