Personal Highlights
Lost Terminal: 8.9 – The end is near. As this season of Lost Terminal nears its end, this penultimate episode leaves us on a cliffhanger. Surrounded by his friends, Seth feels helpless – and helping others is such a key part of who he is. The FAILSAFE has been a constant threat throughout this season, the journey to disable it has been an arc which started towards the end of the previous season, but the threat has never been more direct or horrifying as in the events Seth recounts during this episode. As Maddie’s journey neared what was supposed to be its end, there’s a haunting image of a post-apocalyptic landscape. This message of survival among ruin and decay is also highlighted by Nia’s communication, in a very different way, as she manages to reach other humans outside of the Novamediterra. But this image of determination and hope doesn’t last, and we leave poor Maddie fighting for her life.
Echoes (In) Between: 4 – Expand. There’s an interesting change of framing device, as we move outside of the Echoes (In) Between studio in this episode, and view scenes of Gemma and Thomas’ home lives. It allows the story not only to dig deeper into who these characters are, but it also gives them some time to process the memory recall sessions they’ve been through in a much more open way, away from the microphones. This break in the previous narrative format also allows a sinister twist and a definitive break in the story, which raises so many questions.
InCo: Episode 45 – Ontine. I’d been hoping this confrontation between Hatov and his mother would happen for a while, and it was both equally satisfying and painful. Satisfying, as Hatov stood up for himself and talked about how he’d been in space, painful for how his own mother continued to gaslight him about his experiences. It’s a breaking point in their relationship, and I can’t wait to see what happens next when the show returns from hiatus in July.
Kakos Industries: 133 – Evil Con. It’s a delightfully chaotic live recording from Phoenix Fan Fiction Evil Con, with Corin Deeth III giving his shareholder announcements to a room of Kakos Industries shareholders. There’s plenty of audience participation, familiar guests, and it was great fun to listen to!
ROGUEMAKER: Episode 3: More Popular Than Populous. There are some really interesting details about this story’s universe in this episode, through Kuzha and their Wander. Kuzha’s poignant thoughts made me reflect on what it means to belong and how you know that you belong or don’t belong somewhere, and Trip’s experiences added to a wider discussion of what it means to call somewhere home. The vast differences in backgrounds and culture between the passengers of the flight are so interesting; and the fact that they’re now isolated from each other, as well as the difficulties in communication that they’re experiencing, allows for some intriguing introspection and examination of their characters, and the reason they were on the spaceship.
In Transit: Episode 2.15 – Love Dive. It’s an hour-long penultimate episode of the season, and it is phenomenal. Everything is at stake for the ships of Eurus and Notos. There are parallel fights for survival, struggles between good and bad, which only heighten the tension; building up to the two decisive actions as the episode fades out. The amazing final scene left me lost for words, as the ultimate act of self-sacrifice for the greater good was gradually revealed. I can’t wait for the season finale.
Trailers and Prologues
Desperado released an awesomely atmospheric trailer this week, which honestly gave me goosebumps. Season two is due to launch on the 13th of June, and the trailer introduces us to some new voices, and a very exciting premise for this next part of the story.
1972 is a new limited series from Yhane Washington Smith, the creator of Harlem Queen and The Courtship of Mona Mae. Fifty years on, this seven-part series depicts the trial of civil rights activist Angela Davis, and Shirley Chrisholm’s presidential campaign – the first time a Black candidate had won a major-party nomination for President of the United States. This trailer features clips from the series, which was released on the Harlem Queen feed this week.
Badlands Cola is an upcoming mystery/horrifying podcast created by Renee Taylor Klint. In the trailer that was released this week, we meet Strathcona and Hawthorne, who are out in the Badlands, investigating… something. The story is set in a strange town, where there are some strange fossils buried in the mud, and promises an investigation into a cult. The show is due to launch on the 21st of June.
Returns
A Ninth World Journal is back for its fifth season. Januae is, understandably, going through something of an existential crisis when we meet him at the beginning of this season opener, but he doesn’t have peace to process what he and his duplicate went through for long.
The Night Post is back for its third season, and Clementine, Milo, and Val are trying to start a revolution. The confrontation at the beginning of the episode works as a great way of consolidating the information our three pigeons have at the very beginning of the season, especially after the revelation at the end of season two. In contrast to this, a very strange event towards the end of the episode emphasises just how much the three are yet to uncover about the Post, and sets a new plan into action.
Janus Descending released the first full episode of their Descendants sequel series this week, and oh boy do things go very wrong very quickly. While trying to deal with the aftermath of the Adamantine tragedy, the organisation behind the expedition comes face to face with the horrors encountered by Chel and Peter, after the wreck of the ship is brought back to Earth.
Crowdfunding
Afflicted is a new horror thriller podcast from the team behind NIGHTLIGHT. The show is currently crowdfunding for their first season.
A Sky Full of Pods 