The Audio File: Moonface

I love speculative fiction audio dramas, but I also enjoy more down to Earth audio dramas. I'm always very happy when I can find one of those podcasts. Especially if they live up to my standards. That brings us to the audio drama we'll be reviewing today. We're taking a look at the podcast Moonface. 

Moonface follows a young gay Korean-American man named Paul who lives in Downey, a suburb of Los Angles. He's a wayward twenty-something desperately trying to make his way in the world. More importantly, he's trying to come out to his mother. This is complicated by the fact that she doesn't really speak English, but Paul doesn't really speak Korean. The series follows Paul as he tries to find both his place in the world and a way to connect with his mother.

I first became aware of this podcast when I was browsing on the r/audiodrama subreddit. There was a thread about great single season podcasts. I shared my favorites, such as Lights Out and The Hermes & Hekate Road Show, but I also went to see what everybody else was recommending. One person recommended an audio drama called Moonface. I checked it out, and saw that it wasn't too long, and the premise sounded interesting. I'm more willing to take a gamble on shorter shows, since if I don't like them, it will be over soon. Of course, if I wind-up loving them, which is fairly often, I always wish they'd go on for longer. Thankfully, I can safely say that Moonface falls in the latter category. Though I would say it is about as long as it needs to be.

It occurs to me that I'm reviewing this podcast in the middle of Pride Month. Those of you who have been following this blog for a while will know that there is no set schedule, and as such I did not plan this. It is merely a happy coincidence. If I get things posted in a timely manner, it is something of a small miracle.

Moonface is created by James Kim. Like Paul, he is a young gay Korean-American man who lives in Los Angles. He also struggled to connect with his parents due to not being able to speak Korean. Also, like Paul, he has worked in radio and podcasting. I suspected that there were some autobiographical elements to Moonface, and based on what James has said in interview, it appears my hunch were correct.

Moonface very much draws from the Asian-American and LGBT experience. However, you do not have to be Asian-American or LGBT to enjoy this podcast. I have PDD, Pervasive Developmental Disorder. It is an autism spectrum disorder that has aspects of Asperger's, Autism, Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia and because misery loves company, Anxiety and Depression. It not the same as being visually a minority, but I often find parallels to my own experience in the stories of minorities. I also related to Paul's struggles to find his place in a post-college world. And even disregarding all of that, Moonface is a well-written and engaging podcast.

I'd like to take a minute to talk about the sound editing and sound design for Moonface. There are several instances of long stretches of silence, with the only noise being ambient background noise. It helps to paint the scenes and indicate the emotions of the characters. In-universe, one of Paul's ideas for a podcast is one composed of nothing but ambient noises.

Of course, another big aspect of Moonface is the focus on language and communication. Obviously, there are no subtitles in podcasts, so we hear what Paul hears. When his mother speaks untranslated Korean, and he can't understand it, that's what we hear. It serves to underscore the language barrier between them. Furthermore, we get flashbacks to Paul's childhood. We see that he speaks Korean fluently when he is a little boy, but gradually loses the language as he gets older. By the present day, he can only speak a handful of Korean words, and not very well at that. This does reflect not only James Kim's experience, but also that of Korean-Americans, and children of immigrants in general.

Usually, immigrants will speak their native langue, with enough English to get by day-to-day. Their children will usually be bilingual, but the grandchildren of the immigrants are usually the ones who loose the language and speak exclusively English. Korean-American are different, as with them, it is usually the children of immigrants who lose the language. Why exactly this happen is unknown, particularly given that there are still large amounts of Koreans immigrating to America, which usually preserves the language for a bit.

James Kim did a report about this phenomenon when he worked for a Southern Californian NPR affiliate. Based on his own admission, and the testimony of his parents, he lost it due to apathy towards Korean culture. For Paul, that appeared to be a factor as well, but also his desire to fit-in with his non-Korean classmates. One of the flashbacks sees Paul's elementary school class going on a field trip to his house to learn about traditional Korean homes. He becomes embarrassed by how strange his classmates find his home, and that seems to be the point he turns his back on Korean culture.

You do learn several tidbits about Korean culture during the course of the podcast. For example, when Paul's mom catches him in bed with his boyfriend Ryan, Paul isn't too panicked. In traditional Korean culture, it isn't uncommon for two men to share a bed. There's also a point where Paul and a fellow Korean-American classmate at his podcasting class compare experiences. They talk about going to Korean megachurches in their youth, and getting looked down on by the rich Korean kids. Christianity is fairly common among Koreans. About thirty percent of South Korea identifies as Christian. I've had several Korean Christians attempt to proselytize me over the years. I've also had many Black Jehovah's Witnesses, and Black Christians generally, do the same. The number White proselytizers tended to be fairly low, but I suppose that might be a quirk of where I live.

As a side note, I just wanted to say that I utterly adored Paul's two best friends, Shayla and Danny. They've been Paul's best friends since he was in the third-grade, and are also struggling to figure out what to do with their lives. Shayla dreams of being a fashion designer, but keeps getting passed over for promotions, and is stuck as an assistant. Danny wants to be an artist, but his self-doubt causes him to be stuck working in a retail store. Shayla is Black, and Danny is Mexican-American and gay, and they often compare and contrast their experience with Paul. They're also the ones who encourage Paul to get out of his rut, and add levity to the show.

Obviously, being gay, and trying to come out to his mom, is an important aspect of Paul's character. However, it is not the be-all end-all of who he is. He has his desire to be a podcaster, as well as his general search for a purpose to his life. Paul thinks that coming out to his mom will be this big turning point, but what he really wants is to figure out what he wants to do with his life.

Moonface is a great audio drama podcast, and every audio drama needs a great team of voice actors. James Kim certainly went the extra mile to get that team for Moonface. Paul is voiced by Joel Kim Booster. I'm not previously familiar with him, but he did an excellent job. James really wanted Joel for the part, so I'm glad it all worked out. Paul's mother was played by Esther Moon Wu. Again, not previously familiar, but she also did a good job, especially given the limits of the role. The other voice actors are also excellent. They're all professional actors who have appeared in shows such as Dear White People, The Affair, and Where the Bears Are. The endings for each episode feature music from a different South Korean indie band. It all sounds awesome, and made me want to look-up the bands.

Now we've at the part of the review where we have to go into spoilers. So turn back now if you don't want any of that.

This is your last chance, you sure you want to go forward?

If you're still here, and want to continue to the spoilers, then let's begin.

So, Paul finally confesses to his mom about his sexuality...and she doesn't care, because she already knows. However, she is angry that he hasn't bothered to learn Korean, especially since they're going on a trip to visit family in Seoul soon. But more than just that, she's angry that he isn't making an effort to connect with her, especially because she's been trying to improve her English specifically for this purpose.

Admittedly, I kind of suspected something like this was going to happen. All the same, it was a very effective reveal. But we aren't done yet. I did chuckle a little when Paul's mother says that she's known he was gay for years because he watches Disney movies and doesn't like sports. Stereotypical reasoning, but it is nice that she didn't judge him for that.

