Radio review – NBC Short Stories – “The Lottery” (1951) **1/2

Adaptation of a famous short story which surely influenced Steven King. It’s about a lottery in a small town that happens every year. Losers (or is that winners?) of the lottery are sacrificed for the harvest. It’s quite chilling, with the contrast between normal everyday country life and their act – but I didn’t quite believe it. I know that’s kind of the point but the version here didn’t quite sell it to me; too much family dialogue at the beginning with the wife all for it (irony) plus too much spelling out of the point at the end (“why can’t we stop?” and stuff).