In an industry defined by volatility and emotional extremes, few mediums have managed to capture the lived experience of crypto natives like Post Trench Stress Disorder (PTSD), an animated series created by industry insiders.
In a recent candid chat with AltCoinDesk, Tom Letts, one of the personnel behind PTSD, shared insights into the origins of the show. He also explained the role of authenticity in storytelling, and why crypto might be the perfect setting for a long-running animated series.
From speechwriting to web3 storytelling
Tom Letts’ journey into crypto wasn’t a normal one. Before entering the space, he worked as a speechwriter – a role that increasingly took a backseat as his fascination with crypto deepened.
“I was obsessing over crypto to the point where it was becoming a problem,” Letts admitted. “I realized that if I was going to spend all my time thinking about this space, I might as well make it my job.”
That decision led him into web3 around 2019, where he began working as a writer behind the scenes for various crypto content creators. Over time, his work evolved into animation, eventually culminating in PTSD.
Why crypto needed its own show
At its core, PTSD is more than just a comedy – it’s a reflection of crypto culture as experienced by those “in the trenches.” According to Letts, that distinction is super important.
“Culture isn’t something you can explain, it has to be experienced,” he said. “And PTSD is really about that lived experience.”
The show follows a young protagonist who drops out of college to become a full-time crypto trader, a storyline that mirrors the journey many retail participants took during the 2021 bull market. But beyond the plot, what makes the series resonate is its authenticity.
“We didn’t sit down and try to manufacture something that feels real,” Letts explained. “It just is real, because it comes from our own experiences and the experiences of people around us.”
That authenticity is what mainstream portrayals of the crypto industry miss. While traditional media keeps focus on price movements and regulatory developments, PTSD zooms in on the emotional ups and downs that define life in web3.
Inspired by real events, not just memes
While PTSD is fictional, it is rooted in real-world events and cultural moments. From infamous tweets to market collapses, the show includes real industry milestones into its exciting plot.
The story begins in 2021, a year associated with euphoric bull market conditions and viral moments that have since become part of crypto lore. Letts acknowledges that these events naturally influence the script.
“It’s not like we scroll through Twitter looking for ideas,” he said. “But those iconic moments – like certain tweets or market developments – they shaped the industry. So they inevitably shape the story.”
Rather than simply referencing memes for humor, PTSD treats these moments as part of a broader cultural timeline. In that sense, Letts describes the show as something more than entertainment.
“It’s almost like a cultural document,” he said. “We’re capturing what it felt like to be in crypto at a particular point in time.”
A story that evolves with the market
One of the most ambitious aspects of PTSD is its multi-season arc. While the first season begins during the peak of the bull market, future seasons will track the emotional and financial shifts that follow.
“We know where the story goes,” Letts said. “But we also want it to reflect the mood of the market.”
This means that as the crypto cycle evolves, whether into another euphoric rally or a prolonged bear market, the tone of the show will evolve alongside it.
“The line between comedy and tragedy is very thin,” he noted. “And crypto sits right on that line.”
That duality is central to PTSD’s appeal. Moments of victory can quickly turn into major losses, and the show leans into that unpredictability to create both humor and relatability.
Built by crypto OGs for crypto OGs
A major point that stands out for PTSD is its creative team. The project brings together people from varied backgrounds – such as animation, entertainment, and crypto. Some contributors also have experience in major film productions and leading web3 companies.
Yet despite this mixture, Letts says that PTSD remains rooted in crypto-native culture.
“This is a show made by degens, for degens,” he said.
That insider perspective, he argues, is crucial. A crypto comedy created by outsiders, even highly skilled ones, would struggle to capture the nuances of the space.
“It would just feel manufactured,” he explained. “You need to have lived it to really get it.”
Why launch on crypto Twitter?
When it came to distribution, the team made a deliberate choice to prioritize platforms where crypto culture already thrives—particularly X (formerly Twitter).
“Crypto culture lives on crypto Twitter,” Letts said. “That’s where communities form, where narratives are shaped, where everything happens.”
While the show is also available on platforms like YouTube, launching natively within crypto social channels allows it to reach its core audience directly.
At the same time, Letts acknowledges that broader ambitions exist. If the show continues to gain traction, a move toward traditional streaming platforms could be on the horizon.
“But first, we need to build an audience,” he said.
Avoiding the pitfalls of hype
In an industry often criticized for hype-driven projects and unfulfilled promises, PTSD takes a fundamentally different approach.
“We’re not selling a vision of what this could be,” Letts explained. “It’s a show you can watch it and decide if you like it.”
Unlike crypto products that rely on future potential, entertainment offers immediate feedback. If the audience doesn’t connect with it, there’s no hiding behind roadmaps or whitepapers.
“The audience doesn’t lie,” he said. “If it’s not funny, if it doesn’t resonate, people just won’t watch it.”
This feedback loop serves as a built-in accountability mechanism, one that Letts sees as both a challenge and an advantage.
Find humour in shared experiences
Despite its satirical tone, PTSD taps into something deeper: the shared emotional experiences of crypto participants.
Ranging from the excitement of sudden gains to the despair of unexpected losses, the show reflects the psychological journey of being in the notorious crypto market.
“There’s something very individual about it,” Letts said. “At the end of the day, it’s just you and your screen.”
That isolation, combined with the collective nature of crypto culture, creates a unique dynamic. While everyone experiences the same events, each person processes them differently.
PTSD bridges that gap by presenting a character that viewers can see themselves in, even if only partially.
“We’ve created someone who represents a version of all of us,” Letts said.
As PTSD continues to roll out its first season, the team is not wasting any time, and is already in the process of thinking ahead. Future storylines will draw from both planned narrative arcs and the changing landscape of crypto.
With no shortage of drama, controversy, and innovation in the space, Letts believes the material will never run dry.
“Crypto has everything, villains, redemption arcs, twists,” he said. “The stories almost write themselves.”
And as long as the industry continues to evolve, so too will PTSD.
