Thu, 3 July 2014
In which Thom & Travis talk hard, steal the air, bring down the curtain, and foretell the future. Thanks for listening, and be sure to join us soon for SUPERENTHUSIAST RADIO! |
Thu, 19 June 2014
In which Thom welcomes Ser Bernard Bregman (The Helmeted, First of his Name, Screener Of Movies, Wrangler Of Nerds, Klingon Spoonflower and Protector of The Realm) back to the show to ask which of his current projects is likely to melt his brain first. Plus, the context of craft in cosplay, a glut of gooey Game Of Thrones spoilers and speculation, a definitive ranking of Batmobiles, sage advice on getting to The Choppah, and a straightening out of that Hill Valley Clock Tower business once and for all. |
Fri, 13 June 2014
In which Thom & Travis merge from the fog of near misses and increased responsibilities to explain where the show has been for the last little while, and where it’s going…if anywhere. Plus discussion of Trust Me and Edge Of Tomorrow, decade-driven fashion, bad reasons to avoid art, meeting Clark Gregg, and more TV watch-purging than the mind can comfortably conceive. |
Fri, 18 April 2014
In which Thom & Travis weild the twin powers of satire and sleep dep while discussing winter soldiers vs summer blockbusters, medium vs genre, placement vs integration, the addiction of iconography, the boondoggle of fan entitlement, the labyrinth of cable ratings, and the challenge of not de-rezzing into the ether while speaking into a microphone.Plus: more watch-purging, supposed Star Wars news, and Dan Rydell rides again! |
Tue, 1 April 2014
In which Thom & Travis pursue all manner of pop culture redemption, finding silver linings of varying luminosity around the darker clouds of the good-but-not-great, enumerating alternative virtues of the not-even-that-good, and joining with fallen idols to bury hatchets that they didn't even know they were carrying. Plus, moderate doses of Marvel, Muppets, and Mitchell! |
Thu, 27 March 2014
In which Thom & Travis explore both the complications and the opportunities that result when stories from books, television, video games, and other media are adapted into movies, with relevant reviews of Veronica Mars, Need For Speed, Divergent, and more. Plus, a tip of the hat to a silenced trailer voice, and further adventures in binge-watching! |
Thu, 6 March 2014
In which Thom mainlines comfort shows while recovering from eye surgery, Travis discovers a new contender for worst movie of the year, and both share their observations and analysis of the 2014 Oscars. |
Tue, 11 February 2014
In which Thom & Travis discuss the wonder of expectations exceeded (The Lego Movie), the indifference of expectations met (I, Frankenstein), the frustration of expectations thwarted (our failed Aliens commentary), and the odd phenomenon of being elated and disappointed simultaneously (the new Transformers trailer). Plus, a new golden age of Gen X animation reboots, remembering -- and looking forward to -- Veronica Mars, another round of Best Picture nominee bingo, and the return of The Spoon! |
Mon, 3 February 2014
In which Thom & Travis meet in Las Vegas for a rare face-to-face conversation involving Stygian stories, Oscar observations, the culture of manufactured outrage, and the nature of superenthusiasm itself. Plus, a rare foray into sports nerdery, and Travis brought his mom along! |
Thu, 2 January 2014
In which Thom boggles at the sheer length and breadth of Travis J Coleman's end-of-year media lists, while getting him to talk about that most rare of things: movies that he dislikes. Plus, holiday box office, internet negativity, nostalgia run amok, and a final answer to the show's ongoing tech-tackling conundrum. |
Tue, 31 December 2013
In which Thom and Bernie Bregman begin with catching up on the function and future of the Nerds Like Us midnight movie series, and end in full-on spazz mode over their individual geek fetishes (Transformers lore and Star Wars novels, respectively) with stops along the way for reboot rationales, costume construction, and the dawn of DVD. |
Wed, 20 November 2013
In which Thom & Travis rock and roll all night with Heart, mini-golf every day with KISS, and re-evaluate their Marvel movie lists in the wake of Thor: The Dark World. |
Fri, 8 November 2013
In which Thom & Travis are joined by Bernie Bregman of Nerds Like Us for a spoiler-free Thor preview, a spoiler-filled recap of Ender's Game, the official announcement of Star Wars VII's release date, and the official demise of Blockbuster Video. |
Fri, 1 November 2013
In which Thom & Travis gear up for All Hallow's Eve by exploring their relationship with horror and enduring terribly inane candy advice. Plus, further adventures in Portland, keeping the theater kids in line, and more movie recommendations than you can shake a Silver Shamrock at. |
Wed, 16 October 2013
In which Thom & Travis get sucked in by Gravity, ride along with Agents of SHIELD, toast the retirement of John Munch, and delve briefly into their show's own mythos to explain the connection between this episode and Episode 45. What, you say there IS no Episode 45? Hmmmm. |
Thu, 19 September 2013
