The Audio File: A Fox’s Guide to Deurbanisation

I’m back with another requested review. This one has talking foxes, rediscovering roots, and even a bit of chicken korma. So, without further ado, let’s get into it. We’re taking a look at A Fox’s Guide to Deurbanisation. 

Rusty is a fox that has lived in London his entire life. He and his friends get by scavenging food from rubbish bins. Chicken korma is their favorite. But lately, Rusty has grown disillusioned with urban life. His mom died from asthma caused by the smog and pollution, and his dad got run over by a taxi. Rusty’s dad was from the countryside before he met Rusty’s mom and moved to the city. Rusty wants to get back to nature and reconnect with his rural roots. Well, he hasn’t really experience true wilderness before. Still, he’s going to find the forest his dad grew up in, and reconnect with his estranged family. How hard can it be? And he’s going to record it all as part of a podcast he’s making.

This was another audio drama I received a request to review. Series creator Lisa Emily Petersen emailed me requesting a review. It took a while, between my day job at the Shreveport Aquarium, working on The Books of Thoth, and working on the new season of Residents of Proserpina Park. But I finally managed to get around to listening to A Fox’s Guide to Deurbanisation.

The audio drama this most reminds me of is Lights Out. They’re both dramdies that follow casts of semi-anthropomorphic animals. That is, the characters physically look like regular animals, but mentally, they’re basically human. And get into human-like shenanigans, with a animal coat of paint. Lights Out is a true gem of an audio drama, and I was delighted to find an audio drama that reminded me of it.

Amusingly, there is a kernel of truth to A Fox’s Guide to Deurbanisation. Scientists have observed some foxes adapting to life in urban areas. In fact, some scientists believe we’re witnessing the birth of a new subspecies of red foxes. These urban foxes are smaller on average. Easier to blend in and hide that way. And they primarily subsist by scavenging scraps of human food. Though, no word on whether they consider chicken korma superior to other curries. Also, as far as we know, none of these foxes have figured out how to create podcasts.

In some ways, this audio drama feels like an analogy for the experiences of diaspora kids. Children of immigrants grow up hearing stories about their parents’ homelands. It isn’t uncommon for them to wonder if the grass might be greener in the lands of their ancestors. Of course, it's also far from uncommon for them to discover that their parents’ countries have plenty of issues of their own. That, and these diaspora children discover they aren’t always welcomed with open arms, or automatically considered a member of the tribe.

I also see some parallels to…well, people experience a quarter life crisis, I suppose, but even that doesn’t feel quite right. The type who will convert to a new religion, like Buddhism or Paganism, and advocate getting back to nature and living in harmony with Mother Earth. Okay, Rusty isn’t quite that hippie dippie. The point being, they’re the type to take up farming, or living off the land, only to discover that it's actually much harder than they expected. 

A particularly tragic example of this was Christopher Johnson McCandless. He decided to try living off the land in the Alaskan bush. He was constantly starving, he couldn’t get back to civilization because he miscalculated the flooding of the river, refused to use a map and then probably starved to death. Though, some people think he accidentally ate a poisonous plant. 

On a brighter note, one of the major themes of A Fox’s Guide to Deurbanisation is that people are often more than they seem. Characters are frequently introduced in a way that paints them as one note, and often in a very unflattering light. However, later on it will turn out that they have hidden depths. People, and foxes, are complex and multifaceted.

Now, let’s talk about the characters. Rusty, of course, is our protagonist, and host of the in-universe podcast. We never find out how exactly he’s able to operate all of that podcast equipment without opposable thumbs or flexible digits. But details, details. He’s still the number one fox podcast creator. He’s also the only podcast creator who is also a fox, but hey, less competition. Rusty has high hopes for his journey into the wilderness. Suffice it to say, reality hits him like an eighteen wheeler and top speed.

Most of Rusty’s friends think he’s completely crazy out his head. However, he does have one supporter: his best friend Finnick. Get it, like a fennec fox. Anyway, Finnick initially seems like he's the typical best friend character. That is, always supporting Rusty, and having everything about him revolve around Rusty. However, Finnick has more of a spine to him. Rust and Finnick fall head over heels for Amber the Sexy Fox. And yes, that is how she’s listed in the show credits. She’s the most beautiful vixen either of them has either seen. 

Naturally, they have a slap-off. Apparently, that’s a thing foxes actually do to establish dominance. Finnick wins, and he had earlier advocated to Amber should be the one to pick which of them she wants. Nice foxes, it would seem, do not finish last. Of course, we later learn that Amber is into polyamory, so the point is a bit moot. But it was funny to listen to Rusty having to be kept up all night by Finnick and Amber…making baby foxes.

Yeah, despite the premise involving talking animals, A Fox’s Guide to Deurbanisation is not a kids show. Nor is it appropriate for kids. Besides the sex scene, there’s a bit of swearing, references to affairs, and references to alcohol. All well and good, but I do have to ding them in one regard. During the “not for kids” warning we are advised to keep our cubs out of the den. While this is technically acceptable, the more common name for a juvenile fox is kit. Though, points for having Rusty refer to himself as a tod, one of the terms for a male fox.

And another point for having Lucy the Canada Goose sing the sea shanty “Heave Away.” In my day job at Shreveport Aquarium, I will occasionally play the role of Captain Bones the Pirate. Sometimes, to get the kids excited, I’ll get them to do a pirate dance while I sing sea shanties. “Heave Away” is one of my go-to’s. Though, at times Lucy kind of sounded…well, back when Hugh Laurie was best known for A Bit of Fry and Laurie, his attempts to imitate an American accent were a bit off. Like, it was clearly American, but didn’t sound like any of the American regional accents. In fact, at times he sounded a bit constipated. Lucy kind of sounded like that to me, minus the constipation.

