This Planet Needs a Name
30 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 2 years ago - ★★★★★ - 91 ratingsImagine a handful of scientists and engineers setting out to terraform a planet - a world - for the frozen people they've got in tow. Just a few people, carefully chosen, who will live out their lives building something they'll never see.
That's us. We're building a future.
A science fiction audio drama suitable for our times.
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Episodes
1.06: Until We've Discovered Joy
November 28, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 41.5 MBIn Episode Six, “Until We’ve Discovered Joy,” we look in on each of the Nameless Crew now that they’ve settled into their lives planetside. Zei deals with the aftermath of her frightening encounter with the native lifeforms and James has a small personal revelation. Lunch is eaten. Some questions are finally answered. Content Notes: As always, a few people swear. There are kissing sounds briefly (see the transcript for details). The transcript is available at https://tinyurl.com/tpnan106....
On Earth: Zahava
September 26, 2021 03:00 - 22 minutes - 15.7 MBIn this prequel episode, “On Earth: Zahava,” we get a glimpse of Zahava's life long before she assembled the Nameless Crew. Content Notes: none. The transcript is available. If the transcript link is broken please email [email protected] and we’ll get it to you as soon as we can. We’ve changed to google docs for our transcripts for accessibility - please let us know if anything isn’t working! This episode, the first in its series, was written and directed by Evan Tess Murray. Or...
1.05 Recklessly and Perfectly Alive
January 03, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 41.5 MBIn Episode Five, “Recklessly and Perfectly Alive,” we get to explore a forest at long, long last. The crew attempt to learn James’s favorite sport, with minimal success. Conflicts are resolved, new surprises are encountered, and quite a lot of hairs are cut. This one’s sweet! Content Notes: very few this time! As usual a few people swear. Alcohol consumption: [40:19 - 41:10] pours, takes a sip, sings about whiskey The transcript is available. If the transcript link is broken please email...
1.05 Recklessly and Perfectly Alive
January 03, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 41.5 MBIn Episode Five, “Recklessly and Perfectly Alive,” we get to explore a forest at long, long last. The crew attempt to learn James’s favorite sport, with minimal success. Conflicts are resolved, new surprises are encountered, and quite a lot of hairs are cut. This one’s sweet! Content Notes: very few this time! As usual a few people swear. Alcohol consumption: [40:19 - 41:10] pours, takes a sip, sings about whiskey The transcript is available. If the transcript link is broken please email...
Bonus: James Explains Brewing
November 08, 2020 18:00 - 1 minute - 952 KBWe're deep in production of our next full episode - in the meantime, just so you know we're still here, James has given you his recipe for brewing a decent beer. Well, I say recipe. Really it's sketchy at best, as beer's all in the technique anyway. Written and performed by Alexander Doddy. Music and engineering by Trace Callahan. The transcript (and, theoretically, recipe) are available here. Support the show
Bonus: James Makes Yorkshire Puddings
August 01, 2020 20:00 - 1 minute - 1.21 MBJames puts his personal spin on explaining the delightful little things that are Yorkshire puddings. Written and performed by Alexander Doddy. Composition and audio engineering by Trace Callahan. The transcript and ingredient list are available here. Enjoy! Support the show
Bonus: Zahava's Matzah Balls
July 19, 2020 17:00 - 1 minute - 1.09 MBYou asked for it! The first in what may well be a series of recipes from the Nameless Crew. Written and performed by Caroline Mincks. Music and audio engineering by Trace Callahan. The transcript and ingredient list are available here. Enjoy! Support the show
1.04 Nature's Social Union
July 06, 2020 05:00 - 1 hour - 41.6 MBIn Episode Four, “Nature’s Social Union,” we finally have the meeting Zahava’s been talking about, to determine the fate of the unnamed planet. James and his slitherfluff friend watch Clinical Trials, many people go for walks in the rain, and we learn a whole lot about the mission. You know. The mission. Saving humanity. Content Notes: this is a heavy one. As always, none of this is gratuitous or described in detail. (There’s more swearing than usual as well.) Interpersonal conflict: [10:...
Bonus: Kolian Stories - 1 - The Earth Sighed
May 01, 2020 04:00 - 4 minutes - 2.9 MBOne of our favorite things about the Nameless Crew is that all of us contribute to this project in many ways - beyond what you hear when you listen to an episode. This ranges from people having input into character decisions to the wholesale creation of spinoff content. Izley Kolian sings songs and tells stories to make sense of the world. We already have one of their songs; here we find them explaining how we came to where we are, and seeking truth in mythology. Like any good storyteller, ...
Bonus: Creator Chat! Presenting "Awake," a new original song by Trace Callahan
April 25, 2020 03:00 - 25 minutes - 17.9 MBSometimes our conversations about our art turn into different kinds of art. To skip ahead to the song, go to [21:42]. Otherwise, tune in to hear Trace and Evan talk about the process that led to this piece of music. Ever wonder what this creative partnership looks like? We're here to show you. (The chirping is Caesar. He's a 21-year-old cockatiel who lives with Evan and wanted very badly to be included. We gave up and let him in on the conversation.) Along the way we reveal many deeply-he...
