Once Upon A Time: A Storytelling Podcast

Talia and Emily started Once Upon A Time because they wanted to hear the weird, embarrassing, heartbreaking stories their friends only told after a couple of drinks. The format is simple. Each episode, a guest sits down and walks them through one true story from their own life, and the hosts ask the kinds of follow-up questions you'd ask a friend mid-rant. No fancy sound design, no cinematic score swelling under the good parts. Just people talking, cracking up, occasionally getting quiet when something hits a nerve. Stories range from first jobs gone sideways to family secrets finally said out loud, with the occasional ghost encounter thrown in. Episodes usually run 30 to 45 minutes, which is about the right length for a dog walk or a commute. What makes it work is Talia and Emily themselves. They react honestly, they don't try to steer anything toward a neat lesson, and they let awkward pauses breathe. If a guest trails off, they don't rush to fill the space. That trust shows up in the stories people are willing to share. It's not a big-budget production, and that's the point. Sometimes the best storytelling podcast is two friends with good microphones and enough curiosity to pull the real story out of someone. Good pick if you like The Moth but want something more conversational and unpolished around the edges.