Today I’m looking at the six finalists for Best Fancast in the 2018 Hugo Awards.  Below I’ve linked the podcast’s website (noting which episodes aired in 2017), the hosts’ websites, and the episodes which were featured in their Hugo Voter Packet submissions.

 

The Coode Street Podcast (episodes 295-319) is hosted by Jonathan Strahan and Gary K. Wolfe.  They are five-time finalists in this category.

• Episode #305: Kim Stanley Robinson and the Drowning of New York
• Episode #308: Paul Kincaid, Ken Macleod, and the works of Iain (M) Banks
• Episode #316: Nnedi Okorafor, Akata Warrior, Binti, and Beyond

 

Ditch Diggers (episodes 35-51) is hosted by Mur Lafferty and Matt Wallace.  They are two-time finalists in this category.

• Episode #36: Cassandra Khaw and Lack of Self Preservation
• Episode #38: Tobias Buckell and The Power of No
• Episode #39: Lexi Alexander and Punching Hollywood. Metaphorically.

 

Fangirl Happy Hour (episodes 68-105) is hosted by Ana Grilo and Renay Williams.  They are two-time finalists in this category.

• Episode #71: Everything Is on Fire
• Episode #73: Moral Failings
• Episode #75: Lingering Bitterness
• Episode #77: Sunshine by Robin McKinley
• Episode #78: Politics and Morality
• Episode #80: H U M A N
• Episode #93: Women Supporting Women Supporting Women
• Episode #98: It’s ALIENS.

 

Galactic Suburbia (episodes 159-179) is hosted by Alisa Krasnostein, Alexandra Pierce, and Tansy Rayner Roberts (who is a co-host for fellow finalist Verity! as well).  They are six-time finalists in this category (which has only been around for seven years), and they won in 2015.

• Episode #167: In which we launch new projects and Discover a new/old love for Star Trek.
• Episode #168: In which we Continuum all the Continuum!

 

Sword and Laser (episodes 277-313) is hosted by Veronica Belmont and Tom Merritt.  They are first-time finalists in this category.

• Episode #308: A Decade of Us

 

Verity! (episodes 127-154, plus frequent Extra! mini-episodes) is hosted by Deborah Stanish, Erika Ensign, Katrina Griffiths, L.M. Myles, Lynne M. Thomas, and Tansy Rayner Roberts (who is also a co-host for fellow finalist Galactic Suburbia).  They are two-time finalists in this category.

• Extra! (Jan 18, 2017): In Defence Of … The Gavel Edition
• Extra! (Jul 19, 2017): There’s Nothing “Only” About Being a Doctor + Our Gap Months
• Episode #154: Twice upon a Time of the Doctors

 

We have five returning finalists with four repeats from last year and one first-time finalist.  Fangirl Happy Hour was my favorite last year.  (I love that they have transcripts because I have a hard time keeping focused when listening to audio only.)  I enjoyed Galactic Suburbia and Coode Street too.  Ditch Diggers is funny, but I find it a little too writer-centric for me.  I haven’t listened to either Sword and Laser or Verity! before.  Since I’m not normally a podcast listener (my three nominees were all YouTube channels) and I still need to listen to some of this year’s eligible content, I haven’t made any final ballot decisions here yet.  What are your thoughts on these finalists?