Podcast roundup: The best this week, from Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend to Villains and The Axe Files

Podcasts have seen a rapid upsurge in popularity in recent years. From true crime to design, popular culture and modern relationships, fiction to in-depth reportage, podcasts have proliferated to the point where no matter how esoteric the subject, there’s bound to be a show that deals with it. Amid this cornucopia of audio delights, however, how do you pick the podcast that’s most worth your while? This is where our weekly curated playlist steps in; it’s a lowdown on the best episodes from a selection of podcasts that deserve a listen. Ready to tune in?***— Conan O'Brien Needs a FriendWill FerrellAbout the podcast:After 25 years at the Late Night desk, Conan O’Brien ventures into the world of podcasting, looking for a friend. As the podcast puts it, "Over the years and despite thousands of interviews, Conan has never made a real and lasting friendship with any of his celebrity guests. So, he started a podcast to do just that... Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend is a weekly opportunity for Conan to hang out with the people he enjoys most and perhaps find some real friendship along the way."About the episode:Will Ferrell joins O'Brien along with assistant Sona Movsesian and producer Matt Gourley to reflect on his commitment to comedy, sharing humble roots with Conan at The Groundlings, feeling good about bad reviews, and remembering the comedy bit Will performed on Late Night that got them both in trouble with Lorne Michaels.Runtime: 53 minutesListen to the episode here.

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— VillainsEp. 1: Hannibal Lecter from ‘The Silence of the Lambs’About the podcast:In season one of The Ringer's new podcast Villains, author Shea Serrano (The Rap Year Book, Basketball (and Other Things))explores eight of the most interesting, intimidating, undeniable movie villains in history.About the episode:Serrano is joined by Sean Fennessey and Jason Concepcion in this inaugural episode to discuss one of the greatest movie villains of all time: Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs.Runtime: 45 minutesListen to the episode here.

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— BookwormBrian Phillips: Impossible OwlsAbout the podcast:Bookworm showcases writers of fiction and poetry — the established, new or emerging — all interviewed with insight and precision by the show's host and guiding spirit, Michael Silverblatt.About the episode:Author Brian Phillips discusses his debut book, Impossible Owls, finding a topic that captivates him, researching it to a point approaching the unknowable, and more.Runtime: 29 minutesListen to the episode here.

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— The DocumentaryThe Eternal Life of the Instant NoodleAbout the podcast:Documentaries investigating global developments, issues and affairs from the BBC World Service.About the episode:According to the World Instant Noodles Association, 270 million servings of instant noodles are eaten around the world every day. Journalist Celia Hatton explores the story behind instant noodles. A journey that starts in Japan, at the nation's instant noodle museum, and then takes her to China, still the world's number one market for "convenient noodles", and ends with Hatton being shown how to make a "prison burrito" by an ex-prisoner from Riker's Island prison in New Jersey, in the United States.Runtime: 51 minutesListen to the episode here.

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— The Axe Files with David AxelrodEp. 288 - Barack Obama (Live)About the podcast:David Axelrod, the founder and director of the University of Chicago Institute of Politics, hosts The Axe Files, a series of revealing interviews with key figures in the political world.About the episode:Former President of the United States Barack Obama sits down with Axelrod in Hyde Park for a special live taping of the Axe Files. Their conversation touches on the Obamas' life in the Hyde Park community, the sacrifices his family made for his political career, his biggest regret from his time in the presidency, the politics of race in America, increasing political polarisation, and much more.Runtime: 76 minutesListen to the episode here.