Astonishing Legends

Scott Philbrook and Forrest Burgess started Astonishing Legends in 2014, and the show has since crossed 100 million downloads. That number makes sense once you hear the depth they bring to each topic. While many mystery podcasts give you a 30-minute overview, Scott and Forrest regularly spend multiple episodes -- sometimes four or five parts -- on a single subject, pulling in expert interviews, primary source documents, and listener-submitted experiences. They have covered everything from the Shag Harbour UFO incident and the Dyatlov Pass mystery to the Scole Experiment and Skinwalker Ranch. The two hosts have genuine chemistry. Scott tends toward the analytical and Forrest brings enthusiasm and humor, and they balance each other well. The show also features a popular Dead Letter segment where listeners share their own strange encounters. Episodes release biweekly and carry an explicit rating, though the language is mild. Production quality is high, with polished audio and occasional sound design that enhances the storytelling. The show holds a 4.6-star rating from over 9,300 reviews. If you are the type of person who wants to really understand a mystery rather than just hear a quick summary, this podcast was basically made for you. The multi-part deep dives are its greatest strength.