The Secret World of Roald Dahl
Has anyone here listened to The Secret World of Roald Dahl? I just binged it and had some mixed feelings, and wanted to hear what others thoughts.
First off, IMO, cheers to the producer. I was very engaged, appreciated the research and writing, and it’s clear he had a lot of passion for the topic. Definite talent there, no question. I’m curious to hear more of his work.
But…I also feel like the podcast promised one thing and broke its initial agreement with the audience as episodes passed. As the show went on, the producer kept fitting in little personal reflections and anecdotes, and suddenly the biography became sort of a bio-opinion, which wasn’t what I personally wanted. Eventually the series gets to the topic of Dahl’s antisemitism. And while that’s important to address, the show abandons the narrative it set in favor of what felt like a type of cultural commentary you get on social media or on a different type of show altogether. I really wish the producer had considered those segments as bonus episodes and stuck with the format he’d established.
Lastly, I know we’re all negotiating with AI in ways, but hiring an AI voice artist to read Dahl - which seemed to be cleverly worded so that some listeners wouldn’t realize it - was a bit disappointing. I’m sure a network show like this could afford $250 to get a decent actor for the day. The irony stings when the producer bemoans AI replacing his craft (writing) in the final episode.
So yeah…a lot I appreciated, some stuff I didn’t. I think I feel strongly because the show had a lot going for it, which can sometimes cut a little deeper than stuff you don’t care for at all.