I also loved Fitzgerald the Cat. He was a lovable rouge who helped Rusty get out of several jams. I enjoyed the scene where he introduces Rusty to the wonders of wine, and tells him that humans engage in cannibalism every Sunday. They should probably not have been drinking that, given that wine is highly toxic to cats and foxes. Then again, in large enough quantities, it is to humans too. And based on a throw away line, foxes like to eat chocolate, another toxic substance, to get high. In fact, Rusty and his ex-girlfriend were going to move in behind the M&M store. So, uh, yeah, Rusty dodged a bullet on that one.

So, once Rusty makes it to the countryside he has to deal with fox hunters. I know that it is possible to obtain guns in Britain, but significantly harder than in America. For example, in British crime shows, a suspect using a gun is incredibly shocking. In American crime shows…it’s a pretty typical Thursday.

Now, obviously, Rusty reconnects with his family. However, that’s going to be part of the spoilers section. So, if you don’t want any of that, turn back now.

Last chance, sure you want to continue?

Okay, with that out the way, let's get into it.

Rusty’s country cousins are an eclectic bunch. We’ve got his Aunt Hillary. She drinks a bit too much, and she’s having an affair with a badger. But she seems reasonably…decent, I suppose. Then there are his cousins Cricket and Minnow. They consider literal dog shit to be the height of cuisine. He does have another cousin named Flint who shares his love of podcasting. Flint practically worships the ground Rusty walks on. And then we have Elder Estelle. She’s the oldest fox in the area. Why, she just turn four not to long ago. Wait, if four is considered old, how old is Rusty supposed to be?

And rounding out the group is Uncle Graham. Graham is very surly and a bit of a curmudgeon. You see, long ago he loved a beauty vixen. And he even won the slap off for her paw. Unfortunately, she was a foodie, and the other fox wooed her with some delicious chicken korma. The two of them ran off to London together, and Graham never forgave his brother for stealing his girl.

Surprise! Rusty’s mom was the vixen that came between Uncle Graham and Rusty’s dad. And that’s why Graham taught everyone in his clan to shun delicious chicken korma, and embrace literal dog shit. Granted, the fact that his wife is having an affair with a badger probably doesn’t help.

So, yeah, we started off with fish out of water humor, and we end with family drama, but still comedy. And it all still works.

I enjoyed the scene where Rusty tells off his family for looking down on him for his city ways. I’ve had similar issues with my own family not understanding my interests. And yes, that includes both creating and reviewing audio dramas, and my work with the aquarium.

But it was nice he was able to patch things up with everyone in the end. It was especially amusing that Amber’s slightly hippie-ish methods worked. Just talking things out and using I statements. For example, instead of saying “You’re a dickhead” say instead “I feel that you’re a dickhead.” Actually, that’s not how that’s supposed to work, and Amber says as much, but it was funny that they actually went with that joke.

I also love how the audio drama ends. After everyone has made up we are treated to the sounds of the forest, which transitions to the sounds of the city. The message being that home isn’t a physical place. It’s wherever the people who love you and care about you are. And, you know, having access to chicken korma doesn’t hurt.

So, there you have it. A Fox’s Guide to Deurbanisation is a fun, lighthearted audio drama about a city fox trying to reconnect with his rural roots. It’s got humor, heart, and a cast of fluffy red foxes. Listen to it today, preferably with some chicken korma on hand.

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

The Audio File: Residents of Proserpina Park: Season 5

By now, it should be pretty obvious that I love Residents of Proserpina Park. I mean, I was a voice actor in two previous seasons. So, there’s really not much more to add here. Straight to the point. We’re taking a look at season five of Residents of Proserpina Park. 

This is the flashback arc. The framing device is that Alina and the gang are at the coffee shop that Drew works at. Jessica and Sam are telling stories. They talk about how Junichi and Jessica discovered the park. They talk about the adventures they had with various creatures. They talk about how Junichi and Sam fell in love. But most of all, they talk about how they decided to make their own creation. And of the price they paid for their hubris.

So, this is the season where we finally get answers to long standing questions. Let’s start with the new creatures. Now, way back in season two, we were promised a creature from regional folklore. Sara Roncero-Menendez, who voices dog, mentioned that her family is from the Cantabria religion of northern Spain. It has Celtic heritage, and a slightly different culture from the rest of Spain. This also factors into their folklore.

We did get the Tooth Mouse, which is the equivalent of the Tooth Fairy in a lot of European countries. But that didn’t really feel specific to Cantabria. Well, come season five, and the promise is finally delivered. We get to meet the Ramidreju. It looks like a green weasel, and its nose is exceptionally good at sniffing our buried gold. They’re only born once every 100 years, usually to a family of ordinary weasels. Oh, and they can cure any illness you have. You just need to rub the Ramidreju all over your body.

Okay, now we’re talking! And what’s more, it even proved to be important to the overall plot of the season. It was encountering the Ramidreju that gives Junichi, Jessica, and Sam the idea to create their own creature. Specifically, one that can grant their wishes, and make their lives easier.

I’d been advocating having the leshy appear as far back as season one. Well, I finally got my wish this season. Leshy are forest spirits, and protectors of the forest, from Slavic Mythology. Think of them kind of like the Ents from Lord of the Rings. Residents of Proserpina Park showed a side of the leshy I hadn’t thought about before. You see, houses are made of wood, boats are made of wood, baseball bats are made of wood…sometimes. The point is, a lot of very hard things, and things that can do a lot of damage, are made of wood. An angry leshy would be a very scary sight indeed.

I was also quite happy that we got to hear the Legend of the White Snake. It is one of my favorite stories from Chinese Mythology. It’s about a magical snake who falls in love with a human, and takes the form of a human so she can be with him. They open a medicine shop together, and all is well, until a mean Buddhist monk comes along. He revealed the White Snake’s true nature, and her husband died of shock. She was able to bring him back to life, but then the monk sealed her away, and they were separated forever.

There’s a subtext to this story that often gets missed in retellings. It came from a time when Buddhist and Taoists were competing for influence in China. Obviously, White Snake is a pro-Taoist tale. The main villain is a Buddhist monk, after all. But from this same era, we also have Journey to the West. In that work, the main heroes are on a quest to retrieve copies of the Tripitaka, and they’re sent by Buddha himself no less. Well, Buddha and Guan Yin. By contrast, Laozi, the founder of Taoism, is portrayed as a total moron who fails to notice that many of his students are literally demons.

