Personal Highlights
Someone Dies In This Elevator: S2E9 -For The Record
If there’s anything I’ve learned from listening to SDITE, it’s that you don’t mess with elevators. Especially not in what feels like such an obvious way as in this episode. It felt like this entire group of people were taunting the elevator gods, and I was just waiting for the ‘find out’ part of the equation. There’s a comedic twist however, as what seems to be the inevitable outcome doesn’t happen – at least, not in the episode itself. There’s also some timely commentary about society’s ‘support’ for healthcare workers, especially during the pandemic, when the support doesn’t actually do anything to improve pay or working conditions.
Badlands Cola: 1.12 – Some Velvet Morning.
It’s the season finale of Badlands Cola, and the aftermath of the two-parter episodes. It’s only natural that there’s a focus on the trauma and emotional weight of the events that Sunny has gone through, before they rejoin the people they’ve got to know over the course of the season. There are examinations of the pain that Jasper Moon and his cult had on different characters, pain that manifested itself in different ways and had different impacts, and how they have to now pick up the pieces and start again now that he’s gone. After such big revelations, it’s an opportunity to try and make sense of everything, to tie loose ends together – including from one more unexpected source. Sunny also decides to move on, but are the Badlands done with them?
Welcome to Night Vale: 221 – The Glow Cloud, Explained
Fresh off Cecil’s victory in the Tumblr sexyman poll, Welcome to Night Vale returns with its first episode of 2023 – and it deals with one of the cornerstones of WTNV and its ten-year history. What happens when you try to unravel the mystery behind one of Night Vale’s symbols? When it holds up a significant amount of the town’s lore and history, it’s only natural that the town itself begins to fall apart. The Glow Cloud is such an important part of every WTNV listener’s experience, and so Cecil’s heartbroken speech at the end of the episode goes beyond describing just his own personal feelings. The Glow Cloud has been with the audience for a decade too, and we share in his sadness and disbelief.
InCo: Season 3 Episode 76 – Perfect.
Nova ‘for the drama’ NoStar, everyone. There are so many lines in this episode that I could’ve used as an example to say, ‘that’s it, that’s Nova in a nutshell.’ While the episode very clearly demonstrates her confidence, the other side of the coin is Hatov’s self-doubt. Of course, Nova has her own personal reasons as to why she wants King Atreli gone, but she genuinely wants Hatov and their plan to succeed because she cares for him. It’s a chance for her to do some good, and to do that, she knows that she has to push Hatov way out of his comfort zone.
Debuts
Anamnesis is a new microfiction podcast by Tin Can Audio, adapted from a playthrough of the solo RPG of the same name by Sam Leigh. While I have to admit that I’m not familiar with the source material, I thoroughly enjoyed this series, which was released on the Tin Can Audio Presents feed this past Monday. You wake up with no memories, you don’t remember who you are or where you are. Each episode represents a different tarot card, as you try to rediscover who you are and what happened to your memory. And of course, it wouldn’t be a Tin Can production without some beautiful music.
Crowdfunding
Urban fantasy Night Shift is crowdfunding for their second season on Indiegogo.
Supernatural fantasy Where the Stars Fell is crowdfunding for season three on Seed & Spark.
Dramatic comedy Small Victories is crowdfunding for their second season, also on Seed & Spark.
Casting Calls
Upcoming docu-horror Shelterwood: A Suburban Gothic is casting for its 16-episode series. Paid, deadline 28th of February.
Stormfire Productions are casting for the upcoming pilot for The Ortiz Twins are Coming Home. Paid, deadline 15th of February.
A Sky Full of Pods 