Popular Reviews of Part-Time Genius

How do you entice listeners to stay with you on a topic that may appear a bit dry? Some producers may seek out slick production elements (seamless integration of music cues, incisively cut interviews, various evocative sound effects), while others might endeavor to add splashes of comedy to a subject with gregarious hosts. Guiding an audience to interact with your show? Well, that's another much more difficult and less frequently attempted angle, but it may just be the future of the form. Hosted by co-founders of the zany-brainy mag Mental Floss, Part-Time Genius intersperses mini games surrounding the episode's theme. These cheeky breaths of air mirror content from game-show-casts like Ask Me Another and Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, and allow a break in the somewhat heavily concentrated waves of (fascinating) information. The delivery of the majority of the content mirrors that of Futility Closet (featured a few weeks back) - solid research conveyed confidently, but with a healthy dose of verve and relaxation about the whole thing. I sampled the episode on tax havens, and though it may be the least gripping of all the subjects covered thus far, this aptly demonstrated the show's ability to captivate an audience. The format is new, the hosts are relatable without being overbearing, and I came away feeling like my time had been valued and well-spent.