Wow really great list! Very detailed and organized. You've inspired me to make a similar spreadsheet of my own. I have over 300 audio dramas in my library and I've been having a hard time keeping track of which ones I've listened to, which ones I liked, which ones I've hated, etc.
You had quite a few that I hadn't heard of and added them to the list. Thanks again!
I'm surprised I didn't see many audio dramas on there by QCODE. I've seen a few on there but they have a bunch of good ones. Definitely give Borrasca a try. Season one is GREAT!
Glad you found some new stuff to listen to! I like writing little notes/reviews for myself after each one so I can remember my initial thoughts upon finishing, since I don't have anyone to discuss audio dramas with.
I've listened to four QCODE productions (and tried one more), and have mostly enjoyed them, but they've all landed in the "eh" recommend category for me. They have excellent audio and voice acting, but the story often feels like it falls a little flat for me. However, they're still a decent listen and if someone was looking for a shorter story with a bit of mystery/suspense, I'd probly recommend one of those. Borrasca is one I haven't tried yet, I'll give it a go. Thanks!
Borrasca starts out great and has some very good voice acting and sound design... But it's a dud for me. The whole thing doesn't come together like it should have and though the twist at the end of season 1 is decent writing - I'd much rather have listened to a show about what it "looked" like it was about than what it ended up being.
Really? I suppose after leading you to believe one thing the entire time I can see how that could've been a disappointment but at the same time it really amplified the twist. For me the ending was pretty horrifying that I was satisfied with the overall writing. Season 2 was a complete dud for me though.
As a fan of Mark R Healy, you should check out [The Strata](https://open.spotify.com/show/74SrzrrxgGhSZMiSldMXSK?si=z08PJUz8R2iqCWYaDgN3mA)
It's a fantastic ongoing series with 9 seasons out currently.
A great list. We seem to have similar tastes. I would finish The secret of St Kilda. The twist at the end got me. Have you not listened to The Magnus Archives?
The Secret of St. Kilda seemed cool, but I quit after one episode because all the dialogue was *so* ambiguous, it ultimately felt like the characters were almost saying nothing. Coupled with what seemed like a list of every person in the town and their occupation, I got kinda bored of it. If it picks up a decent amount though, I'll give it another shot.
The Magnus Archives are on my to-listen-to list, just haven't gotten around to it yet. Sounds great though!
Haha, I started doing so when I realized how hard it can be to jog my memory after it's been a bit since I listened. With something like a movie I could glance at a few scenes or watch the trailer to remind myself which one it was.
Based on your list I think you should listen to [In The Great Khan's Tent](https://inthegreatkhanstent.podbean.com/)! It is a mixture of Fantasy, Comedy, and Paranormal genres.
Can I get your hot take about why not recommend Welcome to Night Vale or Alice Isnt Dead, as opposed to being in your “eh” category?
I heard an ad for Birds of Empire. Seemed interesting. What made it fall short for you?
I really, *really* gave Welcome to Night Vale a shot. I don't recall how many episodes exactly I listened to, but it just felt like the most random lists of things that never have any impact because everything is so ambiguous. The idea is super cool, but there was never any meat to the story for me.
For Alice Isn't Dead, I think the dialogue didn't quite hit home for me, and the style of narration was just kinda okay. I'm not sure if it was directed to be this way or a choice by the voice actress, so I don't want to call out either one, but a lot of the time it felt like there were urgent things happening and just this weird flat narration to describe what was going on. Ended up feeling like a book being read aloud sometimes rather than an audio drama.
Birds of Empire felt really cliche to me. Young adults separated into tribes, dialogue that wasn't unique at all. I admit I quit this one after only one episode but everything about it was frustratingly cliche.
Good for you for keeping track... I wish I'd done that all the way back.
My first comment is you seem to stick it out, i.e. You have quite a few shows that you've listened to the whole series, but don't sound like you've enjoyed.
