Brent Ziff is something of a modern-day Howard Sterns. He runs an internet radio show where he interviews various callers. Inevitably, they are brought on so that Brent can make fun of them for being strange or otherwise unconventional. Tonight, however, it is Brent who will receive the jolt of a lifetime. Leo Short is calling into the show. Leo is a big fan of the show, and he has an equally big message. Leo has a strange superpower. He gets intense intestinal distress whenever a major natural disaster is due to occur. Leo explains it as being able to sense the movements of the Earth itself. Leo’s power tells him that tonight won’t just be one earthquake, it will be lots of them. Leo is trying to convince Brent to help him get the word out.
I first came across this audio drama while perusing the r/audiodrama subreddit. I was in the mood for something shorter, and I decided to give it a shot. I did very much enjoy The Earth Moves. I sometimes share what I’ve been listening to lately on the Twitter account for my own audio drama The Books of Thoth. Gideon Media, the creators of The Earth Moves, were delighted by my brief Twitter write up. They even followed The Books of Thoth. So, I kind of felt a bit like my arm was being twisted. And if that’s the case, congratulations, it worked. But, just a tip, the best way to get my attention for potential reviews is to take the direct approach.
So, a bit briefly about Gideon Media. They are an audio drama production studio. They are in the same weight class as studios like QCODE and Realm. Gideon Media has attracted some very big names. They’ve adapted the plays of Wallace Shawn into audio dramas. They’ve also been commissioned to make audio dramas for Audible, including one based on Are You Afraid of the Dark?
The Earth Moves is a two-man show, but both of the leads carry it fantastically. Abe Goldfarb channels his inner edge lord as he portrays Brent’s devil-may-care, take no prisoners persona. At the same time, he doesn’t neglect Brent’s more human moments. He is really about to sell us on how Brent cares about his mom back in Minnesota. Brain Sillman starts Leo off as a dorky, but good natured, sort of guy. You can see why Brent might be hesitant to believe Leo at first. Ah, but then the tables turn, and Brain adds a bit more confidence to his performance as Leo.
In a way, The Earth Moves can be seen as a deconstruction of the disaster movie genre. Most disaster movies end with the heroes having survived the major calamity. Sure, the city, or nation, is in ruins. And yeah, they might have lost some pals along the way. But hey, they lived to tell the tale, and the future looks bright as the happy music swells triumphantly. Ah, but therein lies the rub. You see, most disaster movies end there because, well, they kind of have to. If they were to keep going things would be feeling a lot less triumphant and happy.
I was in middle school when Hurricane Katrina happened. My nuclear family lives in North Louisiana, but I’ve got family all through South Louisiana. My dad’s half of the family is scattered throughout the greater New Orleans area. I can remember seeing those images of the flooded city, but still not being able to grasp the scale of the destruction. All these years later, and I’m still not sure I can really comprehend just how bad it was. That’s not even getting into all the looting and rioting that happened after law and order broke down. I remember having family coming over to stay until things cleared up. I also remember having several classmates who were refugees from down south. What happened with the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas hits even harder now that I work at the Shreveport Aquarium.
All these years later, and it still feels like we’re dealing with the scars of Katrina. I went through a lot of those same feelings when Hurricane Laura hit Lake Charles. My mom’s side of the family is scattered across that general area, but especially in DeRidder.
The point being imagine that sort of destruction, but on a global scale. Oh, there would be some areas spared from the destruction. Particularly, the higher inland areas that avoided the tsunamis. However, Leo rightfully points out that the supply lines that keep the world running would be completely severed. Food shortage would be all but guaranteed. Ironically, so would fresh water. Hey, all that salty ocean water is sure to contaminate sources of freshwater. Medical supplies would also be an issue. Going back to New Orleans, we saw numerous displays of kindness and generosity among the survivors of Hurricane Katrina. However, we also saw that this altruism had its limits. Eventually, people are going to prioritize themselves, and their families.
