The series was created in 2016 by Jeffrey Cranor and Janina Matthewson (the latter also narrating the first season), and it has been produced as part of the Night Vale Presents podcast network since June 21, 2016.[1][2] For the first five seasons of its run, the podcast aired every other Wednesday, but starting with season 6, changed to a weekly release.
In 2021, a novel set in the Within the Wires universe was published, called You Feel It Just Below the Ribs. A fictional work written in the style of an annotatedautobiography, it details the events of the "Great Reckoning" and the formation of the Society from the point of view of one of the survivors. The book was released on November 16, 2021. The audiobook was narrated by Kirsten Potter and Adepero Oduye.
Production
In an interview with CBC Radio's Podcast Playlist, Jeffrey Cranor explained that the initial idea behind the podcast was to use pre-existing audio guides as a template for storytelling, with the first season taking the form of a relaxation cassette program. Cranor had read and enjoyed Janina Matthewson's book Of Things Gone Astray, and they first met when he messaged her on Twitter in Autumn 2015 to invite her to a Welcome to Night Vale live show when it was touring through London. Cranor later pitched the initial idea to Matthewson and they began brainstorming story ideas together.[3] Each episode is outlined by Cranor and Matthewson, before being written by one of them and then edited by the other.[4] Every season is written by Cranor and Matthewson, with music by Mary Epworth. From season 4 onwards, Cranor and Matthewson also became the producer and director, respectively. The first season was partially funded through sponsored advertising.
With the release of the final episode of the first season, it was announced that those who donate $50 or more to the podcast would receive an exclusive prologue episode for the second season,[5] which was released on August 22, 2017.[6] After the launch of the podcast's Patreon, the prologue episode was included in the same tier as the bonus Black Box episodes.
Episodes
Every episode was written by Jeffrey Cranor and Janina Matthewson.
Season 1: "Relaxation Cassettes"
In the first season, the listener, a medical inmate at a place called the Institute, receives guidance from the mysterious narrator of instructional relaxation cassettes.[7][8][9][1][10]
Episode
Title
Date
Running Time
1
"Cassette 1: Stress, Shoulders"
June 21, 2016
24:11
SIDE A: Weight of the World. SIDE B: Shoulders and Giants.
2
"Cassette 2: Anxiety, Stomach"
July 5, 2016
22:28
SIDE A: Calming anxiety. SIDE B: Turning the Stomach.
3
"Cassette 3: Insomnia, Feet"
July 19, 2016
28:18
SIDE A: Plant Your Feet, Wanderer. SIDE B: Sleep On It.
4
"Cassette 4: Sadness, Lungs"
August 2, 2016
26:06
SIDE A: The Air in Here. SIDE B: The Confines of Freedom.
5
"Cassette 5: Focus, Nose"
August 16, 2016
29:30
SIDE A: I am a Camera. SIDE B: A Nose is a Nose is a Nose.
6
"Cassette 6: for Oleta"
August 30, 2016
25:04
SIDE A: The Past. SIDE B: The Future.
7
"Cassette 7: Doubt, Head"
September 13, 2016
28:03
SIDE A: Shadow of Doubt. SIDE B: Keep Your Head About You.
8
"Cassette 8: Awareness, Eyes"
September 27, 2016
26:14
SIDE A: All Eyes On You. SIDE B: The Likeness of Strangers.
9
"Cassette 9: Loss, Hands"
October 11, 2016
26:19
SIDE A: In the Calm of your Hands. SIDE B: Cut Your Losses.
10
"Cassette 10: Horopito"
October 25, 2016
26:16
Somewhere else.
Season 2: "Museum Audio Tours"
In the second season, an artist named Roimata Mangakāhia communicates with the listener through a series of museum audio guides.[11] Every episode in this season features a guest star voicing the curator of the museum. Prior to the season premiere, three trailers composed of preview segments from the season itself were released, on August 15, August 22, and August 29, 2017. Donors of $50 or more to the production of the second season received a special prologue episode, "Cassette 0: Karikari Contemporary (1969)", on August 22, 2017, with the release of the second trailer.[6]
Episode
Title
Date
Running Time
11
"Cassette 1: Tate Modern (1971)"
September 5, 2017
29:40
Still Life with Orchid; House with Yellow Door; The Charcoal Dish; Woman in Bath; Self Portrait with Cat. Featuring Mary Epworth as Fiona Williamson.
12
"Cassette 2: Ulster Museum (1973)"
September 19, 2017
26:17
Still Life with Tomato Plant and Sword, oil on canvas, 1962; Marketplace, Summer Afternoon, 1965; Stapler (1968); Fingers. Together. (1967); Sunshine Afternoon (1968); Self-Portrait with Cat (1972, unfinished). Featuring Sarah Maria Griffin as Mary Breathnach.