In which Thom celebrates the show's rollover to triple digits by joining fellow prog-rockers Fish Olmos, Adam Sears, and Phideaux Xavier for an epic summit on all things musical and magical, and still has time to discuss soap opera fugue states, special edition hangovers, and artistic upheaval of both evolutionary and revolutionary stripe. Music by Phideaux, Hot Karate, Lobate Scarp, Heilopolis, and Sons Of Nothing. Join us for a night of Prog Rock on Sat Sept 21 at Paladino's in Tarzana CA. Details at http://www.thegeekagenda.com |
Tue, 17 September 2013
In which Thom & Travis unload a ton of late-summer movie reviews, grapple with blockbuster expectations, quibble with nerd heresies, and solve the problem of detecting sarcasm on the Internet. You're welcome! |
Tue, 30 July 2013
In which Thom & Andru are joined by Bernie Bregman (aka Dark Helmet) of Nerds Like Us to embody a Comic Con Rashomon, recounting their varying experiences in San Diego and contemplating the pop culture revelations acquired within. Plus, Andru re-discovers Weezer, Bernie blows up on Reddit, and Thom commits nerd heresy...again. |
Wed, 17 July 2013
In which Thom & Travis tackle the big questions re: high pop-culture vs low pop-culture. Is there a difference? If there is a difference, does it matter? If it matters, does it matter that it matters? On and on, 'till the break of dawn. With illustrations (and SPOILERS) drawn from Pacific Rim, Man Of Steel, Sharknado, The West Wing, and more. Plus, a very important PSA concerning alliteration. |
Tue, 9 July 2013
In which Thom and friend of the show Robbie Rist are joined by Anthony C Ferrante, director of SHARKNADO. 'Nuff said. |
Wed, 3 July 2013
In which Thom & Travis tally the varied levels of satisfaction to be gleaned from World War Z, Man Of Steel, and Monsters University. Plus, a dose of dental damage, a post-mortem on the Portland pilgrimage, and several segues that (nearly) succeed! |
Wed, 19 June 2013
In which Thom trips through some Shakespeare, Travis is adventure-adjacent in Vegas, and both take the temperature of the current summer movie season, while proving that they ain't afraid of no ghosts. Or pop screens, for that matter. |
Wed, 22 May 2013
In which Thom & Travis shine some light on Star Trek Into Darkness (SPOILERS abound!) and reflect on the anniversary of the Buffy and Cheers series finales, while swapping tales of prog rock glory, movie usher paranoia, and insect hostage crises. |
Fri, 10 May 2013
In which Thom & Andru team up with Bernie Bregman of Nerds Like Us to commit GFFA heresies, explore the pop culture import-export business, vicariously rub shoulders with John Landis, and get into some seriously SPOILER-filled discussion of Iron Man 3 (31:40 -> 53:20. You have been warned!) |
Tue, 30 April 2013
In which Thom & Travis return to Jurassic Park, revisit Star Trek TNG, review Trance and Oblivion, and recount the redemption of Rush at the Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame ceremony. Plus, fun with sinuses! |
Sun, 21 April 2013
In which Thom chats with Aaron Duran and James Sinclair of Geek In The City Comics about the joys of independent creation, the concerns of independent publishing, the magic of Portland, and how it all comes together in the latest issue of La Brujeria. Plus, a dash of Motti and a splash of Superman. |
Fri, 12 April 2013
In which Thom & Travis J Coleman work through the continuity conundrums of Dollhouse, pronounce the colon in G. I. Joe: Retaliation, marvel at the Yarr-factor of Game Of Thrones, cross their fingers for the future of X-Men, and pontificate about the pros and cons of Oz The Great And Powerful, The Croods, and Jack The Giant SLayer, while saying goodbye to Roger Ebert, who helped to foster the love of doing so. |
Tue, 2 April 2013
In which Thom & Andru catch up with Bernie Bregman of Nerds Like Us, with much musing on the ins and outs of textiquette, Kickstarter protocol and TV show revivals, the challenge of threading the continuity needle, and (because we're way behind the curve) a brief roundtable on The Hobbit. Plus, adventures at Paul Dini's garage sale, and the return of 4th Week Favorites! |
Sun, 24 March 2013
In which Thom ventures into the wilds of Woodland Hills to chat with friend of the show Robbie Rist about his newfound love of con culture, the eternal tug of war between art and commerce, rock'n'roll movies great and small, and the coming of Sharknado! Plus, how The Empire Strikes Back ruined Star Wars. From a certain point of view. |
Fri, 1 March 2013
In which Thom and Travis J Coleman recap the 2013 Oscars, recall their fondness for WarGames, recount early 'That guy!" guys, and recreate random moments from Aaron Sorkin shows, ’cause they’re neato like that. Also, semi-redemption from massive technological fails, and yet another venture into bridge-building between nerds & normals. It’s the right thing to do |
Tue, 12 February 2013
In which Thom and special guest Kielen King chat about early influences, synthesized subversions, imaginary narratives, and the upside of rejection, all while delving into the musical meal that is Kielen’s new album, Soundtrack For An Automated Night II. Plus, puppet talk! |
Mon, 14 January 2013
In which Thom & Andru embrace a new DIY aesthetic, catch up on holiday happenings, assess the vowels and hairstyles of their Rocky Mountain motherland, recount video game failings both classic and contemporary, and jaw over a grip of recent movie releases (including Skyfall, Could Atlas, Looper, and Django Unchained) with special guest Bernie Bregman of Nerds Like Us. |
