Transmissions from Colony One - Worth a listen

As I'm never tired of saying (though my fans may be tired of hearing), I LOVE Minister of Chance. It's a fantastic "sonic movie". Well, I just got turned onto another radio play yesterday that's about the first Mars colony. I listened to the first nine episodes of Transmissions from Colony One yesterday and the finale is available now. You can hear it for yourself (all free) here.

The story follows the 16-member crew of the first manned ship to reach Mars. And it's a colony ship. Well, I had a few quibbles with how that all went down. I know it takes a while to get to Mars, but wouldn't we send a smaller crew there and back first? The whole crew seems to be twenty-somethings. They act like college kids, making jokes and talking about crushes. I don't know if they're meant to be 20-somethings, but the actors look fairly young and that's how they come off. There are eight of each gender, so I'm guessing they're planning on starting the colony with that gene pool. Hmmm. They do expect supply ships, but there is no mention of further manned ships coming.

The acting wasn't bad and the detail to the science was just the right amount in my opinion. I can't speak to how accurate the science is, but it kept it plausible and authentic for this layperson. The main thing that was missing for me was the tension. How long did it take to get there? And by episode nine, it's day 11 on Mars. Everyone, for the most part is still getting along and friendly.

OK, maybe, but here's the real kicker:  As they were landing, they lost contact with earth. It's day 11 and no one's freaking out. They are only just starting to notice weird stuff and are mostly ticked at the commander for hiding something from them. It's a pretty big deal to sign on for a one-way trip to Mars. Having communication with earth would seem to make it more bearable. Take that away, with no explanation for why it's gone and for how long? I'd be majorly freaking out. That's all I would be thinking or talking about.

Commander Sam Flynn has his suspensions which he is keeping to himself. He even lies about stuff to keep them from investigating on their own. He tries to keep his people focused on the mission, which is vital to their survival, but how many people can really compartmentalize such a huge thing like that and carry on as if nothing's amiss? In episode 10, Earth, he reveals his findings, after being called to account by his communications officer, Kaia Osen, in the previous episode.

I'm still interested in this series and intend to head over to tfco.us to listen to the season finale. The sound effects and acting are well-executed. The banter and interpersonal relationships add a nice touch.

Space exploration fascinates me. However, whenever anyone asks if I'd say yes to going myself, I say, "Hell, no!" I can't handle living in the country, let alone, outer space. I'm too much of a people person and like my city life handy. Not to mention the ocean, the forests, the mountains and the lakes. Nope. Let someone else go. I'll be an armchair tourist from the comfort of my home in beautiful wine country.