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'We have got something that's a bit weird and we're using it."

That is British comedian Ricky Gervais in the 11th episode of the podcast phenomenon The Ricky Gervais Show. By "we" he means himself and Stephen Merchant, the creative minds behind the TV series The Office and Extras. They first met while doing a radio show for the BBC, where they also became acquainted with a producer named Karl Pilkington.

Karl Pilkington is the "something that's a bit weird."

The trio's podcast, which is basically a radio show that can be downloaded over the Internet, is the adult version of Kids Say the Darndest Things; it should be called Karl Says the Oddest Things. In a dry, heavily accented monotone, if such a thing is possible, Pilkington expounds on life's mysteries, goaded on -- and then often ridiculed -- by Gervais and Merchant.

The show began in December, hosted and given away for free by a British newspaper site, The Guardian Unlimited. Its 12 half-hour episodes proved to be so popular -- over three-million downloads and counting -- that Gervais and company decided to charge money for it. This week, the first episode of season two can be downloaded from Audible.com, which usually sells audiobooks, and the iTunes Music Store for $1.95.

The reaction has been mixed, with the show rocketing to the top of the audiobook sales charts but also generating a large body of comments that can be summed up thus: Love the show, hate the price.

Obviously, it's not going to be a smooth transition away from the free podcast model, which delivers audio or video files to subscribers that can be transferred to portable devices (not just iPods, though the name appears to be here to stay).

To these ears, the switch also comes just when the Gervais Show shtick was growing thin. The conversations, which were nonsensical in the first place, have started to turn in on themselves, with Pilkington's bizarre popularity and the show itself a frequent topic. But I may continue to tune in -- in the digital, click-the-subscribe-button sense -- just to hear Gervais laugh. Most of the segments end with him saying to Pilkington, "Oh God, you're an idiot," and then genuinely losing it. It's charming somehow.

To be honest, though, the true star for me is not Pilkington or Gervais -- it's the format. It took some time to warm up to it because radio has been largely unknown territory to me, probably due to formative years spent in a place where the only clear station played classical adaptations of pop songs. No one should have to listen to the orchestral version of Michael Jackson's Beat It -- no one. Then portable music players like the Walkman came along and for the past two decades I have been my own DJ.

The podcast format, however, takes the randomness and powerlessness out of radio. You can fast-forward through a song if you don't like it, and the search functions in podcast programs like iTunes let you focus in on your own tastes regardless of location. Amateur broadcasters get to strut their stuff, and the veterans -- like Gervais and Merchant -- have a new outlet to experiment with.

And here's the funny bit -- I have found myself tuning in to conventional radio again, partly for a taste of the randomness and the unexpected that comes from spinning a dial. Why didn't anyone tell me that CBC Radio is really good on Saturday afternoons?

The first, free season of The Ricky Gervais Show is still available -- again, speaking of the relevancy of media formats, on a newspaper's website -- and below there are five other podcasts that were suggested by Globe readers.

The wheels on the bus go round and round and round

The best videogame tidbit this week comes from the distant past in gaming terms. A Sega CD title featuring eccentric magicians Penn & Teller that was cancelled in 1995 has resurfaced courtesy of a website called Waxy.org. Smoke and Mirrors features the illusionists throwing cards at enemies and it seems odd enough, but it includes a mini-game called Desert Bus that is downright insane.

It involves driving a bus down a straight highway in Nevada for eight hours. You can't just leave it running because the bus veers to the right, and at the end of the trip you get one point. Turn the bus around and head back for another eight-hour trip and you get another point.

The high score, which could not be confirmed by independent, sane sources, is reported to be 12. That makes Karl Pilkington seem normal by comparison, and that is saying something.

Five to Try: Podcasts

1. Fighting Talk. From the BBC, a debate contest with soccer as the weekly subject. Man, can these people talk. http://www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive.

2. Manager Tools. A popular tips and tricks show for bosses. But here's a tip for employees: Send the link to your manager using an anonymous address. Bad form otherwise, and it could hurt your career. http://www.manager-tools.com.

3. Lx7. A Canadian techno devotee, Vergel Evans, mixes music and musings. lx7.ca.

4. Mark Kermode. Another BBC show, this one featuring a film critic talking shop. On one recent episode, Kermode delivered his critique directly to the filmmaker, who was able to respond. Brilliant, as they say over there. http://www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive.

5. LibriVox. Volunteers read classic novels, which can be downloaded in segments. Dostoevsky's Notes from Underground and Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island are available now. librivox.org.

For next time, nominate your favourite independent or casual video games, the ones that you think are pushing boundaries but not getting enough attention. The address for suggestions and feedback is pluggedin@globeandmail.com.