Rob Delaney and Bel Powley star in a knotty rehab drama: best podcasts of the week

Key points

• Sober Companion is a 10-part BBC Sounds drama starring Rob Delaney and Bel Powley, executive produced by Sharon Horgan, with all episodes out on Monday 2 November.
• Sarah Koenig's new podcast follows her exploring New York City, where the Knicks have won the NBA and a popular socialist mayor has been elected.
• Emily Hanford's new weekly series widens her focus from reading instruction to teaching itself and what works best.

Sober Companion, a 10-part drama executive produced by Sharon Horgan, leads this week's podcast picks. Rob Delaney plays recovering addict Tim, who opens the story by blaming Lucy Green for ruining his life, and Bel Powley plays Lucy, a millennial pop star he escorts to rehab in Arizona. The road trip is eventful, and the cast also includes Jameela Jamil and Greg James. BBC Sounds releases all episodes on Monday 2 November.

Sarah Koenig returns

The New York Times' Sarah Koenig hosts a new podcast about her city, which she says is in an exciting moment. The Knicks have won the NBA and the city has elected a popular socialist mayor. She records on the streets and in bars, and the show lets conversations develop without forcing hot-button issues. Episodes are widely available weekly.

I never thought I'd be back here with the fluorescent lights and lukewarm coffee

— Tim, played by Rob Delaney

Teaching and tech

Emily Hanford, whose earlier series examined why many US schools struggled to teach children to read, returns with a weekly show that looks at teaching itself and what works best. Prospect Magazine also launches a weekly series hosted by staffers Alona Ferber and Imaan Irfan. It covers topics including Silicon Valley-fuelled tech authoritarianism, with insights from Astra Taylor and Naomi Klein, and AI's relationship to authorship.