My #Trypod Recommendations: #AudioDrama April Edition (Pt.2)
I felt so lazy when I didn’t finish this in time for March. Then #AudioDramaApril came along, which is perfect because this is an underrated audio drama list!
*Feel free to ask for any trigger/content warnings. My memory can be a little spotty but if you have a specific thing you are trying to avoid I’ll definitely make sure to accurately warn show(s) you want to try*
“ Just a small town girl turned giant cyborg to fight off an alien invasion.”
A campy retrofuturistic adventure which teaches you that with enough spunk and can-do attitude you too can deal with colonizers from another world and the following political implications it would have on a Cold War-era Earth! Also, the musical segments they had early on are really rad and the fake commercials that replaced them are the funniest I ever heard done on a podcast. I’ve gotten back to listen to it as part of self-care.
This is one of the most underrated shows out there and I think it’s just that the audience is small at the moment. So here I am listing it first because I really think it’s the first everyone should check out!
“The Lesbian Romantic is a weekly podcast with lesbian romance stories. It’s like listening to an audiobook, but more intense! (All episodes of The Lesbian Romantic Podcast are for mature audiences only)”
This podcast is a fantastic anthology series of different serialized lesbian romance stories, written and narrated by the wonderful Sigrid. There’s been an exciting thirteen-part sci-fi adventure (The Space Story) and the long-running story of two women in tech that practically covers moment to moment of their growing relationship (The Blogger Story). Frankly, there aren’t a lot of podcasts where exploring a lesbian (or sapphic) relationship as the primary storyline, and this one is a shining example of the romance genre. There’s a mix of sweetness and suspense that never becomes too sentimental or melodramatic, and I cannot wait for the next story.
Also a lot of the outros involves her being silly and playing around with sound effects and publicly available music,which is another reason to find Sigrid charming, especially after a particularly stressful twist.
This is definitely one of my favorites and it’s so underrated!!!
“a podcast about ghosts, family secrets, strange houses, and missed connections.”
There’s a lot that can be said of Mabel, put my instinctive reaction is to categorize it as podcast poetry. These anxious voicemails about a haunted house are unexpectedly atmospheric as the spell of Anna and Mabel’s situation takes hold. (Also……….QUEER!!!). You really need to listen to understand and I would say get to it
“Mystical truck drivers. Robots gone haywire. Killer clown demons. And pie. So. Much. Pie. This quirky, darkly comic, Southwestern-flavored anthology brings you a new paranormal audio play every month. Sit back, relax, and hold on tight. Because you’re about to take a quick detour…through Uncanny County.”
A collection of Southwestern stories on the quirky side of horror that can be best summed up by the trailer. Basically a less moralistic Twilight Zone that thrives on the absurdly unsettling and I can’t wait for it to come each month!
Favorites (since its an anthology): “Mother Loves You”, “Coulrophobia”, “Rainbow Magic Kittens”
“Avery Edison (the person writing this right now) is pretending that she’s written software that turns her computer into a therapist. Obviously, that’s not possible with today’s technology, but it’s a great way to have another voice on her podcast without having to surrender control to an actual human being. With the conceit that these episodes collect recordings of therapy sessions, readings of emails, and tappings of phone calls, Avery (again, that’s me) is attempting to do something new and different. Hopefully along the way she (I) also makes it entertaining.”
Avery Edison is a very self-aware British comidienne who naturally when making a podcast reflecting on her younger days creates a metanarrative to the point where it’s meta about being a metanarrative. You would think the clear construction of her stories from her life would give it too much artificiality, but it only serves to zero in on the truth behind it all. I really wasn’t sure what to expect going in, but come for Avery’s snark (I died hearing her fake ads for podcast sponsers) but stay for Avery’s heart. There’s only been four episodes for awhile now, but it’s been made clear she hasn’t abandoned the series and could use the support to keep it going.