Paul's mother got a friend to help her write a heartfelt letter to Paul. She talks about her life in South Korea, meeting Paul's father, and moving to America. Most of all, she talks about how much she wants to connect with Paul and be part of his life. From the letter we learn that Paul's father has died, and fairly recently, from the sounds of it. Admittedly, I had been wondering about that, since Paul's dad appears in the flashbacks, but not the present day. He was also from South Korea, but could speak English much more fluently than Paul's mother, so finding a job in America was much easier for him. His death is also a big part of why Paul's mother wants to connect with him, because they have to be there for each other during these trying times.

The letter Paul's mother wrote reminded me of several other stories I've read of Asian-American parents trying to connect with their kids. In particular, I was reminded of "The Paper Menagerie" by Ken Liu. In fact, Ken has said that his inspiration for that story was becoming a new father, and trying to pass on his Chinese culture to his daughters. That, and imagining the generation gap that might ensue due to them being the children of an immigrant. I guess some experiences are universal no matter if you're the child of immigrants from South Korea, China, or anywhere else.

There's some more stuff that happens, but I've said enough. I gotta leave you guys with something to discover for yourselves. I kind of wish Moonface had lasted just a bit longer, because I love it so much. However, all things considered, I think it is exactly as long as it needs to be.

Well, there you have it. Moonface is great podcast about a young gay Korean-American man try to find his way in the world and bridge a cultural divide. I can't recommend it enough.

I think that's enough from me for now. I will see you guys next time.

The Alt-Hist File: Prototype World of Tomorrow: Murder in Progress

I've always been fascinated by all of the artistry, creativity, and imagination that goes into Disney theme park attractions. That's especially true of ones that aren't tied to a preexisting franchise. There's a tons of attractions that were never built for various reasons. We have not but some very tantalizing concept art. There's plenty of fertile ground for alternate history fun and adventure among those ideas. Am I going somewhere with this? Yes indeed, it all ties into the podcast we're taking a look at today. We're taking a look at Prototype World of Tomorrow: Murder in Progress.

Prototype World of Tomorrow: Murder in Progress takes place in a world where Walt Disney's original plan to build an Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow became a reality. This great domed metropolis, known as Progress City, is home to over 50,000 temporary workers. It is a permanent showcase of American ingenuity and industry. Progress is home to super-science and fantastical inventions. Robots, shrink rays, and other futuristic inventions are all common sights. Recently, however, it's also become home to a homicide. Liam Crawford, the richest man in Progress, has been found murdered. Someone tossed him from his penthouse apartment, but who? Thankfully, Progress is home to a crack private detective named Tim who...well, actually, he's kind of an idiot. Still, Tim's going to do his best to solve the murder and bring the killer to justice. Though, if he wants to get by, he'll need a little help from his friends.

I first became aware of this audio drama while I was listening to a podcast by Defunctland, one of my favorite YouTube channels. It covers the history of defunct, or otherwise non-functioning, theme park attractions. Kevin Perjurer, Defunctland's creator and host, was interviewing Ben Lancaster about an indie film he made called The Further Adventures of Walt's Frozen Head. Towards the end of the podcast, Ben mentioned a future project he was working on called Murder in Progress. It would be an audio drama murder mystery set in a world where Walt Disney's dream of an experimental prototype community of tomorrow became a reality. Obviously, this was to be Prototype World of Tomorrow.

Time passed, and then one day I decided to search for Murder in Progress on the Apple podcast app. Lo and behold, I founded it, and it was absolutely amazing. I should also clarify some terminology. The show was originally called just World of Tomorrow, but then the team discovered that there is a Futurama fan cast, which hasn't been updated since 2018, that also has that name. So, after season one, they modified the name to Prototype World of Tomorrow. Murder in Progress is the name of the first five-part story of the series, which we will be discussing in this review.

 Now that we've got all that out of the way, let's begin. As a fan of alternate history, I do appreciate that this podcast took the path less traveled. Don't think I've seen too many works where Walt Disney successfully achieved his dream to make Progress City. The way it is presented sounds fun, if not necessarily realistic. Let me elaborate. Could Progress City have been made using 1960s tech, probably yes. Would it have functioned as intended, probably not. For example, the residents would constantly have their appliances switched out with the latest models as soon as they hit production. On paper, this sounds good, but it would be a logistical nightmare. Imagine having to have your refrigerator replaced every few months. You'd have to constantly unload and reload it, and what if the new model wasn't as good as the old, or removed some feature you really liked?

Then there's all the fantastical and otherwise super-science inventions. So, maybe not realistic, but I'm not complaining. Plus, we do get hints that Progress doesn't work quite as well as advertised. For example, Progress is enclosed by a giant concrete dome, as was the plan in real life. However, this causes quite a bit of noise whenever it rains. Given that Progress is in Florida, this happens fairly frequently.

 There's a ton of references to the history of Disney theme parks, especially never built attraction, scattered throughout the series. Progress is depicted, by and large, much as it was in Walt Disney's concept art and models for his planned Progress City. Yes, even the cable cars were part of the plan at various points. The center of Progress has a collection of ethnic neighbors called the International Tapestry. Yes, this was also a plan for Progress City, and it is what inspired the World Showcase section of EPCOT.

At one point, when describing the various nations represented, Tim specifically mentions Israel, Equatorial Africa, and Spain. These are the most famous never built World Showcase pavilions, because they came closest to actually getting built. Israel agreed to pay for a pavilion, but Disney got cold feet because they were afraid Palestinian terrorists would bomb the pavilion. Disney could never find any one African nation to sponsor Equatorial Africa, because every time they almost got a sponsor, there would be some political turmoil that sent them back to square one. South Africa offered to sponsor a pavilion, but they did so in the middle of Apartheid, so Disney said hell no. Though many design elements of Equatorial Africa got incorporated into the Africa section of Animal Kingdom. There's is a small stand called The Outpost that sells African themed souvenirs, and hosts African drum performances, at EPCOT. As for Spain...well, you got me there.

There's also a Persian section of the International Tapestry, where Tim's friend Bayan lives. Most residents of the International Tapestry live in Progress for a year, as ambassadors of their home nations. However, if their home country experiences any political turmoil while they're in Progress, they're allowed to stay indefinitely as part of the Progress Refugee Program. This first happened in 1979 during the Iranian/Islamic Revolution, and that's how Bayan and his family are in Progress. This is another sly reference to a never built pavilion. Disney planned for an Iran pavilion at EPCOT, but the revolution put the kibosh on that.

There's also plenty of references to attractions that actually did get built. For example, there's a popular bar in Progress called The Temple of Heaven. This is a nod to how the centerpiece of the China pavilion at EPCOT is a replica of the Temple of Heaven.  Many of the business tend to be nods to the various pavilions of Future World. For example, Tim's girlfriend Annie works for an agricultural company that offers behind the scenes tours. This is obviously a nod to Living with the Land, which these days is just called The Land.

