- Joined
- Apr 8, 2019
First OP, so let's see how this goes.
I grew up listening to tape collections of old 40s radio shows, so I am always on the lookout for something new to listen to. Audio dramas are a fun medium to tell stories and invites the listener to use their imagination to fill in the gaps. Horror/sci fi broadcasts like Lights Out and X Minus One still hold up today. Since the mid 2010s, there's been a renaissance of audio dramas - mostly through podcasts. Here's a thread to talk about them in all forms, and recommend new ones!
If you're new to podcast audio dramas, this is every single one of them summed up.
Also if you're new, here's some of the most frequently recommended examples:
I'd say this one really kicked off the audio drama resurgence. The Black Tapes is part of the Pacific Northwest Stories (PNWS) family. It is essentially a fictional version of Serial, piggybacking off its smash hit popularity.
It follows Alex Reagan and her journey with the enigmatic Dr. Richard Strand of the Strand Institute. Dr. Strand is a paranormal investigator who specializes in debunking paranormal activity. The titular black tapes are a collection of supposed paranormal events that Dr. Strand hasn't fully investigated yet. Presented in a documentary style, Alex and Strand slowly unveil an overarching mystery that may well concern the fate of the entire world. The series is currently three seasons long. The general consensus is that the first two seasons are very good, and season three goes way off the rails. The reception to season three, originally meant to be the finale, was so bad they retconned it as a "mid-season finale" and are supposedly making the rest. It ended in 2017 and has basically been radio silent since then.
Terry Miles, aka Nic Silver, has made several other shows under the PNWS banner that are dubiously set in the same universe. Those include Tanis, Rabbits, and The Last Broadcast. Terry was only one half of the writing team on The Black Tapes, and with the departure of his writing partner, his weaknesses as a writer have really come to the forefront. Common flaws in PNWS productions are overly convoluted plots, little to no characterization, re-used plotlines, and nobody explaining anything at all. Tanis is the worst offender in this area. I personally found Rabbits to be fairly easy to follow, but was also disappointed by how it ended. The Last Broadcast is probably the strongest of the non-Black Tapes works, but that's still not saying a whole lot.
Overall, I'd say give the Black Tapes a listen to see where this audio drama goldrush came from, but don't expect a very satisfying ending.
The newly appointed archivist of the Magnus Institute, Jonathan Sims, begins transferring old statements to audio format. The Magnus Institute is essentially an X-Files style organization, but they're more academics than FBI agents. It begins as an anthology series, reading various spooky stories that don't seem to be connected. As the show goes on, their connection and the voracity of the supernatural goings-on gets more and more obvious.
The Magnus Archivea started out with a clear plan on where to end it, and has concluded. It's 5 seasons long, and each season pushes things pretty well to the end point. The acting is very good, and the characters get developed well. Definitely worth giving a listen. My only word of warning is that tumblr-style shipping crap starts to ooze its way into the show as time goes on, I found that annoying and it took me out of the experience several times. Otherwise, a very solid audio drama and definitely earns its place as one of the big daddies of the genre.
Taking place on the space station Hephaestus, it follows the exploits of the small crew orbiting dwarf star Wolf 359. The cast includes Doug Eiffel, the sardonic communications officer, seemingly goofy scientist Alexander Hilbert, and commander Renee Minkowski. They're aided by the station's AI, Hera, in their day to day activities. It is a very well-acted and generally well plotted series. Like Magnus Archives, Wolf 359 had a planned trajectory that the writers managed to hit. It concluded several years ago and has a much more satisfying conclusion than The Black Tapes. Of all the bigger audio dramas, it's my personal favorite.
Fair warning: Wolf 359 starts out as a very goofy workplace comedy IN SPACE, but it absolutely does not stay that way. Be prepared for some mood whiplash. The writers have said they planned that from the beginning, but I am not entirely sure they pulled it off well.
Whoops! Dr. Sally Grissom accidentally sends herself back in time to a WW2 battleship and gets picked up by the military. Ars Paradoxica is the saga of Sally living in the past and her attempts to get back to the year [REDACTED]. Time travel is always a tricky subject to tackle, but I personally think Ars Paradoxica does it well. Sally and the gang of scientists she ends up working with are all realized well, and the show takes on more of an ensemble form as the story continues.
