Welcome to the Hunger Games, Disney edition! This time, Ed, Callie, Sarah, and Josh draw 12 Disney animated characters at random and then place them in the arena for a fight to the death. Will princesses fight or ally with each other? Could a magical being cruise to victory? Can a little clock survive to the end? And what happens with the Cave of Wonders introduces a massive twist? It's one part Disney, one part D&D, and all nerdy fun. Big Nerdy Recommendation: The Simpsons and Their Mathema...
Jul 27, 2017•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 25
Replicators, warp drive (or is it hyperdrive), mass relays, oh my! In this foray into the cutting edge technology of the future, Matt, Colleen, and Josh examine which sci-fi technology would most change our world. We take our historical training and nerdy credentials to the max in this discussion as we dissect the pros and cons of techs across various franchises. The episode will definitely make you wonder about the future of the human race, along with the occasional horrible sci-fi pun from you...
Jul 20, 2017•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 24
HODOR! It's BNQ first foray into Westeros as we tackle memorable deaths from Game of Thrones. The panel this week features Matt, Callie, and Ed as we visit two weddings, talk our heads off, and receive a special crown. But please be sure not to walk out of your upstairs bedroom while listening to this episode. Spoiler Alert: We spoil all of Game of Thrones, Seasons 1 through 6, and the published books. Hashtag of the Week: #SeanBeanAlity Big Nerdy Recommendation: Berserk (1997 version) Theme son...
Jul 13, 2017•53 min•Ep. 23
It's the 42nd Episode of BNQ, but don't panic, we've got a mostly harmless special for you if you brought your towel. We tackle Life, the Universe and Everything about the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Why is 42 the Ultimate Answer? Would humans understand a warning to leave the planet? Why is Marvin so sad? These questions and more are covered by Josh, Callie and our special guest, Dr. Leah Brahms from the Replicated Hat podcast. It's a special topic, a podcast crossover, and full of puns. ...
Jul 06, 2017•43 min•Ep. 22
Welcome to another BNQ special featuring an awesome guest! Bobby Del Rio, of My Roommate's An Escort, IRL: The Series, and The Market, joins Ed, JP, and Josh in Big Nerdy Headquarters to discuss his works and his artistic process. Bobby tells us about the differences in making comedy and drama, how IRL is a reflection of our cultural changes relative to social media, and how The Market is a vulgar-yet-accurate reflection of the dark side of capitalism. We do get a bit heady in this episode, but ...
Jun 29, 2017•45 min
War...War never changes. Whether you fight dragons or raiders with shouts or mini nukes, the war will go on. This week, Josh and Matt welcome podcast newcomer Jason to Big Nerdy Headquarters to discuss Bethesda's twin titans, Fallout and The Elder Scrolls. Which franchise provides the better RPG experience? We go in depth on story, character design, setting, and other intangibles to provide a somewhat educated pick. At the very least, this episode may give you a charisma boost. Take your Rad-X a...
Jun 15, 2017•1 hr 7 min
JP is your guest host one more time as BNQ starts a new series on the Mount Rushmore of Nerddom with our look into the titans of nerdy television. Who are those leaders of television who made it a great place for nerds, geeks, and all others of a genre persuasion? Ed and Josh join JP to bestow the honors, but we will need help from the listeners to fill all four slots. Big Nerdy Recommendation: Powerless Theme song credit: "Adventure Meme" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative ...
Jun 08, 2017•54 min
BNQ is in the midst of an uprising! JP takes over this week as the host while Josh takes a seat on the panel with Callie. Their topic--the plausibility of a machine uprising like in the Terminator franchise. Along the way, the three amateur futurists take a look at 2001, Asimov's laws, the Turing test, Battlestar Galactica, and the pros and cons of the automation economy. We were definitely wearing our thinking caps for this discussion and we hope you enjoy it. Big Nerdy Recommendation: Chrono T...
Jun 01, 2017•1 hr
Can you stick refridgerator magnets to Wolverine's claws? Does The Incredible Hulk have a limitless clothing budget? Would Iceman be more or less effective in the middle of the desert? These questions and more are on tap this week as Josh, JP, Colleen, and Matt look at how strange drawbacks can negate otherwise useful super powers. In addition to looking at established powers, the panel also gets creative and comes up with their own "if this, then that" scenarios for cancelling out marvelous abi...
May 25, 2017•51 min
Brace yourself, it's time for the most anticipated sequel of Season Two! Last year, JP gave Spongebob Squarepants the power to lift Thor's hammer. This year, it gets even better. Colleen, Ed, Matt, and Rachel join JP and Josh as they discuss over thirty characters in rapid fire to figure out who's worthy to wield the hammer and who's just a tool (see what I did there?). This might just be the funniest hour we've ever produced; we hope you enjoy. Please note: Our audio equipment malfunctioned a b...