Bonus: Creator Chat! Presenting "Awake," a new original song by Trace Callahan
April 25, 2020 03:00 - 25 minutes - 17.9 MBSometimes our conversations about our art turn into different kinds of art. To skip ahead to the song, go to [21:42]. Otherwise, tune in to hear Trace and Evan talk about the process that led to this piece of music. Ever wonder what this creative partnership looks like? We're here to show you. (The chirping is Caesar. He's a 21-year-old cockatiel who lives with Evan and wanted very badly to be included. We gave up and let him in on the conversation.) Along the way we reveal many deeply-he...
1.03 A Many-Splendored Thing
March 22, 2020 12:00 - 56 minutes - 39 MBIn Episode Three, “A Many-Splendored Thing,” we meet the Design Team, who are finally awake and learning what they’ve gotten themselves into; Cyrus requires James’s assistance with a science project; and Quill heads upstairs to check on the algae vats and for, obviously, absolutely no other reason involving Mandry at all. We learn more about Mandry, the relationship between Kolian and Zei, and what Zahava really feels about all of them. The transcript is available here. Content Note: thi...
Bonus: Unimaginable Animals
March 18, 2020 01:00 - 2 minutes - 1.92 MBYou asked, and she delivered! Trace Callahan, as Kolian, singing the full version of their song from the prologue. This was entirely Trace's work - lyrics, music, sound design, performance, engineering, all of it. Lyrics below! We haven't given it a name We haven't even seen its face But this place is the center of our lives It's still a million miles away And we're still hurtling through space The human race is counting on us to survive And who knows what we will find The first adventur...
Bonus: Meet Quill Clements
March 14, 2020 22:00 - 3 minutes - 2.4 MBOur third episode is deep in production, the fourth is being written... in the meantime, here's the final crew interview, and we think it's been well worth waiting for. Quill, everyone's favorite soft flower boi, answers questions as part of his interview for this job. Ever wonder what would send our agricultural specialist on a one-way mission to the stars? This was written by Evan Tess Murray and Sawyer Greene, performed by Sawyer Greene, and engineered by Trace Callahan, and the tran...
A Message of Hope
March 14, 2020 00:00 - 2 minutes - 2.01 MBHey everyone. This isn't a bonus episode, not really. It's a note from the Nameless Crew to everyone out there listening, because we're thinking of you, and there are a few things we want to say. People are frightened right now. We're facing uncertainty at best. People in some parts of the world are dealing with grief and loss. Many of us are afraid and alone. And we, here, happen to be telling a story of hope in a hard world - it's what we very deliberately do. And now we're hearing that...
1.02 Access to the Biological Specimens
February 18, 2020 03:00 - 45 minutes - 31.2 MBIn Episode Two, “Access to the Biological Specimens,” Zahava and Zei head out for a day at the beach, and James investigates the local wildlife. Mandry comes downstairs for a visit; we find out who can bake, who can braid, and what those black seas look like up close. Calendars are invented; wildlife encountered; Saccharomyces Cerevisiae rehydrated. The transcript is available. Content Note: this episode is free from sensitive content other than some mild swearing, still mainly but not e...
Bonus: Meet James O'Dowd
February 06, 2020 02:00 - 3 minutes - 2.26 MBNow that our first episode is live, we're working on the second one - and the third! And in the meantime, we have a few more of these bonuses for you. Here, James answers a questionnaire as part of his job interview to head toward the nameless planet. Warning: James is fond of some words sometimes considered taboo. If you don't want to hear a bit of gentle cursing, give this one a miss. This is written by Evan Tess Murray and Alexander Doddy, performed by Alexander Doddy, and engineered...
Bonus: Meet Mandry Cyr
January 28, 2020 18:00 - 2 minutes - 1.99 MBNow that our first episode is live, we're working on the second one - and the third! And in the meantime, we have a few more of these bonuses for you. Here, Mandry answers a questionnaire as part of his job interview to head toward the nameless planet. This is written by Evan Tess Murray and Trevor Bean, performed by Trevor Bean, and engineered by Trace Callahan, and the transcript is available. We did these interviews as character development exercises; they're partially scripted and pa...
Quick Announcement: The Nameless Songs
January 19, 2020 21:00 - 1 minute - 825 KBHi everyone! This is Evan, here to make a quick announcement. We know a lot of you love the music Trace creates for our episodes. Well, as of today, you can own that music! She’s made several parts of the score for everything we’ve released so far into full pieces, and they’re available as the first installment of The Nameless Songs collection. The Nameless Songs: Landing is available to all our patrons at the $3 tier or higher, or you can buy it for a few dollars on Trace’s bandcamp page...