I confess I ended up dropping it near its final season and just read a synopsis of the ending. I felt like it got a little too lost in the ensemble cast and it hurt the flow. It sounds like it wraps up pretty well, but I just wasn't interested in keeping up with it.
You got your Walking Dead in my radio show! We're Alive is a zombie apocalypse story, and started life in the 2000s. I can't speak much to the show, as I'm not a big fan of the genre. I wanted to include it here as it gets brought up frequently as one of the foremost audio drama podcasts. The main story has ended, and several spinoff audio dramas have been made since then.
Here's a few of my personal favorites, YMMV from show to show:
When Nate moves to the East Coast to get away from bad memories back home, he thought he got the perfect deal on a house. He soon realizes that the previous owners left a cellar full of weird letters containing disturbing stories. Nate begins to read the letters, and then things start to happen to him as a result.
The Cellar Letters is a "found audio" style show. This means your mileage may vary applies. If you find found footage movies slow and plodding, you won't like this show. It's very slow burn and takes its time to get anywhere - sometimes a bit too long. I'm invested in the story and have enjoyed a lot of the twists its thrown to the listener. Recommend if The Blair Witch Project is your idea of a good time. The series is still ongoing.
What if Walt Disney's dream of EPCOT being a literal city of the future came true? That's the idea that the Prototype World of Tomorrow explores. The series begins as Tim Less, Progress City's only private detective, ends up entangled in the city's very first official murder. There's a city full of suspects, and Tim has his work cut out to solve the case before an innocent person gets convicted of the crime.
I'm probably the polar opposite of a Disney fan nowadays, but I appreciate the quasi-cyberpunk aspect of this show. It has an earnest community theater aspect to its production, but still manages to stay entertaining. It took a big hiatus in 2021, but is actively releasing new episodes now. It seems to balance an overarching meta-plot with season-long arcs involving a single mystery. It's got a old time detective show vibe to it that I appreciate.
Basically a bunch of Scots taking the piss out of The Black Tapes. Lee, a former radio DJ, decides to jump on the paranormal podcast bandwagon by creating his own show. The Terror Files ends up being a success, and he picks up a local crime lord as a fan. Basically a mix of self-deprecating Scottish humor and affectionate jabs at the spooky podcast genre. It's a good time overall.
A mystery about eight people being locked in an enclosed space, each given a role instead of a name. When a mystery arises, the heat is on to find the truth before it's too late.
That's basically all I can say without spoiling anything. It's a small, self-contained story that doesn't wear out its welcome. This one was excellent and has stuck with me since I first heard it. High praise. Possibly a masterpiece.
The Vessel is the story of a colony ship leaving earth after a devastating plague wipes out many of the population. It features an ensemble cast trying to unravel a slowly developing mystery that could threaten the continuing existence of the human race. I'd describe it as a horror mystery. Alien and Dead Space are listed as inspirations, and it very much shows.
OK, so this one isn't strictly speaking an audio drama, it's more of an episodic audiobook. After getting over that hump, I've found myself really loving the story. The characters are well realized, and the slow-burn way the horror elements are developing is great too. I give this one a recommendation if you don't mind the same guy voicing all the characters. Ongoing story, currently on hiatus presumably so the writer can get ahead on the story.
A workplace comedy about the highs and lows of being the royal physician in a high fantasy setting. Alba Salix and her mostly unwilling assistant Magnus try to keep the king and queen healthy while navigating the political muck. It's an episodic comedy series and is well written. Has two seasons, with a third season suffering in a coof-releated development hell.
A fantasy comedy set in the world of Hearth. Magus Elgar and his downtrodden apprentice Udo embark on wacky adventures as they unravel their connection to a strange new realm called Earth. This series feature some genuinely funny writing and great performances from the whole cast. Someone clearly has a lot of love for the setting too, as it does some great worldbuilding as story is told. Supposedly getting a second season, but taking its time getting there.
This is my personal favorite comedy audio. The dialogue is very witty and I love the characters. Highly recommend this one!
