Perhaps the best expression of the DC Animated Universe was its swan song: Justice League Unlimited, which improved upon its predecessor (Justice League Unadorned) with snappier pacing, a conspiracy story arc that anticipated today’s morally ambiguous super-teams, and a jumbo variety pack of DC characters. YES, we’re going to talk about Shining Knight, Bat Lash, and the Question. YES, we’re going to talk about the best-but-most-misplaced epilogue to the DCAU. YES, we’re going to talk about what ...
Sep 08, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 682
Arrange an assortment of home-cooked Vulcan appetizers and warm up your singing voices, because it’s time to discuss season two of “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.” This season took some big swings, and some of them didn’t quite connect—but a whole lot of them did. "Strange New Worlds" season 2 Jason Snell with Jean MacDonald, Erika Ensign, Dan Moren and Joe Rosensteel Referenced Works Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Star Trek (franchise) Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows lik...
Sep 01, 2023•1 hr 39 min•Ep. 681
Is there a movie everyone else thinks is bad, which you secretly love? Maybe more than one? Then this is the episode for you! Antony resurrects his old podcast and asks a panel of guests to draft and talk about movies which are… unjustly maligned. Unjustly Maligned Movie Draft Antony Johnston with Chip Sudderth, Jean MacDonald, Sarah Hendrica Bickerton and Monty Ashley Sponsors Factor : Healthy, fully-prepared food delivered to your door. Show Notes & Links Round 1 Chip : Eternals Jean : Wat...
Aug 25, 2023•1 hr 31 min•Ep. 680
We travel the highways and byways of space, from gross flesh space stations to the weird suburbs of Counter-Earth, all with one quest in mind: talk about Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3!” "Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3" Jason Snell with Brian Warren, Kelly Guimont and Chip Sudderth Sponsors Callsheet : Find information about your favorite movies and shows, without constant login prompts, ads, auto-playing videos, and other junk. Referenced Works Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Marvel ...
Aug 18, 2023•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 679
Our book club reads two Hugo nominees, “Nona the Ninth” and “The Kaiju Preservation Society.” One’s the third book in a series that’s a real departure from what has came before, and whether that’s good or bad depends on how you were feeling about the series! The other is a standalone novel that’s perfectly fine, from an author who we think could be a better student if only he applied himself. And as usual, we also recommend many more books for you to read! Book Club: "Nona the Ninth" and "Kaiju ...
Aug 11, 2023•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 678
When a movie is this pink and this popular, we can’t ignore it. Our panel came in with high expectations for “Barbie,” and somehow not one of them was disappointed. What is it about Barbie and Ken that made this movie the hit of Summer 2023? "Barbie" Annette Wierstra with Shelly Brisbin, Heather Berberet, Kathy Campbell, Brian Hamilton and Moisés Chiullán Referenced Works Barbie Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member . Me...
Aug 04, 2023•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 677
How can “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” live up to its predecessor? It seems like a tough one, but somehow this 2023 sequel manages it. Just don’t expect an ending—it was originally called “Part One” for a reason. "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" Jason Snell with John Siracusa, Lisa Schmeiser, Shannon Sudderth and Chip Sudderth Referenced Works Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a...
Jul 28, 2023•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 676
Our Indy Summer concludes with the new release, “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.” Ticking clocks! Antonio Banderas! Short Round II! We had a good time at the movie and we break it all down. "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" Jason Snell with John McCoy, Annette Wierstra, Deborah Stanish, Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky Sponsors Factor : Healthy, fully-prepared food delivered to your door. Referenced Works Indiana Jones Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Show Notes & Links S...
Jul 21, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 675
Bad news for the haters: We watched “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” and must inform you that our nerd rage of the 2000s has abated and we think it’s mostly okay now, actually. Even the refrigerator. "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" Jason Snell with Steve Lutz, Annette Wierstra, Brian Warren and Erika Ensign Referenced Works Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull [ Amazon ] Indiana Jones Steven Spielberg Show Notes & Links Support this show...
Jul 14, 2023•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 674
Our revisiting of Indiana Jones movies continues with “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”, a movie that may not achieve true greatness, but sure has a heck of a lot of fun, thanks to a solid job from Harrison Ford and everything Sean Connery says or does. "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" Dan Moren with Aleen Simms, Kathy Campbell, Monty Ashley and Tony Sindelar Referenced Works Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade Indiana Jones Steven Spielberg Show Notes & Links Support this show and oth...
Jul 07, 2023•1 hr 35 min•Ep. 673
As an adjunct to the Summer of Spielberg, we are revisiting the Indiana Jones movies we only glossed over the last time we covered them! We begin with “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,” which gets credit for trying something different and demerit for failing at a lot of that. "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" Jason Snell with Annette Wierstra, Steve Lutz, Moisés Chiullán and David J. Loehr Referenced Works Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom Steven Spielberg Indiana Jones Show Notes &...
