A sci-fi podcast created by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor, Welcome To Night Vale takes the form of a current-events radio show. Each episode centers around one specific event that’s happening throughout each 30-minute show, and your charismatic host is Cecil Palmer, the voice of Night Vale (played by Cecil Baldwin). Sounds good, right?
Fink has said that WTNV should be “hard to describe to your friends,” and oh, how it is. Essentially, WTNV is a show about weird shit that happens in a small town in the desert that is the American southwest. It’s, you know, just like every other town — pervaded by the corporate megalomania of a company called StrexCorp, monitored by a vague and nameless government agency, and full of people who think this is completely normal.
Like, totally! The Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives In Your Home can definitely run for mayor against a literal five-headed dragon. Totally normal. Station management at Night Vale Radio is just a vague rumbling from behind a door. The weather is just a song. Following every subplot in WTNV is a conspiracy theorist’s dream come true. My guess is that if you’re into Twin Peaks, you’d probably be into this too.
For an added bonus, Night Vale’s resident scientist, Carlos (who does eventually become Cecil’s boyfriend — WTNV has existed since 2012, I think I’m allowed to give you this spoiler), is now voiced by Dylan Marron ’10, who has his own tag on Wesleying!
Another gem is the Night Vale twitter. Maybe it’ll give you a better sense of what exactly we’re talking about.
These boots were made for walking. These other boots were made for surveillance. Please speak clearly into the second pair of boots.
— Night Vale podcast (@NightValeRadio) November 4, 2014
Lost: Cat. Blindingly bright, orb shaped, often visible in the sky during daylight hours. If found, please worship.
— Night Vale podcast (@NightValeRadio) November 2, 2014
Dare to dream. Seriously. We dare you. Do it. It’ll be fine. Promise.
— Night Vale podcast (@NightValeRadio) August 31, 2014
Whisper a dangerous secret to someone you care about. Now they have the power to destroy you, but they won’t. This is what love is.
— Night Vale podcast (@NightValeRadio) March 20, 2013
All 57 episodes of Welcome To Night Vale are on iTunes as podcasts, as well as on the WTNV Soundcloud page. There are even some extra live recordings on their Soundcloud, so that’s at least 24 hours that we have covered for you until tomorrow.