And yet, The Earth Moves does not take a nihilistic view to all of this. Leo acknowledges how horrible things are going to be. And that’s exactly why he believes it is so important to get the word out. There won’t be anyone to swoop in and help the survivors. Therefore, the survivors must band together if they want to do more than just scrape by. I’m reminded of one of the Norse sagas. I can’t remember which it was, but there were a group of Vikings who didn’t believe in the gods. Or perhaps, viewed the gods as cold and uncaring. They knew they couldn’t depend on anything but their own strength. So, they banded together against the cruel and indifferent world. I see much of that same sentiment in The Earth Moves.
So, we have an audio drama that doesn’t sugarcoat the human cost of a global disaster. And yet, it paints an optimistic view of humanity’s survival, and ends on a hopeful note. There really isn’t anything for me to really critique about The Earth Moves. If I were to get super nitpicky, there is a scene where Brent watches a livestream of a right-wing rally in…Seattle. Uh, this was supposed to be our universe, right? Like, I’m pretty sure the Republican part of Washington state is on the other side of the Cascades. Like I said, an extremely minor nitpick, didn’t ruin the show in the slightest.
The Earth Moves isn’t just available as an audio drama. It was also adapted into a film, with Abe Goldfarb and Brain Sillman reprising their roles. I haven’t had the chance to watch it, but the trailer looked pretty good.
So, there you have it. The Earth Moves is a darkly comedic audio drama about a shock jock getting the shock of a lifetime. It deals in disaster, but keeps things surpassingly hopeful. It is short, but sweet, and well worth your time.
Well, I think that should do it from me for now. I will see you guys next time.
The point being imagine that sort of destruction, but on a global scale. Oh, there would be some areas spared from the destruction. Particularly, the higher inland areas that avoided the tsunamis. However, Leo rightfully points out that the supply lines that keep the world running would be completely severed. Food shortage would be all but guaranteed. Ironically, so would fresh water. Hey, all that salty ocean water is sure to contaminate sources of freshwater. Medical supplies would also be an issue. Going back to New Orleans, we saw numerous displays of kindness and generosity among the survivors of Hurricane Katrina. However, we also saw that this altruism had its limits. Eventually, people are going to prioritize themselves, and their families.
And yet, The Earth Moves does not take a nihilistic view to all of this. Leo acknowledges how horrible things are going to be. And that’s exactly why he believes it is so important to get the word out. There won’t be anyone to swoop in and help the survivors. Therefore, the survivors must band together if they want to do more than just scrape by. I’m reminded of one of the Norse sagas. I can’t remember which it was, but there were a group of Vikings who didn’t believe in the gods. Or perhaps, viewed the gods as cold and uncaring. They knew they couldn’t depend on anything but their own strength. So, they banded together against the cruel and indifferent world. I see much of that same sentiment in The Earth Moves.
So, we have an audio drama that doesn’t sugarcoat the human cost of a global disaster. And yet, it paints an optimistic view of humanity’s survival, and ends on a hopeful note. There really isn’t anything for me to really critique about The Earth Moves. If I were to get super nitpicky, there is a scene where Brent watches a livestream of a right-wing rally in…Seattle. Uh, this was supposed to be our universe, right? Like, I’m pretty sure the Republican part of Washington state is on the other side of the Cascades. Like I said, an extremely minor nitpick, didn’t ruin the show in the slightest.
The Earth Moves isn’t just available as an audio drama. It was also adapted into a film, with Abe Goldfarb and Brain Sillman reprising their roles. I haven’t had the chance to watch it, but the trailer looked pretty good.
So, there you have it. The Earth Moves is a darkly comedic audio drama about a shock jock getting the shock of a lifetime. It deals in disaster, but keeps things surpassingly hopeful. It is short, but sweet, and well worth your time.
Well, I think that should do it from me for now. I will see you guys next time.