Strange N Unusual Productions
“Our flagship show Friend of the Family, follows the adventures of the young monster hunter Alice Belford and the unforgivable monster she must team up with to defend the world. They… don’t get along. We also have Letters to Asmodeus, a companion piece to FOTF! And the worst advice column ever. Our other major title is the Dark Files, a collection of dark ruminations sometimes funny or twisted.”
What if there’s a story about the typical leading man who happens to be a vampire and more importantly a dick and the story goes out of it’s way to frame him as unsympathetically as possible instead of becoming apologist schlock? What if he trades barbs with the teenaged female lead and it’s explicitly not unresolved sexual tension but the tension that comes from having a soulless vampire bound by a curse to keep you (and the rest of your clan) out of harm’s way no matter how much in reality he really doesn’t care what happens to any of you? Friend of the Family is a biting satire of the paranormal and horror tropes/properties as we culturally accept them. Alice Bedford, who’s an asexual boss, is trying to keep the world safe with (and often in spite of) her amoral tool of a pet vampire Asmodeus. (who also answers questions in a separate series called Letters to Asmodeus). Also on this feed you’ll find The Dark Files (more straightforward horror stories), The Katz Chronicles (a very unconventional detective and his team take care of supernatural situations), and Spooky/Cute (a young witch who’s the worse person I ever loved and her much more empathetic cat).
“The Lost Cat Podcast is a twice-monthly podcast detailing the things that have happened to me while searching for my lost cat. Featuring cats, dogs, ghosts, witches, Old Ones, several ends of the world and lots of red wine, I promise that these stories are all mostly true.”
One of the first things that pop out will be its obvious inspiration from Night Vale: town where the surreal is mundane, guy (although not a radio announcer) telling stories of the town, even a wine segment in place of weather (which has the podcast creator A. P. Clarke has admitted was a ripoff to get his own music out there). But this is superficial compared to the actual stories he tells about his quest to find his lost cat, which I think is gives it a more moving premise out of the gate. The narrator is a very empathetic, loving, and always knows when to find himself a break for some booze during whatever antics have come his way. The city he inhabits feels very fleshed out and full of life, and there are certain episodes where I wished I was there myself. The people still feel relatable even when the circumstances they are in seem too out of this world. The writing is definitely more straightforward than Night Vale, but has enough of a feel emotionally to be not just be a British copycat (see what I did there) but a worthy companion because Clarke seems to understand what actually makes a podcast like Night Vale endearing past the obvious narrative devices. Also I tweet at the creator a lot to the point where I think we have a rapport now and he’s really funny so i’d follow him @LostCatPod on Twitter.
“Synesthesia Theatre is a podcast project from Burning Brigid Media featuring an anthology series of audio plays, along with interviews with the talent behind the voices.”
The production and acting are phenomenal and I wish this team got more recognition! From steampunk westerns (the riveting ride that is Iron Horses That Can’t Be Broken)to ten years in the future dystopias (the harsh reality of Cold Reboot), this team really delivers with stories using local Chicago actors that act out scenes in the room together to keep the chemistry up. Diversity is a priority (while also being very transparent about someone voicing a character of a different background). The stories are fast-paced and cinematic, so its very easy to get sucked in to its 10ish episodes seasons. Start bingeing!
The Strange Case of Starship Iris
“In 2189, Earth narrowly won a war against extraterrestrials, but at a tremendous price. Two years later, in a distant patch of space, a mysterious explosion kills nearly the entire crew of the science vessel Starship Iris. The only survivor is Violet Liu, an intrepid, sarcastic, terrified biologist. But as Violet struggles to readjust to life after the Iris, questions abound. Was that explosion really an accident? If not, just what is going on? And why does every answer seem to get more bizarre and more dangerous? If Violet and her newfound allies want to untangle the truth, they’ll need courage, brilliance, and luck - and honestly, a couple of drinks.”
