The Otherverse: Submission is Pleasurable

Before I kick this thing off, I’d like to thank Laura Bramblette, longtime fan of the site, for getting me into this show!

I tend to find science fiction audio dramas come in two flavors; space opera and alien invasion. Having grown up with Star Wars and Star Trek, all while reading series like The Spinward Fringe and Old Man’s War, I derive great pleasure from Space Opera. When we talk of alien invasion, I’m willing to bet the first thought you have is of old time radio, H.G. Welles, and alien ships with long, stalk like legs taking humans for experiments.

War of the Worlds is, by and large, a staple of radio dramas. You’d be hard pressed to find anyone who hasn’t at least heard of it. Full of scares and suspense, great acting and amazing scripting, WotW is radio drama and alien invasion story done right.

Many audio productions have borrowed from this epic, however I have not seen an invasion story quite as lighthearted, funny, and entertaining as Otherverse.

Still in its infancy in terms of audio shows (I say infancy meaning less than five episodes), I find myself quite taken with it. You’re dropped into a typical invasion scenario from the start. Beings from what is called “The Otherverse” arrive to invade and colonize Earth. These beings speak to the planet’s inhabitants via radio broadcasts with important information such as how and where to surrender safely, and what a glorious opportunity humanity has been given to join the Otherverse Hierarchy.

Humanity is…less than pleased…

What follows is the attempts to take back our planet from these quirky quasi-beings, all through the avatar of humanity known only as The Champion.

From start to end, this show is nonstop entertainment. The voice actors deliver their lines like they are truly having fun, not just reading lines. I can’t blame them, the show is an entire UNIVERSE of fun! Just funny enough to bring a chuckle out of you, but serious enough that you don’t feel like you’re drowning in comedy. Yes, that’s a thing. I promise.

Production and sound design also gets high praise from me. I believe I heard the Wilhelm Scream in the first episode, but that’s about the only stock sound effect I could recognize. For some people, repeat sound effects doesn’t really bug them. I guess I tend to go slightly OCD with it. It doesn’t ruin my enjoyment, by any means! It’s just something I notice when I hear it.

This audio drama really stands out when it comes to invasion stories. Good laughs, great story, awesome voices and characters, you’d find it extremely difficult to find a show quite like this one! Give it a listen, and let @LauraBramblette know exactly how awesome this show is!