Rephonic
Artwork for Imaginary Worlds
Netflix
Doctor Who
Blue Eye Samurai
Neuromancer
Animation
Cyberpunk
One Piece
Norse Mythology
Game Of Thrones
Eiichiro Oda
Ursula K. Le Guin
Martial Arts
Japan
William Gibson
Dune
Tolkien
Backstories
Science Fiction
Action Sequences
Cinematography

Imaginary Worlds sounds like what would happen if NPR went to ComicCon and decided that’s all they ever wanted to cover. Host Eric Molinsky spent over a decade working as a public radio reporter and producer, and he uses those skills to create thoughtful, sound-rich episodes about science fiction, fantasy, and other genres of speculative fiction. In this award-winning podcast, Eric talks with film... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes303Founded12 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ArtsScience FictionFiction

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Imaginary Worlds

Latest Episodes

Gene Roddenberry’s name is synonymous with Star Trek, but he relied on a team to bring his vision to life. Most of his writers were men with one exception, the trailblazing Dorothy Fontana. Professionally, she went by D.C. Fontana to counter the beli... more

Imagine if Bruce Wayne had no money, if Superman grew up on Krypton and came to Earth with emotional scars, or if Wonder Woman had been raised in Hell. Welcome to the Absolute Universe – a dark parallel universe created by DC Comics in 2024. The idea... more

Sinners got a historic 16 Academy Award nominations, which was remarkable for a film with vampires. But the film is also a rich exploration of race, religion, culture and music in 1930s Mississippi. Professor Yvonne Chireau played a key role behind t... more

Scarlet Hollow is a successful indie video game – and that’s no small feat. It’s been a long journey, and the game is made almost entirely by two people: Abby Howard and Tony Howard-Arias of Black Tabby Games. Along the way, they even took a break to... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

99% Invisible
99% InvisibleRoman Mars
The Allusionist
The AllusionistHelen Zaltzman
Decoder Ring
Decoder RingSlate Podcasts
Articles of Interest
Articles of InterestAvery Trufelman

Recent Guests

Laurie Ulster
Journalist who covers Star Trek
Star Trek journalism
Episode: How D.C. Fontana Helped Star Trek Live Long and Prosper
Brian Drew
Journalist who covers Star Trek
trekmovie.com
Episode: How D.C. Fontana Helped Star Trek Live Long and Prosper
Jarrah Hodge
Blogger and podcaster who covers Star Trek
Star Trek fandom media
Episode: How D.C. Fontana Helped Star Trek Live Long and Prosper
Ian Spelling
Journalist who covers Star Trek
Media
Episode: How D.C. Fontana Helped Star Trek Live Long and Prosper
James Dommek Jr.
Host of Alaska Is The Center of The Universe, from the Inupiaq tribe, last in a long line of Inupiaq storytellers.
Episode: Searching for Cryptids
JW Ocker
Author of The United States of Cryptids, A Tour of American Myths and Monsters, he explores cryptids across America.
Episode: Searching for Cryptids
Caleb Meurer
Storyboard artist for SpongeBob and animation educator
Animation Instructor in Upstate New York
Episode: This Animated Life
Aidan Sugano
Production designer who worked on Nimona
DNEG
Episode: This Animated Life
Denis-Jose Francois
Digital effects supervisor who worked on Nimona
DNEG
Episode: This Animated Life

Host

Eric Molinsky
Host with a background in public radio, focused on exploring how speculative fiction is crafted and perceived.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 3.4k ratings
  • Super fun deep dives into geeky things. Sometimes it's stuff I already know about with a new angle (Dune, Murderbot), sometimes stuff I never heard of that makes me want to go watch/read more (Africanfuturism, distinct from Afrofuturism). And sometimes it's just neat and/or weird stuff (vtubers, the woman who designed monsters in early horror movoes, the fictional amusement park based on Freud).

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Wordwizard
    4 months ago
  • could be good but...