Mon, 26 November 2012
In which Thom & Andru valiantly attempt to keep the studio gear functioning while saying goodbye to New Dissident Radio with the help of Ingrid Oliansky, Travis Coleman, and a few regular callers, as well as the musical accompaniment of Robbie Rist, Chris Jackson, and John Borack. In classic show form, pop culture is pondered, superenthusiasts are celebrated (or at least acknowledged with a minimum of heckling) and in a rare on-mission twist, tech is actually tackled! Plus, the future of GifSpeak, the study of BondPeople, tales from the bleeding edge of the GooglePlex, and how to spot loose bricks in the Netflix wall. |
Mon, 12 November 2012
In which Thom finally settles down for a "real" interview with regular guest Robbie Rist, which barely scratches the surface of Rob's childhood acting adventures before evolving rapidly into a philosophical evaluation of all things pop culture, from shark-jumping to double-dip nostalgia, to vain attempts to engineer creativity and control one's own noise in a post-heroic age. Yeah, it's that kind of show. Get some. |
Mon, 5 November 2012
In which Thom & Andru join forces with Chris Jackson of ACME Archives, Bernie Bregman of Nerds Like Us, and Matt Wrather of Overthinking It to weight in on the great conjunction between Disney and Lucasfilm, and what implications the intertwining of these two entities might have for the future of art, commerce, and various iterations thereof. Plus, valiant (if futile) stabs at specificity, objectivity, and natural segues! |
Mon, 29 October 2012
In which Thom & Andru are joined by Bernie Bregman of Nerds Like Us on a journey from vampire-infested Santa Clara to alien-threatened Skid Row, stopping along the way for a brief stay in the pop culture netherworld of Hard Harry's Phoenix, a working vacation amid the glacial grandeur of the Game Grid, and epic TV marathoning sessions with only the TARDIS to protect them. Saddle up! Music by Kielen King. |
Mon, 22 October 2012
In which Thom & Andru are re-launched into the orbit of Kielen King, who returns to the show to discuss his new electro-soul sci-fi concept album, Star Pilot's Revenge, along with combining musical and familial bonds, the virtues of data hoarding, making and breaking friends through podcasting, and the and the advantages to not having a Plan B. Plus, Thom falls for Farscape, and Andru preps for Tron's 30th anniversary. |
Mon, 15 October 2012
In which Thom's interview with Derek W Dick (aka Fish) continues, joined by writer/director David Barras. Topics include Fish's experience making Electric Man, his reputation for provocation, the inspiration of Scottish nationalism, the catharsis of live performance, the upside of Internet conflict, the politics of Batman, and why so many prog rock fans end up in tech fields. Music Notes: "Openwater" (from 13th Star, 2008); "Vigil" from Vigil In A Wilderness Of Mirrors, 1990); "Big Wedge" (from Vigil In A Wilderness Of Mirrors, 1990); "Internal Exile" (from Internal Exile, 1991); "The Pilgrim's Address" (from Fellini Days, 2001) |
Mon, 8 October 2012
In which Thom travels to Edinburgh Scotland to chat with prog rock icon Derek W Dick (aka Fish) about his early days as front man for Marillion, the joys and perils of the road, embracing technology as an independent artist, the evolving nature of fandom, and the travels that inspired his upcoming solo album A Feast Of Consequences. |
Mon, 1 October 2012
In which Thom & Andru land hard but stay squarely (if not steadily) on their feet while talking noir, zombies, brit-coms, screen blood, cassette tech, faux-historical meta-fiction and more with special guest Chris Wiltz, writer/producer of Batman: Puppet Master and Semi-Dead. Plus, Avenger plotholes, vocal spoiler alarms, a dash of Spanglish, the sound of three knuckles cracking, and Indyyyyyyy. Music by Jonathan Coulton and Detroit CYDI. |
Mon, 24 September 2012
In which Thom & Andru stand amazed (from a sitting position) as special guest Bobby Bognar tells tales of high adventures in the musical, culinary, and gaming arts, embodying the show's mission statement with gobsmacking gusto. Plus, remembering Phil Hartman, ranking the holidays, the power of Qi & Za, and minimum member requirements to form a Justice League. (Oh, and NSFW language abounds, just so's you know) Music by The Piper Downs. |
Mon, 17 September 2012
In which Thom & Andru go brain-to-brain with Overthinking It mastermind Matt Wrather on the joys of applying analytical complexity to pop culture simplicity, while keeping online discourse (drink!) civil in the age of surly. Plus, a recap of the Comickaze Expo, an autopsy for The Newsroom, the tenuous future of convergence devices, the aspirational qualities of Inspector Gadget, and a nontrivial amount of inside baseball about the podcasting world. |
Mon, 10 September 2012
In which Thom & Andru ping-pong between the past and the future with Team Bregman (Lauren on the Skype, Bernie in the studio) and Travis J Coleman, marveling at Raiders Of The Lost Ark's IMAX resurrection while counting down the days to the Nerds Like Us premiere of FDR American Badass and Castle Corsetry's adventures at Comickaze Expo 2012. Plus, proxy drum solos, nerdy underpants, and whatever happened to Rick Moranis, anyway? Music by Wonderboy |
Mon, 3 September 2012