1.01 When the Gravity is Real
January 10, 2020 05:00 - 43 minutes - 30.2 MBIn Episode One, "When the Gravity is Real," Quill and Zei touch down on the ground, joining Zahava, Cyrus, and James on the planet. Kolian and Mandry watch from above while we discover whether or not anyone is allergic to the air (were we worried about that?). Plants may be planted; power generated; and as always, there will be cheese. But the planet still has secrets for our brave terraformers to discover. The transcript is available. Content Note: this episode is free from sensitive co...
Bonus: Meet Zahava Silberberg
January 05, 2020 18:00 - 2 minutes - 1.74 MBOur first full-length episode is so close to done we can just about taste it, and in the meantime we've pulled together a few things you might enjoy! Here, Zahava answers a questionnaire as part of her job interview to head toward the nameless planet. This is written by Evan Tess Murray and Caroline Mincks, perfomed by Caroline Mincks, and engineered by Trace Callahan, and the transcript is available. We did these interviews as character development exercises; they're partially scripted a...
Bonus: Meet Cyrus Castillo Rodríguez
December 18, 2019 04:00 - 1 minute - 1.07 MBWhile we work on our full-length episodes, we've pulled together a few things you might enjoy! Here, Cyrus answers a questionnaire as part of his job interview to head toward the nameless planet. This is written by Evan Tess Murray and Alexander Endymion Hernández Díaz, performed by Alexander Endymion Hernández Díaz, and engineered by Trace Callahan, and the transcript is available. We did these interviews as character development exercises; they're partially scripted and partially impro...
Full Prologue: Now in Chronological Order
December 15, 2019 05:00 - 35 minutes - 24.4 MBNew listeners, you might want to start here! While we continue to work on Episode One, we've assembled the four prologue episodes in chronological order. Call this one Episode Zero. This Planet Needs a Name, a science fiction audio drama suitable for our times, was created by Evan Tess Murray, who also wrote and directed this episode. Original composition, sound design, and audio engineering are by Trace Callahan. Characters were developed in collaboration with their actors: Caroline Minck...
Bonus: Meet Izley Kolian
December 12, 2019 02:00 - 2 minutes - 1.51 MBWhile we work on our full-length episodes, we've pulled together a few things you might enjoy! Here, Kolian answers a questionnaire as part of their job interview to head toward the nameless planet. This is written by Evan Tess Murray and Trace Callahan, performed and engineered by Trace Callahan, and the transcript is available. We did these interviews as character development exercises; they're partially scripted and partially improvised. Anyone interested in learning more about our c...
Bonus: Meet Corenna Zeigen
December 09, 2019 16:00 - 3 minutes - 2.28 MBWhile we work on our full-length episodes, we've pulled together a few things you might enjoy! Here, Zei answers a questionnaire as part of her job interview to head toward the nameless planet. This is written and performed by Evan Tess Murray, with audio engineering by Trace Callahan. The transcript is available as well. Sorry for the delay - unlike most of what we do, much of this was improvised rather than scripted, so preparing the transcript took a bit longer than usual! Support the show
1.00 Prologue: The Nameless Crew
December 08, 2019 05:00 - 35 minutes - 24.4 MBNew listeners, start here! We've cut together all four prologue mini-episodes; this is a chance for you to get to know the landing crew before they touch down in Episode One. This Planet Needs a Name, a science fiction audio drama suitable for our times, was created by Evan Tess Murray, who also wrote and directed this episode. Original composition, sound design, and audio engineering are by Trace Callahan. Characters were developed in collaboration with their actors: Caroline Mincks as Za...
Fourth: One Last Night
December 01, 2019 20:00 - 14 minutes - 9.72 MBZahava has the responsibility for keeping all the crew in line - and she'll be the first one on the planet. Tomorrow. This is the final prologue episode, one last night in space. This Planet Needs a Name can be found on twitter at @needsanamepod or you can email us at [email protected]. To support this project, become a patron at patreon.com/needsaname. While we prepare our first full episode, we would like to invite everyone who has enjoyed what we've created so far to join us on ou...
Third: Waking Quill
November 24, 2019 11:00 - 8 minutes - 6.12 MBMandry's nearly done his preparations to head down to the planet - but he's saved one task for the right moment. This Planet Needs a Name can be found on twitter at @needsanamepod or you can email us at [email protected]. To support this project, become a patron at patreon.com/needsaname. This episode's script is available for those who find a transcript helpful. More of the unnamed planet's story is coming soon. Support the show (http://patreon.com/needsaname)
Second: Meet Kolian: Static
November 17, 2019 13:00 - 9 minutes - 6.59 MBThis Planet Needs a Name can be found on twitter at @needsanamepod or you can email us at [email protected]. To support this project, become a patron at patreon.com/needsaname. This episode's script is available for those who find a transcript helpful. More of the unnamed planet's story is coming soon. Support the show (http://patreon.com/needsaname)
First: Hello
November 09, 2019 04:00 - 5 minutes - 3.54 MBThis Planet Needs a Name can be found on twitter at @needsanamepod or you can email us at [email protected]. To support this project, become a patron at patreon.com/needsaname. This episode's script is available for those who find a transcript helpful. More of the unnamed planet's story is coming soon. Support the show (http://patreon.com/needsaname)