Modern Radio Drama

OTR - Old Time Radio
Old Time Radio has some competition with the Radio Drama of today. There is not much difference between the two. Today’s Radio Dramas sometimes known as Radio Plays or Audio Drama has shown that the ideas of yesteryear, still has some staying power with Big Screen and Television. The Sci Fi Channel, “Seeing Ear Theater,” “The Twilight Zone Radio Dramas” and Big Finish Productions “Doctor Who” are three series, which are proof.

The modern radio dramas of today have an advantage over its predecessor in that the technologies of today have made for cleaner listening. Digital recording, sound rooms; no longer will you hear that freight train as it rolled past the radio station. Mistakes can be edited out and re-recorded.

The Twilight Zone started back in the days of black/white television and has now made its transition in 2002 into radio on Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Radio. It is also available in the audio section of the larger bookstores on CD. To date, there are nine volumes of stories. Old Time Radio fans of suspense, mystery, fantasy and science fiction will enjoy this collection.

The Sci Fi Channel has a selection of Audio Shows known as the Seeing Ear Theater, (SET). Two episodes from the “Tales from the Crypt” series stand out from my own listening. “By the light of the Silvery Moon” John Ritter plays a modern day sheriff trying to keep the peace between ranchers and environmentalists. An outer world animal caught between this political battle is more interested in making them lunch. Hmmm … Watch out Al Gore. “Fare Tonight, Followed by Increasing Clottiness” is the story of a cab driver named Bhaya that is caught up in a wild nighttime adventure with a vampire hunter. However, not all, is as it seems. There are a number of shows available, let us hope they make more.

Lastly across the pond in England is Big Finish Productions, Doctor Who. The story of an alien time lord that can regenerate into new versions of himself, flying through time and space to save Earth and the rest of the galaxy.

With cell phone use being restricted while driving, it is conceivable that Mini-Television and portable DVD players could also be restricted. It was extremely apparent with a recent car ride I had and the passing driver had a portable DVD player on the dashboard. Sorry to say “HE” got close enough for me to see it was not a GPS unit. If Mini-Televisions and portable DVD players get restricted, Radio Dramas will be able to fill this void nicely.