97 episodes

Life's not easy for Doug Eiffel, the communications officer for the U.S.S. Hephaestus Research Station, currently on Day 448 of its orbit around red dwarf star Wolf 359. He's stuck on a scientific survey mission of indeterminate length, 7.8 light years from Earth. His only company on board the station are stern mission chief Minkowski, insane science officer Hilbert, and Hephaestus Station's sentient, often malfunctioning operating system Hera. He doesn't have much to do for his job other than monitoring static and intercepting the occasional decades-old radio broadcast from Earth, so he spends most of his time creating extensive audio logs about the ordinary, day-to-day happenings within the station. But the Hephaestus is an odd place, and life in extremely isolated, zero gravity conditions has a way of doing funny things to people's minds. Even the simplest of tasks can turn into a gargantuan struggle, and the most ordinary-seeming things have a way of turning into anything but that. Wolf 359 is a radio drama in the tradition of Golden Age of Radio shows. Take one part space-faring adventure, add one part character drama, and mix in one part absurdist sitcom, and you get Wolf 359.

Wolf 359 Kinda Evil Genius Productions, LLC

    • Fiction
    • 4.9 • 268 Ratings

Life's not easy for Doug Eiffel, the communications officer for the U.S.S. Hephaestus Research Station, currently on Day 448 of its orbit around red dwarf star Wolf 359. He's stuck on a scientific survey mission of indeterminate length, 7.8 light years from Earth. His only company on board the station are stern mission chief Minkowski, insane science officer Hilbert, and Hephaestus Station's sentient, often malfunctioning operating system Hera. He doesn't have much to do for his job other than monitoring static and intercepting the occasional decades-old radio broadcast from Earth, so he spends most of his time creating extensive audio logs about the ordinary, day-to-day happenings within the station. But the Hephaestus is an odd place, and life in extremely isolated, zero gravity conditions has a way of doing funny things to people's minds. Even the simplest of tasks can turn into a gargantuan struggle, and the most ordinary-seeming things have a way of turning into anything but that. Wolf 359 is a radio drama in the tradition of Golden Age of Radio shows. Take one part space-faring adventure, add one part character drama, and mix in one part absurdist sitcom, and you get Wolf 359.

    Episode 47: Into the Depths

    Episode 47: Into the Depths

    Please be advised this episode of Wolf 359 contains violence. Listener discretion is advised.
    The crew of the Hephaestus's day just got a whole lot worse. The funeral they were holding was interrupted by one of the deceased seemingly coming back to life, their station is being battered by radiation, and Hera has gone offline. And - oh yes - the alien contact event they've been hearing so much about has only just started. It's going to take everything the beleaguered team has to weather the storm, deal with the two enemy prisoners in their midst, and come to grips with what's happened to Captain Lovelace. Plus, a chain reaction, trash duty, cool dental plans, the sacred tradition of "Nose Goes," and why we get into trouble. 
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    • 45 min
    Episode 48: Theta Scenario

    Episode 48: Theta Scenario

    Please be advised this episode of Wolf 359 contains mentions of violence, death, and suicide. Listener discretion is advised.
    As Eiffel, Minkowski, Hera, and Lovelace try to decide how to allocate their limited resources, Kepler finally reveals some of Goddard Futuristics's most deeply held secrets. Before the crew can consider the existential implications of these revelations, however, they'll need to deal with their own growing fears, insecurities, and personal conflicts. Plus, snake-filled pits, educated guesses, paradigm shifts, impractical human emotions, and the remainder of our musical program.
    Tonight's episode features Julia Morizawa in the role of Commander Zhang. It also features The Waltz of the Flowers, by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

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    • 37 min
    Episode 49: Out of the Loop

    Episode 49: Out of the Loop

    With the end of the Urania's repairs in sight, the crew is throwing all their energy into one final push. But as the finish line inches closer, Captain Lovelace begins to notice something strange. Work is mysteriously getting undone each morning, and certain events seem to be repeating themselves day in and day out. What is happening? And why does no one else seem to notice? Plus, hydraulic horsepower, horrific manipulation, highly unlikely events, the sledgehammer approach, and Hephaestus Crisis Dog Years.
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    • 40 min
    Episode 50: The Hiccups Method

