Well, after weeks and weeks of patiently waiting, I finally got a chance to sit down and listen to my first production from the team at Newsbob Industries. Invasive Species is a rollicking tale of horror and suspense, as a small group of American cops, together with their pet female scientist, attempt to solve the mystery of several missing boats. What they end up finding, however, is something that I never really expected them to find...
However, before I get too detailed in the review, I must preserve the deep plot-lines for those that haven't heard it yet by including some
S
P
O
I
L
E
R
S
P
A
C
E
As this was my first Newsbob production, I didn't quite know what to expect. Being a big fan of radio drama, I've heard quite a bit of American produced stuff - The Lachesis Passage and several episodes of Imagination Theatre, for example. So, I had some basic idea about what to expect. However, Invasive Species ended up being far more entertaining than I originally would have thought possible, given the breadth of apparent subject matter it was going to cover, and the apparent short duration of the serial itself.
I have to admit that, before I started, I honestly didn't think that 5-minute episodes would actually work. However, I think they do. The cliff-hanger nature, coupled with the technique of including a single, pertinent line of dialogue from the subsequent episode, works quite well here in creating a level of tension and anxiousness between episodes. However, I do feel that the length of the serial overall was a touch on the short side - it really could have done with being 60 minutes long, instead of only 30 minutes.
Personally, I felt as though I had done myself a disservice by waiting until the end, and listening to all 7 chapters at once. If I had listened to each episode one week at a time, I honestly feel as though my listening experience would have been greatly enhanced as a result. However, this I put down to my preferred method of listening to radio drama - at night, with the lights off, via headphones. I couldn't really justify this each week for 5 minutes. If, and when, Newsbob do their next serial - I'll make sure I do this.
The performances were quite interesting. They varied from above average to good. Everyone there pretty much acted enough to make the serial hold water, which was a nice thing. It meant that you weren't distracted by stellar performances, and it also meant that the actors brought together were solid enough to make the whole thing seem quite believable. One thing this serial had going for it was child actors - I can't seem to get any here in Brisbane for radio work, so my hat off to Robert Parsons for getting it sorted!
The post-production on this serial was very functional. Like the acting, it told the story. Nothing more. No sweeping majestic sound-scapes here, just sound effects as required. Its nice to hear an American team producing radio drama. This medium was so dead for so long, but the last 2-3 years have seen quite a bit of resurgence. Which I like - radio is the medium that really works for me. Can't remember the last time I sat down and watched television.
Overall, I have to say that Invasive Species was an enjoyable adventure, that not only entertained me, but also kept me on the "edge of my seat" on several occasions - most notably around the end of episodes. Although, I do have to admit, the ending did seem a little rushed, and the solution to the problem of the Zebra Mussels a little to convenient. Still, that was only 5 minutes out of 30, with the rest of the serial being very good indeed.
Overall Score: 4/5 (Good)
However, before I get too detailed in the review, I must preserve the deep plot-lines for those that haven't heard it yet by including some
S
P
O
I
L
E
R
S
P
A
C
E
As this was my first Newsbob production, I didn't quite know what to expect. Being a big fan of radio drama, I've heard quite a bit of American produced stuff - The Lachesis Passage and several episodes of Imagination Theatre, for example. So, I had some basic idea about what to expect. However, Invasive Species ended up being far more entertaining than I originally would have thought possible, given the breadth of apparent subject matter it was going to cover, and the apparent short duration of the serial itself.
I have to admit that, before I started, I honestly didn't think that 5-minute episodes would actually work. However, I think they do. The cliff-hanger nature, coupled with the technique of including a single, pertinent line of dialogue from the subsequent episode, works quite well here in creating a level of tension and anxiousness between episodes. However, I do feel that the length of the serial overall was a touch on the short side - it really could have done with being 60 minutes long, instead of only 30 minutes.
Personally, I felt as though I had done myself a disservice by waiting until the end, and listening to all 7 chapters at once. If I had listened to each episode one week at a time, I honestly feel as though my listening experience would have been greatly enhanced as a result. However, this I put down to my preferred method of listening to radio drama - at night, with the lights off, via headphones. I couldn't really justify this each week for 5 minutes. If, and when, Newsbob do their next serial - I'll make sure I do this.
The performances were quite interesting. They varied from above average to good. Everyone there pretty much acted enough to make the serial hold water, which was a nice thing. It meant that you weren't distracted by stellar performances, and it also meant that the actors brought together were solid enough to make the whole thing seem quite believable. One thing this serial had going for it was child actors - I can't seem to get any here in Brisbane for radio work, so my hat off to Robert Parsons for getting it sorted!
The post-production on this serial was very functional. Like the acting, it told the story. Nothing more. No sweeping majestic sound-scapes here, just sound effects as required. Its nice to hear an American team producing radio drama. This medium was so dead for so long, but the last 2-3 years have seen quite a bit of resurgence. Which I like - radio is the medium that really works for me. Can't remember the last time I sat down and watched television.
Overall, I have to say that Invasive Species was an enjoyable adventure, that not only entertained me, but also kept me on the "edge of my seat" on several occasions - most notably around the end of episodes. Although, I do have to admit, the ending did seem a little rushed, and the solution to the problem of the Zebra Mussels a little to convenient. Still, that was only 5 minutes out of 30, with the rest of the serial being very good indeed.
Overall Score: 4/5 (Good)