We also get to hear the story of Stingy Jack. He was a man so wicked that neither Heaven nor Hell wanted him. As a result, he was forced to wander the Earth, with only a turnip lantern to light his way. Irish immigrants brought this story with them when they moved to the United States. But they swapped the turnips for pumpkins. And that’s where jack o’ lanterns came from. I bring this up because The Moonlit Road, another podcast I absolutely adore, also did a retelling of Stingy Jack. And they released it around the time Residents of Proserpina Park’s episode came out. It was an amusing parallel.

Another amusing coincidence came with the cast for this season. One of the Aos Si is voiced by Cameron Gergett. I had previously cast him in The Books of Thoth. He came recommended by the creator of Brave New Frontiersman. Specifically, I cast him as the homeless man in “It Was the Best Day Ever.” It was the first time I had encountered one of my actors in an audio drama that I hadn’t previously heard them in.

The Aos Si are one of the many names for the faeries from Irish Folklore. But don’t let that fool you. Faeries in Irish Folklore are kind of the yokai from Japanese Folklore. They’re kind of like minor gods. In some tellings, they’re descended from the Tuatha Dé Danann, the gods of Irish Mythology. In other words, the Aos Si are not something you want to mess with.

We also get more insight into Jessica and Junichi. Jessica spent most of her life as an outcast, and a frequent target of bullying. Junichi and Sam were pretty much the only friends she ever really had. One of her goals with Pelu is hoping that he’ll be able to give her more friends. We also learn that Sam lost his mom to cancer fairly recently. I mean…wow. Is Sam ever going to catch a break?

I also noticed some interesting parallels to other works of fiction. Yes, there’s an obvious one to Frankenstein. A group of college students focusing more on if they can do something, rather than if they should, and paying the price. But I also noticed parallels to The Magicians by Lev Grossman. For those who don’t know, it follows a young man named Quentin Coldwater who is accepted into a magical college called Brakebills. He learns magic, makes friends, goes to a Narnia-esque land…and deals with depression, anxiety, insecurity, and general ennui. Yeah, the books are a deconstruction of both Harry Potter and Narnia.

The second book in the series, The Magician King, has a plotline the follows The Hedge Witches. They had magical potential, but failed the Brakebills entrance exam. So, they start experimenting with magic on their own. And much of that experimenting also involves digging into ancient mythology. This ultimately culminates in them attempting to summon a pagan deity, in hopes that they can make a transaction with it. Without getting into spoilers, they learn that they’ve been messing with forces they barely understand, and pay a dear price for their hubris.

This season of Residents of Proserpina Park probably wasn’t referencing The Magicians. But it was an interesting parallel I noticed. If nothing else, you should read The Magicians if you haven’t. They are very good books.

Now, all that being said, I did also have a few critiques of this season. At times, it felt like Sam’s relationship with both Junichi and Jessica developed a tad fast. It felt like we were jumping around in time a lot, and that there was missing connective tissue. Granted, I kind of understand why this is. Angela Yih probably didn’t want to cover too much territory that she’d already done with Alina and Alina’s friends.

Then there was the episode where we finally meet Hades. We’ve met gods, such as Anansi, on previous occasions. But this is the first time we’ve encountered one of the Olympians. That’s a completely different weight class of mythical being. So, I was expecting those scenes to be fittingly grand and ominous. But when we meet him, Hades just sounds like a regular dude. It feels very underwhelming and anticlimactic. Also, the trip to meet Hades was a little underwhelming. One instant we are in the park, and then boom, we’re in the underworld. Granted, this is going to be rectified come season six.

But how would I know that? Well, Angela Yih has taken me onto the production staff for season six of Residents of Proserpina Park. I’m helping to write the scripts and produce the episodes. I’d like to thank Angela Yih for this opportunity.

I’d also like to thank Angela for helping to promote The Books of Thoth. We recorded a bonus episode of Residents of Proserpina Park where she interviewed me about this blog, reviewing audio dramas, my day job at Shreveport Aquarium, and my work on The Books of Thoth. It was really fun to get to do, and I’m grateful for the opportunity.

And so, with that, we’re all caught up to the present. Season five of Residents of Proserpina Park is the flashback arc that reveals how the main plot was set into motion. We get to meet several exciting new creatures, and get some insight into returning characters.

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

The Audio File: Witch, Please!

I’ve caught up with the seasons of previously reviewed shows. So, now I’m trying to attend to my considerable backlog. That brings us to the subject of this review. We’re taking a look at the audio drama Witch, Please! 

Marnie is a witch who lives in a cave at the edge of the village. She’s not really evil, just kind of a mess. She’s still single even though she’s in her thirties, and that certainly won’t do. At least, that’s what everyone in her life keeps telling her. We’ll follow Marnie as she goes on blind dates, deals with nosy friends and relatives, and tries to decide if she even wants a romantic partner.

I was approached to review this audio drama by series creator Yasmine Alice. She personally emailed me. Now, I’m a bit wary about giving my email address to strangers on the internet. But there are a few places you can find it. Such as the critics list on GreatPods, or on the Residents of Proserpina Park cast page. I’m guessing the former is how Yasmine found me. But I’m willing to give it out to those who ask. You can always reach out to me on BlueSky, Reddit, or Instagram. Or leave a comment on one of my review posts.

Yasmine has founded her own media company called Baset Productions. An obvious nod to the cat goddess from Egyptian Mythology. As someone who named his own audio drama after Thoth, the god of wisdom in Egyptian Mythology, I approve. Yasmine hopes that Witch, Please! will be the first of many audio drama productions. Though, her biggest dream is to voice act in a cartoon. Yasmine has eleven years of experience providing narration for commercials and audiobooks.

