The Earth Collective: Mad Max with a heart

Science Fiction. Post-apocalyptic. Mystery. Action. Each genre with an ever deepening well of content. So many ADs under so many genres and sub genres and microgenres, you never find yourself bereft of content. It is truly a glorious day when you can find an AD that just fits. I know, that sounds “wicked weird” as us Mainers say. Hear me out.

Every single one of us has a genre or two that we just fall in love with. We obsess and crave, yet when you actually listen to it, a great sense of calmness and happiness just seems to fill us. No better feeling, that is. For me, I can’t get enough of anything Sci-fi. Especially Space Opera. Oh, good lord I just lose myself in books like Old Man’s War, Leviathan Wakes, and The Spinward Fringe series.

Having said that, this AD is up there with those major works of art. Every single aspect just pulls me in and makes me crave more. The story is unique and inspired, the voice actors are phenomenal and very relaxing to me, and I just could not stop listening until I was caught up. Even then, I felt both sad that I caught up and elated that more is coming.

Make sure you’re strapped in, cause we’re about to have a very lovely day. Tune in for The Earth Collective

In this Sci-fi epic, we are introduced to Joseph Crane. Johnathan is our narrator for the majority of the show. His voice is lilting and his story is grand. He weaves a tale of desperation and hope as their ancestors set out among the stars from our own little ball of blue and green. Setting out, the ancestors hunted for a new planet to colonize and make their own. Picking a direction, they headed out with no assurances that they would find anything at all. What was estimated to take one generation of travel turned out to be far longer. Sending out their last probe to a nearby planet, they discover a habitable ecosystem on which they can thrive. So begins the tale of the planet Oasis.

This is all relayed to us by Joseph, the self-proclaimed last historian. He is recording to an ancient satellite Orbiter-1. This satellite was stationed in orbit to record transmissions sent via a specific frequency. Keep in mind, Joseph has no idea Orbiter-1 even still records anything at all. All he has ever known is the life of a mechanic aboard one of many vehicles comprising The Collective. Think Mad Max meets the Flotilla from Mass Effect. The Collective are basically moving cities, constantly rolling around the planet to escape The Darkness. Now, I won’t give away much more, so if I’ve piqued your interest so far, go give it a listen!

The Earth Collective is a welcome story to me personally. This is a podcast that I can just sit back and enjoy the story. There’s no intricate details I need to keep fresh in my mind, or clues strewn throughout that will be vital 30 episodes down the line. T.E.C offers a great sci-fi story without the massive amounts of technobabble that comes with sci-fi in a lot of cases.

This is another show that does so much with a limited cast. For the most part, Joseph is our only voice from The Collective. There are a few of the Cast (story Cast, not actor Cast….listen to the show and you’ll understand) that provide voices, and a mysterious woman that interrupts transmissions, but mostly it’s Joseph. The other VAs are quite spectacular and truly compliment Joseph.

The music chosen for this show blew me away. It’s beyond relaxing, which really fits with the narrative of the show. You are listening to someone chronicle their way of life in The Collective and how they manage their day to day. You get to understand some of the culture and enjoy falling in love with their society. On the flip side, you get to learn about the less savory aspects of The Collective, and yet the music flows expertly into and out of these parts. Truly great pieces to compliment a truly great show.

I would recommend this show to any and all who love to relax to Audio Drama, lovers of Mad Max, and sci-fi enthusiasts from every fandom!