Author Topic: The Best of The Drabblecast  (Read 8887 times)

Unblinking

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on: June 23, 2010, 02:03:59 AM
My new Best Of list.  (for those of you aren't on the Drabblecast forums)

http://www.diabolicalplots.com/?p=1441



Talia

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Reply #1 on: June 23, 2010, 02:21:35 AM
*eyes list suspiciously*

Something's wrong. There's a noticable lack of 'Let us now praise awesome dinosaurs.'

:p

Also, needs moar Tim Pratt's 'The Fallen & the Muse of the Street' :p

(I would substitute out Moustaches and Cart for those two, personally).

Oh wait, and needs more 'The Elves Hate You,' too. I think I'd personally give the Robert Reed story the boot for that one.



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Reply #2 on: June 23, 2010, 03:02:19 AM
Definitely needs more Awesome Dinosaurs.  It has awesome dinosaurs right in the title.



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Reply #3 on: June 23, 2010, 04:02:05 AM
Definitely needs more Awesome Dinosaurs.  It has awesome dinosaurs right in the title.

I just listened to this story for the first time this morning (I don't know how I missed it earlier - it's right there in the title) and I have to say IMO, it's one of the crowning achievements of the Drabblecast. Right up there with Annabelle's Alphabet and Teddy Bears and Tea Parties. (Other faves that didn't make this list are The Second Conquest of Earth, Starry Night, and Gifting Bliss.)

But Awesome Dinosaurs...I just can't get around it. I'm sure it was a very good story when it originally ran at SH, but the production Norm put into it - the music, effects, the voices from the Dunesteef gang and Earl Newton, it's easily one of the best, most entertaining podcasts I've listened to in the last 12 months. It's just...well, AWESOME.

(Good list, though, Unblinking. I know you were thinking about not listening to DC after hitting all the EA podcasts, and I'm glad you did.)


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Reply #4 on: June 24, 2010, 05:27:58 PM
(Good list, though, Unblinking. I know you were thinking about not listening to DC after hitting all the EA podcasts, and I'm glad you did.)

I'm glad I did too.  My taste in fiction tends toward the weird and the Drabblecast provides that.  The reason I'd thought about not picking up new podcasts is because I listen to them on my commute and that used to be the time when I did most of my story brainstorming.  So I'd probably get more writing done if I just restricted myself to EA casts.  But I don't get that much chance to sit down and read with my eyes, so I'm enjoying reading as much as I can with my ears, even if my story output suffers from it.  :)
« Last Edit: June 24, 2010, 05:37:29 PM by Unblinking »



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Reply #5 on: June 24, 2010, 05:36:58 PM
Definitely needs more Awesome Dinosaurs.  It has awesome dinosaurs right in the title.

That one was okay, but it didn't end up being anywhere near as cool as it was trying to be.  The title was terrible, for starters.  The story had a lot of hot-button elements that are generally considered awesome, but didn't really add much substance.  I can see the author brainstorming: 

"What should I write about?  Dinosaurs!  Everyone loves dinosaurs.  What else does everyone like?  monster trucks!  And motocross!  But dinosaurs are too stupid to drive vehicles.  Not anymore they're not--they're intelligent and they drive extreme vehicles.  But then what happens?  How can I possibly top a dinosaur in a monster truck.  Dinosaur fights to the death, cage-match style."

I'm a little bit surprised that the kidnapper didn't end up being an evil robot monkey.  And, yes, all of those things are cool ideas but duct taping them all together does not an awesome story make (for me).   ::)



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Reply #6 on: June 24, 2010, 05:38:22 PM
The Elves Hate You... hmmm... that title doesn't ring a bell.  I hope I didn't miss one.



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Reply #7 on: June 24, 2010, 05:41:00 PM
The Elves Hate You... hmmm... that title doesn't ring a bell.  I hope I didn't miss one.


Ah, that was on B-Sides?  I've only listened to the main 'cast so far.



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Reply #8 on: June 24, 2010, 05:41:40 PM
That one was okay, but it didn't end up being anywhere near as cool as it was trying to be.  The title was terrible, for starters. 

See, this is where we fight.  ;D  I thought that title was exactly what it should be. It reflected the story perfectly.

Not that I expect to persuade your or anything, but all the awesome/hysterical situations you mentioned just kept cracking me up - geez, I wish someone would send that episode to Wes Anderson so he could make an animated movie out of it. Get John Cusack and Owen Wilson on it STAT! It just hit all my buttons.



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Reply #9 on: June 24, 2010, 05:47:59 PM
That one was okay, but it didn't end up being anywhere near as cool as it was trying to be.  The title was terrible, for starters. 

See, this is where we fight.  ;D  I thought that title was exactly what it should be. It reflected the story perfectly.

Not that I expect to persuade your or anything, but all the awesome/hysterical situations you mentioned just kept cracking me up - geez, I wish someone would send that episode to Wes Anderson so he could make an animated movie out of it. Get John Cusack and Owen Wilson on it STAT! It just hit all my buttons.

If it reflected the story perfectly, perhaps it's fitting that I didn't like either one!   ;D

And your casting choice is even fitting.  I have little appreciation for Owen Wilson.  I kind of liked him in Shanghai Noon, but every character he plays is exactly the same as the others, and it always seems that his character is supposed to be way more charming than he comes off as.  I do like John Cusack, though.



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Reply #10 on: June 24, 2010, 05:54:16 PM
Yeah, I don't think Owen Wilson is a great actor, but when he's given the right part (and perhaps under a capable director), he makes me smile.


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Reply #11 on: June 24, 2010, 06:09:03 PM
Gotta say I'm with DKT on this one 100%. Awesome Dinosaurs was everything could I want in an absurdly funny story. :p

Come to think of it, if you weren't impressed by Awesome Dinosaurs you likely won't be by Elves either, I adored them both to death because they're written with a somewhat similar sense of humor, which is 10000% compatible with mine. :)



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Reply #12 on: June 24, 2010, 06:47:01 PM
Definitely needs more Awesome Dinosaurs.  It has awesome dinosaurs right in the title.

That one was okay, but it didn't end up being anywhere near as cool as it was trying to be.  The title was terrible, for starters.  The story had a lot of hot-button elements that are generally considered awesome, but didn't really add much substance.  I can see the author brainstorming: 

"What should I write about?  Dinosaurs!  Everyone loves dinosaurs.  What else does everyone like?  monster trucks!  And motocross!  But dinosaurs are too stupid to drive vehicles.  Not anymore they're not--they're intelligent and they drive extreme vehicles.  But then what happens?  How can I possibly top a dinosaur in a monster truck.  Dinosaur fights to the death, cage-match style."

I'm a little bit surprised that the kidnapper didn't end up being an evil robot monkey.  And, yes, all of those things are cool ideas but duct taping them all together does not an awesome story make (for me).   ::)


The genius of that story, to me, is that it still ends up being a really haunting character portrait while, as you say, duct-taping awesome ideas together.  That was the whole point, really; taking that and making it an actual story instead of just a list of awesome things.



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Reply #13 on: February 06, 2012, 02:41:16 PM