Podcast Review: The Horror of Dolores Roach

Last Updated on December 3, 2019

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Y'all, I get a TON of requests for audio drama podcast reviews. This week, I'm getting out of my comfort zone (waaaaay out) and bringing you a review of Gimlet Media's The Horror of Dolores Roach.

I'll be honest with you: I'm on the fence when it comes to audio dramas and fiction podcasts. You’ll notice that I don’t write about them a lot here on the blog.

I think this is because many audio dramas are thrillers or about the paranormal. Those aren't genres that I typically enjoy in books or movies, so I hesitate to go there in podcasts.

The Horror of Dolores Roach falls into the thriller podcast category, so right away I was unsure about listening to it, let alone writing about it. But I just couldn't get over the fact that Gimlet had created what sounded like something really dark.

Gimlet has put out some good fiction podcasts (their show Homecoming is about to be an Amazon original series starring Julie Roberts). But a real thriller/horror podcast? That's not really Gimlet's style. This was reason enough for me to binge-listen and write a review.

So how did I like The Horror of Dolores Roach? And would I recommend it? Here's my no-spoilers podcast review.

Everything You Need to Know About The Horror of Dolores Roach

Listener Advisory

Before I get any further into this podcast review, I should mention that every episode of The Horror of Dolores Roach is heavy with language, adult themes (drugs and sex), and violence.

Each episode does have a warning at the beginning, but I know a lot of people who don't take those warnings seriously. In my opinion, you should not listen to this podcast anywhere near children or young teens. I would say this is 17+ content.

The Plot

Gimlet announced that all 8 episodes of Dolores Roach would be dropping at once. For the first time ever, I found this bit of knowledge actually distracting me as I listened.

I really enjoyed how the plot unfolded in episodes 1 and 2. There was just enough description and back story provided, and only a few characters were introduced. I like it when a fiction podcast allows you to get your bearings before it drops 4 or 5 new characters on you.

That said, I had to remind myself that thrillers often take longer to unfold than traditional story lines. Even though there's a great cliffhanger in the final seconds of episode 1, I found myself thinking, "There are only 8 episodes...when is the "horror" going to start?"

I know I'm not the only person to think this. I read multiple posts on social media from other listeners who said, "I'm really enjoying this podcast, but I have no IDEA where it's going!"

My advice: stick with it. Keep listening. It's worth it.

Even when I did know where the story was going, there were moments in each episode when I couldn't tell if it would take a sharp left, or gently go right. This podcast kept me on my toes, which is a major plus.

Narration

I'm a sucker for great dialogue, so for me, thriller movies are unbearably silent. But a thriller podcast doesn't have the benefit of watching the tension play out between the actors visually.

A podcast has to be super descriptive without being over-the-top, and my experience is that many podcasts have a hard time finding this balance.

This is one thing I thought Dolores Roach did really well. The character of Dolores is the main narrator of the story, but her description of the action is mixed with details that develop her as a character as well.

In episode 1, she takes you with her down memory lane as she discovers that her old neighborhood has undergone a dramatic change (the theme of gentrification is strong throughout the podcast).

Any listener who has been back to their hometown, only to find that everything has changed, will understand the shock and awe that Dolores experiences.

Dolores paints a picture in your mind, and sets the scene perfectly. Then she drops a nugget that gives you an idea of what's important to her. You can almost picture her on stage, as part of a scene with the other characters, and then stepping aside to privately address the audience.

(It should be mentioned that this podcast is based on actress Daphne Rubin-Vega's one-woman play called Empanada Loca, so the stage analogy is not completely off-base. Rubin-Vega plays Dolores in the podcast as well).

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The Characters (and the acting)

In keeping with episodes 1 and 2, Dolores Roach doesn't overwhelm you with characters. New characters are introduced slowly - usually only one per episode - and with detail and context. I found it easy to follow.

Without giving too much away, I can say that the character of Dolores is believable in a lot of ways. Her search for something familiar, her need to be part of society again, and her mix of tough-talk and naivety are extremely humanizing.

Daphne Rubin-Vega does an amazing job portraying the range of emotions that Dolores goes through, and I particularly enjoyed the moments of apathy, disgust, and sarcasm.

In addition to Dolores, the characters of Luis and Nellie feature prominently, and the acting for all three is fantastic.

I completely forgot what actor Bobby Cannavale looks like in real life; his portrayal of Luis had me picturing something completely different (and much less attractive) in my head.

Although I really liked 17 year-old Nellie, I think Kita Updike's voice is a bit too polished for this character. I had to keep reminding myself that Nellie is young and naive. Fresh-faced, yes; but still from a rough neighborhood.

I think what I enjoyed most about the characters was how they played right into stereotypes, even while they were trying so hard to do the exact opposite.

I was surprised by how much of the podcast played with the theme of relationship dynamics. Initially I got annoyed by how many scenes featured arguments between Dolores and Luis (and how long the arguments went on for), but I eventually realized that there was a point to them.

The podcast writers also played significantly with the idea of "the stories we tell ourselves". Many of the characters are fooling themselves into believing something they wish to be true. I always find this to be fascinating (in fiction and in real life), and it fits well into the thriller genre.

Music & Sound

Y'all, I am really into music, so I surprised myself when I didn't even notice the music in Dolores Roach until episode 3.

In hindsight, I think I was super focused on the narration and details in episodes 1 and 2. Episode 1 was fast-paced and full of emotion. I listened to it a second time and realized how much music was mixed into it.

The music is perfect for all eight episodes, and it even provides the backdrop for the ads (more on that in a minute). It's constantly setting the scene and dropping hints at what's about to happen.

In addition to the music, the sound effects make it easy to imagine the characters, their surroundings, and their movements.

From the background noise in the empanada shop, to the sounds of marijuana burning and bones cracking, I thought the sound effects and mixing of each episode were life-like and believable.

Check out these other podcast reviews:

Podcast Review: The Habitat
Podcast Review: The Truth

Ad Spots (aka, the commercials)

I know that some podcast listeners never listen to the ads, opting to hit the Fast Forward button on their podcast player.

Me, I've loved a good commercial ever since I was a little girl watching local TV. If the ad isn't convincing, it should at least be clever, and that's what Gimlet did with the commercials for Dolores Roach.

The ads are from the "usual suspects" in podcast advertising - Simply Safe & Hello Fresh - but Gimlet produced these commercials like they were part of the podcast, including the same background music. There were even little nods to the story line, some of which changed as more of the plot developed.

I thought this was clever, and it made me want to listen to the ads in every episode, for fear of missing out on something new.

My Recommendation

Because this is a no-spoilers podcast review, there's a lot that I'm not saying here. I've highlighted what I thought makes this podcast really intriguing, and mentioned a few things that I didn't care for.

Something I've failed to mention: there are a LOT of funny moments in this podcast. I found myself laughing and cracking smiles in every episode.

But make no mistake: Dolores Roach IS a thriller/horror. The story goes pretty deep into disturbing territory. It definitely made me feel uncomfortable and grossed out at times (once I was listening while eating breakfast...)

Remember earlier when I said I went WAAAAY out of my comfort zone. I mean it. For real.

And there's no doubt that Dolores Roach was way out of Gimlet's comfort zone. But it's a really good podcast, and the folks at Gimlet should be proud of what they've achieved.

I recommend a good binge-listening session of The Horror of Dolores Roach (you might actually find it difficult NOT to binge it!)

Your Turn To Recommend

Did you listen to The Horror of Dolores Roach? What did you think? Leave a comment below to share with the rest of us (*no guarantee about spoilers in the comments!)