--- description: Find out why "Binge Mode" is on TIME's list of the 100 best podcasts of all time. title: 'Binge Mode' Is on The 100 Best Podcasts of All Time image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4d8b07e10497d382/6998c86ee1ba00ffc598dbfd/Best-Podcasts-2025-Binge-Mode-010.jpg?branch=production&width=2400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 --- Jul 23, 2025 # Binge Mode Nerd culture rules by [Eliana Dockterman](/author/eliana-dockterman/) ## Eliana Dockterman Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Correspondent  **_Pop Culture_** The Ringer’s _Binge Mode_, first released in 2017, was the ultimate nerd-culture podcast at a moment when nerd culture was pop culture. Mallory Rubin and Jason Concepcion [covered all seven seasons of _Game of Thrones_ ](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/098BEdVR3m9W50EooqXlZp?si=8e59404091ca41fd "undefined")in entrancing and hilarious conversations that analyzed the hit fantasy series and its relationship to the source material. They went on to conduct close reads of the [Harry Potter books and films](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4TRxYpWeabm788miIStW58?si=65b76ae7820d48d6 "undefined") and [Marvel movies](https://open.spotify.com/show/6u8aqT4yaqnXiAwSHQP0NN?si=e8260997b2d2412b "undefined"). Their love for stories that are often dismissed as kids’ fare shone through their discussions. But they also brought a critical eye to the material that fan-service podcasts often lack. Though the podcast sadly ended in 2021, the episodes remain largely evergreen, especially if you are considering revisiting any of the shows, films, or books that they covered. I wish Rubin and Concepcion would reunite to talk about the upcoming Harry Potter television series, especially given the discourse around J.K. Rowling's [controversial socio-political views](https://time.com/5855633/jk-rowling-gender-identity/ "undefined"), but I will settle for relistening to their analysis of the books that convincingly argued (among other things) that the usually strict Gryffindor head Minerva McGonagall let Harry's transgressions slide because she was secretly betting on his Quidditch matches. 'Binge Mode': 100 Best Podcasts ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Article","@id":"https://time.com/collections/100-best-podcasts/7303051/binge-mode/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/collections/100-best-podcasts/7303051/binge-mode/"},"headline":"Binge Mode","datePublished":"2025-07-23T11:01:42.000Z","dateModified":"2026-03-03T00:51:44.030Z","description":"","url":"https://time.com/collections/100-best-podcasts/7303051/binge-mode/","keywords":["podcasts","list","Podcast","Special Project"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4d8b07e10497d382/6998c86ee1ba00ffc598dbfd/Best-Podcasts-2025-Binge-Mode-010.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Eliana Dockterman","jobTitle":"Correspondent","url":"https://time.com/author/eliana-dockterman/"}],"creator":"Eliana Dockterman","articleSection":"Entertainment","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4d8b07e10497d382/6998c86ee1ba00ffc598dbfd/Best-Podcasts-2025-Binge-Mode-010.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/entertainment/","name":"Entertainment"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/podcasts/","name":"podcasts"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/collections/100-best-podcasts/7303051/binge-mode/","name":"Binge Mode"}}]}] ```