Make Escape Pod more like Drabblecast

[Theory42]

Seriously, this podcast is better.

[Algernon Sydney is Dead]

Yes it is, but shouldn't you be posting this on the Escape Pod forums?

[Varda]

Well, they already got joint custody of Norm, the greedy bastards!

What's next? Their own 100-word story contest? What would they even call them? "Escabbles?"

[tbaker2500]

Well, they already got joint custody of Norm, the greedy bastards!

What's next? Their own 100-word story contest? What would they even call them? "Escabbles?"

No, Escapeables!
I can quit anytime I want. I'll just Escape!

[ROU Killing Time]

While the chain of Parsec awards would tend to support the OPs thesis let us not forget that EP inspired a strange young aspiring podcaster to start the Drabblecast in the first place.

[tbaker2500]

Who was that?

[Varda]

Who was that?

Something something... it's on the tip of my tongue... Squeegie Jinglesbee, I think?

Someone ask Hillary, I bet she'd remember.

[Algernon Sydney is Dead]

Nope, she's got PD1 in the DC. This is just a cast, write-wing conspiracy!


1Plausible deniability

[ROU Killing Time]

I'm a bit surprised Comedy Central hasn't stolen Norm away from us. Or SyFy could do Norm.0 and embarrass Tosh for being so lame by comparison.

[strawman]

I think this thread should be on the EP forum. It just sounds like potstirring provocation over here. Remember the firestorm when Norm started hosting EP? They clearly have some members over there who would be threatened with banning if they voiced their aggressively heretical opinions over here.

[Varda]

If we're being serious, I suppose it would depend on what's meant by making EP more "like" DC. If they mean in terms of story selection, they're just two different brands, which both our shared Fearless Leader and Fearless Submission Editor know and account for in the story selection. IMHO, both casts play a great selection of stories, although of slightly different sorts.

If they mean that EP should have similar production values (music, sound effects, etc), there's probably room for a discussion about it at EA since I know at least some percentage of their listeners would agree. But it's also important to remember that all three EA podcasts tend toward a stripped-down style with just a narrator and a story presented as-is, and that a lot of the listeners prefer it this way. To provide a frame of reference, listen to EP# 421 ("Bright Moment"), where some nice ocean sound effects are used to establish changes in setting. Even these very simple additions got a few complaints on the forums, mainly because some people found them distracting (which is fair; it took me a couple episodes to get used to DC's style after being an EA listener for so long).

Anyway, I'd agree that if Theory42 had some specific suggestions, he'd do better to take 'em to EA. But if he just wanted to start some hilarious speculation about how a Drabble would translate to EP, then I'm plenty amused. (I'm now thinking they'd be called "Escape Poddles", incidentally)

[gunsofchekhovia]

I'll confess that I haven't listened to Escape Pod very recently, but I have listened to it a couple of times since Norm started hosting it. I've always liked the style of the EA casts as well as the style of Drabblecast, and I'm not sure either is better than the other (save for that period when Alasdair's intros on Pseudopod were nigh unlistenable because of his laptop fan or whatever). I love the ear-candy production style along with the stories DC runs, but I've always loved Pseudopod just the way it is too.

[danthelawyer]

Yes, yes, yes. Almost every week, I love DC, and almost every week I'm sorely disappointed by EP. The last couple of EP stories have been well-nigh unlistenable.

On the other hand, EP has the Hugo nominees, and does run some longer stuff that doesn't usually make it onto DB.

I really came here, though, to suggest that DC be more like EP in one respect: how about a $2/month subscription, like over at EP? I know I shouldn't be so stingy, but $5/month minimum is just a tad more than I can afford -- considering I spend about $80/year on the New Yorker, and that gives me not just a story every week, but lots of other stuff too. I would gladly pop for $2/month, as I did over at EP.

[strawman]

But can New Yorker's art compare to Bo's?
How about a 20% contingency fee? DC doesn't get paid unless you get paid...

Disclaimer: The opinions of strawman are his own, and do not necessarily reflect those of cast management. Side effects may include dizziness, nausea, headaches, boils, anal discharge, hair loss and bloody ear wax. Do not take advice if you are pregnant, or otherwise ripe. In case of floaters, discontinue advice and consult an attorney immediately.

[tbaker2500]

I really came here, though, to suggest that DC be more like EP in one respect: how about a $2/month subscription, like over at EP? I know I shouldn't be so stingy, but $5/month minimum is just a tad more than I can afford -- considering I spend about $80/year on the New Yorker, and that gives me not just a story every week, but lots of other stuff too. I would gladly pop for $2/month, as I did over at EP.

It's something worth considering. I do know that Norm is the very definition of a starving artist. So the question is, if a $2/mo option is available, does that keep more people from choosing the $5/mo option? We'd have to pick up 3 at the $2 level for every 1 who we pick up at the $5 level to make it worth it.

I'd like to point out that the the bulk of any paper is paid for by ads. Your subscription costs is more of an entrance tax.

Hey, I'm practicing my guilt trips here. How's this: So ultimately, you have to ask yourself every time you are at Starbucks, "Could I go without just one cup a month, in order to help Norm move up from eating dog food to stay alive to being able to go to Aldi's and buy their leftovers?"
How'd I do??

[Varda]

I can say as a point of information that the $2 subscription was wildly popular with listeners at EA. I suspect that the overall effect would be to give people who can't afford $5 a way to participate rather than driving down the number of potential $5 subscribers, or encouraging $5 subscribers to give less.

[Algernon Sydney is Dead]

I agree. $2 a month, "a buck a show" etc., are psychologically different from even $5 a month.

I am reasonably sure (in the absence of hard data) that DC will get more total money if they offer a $2 a month option.

Consider that Netflix plans start at $8 a month and, for that, I can watch 4 to 7 DVD's, per month, or stream a crapton of video shows.

The scuttlebutt I hear is that people tend to think an audio podcast is fairly priced at about the same as an iTunes audio track. EG: roughly 79¢ to 99¢ for an hour or less of reliable, audio entertainment.

[tbaker2500]

I'll make sure Norm sees this.

[MatWeller]

I may be oversensitive as the EP producer, but the whole premise of this thread is ludicrous. Why isn't Spin Magazine more like Entertainment Weekly? Why isn't Jeopardy more like Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Why aren't teams that play football under domes in an "NFL-lite" league since they're not really playing football?

Who knows? Who cares? Subscribe or don't -- ain't no thang. If you have specific creative suggestions or criticisms, we welcome you to voice them on our forum but walking into McDonald's and screaming "Burger King really sucks, doesn't it?" is weak and accomplishes nothing.