Yasmine pitched the show to me by explaining that Witch, Please! was inspired by her own experiences. She had to deal with well meaning, but severely misguided, friends and family. They all assumed she was depressed and miserable due to being an unmarried woman in her thirties. She comes from a Middle Eastern family, so she excepted their objections. Though, not so much the objections of her supposedly modern and progressive friends. However, let the record state that Yasmine is now in a stable and happy relationship.

Witch, Please! kind of reminded me, in terms of tone, of Shrek! by William Steig. Yes, Shrek was in fact a picture book before it became a movie. In the book, Shrek is every bit as evil as people claim. However, ogres have a bad is good, and good is bad, sort of morality. So, Shrek is actually acting morally by his species standards. And he’s incredibly entertaining. That’s the impression I get with Marnie. She swears in the name of Satan, makes weird potions, collects toenail clippings and bat wings. However, those are all things that come naturally to witches, and Marnie doesn’t seem like a bad person. She just wants to be left alone to do her own thing.

On the other hand, she does go on a date with a warlock, who is appalled that she isn’t actively trying to summon the devil. Apparently, this is the goal of all witches and warlocks, at least according to him.

Marnie’s best friend is a fellow witch named Rosamund. She is voiced by Lucy Wordsworth. Rosamund is constantly chipper and upbeat, and seems determined to get on Marnie’s last nerve. Though, that last part is probably because she constantly tries to set Marnie up on blind dates with…less than stellar men.

I should mention that Witch, Please! is only four episodes long, and clocks in at about thirty-two minutes. So, the characters are more archetypes, rather than fully fleshed out characters. Presumably, had it been longer, we might get more insight into why Marnie and Rosamund are friends. And if Marnie even has other friends, give that Rosamund is the only one ever mentioned.

In many ways, Witch, Please! is a subversion of the typical rom com formula. You’ve got the jaded heroine who has given up on love, the bubbly best friend, the nosy relatives, the bad dates. However, in this audio drama our jaded heroine throws up her hands and says “Screw this!” to the whole affair. She never finds her Prince Charming, and that’s okay. I particularly liked when she’s getting ready for her date with the warlock. She actually combs her hair for once, puts on a nice dress and lipstick, and…laughs to herself about all the great casual sex that is surely on the way.

Though, I will say there is an alternate solution to Marnie’s problems. It is mentioned that they sell slaves at the village market. So, why doesn’t Marnie buy a slave, and get him to pretend to be her boyfriend? Hmm, on the other hand, perhaps actively engaging in slavery would be too horrible even for a witch like Marnie.

Shifting gears, Marnie is described as unkempt and perhaps a little frumpy. However, if the series title card is anything to go off of, she isn’t that bad looking. In fact, some might say she’s kind of cute. And it isn’t her being self-conscious. The other characters frequently have to remind her to comb her hair.

There is a narrator who describes the set-up of each scene for us. He is voiced by Morrison James. The narrator gives Witch, Please! a lighthearted sitcom feel to it. That said, there were a couple times I felt the narrator was a bit superfluous. Like, there were certain scenes where I could easily figure out what was going on just based on the dialogue and sound effects.

Witch, Please is pretty clearly a first attempt at making audio drama. However, for a first attempt, it is well executed. The music and sound effects are on point. The voice acting is excellent for the most part. My only complaint was that the series felt a little too short for its own good. Maybe if it were just a little longer, we could flesh out the characters more, and they’d feel less like just archetypes. Also, knowing that Yasmine wants to get into cartoons, part of me wonders if this series might be something of a pitch reel to potential investors.

Now, I would like to take a moment to talk about the ending. As such, there will be spoilers. So, this is your chance to get off the ride.

Last chance, you sure you want to keep going?

If everyone who wants off is out, then let’s get into it.

So, during Marnie’s date with the warlock, he demonstrates a necromancy spell. Marnie halfheartedly copies it, but screws up the incantation. This caused a tombstone to explode, and a chunk lodges in the warlock’s head, killing him instantly. I kind of figured that Marnie wasn’t going to find Mr. Right by the end of the series. That was just the direction the show was heading. But I certainly wasn’t expecting her to murder one of her suitors. Well, it was an accident, so that makes it manslaughter, but still. So, we end with Marnie wiping the warlock’s splattered brains off her dress, and fretting about where to hide the body.

Like I said, I wasn’t expecting it, but I loved it. Until then, the series had been a decent, if a bit predictable, rom com subversion. After I listened to the ending, I thought “Now that’s how you end a series like this!” The ending is a big part of why I wish that Witch, Please! had a few more episodes to its name. It felt like the series was really hitting its stride and finding its footing.

It doesn’t look like we’ll be getting any more episodes of Witch, Please! However, I feel that Yasmine Alice had proven herself capable of creating audio dramas. And I eagerly await to see what she’s going to cook up for us next.

So, there you have it. Witch, Please! is a semi-autobiographical fantasy non-rom-com. It flows a witch who just wants to do her own thing, and it ends with quite a bang. If you’re looking for a bite-sized audio drama, you can’t go wrong here.

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

The Audio File: Spaceships: Season 2

Well, this is the third time in a row that I’ve done a review of a new season of an audio drama. I don’t really have anything to add. So, let’s get right into it. We’re taking a look at season two of Spaceships. 

When we last left UHS freighter William Mackie, he’d just gone through a wormhole in search of new adventures. And find them he did. A massive orbital ring named Deity is planning on conquering the galaxy. To this end, she is recreating organic life by combining the DNA of all sentient lifeforms into a composite organism. The result, admittedly, leaves something to be desired. But hey, Will likes the little abominations. Will, along with his old pal Otto, is going to have to protect the new organoids. Not just from Deity, but from other spaceships who aren’t keen on the return of organic life. There’s adventure, thrills, and even a little reality television on this season of Spaceships.

Spaceships started things off with an excellent first season. How does season two compare? Why, as a worthy follow up.

So, we’ve got a few new characters this season. Will has a repair drone that can go outside of him and fix things. The drone doesn’t talk, but the general impression that I got was something like R2-D2. That is to say, communicates in beeps and boops, that would probably translate into something along the lines of “Can somebody please explain why I’m working for this guy, again?”