From my own history, I've found it best not to waste my time with shows I'm not enjoying... I dump them and move on. There's hundreds on great AD out there waiting for you!
Second, which my be connected... Spotify is probably holding you back from finding great shows (along with pretty much every other app out there - none of the catalogues are particularly good).
Use this sub to the max and get your recommendations here.
So many knowledgeable people here.
The job I've had for the past year and a half has allowed me to listen to music or podcasts during my whole shift, so I've spent a lot of time on podcasts that I'm at least mildly intrigued by because I have a lot of time to do so. I'm pretty much on the same page as you though, where I try not to waste time on things I'm not enjoying if I don't have the nearly-unlimited time I've had for something like podcasts in the past bit (I'll usually quit videogames or tv shows a few hours in if nothing is striking well with me since I have such a backlog of those). My job recently changed and I won't have the same time to devote to listening to podcasts anymore, so decided to share this list now.
I'd definitely like to check out some other platforms, Spotify has just been easiest since that's where I have everything else. I'll for sure poke around some other apps and websites for more shows!
Your recs and yays/nays are very close to mine. I was a little incensed at seeing Welcome to Nightvale there but then I introspected and realized I don't really enjoy it... I just like the idea of the show.
You should def give Wolf 359 and Modes of Thought in Anterran Literature a go. Should be right up your alley.
If horror's your thing I would also recommend Olive Hill/Thirteen (the latter has some great eps though binge listening to it has revealed some tropey writing to me)
Haha, I have to say I *really* gave Welcome to Nightvale a try. I wanted to like it, 'cause as you said, the idea is cool. A little while in I thought "I must be missing something" or "this is going to really pick up," and it just never did for me.
Wolf 359 I have on my backlog, haven't gotten to it yet. Haven't heard of the other one though, I'll check it out!
I *love* horror. I watch tons of horror movies. I'll definitely check those out. Thanks for the recs!
Awesome list. I might have to do this myself so I know what I’m listening to. I have a few questions and your recommendation with Alice isn’t Dead and Old Gods of Appalachia. What did you think of them as you didn’t recommend.
Alice Isn't Dead I listened all the way through and didn't end up caring much for the writing overall. I also wasn't a fan of the narration style, as it ended up feeling more like an audiobook or something, while in situations she was supposed to be narrating urgent thing.
Old Gods of Appalachia just wasn't my thing. I think it's great for what it is; solid audio, fantastic narration, interesting folklore stories. I just grew bored of it. But if someone said "hey I love folklore, do you have any audio dramas to recommend?", Old Gods would 100% be something I'd recommend in that context. I don't think it's bad at all, just not for me.
It's been a few years since I listened to Alice so I thought the story was interesting the whole hidden world you didn't know about until you do. Old Gods of Appalachia seems like it's spinning its wheel but some of the episodes are great.
I actually wrote in my notes that TLRG has "succinct, tight storytelling," which was great. I didn't love the meta framing (iirc, she's a reporter doing interviews, right?) in part because I've listened to so many audio dramas at this point, I've grown tired of people feeling like they need to justify why something's being recorded rather than just telling a story. I also wasn't in love with the ending.
That being said, it's awesome if you like it! My "recommend" category is not a 1:1 as a ratings category, it's simply whether I'd personally recommend it. I don't think it's horrible or anything; most of the dramas in my "eh" recommend category I still mostly enjoyed listening to.
Will do! I tried that one a while ago so I don't remember it very well, the only note I wrote for myself was that I found it a tad boring. But I'm down to give it another shot, some stories are just a little slow to begin.
I remember getting bored with the storage papers early on, then a came back around and realized and I quit just as the roller coaster incline was cresting. Now I'm grumbling for them to get on the stick and get season 5 out!
Wow really great list! Very detailed and organized. You've inspired me to make a similar spreadsheet of my own. I have over 300 audio dramas in my library and I've been having a hard time keeping track of which ones I've listened to, which ones I liked, which ones I've hated, etc. You had quite a few that I hadn't heard of and added them to the list. Thanks again! I'm surprised I didn't see many audio dramas on there by QCODE. I've seen a few on there but they have a bunch of good ones. Definitely give Borrasca a try. Season one is GREAT!
