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[More_Badass]

First episode of Magnus, and I'm hooked. That was creepy, original, well-written, and well-acted

Very little filler. Tons of variety as well. (Not repeating the same shit over and over ala Black Tapes). Has much more of a Lovecraftian feel as well.

I need to check out S2, but that was my biggest gripe with The Black Tapes. It was so incredibly obvious what was going on by like halfway through, but the show treated it like this build-up to a big twist/reveal. So the season finale felt really anticlimatic and they keep looping back to the same events/elements throughout the season as if trying to be subtle while the listener (or at least me) was like "Come on, how can you not realize what is happening here?" for several episodes. In fact, I thought the penultimate episode of that season should have been the finale; it was creepier and had much bigger revelations

That obvious thing being that

Spoiler

the Black Tapes were all connected, and Strand was definitely not a skeptic and had ulterior motives

 

[blackw0lf]

The Magnus Archives is incredible. This thread delivers yet again.

Yea it's a shame so few people know about it. Granted it's only been on the air since March, but it's not even in the top 100 of podcasts in the Arts section.

And even though it's only been out since March, they have 30 episodes so far.

Hearing how the various stories start to link together is really cool.

 

[Russ T]

Okay fine I'll check out The Magnus Archives!

 

[Malyse]

Okay fine I'll check out The Magnus Archives!

Yeah, it earned a place in the OP.

 

[Sulik2]

OK the Man Upstairs episode of the Magnus Archives almost got me into a car wreck this morning. Holy crap and I thought the arachnophobia episode was creepy. This is the best fictional drama podcast running right now.

Sidenote The Fresh Prince of Belaroth rap during episode 73 of the magic tavern was one of funniest things I have ever heard.

 

[jon bones]

guess i'll start Magnus tonight!

 

[NingenJanai]

I listened to a few Night Vale episodes and it was great, I'll check some of the other shows, thanks for the recomendations.

 

[Chorazin]

Yea it's a shame so few people know about it. Granted it's only been on the air since March, but it's not even in the top 100 of podcasts in the Arts section.

And even though it's only been out since March, they have 30 episodes so far.

Hearing how the various stories start to link together is really cool.

Just subscribed, I'm excited! I'm behind on my fictional 'casts since I've been binge listening to My Dad Wrote a Porno and one of my new audiobooks. :/

 

[Natiko]

Over the past week I listened to everything available from Limetown, The Black Tapes, and Small Town Horror. I liked the first two quite a lot while finding the last one fairly boring and poorly narrated. Now to decide what I should listen to next. There's so many recommendations and different ones listed it's hard to choose! Thanks for all your work OP.

 

[Sulik2]

Over the past week I listened to everything available from Limetown, The Black Tapes, and Small Town Horror. I liked the first two quite a lot while finding the last one fairly boring and poorly narrated. Now to decide what I should listen to next. There's so many recommendations and different ones listed it's hard to choose! Thanks for all your work OP.

I'd definitely say start Tanis and the Magnus Archives. Kings Fall Am and the Magic Tavern if you want something lighter.

 

[blackw0lf]

I'd definitely say start Tanis and the Magnus Archives. Kings Fall Am and the Magic Tavern if you want something lighter.

I was having a hard time getting into Tanis in the first season. Has it gotten better?

 

[Sulik2]

I was having a hard time getting into Tanis in the first season. Has it gotten better?

I almost quit it mid season 1, but stuck with it and the last couple of episodes improve significantly and season 2 has been very solid. Nick doesn't just restate every single line of dialogue someone tells him in season two in the form of a question. Thank you!

 

[bengraven]

Goddamn that's a long OP full of stuff I want to listen to.

Anyone who likes Night Vale have opinions on King's Falls AM? I love early NV to death but it starts to get so into it's own story that the funny, random anecdotes about town life started to be replaced by more obscurity for the sake of weirdness.

 

[Malyse]

Goddamn that's a long OP full of stuff I want to listen to.

Anyone who likes Night Vale have opinions on King's Falls AM? I love early NV to death but it starts to get so into it's own story that the funny, random anecdotes about town life started to be replaced by more obscurity for the sake of weirdness.

if you miss the random anecdotes, you'll love kings fall

 

[Sulik2]

Goddamn that's a long OP full of stuff I want to listen to.

Anyone who likes Night Vale have opinions on King's Falls AM? I love early NV to death but it starts to get so into it's own story that the funny, random anecdotes about town life started to be replaced by more obscurity for the sake of weirdness.

I quit listening to NV 10 episodes in cause I hated the randomness, but I really like Kings Fall. Its quite funny at times and they really nail the late night talk show vibe. It has lots of heart too.

