- Audio drama written by Alexander Aldea and Adrienne Schaffler
- Produced by The Paragon Collective
- Released in 2020
- Starring Logan Browning, Carla Gugino, Mamoudou Athie, Keith David, Giancarlo Esposito, Constance Zimmer, Donnell Rawlings and Kenny Allen
The worst climate predictions have come true and the earth has become inhabitable due to high levels of carbon emissions. Only 80 percent of humanity is saved in an underground safe place, chosen for their score in a mysterious point system on the basis of their ‘usefulness’. The rest of humanity was ‘sorted out’. In this place we follow Hannah Ori, who gets involved in the development of The Oyster, a virtual Nirvana. Participants in the development quickly get addicted to this world of bliss. But perhaps, that is the point?
This review relates to the first season
I absolutely loved this audio drama podcast. I think it is the first cli-fi media I have consumed and it struck a chord with me. Post-apocalyptic has already been my jam, add climate change and technology-abuse to the mix and I’m all in.
But that’s not all. The podcast drew me into its world, introducing each element step by step, so you keep discovering more goings-on (sometimes alongside the protaganist). It discusses issues of race, class, and gender in a society where your worth is determined by your direct benefit to others.
In addition, it has excellent voice acting. And did I hear some influences on the sound design of horror podcast Darkest Night? At least I felt the same tingling of the spine when the theme of ministry leader Dolos Devlet sounded and I had to wait with fear and trepidation on his deep voice entering the conversation. Never a good sign.
I really hope there will be a next season that matches the quality of the first and lands the story capably after its last plot twist.