    Episode 50: The Hiccups Method

    It’s been a few weeks since the crew aborted repairs on the Urania, and they are no closer to figuring out how to satisfy the aliens' mysterious demands. If only they had someone on board who shared some sort of connection with these beings... But convincing Captain Lovelace to try and reach out to the alien presence for answers is only half the battle - they will have to really think outside the box in order to make contact. Plus, Borg network action, intergalactic twenty questions, Ouija boards, the Avatar State, and purely academic curiosity.
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    • 35 min
    Episode 51: Shut Up and Listen

    Episode 51: Shut Up and Listen

    Space Monkey Radio proudly presents U.F.Overview: a new series that offers in-depth analysis on the possibility of alien contact, and explores the complex realities of communicating with non-terrestrial beings. What do we know? How do we know it? When will we know that what we're trying to know is something we can know? Join our two intrepid co-hosts as they ponder these questions. Plus, archive recordings, hapless civilians, nine-dimensional formats, the world's suckiest pleasure cruise, and the forefront of evil in thirty-two different star systems.
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    • 41 min
    Episode 52: Constructive Criticism

    Episode 52: Constructive Criticism

    Following the fiasco that was his latest attempt at radio journalism, Officer Eiffel has retreated away from the crew, working long hours by himself. Things take a turn for the worse, however, when a dangerous gas is accidentally released throughout the station. Quarantined in Hilbert's old lab while Hera works to undo the environmental damage, the crew and their prisoners resorts to increasingly desperate means to stave off boredom, slow-simmering resentments, and Eiffel's growing insecurities about his place on the Hephaestus. Plus, tragic accidents, slight malfunctions, Franken-Nouveau decor, interjection-y glory, and a complete lack of moral compass.
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    • 32 min

Customer Reviews

4.9 out of 5
268 Ratings

268 Ratings

Terro1888 ,

Silly stories do not have to be dumb.

Great writing and voice acting, just finished the first season and from the beginning it was obviously a very silly story with zany characters but the writing is so clever. Lots of little things that build up into a great story arc. Love this so much. Looking forward to listening to the rest.

goosemoade11 ,

I would give it 5/5, if not for unaddressed racism

First and foremost: in quality of recording and effects/editing, writing, character arks, story line and almost every single aspect of this show, it’s 10/10, an amazing listen I would recommend to any person, if it were not for one disgusting and frankly irresponsible racist treatment of a character by the the main character, Doug.

The ships doctor, Alexander hilbert is a the stations doctor and also a scientist. He is an older Russian man, with a somewhat thick accent. While I will not speak for the rest of the show, for the first season he is nothing but patient to the main character, always acting cordially. There is reference to “medical examinations” that are actually torture sessions, but this is mentioned once and never brought up again. Regardless, he is characterised as a cordial person.
The main character however, is frequently, borderline constantly making fun of his accent and nation of origin, often stereotyping him as a “evil Russian scientist sent out to kill us all”
It is constant, in most every scene in which the two interact it is almost painful the amount of xenophobia Doug has towards hilbert.
To those who haven’t watched this show, while I do recommend it, please be aware of this, as I have seen many fans simply not even acknowledge this and even incorporate it into there own beliefs.

~SPOILERS~
.
.
.

While It is revealed that hilbert after season one was actually doing unethical human experiments it still stands that Doug was belittling him over his country of origin, and not his actions. Another of the characters in the show, Renee minkovski in the later seasons confronts Doug about his incessant mispronunciation of her last name, after having an honest conversation he recognises what he had done, and how it had effected his friend, and stops doing it. However, his other show of xenophobia is simply never addressed, at all. While at this point in the show, Alexander had died and thus could not confront him, minkovski was very much alive, and was definitely witness to his mistreatment, and it is also worth noting that both Alexander and Renee are Eastern European, and it would have fitted very well thematically for her to confront Doug and hilbert as well
(Renee is polish)
So that leaves two options either
A) they chose not to address this as they assumed that addressing what effile had done to Renee would be able to convey his regret or
B) the show creators genuinely didn’t see what was wrong with the way they wrote these characters interacting
If the latter is true, it shows a sad pockmark in what is otherwise an amazing show, but if is the former, then I do not even know what to say

AVeryOTH ,

Still the best!

This is my all-time favourite show! It’s equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking. The voice acting is fantastic and the story is full of adventure, mystery and intrigue. I’ve listened to this so many times now but I still love it. The only problem is that I can’t find anything else that compares! I’ll just have to listen one more time...
Oh and I really want to play Funzo! :)

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