As a fan of all the creativity and imagination that goes into Disney theme park attractions, I very much approve of all of these references. Though I do wonder how Progress effected the history of Disney World. I'm guessing that EPCOT never got built, but was some other park built in its place? If so, what is it like? For that matter, do Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom exist, or are other parks standing in their place? Also, what about the international Disney Theme Parks? It is interesting stuff to think about, and I hope it will be addressed in future seasons.

Now that we've got that out of the way, let's talk characters. Tim Less is our protagonist. He's a private investigator who is eager to prove himself. He's eager, but also kind of an idiot. Well, he does show a fair bit of cunning and initiative, and is willing to take several risks, as the series go on. All the same, he just as often stumbles into clues without intending to. Tim seems to believe he's a detective in a film noir, as opposed to the science fiction dramedy that he's actually in. Still, his eagerness coupled with his frequent ineptitude is what makes him enduring.

Tim soon finds himself entangled with his girlfriend's sister Eve Moore. Oh, less and more, I just realized that. Anyway, Eve used to work in robotics, but she was framed for the murder of her boss. I need to take a moment to discuss that. She and the boss were working on nanobots, but had trouble getting them small enough. So, they built the robots at standard size, and used a shrink ray to shrink the robots down to the proper size. Very creative solution, though not very applicable to the real world, as we have yet to invent shrink rays.

Eve suddenly becoming unemployed is a bit of an issue, as all residents of Progress are required to be employed. If you don't have a job within a set number of days, you are evicted from the city. Since she's already suspected of one murder, now two, Eve would draw the attention of the Orange County sheriff department if that were to happen. Though it is in Orange County, Progress is considered legally distinct, which the Orange County sheriff department is very resentful of. I actually thought that Tim had more chemistry with Eve than he did with Annie. Granted, Eve got a lot more screen time, for want of a better term. Still, I do wonder if this will become a plot point in future seasons. She compliments him well. Eve is smart, quick-witted, and more down-to-earth than Tim is.

I'll now take a moment to talk about the amazing cast of voice actors that were assembled for this podcast. Tim and Eve are voiced by BrIan Ballance and Callie Wills. I'm not previously familiar with either of them, but I see bright futures in the world of voice acting for both of them. That is, assuming they aren't already involved in other productions. Really the whole cast is incredibly talented, and top of the line. However, the biggest surprise among the cast is that Ron Schneider cameo's as the announcer for one of the companies. Ron played Dreamfinder in the original version of the ride Journey into Imagination. He also previously worked with Ben Lancaster on The Further Adventures of Walt's Frozen Head, where Ron played Walt Disney himself.

This is just the first season, and there's still many mysteries to solve in Progress. Chief among, just what was Liam Crawford secretly working on before his death? Also, I know Kevin Perjurer said he'd love to cameo in the podcast. Perhaps ought to take him up on that offer. Based on what we've seen in season one, there are great things in-store for Prototype World of Tomorrow in the coming seasons.

Well there you have it. Prototype World of Tomorrow: Murder in Progress is an alternate history murder mystery that you won't want to miss out on, especially if you love Disney Theme Parks. Go and listen to it today, you'll be glad that you did.

I think that should do it for now. I will see you guys next time.   

The Audio File: A Scottish Podcast

Some podcasts are just so big, and come up in conversation so much, I just can't ignore them. Eventually, I have check them out just to see what the fuss is about. Sometimes they turn out to be overrated, but other times they turn out to indeed be worthy of the praise. That brings us to the podcast we'll be reviewing today. We're taking a look at A Scottish Podcast. 

A Scottish Podcast follows two Scottish dudes named Lee and Douglas. Lee used to be a radio DJ, but he recently lost job. In his quest to not starve, Lee has stumbled across, what he thinks, will be a surefire path to success: starting a paranormal investigation podcast. Lee soon drags Douglas along for the ride, and the two set out to make the best paranormal investigation horror podcast set in Scotland. 

Well, I must admit, I'm glad I finally gave this podcast a listen. I wouldn't so much call A Scottish Podcast a horror podcast. I'd say that it's more of a comedy/slice-of-life podcast that happens to include horror elements. The podcast primarily focuses on Lee and Douglas' day-to-day lives, and the various mundane aspects of running a podcast. Still, there's plenty of laughs to be had, and shout-out to other podcasts. Lee models the podcast, known as The Terror Files, as essentially a Scottish version of The Black Tapes. Haven't listened to that one, but from what I understand, it's kind of like the X-Files. Though, The Black Tapes is a fiction podcast, whereas The Terror Files would, in-universe, be a non-fiction investigation podcast. In other shout-out, at one-point Lee and Douglas discuss an episode of Campfire Radio Theater that is set in Scotland. It's a meta joke, because Lee and Douglas' voice actors, Rob Cudmore and Matthew McLean, played the lead roles in that episode. Two other podcasts Lee hopes The Terror Files will be able to rival is The Message and Limetown. Like I said, plenty of shout-outs and love to go round. 

Now let's talk characters. A Scottish Podcast is very much a character-driven show. There are plot threads that are set up at the start of the season, but it really is the characters, and the focus on their lives, that carries the show. Granted, there are hints of horror throughout the seasons. Things also tend to come to a head during the finale episodes of each season, which take a more serious tone, at least at the start.  

Anyway, back to characters. Lee has a freewheeling devil-may-care personality. He's the type to jump in first and hammer out the details as he goes along. That pretty much describes how he created The Terror Files. By contrast, Douglas is more sensible and cautious. Well, he did agree to Lee's crazy idea, but otherwise he's pretty sensible. He's also got a bit of a chip on his shoulder due to the time he shit in his pants on live television. 

Lee and Douglas' primary financial backer is a gangster named Bruce. He's the top gangster in Scotland, and widely considered to be the most dangerous man in Britain. He's also a huge fan of horror investigation podcasts, and The Terror Files is right up his alley. Douglas was a bit hesitant about being sponsored by a violent criminal. Lee meanwhile, pretty much said "where do I sign?" immediately. Though, considering their primary sponsor prior to that had been a hemorrhoid cream company, perhaps it is understandable why Lee said yes so quickly. A good bit of humor comes from how Brice his always cordial and polite, even when he's doing gangster stuff. For example, one time he politely calls to ask how the podcast is going, while also murdering a man in a cement mixer. He's also speaking with an English accent, which I found a bit odd. Is that common with Scottish gangsters? I once took a school trip to London (and Paris and Venice) and encountered a Scottish drug dealer selling marijuana. I had to do my best to defuse a tense situation after one of my stupid classmates pissed him off, but I digress. Bruce is voiced Karim Kronfli. He has dyslexia, but that hasn’t stopped him from perusing a successful career as a voice actor. 