But, the most significant addition would be Will’s little mutant adoptive baby. As previously mentioned, the new organoids are what happens when you throw the DNA of all sentient lifeforms in a blender and set to extra chunky. I’d compare them to ogres, but frankly, that would be an insult to ogres. They’re dimwitted, slovenly, and incredibly violent. On the other hand, they’re also fairly resilient. They can survive getting thrown out of an airlock, among other things. Sure, they’re prone to getting into fights with each other, but then, wasn’t humanity? And for that matter, from what little we hear, the other sentient races didn’t get along so well either. I guess what I’m saying is, perhaps a certain spark of humanity does live on in those little mutant genetic abominations.

I had speculated back in season one that perhaps something like the Immortality Drive could be used to revive humanity. I seems I was somewhat right, but in a far different way than I could have imagined. Oh, and the new organoids have fifteen fingers…on each hand. Well, you know how A.I. tends to be when it comes to getting the correct number of fingers.

The way that Will dotes on his organoid reminds me of Human B-Gon, and how Kit would, in his mind, dote on Poo-Poo. Actually, I know I’ve joked about Spaceships being a secret sequel to Cars, but what if it’s actually a prequel to Human B-Gon? Yeah, probably not, at least as things currently stand in Spaceships canon. That, and they’re made by different creators. Still, I thought it was an amusing joke theory.

We also get a lot of fun episodes that aren’t directly related to the main plot. One of my favorites is about a spaceship who runs a podcast about the history of spaceship civilization. It was a loving spoof of The History of Rome with Mike Duncan, and of history podcasts in general.

Though, the part where the spaceship discontinues the podcast because history has become a subscription service was…well, I don’t know if I felt like laughing or crying. I still remember, from a few years back, the fear that losing Net Neutrality would lead to a tiered internet. No doubt with various subscription and premium fees rolling out. Thankfully, that hasn’t happened, and here’s hoping it never does.

On a lighter note, Mike Duncan has since dipped his toes into science fiction. The latest season of Revolutions chronicles the fictional Martian Revolution.

Another fun episode has Otto visit a planet where their entire culture is based on reality television. Otto actually does surprisingly well and actually comes to enjoy it. You might think Will would be in heaven, but that was in a different episode. Specifically, the one where he gets to visit a shipping center, and find a warehouse full of televisions are far as his sensors can detect.

I suppose we also ought to talk about Deity and Archangel. Deity is a ringworld, which you might know from the Larry Niven novel of the same name. For those who don’t, imagine a giant artificial ring, even bigger than a planet. And on this ring there are mountains, seas, forests, and all the other types of land you’d expect on a planet. As her name suggests, Deity hopes to position herself as the goddess of the new organoids, but also of the spaceship civilization. Archangel, fitting to his name, is her ever loyal lackey.

Besides them, Will also has to keep the organoids a secret from the Spaceship Alliance. They aren’t too keen on the idea of organic life returning to the universe. I mean, I can see their point. Their concern is that organics would expect spaceships to be their servants and/or slaves. All the same, as an organic being myself, I’m on Will and Otto’s side.

Now, as fun as this season was, I do have a few minor critiques. Primarily, how Will dealt with Maya’s death from last season. He hasn’t exactly forgotten her. There are a few occasions where Will evokes Maya’s belief in spaceships building a peaceful civilization, and co-existing with organics. However, he seems to have gotten over her death fairly quickly. True, there’s a lot going on this season, and maybe that distracted him. And it is true that Will took his crew’s deaths in considerable stride. Still, you’d think he’d take a few quiet moments to reflect and mourn.

What does the future hold for Spaceships? Well, I’ve got no speculation, but I certainly hope we get a third season at some point.

I’d also like to take a moment to thank Filip Momirovski for running the trailer for The Books of Thoth on certain episodes of Spaceships.

So, there you have it. Season two of Spaceships brings more high flying science fiction dramedy. Will and Otto return for another out of this world adventure. If you enjoyed season one, you’ll want to listen as soon as possible.

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

The Audio File: Hannahpocalpse: Season 2

I’ve been working hard on new scripts for The Books of Thoth. However, I’m also trying to fulfill my outstanding review obligations. So, without anymore preamble, onto the main event. We’re taking a look at season two of Hannahpocalpse. 

It has been fifty years since we last left Hannah and Cali. They’re doing fairly well. They’ve turned the ruins of Golden Gate into a thriving community for the zombie horde Hannah now leads. Meanwhile, over in Junk Town, Hannah’s friend Mel has picked up some new companions as well. Specifically, a scrappy mechanic named Ashley, and a British robot named Billy. Ah, but all is not as calm as it seems. Rictor has become a zombie, and he commands a horde of his own. Rictor fully intends to march his horde on Golden Gate. So, will Hannah and company be able to weather the coming storm?

As you might have gathered, this season is primarily split between two plot lines. One following Hannah and Cali in Golden Gate; and one following Mel, Ashley, and Billy in Junk Town. We also occasionally get episodes following other characters, such as Rictor.

Let’s start with Hannah and Cali. Cali has been adjusting to life as a ghoul pretty well, and she’s even gained the ability to interact with the listener more. They’ve been having an annual movie night, but haven’t watched The Truman Show, probably because that one might hit a little too close to home. Hannah has come a long way since those first episodes. We actually get a flashback to the first season, along with Hannah’s commentary. It underscores how she’s grown far more confident and levelheaded. Granted, not being a prisoner in her own body definitely helps with that.

Now, a brief aside. I remember watching episode two of The Amazing Digital Circus. Absolutely fantastic series; you really should watch it, if you haven’t already. Anyway, the scene where Jax tells the fudge monster to eat Ragatha, and she yells at him. I remember thinking to myself “That scream. So neurotic and distinct. I know that one, but can it be?” I looked it up, and yes, Amanda Hufford, who plays Hannah in Hannahpocalpse, does indeed voice Ragatha in The Amazing Digital Circus. Amanda, if not exact having read my review of season 1, is at least aware of it thanks to Damian Szydlo. So, I have indirectly interacted with one of the cast of The Amazing Digital Circus, which is kind of neat.

