Set Phasers to Fun

Have you ever looked at a camper van and wondered what it would be like to cruise the universe in it? Do you ever look at your trusty VW T5 and think ‘Yeah it would look cooler with Warp Nacelles’? Or like me have you watched Spaceballs so much that the movie now comes with a health warning?

Well I have good news for you, there is a podcast that will unleash your imagination and free you from wondering if you can fit a Winnebago with a warp drive

Welcome to Oz 9, where home is where the ship hits the fan

NUTRITION INFORMATION: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS

Oz 9 is about the titular spacefaring vessel and the (in)competent crew that guide. When Gated Galaxies launched their fleet of “space worthy” Oz 8000 class ships, no one knew that the vast majority of them would explode in orbit, well anyone who knew that a hybrid between an RV and a Toaster doesn’t make a great spaceship could’ve guessed (and the Gated Galaxies executives), but our inept heroes and their onboard AI would manage to scrape through and go on an epic voyage across the stars.

It sounds like garbage when you put it like that but my words don’t do it justice. The characters are so different from one another that they work with each other. There is comedy, drama, suspense, action, and a touch of romance. Just think of it as if someone made Red Dwarf for the 21st Century. Lister is replaced by Captain Madeline, Rimmer is replaced by the martini swigging Colin, Cat is almost an amalgamation of the crew itself, and we find Kryton in the form of a somewhat homicidal robot with two heads and a mechanical zebra. Throughout the series the crew make new friends, save the Earth, and make friends with a God.

Oz 9 is clearly very carefully written in a way to make the listener feel like they are part of the crew, and the narrator somehow manages to be both an important part of the episode without stealing the show. The cast are incredibly talented and they manage to get you invested in the characters. By the end of the first season you’ll think they were your family.

Honestly it won’t be long before you are hooked and desperate for more. There are many sci-fi and pop culture references hidden throughout the show and listeners will get a surge of joy if and when they spot the reference. The show does a number of crossovers with other shows which does a good job of blending the two shows into one story seamlessly.

Good Points

The writing is excellent. It draws out the best in the cast

The characters aren’t flat 2 dimensional facsimiles of pop culture characters. They’re alive and stand out in their own unique ways which will make you invested in them from the get go

It’s a departure from established science fiction norms which is a good thing as it’s refreshing to follow the exploits of a crew you wouldn’t trust with a kettle let alone a spaceship

It’s a sci-if comedy, and who doesn’t love that combination of genres?

Bad Points

The show does play on some stereotypes for certain characters which can be a little frustrating considering that they are se well crafted to work homogeneously.

Some of the later episodes that split the episode between the ship and Earth can feel a little disjointed and can make you feel like you’ve missed something

Some of the running gags feel a little excessive at times, there is only so many times you can listen to someone complain about being Scottish (being from Scotland it does grate a little)

Conclusion

Despite some tired cliches and stereotypes, the show is excellent and I would highly recommend that people give it the old college try. You’ll be invested from episode 1 if you do. The way the show blends other genres into its science fiction comedy hotpot makes it a pleasure to listen to.

I would highly recommend this podcast

Oz 9

Written & Produced by Shannon Perry, Pete Barry, J. Michael DeAngelis and John Dowgin

Directed by June Clark Eubanks and J. Michael DeAngelis

Edited by Shannon Perry

Music by John Faley

Starring

Tim Sherborne as Colin, Head 2

Richard Nadolney as the Narrator

Shannon Perry as Olivia & Madeleine

Eric Perry as Joe, Dr von Haberzetser, Mr Southers, Head 1

Bonnie Brantley as Jessie & Donna

Richard Cowen as Leet

Aaron Clark as Le Bichon Frisé

June Clark Eubanks as The Albatross

Kevin Hall as Greg the Zebra

Sarah Golding as Mrs Sheffield

David S. Dear as Dr Theo Bromae

Kyle Jones as Narrator 2

Pip mason as The Announcer

Check it out at www.Oz-9.com or wherever you get your podcasts

Ta ta for now Space Monkeys