Welcome to Night Vale
Hosted by Cecil Baldwin, and others
Produced by Commonplace books
“Welcome to Night Vale” a podcast that almost needs no introduction at this point. This wildly popular program is a podcast drama formatted as bulletins from a community radio station in a small desert town. It features notices from the town’s active secret police, a kid’s fun-fact science corner, updates on the mysterious lights in the sky and the war-like subterranean culture located beneath the local bowling alley. And of course, the weather. Night Vale is a weird place, but these are just the everyday foibles you might find in any isolated community, as far as W2NV is concerned. And that is what makes this podcast brilliant.
Written by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor, Welcome To Night Vale is not only a delightful satire of horror and weird fiction tropes, it is a clever and often heartbreaking look at tolerance and what it means to be a community. From the bourgeoning romance between radio host Cecil and mysterious and well-coifed scientist Carlos, to the struggles of a young girl trying to fit in despite the fact that she is in fact an adult man’s detached hand, the plots of the show revolve not just around the inexplicable and the fantastic, but real human interaction, even if it is presented in completely silly ways.
At its heart, “Welcome to Night Vale” is about The Other, The Weird, amorphous Unknown that kept H. P. Lovecraft up at night. But what the Mythos never addresses, and part of what makes it problematic today, is that one person’s incomprehensible horror is someone else’s Tuesday. Cecil Baldwin, who plays coincidentally-named station host Cecil Palmer, recently contributed an excellent short essay about his experiences working on the project to the Queers Destroy Science Fiction Kickstarter. The thing he really loves about the podcast, and I agree, is that in all of Night Vale’s strangeness and paranoia, the same-sex relationship between Cecil and Carlos is never even considered unusual or different from a straight one. That’s the subtext for Welcome to Night Vale. The things that we do not understand or find inexplicable are just life seen from a different angle. It’s an unexpected direction, almost stealth schmaltz, but it’s the most original thing in Podcasting, and it brings a delightful little bit of weirdness and joy to my feed twice a month. Find Welcome to Night Vale in your preferred podcatcher, or visit Commonplacebooks.com.
Hugh Likes Podcasts: Welcome To Night Vale
March 10, 2015
Hugh Likes Podcasts Hugh Likes Podcasts, Podcasts, review, Welcome To Night Vale Leave a comment
Hugh Likes Podcasts: The Adventure Zone
January 30, 2015
Hugh Likes Podcasts Clint McElroy, Griffin McElroy, HLP, Hugh Likes Podcasts, Justin McElroy, Maximum Fun, review, The Adventure Zone, Travis McElroy Leave a comment
The Adventure Zone
Hosted by The McElroy Brothers & Clint McElroy
Maximum Fun Network
The Adventure Zone is a very recent podcast from Griffin, Travis and Justin McElroy, the hosts of the longer-running “My Brother, My Brother and Me” advice podcast. They are joined by their father, comedian and radio personality Clint McElroy in this new podcast, in which they play 5th edition Dungeons and Dragons.
While all four are experienced improvisers and podcasters, aside from Griffin, they have very limited gaming knowledge. This differentiates T.A.Z. from typical gaming podcasts, which tend to be hosted by passionate players with more limited technical or performing skills. This also makes it a fun and engaging show for listeners of all levels of gaming interest.
As both GM and podcast producer, Griffin does a good job of keeping things moving along and teaching his players, and the audience, what they need to know to keep up. This is a nice feature for listeners who have never played D&D before who would like to see what it’s like. The personality of all four hosts comes through in their characters and choices. This is engaging for experienced gamers who’ve all played with that guy, or been that guy themselves. Clint, playing cleric Merle Highchurch is completely new to roleplaying, and is trying to figure things out and see what he can do. Justin, playing the wizard Taako, pronounced like the food, is there to make funny voices and generally goof around. And Travis, playing fighter Magnus Burnside, cheats like crazy.
The audio quality is great, and at about an hour long, each episode is a fine background for a commute, cleaning, or video game session.
The Adventure Zone is a great podcast for podcast listeners who aren’t sure if D&D is right for them, or gamers looking for a good laugh. You can find in in iTunes, or subscribe via maximumfun.org/shows/adventure-zone.
Hugh Likes Podcasts: Astronomy Cast
January 13, 2015
Hugh Likes Podcasts, Review Astonomy Cast, Frasier Cain, HLP, Hugh Likes Podcasts, Pamela Gay, review, Science 1 Comment
Hosted by Dr. Pamela Gay and Fraser Cain.
astronomycast.com
Astronomy Cast is an astronomy and citizen science podcast that takes listeners on ‘a fact-based journey through the cosmos.’ Neither too simplistic nor overly technical, It is a great peek into the universe for amateur astronomers and science fans alike.
The show is hosted by Universe Today publisher Fraser Cain and Astronomer Dr. Pamela Gay. While it is not always consistently published due to the hosts busy schedules, it does cover a wide range of topics. They discuss science news such as current mission like Rosetta and Cassini, astronomical phenomena such as sun spots and finding water in space, and more! They have recently begun a fascinating series of biographies of modern female astronomers such as Joceylyn Bell Burnell, a discoverer of pulsars!
As a lover of science fiction, but someone who didn’t do great studying science in school, this is a great podcast. They present astronomy with wit, and grace, and explain clearly without talking down to the listener. This is an engaging and entertaining podcast for the non-scientist who has watched “Cosmos,” but is ready for something more challenging. It’s even a gateway to citizen science projects such as Cosmo Quest, which assists in mapping heavenly bodies!
