The Natural History of Fear

Main Range #54

Released: 2 March 2004

Listened: 8/20/21

This is one of the trippy ones. So trippy, in fact, that even the theme music is distorted. It’s one of those dystopias where the state controls the populace through strict allocation of their time, a continual diet of “infotainment,” and rigid social structure. Even asking questions is forbidden, and revolution is right out. The Doctor, Charley, and C’rizz seem to have been absorbed into the society, and are participating in the repression of the citizens. But it must be a ruse, right? Part of a plan? The answers to those questions take a very long time to come out. In the meantime, you’re treated to the three main actors acting very differently than they usually would, and even committing some rather awful acts. You’ll need to pay pretty close attention if you want to follow all the twists. However, I’m not sure that the ending really justifies that much attentiveness. As a small bonus, Sean Carlsen appears, ever so slightly pre-Narvin, playing an underling who’s fairly Narvin-like. So far, the Divergent Universe is succeeding in telling a different kind of story, but I’m not sure how entertaining it really is.