Rephonic
Artwork for Imaginary Worlds
Science Fiction
Star Wars
Netflix
Voice Acting
Doctor Who
Dune
Fantasy
Pokémon
The Fantastic Four
Blue Eye Samurai
Scarlet Hollow
Audiobooks
George Lucas Talk Show
Hollywood
Anime
The Phantom Menace
Neuromancer
Doctor Doom
Cold War
James Bond

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 monthlyEpisodes308Founded12 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Science FictionFictionArts

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Artwork for Imaginary Worlds

Latest Episodes

Charles R. Saunders loved Tarzan as a kid, but he was also repulsed by the racism in those books since Charles was Black. So he created a counter narrative about a warrior named Imaro who lived in a fictionalized version of precolonial Africa. Charle... more

Pop culture has been full of Jekylls and Hydes: Bruce Banner and The Hulk, Norman Bates and Mother, Walter White and Heisenberg, The Nutty Professor and Buddy Love. They all echo the archetype that Robert Lous Stevenson established 140 years ago in T... more

John Watson is a former army doctor who became a true crime podcaster when he met a consulting detective named Sherlock Holmes. You can hear about the cases they’ve solved in the podcast Sherlock & Co. Sound familiar? Holmes and Watson may have been ... more

Imaginary Worlds has reached another milestone – 300 episodes! We already celebrated the 200th episode and the 10th anniversary of the show, but in those episodes, we mostly kept the spotlight off ourselves. This time around, my assistant producer St... 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.

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Recent Guests

Jamil Mustafa
Professor at Lewis University
Lewis University
Episode: Many Faces of Jekyll and Hyde
Yannie Ten Broeke
Psychology professor
Touro University
Episode: Many Faces of Jekyll and Hyde
Joel Emery
Co-creator/writer of Sherlock & Co
Sherlock & Co
Episode: Holmes and Watson: True Crime Podcasters
Adam Jarrell
Sound designer and editor for Sherlock & Co
Sherlock & Co
Episode: Holmes and Watson: True Crime Podcasters
Marta de Silva
Voice actor who plays Mariana in Sherlock & Co
Sherlock & Co
Episode: Holmes and Watson: True Crime Podcasters
James Ortiz
Puppeteer and performer behind Rocky in Project Hail Mary
Rocky puppet (Creature Shop/Framestore)
Episode: Puppeteering Project Hail Mary
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

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 3.5k ratings
  • DC Fontana!

    FANTASTIC DC Fontana episode with the most amazing guest list! 🖖🖖🖖🖖

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    annmarie222
    United States2 months ago
  • 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
    6 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 States8 months ago
  • Thank you for THIS!

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Right more often than not
    9 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
    Canadaa 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
#135
United States/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#219
Canada/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#127
Finland/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#148
Hong Kong/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#209
Singapore/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#240
Norway/Arts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Holmes and Watson: True Crime Podcasters
Q: How do you adapt Sherlock Holmes for modern day?
They opted to reveal a warmer, more playful side to Holmes, and to frame Watson as a content-creator who adapts the canon for a contemporary audience.
Puppeteering Project Hail Mary
Q: How did you approach rehearsing a character that has no face but needs to express emotion?
We built a system where movement, weight, and the carapace carried the emotional load, using long rehearsal periods to align with the puppeteers and the actor, so Rocky could read as anxious and evolving rather than relying on facial cues.
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.

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

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How many listeners does Imaginary Worlds get?

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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 308 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Imaginary Worlds?

Recent guests on Imaginary Worlds include:

1. Jamil Mustafa
2. Yannie Ten Broeke
3. Joel Emery
4. Adam Jarrell
5. Marta de Silva
6. James Ortiz
7. Laurie Ulster
8. Brian Drew

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.

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