In which Thom relentlessly ball-hogs the conversation with tales of his recent trip to Europe and the pop-cultural windfall reaped therein, but Andru, along with Chris Jackson and Robbie Rist of The Spoon, still manage to get a few edgewise words in about the bequeathment of The Beatles, an influx of indies, and the future of foodies. Plus, tales of the legendary brown cheese, and the show's theme song now has lyrics... of a sort. |
Mon, 30 July 2012
In which Thom & Andru catch up with Bernie Bregman, who makes a strong bid for the position of the show's official sports geek, despite his "meh" attitude toward this year's Olympics. Also on the docket: further Comic Con decompression, a round of Repo madness, and the multi-pronged legacy of Jurassic Park, which just happens to be August's midnight movie from Nerds Like Us. Top of the line episode, spared no expense! |
Mon, 23 July 2012
In which Thom and guest co-host Travis J Coleman extol the virtues of pop-culture pet names, lament their lack of Sorkinesque smoothness, put the goth back into Gotham City (moderate spoilers for The Dark Knight Rises), spot Imperial shuttles in unexpected places, and get cranky about the uselessness of competing fandoms for something like the 427th time. All in all, a successful venture, and no wildebeests were harmed. |
Mon, 16 July 2012
In which Thom & Andru swap stories with filmmakers David Barras and Scott MacKay about the vast joys and perils of Comic Con 2012, the creation of the duo's geektastic film Electric Man, and their adventures in combining the two. Plus, the importance of fantasy, the bonding power of 2% jokes, and the rare times when meeting one's heroes doesn't suck. |
Mon, 9 July 2012
In which Thom & Andru pre-funk for 2012's San Diego Comic Con with the help of Amanda Lynne Shafer and Lauren Matesic Bregman (aka Phoenix and Diamond Dove from Birds Of 'Play) who are more than happy to share their con-related ambitions, anecdotes, and advice for the overwhelmed first-timer (aka Thom). Also, the joys of extended editions and second breakfasts, and drawing the line on nerd hipsterism. Again. Music by Kielen King. |
Mon, 2 July 2012
In which Thom & Andru search for verisimilitude in a sea of Sorkinisms, facial prosthetics, deus ex viruses, anachronistic ratings data, and unexpected Tatum reevaluation. Travis J Coleman is also on hand to offer opinions and anecdotes concerning Ted, Brave, Haywire, and Magic Mike, then delves a little deeper for the pilot episode of The Newsroom (moderate spoilers, as well as some for the first season of Farscape.) |
Mon, 25 June 2012
In which Thom & Andru surf a tsunami of 80s nostalgia whilst catching up with Bernie Bregman of Nerds Like Us on their next midnight movie, new adventures in shadowcasting, and healing the jock/nerd divide. Then, Thom chats with Marillion guitarist Steve Rothery about the power of crowd-sourcing, the art of a great set list, and the redemption of progressive rock, whilst mostly managing to curb his inner fanboy. Mostly. |
Mon, 18 June 2012
In which Thom & Andru roll out the red carpet for the return of Brian Peck, who is more than happy to discuss science fiction without the science, Charlie Sheen without the dysfunction, and how he ended up on the DVD commentary for X-Men, amongst other topics. Then, a brief chat with Joel McCrary on the music and mayhem of Fellowship!, the musical parody of Fellowship Of The Ring, which is ending it's LA run this month. |
Mon, 11 June 2012
In which Thom & Andru frisbee-dog their way through fandom frustrations, pretty puzzle-boxes, cinematic shame lists, semi-intended sequels, and more with movie uber-geek Travis J Coleman. Plus, 4th week favorites, multiple calls, and a dose of Mac love (not to mention Mac & Me love.) Mild spoilers for Prometheus (go see it already!) and Dark Shadows. |
Mon, 4 June 2012
In which Thom & Andru catch up with Aaron Duran on the state of Portlandian pop-culture, the continuing saga of La Brujeria, and a special focus on All Things Alien, including the admonishment that one should avoid viewing Prometheus through xenomorph-colored glasses. Plus, 4th week favorites, the importance of 1963 in nerd culture, and a spoiler-free review of Snow White And The Huntsman. |
Mon, 28 May 2012
In which Chris Jackson, Robbie Rist, and Travis Coleman team up with Andru to give Thom the best birthday present ever: an episode of the show where he barely has any verbal weight to lug around at all. A chaotic cornucopia of conversation ensues, much of it concerning ruination in pop culture -- what has been ruined, how it was ruined, who deserves blame for ruining it -- all leading up to a question which pops the soap bubble of the premise, and leaves us all wondering if fandom simply boils down to swimming in solipsistic Matrices of our own making. Plus, influences both comic and cosmic, adventures in RPG pronunciation, and movie mash-ups with the potential to save civilization as we know it. |
Mon, 21 May 2012
In which Thom & Andru join forces with Amanda Lynn Shafer of Birds Of ‘Play and Bernie Bregman of Nerds Like Us to shine a light on shadowcasting, de-sharpen the LED spearhead, direct traffic at the intersection of cons and cosplay, and spend an inordinate amount of time reviewing a film that none of them have seen. Plus, 4th Week favorites, the Visa Theater’s latest 35mm adventures, and Thom commits geek heresy...twice. |
