Radio Retropolis

On New Year's Eve, Detectives Friday and Romero must investigate a senseless cop killing.  Commentary on ambush style attacks on police today compared to the 1950s.

JR warps up Radio Retropolis' TENTH successful season, what's coming up this summer, and what to expect when the podcast returns for its eleventh season this September!

With the newspaper clipping of the latest robbery as now Superman and Batman's only clue in finding Robin, Jonesy carries Robin's unconscious body at the foot of the building as he prepares to silence him once and for all. JR comments on the end of the season and what's to come.

Boris Karloff returns in our Lights Out episode podcast as a scientist determined to bring his recently deceased wife back to life. Commentary on Karloff's connection to making the dead rise and the discussion of what many of the mad scientists, in spite of their brilliance, fail to realize when bringing the dead back to life. Finally, a an extended look at Wyllis Cooper, Arch Oboler and the entire Lights Out legacy.

A railroad signalman is visited by a mysterious figure every time a horrific train accident is about to occur. Commentary on author Charles Dickens' real life experience, including a near fatal train derailment, that led to his writing the original story. An exceptional episode.

Friday and Romero are on the hunt for a married con artist couple who has been scamming churches and committing insurance fraud for over two years and have always eluded the law at every turn. Commentary on the sadness of this episode which really changes slows the pacing for this episode. Also commentary on the polio epidemics of 1949 and 1952.

Superman and Batman feel completely helpless upon finding Spider's place completely empty with no trace of Robin whatsoever. Spider, who has no other choice, is planning to kill Robin. JR speaks on the recent controversy over the Superman franchise.

A worried mother calls the police and reports that her four year old twin girls have been missing for hours. This episode aired on February 15, 1951. Unfortunately, the audio quality of the episode suffers greatly. Since many early Dragnet television scripts were nothing more than the radio scripts, we have decided to present a special audio podcast of the television version of The Big Crime which aired September 9, 1954 as the third episode of Dragnet's 4th TV season. Commentary on the horrendous content of this episode from 1951 and 1954 and how our instant media today has desensitized our feelings towards horrific images in what has become the new normal.

Friday questions Henry Ross, a suspect in a man's disappearance, which Friday believes is actually a murder. Commentary on the unusual format of this episode which starts right at the interrogation and never lets up. Plus, we discuss the first uses of the polygraph machine.

An eight-year-old boy and his sister have been going from door to door begging for food even though they are from well to do parents. Commentary on yet another award won by Dragnet. This one was The Motion Picture Herald Association with Fame Award. Also discussed are the millions of children abused each year and why this episode may have had special meaning for star Jack Webb.