The Podcast Review

this is a fairly adequate Supernatural podcast, making a fairly nice complement to the cult tv show.  Episodes run for around 20 minutes, and the talk focuses mainly on the storyline, likes / dislikes, and how the episode fits into the overall ethos of the season.  The two hosts don’t muck around, which is a major hurdle of many fan produced podcasts.  It sticks to the show, and doesn’t waste your time.

The show is current to Season 5, Episode 10 (Abandon All Hope, aired Nov 19) which is the most important thing for a fancast.

good listenings.

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I have to say up-front that Sci-Fi Talk is an amazing enterprise.  Began at the beginning of the year, there is now an archive of 100 Interviews with the Actors and Creators of SCI-FI.  Actually, the mandate extends further than that; it covers the associated realms of Fantasy and Horror, in both tv and movie formats.  The host, Tony Tellado, has invested an enormous amount of WILL into this venture; and one can only marvel at the final result.

There is insight and perspective; straight from the originators’ mouths.  Before, such access would have only been granted to the media elite, but in today’s decentralised, information-free times, everyone can become a conduit of  truth and story.  And that is what Tony does.  Let those who animate our tv screens and imaginations speak their answers about what it was like to participate in these Sci-Fi ventures.  Amazing.

the interviews are a tight 20 minutes in length, although they do stray above this occasionally.  There is no fluff or time-wasting, it’s straight into the interview itself.  Audio quality is only so-so, as the main means of conveyance is by phone line, which can be patchy at best.

Science Fiction has a way of presaging the future by only 10 or 15 years; and in that respect it is somewhat frightening.  What *exactly* are these writers and creators tapping into when they set their minds free?

subscribe – enjoy – and be astonished.  5 Stars.

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I’ve been searching for an adequate Supernatural podcast for a while now.  The show is now in it’s fifth season, and by all reports, it’s a concluding season, wrapping up the central storyline that has been threading since the very first episode.  It’s rare that a tv series is born with such a singular vision, but such has been the case with Supernatural.  Two brothers – on a quest, which ends up pitting one against the other.  Or perhaps not.  We’ll just have to wait and see.

This podcast is an adjunct to the main site – Winchester Bros – which is a fairly weak fan site, as far as fan sites go.  Much better is the two girls talking – via the blogtalk radio show.  They review each episode a few days after the airing date, so you can compare you own analysis with theirs.  The format is fairly loose and rambling, but pretty much the best that’s out there for Supernatural fans.

it takes true commitment and planning to roll out a regular, engaging podcast.  Passion can get you by, but doesn’t clear many of the technical hurdles that True Podcasting demands.  I can tap into the joy of the Winchester Radio podcast, but can’t help wondering – this could be truly great!

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how is tv changing?  very quickly would be my answer.  From what was once a three channel analogue broadcasting format, tv today is now a digital, orgy of channels, news infested medium.  TV is radically different from what it was 20 years ago.

The internet has sped up this shift.  Shows now have official dedicated fan webpages; where forums, news, and podcasts extend the experience of the show.  Battlestar Galactica streamed 5 minute ‘webisodes’ between seasons to maintain the interest and intrigue for that entertainment venture.  It was massively successful.

and so where is the current state of the tv box?  fragmented, fractured, and consumable via plasma, mobile, and hulu.  It is a wildly exploding format.  Just witness how American Idol has wedded itunes music, mobile voting, and the live show.  Attack on all fronts.

The TV of Tomorrow podcast is a weekly interview discussion with Tracy Swedlow.  It is a blogtalk radio show, and the delivery via itunes or rss is clear, simple, and fuss free.  Downloads are quick, and trouble free, which is a marked improvement on many podcasts out there.  The shows themselves run for about 40 minutes, and are interruption free – just the questions and expert answers from those involved in pioneering the television experience of the future.  The industry guests are the big-guns – with folks from Comcast, Google, and Think Analytics making an appearance.  Talk crosses platforms and goes into flash, mobile, and marketing.  Fascinating grist.

lots of insight, although the show could be a bit livelier. Tracy manages the discussion well, but a little energy is lacking from the presentation.  Valuable content proves the winner though in the end.  Add to your listening list.

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although the Galactica series may be over (and what a finale it was!), the mythology lives on with the Caprica Series set to make its formal debut in 2010.  As such, fandom lives on.

But for the past 4 years, this podcast has been a staunch, though critical supporter of the show.  The four hosts (Brian, Dimitiri, Michelle. and Jason) began discussing Galactica as a watercooler topic, then realised it was becoming a regular topic for them.  Battlestar began working its mindshare magic.  And so the podcast was born.

winner of the 2008 Parsec Award for best fan podcast, the Galactica Quorum is an outstanding listen.  The discussion is lively and unrehearsed, there is a variety of bounceback, and the panel are unafraid of voicing their dislikes about the show regards character development, plot surprises, and foreshadowings.  It is a healthy balance of like and discernment, appreciation and idealism.  And the guys are persistent as well: they have scored interviews with the major actors, and a lovely intro to each podcast is a familiar cast member saying “you are listening to the Galactica Quorum” – really setting the mood and fan appreciation mindset.  The discussions are not overly long (usually around the 40 minute mark) and listening to back episodes is still fresh and informative – such is the analysis and vigor that these guys (and girl) bring to the mike.

this is a great example of Podcasting done right; with enthusiasm, with joy, and with zero ulterior motives.  Great listenings.

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LOST is a tv show that inspires rabid fans.  It is like an alternate universe; one in which you can explore loose connections and meaningful co-incidences end on end.  With 5 seasons already up, and a final 6th on the way, there is lots to discuss.  Maybe that explains the 40 or so active podcasts in the Lost Podcast Network.

One of my favourite Lost Podcasts is Lost Revisited Now.  It began about a year ago, when Lost had just finished Season 4.  Heath Solo decided to go back and watch some past episodes and give his analysis and opinion.  When season 5 started at the beginning of ‘09 the podcast started doing on the spot analysis of aired episodes, quite often immediately after the show aired.  This become a larger enterprise, and Ms Wendy was brought onto the show.

Now the show is well imbedded into the Lost Podcasting World, and features guests from other podcasts.  It makes for lots of camaraderie and cross fertilisation of opinion.   A great way to relive tv memories.

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this show has just hit episode 21 and is building up a head of steam.  Shows run over the hour mark and feature the voices of 2 hosts: Todd, a writer for the AV Club. and Libby Hill, just a keen tv watcher.  Every week they review the week’s recent offerings, although they try to find threads to weave around.  For eg, just recently they’ve been doing Fall Previews of new shows and also covering the Emmy’s – both previews and critical reaction.

the show keeps things lighthearted with plenty of banter, never going down the obsessive route of tv watching.  But these guys do watch a lot of tv!

for those that like to observe US culture from afar, TV on the Internet is a fine offering.  And if you are ever hard up on catching these shows, check out Watch Series.com.  It represents a fantastic archive of television history, and is kept up to date.  Their twitter account is a rolling account of what’s been on the previous night.

here’s to House, Family Guy, and all things good.

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