Mon, 14 May 2012
In which Thom & Andru set out to separate the high-performing from the user-friendly, the hipster from the reactionary, the Young Avengers from the Tiny Toons, the Ds from the 3s, the ETX from the IMAX, and, perhaps most crucially, the battleships from Battleship. Plus, the danger of conflating an artist with their fan base, the great strides being made in the fields of phantom keyboards and carbonite effigies, and the importance of remembering that no matter what our differences, everyone is red on the inside... except for Spock. |
Mon, 7 May 2012
In which Thom welcomes movie ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary Grae Drake back to the show, to regale one and all with tales of drunken junkets, star-power subversion, and the thin line between critic and journalist. Then, our dynamic duo searches in vain for superlatives potent enough to describe the joy that The Avengers hath wrought. If you haven't yet seen the movie (yeah, right) beware of random acts of spoilers. And swooning. |
Mon, 30 April 2012
In which Thom & Andru get TV-centric with Chris Jackson, beginning with Hulu’s latest exercise in self-destruction and ironic attempts to pull digital art back from the future, then analogizing the similar journeys of LOST and Battlestar Galactica. Somewhere in between, the show’s original mission statement is invoked while examining how the popularity of Game Of Thrones is warping the fabric of what is considered mainstream, while revealing prejudicial cracks that still exist in the larger pop culture landscape. Plus, theme song roulette! |
Mon, 23 April 2012
In which Thom & Andru purge their cinematic binge from the celebration of Andru’s birthday, dropping major spoilers for Lockout, 21 Jump Street, The Hunger Games, Wrath Of The Titans, American Reunion, and Rubber ...but staying 99% spoiler-free for Cabin In The Woods, which is discussed generally, but won’t be thoroughly dissected - so to speak - until a later date. And as we offload our outline of other observations, we humbly beg your indulgence if there is any stumbling over matters metaphorical, technological, geographical, circadian, or linguistic. It’s been a bit of a day. |
Mon, 16 April 2012
In which Thom & Andru meet with Nerds Like Us impresario Bernie Bregman for a cinematic summit on midnight movie memories, the nerfing of childhood entertainment, the relative rituals of Repo vs Rocky Horror, and keeping the 35mm flame burning in an increasingly digital landscape. Plus, 4th week favorites with a twist, the show's dearth of tech-savvy is causing Thom formatical angst, and learn how you can celebrate Andru's birthday TGA-style! |
Mon, 9 April 2012
In which Thom & Andru consult with Ryan Morris of UFO Radar about everything from the latest in extraterrestrial invasion prep to the preferred distance at which to stand back whilst observing Bigfoot mating season. Also, Bernie Bregman of Nerds Like Us calls in with details on The Vista’s upcoming screening of The Dark Crystal, and a spirited roundtable on the adaptation and nerfing of genre source material, starring Gollum, Kuato, and the T-800. Dig in! |
Mon, 2 April 2012
In which Thom & Andru are paid a visit by their dark, whimsical overlord Johnny Dam (henceforth known as Johnny Darko) who flashes his bona fides with references ranging from Thunderbirds Game of Thrones, then blazes discursive trails into politics, infotainment, and the need for Dish Network to stop ratting out spoiler addicts to their spouses, all while painting the show’s language a lovely shade of indigo. Plus, memories of Kurt Cobain, and a review of Wrath Of The Titans. |
Mon, 26 March 2012
In which Thom & Andru take stock of the show’s first year and speculate on its value as a post-apocalyptic artifact, while also debating the nigh-impossible to thread needle of fan expectations, the relative and pluralistic value of mash-up culture, the funhouse mirror of first-person shooters, and a theory explaining the connection between politics, vampires, and colorblindness. Not bad for an hour’s work. Music by Kielen King. |
Mon, 19 March 2012
In which Thom & Andru are joined once again by Robbie Rist and Chris Jackson of The Spoon for a pop-culture potpourri roundtable which is equal parts thoughtful analysis and raging nerd fight. The topics are staggeringly numerous - foley, spoilerphobia, foot-shaving, and hoverboards, just to list a random two minute sample - but the conversational sea refuses no river. Plus, the best opening jam yet! (NSFW language abounds, for the record.) |
Mon, 12 March 2012
In which Thom & Andru are back to being a duo after an unprecedentedly long string of guest episodes, and immediately begin deconstructing their own show. Amid all manner of curtain-pulling and audience-polling, they also wax on (and off) about recent movie adventures, including reviews of John Carter and The Fall, a midnight screening of Serenity, the HDTV learning curve, and entertainment/food combos with unfortunate consequences. All this, plus a tease of upcoming listener events, and more than a little bad math. Music by The Frantics. |
Mon, 5 March 2012