13
"Cassette 3: El Museo de Arte Contemporaneo (1974)"
A Palace Removed; The Parade in Paris; The Arising. Featuring Anairis Quiñones as Caty Velasquez.
14
"Cassette 4: Bardo Museum (1975)"
October 17, 2017
25:14
untitled figure with hat; untitled automobile with driver; untitled waves; untitled dinner party; untitled artists at work; untitled rope and parrot. Featuring Felicity Crentsil as Ama Cudjoe.
15
"Cassette 5: Van Gogh Museum (1977)"
October 31, 2017
26:34
Childhood Home, 1935; Childhood Home, Left; New Environments; Self-Portraits Sketchbook. Featuring Lia Albers as Lia Bakker.
16
"Cassette 6: Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (1978)"
November 14, 2017
30:40
Mantis on Branch; Rubbish #3; Rubbish #7; Rubbish #15; Needlework; Housefly; Darkened Room; Guests. Featuring Kate Leth as Zoe Tremblay.
17
"Cassette 7: Sree Chitra Art Gallery (1979)"
November 28, 2017
21:05
Women Alone, by Vanessa Nguyen; Self Portrait, by Roimata Mangakāhia; The Three Sisters, by Claudia Atieno. Featuring Lily Potkin as Clarissa Nair.
18
"Cassette 8: Ohara Museum of Art (1980)"
December 12, 2017
28:39
Stars (oil on canvas); Attentiveness (oil on canvas); Sunglasses and Cigarettes (pencil sketch on paper); Lamp (oil on wood); Box of Acorns (acrylic box, acorns); Eleven. Featuring Julia Morizawa as Leah Akane.
19
"Cassette 9: Metropolitan Museum of Art (1981)"
December 26, 2017
19:58
House with Yellow Door; Woman in Bath; The Empty Pier; Unfinished Work. Featuring Leah Nanako Winkler as Elaine Hara.
Early sketches (1953-1958); Providence (1964); Cornwall Cliffs (1972); Fingers Together, 1973; The Bodies, 1979; Self Portrait (1970); Claudia Atieno with Cat, 1974; Horopito #2, Horopito #4. Featuring Janina Matthewson as Hester Wells.
^Packaged together with an episode of It Makes a Sound.
Season 3: "Dictation"
The third season, "a political thriller set in 1950s Chicago," is narrated by the bureaucrat Michael Witten; listeners access letters and notes dictated to his secretary.[12]
Episode
Title
Date
Running Time
21
"Reel 1: July 3, 1953."
September 4, 2018
18:45
Letters to Sima Choudary, Helena Wood, and Bernice Jones.
22
"Reel 2: August 23, 1953."
September 17, 2018
19:40
Letters to Ursula Lindholm, Bernice Jones, and Vishwathy Ramadoss.
23
"Reel 3: November 26, 1953."
October 1, 2018
16:59
Letters to Sarah Chisholm and Reina Bachelor.
24
"Reel 4: February 15, 1954."
October 16, 2018
19:01
Letters to Vishwathi Ramadoss, Leena Mäkinen, and Bernice Jones.
25
"Reel 5: March 2, 1954."
October 30, 2018
18:45
Letter to Sarah Chisholm.
26
"Reel 6: March 24, 1954."
November 13, 2018
18:10
For Amy.
27
"Reel 7: March 29, 1954."
November 27, 2018
19:36
Letters to Vishwathi Ramadoss and Karen Roberts.
28
"Reel 8: April 20, 1954."
December 11, 2018
17:55
Letters to Bernice Jones and Sima Choudary.
29
"Reel 9: September 13, 1954."
January 1, 2019
24:02
Letters to Alejandra Reagan, Ursula Lindholm, Bernice Jones, and Sarah Chisholm.
30
"Reel 10: June 21, 1961."
January 15, 2019
24:01
Letter to Amy Castillo.
Season 4: "The Cradle"
Episode
Title
Date
Running Time
31
"Cassette 1: Spring 1993."
September 9, 2019
22:03
SIDE A: A letter for my daughter, Sigrid. SIDE B: Notes for the Cradle.
32
"Cassette 2: Autumn 1993."
September 9, 2019
22:29
SIDE A: Dearest Sigrid. SIDE B: Inspirational tale for the Cradle.
33
"Cassette 3: Summer 1994."
September 23, 2019
21:01
SIDE A: A story for Sigrid. SIDE B: A blessing for the Cradle.
34
"Cassette 4: Winter 1994–95."
October 7, 2019
21:47
SIDE A: Sigrid, a visitor is coming. SIDE B: A mantra for the Cradle.
35
"Cassette 5: Spring 1995."
