The episodes offered in this podcast are promised to be eclectic without any particular order or schedule but can range from horror to off-beat humor. Redline's shows tend to mature themes, with sex being a prominent and occasional focus. Episodes tend to run at AD-PG13 or AD-R ratings.
Website
The Redline Theatre website is really a standard blog. Very little is offered so far in content, and very little is provided for people to explore, if so inclined. Even the header (cut from above) doesn't offer much in design. With the promise of Redline, I was expecting some chrome accents, high speed flame decals, or some dashboard graphics with the audio drama hitting the red zone "awesome" on the dial. Standard left column presents the latest posts with the right hand side providing all the different ways that Redline fans can get a hold of them, through Twitter and their Facebook page.
The About Us page gives a little more information about the trio but ends with their enthusiasm and philosophy of trying to continue to be immature in their approach (more on that later) and provide no information about the creators of the company. They end with reiterating that they can be found on all the usual social networking sites.
I'd like to write more about the website, but that's all there is. I'm hoping it will develop in the future, but for now as a site it only gives passing interest.
Rating: 1.5/5
Audio Drama Style- Modern/Experimental
Redline is unabashedly sophomoric in their tastes. This isn't a bad thing, in my opinion. There's not enough B-Rated genre audio drama out there. The first time I heard the characters references a woman's breasts, I was a little startled. Overt sexuality is something that isn't heard often in audio drama today, but looking back is something I should expect from a company that calls itself "Redline Theatre". Sound effects are modern and production levels represent the consistency one has come to expect with audio drama today. Running time for most shows are also variable as set by the open ended format of a podcast. All the shows are introduced by the hosts and tend to come off as a podcast containing Audio Drama rather than an audio drama podcast. There's something about the energy of the hosts that provide a genuine amateur nature that is endearing as they set the listeners up for the next installment of their series. There is no apparent set release date for their shows, and that would absolutely help provide with a steady track of subscribed followers.
Acting- Amateur
As expressed by the hosts/creators, they provide most of the acting themselves and even include their spouses in some of the performances. That being said, they have better tonal quality for voice acting than many others who enjoy the genre and appear in their own shows. The pacing is good and the characters do a decent job of selling each show they are in. The female actors tend to be over the top with their sexuality taking each line as a breathless precursor to foreplay. As a listener, I am conflicted as to whether this is far too much or simply not enough since the stories are unabashedly B-Flick in style.
Misty Myrick works her character in "Blood Moon" with such indominable sexuality that one wonders if cigarettes were provided after the recording session.
The trick here, is the same as in the writing. Redline is finding its wings and to be successful they should not straddle the line so much and either gleefully enter into the realm of cheesy grindhouse acting or scrub clean the sophomoric stories and go straight. Personally, I'd like to see more of the former than the latter.
Rating: 3/5
Production- Detailed
Following the modern audio drama rules, Redline's production contains music, effective sound effects, and clear recording levels for the actors. Good attention is paid to space in the shows and the stories drive the narrative, not the sound effects. While I was confused at several points in "Less than Super Friends", the horror episode "Blood Moon" was clearly cut together. Having a small cast is always a benefit, especially for a fledgling audio drama company and Redline clearly bites off just enough to chew in this fashion. While there's room for deeper sound levels, more subtle changes and some even smoother transitions, out of the gate, Redline has a decent and consistent sound.
Rating: 4/5
Writing
Redline's writing is almost painful at times- not because it isn't good, but rather because it could be even better. As I mentioned above, Redline's sophomoric and immature pride provides an opportunity rarely seen in audio drama- The proud over-the-top B-Flick show. Some audio dramas who try to provide B-flick stories, do so only to recapture the feel of movies that were B-flick in the audio drama realm. Most audio drama companies take themselves far too seriously to just create silly and sexy audio drama for the masses. Redline has no governor in their brains, and the pedal is pushed ahead; but, not to the metal.
Redline could take its sexual content further without becoming porn. "Blood Moon" was a perfect example of timidness that still brought some suggestiveness of what could become. The eye-rolling sexuality of the character of "Lucy" could have another scene where the characters could barely keep their hands off each other getting us ready for the climax (pun intended) when she takes the narrator to bed.
If "Blood Moon" was a lead up, the story "Less than Super Friends" felt like a let down. The plot felt like it was all over the place, and I wasn't sure if I was listening to a character trying to escape his sexually aggressive boss, or involved in some kind of strange wish fulfillment of the adventures of "Laundry Man" whose super ability is folding a good load of laundry once a week.
Another complaint I have with Redline is the format of their stories. Strong narration always has a deleterious effect in getting the audience involved. "Blood Moon" comes across more as a multi-cast audio short story than an actual audio drama at times. The narration is so thick the immediacy of the story can get lost.
That being said, the writing of "Blood Moon" while lacking a surprise twist takes the audience on a voyage they want in a cheesy horror. Keep writing!
Rating: 3.5/5
Additional Notes
The promo for Redline Theatre is a kick. It's everything you want the website to be, and maintains a kind of professional level you hope that Redline achieves in short order. Pass the promo around and let people know that they are out there!
Over All
I'm looking forward to listening to more of Redline Theatre in the future. All new companies need to find their voice, and if they can decide where they want to be and what part of the audio world territory they want to inhabit, that's going to be good for their listener base. I get nervous when I see companies say in their own words "We are not limiting our content to a specific genre." because that has, in the past, been code for, "We're flying by the seat of our pants" and that can end up being burn out, boredom, or simply a random series of shows that will always leave the audience wanting to go back to more proven and popular original stories already performed. I can appreciate the desire to have fun and create whatever comes into the creator's of Redline's mind. As long as they continue to release regularly and give respect to their viewers and find that audience that will appreciate the sophomoric touches, then they will continue to build a following, as they should!
Rating: 3/5
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