Strawberry Spring
Based on the short story by Stephen King, Strawberry Spring is a scripted podcast set against the backdrop of the sixties revolution on the campus of New Sharon College. We follow a generation of students who don't trust authority, the futile efforts of the local police, and a young, determined reporter as he chases the bloody trail of Springheel Jack, an unrelenting, modern-day Jack the Ripper. After vanishing and leaving his murders unsolved, Jack is back - along with a new Strawberry Spring, a weather pattern with an unusual fog bank that rolls in every eight years. Using the fog to hide his tracks, he taunts New Sharon with fresh kills, each murder more violent than the last. The 8-episode season stars Garrett Hedlund, Milo Ventimiglia, Sydney Sweeney, Herizen Guardiola, Al Madrigal, Ken Marino, and Brec Bassinger.
Our Editor's Take
Strawberry Spring is an audio play podcast adapted from Stephen King's 1968 short story by the same name. It's March 1976 in the sleepy New England town of New Sharon, Maine. The area is experiencing what the locals call "Strawberry Spring." It's a false early spring that brings banks of dense fog with it.
On the Strawberry Spring podcast, the phone rings in Henry Denton's kitchen. The police have some questions and would like him to come to the station for a chat. They have found the body of a young woman, and they suspect that it was the work of Springheel Jack. That person terrified the town with a series of murders six years prior. 1968 was a strawberry bank year too. When the fog dissipated, Springheel Jack seemed to disappear with it.
Henry wrote a book on killer Springheel Jack and the police want his help solving this murder. Will Henry and the town sheriff catch him before he kills again? Will he have to choose between his personal life and his drive to find Jack? Listeners can follow the case in each episode of the Strawberry Spring podcast.
The podcast has all the elements to make a great listen. It is a captivating, fast-paced story by horror's biggest name. It also has a star-studded cast. Garrett Hedlund plays Henry Denton, and Milo Ventimiglia is the sheriff. The cast also includes Sydney Sweeney and Herizen Guardiola. This masterful adaptation pays careful attention to the characters' backstories. Finally, the original soundtrack by Yakuza & The Bear captures the 1976 zeitgeist.
Strawberry Spring is the type of show that gives credence to the idea that podcasts will bring back the golden age of radio. With eight episodes, the series is long enough to keep listeners wanting more. The story contains all the eeriness one expects from Stephen King. It's easy to become immersed in the story as if reading a book.
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