Rachael's Week in BBC Radio Vol. 33

[bratty_jedi]

This week I listened to a fantastic sci-fi serial and a Rattigan play adaptation for the Beeb plus I finally started on the Welcome to Night Vale podcast everyone has been raving about for something non-BBC.
For the upcoming week, there's nothing really wowing me. The best bet is probably a sitcom set in the English Civil War but it seems like a bit

Comments

[donutsweeper]

re: Night Vale. There is a little build up as there are a few minor arcing storylines (like the story between Carlos and Cecil), but basically each episode is self contained. I think in general what is selling it to people is the sketch feel so you don't lose the plot in the 2 1/2 weeks between episodes and just the overall lovecraftian bizarre but totally accepted nature of the story, if that makes sense. I know some people who have loved it, others who thought it was fine, but didn't understand the hype and others that it just wasn't their thing.

[bratty_jedi]

I think I can see why people like it, but sketch really isn't my thing. I think it will work for me for random background listening where I can catch a few good one-liners here and there but not really concentrate on it too much since there just isn't enough to hold my attention.

[eanor]

I was wondering about "Welcome to Night Vale", too! I've heard so many people being completely crazy about it, but somehow I haven't really found the one hook to pull me on board (does that sentence make sense?). Thanks for your thoughts! :-)

[bratty_jedi]

Glad I'm not the only one missing the craze. It isn't bad and I'll probably listen to a few episodes here and there, but I definitely don't get the big draw.

[bowl_of_glow]

Everyone has been going crazy about this sci fi podcast and I finally got aorund to giving it a go! I... liked it? I did like it, I just didn't love it the way so many people seem to do.

Pretty much how I feel about it, tbh. I think it has its moments and some great lines, but at times I find it a bit boring.

Are you going to listen to John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme?

[bratty_jedi]

Are you going to listen to John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme?
Nah. Sketch just isn't really my thing. I think that's partly why I can't get in to Night Vale. There are a few exceptions here and there to my general sketch antipathy, but very few. I listened to a couple of episodes of series 1 of Finnemore's show and it just didn't move me so I've passed on it ever since. I still think John Finnemore is a god, but I just don't worship him on that particular endeavor. ;)

[failte_aoife]

With donutsweeper on NightVale. Carlos/Cecil develops and occasionally strange phenomens gets revisted (Dana, one of the interns, gets lost in the dog-park and occasionally manges to get messages out) but mostly its the sketch-y 'Lovecraft got drunk and wrote this'-feel.

[bratty_jedi]

I do like the dog park mentions. I guess for me it's just one of those thing where some of the parts are good but the whole is less than the sum of the parts. Or something like that.

[unsentimentalf]

Night Vale is really not heavy on either plot or characterisation, despite these being fandom's favourite things. I love it for the language and imagery (and Cecil s drawl) but it's not a story in any real sense.

I very much enjoyed Metamorphosis - have decided that I prefer readings to dramatisations, unlike you :-)

[bratty_jedi]

have decided that I prefer readings to dramatisations, unlike you :-)
That's cool. :)
For certain really dense or beautifully written things, I like listening to unabridged readings on double-speed while reading the text. It focuses me but also slows me down a bit from my usual very fast pace to let me really notice the language. Other than that, I'd just rather read something than have someone else read it to me. I'm glad to hear Metamorphosis was good. Do you happen to know if it is heavily abridged or not?