A relatively new anthology audio drama podcast, The Nameless Chronicles’ format likens back to the “Twilight Zone.” For younger audiences “Black Mirror” from Netflix might be a better-known comparison. Some of the stories might seem to offer some insight about the human condition. However, like murky water, it’s impossible to see the bottom. What looks deep from above is actually shallow when testing it out.
Tibetan Buddhist Debates and Logical Fallacies
I’m skipping the first story for reasons that should be clear by the end of this review. The second story is a great example of edginess not equaling great depth. It turns a debate into a sporting event. Something similar actually exists in certain Asian countries, most notably Tibet. It’s not as westernized as what this story presents, but the premises are almost identical.
As cool as the idea of a debate sporting event might sound, the execution leaves much of the implied intellectualization much to be desired. If one stops to think about the logic behind what each contestant is saying, a lot of them are fallacies. The most egregious one is when the current champion takes a personal shot at his opponent as if that proves his claim correct? I’m not even sure if it counts an ad hominem attack because what they’re arguing about isn’t defined. They’re both just saying statements which only seem smart.
Nameless Chronicles Lightning Round
Episode two, while not great, achieves something the others don’t: memorability. Out of the eight episodes out at the time of this writing, only the debate sport episode had a lasting impact months after listening. A close second is the one titled “Standard Procedure” about an agency dealing with otherworldly threats. The voice actor playing the protagonist, Santa Rosa, nails the eagerness of a new recruit without making them come across as annoying.
There’s a lot of worldbuilding in episode eight of The Nameless Chronicles woven throughout the dialogue through exposition. Most goes over your head, but it’s still engaging to a point. Shortly before the twist and most everything afterward the intrigue begins to die down. The dialogue between protagonist and alien becomes overloaded with philosophical questions of free will and consciousness that your mind begins to tune it out. This would be interesting if it spent more time on the quandaries it brings up.
Ending on a positive note, the production and voice acting is par for the course with these type of shows. The standout performances came from the debate sport episode titled: “The Proper Instruction” and the episode after called “Howling of the Wind.” I’m cautiously optimistic this series will continue to improve on the intellectual depth of their stories. Some make you think, but about the wrong things.
8/10 Stars
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