When most people think of post-apocalyptic media, movies are probably the first type that comes to mind, closely followed by books. (Though today, games are also probably high on the list.)
One type of PA media that most people probably don’t give much thought is post-apocalyptic audio or radio dramas. I don’t mean audiobooks, but actual full-cast dramas with music and sound effects and such. I’ve mentioned the ones I’ve discovered recently in various postings, but wanted to consolidate them into one article, for my own future reference (as well as Google’s of course).
War of the Worlds
The grand-daddy of all post-apocalyptic radio dramas. (Ok, I guess it’s more apocalyptic than post-) Definitely worth a re-listen.
A Canticle for Leibowitz
Just finished this one. 15 part dramatization by Wisconsin Public Radio. Excellent.
118 Migration
Fantastic audio drama podcast about the zombie apocalypse, and a lot more.
Three I really enjoyed are from Broken Sea Audio Productions:
Planet of the Apes
Based on the novel by Pierre Boulle and original screenplay by Michael Wilson and Rod Serling, this new audio series features additional scenes, original sound design and exceptional voice talent that bring the Planet Of The Apes to life in a whole new way.
Logan’s Run
Sometime in the 23rd century…the survivors of war, overpopulation and pollution are living in a great domed city, sealed away from the forgotten world outside. Here, in a seemingly perfect world, mankind lives only for pleasure. There’s just one catch: Life must end at thirty unless reborn in the fiery ritual of Carousel.
Mad Max: Tomorrow’s Road
In a world without hope, where gas is gold and you live or die on the redline. The man they called Mad Max has become the legend of The Road Warrior… …Pray he is still out there.
World War Z
I’m halfway through the audio version of World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War and it’s fantastic. It’s on this list because it’s not a straight reading of the book; it’s a full cast drama with some big name actors. I’ve read the book before and loved it, but to hear each interview with a different actor is even cooler. And Mark Hamil was awesome as Todd Wainio.
The last two on the list so far are old time radio dramas from the 1950’s, both of classic PA novels:
The Scarlet Plague
Brian, the Denizen of Alternate Dimensions, presents a tale penned from the works of Jack London. We revisit the post apocalyptic future once again for an examination into the human condition. What happens when society collapses? Beware of “The Scarlet Plague”. Originally broadcast on April 8th, 1954.
Earth Abides
Earth Abides, a 1949 science fiction novel by Berkeley English professor George R. Stewart, won the inaugural International Fantasy Award in 1951. Earth Abides was adapted for the CBS radio program Escape as a two-part drama starring John Dehner on November 5th and 12th, 1950. A disease of unparalleled destructive force has sprung up almost simultaneously in every corner of the globe, all but destroying the human race. One survivor, strangely immune to the effects of the epidemic, ventures forward to experience a world without man. What he ultimately discovers will prove far more astonishing than anything he’d either dreaded or hoped for.
That’s all I have so far, but will be adding more to this post as I come across them.
Update: As soon as I posted this, I started coming across more examples on Google. I haven’t listened to any of these yet, but will be trying to hunt them down now.
The Time Machine on BBC
Robert Glenister stars in Philip Osment’s dramatisation of HG Wells’ classic story of a time-traveller’s journey to the future, where mankind has diverged into two species – the Eloi and the Morlocks.
Galaxy News Radio: The Adventures Of Daring Dashwood!
The Adventures Of Herbert “Daring” Dashwood. This is the “radio drama” found within Fallout 3.
Nebulous on BBC
It’s 2099. The calendar has been restructured to include months Octember and Janril, and there’s a new season, hamble – which is generally just drizzly. ‘Cattle-clasm’ has wiped out the majority of the UK’s livestock, and ‘the Withering’ has meant the loss of a great deal of human knowledge.
Steve, the First
A four-part dark comedy set in a post-apocalyptic future, broadcast on CBC Radio One in 2005. The basic premise is that a slacker wakes up to find he managed to sleep through the apocalypse, and now has the ability to telepathically communicate with his dog, and can cure people infected by a strange disease that causes them to melt.
