WELCOME TO THE OTR PLOT SPOT!

The site is devoted to Science Fiction, Horror, & Adventure audio drama, and offers what I, your humble webmaster, believe to be the definitive online resource to discovering those genres in the grand tradition of Old Time Radio . The core of the site are the  Plot Archives , an episode-by-episode guide to many radio series from the 30's up to the present day. Beyond the 1000+ plot summaries, you will find brief histories, themes, cross-referencing, & many reviews from other fans. You may also submit your own , if you wish.


The Famous Authors on Radio pages provide complete listings for every story ever dramatized for radio by well-known (mostly SF) authors, from Isaac Asimov to H. G. Wells.
The Futures Past page is a visual archive of sci-fi magazines out of  the past, from which radio producers of the day drew their inspiration.
The Recommendations page offers fans a chance to tell the world what shows they think are the best of the best, as well as providing newcomers to the hobby exposure to recurring perennial favorites. 
The Listening Booth is the most popular feature of the site, a place to sit back, turn off the lights, turn on your imagination, and get lost in some great old shows. Shows change on a weekly basis, usually on Sunday or Monday nights.
Lastly, don't forget to check the Links page for online resources to buying or downloading shows described in the Plot Archives.

I have addressed the most frequently asked questions below, but should you have others,  please
Contact Me

How come when I click on a show title in the Plot Archives, it doesn't download?

The Plot Archives are NOT sound archives; they are for information purposes only. It would be nice if I could afford the web storage and traffic needed to offer shows in that manner, but alas, I am but a mere mortal....

So how do I download shows?

I offer weekly downloads in the Listening Booth. All you have to do is double-click on the show you want, or right-click and choose 'Save Target As' from the pop-up menu. I try to offer as wide a variety of shows from different series as I can, on a rotational basis. 

What if I want a particular show I read about in the Archives?

No problem, usually - just send me an email with your request, and IF I have the show in my collection, I will add your request to the queue. Usually it takes 2-3 weeks, depending on how many requests have come in before yours. 

What if I can't wait that long?

Hmm... well, if instant gratification is your thing, there is a way you can bribe me to put your request at the head of the list. See here

How come there are only three shows per week? 

My web host imposes limits on how much download traffic is permitted for the site. I've found that 3 is about all my allotment will allow without incurring heavy fiscal penalties.

Can I help out by making a small contribution to help defray the costs?

Very kind, but the managing of this site is a hobby and a labour of love, and I don't feel comfortable accepting cash for it, even if it is not for profit. 

So there's no way I can help?

Au contraire! My one disappointment with the site is that it has not proven as interactive as it was intended to be. There are plenty of people out there who download shows, but very few who give something back in the way of plots or reviews - especially reviews. I had hoped the Plot Spot would be a forum for fans to exchange opinions and ideas, but sadly, most OTR fans seem to be a rather quiet bunch...

OK, OK, so now that I feel all guilty-like,  what do I have to do to write a review?

It's easy - just email me a brief statement to say why you liked or didn't like any show listed in the archives. Only remember to keep it clean (profanity will be edited out) and to tell me whether you wish to be credited or remain anonymous.

Do you sell or trade CDs or tapes?

Nope. Sorry.

Some of the shows in the archives intrigue me, but you don't have them for download. How can I get hold of them, on either cassette or mp3?

My only suggestion is to surf the net. Start by following the Links. Or put your favorite search engine to work. Or post a query for trade at an online collector's clubs, like Yahoo's OTR group. Or check out one of the OTR ftp sites, such as SpartaSoft.

How come some archives only list certain episodes from a series rather than the whole lot?

The Plot Spot is devoted primarily to the genres of SF and Horror, though I do include a number of shows which are straight adventure, as well. Some series, like Suspense and CBS Radio Mystery Theater, covered multiple genres. Generally, an episode must have some element of the fantastic to qualify, and it must be a 'genuine' one; in other words, a show using the supernatural only as a red herring to spice up a mundane explanation at the end of the story doesn't cut the mustard.  Occasionally, I may make an exception or two to these rules but, hey, after all it's my website.....

Why don't you list broadcast dates with the episodes?

First, I feel there are plenty of sites out there already that deal with airdates. There are VERY few, however,  which deal with plots, and NONE which have cross-referencing, themes, or author listings, so I will stick to what I feel makes the Plot Spot fairly unique. Second, I just don't want to get caught up in the morass of conflicting info on airdates. Third, I just don't really give a hoot about the exact date a show was aired.  I refuse to get bogged down by minutiae.

So, if I go away on vacation, will you take care of my cat?

Uh.... no.