Getting back on topic, let’s pivot to Junk Town. Mel briefly appeared in season one. She is Hannah’s friend who got turned into a ghoul. So, the seeds for this plot line had clearly been planted well in advance. Speaking of which, there’s a little prequel miniseries call Flamingo Down, which explains how Ashley and Billy got to Junk Town. Mel and Ashley develop feelings for each other over the corse of the season, but Mel is a bit wary of the age gap, not to mention species gap, between them.

Age gaps are a tricky thing to navigate. The biggest hurdle, and the reason so many people object, is due to potential power imbalances. The older partner will usually have more life experience and/or financial security, and that this will put the younger partner at the disadvantage when it comes to negotiations. However, it isn’t always that black and white. There can be various reasons the older partner missed out on major life milestones. For example, if you happen to be on the autism spectrum. Or perhaps you aren’t financially secure due to being between jobs, or having major medical expenses. Mel is chronologically older than Ashley, but much like Hannah, spent a good chunk of that time navigating the wasteland in various states of loneliness.

And, of course, we can’t forget about Billy. Back in my review of season one, I speculated that not all robots were mindless killing machines. Just like Hannah proved that not all zombies are bad. Well, lo and behold, my speculation proved to be correct. I’m definitely detecting some influences from C-3PO when it comes to Billy’s personality and characterization. And I’ve got no complaints. Some kids dressed up as Darth Vader or Luke Skywalker. I was the sort of kid who dressed up as C-3PO for Halloween. Admittedly, Bill lost his body, and has been turned into a hood ornament for Ashley’s truck. Still, his in fairly good spirits about the whole thing.

Okay, I’ve been putting it off, but how does this season compare to season one? Well, I felt the Golden Gate plot line was half of a really good season. And I felt the Junk Town plot was half of a really good season. However, I also felt that the sum was not greater than the parts. Now, it is true that Hannahpocalpse has been juggling multiple plot lines from the start. However, since Hannah and Cali’s plot paralleled each other in season 1, it didn’t feel quite so disjointed.

Now, in the interest of being fair, this might have had to do with how I listened to this season. I could more or less binge all the episodes of season one. Whereas with season two I listened to each episode when it come out. There are certain TV shows that make for better viewing when you can binge them on streaming or DVD. You can appreciate all the little details and foreshadowing. Or it just makes for better pacing. And I think that’s what it ultimately came down to. Listening to each episode as it came out gave season two of Hannahpocalpse some serious pacing issues.

And this isn’t a universal issue with serialized audio dramas. I’ve listened to several serialized shows as they dropped new episodes. 1865, Timestorm, Brave New Frontiersman, and Residents of Proserpina Park, just to name a few. In fact, when I could binge Residents of Proserpina Park, I actually had to pace myself. But with Hannahpocalpse, I wasn’t feeling a sense of “Oooh, I wonder what happens next?” but more along the lines of “Ahhh! Get to the point already! This is moving like molasses in an igloo.”

Also, while there were seeds for future seasons, the ending of season one felt like a pretty conclusive note. I wasn’t opposed to there being more seasons of Hannahpocalpse, but at the same time, it wasn’t exactly high on my list of shows I was hoping would come back. Which isn’t to say I didn’t like it. Just that I felt the story was at its natural end, and I was ready to head to my next port of call.

All of that having been said, the last few episodes were extremely well done in terms of pacing, writing, and acting. However, getting into the specific would be spoilers.

So, if you don’t want any of that, turn back now.

Last chance, you sure you wan’t to continue?

Okay, then here we go.

So, Rictor and his horde arrive at Golden Gate. He and Hannah face off, and we learn about his backstory. Specially, that he had an abusive father. It is clear that this doesn’t excuse all the terrible stuff he’s done, but it is understandable how Rictor was sent down that path in life. Ultimately, Hannah decides not to kill Rictor, but to use her powers to rehabilitate him, and give him a chance to redeem himself. It would have been satisfying to see him killed off once and for all. However, it would also go against the themes of the series. Being hopepunk means daring to believe that a better tomorrow is possible, even in the face of an uncertain future. It also means believing in the inherent goodness of people, and that everyone is worthy of redemption.

One of the big questions within the realm of law is whether justice should be retributive or rehabilitative. That is, should we focus on punishing criminals, or should we rehabilitate them, and make them into functioning members of society. Think of justice like a set of scales. When a crime is committed, the scales become unbalanced. You have two choices to bring the scales back into alignment. You can lower down the one who committed the crime, or you can raise up the victim of the crime.

Season two of Hannahpocalpse wasn’t quite as good as season one, but despite some pacing problems, it wasn’t without its charms. It still has that same hopepunk zombie apocalypse fun. From the looks of it, we are going to be getting a third season of Hannahpocalpse at some point. If that is the case, I’ll wait til the whole thing is out so that I can binge it. And if you’re going to give season two of Hannahpocalpse a listen, I advise binging if possible.

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

The Audio File: Poe Theatre on the Air: Season 2

A new year means discovering new show, but that doesn’t mean we can’t revisit old friends. In fact, today we’re going to visit a friend from when I first started taking requests for audio drama reviews. So, without further ado, let’s get into it. We’re taking a look at season two of Poe Theatre on the Air.

We’ve had our fun at the asylum of Dr. Maillard, but it is time to move on. Specifically, we’re going to a delightful Parisian café. Our host is an American expat named Zach Yeager. He used to work the crime beat for a Parisian newspaper. Zach found himself in need of lodgings. As it so happened, C. Auguste Dupin was in need of a roommate. Dupin has an incredibly brilliant mind, and a true knack for solving mysteries. However, he has about as much common sense as a lemon. Thus, Zach found himself having to be Dupin’s babysitter. Still, Zach made the best of things, and even got to help Dupin solve some mysteries. Zach will regale us with three tales of mysteries he and Dupin investigated.

