While I was busy doing my 30 Day Challenge, I made a new discovery and am all the better for it. There is a bimonthly podcast called Welcome to Night Vale that now rocks my world. Set in roughly half hour segments, the story is told in the form of announcements broadcast my Cecil, the dj at Night Vale Community Radio. Cecil has a soothing voice and rather proper ideas about how the world should be. He's adorable in a Tim Gunn kind of way. He's obsessed with a new scientist who moved to town named Carlos.
Carlos claims to have come to Night Vale because it's the most 'scientifically interesting' town in America. That's putting it mildly. Night Vale has evil politicians, even more evil librarians, a five headed dragon, angels, mysterious hooded figures, and a dog park that is so sinister no one is even supposed to talk about it.
During each broadcast, Cecil tells the story of whatever weird event is happening in the town, occasionally adding in community announcements, health tips, or other news worthy items. And even though everything he says is strange, he speaks about it as if it's just an everyday thing and no big deal. This actually makes it all the more fun.
The best part about the show, however, is that small details mentioned in one episode may come back at a later point to be a major plot point. This kind of structured storytelling gives the town a feeling of realness, even if everything happening there is quite insane.
There are also some large plot elements that are happening. I'm quite invested in Cecil's relationship with Carlos and the potential for a new mayor (right now, the 5 headed dragon and the woman with no face seem to be the most likely contenders). I also really want intern Dana to make it back home (if she does, she'll be the only Night Vale Community Radio intern to not have met a horrible ending). If you enjoy the weird, you might want to give it a try. You'll be a happier person for it.
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