The Peoria Plague
A fine radio drama from the early 70s – a living dead tale done “War of the Worlds” style. So if you’re a fan of Old Time Radio & Romero movies, this is definitely worth a listen.
The Day of the Triffids (BBC Radio)
This full-cast drama is based on the classic post-war ’science fantasy’ novel which made John Wyndham famous, and whose appeal endures to this day.
On the Beach (BBC)
Dramatisation by Mike Walker of Nevil Shute’s account of the aftermath of a nuclear war. A cloud of deadly radioactivity is moving slowly towards Australia, where life still exists.
The Death of Grass
Dramatisation of the science fiction novel by John Christopher, narrated by David Mitchell. It is 1956 and a virus has wiped out the crops of South East Asia, causing a famine. John Custance and his family visit his brother David’s farm in Westmorland, convinced that the same thing could not happen there.
Update 2:
Found another one.
Brave New World (BBC)
This is the 1991 version; only a couple hours long. I think they did it again in 2008 but I haven’t found that one yet.
Update 3:
The Handmaid’s Tale (BBC)
A full-cast dramatization based on one of the 20th century’s most outstanding novels about the future. When religious extremists take over the US government, they create the Republic of Gilead where women are prohibited from owning property and all money is transferred to male relations.
Update 4:
Sweet, Broken Sea has yet more post-apocalyptic audio drama goodness, present and future.
Zombie Cheerleaders
An over caffinated Cop arrests a blood and gore covered High School Bus Driver weilding an ax… And parts of bodies line the rain soaked highways, cemetaries, and surrounding areas… He has all the evidence he needs… Open and Shut case- or so the cop thinks.. But he didn’t count on a military Semi Truck transporting highly toxic secret bio weapons… Nor did he give much creedence to the Bus Driver’s claim that ZOMBIE CHEERLEADERS were out to get him…
And coming soon:
Escape from New York
Episode 1 was released in May 2009.
Update 5:
1984
Originally broadcasted as program number 55 on August 27, 1949 at 9 p.m. as a one-hour production over the N.B.C. radio network as part of the N.B.C. University Theater, which adapted the world’s great novels for broadcast.
Update 6
Age of the Zombies by Necropolis Studio Productions
A plague has ravaged the Earth and changed the world as we know it. Millions upon millions have been transformed into flesh-eating zombies that roam the Earth with an unquenchable thirst for the living. Those fortunate enough not to have been infected are in a fight for their lives. Spread out across the globe… small groups struggle each day to see the next. One such group of survivors are trying to reach out to anyone who’s still alive… They live in… the Age of the Zombies.
The Last Man on Earth on the Movies for the Blind podcast
Vincent Price stars as the only survivor of a worldwide plague, spending his days trying to protect himself against victims who have risen from the grave. 1964. Original audio from the movie, with the addition of audio descriptions for the sight-impaired.
Tags: audio, audio dramas, post-apocalyptic, radio
Hi, I just discovered your website today when I was looking for “The Death Of Grass” radio drama and noticed your link to BBC radio doesn’t let people play the show or any other BBC shows. Is there some other place I can listen to “The Death Of Grass” online? Thank you.
Death of Grass is one that I look for every so often, haven’t been able to find yet. I’ll keep an eye out for it and will update the post if I ever come across it.
Are you including Steve the Second, I assume you must. Are you talking audiobooks or podcasts? Did you include “One Second After” by William Forstchen? Or “Warday” by Whitley Strieber and James Kunetka. Hey does “Fried Green Zombies” count?
Nice to see someone else who listens, I mean reading is so last year.
As for a book in which I’m not sure what to classify it as, “Under the Dome” by Stephen King. Even though it might not be P.A., (who knows though the world might blow up), I’m still listening/reading it.
There are always William W. Johnstones, “Ashes” series. “New Madrid Run” by Michael Reisig “Oryx and Crake” by Margaret Atwood. Sorry if you already mentioned those.
Cheers, George
Hey George, thanks for stopping by. This list is supposed to be strictly dramatized productions, not simply audio books. You’re right, there are a ton of post-apocalyptic audio books out there, so didn’t want to clutter this list with them.