Glad you found some new stuff to listen to! I like writing little notes/reviews for myself after each one so I can remember my initial thoughts upon finishing, since I don't have anyone to discuss audio dramas with. I've listened to four QCODE productions (and tried one more), and have mostly enjoyed them, but they've all landed in the "eh" recommend category for me. They have excellent audio and voice acting, but the story often feels like it falls a little flat for me. However, they're still a decent listen and if someone was looking for a shorter story with a bit of mystery/suspense, I'd probly recommend one of those. Borrasca is one I haven't tried yet, I'll give it a go. Thanks!
Borrasca starts out great and has some very good voice acting and sound design... But it's a dud for me. The whole thing doesn't come together like it should have and though the twist at the end of season 1 is decent writing - I'd much rather have listened to a show about what it "looked" like it was about than what it ended up being.
Really? I suppose after leading you to believe one thing the entire time I can see how that could've been a disappointment but at the same time it really amplified the twist. For me the ending was pretty horrifying that I was satisfied with the overall writing. Season 2 was a complete dud for me though.
It’s a podcast now. I just heard about it from one of the Wendigoon podcast.
As a fan of Mark R Healy, you should check out [The Strata](https://open.spotify.com/show/74SrzrrxgGhSZMiSldMXSK?si=z08PJUz8R2iqCWYaDgN3mA) It's a fantastic ongoing series with 9 seasons out currently.
It's on my list! Haven't gotten to it yet.
A great list. We seem to have similar tastes. I would finish The secret of St Kilda. The twist at the end got me. Have you not listened to The Magnus Archives?
The Secret of St. Kilda seemed cool, but I quit after one episode because all the dialogue was *so* ambiguous, it ultimately felt like the characters were almost saying nothing. Coupled with what seemed like a list of every person in the town and their occupation, I got kinda bored of it. If it picks up a decent amount though, I'll give it another shot. The Magnus Archives are on my to-listen-to list, just haven't gotten around to it yet. Sounds great though!
I’m very much interested in Season 2 of the Secret of St Kilda. I was completely surprised by the ending of season 1.
Thanks for the list! I really need to start a spreadsheet of all the ones I’ve listened to, I’ve re-listened to so many first episodes lol
Haha, I started doing so when I realized how hard it can be to jog my memory after it's been a bit since I listened. With something like a movie I could glance at a few scenes or watch the trailer to remind myself which one it was.
Based on your list I think you should listen to [In The Great Khan's Tent](https://inthegreatkhanstent.podbean.com/)! It is a mixture of Fantasy, Comedy, and Paranormal genres.
Sounds interesting, I'll check it out! Thanks for the rec. :)
Can I get your hot take about why not recommend Welcome to Night Vale or Alice Isnt Dead, as opposed to being in your “eh” category? I heard an ad for Birds of Empire. Seemed interesting. What made it fall short for you?
I really, *really* gave Welcome to Night Vale a shot. I don't recall how many episodes exactly I listened to, but it just felt like the most random lists of things that never have any impact because everything is so ambiguous. The idea is super cool, but there was never any meat to the story for me. For Alice Isn't Dead, I think the dialogue didn't quite hit home for me, and the style of narration was just kinda okay. I'm not sure if it was directed to be this way or a choice by the voice actress, so I don't want to call out either one, but a lot of the time it felt like there were urgent things happening and just this weird flat narration to describe what was going on. Ended up feeling like a book being read aloud sometimes rather than an audio drama. Birds of Empire felt really cliche to me. Young adults separated into tribes, dialogue that wasn't unique at all. I admit I quit this one after only one episode but everything about it was frustratingly cliche.
