Fun with some significant issues
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“Edit, January 2024: the same issues are extant, but I'm now noticing more errors of assumption, which detract further from the topics she covers. You can present a disaster and present the human toll in an emotional, tactile way without going overboard (for instance, Pan Am 103 is tragic enough--erronously droning on and in about how not everyone was killed by the explosion and how they were aware of the plummet (which is not how concussive force OR altitude works) is just trying to be as upsetting as possible, which is a weird choice considering her (under-educated) take on 1908 newspaper and cultural mores in the Collinwood episode.) You're 200+ episodes in at this point. Be better.
ORIGINAL: As a long-time disastwr hound, I was on the lookout for a good disaster podcast. Having tried a few others and finding them tedious and impossible to listen to, I stumbled on Disaster Area. I enjoy DA. Or rather, I (mostly) enjoy the first half of any given DA episode. I wish the intro music wasscaled to the podcast itself—I often have the volume up to hear her intro only to be blasted across my car by the intro music—and I wish the host would lean a little more heavily on “a good solid outline that lets your words flow better” and less on “a bunch of notes that tend to make the podcast sound like we’re all just sitting around the table shooting the breeze.” Folksy and informal is fine, if done well. Unfortunately, the informality here too often turns to stumbling and becomes grating after awhile. She would also do well to pay a bit more attention to her delivery, as she sometimes comes off as flippant or redundant in tone. The biggest issue, though—and the issue that turned my four star review to a three star—is the tangents and tedium of the second half of any given episode. The first half is usually a little stumbly, but it generally gives the overview and meat of the chosen disaster along with some framing data. So far so good. But once rhe disaster has “concluded,” there is usually anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes of the host going off on this tangent or that tangent. Some are personal anecdotes, some are about entirely other situations, some are...geography? Psychology? Metaphysics? It varies, and it rarely if ever adds anything to the podcast. All of which would have earned a rounded-up four star review (I’d give 3.5 if I could) until I happened upon an episode wherein the host complained about how she does not care for disaster books that go off on tangents about only semi-related matters. Not five minutes after uttering this jaw-dropping statement, she herself went off on her requisite tangents about only semi-related-if-not-nearly-unrelated matters. I found myself sputtering at the stereo and so frustrated I avoided the podcast for a few weeks. Hence the rounded-down three star review.”Read full review »
'Morph via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
02/07/24
More reviews of Disaster Area
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“I enjoy this podcast very much, but I find the host's vocal style a little grating. I love the content and it is very well researched. Unfortunately she has a habit of clicking her tongue after she makes a statement or finishes a paragraph (every 15 seconds or so) and I find it super...”Read full review »
PatootiePie via Apple Podcasts ·
Australia ·
01/10/18
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“I really, genuinely like this podcast! The host is obviously passionate about each topic and does a fantastic job of giving background info before launching into the disaster. I'm looking forward to hearing more!”Read full review »
FashionandFaith via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
08/23/17
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“Wonderful storytelling and fascinating history.”
5460 via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
11/04/16
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