Nanny state
Earth Again review
Production company – Wildsky Studios
Rating – 
As I said a little while back, post apocalyptic audio dramas seem to be experiencing something of a boom at the moment. We’ve had shows exploring different world ending scenarios, cyberpunk extravaganzas, and even musicals set in a dark future. I guess it’s a sign of the times with the news media constantly stoking fear and encouraging people to stockpile water and tinned food.
I subscribed to this podcast literally off the back of the logo. What can I say, my family knows I’m a sucker for packaging! The title was intriguing too, so it stood out on the list that the algorithms decided I might like.
So what’s it about?
10 years ago, a global event sent humanity back to a time before electricity. Not only that, but mysterious machines called “nannies” made sure that nobody even tried to use electricity. They are constantly on patrol, and even owning a battery, could be grounds for “removal”.
As you would expect, humanity reluctantly adapts to this new situation. Unfortunately, some people can’t. 16 year old Love for example, the protagonist of the tale, was fitted with a pacemaker as a child, and the battery is starting to run out.
Liv’s father, an ex NASA engineer, knows about a top secret medical facility, designed for a trip to Mars, but mothballed after the arrival of The Nannies. Liv’s only chance of survival is to make the dangerous trip to Seattle to find this medical facility.
Is it any good?
I’m really enjoying this one. It’s similar enough to stories that we all know, without ripping anyone off. It reminds me of a mix of The Tripods, The Last Of Us, and a series called Revolution (if you remember that).
The writing is excellent. The characters are believable, and react in a realistic way. There doesn’t seem to be many tropes on display here, which is refreshing. The voice acting is also outstanding. Thanks to some brilliant sound design, you can really believe you are in an actual, lived in world. It’s one of the most immersive experiences I’ve had in recent times, and as the story progresses, I defy you not to feel your stomach drop when The Nannies appear suddenly.
Final thoughts
I really can’t recommend this show enough. As this year has gone on, the standard of shows I’ve been listening to has gone up exponentially. It’s not a perfect show, but it is very close. I can’t wait to hear what happens as they reach Seattle, and hopefully it will answer some other, more mysterious questions that occur earlier on.
I feel like I should probably apologise to some creators who are waiting for their turn for a review. When I write, I tend to shake my head and see what words fall out. Some reviews are easier to write than others, so they inevitably get published first. I promise I’ll try to clear the backlog though. There’s some great podcasts with half written reviews, just waiting to be finished.
You can get Earth Again here:
https://www.greatpods.co/podcasts/earth-again-7986255
For more great reviews, I recommend GreatPods