Update: Given we have some people talking about old time radio stuff, I thought it'd be good to include some examples. The private detective genre reigned supreme back in those days, and many of the shows reflect that.
The sci-fi anthology series X-Minus One features audio drama adaptations of works from genre greats like Isaac Aasimov, Philip K. Dick, Ray Bradbury, and more. While science fiction was the focus, the episodes could also be scary. The adaptation of Nightfall is still pretty creepy. Definitely worth tracking down!
I am lumping these two together because they have the same focus on supernatural and horror stories. Also had some of the same creators. A spooky anthology series telling different tales of macabre terror every episode. I don't think my parents realized what The Thing on the Fourble Board was when they let me have an OTR collection as a kid. Likely contributed to several sleepless nights. The audio medium really ensures it's still very creepy. Highly recommend both of them.
More mystery focused than the previous two, Inner Sanctum could still scare with the best of them. If you like spooky mysteries, this is for you!
Thanks to @Stasi for bringing this one up. Johnny Dollar is a series about an insurance investigator sent on cases by the companies he freelances for to investigate suspicious activities. The 1955 series starring Bob Bailey is my personal favorite, as it establishes a 5 part serial format. A lot of the story is told through the expenses Johnny makes during his investigations, and seeing what things cost back then is a bit of fun trivia.
Pat Novak is notable for the majority of the series starring Jack Webb. it's a story about a man on the waterfront trying to make an honest living in a dark world where it's every man for himself. Pat Novak is a series dripping with post WW2 cynicism. Pat's a morally dubious man out to make a buck, "the only honest man he knows", Jock Madigan, is a deadbeat drunk, and police inspector Hellman is a brash buffoon who blames Novak for every crime. The humor comes from Novak's monologues, which are peak noir detective stuff. It's worth a listen just for the absurd way he describes things. It was pretty short-lived, so it's a quick listen.
A radio adaptation of original stories featuring Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous detective. It stars the classic duo of Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce as Holmes and Watson respectively. Many of the episodes are presented as Watson recounting his experiences to the show's host, often taking breaks to hawk the now defunct Petri Wine company. Reportedly Nigel Bruce was very fond of blustering loudly enough to throw his fellow actors off cue. You can hear Rathbone getting audibly annoyed with him at times.
Jeremy Brett is still the best Sherlock, fight me.
These are effectively the exact same show with the exact same main actor, so I'm lumping them together. Both shows star the ridiculously charismatic Dick Powell as Richard Diamond/Richard Rogue. The Rogue series is notable for the goofy interludes where Rogue gets knocked out every episode. Whereas Diamond takes advantage of Dick Powell's singing voice at least once per episode. They're fun, cozy detective shows with plenty to enjoy about both.
An otherwise forgettable follow-the-leader detective show, notable for starring Frank Sinatra. Yes, that Frank Sinatra. It was during a downturn in his career, and only lasted one season. If you're a Franky fan, worth checking out.
The adventures of a morbidly obese but brilliant detective and his assistant, Archie Goodwin. Nero Wolfe is based on a series of novels by Rex Stout. Sydney Greenstreet does a good job of bringing the character to life in all his eccentricity. The radio show is original content and not based on any of Stout's books.
But I'll be honest, the main reason I included this is to hawk the beautiful and stolen-from-us-too-soon 2001 A&E Nero Wolfe series starring Maury Chaykin and Timothy Hutton. Maury Chaykin frankly is Nero Wolfe, and Hutton feels like the Archie Goodwin from the books is wearing him like one of his colorful suits. It would be hailed as top-tier prestige TV content were it made today. I wish terrible things upon the executive who cancelled this show despite its great ratings in favor of turning A&E into a 24/7 reality TV channel. Go watch it!!
The character Humphrey Bogart made famous on the silver screen in radio form. Sam Spade solves all kinds of crime with occasional help from his secretary Effie. Very lighthearted and cozy listening, it is pretty different from the movies and the original books.
The big kahuna of all radio detectives. Based on Raymond Chandler's books, Philip Marlowe is expertly portrayed by a tough-as-nails Gerald Mohr. It doesn't get any more 40s noir detective story than this. A must-listen for a fan of the genre.
