Hayward Sanitarium | 2012 | Matthew Baucco and Richard Johnson

From my notes…

I kinda liked this. But only kinda. I think I need to listen to it again sometime.

I really like how they record dialogue. Natural – doesn’t sound like someone speaking into a microphone. I wish more people did it this way. The dialogue and acting itself is a mixed bag.
I love the sound production all around – natural and immersive. So natural, in fact, that I kept forgetting to judge it – it just all blends so well.

The story… isn’t bad? I didn’t enjoy it but I think it’s more an issue of my taste than the storyteller. As I think it over, I think the characters aren’t developed enough to make me care about what happens to them.

Ep10 20:00 to 23:50
SERIOUSLY?? WTF?
They surely knew this was a risky scene and it was mainly annoying to me and therefore ended the entire series on an unpleasant note.
Speaking of the ending, I would have certainly listened to more episodes if they’d made them. I don’t hesitate when someone says “Don’t bother – they got cancelled after one season and didn’t resolve anything.” Some of my favorite TV shows were cancelled after one season. And the same applies here – I’m not bothered. But, I would have kept listening and quite possibly would have come to like it more.

Anyway, I liked it more than I didn’t like it. The atmospheric sounds design would be great to listen to again during Halloween season, so I give it a tentative C+ and will listen to it again in October.

Hayward Sanitarium

There are some areas of the human mind, and indeed of the world we live in, that were never meant for investigation. There are always those who delve into the darker worlds of knowledge, and many pay with their sanity for their interest. Some of these unfortunates are taken in by the Hayward Foundation, an organization that studies paranormal experiences and their effects on humanity. It is cases such as these that are sent to a restored mansion in a small coastal town in Maine, a center for the care and study of the insane. Since the 1920s this place has been known as the Hayward Sanitarium.

Hayward Sanitarium was produced by Last Minute Productions at LodeStone Media in Bloomington, Indiana. The series aired on National Public Radio twice and remains in syndication on community radio stations nationwide. Now considered a cult classic, the series broke new ground in audio theater production as one of the first digitally recorded and edited shows. Much of the series was recorded on location with live performances. The fear you hear may be very near.

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