Podcasting is a fairly new medium, though it has deep roots in radio plays and audio newscasts. Now it is one of the fastest growing entertainment mediums, with over 3 million podcasts available around the world.

Naturally, Hollywood has noticed. Over the last decade and change, podcasts have become an inspiration for a variety of new titles. Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building” scored a tremendous hit for Hulu with its story of three unlikely friends who start a true crime podcast after the murder of a fellow tenant. Today, we look at some of the best direct adaptations of podcasts that have been made into film and television.

‘Dirty John’ (2018)

If any podcast perfectly encapsulates what made the format explode in popularity, it’s “Dirty John.” A joint venture between Christopher Goffard, Wondery and the Los Angeles Times, the series explores the manipulation and abuses of the titular “Dirty John” Meehan (Eric Bana). The podcast is a riveting account of how a man tricked his new family into letting him control and threaten their lives.

The subsequent television adaptation works thanks to the incredible performances of its two main leads. Connie Britton plays Debra Newell, Meehan’s wealthy new bride who begins to suspect her husband is a monster. Britton and Bana have an electric chemistry, with the latter able to seamlessly switch from charming to chilling.

Watch it:Streaming on Netflix.

‘Archive 81’ (2022)

“Archive 81” is a bone-chilling fiction podcast. Dan (Daniel Powell) takes a job cataloging the audio archive of social worker Melody Pendras (Amelia Kidd), who began recording bizarre interviews with the residents of the Visser Apartment building in New York. As he listens to the tapes, Dan is drawn further into the strange happenings around the archive.

Netflix turned it into a gripping series last year — part horror anthology, part noir detective story — starring Mamoudou Athie (“Elemental”) and Dina Shihabi (“Altered Carbon”) as Dan and Melody. Although the show was an instant hit, Netflix abruptly canceled it. The future of the adaptation may be uncertain, but the one season is still well worth the watch.

Watch it:Streaming on Netflix.

‘Lore’ (2017)

If you prefer your spooky tales more grounded in folklore and real-world accounts, then “Lore” is for you. Created and recorded by Aaron Mahnke, it explores campfire tales, urban legends, and other Fortean phenomena. Mahnke has a mesmerizing radio voice, and is able to walk listeners through a variety of events like an unsettling tour guide.

Mahnke helped turn the podcast into a series where performers would re-enact the events he normally just described. These included famous murders and tales of medical horror like lobotomy. One major highlight was Doug Bradley of “Hellraiser” fame playing the notorious Dr. Robert Knox, an anatomist involved in a murder spree that supplied doctors with fresh cadavers for study. The show was a little less intimate than its source material, but it still highlighted the twisted history subjects well.

Watch it:Streaming on Prime Video.

‘The Midnight Gospel’ (2020)

“The Duncan Trussell Family Hour” is an interview podcast about spirituality and other topics led by comedian Duncan Trussell. The discussions usually meander all over the place, always in a laid-back manner. Since there’s no story structure, it seems like it wouldn’t make a terribly interesting television show.

That couldn’t be further from the truth. Animated series “The Midnight Gospel,” a joint project by Trussell and “Adventure Time” creator Pendleton Ward, takes conversations from the podcast and weaves them into surreal science fiction tales. It’s more like a collage or a remix than an adaptation, but whatever you call it, the refreshing format is worth the watch.

Watch it:Streaming on Netflix.

‘Come Sunday’

No one has made the transition from traditional radio to podcasting as well as “This American Life.” Hosted by Ira Glass, the long-running series on contemporary American stories has spawned a half a dozen film and television adaptations.

最好的是“周日,”基于事件304, “Heretic.” The film is a biopic of the Pentecostal minister Carlton Pearson, who was excommunicated from his church for saying he no longer believed in hell. Chiwetel Ejiofor (“Doctor Strange”) portrays Pearson with a vulnerability and gravitas that lends weight to the themes of universal reconciliation. Just as the original broadcast did, Pearson comes off as a holy warrior for a softer gospel who is punished by those invested in the idea of damnation.

Watch it:Streaming on Netflix.

Jef Rouner is a freelance writer.