#4 Vacation

This episode of TAL, although being only the forth episode is a fully formed version of TAL, except for that the show is called Your Radio Playhouse. Crappy name.

Intro- 10 - Glass introduces the show by talking about his family's vacation to Hawaii, this is different from later shows, where Ira talks much less about his family and personal life.

Each act is out of 30 points.

Act one- 30 -Sandra Tsing Loh reads a story about when her dis functional family took a vacation to Ethiopia. It is an amusing story.

Act two- 30 - David Sedaris' story about hitchhiking. Actually I read this story, today, in the book Naked. I listened to the whole thing anyway. The radio version has some differences from the version in the book. I sound like a super nerd now.

Variety of Acts- 13 - Both of the acts are (semi) autobiographical monologues. Although there are some differences

Music- 7

Total- 90

#1 New Beginnings

This is the first TAL episode, ever. I have to say it's pretty good for a first show. The introduction is brilliant, and really, as Glass says, the less said about it the better, it unfolds so beautifully. The acts are pretty good, although not as good as later shows, which often feature a greater variety of performers.

Intro- 9. Point off for not laying out what the acts where going to be.
Variety of Acts- 13. Glass talks during every act.
Each act- Out of 15 points
act one- 14.
act two- 13.
act three- 6. What is the point of the sound effects? The story has no flow and is hard to follow.
act four- 10. Is this just a filler because they have six minutes left?
Music- 6 - All the songs are similar sounding.

Totaling- 86

System

I am going to listen to every episode of This American Life (TAL) and rate each one as I go. The goal being that I will find the single best episode of TAL. The desired side effect of this project is to get the TAL obsession out of my system, forever.

Each show will be rated on a 100 point scale, breaking down as follows: The set-up is worth 10 points. The set-up is the part at the being where Ira Glass explains what the show is going to be about. Does he do it in a way that makes sense and makes you want to listen to the rest of the show? The variety of acts is worth 20 points. Are the acts different, and interesting and yet all still fit around the same topic? All the acts together are worth 60 points. This number of points will be divided among however many acts there are. Does the act hold ones interest? Does it do what it is trying to do effectively? The music is worth 10 points. Was the music the same filler music again? Was the choice of music cleaver, fitting nicely into the theme of the show with out pushing it overboard?