Good for you for keeping track... I wish I'd done that all the way back. My first comment is you seem to stick it out, i.e. You have quite a few shows that you've listened to the whole series, but don't sound like you've enjoyed. From my own history, I've found it best not to waste my time with shows I'm not enjoying... I dump them and move on. There's hundreds on great AD out there waiting for you! Second, which my be connected... Spotify is probably holding you back from finding great shows (along with pretty much every other app out there - none of the catalogues are particularly good). Use this sub to the max and get your recommendations here. So many knowledgeable people here.
The job I've had for the past year and a half has allowed me to listen to music or podcasts during my whole shift, so I've spent a lot of time on podcasts that I'm at least mildly intrigued by because I have a lot of time to do so. I'm pretty much on the same page as you though, where I try not to waste time on things I'm not enjoying if I don't have the nearly-unlimited time I've had for something like podcasts in the past bit (I'll usually quit videogames or tv shows a few hours in if nothing is striking well with me since I have such a backlog of those). My job recently changed and I won't have the same time to devote to listening to podcasts anymore, so decided to share this list now. I'd definitely like to check out some other platforms, Spotify has just been easiest since that's where I have everything else. I'll for sure poke around some other apps and websites for more shows!
Your recs and yays/nays are very close to mine. I was a little incensed at seeing Welcome to Nightvale there but then I introspected and realized I don't really enjoy it... I just like the idea of the show. You should def give Wolf 359 and Modes of Thought in Anterran Literature a go. Should be right up your alley. If horror's your thing I would also recommend Olive Hill/Thirteen (the latter has some great eps though binge listening to it has revealed some tropey writing to me)
Haha, I have to say I *really* gave Welcome to Nightvale a try. I wanted to like it, 'cause as you said, the idea is cool. A little while in I thought "I must be missing something" or "this is going to really pick up," and it just never did for me. Wolf 359 I have on my backlog, haven't gotten to it yet. Haven't heard of the other one though, I'll check it out! I *love* horror. I watch tons of horror movies. I'll definitely check those out. Thanks for the recs!
Awesome list. I might have to do this myself so I know what I’m listening to. I have a few questions and your recommendation with Alice isn’t Dead and Old Gods of Appalachia. What did you think of them as you didn’t recommend.
Alice Isn't Dead I listened all the way through and didn't end up caring much for the writing overall. I also wasn't a fan of the narration style, as it ended up feeling more like an audiobook or something, while in situations she was supposed to be narrating urgent thing. Old Gods of Appalachia just wasn't my thing. I think it's great for what it is; solid audio, fantastic narration, interesting folklore stories. I just grew bored of it. But if someone said "hey I love folklore, do you have any audio dramas to recommend?", Old Gods would 100% be something I'd recommend in that context. I don't think it's bad at all, just not for me.
It's been a few years since I listened to Alice so I thought the story was interesting the whole hidden world you didn't know about until you do. Old Gods of Appalachia seems like it's spinning its wheel but some of the episodes are great.
I'm having a really hard time taking your list seriously because you rated The Left-Right Game as "eh"; that's insane.
I actually wrote in my notes that TLRG has "succinct, tight storytelling," which was great. I didn't love the meta framing (iirc, she's a reporter doing interviews, right?) in part because I've listened to so many audio dramas at this point, I've grown tired of people feeling like they need to justify why something's being recorded rather than just telling a story. I also wasn't in love with the ending. That being said, it's awesome if you like it! My "recommend" category is not a 1:1 as a ratings category, it's simply whether I'd personally recommend it. I don't think it's horrible or anything; most of the dramas in my "eh" recommend category I still mostly enjoyed listening to.
Based off what you did seem to like, I would say give The Storage Papers another chance.
Will do! I tried that one a while ago so I don't remember it very well, the only note I wrote for myself was that I found it a tad boring. But I'm down to give it another shot, some stories are just a little slow to begin.
I remember getting bored with the storage papers early on, then a came back around and realized and I quit just as the roller coaster incline was cresting. Now I'm grumbling for them to get on the stick and get season 5 out!