In other notable characters we have Helen, the perpetual drunk who practically lives at the local bar. I'm not sure how I feel about her. She was amusing at first, but then she got kind of annoying. Still, the prequel episode where she fills in for Lee as Santa at a charity even for sick kids was kind of fun. Helen, being Helen, rented some vans and took the kids to the pub, and bought them all jäger bombs. That was probably one of the best Christmases those sick kids ever had. It was also amusing when Lee think he's died and gone to Hell, which appears to him as the local pub. When questioned, Helen basically says, "it's Hell, everyone is Scottish." She is voiced by Sarah Golding, who is to the audio drama community what John Ratzenberger is to Pixar movies. She’s a true gem of the community, and has appeared in countless audio dramas in various roles. 

In season two, Lee and Douglas are joined on their adventures by an American woman named Gina. She's a big fan of The Terror Files, and I though she provided a good foil to Lee and Douglas. There are plenty more characters, but those are the ones who really stand out. So then, let us move on to other subjects. 

Season three is perhaps the most bonkers to date, but in a good way. Lee disappears for a while. Then, Douglas finds him again. Specifically, Lee is on a spaceship, and he’s taking Douglas to the planet Yuggoth. They’re off to explore the mysterious ruins of Yuggoth. We went from a slice of life with horror elements, to what I can best describe as We Fix Space Junk, but with two Scottish dudes. Hmm, would that be Wee Fix Space Shite, then? Well, didn’t see that coming, but I’m all here for it. In all of its glorious insanity. 

I must also take a moment and talk about the fantastic voice acting this podcast has. I also must be very careful about how I chose my words. The team behind A Scottish Podcast are usually good sports about negative reviews. In fact, they've turned several of their negative reviews into drink coasters that you can purchase. All the same, I'd prefer if my reviews didn't wind up on a drink coaster for the wrong reasons. I'd also just like to say the official series title card is awesome. Even more than good word-of-mouth, it is what really convinced me I needed to give A Scottish Podcast a try. 

Okay, so how do I put this delicately? Fine, I'll just be brutally honest. I've always found Scottish people to be kind of annoying. They always sound like seals barking, which I, half-jokingly, suppose explains where the legend of the selkie comes from. However, I found the cast to all be rather pleasant to listen to. They're all very talented, and clearly hard working and devoted to their craft. Also, if this does wind up on a coaster, I demand a royalties check. Just putting that out there now. 

In addition to the main show, A Scottish Podcast has had many fun special. They did a Burns Night Special, where the characters all read poetry, but it was all original works, rather than the poems of Robert Burns. They also did a special where the characters all read poems written by HP Lovecraft. This was framed as a poetry contest that Bruce was running to sponsor a butcher shop he owns. They're famous for their meat pies...if you know what I mean. Naturally, he was declared the winner, because everyone was too scared of what would happen if he didn't win. 

Lovecraft was clearly a pretty big influence on the creators. Several of the strange things Lee and Douglas investigate have strong Lovecraftian undertones to them. For example, in season two they investigate a professor from Miskatonic University who conducted experiments for the British government during World War II. Also, apparently Miskatonic University is real in the world of A Scottish Podcast; albeit as a mundane university that is a bit annoyed that Lovecraft featured them in his works. Season one also featured Lovecraftian horrors lurking beneath Edinburgh, but also an undead cannibal warrior from the 10th century. A Scottish Podcast even did it's own adaption of The Shadow Over Innsmouth. The set-up is that Douglas is traveling to England on holiday, and stays at the seaside town of Innsmouth. Ah, so that's how Lovecraft slipped that one under the radar. Everyone thought the reals Innsmouth was in New England, like the story, but it was actually in Old England all along. Thought, to be clear there is no Innsmouth on either side of the Atlantic in real life. 

There was also an episode where A Scottish Podcast crossed over with several other horror podcast audio dramas. The episode featured Lee and Douglas attending a podcasting convention, and meet with the creators and/or characters of the other podcasts. However, they were all podcast I don't listen too, so I didn't quite have the intended effect on me. Still, for fans of those podcasts, I'm sure they were over the Moon. I know I got excited when A Scottish Podcast merely mentioned Campfire Radio Theater, one of my favorite podcasts. 

So there you have it. A Scottish Podcast is a comedy/slice-of-life podcast about two Scottish dudes trying to create their own horror investigation podcast. It's a name you often hear in the world of audio drama podcast, and I'm glad I finally gave it a listen. Give it a listen yourself, you'll be glad that you did. 

Well, I think that should be enough from me for now. I will see you guys next time. 

The Audio File: Fall of the Shah

Britain has had a long history of producing quality audio dramas. I suppose it is partially because television arrived there later than it did in America. Of course, even after television arrived, the British continued producing audio dramas, even into the present day. That brings us to the podcast we're reviewing today. We're taking a look at Fall of the Shah, a BBC production.

Fall of the Shah tells the story of the early days of the Iranian/Islamic Revolution. We see this historic event though the eyes of many people. There is of course, the Shah and his wife, but also leaders in America and Britain, a Canadian journalist, and an Iranian family divided by the revolution.

Okay, I know that doesn't sound terribly exciting, but this is an excellent podcast. Being produced by a major company means that the audio production is a true cinematic experience. The BBC usually does with their productions. I say usually because there have been some occasion, many within the last few years, that they've gotten sloppy with their audio drama standards. Thankfully, Fall of the Shah is not one of those instances. Everything from the voice acting, to the music, to the sound effects, are all top of the line. Fall of the Shah has a full voice cast, but also features a narrator, voiced by Dame Diana Rigg, who helps to set the scenes and explain some of the background details about the various events the podcast depicts.

I should perhaps give a bit of background to help set the stage.  The Iranian/Islamic Revolution wasn't the first revolution. The first revolution occurred in 1953. It was a socialist uprising, and since it was the Cold War, the United States and United Kingdom didn't look too kindly on it. Especially since Britain owned several oil companies in Iran, and the Iranians were trying to reduce British influence in their nation. The uprising was swiftly squished, and America and Britain installed Mohammad Reza Pahlavi as the Shah of Iran. The Iranian people always resented this, especially since Pahlavi was rather incompetent as a ruler. This anger continued to simmer until it boiled over into a new revolution.

Obviously, the Shah gets a fair bit of focus. I'm heard some people accusing this podcast of whitewashing the actions of the Shah. I would argue that it doesn't, as it takes time to have other characters voice precisely why so many people are angry with the Shah's government. More on that in a bit. Even if it might go a bit soft on the Shah, I'd argue that the writers did so because they knew what came after him was much worse. It's a bit like how media relating to the Russian Revolution tends to downplay Tsar Nicholas II's faults, because everyone knows how much worse the Soviet Union turned out to be. And I will applaud the writers for really humanizing the Shah.

