-SUPPORT THE SHOW-MERCH and Art https://shop.odddadoutpodcast.com(I checked, it works)Leave Me a Voicemail ‪(516) 636-7631‬ (ODO-POD1)Join the Facebook Group Oddballs: Friends of The Odd Dad Outhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/odddadoutDonate on Patreonhttp://patreon.com/join/odddadoutFollow Along on Social athttps://www.twitter.com/odddadout/https://www.facebook.com/odddadout/https://www.instagram.com/odddadoutIn the last episode I started to talk about all of the things that I've been up to during the hiatus, before getting thumb deep into a bloody mess. This time the plan is to give you the rest of the update that I meant to give last time. And oh boy! Do I have a lot of stuff to share with you! I'm not gonna cover everything right now. We all know that would take hours and I'm completely capable of doing it. Instead, I'll hit some high points, and if you want to hear more about something, you can just let me know. And finally, an update on how the featured podcast segment is changing, and my first rebooted podcast review feature is going to, my very first audio drama love, "Welcome to Night Vale."Recommended ListeningWelcome to Night Valehttp://welcometonightvale.com/"WELCOME TO NIGHT VALE is a twice-monthly podcast in the style of community updates for the small desert town of Night Vale, featuring local "weather," news, announcements from the Sheriff's Secret Police, mysterious lights in the night sky, dark hooded figures with unknowable powers, and cultural events."Pros:In the early seasons, the story arc that flows through between episodes really adds depth to the worldExcellent writing and character development over the years.Cecil's voice and narrative style draws you in and makes you trust him, until you learn that he may have a little bit of bias.The complexity of the story after 8 years of building is amazing. So many things have changed in this world since the first season that it's hardly even the same world anymore. *wink*The little running gags and dark humor will have you questioning what you just heard while also laughing your head off at the absurdity.It's got a taste of Lovecraft inspiration, but not directly .The original musical score by "Disparition" sets the tone perfectly.Cons:You really can't just jump in at any time. You've gotta go all the way back to the start.The "weather" segments are very "hit or miss."There are way too many ads at the start of each episode. (I know it's shitty to complain about this, but after a while it gets really annoying to listen to.)The later seasons start dragging out and become difficult to follow.The main storyline in later seasons is less cohesive. It is obvious in the storytelling when the writers stopped focusing on this show.In short, I really do love "Welcome to Night Vale." The weirdness of it all is right up my alley. The character and lore development over 8 years is phenomenal. The contrast of the macabre with the humor is perfect. But after 8 years, the writing quality is starting to dip and the stories just aren't as engaging as they were in earlier seasons. Is it still a great podcast? Absolutely. But is it still as great as it once was? Not necessarily. 3 1/2 stars.