May 18, 2017•1 hr 11 min
Do readers, authors, editors, and publishers think about books in terms of specific genre, such as historical fantasy or postmodern cyberpunk? Or is the idea of "genre fiction" an easy classification for those forms of speculative fiction that us nerds love to read and analyze? This week, we welcome special guest EC Ambrose, author of The Dark Apostle series and judge of the World Fantasy Awards, to delve into the significance of genre from all of the stockholder perspectives. We also discuss "T...
May 04, 2017•1 hr 10 min
It's a very special episode of BNQ! We invite Katie Uhlmann and Trish Rainone of the Youtube hit comedy series "My Roommate's An Escort" into Big Nerdy Headquarters to discuss our favorite female-led comedies. We also talk about what it's like to write and direct a web series and finding inspiration in real life absurdity for writing comedy. Check out "My Roommate's An Escort" on Youtube! Big Nerdy Recommendations: Popternative and Wee Sing in Sillyville "Adventure Meme" Kevin MacLeod (incompete...
Apr 27, 2017•49 min
Last week, JP, Ed, Matt, and Josh took you into the depths of horrible cinema to present the gravest cinematic injustices against beloved franchises. Of course, one episode isn't enough time to contain so much awfulness, so we now give you Part 2 to finish our deep dive into rotten waters. Find out why Matt would never cast an athlete as a superhero, hear Ed's takedown of M. Night's disgraceful handling of a modern classic, and find out which Star Trek film Josh thinks derailed the franchise. Ha...
Apr 20, 2017•58 min
Sure there are bad films, but which ones truly sullied their franchise's reputation? This week, Ed, JP, Matt, and Josh dive into the worst of the worst to pick which films were the worst cinematic injustices committed against their beloved franchises. As it turns out, there is so much junk in our cinematic history that we ended up having a two hour discussion. Here's the first part; you'll get Part II next week. Please note that this episode has the most bleeping of any our episodes to date. Bad...
Apr 13, 2017•36 min
In our first season, we went to a galaxy far away to determine the best dates in the Star Wars universe. This week we bring you the sequel as Callie, Matt, JP, and special guest star Rick from Starbase 66 look at the romantic options of the Star Trek universe. You'll learn why dating Q or a Klingon could prove hazardous to your health. You'll re-evaluate the trope of "Sad Geordi." You'll even think of the Enterprise herself in a whole new way. This episode is bawdy, ribald, and just plain fun. B...
Apr 06, 2017•1 hr 22 min
It was the first stand-alone Star Wars live-action film, but was it a strong addition to the hallowed franchise? This week, Colleen, Ed, Matt, and Josh tackle Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. We analyze the characters, the plot, and the connections to the Original Trilogy. We also take a look at the Legends (Extended Universe) canon and examine if Rogue One and Episode VII are worthy replacements for what many authors had previously created. This week also features our tribute to Carrie Fisher - an...
Mar 30, 2017•53 min
Just like Steven Spielberg's dinosaurs, we're back! It's time for Season 2 of Big Nerdy Questions. This week, we revisit our very first topic to tackle eight more fictional universes you might want to live in. Matt, JP, Callie, and Josh bring you life in Futurama, Doctor Who, Hyrule, South Park, and four more universes. Learn how floating onomatopoeia's can ruin the medical billing industry, hear tales of the landscaping and psychiatry businesses at the Water Temple, and listen as Josh goes supe...
Mar 23, 2017•1 hr 15 min
Every hero has one, sometimes they are groan-inducing, but when done right, they can set the stage for an amazing story. On this week's BNQ, Colleen, Ed, Matt, and Josh answer which hero has the best origin story. Is it a classic like Spiderman? Is it a modern sensation like Mob from Mob Psycho 100? Listen to find out. While we discuss origins this week, it's ironically the end of our first season. Thank you to all of our listeners! We'll be back in March with more brand new BNQ episodes. SPOILE...
Feb 03, 2017•1 hr 25 min
Time to yell "Expecto Patronum!" at the top of your lungs, because BNQ is heading to the Potterverse. This week, Josh, Ed, Colleen, and newcomer Callie look at the spells, charms, jinxes, and other various magical miscellany that you could learn as a student at Hogwarts. If you could only choose one, which one is it? Do you use your knowledge for practicality, helping others, or to just make the world a more interesting place? Watch out for the bludgers and keep your brooms handy... Hashtags of ...
Jan 19, 2017•53 min
AND NOW, THE CONCLUSION...Last week, our intrepid crew of Josh H, Josh P, and Rick from Starbase 66, The 7th Chevron, and Simply Syndicated looked at the two-part episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Having only had the time to cover the first half of those episodes, the crew returns this week to look at Time's Arrow, Chain of Command, Birthright, Descent, Gambit, and All Good Things. Plus, find out our pick for the best TNG two-parter and hear Rick's incredible Jar Jar death! Will you li...
Jan 12, 2017•45 min