On the flip side, the podcast also does an excellent job portraying Ayatollah Khomeini. He's cold, cunning, and calculating. The podcast doesn't say away from the fact that he was a religious extremist. At the same time, the podcast also makes a point of show how he was able to manipulate people and gain their support. Hats off to the voice actor who played him, and really captured Khomeini's public speaking ability. Many of those who initially supported the 1979 Revolution were socialists, but they believed the Ayatollahs and their followers would be useful idiots. They wrongly assumed that the Ayatollahs would be too obsessed with their religion to be of much harm. It is quite ironic that Khomeini's exile took him to Paris, a modern secular Western city. He railed against all of these things, and yet he only survived because of them.

We also get to see things from the perspective an Iranian family, and see how revolution divides, and ultimately disillusion them. The kids begin by getting involved in student protest groups, which were key in the early stages of the revolution. Then the fundamentalists begin to seize control of the government. Like I said before, the podcast might glossed over the Shah's flaws because the fundamentalist government was so much worse. For example, the Shah had 3,000 political prisoners, but the Islamic government had over 300,000 political prisoners, and that was just at the start of the revolution. One definition of revolution is to move in a circle, or in other words, make things like they were when you started. Having the family as one of the groups of focus characters gives a really great street view of revolution.

We also get to see things from the perspective of leaders in America and Britain. First, off, whoever played Jimmy Carter really nailed his voice. The writers also did a good job portraying Carter sympathetically. Carter is often remembered for how he mishandled the Iranian Hostage Crisis. In my opinion, Carter wasn't a bad president per se, but he got dealt a bad hand. It was during his presidency that the OPEC Oil Embargo, and the ensuing Oil Crisis, occurred. My mother tells me she remembers that because she'd just gotten her drivers license and gas had gone up to the outrageous price of one dollar per gallon. Carter can be said to, perhaps, have been in over his head, and might have made a better Secretary of State than president. He was a nice guy, but maybe not necessarily pragmatic enough for the job.

The podcast ends on a somber note. The Shah has died in exile, and the fundamentalist government maintains its grip on Iran. Women who once dressed as freely as Western woman now walk the streets clad in burkas. The desert waits for rain, and the Iranian people wait for the day when they can breathe freely once again. A powerful ending indeed.

So there you have it. Fall of the Shah is an excellent audio drama podcast from the BBC. It chronicles the Iranian/Islamic Revolution from a variety of perspectives, and I happily recommend it. Sorry if this review was a bit on the short side. I've been planning a...not so secret project, shall we say. If you are in the same Facebook groups I am you should be able to guess what it is. If not, you'll be hearing more about it relatively soon-ish.

Well, I think that should be enough from me for now. I will see you guys next time.

The Audio File: Young Ben Franklin

As I've said before, there is no shame in listening to a podcast aimed at kids. A good story is a good story, and it shouldn't matter who the target demographic is. If other people can't see that, then so much the worse for them. With that in mind, let's move on to the podcast we're reviewing today. We're taking a look at Young Ben Franklin.

Benjamin Franklin is one of America's most beloved Founding Fathers. He was many things during his life; statesmen, scientist, inventor, writer, postmaster, satirist, printer. Of course, back in 1720, when he was only fourteen years old, he was just plain old Ben. Ben works as an indentured servant to his brother James in Colonial Boston. Still, he makes the best of his situation. He and his friends get into all sorts of mischief and fun. Then one day he is approached by a girl named Eliza Boyd. She is searching for the great puzzle solver Veracity Quince, who unbeknownst to her is actually Ben is writing under a pseudonym. Ben and the gang agree to help Eliza, but soon find themselves in the middle of a treasure hunt for lost Spanish gold. It's going to take all the wits and cunning they've got, because the governor of New England is also after the gold. He's planning on using it to raise an army and carve out his own kingdom in New England, or failing that, the western territories. The future of America is in the hands of Ben and his friends.

Young Ben Franklin is produced by Gen-Z Media, a podcast company focused on making quality podcasts for kids. They work in association with PRX, the same podcast collective that helps produce great shows like Timestorm and The Truth.

I'd heard of Gen-Z Media because one of their podcasts. No, not Young Ben Franklin, it was another one called The Mayan Crystal. Of course, when I looked at all of their podcasts, I noticed Young Ben Franklin, and I decided that I wanted to start with it. I'm glad that, not only because Young Ben Franklin was so great, but because The Mayan Crystal was so disappointing. I might make an edition of The Audio File dedicated to dissecting what went wrong with The Mayan Crystal, but that's for another day.

One of the things I really liked about Young Ben Franklin is that all of the kids are voiced by actual kids. That is always the ideal that you aim for with these productions. All of the kids are very talented, and I see bright futures for all of them in the world of voice acting. The adults in the cast also give excellent performances. I absolutely love the music used at the start of each episode. You just know you're in for an epic adventure when the music begins to swell.

Young Ben Franklin is primarily intended to entertain, but it does manage to slip on real facts about Benjamin Franklin's life. However, it also plays a bit fast and loose, at times, with the real history. So let's talk about that. Well, first off, Benjamin Franklin really did write columns as the fictional housewife Silence Dogood and the fictional puzzle solver Veracity Quince. He used the columns as a way to covertly express his views on various subjects. However, he did so when he was sixteen, not fourteen. A bit off, but not terribly far from the mark. Both of these columns were incredibly popular with the general public. In fact, several eligible bachelors from throughout Boston sent marriage proposals to Silence Dogood.

The governor that Ben and his friend are squaring-off against is named Archibald. However, no such Governor of Massachusetts by that name existed in our world. In 1720, the Governor of Massachusetts was William Tailor. There are also multiple references to the common myth that Benjamin Franklin flew a kite with a key on it in a thunderstorm to attract a bolt of lightning. Much like George Washington and the cherry tree, there is no historical evidence that this ever happened. However, Benjamin Franklin did experiment with electricity. In fact, one of his favorite party games was to have everyone hold hands in a circle while an electric current was passed between them. Another time, he attempted to dazzle his guest by killing, cleaning, and cooking a live turkey using electricity. However, he got the wiring wrong and instead gave himself a massive jolt of electricity, but he was unharmed.

Jumping ahead, but the series ends with Ben preparing to depart for either New York or Philadelphia. He decides this by flipping a coin, but we never find out what it lands on. Of course, if you know your history, you'll know he chose Philadelphia. Slight problem though, because the podcast is set in 1720, while Ben left for Philadelphia in 1723. Also, he and his brother part on amiable terms, with Eliza taking over as James' apprentice. In real life, Ben ran-away from home when he was sixteen. Also, Eliza, and Ben's other friends, are totally fictional characters with no basis in reality. Ben plans on arriving to his destination by catching a ride on a ship. For reference, Pennsylvania is a landlocked state, apart from a bit of it's northwest that boarders Lake Erie. Though, I suppose that he could ride up the river to Philadelphia.

There also a scene in the first episode where Ben steals some copper bars for a science experiment. He does so by tying a giant kite to his back and gliding onto the ship the bars are on. Besides that fact that this obviously never happened in our world, I'm not sure it could have. I mean, it would have to be a gargantuan kite to life a teenage boy off the ground, and that's not even getting into how steering would work. So apparently, in the show's universe, Benjamin Franklin was so awesome he could bend the laws of physics to his will. And he was apparently a teenage ninja on-top of everything else he did.