Jun 30, 2023•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 672
“Barry” is the blackest of black comedies — if it’s even a comedy at all by season four. We knew Bill Hader was funny, but now we also know he’s an impressive actor and director, too. This spoiler-laden discussion of all four seasons dives deep into what’s real and not, what’s funny and not, and whether Barry was mostly a trippy homage to “Breaking Bad.” "Barry" series wrap Lex Friedman with Brian Warren and Brian Hamilton Referenced Works Barry Show Notes & Links Support this show and other...
Jun 23, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 671
From the sleeper hit that everyone clung to during the COVID lockdowns to a third season with Premier League-levels of hype and scrutiny, Ted Lasso was more than a breakout hit for Apple TV+. We dive into the Good, the Bad, and the Zava and make our picks (“It’s not a draft!”) for what spinoffs we want to see! Chip Sudderth with Aleen Simms, James Thomson, Kathy Campbell and Shannon Sudderth Referenced Works Ted Lasso Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomp...
Jun 16, 2023•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 670
Our book club tackles two Nebula-nominated novels with ampersands in their titles! Is that all they have in common? It’s “Nettle & Bone” & “Legends & Lattes.” Plus: Is Scott the monster again this time? Maybe not! "Legends & Lattes" and "Nettle & Bone" Jason Snell with Scott McNulty, Aleen Simms, Erika Ensign and Kelly Guimont Sponsors Incomparable Shirts are on sale Referenced Works Legends & Lattes [ Amazon ] [ Apple ] Nettle & Bone [ Amazon ] [ Apple ] Show Notes &...
Jun 09, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 669
They made a better movie about Dungeons & Dragons! Can you really go wrong with Chris Pine and Hugh Grant? Two expert DMs and a roleplaying novice break it all down! "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves" Jason Snell with Tony Sindelar, Scott McNulty and Moisés Chiullán Referenced Works Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member . Members get early access to podcasts, bon...
Jun 02, 2023•54 min•Ep. 668
We go 20 minutes into the future and 36 years into the past to discuss ABC’s cyberpunk drama “Max Headroom.” For a show with an 80s pop-culture icon as its title character, it’s actually a prescient satire about where our culture was (and still is?) headed. Even more than three decades later, its discussions of data security, the right to privacy in a technological age, artificial intelligence, and even deepfakes are still state of the art. (Non-American viewers who thought this was the show whe...
May 26, 2023•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 667
They said that “Star Trek: Picard” wasn’t just going to be a “Star Trek: The Next Generation” reunion show, and that turned out to be true, at least about the first two seasons. We review the show’s just-completed third season, which brought us the emotional and nostalgic moments we craved, introduced an assortment of new characters we liked (or didn’t), and introduced some plot elements that we puzzled over. "Star Trek: Picard" season 3 Jason Snell with Joe Rosensteel, Moisés Chiullán, Cicero H...
May 15, 2023•1 hr 44 min•Ep. 665
We gripe because we love! We break down the third season of “The Mandalorian.” Is burying part of the story in another show doing a disservice to this one? Why are there so may plot threads that seem to go nowhere, or get resolved in an anticlimactic fashion? And, despite all that, how did we all still have a good time? "The Mandalorian" season 3 Dan Moren with Tony Sindelar, Houman Sadri, James Thomson and Kelly Guimont Sponsors ExpressVPN : High-Speed, Secure & Anonymous VPN Service. Get a...
May 05, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 664
Our Book Club begins our walk through awards shortlist reading with two Nebula Awards nominees for best novel, “The Mountain in the Sea” by Ray Nayler and “Spear” by Nicola Griffith. One’s a near-future thriller about sentient octopi, the other’s an Arthurian fantasy with a few twists. Next time we’ll be reading Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher and Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree. If you’re on Goodreads, you can also join our Book Club there . Book Club: "Spear" and "Mountain in the Sea...
Apr 28, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 663
Everyone laughed at the title, and many laughed at the over-the-top violence, but 1987’s “RoboCop” turned into a sleeper hit that kickstarted a major franchise. We revisit Paul Verhoeven’s first and best big-budget sci-fi satire. Antony Johnston with Erika Ensign, Steve Lutz and Moisés Chiullán Referenced Works RoboCop (1987) Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member . Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, an...
Apr 21, 2023•1 hr 35 min•Ep. 662
Sure, she’s a human lie detector, but she’s also a murder magnet who’s running from a guy who seems to want her dead. We enter the world of Rian Johnson’s “Poker Face,” where Natasha Lyonne is both Columbo and The Fugitive. "Poker Face" Shelly Brisbin with Antony Johnston, Annette Wierstra, David J. Loehr and Ken Ray Referenced Works Poker Face Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member . Members get early access to podcasts,...
