Fanbruary: The McElroys

Hoo boy. If you haven't heard of the McElroy family by now, then let me tell you straight up front that you have an excellent journey ahead of you, full of goofs and chicanery. These guys have just so many podcasts, and if you don't like podcasts, they also do some great YouTube work (scroll to the end for that). It's great, and there's probably at least one that you'll like. I even got my mother to listen to one, and it's more or less the only piece of media that we both enjoy. But we are not here to discuss mothers. We are here to discuss brothers. Three brothers. Justin, Travis, and Griffin McElroy. Podcasting legends. So let's just jump right in, shall we?

If you like goofs and spoofs and all kinds of nonsense:
Then My Brother, My Brother, and Me may be right up your street. This is an advice show for the modern era, where the brothers three work to answer questions sent in by listeners and collected off of Yahoo Answers. Well, I say 'answer'. I should probably stress that you should basically never do anything they advise you to do. It's almost certainly a joke, a terrible idea, or both. It's a wild ride, though perhaps not recommended for those who are easily grossed out, upset, or offended. The only reason this show was rated mature is because there isn't a higher rating on Apple Podcasts. But in all honesty, it's a fabulous show, and it has me in stitches nigh constantly. I really can't explain this brand of madness any better, but here's a link to their sampler.

If you have a penchant for fascinating storytelling and tabletop RPGs:
Might I recommend The Adventure Zone? Justin, Travis, and Griffin, along with their father, Clint McElroy, play various RPGs together, and it is hilarious and heartwarming and frequently nervewracking. The first arc was a D&D game with Griffin as the DM, and the sheer level of storytelling and effort and heart that was put into it is nothing short of astonishing. He even composed the musical scores, and it's just so atmospheric and good. You want quests? You want secret organizations? You want murders on a train and plucky boy detectives? You want to have the Fantasy CostCo jingle stuck in your head and not even mind because you love it so much? Try the Balance Arc. The current arc is also DM'd by Griffin, and it's called Amnesty. It has cryptids, and is told in a Monster-of-the-Week format. There are also two mini-arcs, Clint's superhero story and Travis's supernatural western. These stories are always wildly unpredictable, uproariously funny even at the darkest times, and full of heart. They also have a series of graphic novels in the works.

If you enjoy medical history or stories of human ingenuity/stupidity:
Sawbones might be your cup of tea. Dr. Sydnee McElroy takes the lead here, telling stories of absurd, weird, or flat-out dangerous medical practices from the past and even today. Her husband, Justin, follows along with equal parts fascination and horror, and usually interjects with some much-needed levity. This isn't a medical advice show, I should add. It's just a reminder that historically speaking, curealls and 'alternative medicine' have tended to be about as useful as drilling a hole in your head. Sometimes literally.

If you are refined and wish to keep your etiquette sharp:
May I suggest Shmanners, a podcast of politeness and social good graces. Narrated by your wife-host Teresa McElroy and your husband-host Travis McElroy, each Friday brings a new topic, such as duels, massages, or Valentine's Day. They discuss historical and current practices and good manners concerning the topics, including a section where they answer listener mail.

If you need some positivity in your life:
You might want to try Wonderful!, featuring Rachel and Griffin McElroy. Each week, they discuss some of the things that make them happy. That's it. They're just an adorable couple taking turns listening to one another's favorite things, and it's delightful.

If you're a teen, want to relate to your teen, or were once a teen:
Still Buffering is hosted by Dr. Sydnee McElroy, and her sisters Teylor and Rileigh Smirl. Each week, they advise about topics concerning teenagers, ranging from social interactions to the future to major current threats. It's good fun, and really nice to listen to.

If you like Doctor Who and want to listen to a show about that:
Try Run, hosted by Travis McElroy and Tybee Diskin. They're mainly focused on NuWho episodes, but frankly, I haven't found any Doctor Who fancasts that aren't. At least these guys do some occasional Classic watches and reviews. But yeah, it's basically exactly what it sounds like-- two fans of the show discussing and reviewing what they thought of the episode of the week. Good fun.

If you want to keep up with current events:
Travis McElroy, Brent Black, and Courtney Enlow are your weekly news anchors on Trends Like These. Featuring segments like Politics Round-Up, and of course their weekly Wi-Five, Trends Like These provides coverage on some of the major issues of the last week in what, for a news show, is generally a pretty light and friendly atmosphere. Keep in mind that all of the hosts are theater nerds, though, so if, I don't know, there was a live broadcast of Rent on TV, you can expect about fifteen minutes of nonstop discussion about musicals. Fair warning, that's all I'm saying.

Visual sector:
If you like video games, but also harbor a secret desire for complete anarchy within them:
Monster Factory. Just... just go watch it. Justin and Griffin McElroy are delightful Dr. Frankensteins, and video game avatars are their dark creations. Want it tame? Try watching TurboVicki the super-athlete in Wii Sports. Want something a little more violent? Squirtle in Dead Souls might be your cup of tea. Want to take it to the mind-bending, reality warping extreme?

Are You Certain?

Fallout 4. Final Pam trilogy. May she have mercy on you.

Want to watch three brothers being ridiculous and goofy?
They made a My Brother, My Brother, and Me TV show. You'll need to sign up for a free account on VRV to watch it, but you can also just watch some... interesting... clips on YouTube. It's a wild ride.

There are still more McElroy products for your listening and/or viewing pleasure. These are just the ones that I have personally experienced, and they have brought such great joy to my life that I had to share it with all of you. They're just the most delightful, hilarious, weird shows, and I love the McElroys so much for making them.
-6&7