However, these mistakes might be intentional. If so, there's actually a pretty brilliant justification for them. The series is narrated by an old Benjamin Franklin looking back on his youthful adventures. As such, these various mistakes could be Old Ben misremembering the details. Alternatively, he could be embellishing, exaggerating, or outright fabricating certain details to make the story sound more impressive. Granted, there isn't really anything within the show itself that would support this interpretation. The closest we get are the little bits at the end where Old Ben reads the show credits, and talks about some of the other shows Gen-Z Media has to offer. They're fun, but certainly aren't mean to be canonical within the main show.

Now all of this being said, Young Ben Franklin does all get a fair number of things right. For example, I liked how it gave a focus on indentured servitude. Indenturing was a fairly common practice in the 17th and 18th centuries. Basically, you would sign a contract agreeing to work as a servant to someone for a set number of years, after which you'd be given your freedom. It was common for those who could not afford passage to America to come as indentured servants. Several of my ancestors on my mom's side of the family came to America as indentured servants. Well, technically they came when it was known as England's colonies in the New World, and then British North America, but you know what I mean. Many poor people who otherwise would face starvation chose to be indentured. For example, many Scottish people came to America, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand as indentured servant following the Highland Clearances of the 18th Century.

If indenturing sounds a bit like slavery-lite, well, that's because it kind of was. Now, obviously indentured servants had far more rights than slaves, but that didn't mean their lives were free form hardship. They often endured grueling work, often under the care of cruel masters. The contracts of indenturing theoretically protected them, but the terms were often vague. For example, many stated that master must provide servants with clothing, but never specified what kind of clothing. Many masters took that to mean they only had to give rags to their servants. Servants could take their masters to court, but the threat of physical violence and intimidation from their master often dissuaded them from doing so. Master also routinely cut corners when it came to providing food, and indentured servants arriving by ship had to ride below deck with the cargo.

Benjamin Franklin was indeed an indentured servant in his youth, and it isn't hard to see hid disdain for the institution. In fact, Ben's plan for the gold is to use it to buy the freedoms of all the indentured servants in New England. Another point of accuracy is that Ben peppers his speech with several saying that Benjamin Franklin did indeed use in his writing. Many people use his saying without realizing their source. Many of them derive from his famous work Poor Richard's Almanac.

To name just a few examples: Don't throw stones at your neighbors if your windows are glass. No gains without pain. Haste makes waste. Lost time is never found again. Well done is better than well said. When you are good to others, you are best to yourself. Beer is proof that God wants us to be happy. Hide not your talents, for they were made to be used. What is a sundial without shade?

Not related to historical accuracy, but I loved that one of Ben's friends is named Sam. His other two are named Ned and John. Despite the predominately male cast, Eliza, and the governor's daughter Constance, play significant roles in the story. Eliza acts as Ben's eyes and ears inside the governor's mansion, where she works as a servant, and Constance also helps slip important information to Ben and the gang. Eliza also frequently sneaks along whenever Ben and company go on a mission to break into various locations. I should also say that I like that there were good British characters, such as Constance, so the series avoided falling into the trap of good Americans vs evil British so common in media related to the American War of Independence. You also don't really get too many works of fiction set in Colonial America apart from Jamestown, The Pilgrims, or The Salem Witch Trials. As such, Young Ben Franklin was a nice change of pace.

As previously stated, the series ends with all of the major plot threads wrapped up, but leaves open the possibility of future seasons. Though it doesn't seem that there are an more seasons on the horizon. I think that this was intentional, as that way it would encourage kids to read more about the real Benjamin Franklin, and to learn about the facts behind the fiction. Still, we should be glad for the amazing season that we did get. Fun fact, Young Ben Franklin was released, fittingly enough, in its entirety on July 4th, 2018.

Well there you have it. Young Ben Franklin occasionally bends the truth, but it is still a great series about the youth of one of America's most beloved Founding Fathers. It is aimed at kids, but can be enjoyed by all ages. I happily recommend it.

Well, that should do it from me for now. I will see you guys next time.

The Audio File: Timestorm: Season 1

Just because you aren't the primary demographic of a podcast doesn't mean you can't enjoy it. For example, you don't have to be a kid to enjoy a podcast that is aimed at kids. By now, you ought to know that this is going to tie-in with the podcast we're going to be reviewing today. We're taking a look at season one of Timestorm.

Timestorm follows brother and sister Beni and Alexa Ventura from Newark, New Jersey. Things are going pretty ordinary until they find themselves pulled into a storm in time, a timestorm if you will. They find themselves face-to-face with their previously unknown cousin Horacio, who also happens to be the protagonist of Take Back Time, Beni's favorite comic. Horacio and his AI friend Atabey, named for the Earth goddess of Taino Mythology, have a task for the twins. Alexa and Beni will be traveling through time to witness key moments in the history of Puerto Rico, and then bring back artifacts relating to those events. Together they will witness, find, and remember.

Timestorm is written and created by Dania Ramos, and is made in association with PRX and the Google Podcasts Intuitive. It is also a production of Cocotazo Media, a podcast company dedicated to promoting creators of Latin American ancestry.

This was a podcast I'd heard about, but always meant to get around to listening to it. I'm certainly glad that I finally gave it a listen. As I've stated, despite being aimed at kids, I firmly believe that this podcast can be enjoyed by listeners of all ages. You know that I'm a sucker for anything that involves time travel and/or history. I was also excited by the focus on Puerto Rico, as they don't really get featured often in American media. Or much in the American education system, for that matter. We kind of ignore Latin America and the Caribbean. Usually, you might get lucky and hear about Puerto Rico if your class talks about the Spanish-American War, especially the Battle of San Juan Hill.

As such, I'm glad that we're getting focus on this less well-known, but no less deserving, island's history. As the theme song say, the hidden past seeks its dawn. Of course, there's another layer to that. I think that it is no accident that most of the historical figures featured in the first season are women. Women do have an unfortunate tendency to be ignored by the historical record.

For example, the first adventure sees the twins going back to 1838 to meet Maestra Celestina Cordero. She founded the fist girl's school in Puerto Rico, and was a strong advocate for women's education. She was also a black woman, and faced opposition because of her race as well as her gender. Her brother Rafael ran a boy's school, and is considered the Father of Public Education in Puerto Rico. As such, Rafael Cordero tends to overshadow his sister's contributions to public education. Hopefully, Celestina will be getting more attention thanks to Timestorm.