And that's it! What are some of your favorite audio dramas?
I grew up listening to tape collections of old 40s radio shows, so I am always on the lookout for something new to listen to. Audio dramas are a fun medium to tell stories and invites the listener to use their imagination to fill in the gaps. Horror/sci fi broadcasts like Lights Out and X Minus One still hold up today. Since the mid 2010s, there's been a renaissance of audio dramas - mostly through podcasts. Here's a thread to talk about them in all forms, and recommend new ones!
If you're new to podcast audio dramas, this is every single one of them summed up.
Also if you're new, here's some of the most frequently recommended examples:
I'd say this one really kicked off the audio drama resurgence. The Black Tapes is part of the Pacific Northwest Stories (PNWS) family. It is essentially a fictional version of Serial, piggybacking off its smash hit popularity.
It follows Alex Reagan and her journey with the enigmatic Dr. Richard Strand of the Strand Institute. Dr. Strand is a paranormal investigator who specializes in debunking paranormal activity. The titular black tapes are a collection of supposed paranormal events that Dr. Strand hasn't fully investigated yet. Presented in a documentary style, Alex and Strand slowly unveil an overarching mystery that may well concern the fate of the entire world. The series is currently three seasons long. The general consensus is that the first two seasons are very good, and season three goes way off the rails. The reception to season three, originally meant to be the finale, was so bad they retconned it as a "mid-season finale" and are supposedly making the rest. It ended in 2017 and has basically been radio silent since then.
Terry Miles, aka Nic Silver, has made several other shows under the PNWS banner that are dubiously set in the same universe. Those include Tanis, Rabbits, and The Last Broadcast. Terry was only one half of the writing team on The Black Tapes, and with the departure of his writing partner, his weaknesses as a writer have really come to the forefront. Common flaws in PNWS productions are overly convoluted plots, little to no characterization, re-used plotlines, and nobody explaining anything at all. Tanis is the worst offender in this area. I personally found Rabbits to be fairly easy to follow, but was also disappointed by how it ended. The Last Broadcast is probably the strongest of the non-Black Tapes works, but that's still not saying a whole lot.
Overall, I'd say give the Black Tapes a listen to see where this audio drama goldrush came from, but don't expect a very satisfying ending.
The newly appointed archivist of the Magnus Institute, Jonathan Sims, begins transferring old statements to audio format. The Magnus Institute is essentially an X-Files style organization, but they're more academics than FBI agents. It begins as an anthology series, reading various spooky stories that don't seem to be connected. As the show goes on, their connection and the voracity of the supernatural goings-on gets more and more obvious.
The Magnus Archivea started out with a clear plan on where to end it, and has concluded. It's 5 seasons long, and each season pushes things pretty well to the end point. The acting is very good, and the characters get developed well. Definitely worth giving a listen. My only word of warning is that tumblr-style shipping crap starts to ooze its way into the show as time goes on, I found that annoying and it took me out of the experience several times. Otherwise, a very solid audio drama and definitely earns its place as one of the big daddies of the genre.
Taking place on the space station Hephaestus, it follows the exploits of the small crew orbiting dwarf star Wolf 359. The cast includes Doug Eiffel, the sardonic communications officer, seemingly goofy scientist Alexander Hilbert, and commander Renee Minkowski. They're aided by the station's AI, Hera, in their day to day activities. It is a very well-acted and generally well plotted series. Like Magnus Archives, Wolf 359 had a planned trajectory that the writers managed to hit. It concluded several years ago and has a much more satisfying conclusion than The Black Tapes. Of all the bigger audio dramas, it's my personal favorite.
Fair warning: Wolf 359 starts out as a very goofy workplace comedy IN SPACE, but it absolutely does not stay that way. Be prepared for some mood whiplash. The writers have said they planned that from the beginning, but I am not entirely sure they pulled it off well.
Whoops! Dr. Sally Grissom accidentally sends herself back in time to a WW2 battleship and gets picked up by the military. Ars Paradoxica is the saga of Sally living in the past and her attempts to get back to the year [REDACTED]. Time travel is always a tricky subject to tackle, but I personally think Ars Paradoxica does it well. Sally and the gang of scientists she ends up working with are all realized well, and the show takes on more of an ensemble form as the story continues.
