Frankly, I’m not in the know enough to enjoy this, but with annoying characters like these, I don’t think that’s a bad thing.
What it's about
NPR’s third most popular host and stop motion puppet Lauren Caspian works with his team to conduct in-depth interviews with real world personalities in his show In the Know.
The take
With podcasts, online music services, and of course, video, radio might not have the same relevance as it did back then, but it’s still alive and changing with the times today. In The Know satirizes modern day public radio, portraying a more narcissistic fictional radio team behind the airwaves, but it does so in a charming way that makes the station feel lived in. Part of this feeling is ShadowMachine’s expressive, well-crafted stop-motion animation style, but part of it stems from how specific the humor gets to be, poking light fun at the very insecurity that drives their (and today’s) self-absorption. Being this specific, the humor hits sporadically for some viewers like myself, who would prefer to watch a show rather than listen to one, but In The Know might be entertaining enough for NPR fans and those keeping themselves up-to-date with American pop culture.
What stands out
The guest interviews are with real life stars, filmed in live action, reacting to Zach Woods’ improvisations. It mirrors the on-the-spot nature of on-air interviews and the self-absorbed desire Lauren has in wanting to be uncancellable, but it does feel a tad disjointed from the actual plot.