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True Crime • History • Incredible People
A weekly podcast telling fascinating true stories from the darker corners of crime, forgotten history, and extraordinary people.
Three brilliant first listens - one from each pillar.
True Crime
When EcommerceBytes published criticism of eBay in 2019, you might expect a tense PR response. What followed instead was a harassment campaign so petty, so disproportionate, and...
Ep 153 • 1h 18m • 03 March 2026
History
A bitter rivalry spirals out of control as two palaeontologists race to outdo each other and rewrite the story of the dinosaurs. This episode explores the Bone Wars, the feud be...
Ep 144 • 1h 7m • 30 December 2025
Incredible People
Nellie Bly set out to get herself committed to Blackwell’s Island asylum for the clinically insane, hoping to expose the horrors rumoured to exist inside. What followed was her...
Ep 154 • 1h 17m • 10 March 2026
Pick your lane: true crime, history, or incredible people.
Built for curious minds who want the good stuff without a 10-episode slog.
Story Shape
Each episode delivers the full arc in one sitting, so you get payoff without a homework assignment.
Range
Crime, history, and extraordinary people share one stage, so the mix stays fresh, not all over the place.
Delivery
Solid research, sharp delivery, and just enough circus nonsense to make it unmistakably Compendium.
Fresh from the big top.
Disasters & Survival
Built in the Arizona desert to prove humans could survive inside a sealed world, Biosphere 2 became one of the strangest science experiments ever attempted. Eight people went in. Oxygen fell, food ran short, and the dream of a perfect artificial Earth started to buckle.
A few fan favourites from under the big top.
True Crime
When EcommerceBytes published criticism of eBay in 2019, you might expect a tense PR response. What followed instead was a harassment campaign so petty, so disproportionate, and...
Ep 153 • 1h 18m • 03 March 2026
True Crime
The West Memphis Three case is not just a murder story. It is a story about panic, a coerced confession, and a justice system so determined not to look foolish that three teenag...
Ep 152 • 1h 32m • 24 February 2026
History
A bitter rivalry spirals out of control as two palaeontologists race to outdo each other and rewrite the story of the dinosaurs. This episode explores the Bone Wars, the feud be...
Ep 144 • 1h 7m • 30 December 2025
Suspiciously generous praise from the general public.
Love the wide range of topics that get covered and always in the most digestible, perfect amount of detail! There are so many things that I’ve learnt about which I’d never even heard of! They never fail to make me laugh and listening always makes my day!
Thank you for featuring me on your show! You guys seem like my best friends. I have listened to your podcast from the very beginning. You guys have the best podcast there is by far! You are extremely entertaining, enthusiastic, hilarious, insightful and educational. I love your sense of humor as you banter back and forth. I'm obsessed! Continue the great work!
These guys know what they’re doing! They’re hilarious and insightful, and tell the greatest most interesting stories from history. Also, who knew Jemaine Clement had a side gig as a podcaster. (Here’s looking at you “Adam”.)
Two voices, one circus: stories, chaos, and suspiciously good admin.
For listeners who want Compendium, fewer ads and a little extra chaos then become a certified freak and join us on Patreon.
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Physical supporter perks kick in on specific membership levels and timelines.
One final stop before the lights go down: hit play, get weekly episode drops, or back the show.
Get weekly episode alerts, curated listening picks, and the occasional dispatch from inside the circus tent. No spam. Just fascinating stories and where to start next.