I’m so excited by how much the fanbase has been growing for this one. Starship Iris exemplifies the ragtag group of misfits trying to survive an international (possible interplanetary?) conspiracy made by a totalitarian Earth and it’s becoming one of my favorite podcasts ever. Violet Liu is so in over her head as she realizes more and more why the Earth regime has set her up to fail, and the only people who can protect her are a smuggling crew who’s personalities range from cute to caustic. Listen to the first and see how fast you put on the second!
“Freed is a radio-drama podcast detailing the ramifications a worldwide pandemic has on people and the world as a whole, told through bi-weekly updates from the cozy yet abandoned mountain town of Freed. Learn more about the town’s history, the fall of humanity, and how to help rebuild society. In the meantime, be safe. Be strong. Be alive.”
Raimi Jenner (i.e. wife goals) puts a lot of energy on her radio broadcast into being a ray of sunshine in a, plague-infected world because she’s striving to make a community into her own in the abandoned mountain town of Freed. This leads to contact with a lot of allies and enemies, all complicated characters trying to cope in a destabilized world. They’ve been on a hiatus for the last few months, but hopefully they will be able to get back to episodes when they’re ready! I need to know how my wife is doing!!
“The world’s largest museum of obsolete technology is threatened with closure unless Hector - its cantankerous, turnkey-operated clockwork curator - can match the popularity of the cutting-edge Uptodateum across the road. Only George - the mild mannered in-house caretaker with the mysterious past - steps up to help him.
Does nobody care about history? Will anyone ever get to ride the NHScalator? How will postboxes, leeches and face-to-face conversation be remembered if the Obsoleteum closes its doors forever? Meanwhile, the Uptodateum has its own problems to deal with, as harried curator Biz and her guileless half-hologram, half-robot assistant Phil struggle to keep their enormous glass-and-touchscreen tower constantly up to date. If only they could work out what to do with their ever- increasing mountain of outdated exhibits…”
This is gut-bustingly dark. If you love Wooden Overcoats, meet it’s even more deranged cousin (which has some of the Wooden Overcoats cast as supporting characters). You would think the bleakness would be too much but it circles back to being absurdly quirky. Hector’s an elderly man-child, George is trying to figure out who he is, Biz struggles with being the most up-to-date version of herself she could possibly bem and Phil is one of the best (half-) robot characters ever written (not that people can stop reminding him what a mistake he is). Also, if you really love Nazi-punching, you might want to check out Episode 3: Hector Vs the Past!
“The story follows those who are pulled into the world of a powerful formula that allows it’s subjects to manipulate the world around them based on thought and desire.”
A reboot of a previous project by Natalie Van Sistine, it’s the age old story of superpowered humans given new life as research subjects escape their prison and along with a girl-in-a-tower type struggle with the superpowers they’re forced to have while the political landscape is unraveling around them. So basically it’s my catnip. It’s updated when the creator finds it possible, but it’s always worth the wait!
“The first scripted series from Gimlet Media, starring Catherine Keener, Oscar Isaac, David Schwimmer, David Cross, and Amy Sedaris. Homecoming centers on a caseworker at an experimental facility, her ambitious supervisor, and a soldier eager to rejoin civilian life — presented in an enigmatic collage of telephone calls, therapy sessions, and overheard conversations.”
This podcast stands out as one of the most naturalistic I’ve every heard, especially with on-location recording. The performances by A-list actors are amazing and the morally dark-gray experiment is haunting as the ramifications starts to unfold. It’s really hard to describe without spoiling but god do Catherine Kenner and Oscar Isaac rule. Gimlet is not known for audio drama work, but they really it knocked it out of the park with what one review describes as a voyeuristic conspiracy thriller . I would go into more detail but I want to keep this spoiler-free, so check out what’s going on with Heidi Bergman’s psychological program.