Apr 14, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 661
Old Movie Club throws itself into the turning wheels of justice with two legal films from 1957, “12 Angry Men” and “Witness for the Prosecution.” "12 Angry Men" and "Witness for the Prosecution" Jason Snell with Dr. Drang, Shelly Brisbin, Randy Dotinga and Philip Michaels Referenced Works 12 Angry Men (1957) Witness for the Prosecution (1957) Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member . Members get early access to podcasts, b...
Apr 07, 2023•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 660
Grab a backpack and get ready to siphon some gas—we’re setting out from the safe zone on a quest to find opinions about the first season of HBO’s video game adaptation, “The Last of Us.” "The Last Of Us" (HBO) Cicero Holmes with Annette Wierstra, Erika Ensign and Guy English Sponsors ExpressVPN : High-Speed, Secure & Anonymous VPN Service. Get an extra three months free. Referenced Works The Last of Us Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable netwo...
Apr 01, 2023•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 659
Avoid stepping on butterflies, step into your time machine, and go kill your grandfather—it’s time for our Time Travel Movies Draft! We select favorite films from all corners of the time-travel genre, from time loops to historical shenanigans to nonsensical plot twists. Time-Travel Movie Draft Jason Snell with James Thomson, Glenn Fleishman, Erika Ensign, Moisés Chiullán, Annette Wierstra and Monty Ashley Show Notes & Links Time Travel Movies James - Time Bandits (1981) ( Incomparable 632 ) ...
Mar 24, 2023•1 hr 36 min•Ep. 658
Our Book Club reads “Sea of Tranquility” by Emily St. John Mandel, a beautifully written story set in multiple timelines that—like her earlier novel “Station Eleven”—frustrated some, but not all, of our panelists. We also recommend a lot of other books to read! Book Club: "Sea of Tranquility" Jason Snell with Erika Ensign, Aleen Simms, Deborah Stanish and Scott McNulty Referenced Works Sea of Tranquility [ Amazon ] [ Apple ] Show Notes & Links Our next Book Club selections are two Nebula Awa...
Mar 17, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 657
We wrap up our seven-year walkthough(!) of the seven seasons of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” The show is slowly grinding to a halt, but are there gems to be discovered? Buffy’s got a speech about that. Maybe the real Big Bad was the friends we made along the way! "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" season 7 Jason Snell with Aleen Simms, Jean MacDonald, Quinn Rose, Mattie Cox and Steve Lutz Sponsors ExpressVPN : High-Speed, Secure & Anonymous VPN Service. Get an extra three months free. Referenced Work...
Mar 10, 2023•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 656
This week we’re drafting Disney Princesses! There are two simple rules: They must be Disney, and they must be princesses. How far will our intrepid panelists go to stretch those rules? Join us to find out. Disney Princess Draft Annette Wierstra and Kathy Campbell with James Thomson, Rosemary Orchard, Moisés Chiullán, Monty Ashley and Glenn Fleishman Show Notes & Links James Thomson : Princess Leia Organa Elora Danan The Princess Quorra (Tron) Xenomorphs (Alien) Rosemary Orchard : Belle Snow ...
Mar 03, 2023•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 655
Wednesday Addams is not the girl of your dreams — she’s the stuff of your nightmares. Our group of outcasts gathers in our secret library to conjure our thoughts on the first season of “Wednesday”, streaming on Netflix. We discuss what we love about the show, while also trying to figure out, is it really meant for us? "Wednesday" Tiff Arment with Brian Hamilton, Glenn Fleishman and Kathy Campbell Referenced Works Wednesday Show Notes & Links X (2022 film) Wednesday (TV series - Wikipedia) Su...
Feb 24, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 654
Put on your home-built Iron Man suit and whisper into some beads, because it’s time to discuss “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Our panel talks about how the movie leaves space to grieve Chadwick Boseman and T’Challa while also providing a platform for a bunch of black women to take the lead in a geopolitical battle involving the charismatic Namor, the U.S. government, and… the French? We drift into the shipping lanes for a moment, but it doesn’t generate any enthusiasm about the film’s big boa...
Feb 17, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 653
Our Book Club reconvenes to discuss R.F. Kuang’s “Babel.” It’s a story about magic and empire and revolution, and our feelings about it are similarly complicated. Plus: A whole bunch of book suggestions! Our next Book Club selection: “Sea of Tranquility” by Emily St. John Mandel. Book Club: R.F. Kuang's "Babel" Jason Snell with Aleen Simms, Dan Moren, Glenn Fleishman, Deborah Stanish, Erika Ensign and Scott McNulty Sponsors ExpressVPN : High-Speed, Secure & Anonymous VPN Service. Get an extr...
Feb 10, 2023•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 652