I had known that this is the direction Poe Theatre on the Air would be heading for a while. Alex Zavistovich allowed me to see the scripts before this season was recorded. I flipped through them, but I’m of the opinion that audio dramas are meant to be listened to, not read. So, I eagerly awaited the finished product.

Alex pitched this season to me by comparing it to the television shows Monk and Psyche. This got my attention immediately. Monk was one of my absolute favorite shows when I was growing up. I always found Mr. Monk’s struggles to be incredibly relatable. I also quite enjoyed Psyche. It helped that Monk and Psyche always played back-to-back every Friday.

I can certainly see the influence. This season had a humorous bent to it, but also knew when to take itself seriously. Dupin is clearly a brilliant detective, but he struggles with social situations. It’s not that he’s depressed or nervous. He has a surprisingly sunny and cheerful disposition. Rather, he seems to have absolutely no clue how to interact with other people. He frequently overshares information, he follows strict routines, he often misses when he has upset people or hurt their feelings. He also doesn’t understand why silly things like rules or laws should interfere with his investigations.

All of this makes him come across as though he is autistic. Which is interesting, because Adrian Monk also always struck me as autistic. I know he canonically has OCD, but that is often co-morbid with autism. And I don’t know if Alex Zavistovich intended for Dupin to come across was autistic, but it is an interesting parallel.

Complicating things further is the setting. Much like season 1, the exact time period is a bit ambiguous. It seems to be vaguely set in the past, but that’s about it. Interestingly, the original short stories were also vague about when they were set. So, perhaps the audio drama is set before autism was formally recognized. On an unrelated note, though this season is set in Paris, all the actors use their natural accents.

Another influence from Monk and Psyche is the way that Dupin solves the crimes. The original short stories, surprisingly, don’t really have Dupin finding that many clues. In fact, he usually doesn’t even mention clues until the denouement. By contrast, Poe Theatre on the Air makes a point of having Dupin uncover numerous clues. That way, you can follow his train of thought, and it doesn’t feel like he’s pulling things out of his ass.

Although, I do wonder when Dupin and Zach find time to sleep. They stay up till all hours of the night, but we clearly see them working during the day, and they aren’t sleep deprived. Eh, we can write it off as another of Dupin’s many quirks and idiosyncrasies. Dupin is a chevalier, which means knight in French. So, I suppose that makes him Sir Dupin, the eccentric rich detective who likes to slum it in the city.

There are some other slight changes compared to the original shot stories. For example, the narrator didn’t have a name in the short stories. Also, the police department includes far more women than the original stories did. For example, the police chief is named Honoré, and she is Zach’s love interest.

Also, “Murder in the Rue Morgue” features an orangutan. I bring this up because, apparently, the orangutan is a source of much contention among Poe scholars. Specifically, regarding what it is supposed to represent. Arguments have been known to get rather heated at Poe conferences when the orangutan is discussed. I found this amusing.

The Dupin short stories proved quite influential on numerous fictional detectives. Before there was Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Poirot, there was C. Auguste Dupin. However, despite creating the template for the detective story, Poe only ever wrote three short stories starring Dupin.

However, Poe Theatre on the Air has been keeping busy. In fact, they’ve expanded their adaptations beyond just Edgar Allan Poe stories. They adapted the short story “The Eye That Saw Death” as part of a festival dedicated to the works of Tennessee Williams. The story follows a rich person who lost their sight, but received an eye transplant. However, they soon become haunted by specters and visions from the donor’s life.

I can see why Poe Theatre went with this one. The plot won’t be out of place in a Poe short story. For example, invokes optography, which shows up in a couple of Poe’s short stories. Optography was a, since discredited, scientific theory that the last image the eye witness before death becomes recorded onto the retina. The general tone and atmosphere is also reminiscent of one of Poe’s horror stories. Interestingly, “The Eye That Saw Death” was almost lost to history. Tennessee Williams never published the story in his lifetime, but it was rediscovered by chance in 2015. Hopefully, this will help it get known to a wider audience.

But that’s not the only non-Poe story that Poe Theatre has adapted. They’ve also done adaptations of “The Terror of Blue John Gap” by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It is titled “The Beast in the Caves.” This one features our good friend Zach Jaeger traveling to Britain to investigate rumors of a fearsome beast inhabiting an abandoned mine. Ah, but all is not necessarily as it seems.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote more than just Sherlock Holmes. He penned several horror and science fiction stories. Personally, my favorite are his Professor Challenger stories. Poe Theatre put their own flourish on this story. In the original, the monster turns out to be a giant bear that has evolved to live underground. Poe Theatre on the Air goes with a different monster, but I’ll let you discover what the surprise is. Admittedly, I did kind of see the twist coming, but it was very well done. I felt it maintained the feel of growing suspense and dread; just like the original story did. Arthur Conan Doyle stories are very hit or miss for me, but this was a good adaption. It is nice to see Poe Theatre occasionally trying new things, and expanding beyond Edgar Allan Poe. 

Well, there you have it. Season 2 of Poe Theatre on the Air brings some great adaptions of the C. Auguste Dupin short stories. We also get a couple adaptions that expand beyond the works of Poe. I don’t know where this audio drama is going next, but I can’t wait to find out.

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

The Audio File: Live From Mount Olympus: Pandora

Even the best of audio dramas can have slip-ups. Past success doesn’t make one immune to the occasional hiccup, or lapse in judgement. A certain amount of slack is certainly due, but that doesn’t mean we ought to omit any criticism. Without further ado, onto the main event. We’re taking a look at season five of Live From Mount Olympus. 

You might know the story of Pandora. The curious woman who opened a box and let all of the evils into the world. But it wasn’t a box, it was actually a jar called a pithos. And maybe the story you think you know isn’t really what happened. Hermes and Athena are going to work together to weave a new story of Pandora.