“Our Fair City is a campy, post-apocalyptic audio drama”
Possibly prophetic given America’s current political climate, in an enviromental disaster apocalypse leads an insurance company to morph into a corpo-government. However, not everyone fully buys the propaganda that have shaped generations before and even have these crazy notions of…basic civil rights and human dignity. It’s sprawling cast showcases the very different policies a citizen (or moleperson) of Hartlife can lead in an oppressive all-encompassing system. Also its hilarious? Yes, it’s easier to cope with campy humor. Hartlife is all the life you ever need, so get some!
“Junction is a slice-of-life, mystery series following four friends during their last summer before college as they podcast about their attempt to find answers for a classmate gone missing in the shadow of a mountain, steeped in local folklore. But personal relationships and blossoming romantic tensions begin to overshadow their goals.”
Junction (made by Bending Spectrum) a show where four high school students trying to do a Serial-type show (or Serial meets the supernatural if they could push that angle in) about a missing classmate during their last few months of high school, yet they keep getting distracted by navigating their personal relationships with each other.
Well, they’re distracted because they’re all queer for each other and frankly when I started this podcast with so little information that I did not see that coming, so this was a pleasant surprise for me! The episodes are pretty short (the longest is about 10 min) but in them are distinct characters struggling to make sense of themselves and each other in a way I found relatable. Give it a listen!
“MarsCorp is a 12-part scripted comedy podcast about Station Supervisor E.L. Hob’s first year at MarsCorp, a terraforming colony established on the red planet in 2070.”
I love dark comedy and this one is so tragically hilarious(which I seem to have a thing for). This is about a dysfunctional Mars colony and the recently defrosted from her cryogenic pod Earthling manager is here to save them from their own incompetence. The dark absurdity and twisted twists really kept me listening, and the funny moments I don’t want to spoil keep flooding my head as I write this. Also, could someone give David Knight a hug? And maybe never let him go? Let it be a tight hug that goes on forever :’(
“Rover Red is a listener-driven post-apocalyptic epic that follows Leah, a girl who has lived her entire life thinking and being taught that the compound she’s been raised within holds the last of humankind. When her brother, Jonah, is kidnapped, she leaves the compound to search for him. While she’s out searching, the compound is destroyed, leaving Leah alone to travel across a dystopian wasteland in search of her brother. She soon realizes that those inside her compound were not the last humans on earth…”
THIS PODCAST IS KILLING ME
Okay, let me back the hell up. Rover Red is an interactive experience by writer Chrisopher Bloodworth, where listeners who sign up to be the Rover Council (which is free!) can send options in for actions the protagonist Leah can take and then vote for options selected. Also Leah could die. You can kill her and Bloodworth promises the podcast will cease. With the added personal stakes of you contributing to whatever happens to her, it’s terrifying.
As someone who started about halfway through the first season, it’s a satisfying narrative experience catching up on. The world is large, well-crafted, and cruel. Mattie Martin shows her wonderful acting range by voicing pretty much every character (with the one exception of someone else…), and is a prime reason to give it a shot. Like if she doesn’t win some sort of audio award next season i will protest.
Side note: The show-fandom relationship is quality (especially the Discord chat that’s free for anyone to join!!!).
“When three high school students from modern-day Pennsylvania find themselves trapped in a world of wizards, elves, and feudal intrigue, they must learn to survive in their new surroundings, and undertake an epic quest to save the world from the encroaching forces of chaos.”
First off: Arlene Redmoor/Gwen forever - I love this (canon!!!!!!!!) relationship so that I was moved to make a playlist showcasing the nuances of it as well as making for what I know is the only erotic fanfic currently available for this show- you’re welcome.
The Once and Future Nerd is one of two sword-and-sorcery high fantasy podcasts I listen to (I prefer and have much more a background knowledge of sci-fi than fantasy) and I think it’s one that really fits for me as a listener. At times its parodical, other times deconstructive, this is written by people who love high fantasy and understand the power of genre while being able to give it a critical look. Both the comedy and the drama are of high caliber to that exceeds expectations (the beginning is a little slow and seems to imply the humor will be more crass than anything, but the show evolves very quickly into something extraordinary). The characters are lovable (yes, even Billy, and not in the way you expect a narrative to sell that you should be sympathetic to him, but that’s a post for another day) and I am so excited for the current season because I’ve missed them. Can’t wait for what’s more to come with this one!
