Podcast Review: Behind the Bastards

Jan 1, 2022

It’s true, a lot of us love true crime. We love the mystery, we love the stakes, and perhaps most of all, we are utterly captivated by the depths of depravity people seem capable of. You may be one of those people that can’t get enough analysis of some really nasty folks. You may also have run out of satisfying podcasts in that subject area. You may simply be interested in hearing about horrible people. May I invite you to try: Behind the Bastards.

Behind the Bastards covers all sorts of monstrous people and organizations. Everything from tyrannical dictators, to corrupt CEOs, to fanatical cultists and grifters of the highest order are featured as topics on the show.It gives the listener keen insights and details they might not have heard about the histories and lives of the profoundly immoral. There are episodes you would absolutely expect (Hitler), and ones you might be surprised by (Dr. Phil), but nearly every episode finds a way to be entertaining and informative.

The host of Behind the Bastards is a jack of all trades; a former editor for the website Cracked, an investigative journalist, a battlefield reporter, a novelist, and perhaps most importantly, a machete enthusiast, Robert Evans is many things, but the one thing he isn’t is boring. His vast well of worldly experience has given him keen insights into just about any topic you can imagine, and his banter with his producer, co-hosts, and guests can make even the darkest moments of history engaging. Content warnings are given when necessary.

You might know Robert from his other work, like the widely-listened to 2019 podcast covering the possibility of a Second American Civil War It Could Happen Here, or his nonfiction book A Brief History of Vice. Between Robert’s reserved but effective producer Sophie, his upbeat Zoomer co-host Garrison, and his occasional (but still no less charming) other co-host Christopher, it’s clear that the team at Behind the Bastards cares about their work. The show is meticulously well-researched, with cited source material always named. The selection of guests also helps liven up the atmosphere and keep things fun, with people from all backgrounds making appearances, and they more often than not have excellent chemistry with the hosts.

Not all episodes tackle the topics of specific people, of course; some discuss specific trends, others talk about broad movements, and occasionally the team will just ruthlessly critique the god-awful fiction writing of Ben Shapiro and Steven Seagal. Holiday episodes also flip the script and cover the life of a pretty decent non-bastard.

The podcast releases new episodes every Tuesdays and Thursdays, and despite running since 2018, it shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. And even if you find that the episodes of the week aren’t covering a topic you find interesting, you can be rest assured that next week, more likely than not, they will be.

Behind the Bastards can be found on IHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, RSS, and probably a whole bunch of other places.