 

[Malyse]

I quit listening to NV 10 episodes in cause I hated the randomness, but I really like Kings Fall. Its quite funny at times and they really nail the late night talk show vibe. It has lots of heart too.

You, on the other hand, quit too soon.

 

[jon bones]

yeah, even if you hate the first 10 episodes of Welcome to Night Vale, you need to listen to

Episode 13: A Story About You

http://podbay.fm/show/536258179/e/1355576400?autostart=1



hell, if you only listen to 1 episode of the series... make it that one. listening to it while dozing off at night is the best.

 

[Russ T]

Just lying in bed listening to The Magnus Archives until I fall asleep.

UH THIS IS GOOD also I probably shouldn't make it the last thing I listen to before sleeping...

 

[Regulus Tera]

I just went through fifty episodes of Thrilling Adventure Hour in less than a week. Help.

Spoiler

Beyond Belief > Sparks Nevada > Captain Laserbeam > Moonshine Holler

 

[Jamie OD]

I just went through fifty episodes of Thrilling Adventure Hour in less than a week. Help.

Spoiler

Beyond Belief > Sparks Nevada > Captain Laserbeam > Moonshine Holler

Yeah that's about right.

 

[OceanicAir]

Finished the first season of Archive 81, I enjoyed it and the company is putting out a new podcast stating August 24 in the meantime before S2 later this year called The Deep Vault.

Also, started the Magnus Archives, was in my list but just bumped it up due to the praise here. I like it so far can't wait to see where it goes. Additionally, I listened to a podcast called Help Me, a low budget one but I enjoyed it for what it was and they did well for their capabilities imo.

 

[Malyse]

Finished the first season of Archive 81, I enjoyed it and the company is putting out a new podcast stating August 24 in the meantime before S2 later this year called The Deep Vault.

Also, started the Magnus Archives, was in my list but just bumped it up due to the praise here. I like it so far can't wait to see where it goes. Additionally, I listened to a podcast called Help Me, a low budget one but I enjoyed it for what it was and they did well for their capabilities imo.

I wasn't going to bring up Help Me because it's pretty low quality. Interesting premise, but terrible execution. They frame it like they aren't breaking immersion and then they overproduce by adding musical cues and little previews of the episode. Plus the friends' reactions is a unrealistic as the acting is stilted. I'll finish it because it's short, but I can't in good faith recommend it. It's kinda sad.

----

I just today finished what's out of Kakos Industries. This show is Night Vale. Like, you know how The Black Tapes is trying to be Serial? Kakos is trying sooo hard to be an edgy Night Vale by talking about sex and saying "fuck" a lot. It's actually pretty off putting at the start, but occasionally they absolutely nail a satirical point. Recommendation is directly proportional to your enjoyment of Night Vale but multiplied by your tolerance of vulgarity.

 

[OceanicAir]

I wasn't going to bring up Help Me because it's pretty low quality. Interesting premise, but terrible execution. They frame it like they aren't breaking immersion and then they overproduce by adding musical cues and little previews of the episode. Plus the friends' reactions is a unrealistic as the acting is stilted. I'll finish it because it's short, but I can't in good faith recommend it. It's kinda sad.

----

I just today finished what's out of Kakos Industries. This show is Night Vale. Like, you know how The Black Tapes is trying to be Serial? Kakos is trying sooo hard to be an edgy Night Vale by talking about sex and saying "fuck" a lot. It's actually pretty off putting at the start, but occasionally they absolutely nail a satirical point. Recommendation is directly proportional to your enjoyment of Night Vale but multiplied by your tolerance of vulgarity.

Oh yeah, the acting isn't great but I enjoyed the story overall. I actually liked how they presented the story overall and they used audio effects very well in the context of their story, probably one of my favorite uses. Some of the music was quite unnecessary though and got way too loud. But I'm an easy to please person when it comes to my media and tend not to stock acting as highly as story. Not the best out there but I enjoyed it more than Small Town Horror for instance. It's real short anyways, about 3 hours overall so it wouldn't take too much time either way.

 

[More_Badass]

Had to get through a bunch of other shows beforehand, so now I'm getting around to listening to Magnus Archives regularly and the quality continues. I think it's edging out Black Tapes and Bright Sessions as my favorite

It does a lot of things well, that work in its favor. For one, it's one guy talking so there's none of that back-and-forth that can feel so stilted and forced in other shows. Dialogue can feel really fake when they're trying to pretend it's a real conversation.

Also, Magnus Archives nails the conversational tone of the recorded transcripts; it sounds like he's reading someone's descriptions of events rather than trying to act like he's the guy relaying the events (i.e. Small Town Horror).

