Podcasts - We're Alive

Third in my series of podcasts I like to listen to is a drama set in an alternative present called We're Alive. Basically, the premise of the story is this. Michael, a NCO in the American reserves after three tours of duty in Iraq is now attending college. he is 27 at the start of the shows and the year is 2009. He receives a phone call from the commanding officer almost immediately after hearing a news report regarding riots in downtown Los Angeles where the drama is set. On his way to his station, he witnesses a pack of rabid people attack, kill and eat people running from the area of trouble. At this point, he realises that these are no ordinary riots.



 I discovered this about a week ago and have been absolutely riveted to it since. The story follows Michael, his squad mate Saul and the only other soldier found at the barracks when they arrive there, the slightly green Angel, fresh out of officers college. Soon they realise that they have a duty as soldiers to protect the public and find out just what is happening out there.

Taking an armoured Hummer from the motor pool in the barracks, Loading up on as much ammunition and supplies they can find, the three soldiers break out of their barracks and fight off a group of the "zombies" to escape the area and search for survivors.

Eventually, Angel remembers that his girlfriends apartment is nearby and could easily be fortified and defended so the three soldiers head to the tower block and on the way find two survivors on top of a flower shop. The women on the flower shop roof are called Pegs and Riley and they join the three soldiers. When they arrive at the tower things are not what they seem. The tower is empty apart from more "zombies" one of which is Angel's girlfriend (that's an awkward moment) and the handyman, named Datu. The soldiers clear out the building of nasties and find that access to the roof is blocked by a man called Bill who has a shotgun and no trust for anyone.

I have just finished Season One. The podcast began back in 2009 (so I'm late to the game) and is usually weekly or fortnightly on episode delivery. Currently, the show has just finished Season Two. Fantastically, the website and iTunes have the whole back catalogue available for free. The episodes are usually between 15 - 30 minutes long, so perfect for the commute to work or just want to have something to listen to when your time is limited. Both seasons have been split into 12 chapters each and each chapter is usually in three separate podcasts.

As the season goes on, you meet more interesting and compelling characters (the cast list is around 36 strong) and hear them try to survive a zombie apocalypse. The Tower dwellers face issues of survival every day. Where will the food come from? Water, Ammunition, Power and more supplies are the order of the day, every day. Scavenging for things is dangerous as there are packs of zombies everywhere. There are other groups of survivors and they have different motives and ideas about what belongs to who. Finally, it seems that the zombies are getting organised....

Obviously, the show isn't for kids, but if you like a good story well told with occasional funny moments (yes, there are some funny times during a Zombie Apocalypse), then you need to get your listening parts around this podcast. You can follow on Twitter on @WereAlive and there is a Facebook Page on facebook.com/ZombiePodcast. Highly recommended.