Astronomy Cast is available from iTunes, astronomycast.com , or your favorite podcatcher.
Hugh Likes Podcasts: Wham Bam Pow!
January 6, 2015
Hugh Likes Podcasts, Review Cameron Esposito, Hugh Likes Podcasts, movies, podcasting, review, Rhea Butcher, Ricky Carmona, Wham Bam Pow 1 Comment
Hosts: Cameron Esposito, Rhea Butcher, and Ricky Carmona
Presented by the Maximum Fun Network
I really enjoy movie review podcasts. But the podosphere is clogged with them, and most of them, while fine, often boil down to the same thing: White dudes arguing about Star Wars. “Wham, Bam, Pow!” is something a bit different.
Hosted by comedian Cameron Esposito, along with her fiancé Rhea Butcher and Ricky Carmona, it is a movie podcast with nary a dude-bro in sight. The hosts have a different perspective on ‘dick flicks’ like “Interstellar” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” than your typical podcast. In addition to being refreshing, insightful and hilarious, the hosts tackle issues like gender and race representation in Hollywood.
In addition to reviewing a film each episode, the trio discusses movie news and includes segments such as movie snack recommendations and making fictional movie pitches, which are great, although not quite as sharp as Disasterpiece Theatre.
Wham Bam Pow is a smart, funny movie review podcast that will change the way you look at movies. It is a part of the Maximum Fun network, and can be downloaded from iTunes or your preferred podcatcher.
Hugh Likes Podcasts: The Roundtable Podcast
October 16, 2014
Hugh Likes Podcasts, Review Dave Robison, HLP, Hugh Likes Podcasts, The Roundtable Podcast Leave a comment
Hosted by Dave Robison, plus guests
The Roundtable Podcast is one of my favorite writing podcasts. There are a lot of really excellent podcasts about writing, both podfaded and current, but The Roundtable is something else. I like podcasts that introduce me to new authors. I like podcasts that delve into the craft and business of writing, helping me to improve my own work. I really like podcasts that are fun, and show a more personal side of my favorite authors. The Roundtable podcast is all three.
Originally hosted by Dave Robison and Brion Humphrey, The Roundtable is a bridge between aspiring and professional authors. They divide the show into two types of episodes: “Twenty Minutes With” interview segments, and Roundtable Workshop sessions. In the former, Dave and a second chair conduct an informal interview with a professional writer. These are always fantastically inspiring and entertaining rap sessions, although they always go at least twice as long as advertised. Theres’ so much goodness in each one that I’d feel cheated if they trimmed it down, though. In the Brainstorming sessions, they bring on a less experienced writer, and help them brainstorm a story idea. These are also great. Not only is it a rarely-seen peek on the creative process, it is an affirmation that perseverance and hard work pays off in an industry that all too often seems governed by luck and chance.
Every second of The Roundtable Podcast is infused with Dave’s vibrant and effervescent personality. Combining a wonderful talent for research and an otherworldly skill for promotion, he introduces each guest writer and host with a flare that is uniquely his own, and relentlessly positive. The show is firmly rooted int the philosophy that with enough effort, thought, and encouragement, every writer can transform their story ideas from dross to literary gold.
I myself have benefitted from taking a story on the show. It isn’t finished yet, but someday I hope to publish it, and be ‘knighted’ by the hosts.
Find The Roundtable Podcast on the web, or subscribe in iTunes or Stitcher.
Hugh Likes Podcasts: Hidden Harbor Mysteries
September 30, 2014
Hugh Likes Podcasts, Review Audio Drama, Bryan Lincoln, HLP, Hugh Likes Podcasts, Jay Smith, podcasting, Pulp Leave a comment
Produced by Bryan Lincoln
Written by Jay Smith
hiddenharbormysteries.com
“Hidden Harbor Mysteries” is a lost 1930’s radio drama that never existed. Dreamed up by HG World creator Jay Smith, and brought to live by Fullcast podcast-producting powerhouse Bryan Lincoln, the podcast recreates the feel of a radio show with an astounding level of verisimilitude, and touch of weirdness.
Supposedly recorded in 1936, and set in a vision of post-World War II America locked in a hot war with the Soviet Union, Hidden Harbor Mysteries is a pulp serial in the tradition of “The Shadow.” The series stars Veronica Giguerre as “The Femme Phantom,” a crime-fighting socialite with as yet mysterious powers, and features an array of talented podcasters and voice actors including Dave Robbison, Rish Outfield, and Renee Chambliss. With three episodes released as of this review, it is classic pulpy fun, with a few clever nods to the genre.
I will admit that I haven’t listened to Smith’s other projects, but this one has me hooked. The writing is sharp and sly, mixing a modern sensibility with period style. The delivery is also top notch, with great performances by Veronica and Dave in particular. But the real hook here is the presentation. Smith’s writing, the cast’s performances, and Producer Bryan Lincoln’s masterful skills with audio editing software recreate the experience of tuning in to a 1936 broadcast with 2014 technology. It is challenging enough for a fullcast producer to create the illusion that the actors are in the same room. Bryan has managed to do one better, bringing a live on-air both from eighty years ago back to life. This illusion is further sold by the stylish intros and outros, complete with cigarette ads touting doctor recommendations.
Hidden Harbor Mysteries is a classic pulp adventure for the modern podcast listener. Check it out at their website, or subscribe in iTunes.
Hugh J. O'Donnell 