In another episode, the twins go back to the late 19th/early 20th century to meet Lolita Tizol. She was a talented violinist, who caught the eye of Claudio Brindis de Salas Garrido, but had to give up her passion to become a teacher because her mother didn't approve. Claudio was indeed a real violinist who existed in our world, and Lolita was real too. She even has a statue in Ponce, in recognition of her work as an educator. However, the episode portrays her mother as discouraging her interest in music, when in reality it was her father who did this. Granted, the episode does depict him as doing so on order of her mother. I understand that sometimes you have to change a few details to make a story work better, but you must do so cautiously, especially since the goal of Timestorm is to educate listeners about the history of Puerto Rico. To their credit, the creators do note these deviations in their episode guide resources for teachers. Still, you don't want to unintentionally mislead the listeners. Though I suppose it is a way of getting kids to do further research. Encourage them to find out what was real, and what parts were artistic license.

I have a bit of a connection to Puerto Rico of my own. One of the happiest Thanksgivings my family ever had was the week that we spent in Puerto Rico. Our hotel was in San Juan, but we went pretty much everywhere. We went to the rainforest, went to the caves, went to the forts and Old Town San Juan, we went to Arecibo, we had dinner on the beach, ate at all those off-beat places the locals ate at, and so much more. It was an experience none of us will ever forget. Of course, on a more somber note, not long after that, my maternal grandfather passed away.

I also related to how all the characters are worried about their family in Puerto Rico. One of the main plot points of the first season is about Hurricane Maria hitting Puerto Rico. I remember what it was like back in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. I've got family down that way, though most of them live in Metairie, which is a suburb of New Orleans. As such, their houses were higher up, and were spared the worst of the flooding. Still, for those of us in Louisiana, Hurricane Katrina is a memory that still burns bright even after all these years.

Now let's talk about characters. Our two leads, Alexa and Beni, are twins, but pretty much polar opposites. Alexa is a Straight-A student with a love of history and biographies. Initially, she scoffs at things comic books and science fiction, but eventually learns to loosen-up and give them a chance. Not liking comics, I can understand, but not liking time travel stories? Come on, every history lover I know loves time travel and secretly wants to time travel. By contrast, Beni loves comic books, video games, and tabletop RPGs. He's not the best of students, but thanks to his adventures in time, he learns how much fun and interesting history can be. Beni and Alexa bicker, as siblings often do, but deep down they really do care about each other.

Horacio and Atabey play the mentor roles. Horacio was a helicopter pilot in the Vietnam War, which is how he got sucked into the timestorm. He's caught halfway between life and death, which is why he needs Alexa and Beni to go on the missions for him. Atabey is a snarky AI who has powers that border on magical. Though, as Clarke's Third Law says, any sufficiently advanced science is indistinguishable from magic. She provides the twins with appropriate clothing and knowledge for their missions.

One thing that I liked about Timestorm was the way it gave equal time to Alexa and Beni's lives in the present day as it did to the time travel adventures. Atabey mentions that it isn't possible to alter history. At best, you just create a divergent timeline. So you can't change the past, but you can change the present. We see that in the way the community rallies together to provide hurricane relief supplies for Puerto Rico. Moreover, both Atabey and Horacio mention that the twins can continue their mission to witness, find, and remember even in their mundane lives. History isn't just a topic you read about in books. It is a living breathing thing that is happening all around us.

Sometimes it amazes me how many things I've lives through that will windup in the history books some day. 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, the Iraq War, the Columbia Disaster, the legalization of gay marriage, the spread of the Internet, the election of America's first black president. And that's not even getting into the stuff I was too young to remember, like the Oklahoma City Bombings, Bill Clinton's impeachment, Princess Diana's death, or the Balkan Wars.

Point is, sooner or later we all witness historical events. You can learn quite a bit about history by talking to family members who have lived through major historical events. Most of us probably won't get to go on time travel adventures, but chronicling important events of the present is a great way to show kids that they can engage with history in their own lives. And hey, even if you don't get to time travel, history can still be plenty fun to learn about in and of itself.

At the end of each episode there is a minute long share-out, where kids can talk about how much they're enjoying the show, and tell something cool about themselves. I think it's really great, and a good way to help the kids engage with the show. I'm sure all the kids who got featured were over the Moon to hear themselves on their favorite, or one of their favorite, podcasts.

Timestorm is brought to life thanks to a talented team of voice actors. Overall, everyone does a good job. However, I will say I was a bit surprised when all the kids turned out to be twelve and in middle school. The voice actors for the kids were all clearly older than twelve, but they at least sounded ballpark correct. I suppose it isn't too different to how teenagers on television tend to be people in their twenties and thirties, though television is getting better about that. I will also add that I loved that music used for the scene transitions. There was a different little number depending on where the action was taking us.

While the writing is overall good, there is one minor bit of criticism I do have. It is repeatedly shown that Beni gets picked on by the school bully Thad because of his love of comic books and video games. Then it turns out that Thad is a closeted geek and wants to buy a Kylo Ren mask, but he's afraid it will ruin is reputation. Okay, it has been almost a decade since I was in grade school, but I'm pretty certain you won't become a social pariah just because you like geek stuff. At this point, it is pretty safe to say that Star Wars is as much a mainstream film as the Marvel movies. Not only that, but most nerd/geek thing have gone mainstream at this point.

It kind of felt like Dania was drawing on her own experiences, but didn't consider how the times have changed. We also later find out that Thad is a Muslim, but we mostly know this because of an off-hand comment he made. Never thought of Thad, which I assumed was short for Thaddeus, as a Muslim name. I will say it was nice that it showed that minorities can be bullies too. A similar thing happens when Alexa's best friend, Sonia, mentions that some of the other girls assume she can't speak Spanish because she's light-skinned. Again, it was a nice touch.

Though, I concede that my criticism was a relatively minor one, and overall I'm loving where Timestorm is going. We've only scratched the surface, and there's still tons of Puerto Rican history to explore. Personally, I'm hoping we'll get to see the Taino people. They are the native people of Puerto Rico; the ones who were there before the Spanish arrived.

So there you have it. Timestorm is a time travel podcast about two kids going on adventures though Puerto Rican history. Season one is great, and I can't wait to see what future seasons have in store for us. It's aimed at kids, but can be enjoyed by listeners of all ages.

Well, I think that should do it from me for now. I will see you guys next time. 

The Audio File: Terms

There are many times that one great podcast leads to another. If I really enjoy a podcast, I'll take a look at any other works the creators might have made. For example, I absolutely adored the podcast 1865, and I went to see if Airship, the company behind it, had anything else to offer. That brings us to the podcast we'll be reviewing today. We're taking a look at the podcast Terms, from Airship and Wondery.

Terms is a modern-day political thriller that follows lame duck president Oliver Pierce. Lame duck means a president who has been twice elected and is about to finish their second term. A highly contentious and controversial election has resulted in Republican nominee Charles Dunwalke becoming president-elect. Despite also being a Republican, Pierce is appalled at Dunwalke's victory. He fears that Dunwalke will undo all the hard work his administration has carried out. Moreover, Pierce feels that Dunwalke will be a disaster for America and the world at large. He's got to stop Dunwalke by any means necessary. The clock is ticking, and Pierce has only got seventy-three more days until Inauguration Day. But just how far is Pierce willing to go? What lines is he willing to cross?

