Storytime with Seth Rogen
4.9/5
Critic Rating
Hi! Welcome to Storytime with Seth Rogen, where every week Seth asks somebody, “Do you have a great story? And if you do, will you tell it on my podcast?” That’s it. That’s the concept. But the results are so much more than that. This is not a typical comedian-hosted chat show! Each episode plays like a little audio documentary, a feature presentation unto itself, with supporting interviews and archival tape woven into each story with a rhythmic editing style. Not all the stories are knee-slap funny, and not all the guests are known. From a near-death grizzly bear fig...
Critic Reviews
Score: 5
Devin • Podstack • Sep 21, 2023
"...the scripting, flow, and sound design feels like an adventure, no matter which episode you’re on. That’s in large part because Richard Parks III, of Richard’s Famous Food Podcast, worked on the show and this is his specialty. "
Score: 5
Zimry Hernandez • Daily Titan • Feb 15, 2022
"Each story is unique, and Rogen does a great job of presenting each episode as an audio documentary, making great use of background music acting as a score and different audio effects to immerse listeners into each story. Plus, if you like Seth Rogen’s laugh then you’ll love this show."
Score: 5
Katie Runde • PodcastReview.org • Jan 19, 2022
"His (Seth Rogen) laughter, follow-up questions, and short anecdotes from his life don’t interrupt or distract, but flesh out each guest’s story and make us pause at the biggest moments. He’s also a writer who knows how to condense a plot into a tight pitch, and the show is adept at crafting guests’ stories into succinct three-act structures. Storytime, like Rogen’s best movies, is propelled by an undercurrent of heart, charm, and unexpected human connection. He is right that the world did not need another celebrity interview podcast, but Rogen’s spin on the genre is a welcome and truly refreshing addition."
Score: 5
Max Sanderson • The Guardian • Dec 10, 2021
"It takes the usual ‘funny people telling stories’ format and gives it the full audio storytelling treatment with scripting, music and a healthy dose of kitsch sound design. And to great effect. …"
Score: 5
PodcAsteroid • Podcasteroid • Nov 13, 2021
"Seth has shown himself time and time again to be an excellent storyteller, and this podcast (or at least the handful of episodes to date) are no different. Setting Storytime apart are the narrative through lines and story beats that Seth has set out for you, to be found like a stash of ice cream and chocolate during the height of the munchies. …"
Score: 5
Chris Lantinen • Erie Reader • Nov 12, 2021
"This is a long way of saying that Seth Rogen's Storytime with Seth Rogen eclipses all this preconceived disdain by way of a strong hook, superior production/sound design, and a rabbit hole narrative approach."
Score: 4.8
Fiona Sturges • Financial Times • Oct 18, 2021
"...what really separates it from the usual celebrity-hosted pods is the quirky production, courtesy of Richard Parks III. Each episode is framed as a micro-documentary complete with subtle echoes and effects, which heighten the atmosphere and give the stories a dreamlike quality. While Rogen’s interviewing style is haphazard at times, the tight editing and smart storytelling ensure that no episode ends up where you think it will...but it is the stories, not star wattage, that make it worth listening to."
Score: 4.8
Nicholas Quah • Vulture • Oct 14, 2021
"The result is one of the more enjoyable shows I’ve heard all year, and certainly the most interesting entry in the bumper crop of celebrity-led podcasts that has been flooding the charts these days...the path of each episode isn’t always expected, and the emotional arcs of each story aren’t always clean. Crucial to the show’s approach is the involvement of Richard Parks III...and the way Parks’s technical control over his singular weirdness leads to a show that’s the podcast equivalent of an Adult Swim cartoon... something that’s in a class all on its own."
Score: 4.5
Anna Leszkiewicz • New Statesman • Oct 13, 2021
"Rogen is a very likeable personality. The show is meandering, with surprising and whimsical production choices that elevate it to more than a chat show."
Score: 5
Ira Glass • This American Life • Oct 9, 2021
"Seth Rogen sure brings a ton of school spirit to this new podcast he’s doing. At every turn he and his team go the extra mile, piling one fun, inventive moment after another. The sound production during the movie theater scene: so good!"
Score: 5
Hannah J Davies • The Guardian • Oct 1, 2021
"The new pod from the Hollywood star is a delight, with guests sharing a single moving, revelatory, or generally memorable story."
