If you didn't know, Were Alive is a radio drama released weekly as a podcast. It follows the tale of three military personal that get caught up in a "zombie" outbreak. With "zombies" roaming the street, there forced to take refuge in an apartment building just to survive. What follows is an expertly written tale of trying to stay alive in the midst of a "zombie" apocalypse, with ample doses of terror, humor, betrayal, and even romance.
If I had to compare Were Alive to something, I would say it most resembles the show Lost. It shares many of the same plot points and edge of you seat cliffhangers at the end of each chapter (the chapters are split into three episodes released weekly). But let me stress that it is in no means a cheap copy. While there are definitely similarities, it definitely has enough of it's own plot to keep from feeling like the same thing we saw all those years ago. Still, I think it's fair to say that those that enjoyed Lost will find many of the same elements here, and would enjoy it just as much.
As far as voice acting goes, it's almost entirely outstanding. The only real times they seem to struggle is in high tension moments, as they don't sound as if there actually in said situation, but merely having a standard conversation.
The Characters are all very well done and likable, in there own way. I'm particularly a fan of Rita, the only female character that I feel could actually survive on her own, but maybe it's just the accent and the fact that she prefers a bow to a gun. Angel, the sergeant, was annoying at first due to the fact that he was almost always angry and going against what was obviously a good idea, but as the show has progressed his character has leveled out a bit and he's much more enjoyable to listen to. Saul, one of the others from the army, is great if only for the fact that he injects some humor into the otherwise extremely bleak happenings of the show. And by funny I don't mean he says some dumb joke just to try and keep up his character, I was literally laughing out loud at a lot of his lines, there that good. I'm not sure what to think about Burt. While he's a cool character (and sounding like Solid Snake is always a plus) it seems like they keep falling back on the same points. I'd love for his character to be more defined than "the old guy with the gun". Overall though, the cast is very good, and they manage to keep even mundane portions interesting.
One thing I really commend Were Alive's writers for, and something most movies/books/tv shows shy away from, is a wiliness to kill off there characters. Make no mistake, it sucks when the one you liked gets the cut, but the fact that they don't care about keeping people alive just for the sake of being alive is refreshing. Plus, the end of one character usually means the introduction of another, which helps keep the feeling of repetition at the door.
Were Alive is now in it's third season, and I strongly urge you to check it out. It's quickly become one of my favorite podcasts, and I'm eagerly awaiting the next episode. Just be sure to start from the beginning, trust me on this one.
*Were Alive can be found for free on: iTunes, Zune Marketplace, and Zombiepodcast.com. New episodes on mondays*
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