The Pilgrimage Saga Turpentine Productions

I loved this. I really hope we get more seasons at some point. At first I was annoyed by the random skipping of the dialog, but it was worth it in the end. Please make more!

Like the title says. It's an interesting blend of UK humor with US (or US-sounding) actors that doesn't always work. Sometimes the actors have trouble with how it's written; it's not always the writing's fault. Some of the acting is a little flat, Harris' monologues are particularly dull, and not in the sense that SHE feels dull but we're intrigued by the worldbuilding or character development, they're just boring. They sound like she's reading a script, not that she's venting about her job. Gabriel, it could be argued, works with a flatter voice, but even around Saph he has one line reading. There's also no hint (or confirmation) that he's autistic or otherwise that may affect his speech. The sound is good (I'll get into that later) but the pacing is a little slow. A few times when a character is meant to be cut off, the cut-off line comes late. There are scenes that, from the words alone, sound like they require a certain quickness, and the actors certainly give it their all (not all of them, as I've said)--but the sound doesn't always support them doing so.
That being said, when Captain Harris is around other people, she's fun to listen to! (Even if she in character is not always having a good time.) Hearing her interact with her first mate is especially fun, although she does slip back into that 'I'm bored so I'm going to sound boring' voice that she has when reading monologues. Also, said first mate, Sascha Casana, is a delight! Every line of his contains something special beyond simply the words. And Dr. Armstrong has a lovely balance of "I'm one bad day away from murdering the entire ship" with "Please just let me get back to work." The characters as a whole also get some really nice dramatic moments. (But again, not all of them can pull it off.)
The music in this is particularly beautiful. It occasionally distracts from the actors because of its volume, but it never fully overpowers them, which often happens with audio drama scores. Aside from the music, the sound effects in this are serviceable; although a few episodes could have used another pass at levels vs. the actors, it's not distracting, just something I noticed a few times. But this may be me being picky. (I don't know if I made this clear, but subjectively speaking, I like this show a lot.) Also, the actors' sound is nice! Occasionally it's not the cleanest, but it does sound like they record in the same room together, even though I'm 80% sure most of them are remote. A few episodes definitely sound like they record on a voice call, either that or the director is really good about giving them notes, OR the sound editor's good at choosing takes.
Overall, I am thoroughly enjoying this show, though not without a handful of missteps or I would've given it 5 stars. I was surprised to hear this is an amateur production! I think that's a good thing, and I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with amateurs, but the fact that the actors and crew do this FOR FREE boggles my mind. If you need any evidence that audio drama can be done even without a massive production company behind it, look no further than this show. And hey, if you want a really solid show with a lot of intrigue, a little predictability, and great acting, give this show a listen!

This is one of those shows that took me a little bit to warm up to, but I really enjoyed it once I got into it. The characters are fun, and as you learn more about them as the story goes on, you start to see how they all fit together, and how they fit into the larger world. It's a story that explores big themes in a way that's accessible and personal.

There's a few bits that lack a little polish compared to some other audio dramas out there, but the show is thoroughly enjoyable, the world being built is compelling, and the characters are people you can't help but care about as they get fleshed out.

II'd definitely recommend giving it a listen.