In the Know 2024 / A unique, though slightly uneven, stop-motion satire about public radio today

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.