“What if someone stole the internet? This comedy crime caper takes 100% real concepts, like the seven keys to the internet, cyber police, relay calls, photocopier black boxes, 419 scams, and more, and turn it into an anthology of nerdy crime stories tied together by a global plan to end the internet. it’s a series of heists, taking place all over the world… ranging from hijacking top secret military satellites, to stealing a dude’s pants. It’s a story about how hacking affects our world… but without a single actual hacker anywhere to be found.”
Ryan Estrada is a genius and frankly I suggest everyone listen to the interview with he did with Radio Drama Revival because he’s one of the medium’s great innovators.
And I’ll be honest. I tried to listen to the first episode, and I didn’t think the humor was my cup of tea, so I didn’t even finish it. Then when the interview came up on my feed, I shrugged and thought why not. Then it saw they were playing the second ep at the top so I huffed and went back to finish the last half, which I found unexpectedly compelling. And then by the second episode I was hooked. It’s part scripted, part improv, and entirely a love letter to the current players in podcasting while maintaining its own story, Big Data is a hilarious, riveting, and at times dark tale of how acting in an entangled world can breed chaos no matter what our intentions are. But fun!
“There is a town located in the deepest forests of America, a town that many would tell you doesn’t exist. It has seen it’s fair share of oddities, from a being of feathers and bones to a giant that promises doom to all in it’s path. The people there have been hiding a secret for the past 300 years, a secret that might just bring about the end of the world. Join Lane Lloyd as he tells you some of the strangest tales to come out of the town of Sable. From its founding onto today, there has not been a shortage of things to talk about. So, sit down, relax, and see if you can unlock the secrets to Sable.”
I just got to warn that there is a lot of descriptions of capital G Gore but its a very engrossing story narrated by creator Lane Lloyd. Without giving out any spoilers, it’s not immediately clear that the how the different threads quite fit together, even with twists that did give more insight but certainly didn’t explain why things were the way they were, and then it becomes clear. Not to over hype but its been months since that reveal and I’m still reeling. It’s stylistically done in an audiobook-type format (he speaks very clearly but there’s transcripts available for free for those who follow along better). Yet don’t get it twisted: when it comes to character voices, Lane Lloyd gives captivating (and at times chilling) performances that definitely keeps you’re attention.
Oh, and then he does an outro where he just says show news and updates with a stream-of-consciousness approach. Like if the very well-structured horror of the show tensed you up listening to him casually talk afterwards lets you relax again and have a laugh.
”It’s an alternate 2016, and Watchtower 10 sits in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, keeping lonely watch over the Transcontinental Bridge. Each watchtower sits hundreds of feet away from the Bridge, broadcasting regular traffic reports to ensure that proper safety precautions are taken. These lighthouses (for cars) are filled with a carefully selected (and very capable) crew.
Watchtower 10’s necessary personnel happen to be: a generalist DJ who spends her free time relaying folklore from abandoned parts of the Bridge, her supervisor (who’s only there because he lost a bet), an unfailingly optimistic Bridge Travel Agent, and a groundskeeper who has a thing for romantic comedies.
Unbeknownst to the general public (but totally knownst to each watchtower’s crew), these stations also hold a secret that could potentially destroy the world…or save it.
The Bridge is a fictional serialized fantasy podcast about the monsters we fear, the monsters we can become, and the stories we leave behind.“
All I can add to this one is two words: Persnickety Pete. Yes, that’s a word and its become my favorite word in all of the English language. Who is Persnickety Pete? You’re going to have to visit Aqualand by listening.