I'm not usually inclined to seek out political thrillers; but I was extremely impressed by what I'd listened to with 1865, and I needed something to fill the 1865-shaped hole in my life while I wait for season two. Since Terms is created by Lindsay Graham, Rob McCollum, and Michael Federico, two of whom also had a hand in making 1865, I was reasonably certain that Terms would be of similar quality.

Well, admittedly I was a bit weary when I read the initial premise. I was a little worried that it might turn out it be an "Orange man bad!" show that would beat listeners over the head with that message. Charles Dunwalke certainly bears more than a passing resemblance to Donald Trump. Still, I decided to give the series a fair shake. When they got to an episode where we meet a Dunwalke supporter I was worried the supporters would be portrayed as ignorant, racist, uneducated hayseeds. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how nuanced the portrayal of Dunwalke's supporters turned out to be. They are shown to be working-class people with blue-collar values, who feel that their voices are being ignored by Washington. They feel that the establishment needs to be shaken up, and if that shake-up takes the form of Charles Dunwalke, then so be it. They're also shown to not be blind to Dunwalke's faults, but again, they view him as their best chance of finally having their voices be heard. After that, I was much more relaxed about the show.

Lindsay has said that the point of Terms is about the workings and process of government, not debates about political policy. Obviously, it draws inspiration from government procedurals such as The West Wing. Terms might draw parallels to modern politics, but it does so as a springboard for discussing the workings of government. Lindsay has also said that he didn't want the show to be about Democrats vs. Republicans. This is why Pierce and Dunwalke are both Republicans. And obviously they had to both be Republicans, because there's no way anyone like Dunwalke could possibly get nominated as a Democrat, much less elected. I suppose the series could have work if they were both Democrats, but Dunwalke's entire character would have to be totally rewritten. For that matter, we don't know much about Pierce's positions on pretty much anything, only that he was a very popular president, and he views Dunwalke as trouble.

Moreover, Lindsay and Rob have both said that they view radical tolerance as being what America needs to get through these increasingly tumultuous times. That is, that while we don't need to agree with each other, we should be able to understand and accept each other's differing views and opinions.

Throughout the series there's a running question of how far Pierce is willing to go to ensure his plan for America. Dunwalke is certainly an unsavory fellow, but does that justify taking such drastic actions? It's a bit like on Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. Caesar might have done some questionable thing, but did mean the other senators were justified in killing him? We'll get back to this particular theme in just a minute.

I mentioned that I came into this podcast via 1865, and it is certainly interesting to compare and contrast them. In fact, in many ways Terms feels as though it was the test run for what would become 1865. They're both government procedural and political thrillers that focus on presidents who got into the Oval Office via controversial means. They also feature protagonists who view said president as a threat to America, and view it as their moral duty to oust the president by any means necessary. Again, this is unsurprising as both podcasts share creative teams. Both podcasts also feature original music scores, sound effects, full casts, and other things that result in a true cinematic experience.

It was certainly interesting to see some of the things Pierce tries to do to prevent Dunwalke from taking office. For example, at one point he tries to persuade the electors of the Electoral College to change their votes. I realize that I've got a few international readers, so let me explain how that works. For my American readers, this will probably be stuff you already know. In America our elections are done via an Electoral College. The number of votes each state gets is determined by their number of representatives in Congress. Each state gets two senators regardless of population, and then a certain number of representatives in the House of Representatives. How many representatives you get is determined by your population. So, three is the minimum number of electoral votes a state can get. How these votes are cast is determined based on who gets the most votes in each state. We do a first past the post, winner take all system. So, for example, if a state votes Democrat it is expected that the electors will cast all Democrat votes.

However, the electors are allowed to override the votes of the public, but this rarely happens to a great extent. For example, during the 2016 election a few electors cast votes for candidates who weren't even on the ballot. 270 electoral votes are needed to be president, which Donald Trump still achieved despite this. The person who wins is called president-elect because they have been elected, but haven't yet taken the Oath of Office. The Electoral College system means that it is possible for someone to lose the popular vote, as in votes overall, but still be elected president thanks to the Electoral College  There are arguments for and against the Electoral College, but I that's better saved for another time. The Electoral College determines the Vice President in a similar fashion. Keep that in mind, it turns out to be import later in the show.

One more thing I ought to explain for our international readers. In America a president can be elected for a maximum of two terms of four years each. This was started because George Washington, America's first president, stepped down after serving two terms. All other presidents followed his example, even though there was no official rule. Then, Franklin Delano Roosevelt ran for four terms in office, but died in the middle of his fourth term as a result of polio. After that, Congress added and constitutional amendment making the two-term limit official. The two terms don't need to be consecutive, but thus far, only Grover Cleveland has served two non-consecutive terms has president. And we've already gone over what lame duck means. The only exception to the two-term limit is if a president dies in office. The former Vice President is allowed to finish the remainder of the former president's term and then run for two of their own for a maximum of ten years.

Terms clocks in a little over three and a half hours. You can probably binge it in an afternoon or two. I bring this up because now we have to talk about some major spoilers for the finale. So turn back now if you don't want to know.

This is your last chance. Sure you want to keeping going?

Okay, you must want to know, or already do.

The season finale ends on Inauguration Day. Dunwalke is about to take the Oath of Office when suddenly military forces descend on Washington DC. Pierce appears on television announcing that he has ceased control of the military, instigated martial law, and suspended the Constitution  Moreover, he plans on totally rewriting the Constitution, but assure the American people that they'll do it together as a nation.

Well, damn. I did not see that coming. So yeah, Pierce was so determined to ensure his vision for America that he staged coup and overthrew the democratically elected government. Remember what I said about the show asking if the ends justify the means? Well, here is your biggest example of that. We started off as The West Wing, and we ended up as 24.

That is a hell of a cliffhanger to end on, and I'm dying to know what happens next. However, from what I understand Terms has been put on the back burner so that the team can focus on 1865. Don't get me wrong, Terms is great, but if it means more 1865, I'm willing to put up with Terms going on hiatus for the foreseeable future. As much as I loved Terms, I'd say 1865 is easily the superior show of the two.

It is good that shows like Terms and 1865 are bringing more diversity of genre to the podcast landscape. I know Lindsay ruffled a few feather when he said that audio drama is dominated by science fiction, fantasy, and horror. I don't think that was meant as a judgement, simply as statement of fact. And, well, he's not wrong in that regard. Though I will slightly disagree with him. Car chases might be hard to pull off, but I think a race car audio drama could be pulled-off reasonably well.

Don't get me wrong, I love my speculative fiction shows, but I'd love to see more historical fiction and down-to-earth type shows get some more love. Audio drama can tell all sorts of stories, and we're all the better for having more diversity of genre.

So there you have it. Terms is a modern-day political thriller about the workings of government, and how far we're willing to go for our beliefs. Well, I think that should do it from me for now.

I will see you guys next time.