In which Thom & Andru attempt to re-write history with Aaron Lyons and Jordan Monsell of Pulp Shakespeare, talking remix culture, meta-humor, artistic multitasking, and using Tarantino as a gateway drug to the world of the Bard. Also on the menu: the shrinking of action stars, the mathematics of viral videos, the incomprehensible weapons policy of Renaissance Faires, and the latest attempt by the sun to destroy us all (Emmerich film to follow). Music by Her Majesty’s Secret Players. |
Mon, 27 February 2012
In which Thom & Andru bond with movie ubergeek Travis J Coleman over the benefits of a big screen, shared theatre student experiences, a deep and abiding love of MST3k, and a collective shrug in the general direction of Oscar Night 2012. Plus, the razor thin line between A and B movies, horrifying candies of the American Southwest, the reason for having two tables in the studio, and which film earns the official designation of "Andru bait"? The answer... won't surprise you at all. Music by TV's Frank. |
Mon, 20 February 2012
In which Thom & Andru are joined by special guest Helenna Santos Levy of Geek Girls Create to chat about the zombie future, the mix tape past, voca lcompetition shows that don't suck, and making one's own breaks in the world of new media. Plus, a recap of TGA's adventures at Gallifrey One, and the latest round of geek/nerd nomenclature navel-gazing. Music by Jonathan Coulton & GLaDDOS |
Mon, 13 February 2012
In which Thom & Andru welcome back the dynamic Whovian duo of Ingrid Oliansky and Joshua Lou Friedman, to discuss the many-splendored glories that await attendees of this year’s Gallifrey One convention. Also up for discussion: action figure nostalgia, suspension of special effects disbelief, and a slew of demoralizing comics news with a single bright spot to offset it, plus a review of Red Tails and Valentine’s Day serenades from The Wonderstrucks and Jean-Luc Picard. |
Mon, 6 February 2012
In which Thom & Andru chat with filmmaker Josh Levy about Canadian comedy, Hutt anatomy, the delicate tightrope of back story, and the rabidfranchising of story in general. Also, Andru watches his first Super Bowl, Thom reviews Chronicle, Lucasfilm is fooling no one with their 3D marketing, and the show experiences that rarest of phenomena: a live caller! |
Mon, 23 January 2012
In which Thom & Andru discuss fairy tales, fanboyisms, and the magic of Portland with author / podcaster / one-man nerdcyclopedia Aaron Duran, whose indie comic La Brujeria is heading into its 3rd issue. Also on the docket: catching up on old TV shows and new Disneyland rides, and the origin of the show’s title is revealed. Plus, a technical meltdown that is not heard due to some last-minute Lucasizing, but continues to haunt Thom throughout the episode regardless. Fun! Music by Paul & Storm. |
Mon, 16 January 2012
In which Thom & Andru attempt to inject more structure into the show, which only throws the episode's frequent and severe digressions into sharper relief. Meandering side roads include new rules that all award shows should be made to honor, the danger of dead reckoning in pop culture analysis, and another spate of iPhone talk (which we promise will slow to a trickle eventually.) Also, we watch things! And actually enjoy some of them! And then share that enjoyment you! What a world. |
Mon, 9 January 2012
In which Thom and Andru are joined by Chris Jackson and Robbie Rist of The Spoon for a conversational preponderance of pop culture potpourri, bemoaning the devolution of geek culture into empty hipsterism, even as they themselves play to the back of the room relentlessly. Other topics include EVERYTHING. This is about as ADD as we’ve ever been folks... strap in and hang on! |
Mon, 2 January 2012
In which Thom & Andru begin the new year with a flurry of film reviews, a bevy of book talk, a recounting of their holiday recreations, and an overage of obstinate opinions on everything from mo-cap to online vigilantism to pie. Also, the debut "4th Week Favorites", Andru cautions on the dangers of the Netflix Wall, and Thom pays tribute to talk host Rick Emerson, without whose influence this show would not exist. |
Mon, 26 December 2011
In which Thom & Andru celebrate Boxing Day with a present comprised of conversations passed. Included in this best-of episode are interviews with Kielen King, Michele Ivey, Robbie Rist, and Brian Peck. Thanks for listening, we'll be back with brand new nerdery in 2012! |
Mon, 19 December 2011
In which Thom & Andru battle capricious cinema catalogs, flummoxing font-snobbery, mis-aimed marketing decisions, and rebellious radio gear in their attempt to sum up the best and worst of 2011's genre entertainment. Also, the new Mission Impossible is improbably good, the Dark Knight Rises teaser is visually beautiful and verbally muffled, and Thom finally jumps on the Netflix train, just as it may be pulling out of the station for good. |
Mon, 12 December 2011
In which Thom & Andru chew over new releases and old obsessions, and twist themselves into merit badge-worthy knots trying to segue between them. The socialization of video gaming, the proud tradition of alternate universes, the sweet spot between honoring and subverting storytelling tropes, the reasons why some remakes work better than others, and the fine line between expressing dislike and protesting too much are all on the conversational menu, as well as trailers priming us for 2012’s summer movies, Andru schooling Thom on the proper context of Hi-Def technology, and George Takei schooling everyone on the art of steering into the skid. |