We have had many successful seasons of Live From Mount Olympus at this point. Season one retold the story of Perseus and Andromeda, season two retold the story of Persephone and Demeter, season three the story of Atalanta, and season four the story of Prometheus.

Season six is a mere three episodes long. I wasn’t bothered by this. Perhaps it would serve as a coda to the story of Prometheus? Or perhaps the show runners were experimenting with a new format? The story of Pandora doesn’t have enough material to sustain a full season. So, perhaps the shorter format would work?

So, the first episode follows the story of Pandora as written by the poet Hesiod. The gods create Pandora with traits to punish humanity for stealing fire. Traits such as the ability to deceive men and lead them astray. She is given as a wife to Epimetheus, the brother of Prometheus. Pandora immediately falls in love…with cooking, cleaning, and looking pretty for Epimetheus. And, of course, curiosity gets the better of her, and she opens the lid of the jar. The jar the gods specifically told her not to open. And thus, evil enters the world, but hope remains in the pithos. Obviously, we’re playing up the sexism inherent in the original. Hesiod believed that women were inherently evil, and only lived to deceive and hurt men. Sadly, this wasn’t exactly an uncommon belief in Ancient Greece. If anything, this retelling is being slightly nicer. In Hesiod’s version, Pandora opened the jar…just because, really. Athena isn’t having it, and that sets in motion us learning the “real” version of Pandora’s story.

Now, admittedly, there are some details of Pandora’s story that retellings often get wrong. As you may have noticed, she did not have a box, but a jar. A pithos was a type of large jar used for storing things like olive oil or wine. They were also sometimes used to store dead bodies for burial. The common confusion is due to a mistranslation. As for hope, there are multiple interpretations. Some say that hope was a good thing, as it can get us through hard times. Others, however, feel that hope was a dangerous thing. Sometimes, it can be a bad thing to put your faith in a better tomorrow that isn’t coming.

The second episode retells the story, but form a different perspective. We follow Athena and Hephaestus as the work together to craft Pandora. There’s some cute moments where they bond over how much Zeus makes them frustrated. There was a myth where Athena, Hera, Apollo, and Poseidon all teamed up to try to overthrow Zeus while he was taking a nap. But they are stopped by one of the Hecatoncheires; also known as the Hundred-Handed Ones. Hephaestus was thrown off of Mount Olympus by either Zeus or Hera, depending on the version of the myth, when he was a baby. So, I can definitely see them having such a conversation.

Anyway, this time around, Pandora has more agency. The traits the gods gift her allow her to think for herself, and navigate the world. She is constantly curious, but that’s because she literally was born yesterday. In fact, her curiosity is portrayed as a good thing. Pandora is driven by her desire to gain more knowledge and experience. She’s not some bimbo who exists only for Epimetheus’ pleasure. However, just like the first time around, Pandora winds-up opening the pithos and releasing all of the evils into the world.

So, we come to the final story. The “true” story of what happened. Pandora is telling the story to all of her granddaughters. She learned that the world needs both darkness and light. For example, lying can be a good thing if it keeps someone’s feelings from being hurt. So, Pandora reasoned that maybe the so-called evil isn’t so evil after all. That humanity needs to know how to deal with darker feelings and emotions if it is ever to achieve its true potential. Epimetheus felt this way also, and so he and Pandora opened the pithos together. So, the pithos was actually a secret test from the gods all along. At least, that’s Pandora’s take on the matter.

This actually wasn’t a bad idea in theory. It was a unique take on the story of Pandora, and I might have enjoyed it under other circumstances. However, Live From Mount Olympus is supposed to be educational as well as entertaining. Presenting your reimagining as the “true” version of the story is only going to confuse kids. Suggesting that the evils in the pithos might not have been so bad is a very modern concept. The Ancient Greeks would certainly not have viewed things that way.

Live From Mount Olympus has always been about filling in the gaps of the myths. What was going through Perseus’ head during his quest? Did he ever struggle with self-doubt? What was Demeter and Persephone’s relationship like? What was it like for Atalanta to try to balance her wild nature and the civilized world? However, this season didn’t do any of that. Instead, it just made things up out of whole cloth to tell any entirely different story.

But what really irks me is why this all happened in the first place. The creators of Live From Mount Olympus have admitted that they found Pandora’s story to be incredibly sexist. As such, they felt that they had to change the story to better fit modern sensibilities. And to that I have to ask, well, why? There was no reason they absolutely had to adapt Pandora’s story. Wouldn’t it have been better to adapt a more agreeable myth?

In fact, I know just such a myth. You could even keep this season’s Rashomon style that this season was aiming for. I’m talking, of course, about the story of Arachne. There’s a lot of different angles you can take with Arachne’s story. The original version of the story portrays her as a victim of her own hubris. She arrogantly thought she could challenge Athena, the goddess weaving, to a weaving contest. Not only that, but Arachne also depicted the gods behaving badly in her tapestries. Then you have Ovid’s version. According to Ovid, Arachne genuinely was better, and Athena unjustly slew her out of petty jealousy. Ovid had a habit of getting on the bad side of Roman authority figures, and perhaps his writing reflects this.

So, you could do a season asking who Arachne really was. Was she an arrogant braggart who was rightly knocked off her high horse? Was she a brilliant artist who was unjustly persecuted? Was the truth some combination, or was it neither? You could have the season end on an inconclusive note. Rashomon did this for its ending. You could have the moral be that sometimes there just aren’t definitive answers, and we must choose what to believe. Hey, if Live From Mount Olympus wants to hire me as an idea guy, I’m ready and willing.

I would like to think that season five will serve as a lesson on how no to adapt stories from Greek Mythology. I would like to think that Live From Mount Olympus would know better. However, I do worry that this season is a sign of things to come. I suppose it is possible that things could course correct, but that remains to be seen.

As it stands, season five of Live From Mount Olympus was incredibly disappointing. A perfect streak of outstanding Greek Mythology adaptations was finally broken. The creators prioritized inserting their own views and messages over being true to the mythology. Next time, they really ought to pick a myth that is more agreeable to their sensibilities.

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