Besides those aspects, the show masterfully delivers mystery. These stories are often from a limited perspective, so there isn't really an explanation for why things happen or what the happenings are. These eerie things just happen and we're left in the dark just like the people who were telling the story. We're not trying solve what's going like in Black Tapes. Because of that, the story in Magnus Archives have such a great sense of creepy unknown.

Of course these are only the first few episodes, so I hope the later episodes keep up that unknown vibe

 

[Malyse]

Had to get through a bunch of other shows beforehand, so now I'm getting around to listening to Magnus Archives regularly and the quality continues. I think it's edging out Black Tapes and Bright Sessions as my favorite

It does a lot of things well, that work in its favor. For one, it's one guy talking so there's none of that back-and-forth that can feel so stilted and forced in other shows. Dialogue can feel really fake when they're trying to pretend it's a real conversation.

Also, Magnus nails the conversational tone of the recorded transcripts; it sounds like he's reading someone's descriptions of events rather than trying to act like he's the guy relaying the events (i.e. Small Town Horror).

Besides those aspects, the show masterfully delivers mystery. These stories are often from a limited perspective, so there isn't really an explanation for why things happen or what the happenings are. These eerie things just happen and we're left in the dark just like the people who were telling the story. We're not trying solve what's going like in Black Tapes. Because of that, the story in Magnus Archives have such a great sense of creepy unknown.

Of course these are only the first few episodes, so I hope the later episodes keep up that unknown vibe

Spoiler

There's an overarching plot.

Dunno what it is though.

 

[More_Badass]

Spoiler

There's an overarching plot.

Dunno what it is though.

I don't mind that as long as the events in episodes remain somewhat unexplained (as opposed to Black Tapes where Alex kind of closes the case each episode).

Spoiler

Like in episode 2 of Magnus, you never find out what was in the coffin or what the screaming was or why John wanted it or why the guy was drawn to opening it in his sleep, but in Black Tapes, Alex would probably find some info that would give some clues or some records about what was going with the coffin

 

[Malyse]

I don't mind that as long as the events in episodes remain somewhat unexplained (as opposed to Black Tapes where Alex kind of closes the case each episode).

Spoiler

Like in episode 2 of Magnus, you never find out what was in the coffin or what the screaming was or why John wanted it or why the guy was drawn to opening it in his sleep, but in Black Tapes, Alex would probably find some info that would give some clues or some records about what was going with the coffin

Oh that doesn't happen.

 

[More_Badass]

Magnus Archives 15 "Piecemeal" was chilling and it ended on the perfect note. Man, this show is so good. No other series has hooked me like this before; I'm listening to three episodes at a time. Where other series have extensive audio effects and multiple actors, this one nails creepy and unsettling through the writing alone

 

[Malyse]

If you're digging PNWS, I wholeheartedly recommend The Search.

 

[DagsJT]

The Magnus Archives is pretty solid based on the first four episodes. The narrator has a great voice and he tells the stories well.

The stories are fairly creepy I guess, but it's hard to get creeped out too much by audio, I wonder if maybe it's more of a visual thing.

This and Magic Tavern are my go to's now, with Night Vale taking a back seat.

 

[Chorazin]

The past two Night Vale episodes were pretty good, I really liked this week's.

Need to download some more of the Magnus Archive episodes, I listened to the first 15 and really enjoyed them. Kinda hoping we get more of a plot through, the plot teases are ok but I need a little more meat.

 

[Malyse]

The stories are fairly creepy I guess, but it's hard to get creeped out too much by audio, I wonder if maybe it's more of a visual thing.

Keep listening.

 

[LuffyZoro]

I'm really enjoying Ars Paradoxica. I've thrown off the rest of my podcast schedule because I just want to listen to its episodes one after another, haha.

 

[Sulik2]

yeah, even if you hate the first 10 episodes of Welcome to Night Vale, you need to listen to

Episode 13: A Story About You

http://podbay.fm/show/536258179/e/1355576400?autostart=1

hell, if you only listen to 1 episode of the series... make it that one. listening to it while dozing off at night is the best.

What is supposed to special about this episode? Its alright, but no better or worse then the rest of the show. It was annoying that they did one straight story and still worked in a stupid song. Nightvale just isn't for me.

Need to download some more of the Magnus Archive episodes, I listened to the first 15 and really enjoyed them. Kinda hoping we get more of a plot through, the plot teases are ok but I need a little more meat.

The plot starts to build in the later third of the episodes. You're about to get to the two creepiest episodes. Arachnophobia and the Man Upstairs.

If you're digging PNWS, I wholeheartedly recommend The Search.

Have a link? Not finding it in my Podkicker anywhere when searching.

 

[Malyse]

I'm really enjoying Ars Paradoxica. I've thrown off the rest of my podcast schedule because I just want to listen to it's episodes one after another, haha.