I confess I ended up dropping it near its final season and just read a synopsis of the ending. I felt like it got a little too lost in the ensemble cast and it hurt the flow. It sounds like it wraps up pretty well, but I just wasn't interested in keeping up with it.
You got your Walking Dead in my radio show! We're Alive is a zombie apocalypse story, and started life in the 2000s. I can't speak much to the show, as I'm not a big fan of the genre. I wanted to include it here as it gets brought up frequently as one of the foremost audio drama podcasts. The main story has ended, and several spinoff audio dramas have been made since then.
Here's a few of my personal favorites, YMMV from show to show:
When Nate moves to the East Coast to get away from bad memories back home, he thought he got the perfect deal on a house. He soon realizes that the previous owners left a cellar full of weird letters containing disturbing stories. Nate begins to read the letters, and then things start to happen to him as a result.
The Cellar Letters is a "found audio" style show. This means your mileage may vary applies. If you find found footage movies slow and plodding, you won't like this show. It's very slow burn and takes its time to get anywhere - sometimes a bit too long. I'm invested in the story and have enjoyed a lot of the twists its thrown to the listener. Recommend if The Blair Witch Project is your idea of a good time. The series is still ongoing.
What if Walt Disney's dream of EPCOT being a literal city of the future came true? That's the idea that the Prototype World of Tomorrow explores. The series begins as Tim Less, Progress City's only private detective, ends up entangled in the city's very first official murder. There's a city full of suspects, and Tim has his work cut out to solve the case before an innocent person gets convicted of the crime.
I'm probably the polar opposite of a Disney fan nowadays, but I appreciate the quasi-cyberpunk aspect of this show. It has an earnest community theater aspect to its production, but still manages to stay entertaining. It took a big hiatus in 2021, but is actively releasing new episodes now. It seems to balance an overarching meta-plot with season-long arcs involving a single mystery. It's got a old time detective show vibe to it that I appreciate.
Basically a bunch of Scots taking the piss out of The Black Tapes. Lee, a former radio DJ, decides to jump on the paranormal podcast bandwagon by creating his own show. The Terror Files ends up being a success, and he picks up a local crime lord as a fan. Basically a mix of self-deprecating Scottish humor and affectionate jabs at the spooky podcast genre. It's a good time overall.
A mystery about eight people being locked in an enclosed space, each given a role instead of a name. When a mystery arises, the heat is on to find the truth before it's too late.
That's basically all I can say without spoiling anything. It's a small, self-contained story that doesn't wear out its welcome. This one was excellent and has stuck with me since I first heard it. High praise. Possibly a masterpiece.
The Vessel is the story of a colony ship leaving earth after a devastating plague wipes out many of the population. It features an ensemble cast trying to unravel a slowly developing mystery that could threaten the continuing existence of the human race. I'd describe it as a horror mystery. Alien and Dead Space are listed as inspirations, and it very much shows.
OK, so this one isn't strictly speaking an audio drama, it's more of an episodic audiobook. After getting over that hump, I've found myself really loving the story. The characters are well realized, and the slow-burn way the horror elements are developing is great too. I give this one a recommendation if you don't mind the same guy voicing all the characters. Ongoing story, currently on hiatus presumably so the writer can get ahead on the story.
A workplace comedy about the highs and lows of being the royal physician in a high fantasy setting. Alba Salix and her mostly unwilling assistant Magnus try to keep the king and queen healthy while navigating the political muck. It's an episodic comedy series and is well written. Has two seasons, with a third season suffering in a coof-releated development hell.
A fantasy comedy set in the world of Hearth. Magus Elgar and his downtrodden apprentice Udo embark on wacky adventures as they unravel their connection to a strange new realm called Earth. This series feature some genuinely funny writing and great performances from the whole cast. Someone clearly has a lot of love for the setting too, as it does some great worldbuilding as story is told. Supposedly getting a second season, but taking its time getting there.
This is my personal favorite comedy audio. The dialogue is very witty and I love the characters. Highly recommend this one!
