Still Lives [Review]

"the future is now!"

Still Lives is a post-apocalyptic one-time drama series made by Studio Knox. It sets in an isolated farm, where five nameless survivors are living a relatively normal life, until one day, a sixth survivor comes knocking one night.

The podcast is very well acted, some part of audio design might be sounded a bit off, but it's nothing you can't forget a second later. The writing is good, there is no plot drag even in the middle of the series.

Dystopian story, especially post-apocalyptic is so easily fall into territory of either being too dark or too explanatory. Still Lives survived (heh) from this. Unlike some audio drama, I was not overwhelmed with details about scientific backstory in the first episode. It's just life as (almost) usual.

Strongest underlying theme of post apocalyptic stories is hope. The fact that the survivors are using labels as their go-to name mirrored the hesitancy of any attachment, fear of they might become more than just five strangers with a common basic motivation. There's no need to talk about the time-before or the time-that-might-be, surviving doesn't need a what-if. Yet when the sixth survivor came knocking on their door, the possibility of hope became something that rattles the cage of these survivors. It probably won't be a good thing, but it sure does become a proof that there is something more beyond their boundaries.

Note:

• Still Lives could be found in their official website, iTunes, tapeable, Libsyn, and or any podcatchers of your choice
• recommended if you like dystopia, post-apocalyptic story, strong acting
• caution for mild language, presence of gun, stressful situations, the usual post-apocalyptic package: death, illness, war and trauma; and the usual dystopia package: abandon-all-hope-ye-who-want-to-live.