Very Special Episodes is an anthology documentary podcast. Each episode uncovers a brand-new story. The only connection between them is that each one presents a fascinating tale. One installment explores the black market that sells rocks from the moon. People are willing to pay up to $5 million to get their hands on these rare items.

Another podcast episode discusses the famous author Mark Twain getting into a fight in a San Francisco bar. It explores the details of that incident and how it relates to the future of literature in America. Each episode has a straightforward narrative, with a beginning, middle, and end. The second act is where things usually become wild and unexpected.

The podcast hosts have vast experience in storytelling. Dana Schwartz is the author of five books. Those include the New York Times bestseller Anatomy: A Love Story. As a screenwriter, she worked on She-Hulk: Attorney at Law and Bring It On: Cheer or Die. Schwartz hosts the history podcast Noble Blood. She is also a notable journalist for the Observer and Entertainment Weekly.

Her cohost, Zaron Burnett iI, also worked in Hollywood before he became a journalist. That's where he learned about three-act storytelling and the hero's journey. Burnett learned to research as a journalist for MEL magazine and other publications. He combines these essential skills in his successful podcast Black Cowboys.

Very Special Episodes explores exciting and surprising topics. One episode discusses the success of the musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark despite its tragic accidents. Another installment talks about strange occurrences on the set of the movie Titanic. It tells how someone poisoned the entire crew with PCP, with no apparent motive. The last day of filming became almost like a whodunit movie, trying to figure out the culprit.

The stories are not the only thing that makes the podcast compelling. Schwartz and Burnett also have great chemistry and pace when examining each tale. They know how to create tension and when to use humor to break it. New installments of Very Special Episodes come out on Wednesdays.