Mon, 5 December 2011
In which Thom & Andru bob and weave, joust and parry, and barrel with reckless abandon through a rambling conversation concerning all manner of pop-cultureminutia with guests Julie Kroll and Shaked Berenson. On tap: the monkey interlopers of Angry Birds, the shirtless crazy of True Blood, the not-quite-full glass that is Hugo, the oddly similar genre rules for horror movies and chick flicks, and the awkwardness of drawing a blank on favorite films of 2011, all presented in glorious mono sound. Enjoy! |
Mon, 28 November 2011
In which Thom & Andru analyze the filters through which we perceive art and entertainment, concluding that being dated doesn’t make something bad, being novel doesn’t make something good, not everything that’s slow is a burn, and not everything that’s broke needs to be fixed. Plus, video game reviews, and our last recap of The Walking Dead... for now. |
Mon, 21 November 2011
In which Thom & Andru invite Robbie Rist and Chris Jackson from The Spoon back for this week’s Walking Dead recap, which is then nearly left out of the show amid a flood of shipper snark, box office jousting, animation academia, and pitches for new reality TV concepts. Plus, bonding over a surprisingly strong Simpsons season, career rehab advice for Danny Elfman, and lots of disgruntled ranting about Star Wars (‘cause, y’know… nerds.) Music by Sons Of Nothing |
Mon, 14 November 2011
In which Andru returns to the show in feisty form after atwo-week hiatus at the American Film Market, Thom offers mea culpas to his Stygian compadres and hosannas to the genius of Weird Al, andspecial guest Emma Jacobs, though no slouch in the nerd department herself, still has to restrain herself from some eye-rolling over the hardcore dorkitudeon display this week: Tron weather patterns, Hans Gruber as a giant spider, disproportionate joy over video game repair… you get the idea. Plus, reviews of Insidious, a recap of The Walking Dead, and please to note: Ray Harryhausen is still alive. Music by The Wonderstrucks. |
Mon, 7 November 2011
In which Thom & Ingrid Oliansky brave the dangers of rebellious furniture, treacherous fruit, and several TV shows which teeter on the knife-edge between ending too soon and overstaying their welcome (semi-spoilers for the end of LOST, if you're twitchy about that sort of thing.) Also, a review of In Time, a plea for Buckarooo Banzai sequels, a view of the world through zombie-colored glasses, and the show now has a Twitter account, for to communicate better with the peoples. Or something. Music by Kielen King. |
Mon, 31 October 2011
In which Thom struggles vainly to prevent the proceedings from mutating into an ad hoc episode of The Spoon, with Robbie Rist and Chris Jackson sitting in and NDR's dark whimsical overlord Johnny Dam making his debut on the show. Appropriate to Halloween, the show is concerned largely with the method and madness of horror movies, with brief excursions into xenomorph fan-fiction, Klingon metal bands, and Rob's unholy adoration of Fairuza Balk. Also, this week's Wakling Dead recap, and many more swears than usual...if you're concerned with that sort of thing. Music by Paul & Storm |
Mon, 24 October 2011
In which Thom & Andru get excited about Joss Whedon's new Shakespeare project and the possibilities of the coming micro-studio age, while special correspondent Dayle Dermatis reports from the Nathan Fillion book signing at Golden Apple Comics. Also, a recap of this week's Walking Dead, Ben Affleck might direct The Stand, Weird Al turns 53, the Chronicle trailer looks pretty awesome, and Thom unleashes his inner dungeon master after a crash course in silly villains. |
Mon, 17 October 2011
In which Thom & Andru use their review of The Walking Dead's season premiere as a conversational springboard into an ocean of disaster tropes, character etymology, collaborative chemistry, spoiler navigation, medium adaptation, the nasty business of how TV sausages are made, and the inescapable truth that a disgruntled fan is still a fan. Also, the fallacy of auteur theory, the silliness of geek machismo, and a plan to render the Happy Feet movies watchable by scoring them with Hatebeak songs. You're welcome. |
Mon, 10 October 2011
In which Thom & Andru enumerate the many differing types of personal bond that humans develop to technology, while swapping stories of home computer evolution, trying to make sense of the latest Netflix weirdness, speculating on the future of The House That Steve Built, and reviewing Real Steel. Also, the latest in Andru's Trek Revisited, and Thom is drowning in TiVo-land. Again. Still. Whatever. |
Mon, 3 October 2011
In which Thom & Andru spend a wibbly wobbly timey wimey hour with Ingrid Oliansky and Joshua Friedman, talking all things Whovian. With the sixth season of the current series wrapped up and the show's 50th anniversary on the way, what does the future (or the past, or present, for that matter) hold for our dear Doctor? Also, thoughts on sci-fi growing up with its audience, a semi-review of Terra Nova, and the iPhone incident that inspired tonight's show title. |
Mon, 26 September 2011
In which Thom & Andru split a box of Red Vines withactor/musician/man of a jillion voices Quinton Flynn, and proceed to hold court on Facebook fashions, Netflix nuisances, Anime adventures, tales from the set of MegaSpider (or…whateverthey end up calling it) and, of course, classic movie candy. Also, relativelyspoiler-free reviews of Moneyball and Drive. |