    This is a wonderful (Adverstisment break) show! I find the info (AD break) completely informative. I love the (AD break) topics and they are (AD break) handled with (AD break) a unique perspective (AD break) and the interviews are (AD break) top (AD break) notch (AD break). I (AD break) will (AD break) continue(AD break) to (AD break) listen (AD break)!

    Maybe, just maybe, don't do so many advertisements and I'll be able to get through a whole episode without stopping.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    manayunk wall
    United States6 months ago
  • Thank you for THIS!

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Right more often than not
    7 months ago
  • One star for every year I’ve been a listener

    I truly love this show. I’m sorry it took me so long to give it some ratings love.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    RyanArby
    Canada10 months ago
  • Great episode. I don't listen to many, this one is worth it. Also if you're actually looking for great fitting long lasting jeans check out origin.com

    Podcast Addict
    5
    nholo
    a year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise the show for thoughtful interviews and deep dives into how imagined worlds are built, often highlighting strong production values and a respectful, curious host.
Some reviews call out advertising insertions as intrusive, suggesting dedicated breaks instead of mid-content ads.
Overall feedback points to high-quality analysis and a broad, inclusive range of guests that expand the genre conversation.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#165
Canada/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#129
India/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#140
New Zealand/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#171
Indonesia/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#212
Philippines/Arts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Absolute Reimagining of DC Comics
Q: How is Absolute Diana different from the traditional Wonder Woman?
Absolute Diana is portrayed as a warrior for justice, willing to use her power aggressively, unlike traditional representations focused on peace.
Absolute Reimagining of DC Comics
Q: So what's different about the Absolute Comics and what are they tapping into?
They offer a fresh take on familiar characters by exploring their origins in contemporary contexts, making them relatable and resonant.
Scarlet Hollow Draws a Picture of Success
Q: Do you already know this is gonna have so many chapters and you already have plotted the entire story out?
Yes, we like to have our endings in mind. We need to make sure that things are correctly building to the point that they need to build towards.
Bringing Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein to Life
Q: What do you want viewers to feel when watching the film?
I want them to appreciate the handmade artistry and the moral lessons about men playing gods.
Bringing Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein to Life
Q: Did you reread the novel as inspiration?
Yes, I reread the novel and noted that the actual moment of creation is not as significant as it's portrayed in films.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Imaginary Worlds

What is Imaginary Worlds about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thoughtful, sound-rich exploration of speculative fiction across media, focusing on how worlds are built and why audiences suspend disbelief. Conversations span animation, film, comics, video games, and scholarly perspectives, often featuring creators and researchers who reveal the craft, cultural context, and technical challenges behind imaginative storytelling. The show frequently highlights the collaboration between artists and technologists, the evolution of genre, and the real-world implications of speculative worlds, making it a deep dive for creators, researchers, and fans who love understanding how imagined universes come to life. A standout trait is its ability to pair accessible storytelling with rigorous insight, drawing in lis... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Imaginary Worlds?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Imaginary Worlds. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Imaginary Worlds and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Imaginary Worlds get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Imaginary Worlds, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Imaginary Worlds?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Imaginary Worlds, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Imaginary Worlds have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Imaginary Worlds has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Imaginary Worlds?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Imaginary Worlds:

1. 99% Invisible
2. Twenty Thousand Hertz
3. The Allusionist
4. Decoder Ring
5. Articles of Interest

How many episodes of Imaginary Worlds are there?

Imaginary Worlds launched 12 years ago and published 303 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Imaginary Worlds?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Imaginary Worlds?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Imaginary Worlds from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Imaginary Worlds?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Imaginary Worlds. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Imaginary Worlds?

Recent guests on Imaginary Worlds include:

1. Laurie Ulster
2. Brian Drew
3. Jarrah Hodge
4. Ian Spelling
5. James Dommek Jr.
6. JW Ocker
7. Caleb Meurer
8. Aidan Sugano

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days