Americans, by and large, are not acquainted with the audio drama. In our culture, it seems to be, almost a lost art, a relic of the days of "Old Time Radio". At least that's the stereotype. For me, audio drama was a significant part of my childhood. Although I grew up in the 60s and 70s and TV was a huge part of my lfe, there were also Power Records. If anyone doesn't remember these, they were book and record sets containiing dramatizations of comic books. They were also available as 33 RPM records that were packaged without the comic. I had a huge collection of Marvel Superhero sets, Planet of the Apes, Star Trek, and various other Sci Fi titles. I also collected TV on audio.
When DS aired, late night, in Boston, it was a rare treat for me to be able to watch it. I'd rely on friend who would record the episodes for me, once in a great while. Later, in college, I bought copies of the audio tapes from various fans. Adam, in my mind's eye, looked very different from Robert Rodan. I pictured a HUGE bald headed guy, Think Ruk (Ted Cassidy) from Star Trek & Lurch.
The effects were better too. The infamous "shadow on the wall" was this all enveloping black hole that sucked the life from all who got stuck in its path. Angelique, rising from the flames of the caretaker's cottage was an awesome sight.
In a way, the Big Finish series brings me back to my DS roots. Yes, I did watch a few episodes in the 70s. I even caught a couple in the 60s, but for the most part, it was an audio medium for me. It worked surprisingly well, since much of the show is driven by dialogue. That's part of the reaon I have high hopes for the success of the audio series.