Mon, 19 September 2011
In which Thom & Andru are joined by the multi-talented, hyper-loquacious Robbie Rist on the subjects of post-modern entropy, comedic etymology, regionalism vs tribalism, and the daunting challenge that artists face in separating the demons from the angels. It's a fairly heady stew, but we also have the soft chewy center of South Park and the badassery of Peter Dinklage --both on screen and off -- for pudding, so dig in! |
Mon, 12 September 2011
In which Thom & Andru take part in the radio equivalent of a bottle episode, flying solo (well, duo) and divesting themselves of nerdy detritus and cleansing their pop culture palates in an attempt to distract themselves from the disappointment of missing the 30th anniversary screening of Raiders Of The Lost Ark. Highlights include: paintball on movie sets, the history of leeches, tips for navigating Los Angeles, plot twist fatigue, the evolution of video distribution, the endless feedback loop between media and society, and the latest ups and downs of the fanboy roller coaster that is the upcoming Star Wars Blu-ray release. |
Mon, 5 September 2011
In which Thom & Andru welcome back the show's very first guest Brian Peck, for a spoileriffic, Ape-tastic discussion in which everyone learns that good remakes are possible in 2011, but only if your source material featured Roddy McDowell. Also, praise for SportsNight, disdain for Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark, a shameless plug for MegaSpider, and which bad films have the members of our panel walked out on? The answer...may surprise you. |
Mon, 29 August 2011
In which Thom & Andru chat with actress/comedian/cosplay enthusiast Ruby Leigh Young about the journey from Austin to LA, the ins and outs of improv, the ambivalence of geek mainstreaming, the awesome influential power of The Maxx, and the distressing lack of cat ears on Anne Hathaway. Also, Google+ gets shuffled off to "meh" territory, and there's a good chunk of D&D talk for the second week running. Huzzah! Music by Paul & Storm |
Mon, 22 August 2011
In which Thom & Andru answer listener e-mail, explain the show's logo, and address their heretofore lack of on-air gaming conversation, all in one fell swoop! Also, an amiable chat with special guest Mitch Iverson on big bads and boss battles, the puzzle of box office prognostication, and the joy of turning stereotypes into surround sound...er, types. Music by Connor Anderson. |
Mon, 15 August 2011
In which Thom and Andru face down the future (both distant and not-too) with confidence and zen, secure in the knowledge that while Apes may rise, music sales may fall, and shared reality may wither away into quaint anachronism, the universal constant of re-packaging and re-releasing Star Wars will continue unabated. Also, where have all the non-evil aliens gone? |
Mon, 8 August 2011
In which Thom & Andru delve into both the golden age of radio and the current undead rennaiscance with special guest Shane Salk, one of the minds behind Zombie Podcast/We'reAlive. Also on tap: contrasting, spoiler-filled reviews of Cowboys And Aliens and Attack The Block, the show receives its second successful phone call, and some major -- and we mean major! -- pointing chops are unleashed. Music by Paul & Storm |
Mon, 1 August 2011
In which Thom & Andru chat with special guest Michele Ivey about the sublime, ridiculous, and genuinely life-saving benefits garnered through a lifetime of intense TMNT fandom. Also, a spoiler-ish review of Captain America, celebrity sightings, censorship weirdness, nerd-fleecing at its most -- and least -- appropriate, and the story behind Andru's go-to vociferation is revealed! |
Mon, 25 July 2011
In which Thom lives vicariously through Andru and special guest Chris Jackson (co-host of The Spoon and brand manager for ACME Archives Ltd) as they recap their Comic-Con 2011 adventures, laying out the good, the bad, and the ugly from both the fan and exhibitor perspectives. Also, the heartbreak of iPhone drainage, the disappearance of Asian Alvin, tips on milking a cult success, Stan Lee might be a cyborg, and there's a phantom fly in the studio that apparently only Thom can see. |
Mon, 18 July 2011
In which Thom & Andru cover early pop-culture memory, the hidden danger of DVD commentary, fandom as religious allegory, antidotes to the blockbuster mentality, and Comic-Con correspondence possibility, all on their way to reviewing Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows pt2 ...eventually. Music by Tessa Netting . |
Mon, 11 July 2011
In which Thom & Andru dispense with the need for origin stories, prepare to survive Carmageddon, and delve ever further into the meteoric rise of Whovian culture with special guest Joshua L Friedman while barely scratching the surface of talking about his gig at the Playboy Mansion. (WTF, is this show run by a bunch of nerds, or something?) Music by Two Ball Loo. |
Mon, 4 July 2011
In which Thom & Andru discover the joys of Skypecasting, catch up on each other's pop-cultural pursuits, contemplate the YouTubian approach to storytelling, and chat with Kielen King about his awesome electro-soul sci-fi concept album, Star Pilot's Lament . |