The Speculation Station Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Death Of A Thumbnail Jul 25, 2019

Show notes

How dangerous is the theatre? Could creative differences lead to blood? What happens when a member of a tight-knit theatre troupe is murdered? How quickly are thespians at each other's throats?

This week, Tom throws a literal spanner in the works —albeit an oversized wooden prop spanner— which we use to craft a classic whodunit murder mystery. Join us as we enter The Thumbnail: a tiny struggling theatre, lost in the crowded back streets of London's West End.

When the theatre's patron and matriarch, Dame Kataly Wedgewood is murdered, DCI Henry Chackles arrives on the scene to investigate as the troupe begins to turn on each other. Will the struggling theatre implode before the culprit is found?

Beyond Terra: Moon-Landing Special Jul 20, 2019

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Is our future among the stars? Will we ever live on the alien surface of an asteroid, moon or planet? What are the implications of privatised space exploitation?

This week, in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, Tom hurls a 4 billion-year-old Odessa meteorite fragment at Will. We use it to tell the story of down-on-her-luck Australian mining tycoon, Shirl Basset. She's hired by a disruptive space exploration company, Beyond Terra, and put in charge of a bold asteroid-capture mission.

In her way stands Deacon Cutter, the ruthless leader of a rival company's team with his finger on a nuclear trigger.

A Very Southern Murder Jun 21, 2019

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What would you do to secure your family's future? What if your inheritance was dirty money? Would you take the money or keep it at arm's length? This week, Will puts a Stetson cowboy hat on Tom's head and we tell the story of the Southern Ruckston oil dynasty, a feuding family with a dying patriarch.

Siblings squabble over the family estate and the future of the Ruckston Oil Empire. When his family members start dying, the black sheep of the family, Buck Ruckston has to step up to prevent a bloodbath.

The Game Of Lies May 31, 2019

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Would you risk your life in a deadly game of chance if winning meant riches beyond your wildest dreams? What if your future depended on lying your way into a high-stakes gambling tournament deep in the desert?

This Week, Tom rolls Will a 12-sided Dice and we tell the story of Jacqueline Du Mort, a professional gambler on the run, who gets roped into a dangerous heist in a secret casino beneath the Arabian desert. She gets tangled up in an international conspiracy, faces enemies on both sides and is forced to confront her own loyalties.

The Killing Cure: The Jerusalem Brawl May 24, 2019

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What could stop internet trolling? What if anyone could challenge you to a fight to the death? Would you censor yourself online if your words could lead to blood?

Join us for the futuristic story of Mickey Danver, an Aussie internet troll, challenged by a snarky Scottish comedian to deadly combat in the Jerusalem Brawl. Will indulges Tom in bloodsport, modern gladiators and social engineering, seeded by a pair of Muay Thai sparring gloves.

The World Labyrinth May 17, 2019

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What if there was a world where everyone lived underground? What kind of people would they be? What culture, religion and politics would exist on the shores of their vast subterranean seas?

Join us as Tom takes Will on a fantastical journey which bursts from the blank pages of a leather-bound book. We test our imagination, creating an epic fantasy in an entirely new world.

Diamonds Without Borders May 10, 2019

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What if you uncovered a terrible family secret? What if an eccentric relative launched you on a mysterious adventure around the world? Would you stop to question why?

This week, Will and Tom jet off on an adventure when Will flashes his leather-bound passport. We use it to tell the story of Menzies Wainwright who, after inheriting his grandfather's fortune, embarks on a globe-trotting voyage, unearthing his family's dark past.

Pictures Of Nowhere Apr 12, 2019

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Should war photographers remain neutral? Could WW1 have been prevented? Would a millenial have survived the trenches? This week, Tom captures Will with an old-fashioned SLR camera. We tell the story of Ethel Gray, a 17-year old photographer who disguised herself as a man, tricking her way onto the frontlines of the First World War.

Pacific Pod Paradise Apr 05, 2019

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How would you build an underwater city? How might you engineer a future society? This week, Will challenges Tom with a pocket watch. We use it tell the story of Jeramia Stamp, a rebel tech billionairre, who enters a futuristic competetition to create the first undersea colony.

Europe: An Argument Mar 29, 2019

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How did the powers of Europe unite? What contributed to the forming of the European Union? This week, we explore all this and more as Tom bribes Will with a 1 Euro coin. We tell the story of the fictional Bordello family who tried to create the first European Empire from Renaissance Venice.