Schedules are for suckers.

Have a link? Not finding it in my Podkicker anywhere when searching.

http://www.thesearchpodcast.com/season1/

 

[Mr. F]

Did Limetown get better toward the end? Maybe I was expecting too much in terms of a more straight-faced approach, but some of the plot elements that came into play a couple episodes in started to feel a bit cheesy, especially with the earnestness of the host's narration.

 

[Sulik2]

Did Limetown get better toward the end? Maybe I was expecting too much in terms of a more straight-faced approach, but some of the plot elements that came into play a couple episodes in started to feel a bit cheesy, especially with the earnestness of the host's narration.

Get to the last episode. Limetown ends very differently then you would expect. It puts the whole season in a different light. Its fantastic.

 

[More_Badass]

Get to the last episode. Limetown ends very differently then you would expect. It puts the whole season in a different light. Its fantastic.

I'll need to give it another shot. Lost interest after a few episodes

 

[Chorazin]

Did Limetown get better toward the end? Maybe I was expecting too much in terms of a more straight-faced approach, but some of the plot elements that came into play a couple episodes in started to feel a bit cheesy, especially with the earnestness of the host's narration.

I liked Limetown a lot, the ending was pretty freaking cool. Looking forward to seeing what they do with Season 2, if there is one.

 

[Malyse]

Limetown is a top ten podcast.

 

[Chorazin]

The plot starts to build in the later third of the episodes. You're about to get to the two creepiest episodes. Arachnophobia and the Man Upstairs.

Listened to Arachnophobia, and it was fine. I'm not creeped out by spiders so that was all lost on me.

 

[cjdunn]

Re: The Magnus Archives
I'm so happy that's it's not just an anthology series, even as good as it has been.
The growing lore is good with recurring characters (rogues gallery?):

Spoiler

Jurgen Leitner, Gerard Kaey, Breekon & Hope and, of course, Jane Prentiss

BTW Ep. 32 is up: "Hive"

Spoiler

Case #0142302 Statement of Jane Prentiss, regarding a wasps nest in her attic.

 

[cjdunn]

The past two Night Vale episodes were pretty good, I really liked this week's.

Need to download some more of the Magnus Archive episodes, I listened to the first 15 and really enjoyed them. Kinda hoping we get more of a plot through, the plot teases are ok but I need a little more meat.

Oh there's... there's more of that.

 

[p0rl]

Liking The Magnus Archives so far. It has supplanted TBT/Tanis as my go-to mystery pod cast.

I loved the Black Tapes to start with, but after the last episode I think I might drop it. It has been meandering for a while. I feel like Tanis is going the same way... and given the success of the Patreon campaign I can't imagine there is a neat ending to be had any time soon. Good luck to them all the same.

 

[Chorazin]

Oh there's... there's more of that.

Just finished that episode, I guess I foreshadowed myself! That episode was more like it.

 

[More_Badass]

Magnus 17, The Boneturner's Tale: "

Spoiler

I started to chase after him until I saw how he was moving. How many limbs he had. He had...added a few extras...

"

Stuff like that is why I like this series so much. Just enough details to be creepy and get your imaginations racing. What you imagine in your head is far more unsettling than any detailed description could offer.

Edit: The Man Upstairs nails it again.
"

Spoiler

It opened its eyes...It opened all its eyes

"

 

[More_Badass]

New series from the Archive 81 creators

The Deep Vault

The Deep Vault is a serialized, seven-episode audio drama set in in the almost-post-apocalyptic United States. The story follows a group of longtime friends as they journey from the uninhabitable surface world into a mysterious underground bunker in search of safety, shelter, and answers to their past.

Robotic servants, tooth-filled monsters, and terrible computers collide within the claustrophobic, steel-reinforced walls of The Deep Vault, a modern day homage to the golden age of sci-fi radio drama.

Only the teaser is up now. Schedule is every other Wednesday

 

[DagsJT]

I wish all of the transcripts in The Magnus Archives didn't sound like they were written by the same person. They all sound like they were written by someone upper class and very well spoken. And always the same pauses between words which, maybe the narrator would speak that way, I doubt all of the contributors paused as much as this.

There's no way someone from Salford speaks like in The Piper episode.

I know it's for effect and atmosphere but it's starting to sound all too similar. Is it always the same narrator?

 

[Chorazin]

I know it's for effect and atmosphere but it's starting to sound all too similar. Is it always the same narrator?

Nope.

 

[Malyse]

New series from the Archive 81 creators

The Deep Vault

Only the teaser is up now. Schedule is every other Wednesday

I'm in. It seems like things are going to go terribly for them.