Review: 'Porcupine Passions'

Every now and then I find a work of furry art that is amazing. Such is the two-part audio drama entitled Porcupine Passions. The story started as a spin off explaining some back-story details of The Beach Bears saga (interview), but became much more.

Porcupine Passions I (10 episodes, about 10 minutes each) tells Bobby’s story as he struggles with his feelings of deep friendship for his friend Dipper. I could feel Bobby’s genuine feelings as I listened. The Beach Bears musical group had formed, and Dipper had stumbled into some serious heartache. As loyal friends do, Bobby comes to Dipper’s aid. Sounds simple; but the story is told with such genuine emotion, it’s anything but.

Porcupine Passions II (37 episodes, about 10 minutes each) precedes The Beach Bears saga and defines the friendship between Bobby and Dipper, which is tested when Bobby must move away and both their lives change in ways neither expected. Both grow and realize how special their friendship really is, as do the listeners.

As engaging as the story is, there was another part of Porcupine Passions that I found delightful. In part I the story has genuine emotions and characters I could identify with. In part II the story was equally moving; and the production had taken a large step forward to include more actors, sound effects, and additional editing staff. The parallel growth of the story construction and the character development increased my appreciation of Porcupine Passions the more I listened.

And a final bit of Porcupine Passions' unique and endearing quality. The last four episodes of Porcupine Passions II occur on Christmas Day. These four episodes will be posted on the real Christmas Day 2013. There is much anticipation waiting for Christmas to arrive so I can open this present. And the author has promised these four episodes will not only be arriving on Christmas Day, but will bring a wonderful and happy emotional resolution to the story - just as a present brings joy. The time juxtaposition makes the story fell that much more special and real.

If you are looking for a well-told, complex story involving deep friendship; a story that will bring that special feeling of Christmas to your heart, I recommend Porcupine Passions. I greatly enjoyed listening to the posted episodes, and await the Christmas present. I think you will too.