State of The Fort July 2022 - Season 2 Finale, and Other Announcements and Updates
July 5, 2022·9 min
Cole opens by acknowledging he has no script today and wants to speak authentically about the state of the show. He reassures listeners that Season 2 is not over, despite the recent silence. He explains that the pandemic put the entire production on hold for two and a half years and now that society has resumed normal pace, everyone involved is catching up on life events they deferred. Specific examples include multiple cast members relocating and editor Harlan Guthrie marrying his partner Joe. Cole also discloses that he recently lost his job, which disrupted his routine and made coordinating remote recording sessions across time zones nearly impossible. Despite these challenges, Cole confirms that three more episodes remain in Season 2 and two are already written, with recording underway. He warns that the traditional release schedule—two episodes per week—can no longer be sustained and that episodes will arrive as they are completed, possibly in batches. Looking ahead, Cole states that Season 3 will not continue the two-per-week format because of the toll it took on his mental and physical health. He notes that The Town Whispers reached over 100,000 downloads per month during Season 2, calling it exhilarating but also devastating to his wellbeing, including contracting COVID during production. He says Season 3 may be a hybrid schedule or a steady once-per-week release, but no final decision has been made. Cole then teases three new cast members for the final Season 2 episodes. Two come from a popular audio drama that regular listeners may identify based on the existing cast lineup. The third is a longtime friend who alpha-read the first episode of The Town Whispers before it was ever recorded and who collaborated with Cole on the Nine to Midnight project. Cole closes with a recap of key points, a sincere apology for delays, and a recommendation to listen to Malevolent, Dice Shame, the Milkman of St. Gaffs, the Siltverses, and Old Gods of Appalachia. He reflects that forcing himself to produce at an unsustainable pace does not improve episodes and has been a difficult lesson to learn.