October 21, 2019
24:01
SIDE A: Sigrid, I'm disappointed. SIDE B: A lesson of acceptance for the Cradle.
36
"Cassette 6: Summer 1996."
November 4, 2019
24:19
SIDE A: Great news, Sigrid! SIDE B: A parable from The Hand.
37
"Cassette 7: Spring 1997."
November 18, 2019
20:15
SIDE A: Motherhood is difficult, Sigrid. SIDE B: A sermon for the Cradle.
38
"Cassette 8: Winter 1997–98."
December 2, 2019
24:22
SIDE A: Keep your eyes open, Sigrid. SIDE B: A homily on readiness.
39
"Cassette 9: Autumn 1998."
December 16, 2019
19:55
SIDE A: Stay focused, Sigrid. SIDE B: You must believe in me, my Cradle.
40
"Cassette 10: Autumn 1999."
December 30, 2019
26:10
SIDE A: I love you, my glorious daughter, Sigrid. SIDE B: I love you all, my faithful Cradle.
Season 5: "Voicemail"
As well as the main narrator voiced by Amiera Darwish, this season featured a secondary narrator voiced by Norma Butikofer at the end of every episode.
Episode
Title
Date
Running Time
41
"Episode 1: March 2008."
August 25, 2020
23:16
Voicemails to Nan. Voicemail from Gwen.
42
"Episode 2: September 2003."
September 8, 2020
18:38
Voicemails to Artie, Rachel, Beverly, and Nan. Voicemail from Gwen.
43
"Episode 3: March 2002."
September 22, 2020
21:37
Voicemails to Nan. Voicemail from Gwen.
44
"Episode 4: January 2002."
October 6, 2020
20:46
Voicemails to Nan, Liv, and Chunhua. Voicemail from Gwen.
45
"Episode 5: September 2001."
October 20, 2020
17:46
Voicemails to Nan and Sophie. Voicemail from Gwen.
46
"Episode 6: July 1999."
November 3, 2020
16:01
Voicemails to Nan and Chunhua. Voicemail from Gwen.
47
"Episode 7: October 1997."
November 17, 2020
19:33
Voicemails to Nan, Sophie, and Chunhua. Voicemail from Gwen.
48
"Episode 8: July 1997."
December 1, 2020
19:14
Voicemails to Nan, Sophie, and Liv. Voicemail from Gwen.
49
"Episode 9: May 1997."
December 15, 2020
20:40
Voicemails to Nan, Liv, and Sophie. Voicemail from Gwen.
Within the Wires' Patreon includes an exclusive season called "Black Box", released four times a year, on solstices and equinoxes. The season tells the story of an unnamed pilot (narrated by Cranor) through his black box recordings.[13]
Episode
Title
Date
Running Time
B1
"Black Box Cassette 1: PHL to PWM"
March 20, 2018
12:31
B2
"Black Box Cassette 2: PWM to MDW"
June 21, 2018
11:16
B3
"Black Box Cassette 3: MDW to YYZ"
September 23, 2018
14:30
B4
"Black Box Cassette 4: YYZ to ATL"
December 21, 2018
13:43
B5
"Black Box Cassette 5: HOU to LAX"
March 20, 2019
11:23
B6
"Black Box Cassette 6: LAX to SEA, SEA to YUL, YUL to MSY"
June 21, 2019
8:50
B7
"Black Box Cassette 7: MSY to HOU"
September 23, 2019
10:30
B8
"Black Box Cassette 8: LAX to SEA"
December 25, 2019
8:40
B9
"Black Box Cassette 9: SEA to TIL, TIL to ABQ"
May 30, 2020
12:54
B10
"Black Box Cassette 10: ABQ to SCL, LIT to ???"
January 25, 2021
11:48
Live
Within the Wires' first live show was performed by Janina Matthewson at the London Podcast Festival on September 13, 2018.[14] They did two live shows starring Lee LeBreton, one at Largo at the Coronet in Los Angeles on April 27, 2019[15] and one at PodX in Nashville, Tennessee on June 2, 2019.[16]
Reception
Marc Hershon of The Huffington Post positively reviewed the second episode, stating that it "has a distinctive flavor all its own" and that the show is "every bit as warped as [Welcome to Night Vale]."[8] Nathan Dorer of The Rensselaer Polytechnic positively reviewed the first season, finding that "the evolution of the podcast throughout the first season was borderline artful" and praising Matthewson's narration and the "effective" atmosphere of the podcast.[17] Steve Greene of IndieWire praised the podcast as "an off-kilter delight" and observed that it was "something that can only exist in this medium."[18] Devon Taylor of The Sarahs observed that because the story is "parceled out slowly" it could "frustrate listeners accustomed to a more linear plot," while also drawing positive comparisons to Lost and the works of David Lynch.[4]
