Personal highlights
Ostium, Episode 56 – After Disaster Broadcast. With The After Disaster Broadcast, very understandably, on hiatus given…well, 2020, it was so great to hear from Jo again. Monica winds up in The After Disaster Broadcast’s post-apocalyptic world through one of Ostium’s doors. There are some interesting reflections after Monica sees that Jo makes broadcasts on her ham radio, and Jo tries to make sense of this new arrival.
Aishi Online, Episode 23 – Cast. I can definitely relate to MJ’s feeling of being tired of the time, not just in 2020. This isn’t the first time that MJ has talked about how people can disappear, especially if you only know them online, and I know from experience how that was easier back in the day. There’s a much deeper insight into how dark things were at home for MJ at the time, and a lot of time is taken up by the fantasy story she was writing, highlighting the escapism she found online.
Lost Terminal, 2.4 – I’ve been wondering how I got here. As the title suggests, Seth wants to find out how he arrived at the lighthouse, but he doesn’t remember. What he does know is the story that he’s been told of how the small group of humans ended up there too. Interestingly, it turns out this AI from space, and these humans on Earth, have a lot in common.
Unseen, Episode 2 – Into the Dark. Oh this show is setting out to make me emotional. It’s a complete change of setting, and I loved the contrast with episode one. We’re in the first class of an academic year, the only mandatory subject at a prestigious magic university. Magic is much more tangible and understood – it has to be, if it’s studied at university! – but the sense of wonder and mystery from the previous episode still remains.
The Mountain’s Heart, Research Log. Felisa’s ‘mood’ at one point is indeed a mood. This episode is different to the others, and as the title suggests, it’s to record the research she’s does into the mountain, and the folklore which surrounds it. There are reflections on colonialism, and the effects of Christianity on Philippine mythology and folklore.
We Know None, 04 – Breaking and Entering. (Note: I play Helen in this episode.) The first insight into Frankie’s workplace and colleagues feels like another piece of the jigsaw puzzle. The Brecon Beacons are very pretty, and the remoteness of the mountains definitely make for a great setting. Gwen breaks into Frankie’s room and finds some strange photos – could they be a clue?
Light Hearts, Borrowing the Book with A.R. Olivieri. Biggest coffee, please. An old friend and former colleague of Ryan’s, an astrophysicist, visits Prism, and we see a slightly different side to Ryan that even Janine and Kale are surprised at. I loved the discussion about discussing moving to a new place and what it means to feel like being home. The podcast theme Easter eggs were awesome!
Y2K, Episode 45 – November 6-12, 2000. (Note: I play Emma in Y2K.) With Kat and Jess mostly communicating by email this week back in 2000, the focus in this episode wasn’t on the voicemails from the past, but on the present. After months of searching and asking for help from listeners, Cassandra has found Olivia’s bio dad.
Me and AU, 9 – Get it, Jodi. Y’know. Kate has her plane tickets to Toronto for the con, and both she and Ella are busy making arrangements for the Selkirk fan meetup, and I love hearing the excitement in their voices. After this week, the episode of Selkirk they were watching and live commenting on felt very relevant!
Hughes and Mincks: Ghost Detectives, High Speed Haunting. Have Hughes and Mincks been out-detectived? This show is always so heartwarming, even if it’s in a way you absolutely did not expect. Love a good non-binary pun, too!
Jar of Rebuke, S1E6 – PTO. Jared has some time off, but his plans for doing absolutely nothing are scuppered when he makes a…friend. There’s some really interesting insight into not only the strange and supernatural beings that inhabit this world, but how Jared and the Enclosure treat them.
Trailers and Prologues
Moonbase Theta, Out, Prologue 2: Two For The Show. (Note: I play Reception Bot in season 3.) Tumnus is getting used to working on their own, without Ashwini’s supervision, and it’s so interesting seeing them explore their sense of self. Tumnus and Roger also start working together, but it doesn’t quite go to plan.
Returns
Great & Terrible, one of A.R. Olivieri’s microfiction shows, is back for a new season, and it looks like Jane is getting used to being Death.
A Sky Full of Pods 