Personal Highlights
Moonbase Theta, Out: Bonus 1 – Maria. Moonbase Theta, Out’s post-season episodes work as a bridge between seasons, giving a bit more information and context to the events that we saw in the season that’s just concluded. Naturally, it’s been a while since we’ve heard from Maria L’Anglois, Michell’s sister, on Moonbase Gamma; and here we go back in time to two days before Base Gamma’s shutdown. Maria talks about their difficult upbringing, the time before the enclave, which naturally also helps us to understand more about Michell and his background. Even though they’ve ended up on opposite sides of the moon, they’re still an extremely strong unit; but they both have to deal with the consequences of not being able to communicate with each other, both personal and professional.
Tartarus: Epsiode 2 – Terra Incognita Part 2. The episode begins by giving the audience some more information about Brie through a series of flashbacks, and the competition that’s existed between her and her sister over the years. Then we’re back to Brie’s tour of the Tartarus facility. There’s an intentional mystery as to what all the creatures are, and a deliberate withholding of information – but we do realise that they’re all extremely dangerous. The audience’s limited understanding of the creatures very much mirrors Brie’s understanding – she may be able to see them, but she doesn’t know anything about any of them either. The facility harbours a lot of secrets, and we’re only beginning to scratch the surface.
Welcome to Night Vale: 190 – Listeners. For Night Vale’s ninth anniversary, the show does something very different, and very fun. The rest of the world has found out about the strange desert town of Night Vale, and a whole bunch of podcasters have a lot to say about it. There are clips from My Brother, My Brother and Me, The Allusionist, Hello from the Magic Tavern, and several others; all discussing various aspects of the town of Night Vale, its citizens, and landmarks. It’s not the first time in recent episodes that the show has broken the narrative structure, and that our world has acknowledged its existence in some way; it further develops the plot of episode 188, Listener Questions, when co-writer Joseph Fink discovered that the town was actually real, and entered it. I’m very curious to see what will happen next.
The Pasithea Powder: 17 – Happy Birthday, Lieutenant Green. After their time together last episode, both Sophie and Jane are having a week. Here, the story delves deeper into the PSA and their ethics – especially through Jane and her work, but also through Sophie and her new captain – and how it seems that they’re both being set up to fail. I’m glad they finally actually talk directly to each other, and that they talk about everything, all the things they’ve been avoiding discussing for so long, towards the end of their episode; but unfortunately it doesn’t come out in the healthiest of ways. The conversation builds up to a heartbreaking ending, as every time Jane and Sophie seem to get closer, new barriers are put in their way.
Debuts
Homeward is a new sci-fi show, exploring what happens after the Earth dies. Ben is woken up from stasis on the Rubicon, a huge spaceship, by the ship’s AI, Dana. The Rubicon’s mission is to find a new home for 100,000 people who are in stasis, and Ben is the only crew. The episode effectively builds the universe in which the story is set, how the Earth slowly died and the Rubicon came to be, and Ben’s decision to be a pilot back on Earth, before he went into stasis with everyone else. With only two voices in the story – or so far, at least – and a very low chance of finding a new planet to call home during Ben’s lifetime, it’s going to be interesting to see where this story goes.
Casting Calls
Upcoming horror/mystery Badlands Cola are casting for their first season. Paid, deadline July 7th, 6pm PT.
Other News
Realms of Peril and Glory is an upcoming actual play from the the creators of The Orphans. This week they announced that their first season, titled VAEL, is due to be released this summer.
A Sky Full of Pods 