Wow this is a good show. This is my second listen and I just upgraded it from ***1/2 to **** (top ranking). From the beginning there is something weird going on, I think great writing involves among other things involving the listener directly into something already happening and not having to build the story first. First the show brings to my mind the OTR sci-fi shows of the 50's like Dimension X. By that time these shows had gone beyond trips to mars and were bringing the science and the mystery down to earth. The gangster angle brings to mind some of the cold war film noirs that got into some weird ("atomic") science. And I think the character names were great, like Charlie the Clown. And finally the notion of kids constructing a world of their own and keeping out adults (whether wildly-talented kids or all-too-real troubled teenagers) was disturbing, especially the line, "what happens when they grow up?".
Another great line: "and she gets into movies for free".
So I'll just say I really enjoy this show, I've listened to it twice and it involved me all the way to the end both times.