Update: Given we have some people talking about old time radio stuff, I thought it'd be good to include some examples. The private detective genre reigned supreme back in those days, and many of the shows reflect that.
The sci-fi anthology series X-Minus One features audio drama adaptations of works from genre greats like Isaac Aasimov, Philip K. Dick, Ray Bradbury, and more. While science fiction was the focus, the episodes could also be scary. The adaptation of Nightfall is still pretty creepy. Definitely worth tracking down!
I am lumping these two together because they have the same focus on supernatural and horror stories. Also had some of the same creators. A spooky anthology series telling different tales of macabre terror every episode. I don't think my parents realized what The Thing on the Fourble Board was when they let me have an OTR collection as a kid. Likely contributed to several sleepless nights. The audio medium really ensures it's still very creepy. Highly recommend both of them.
More mystery focused than the previous two, Inner Sanctum could still scare with the best of them. If you like spooky mysteries, this is for you!
Thanks to @Stasi for bringing this one up. Johnny Dollar is a series about an insurance investigator sent on cases by the companies he freelances for to investigate suspicious activities. The 1955 series starring Bob Bailey is my personal favorite, as it establishes a 5 part serial format. A lot of the story is told through the expenses Johnny makes during his investigations, and seeing what things cost back then is a bit of fun trivia.
Pat Novak is notable for the majority of the series starring Jack Webb. it's a story about a man on the waterfront trying to make an honest living in a dark world where it's every man for himself. Pat Novak is a series dripping with post WW2 cynicism. Pat's a morally dubious man out to make a buck, "the only honest man he knows", Jock Madigan, is a deadbeat drunk, and police inspector Hellman is a brash buffoon who blames Novak for every crime. The humor comes from Novak's monologues, which are peak noir detective stuff. It's worth a listen just for the absurd way he describes things. It was pretty short-lived, so it's a quick listen.
A radio adaptation of original stories featuring Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous detective. It stars the classic duo of Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce as Holmes and Watson respectively. Many of the episodes are presented as Watson recounting his experiences to the show's host, often taking breaks to hawk the now defunct Petri Wine company. Reportedly Nigel Bruce was very fond of blustering loudly enough to throw his fellow actors off cue. You can hear Rathbone getting audibly annoyed with him at times.
Jeremy Brett is still the best Sherlock, fight me.
These are effectively the exact same show with the exact same main actor, so I'm lumping them together. Both shows star the ridiculously charismatic Dick Powell as Richard Diamond/Richard Rogue. The Rogue series is notable for the goofy interludes where Rogue gets knocked out every episode. Whereas Diamond takes advantage of Dick Powell's singing voice at least once per episode. They're fun, cozy detective shows with plenty to enjoy about both.
An otherwise forgettable follow-the-leader detective show, notable for starring Frank Sinatra. Yes, that Frank Sinatra. It was during a downturn in his career, and only lasted one season. If you're a Franky fan, worth checking out.
The adventures of a morbidly obese but brilliant detective and his assistant, Archie Goodwin. Nero Wolfe is based on a series of novels by Rex Stout. Sydney Greenstreet does a good job of bringing the character to life in all his eccentricity. The radio show is original content and not based on any of Stout's books.
But I'll be honest, the main reason I included this is to hawk the beautiful and stolen-from-us-too-soon 2001 A&E Nero Wolfe series starring Maury Chaykin and Timothy Hutton. Maury Chaykin frankly is Nero Wolfe, and Hutton feels like the Archie Goodwin from the books is wearing him like one of his colorful suits. It would be hailed as top-tier prestige TV content were it made today. I wish terrible things upon the executive who cancelled this show despite its great ratings in favor of turning A&E into a 24/7 reality TV channel. Go watch it!!
The character Humphrey Bogart made famous on the silver screen in radio form. Sam Spade solves all kinds of crime with occasional help from his secretary Effie. Very lighthearted and cozy listening, it is pretty different from the movies and the original books.
The big kahuna of all radio detectives. Based on Raymond Chandler's books, Philip Marlowe is expertly portrayed by a tough-as-nails Gerald Mohr. It doesn't get any more 40s noir detective story than this. A must-listen for a fan of the genre.
And that's it! What are some of your favorite audio dramas?
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