Merry Kilmas! We begin our seasonal celebration of actor Val Kilmer with one of his most mysterious works, 1996’s “The Island of Dr. Moreau.” You’ll go in wanting to see Marlon Brando and David Thewlis, but you’ll exit talking about Goat Man and Dog Butler and why the last half hour of the film makes no sense at all. It’s a legendary disaster of a movie, and maybe that’s what Kilmas is all about! Jason Snell with Annette Wierstra, Jean MacDonald, Steve Lutz, Tony Sindelar and David J. Loehr....
Dec 05, 2020•54 min•Ep 543•Transcript available on Metacast Pick up a baseball bat and climb into the Woodie car that’s bigger on the inside, because it’s time to discuss HBO’s “Lovecraft Country.” This is a breathtakingly ambitious multi-genre anthology series with recurring characters. It’s about race and sex and society and love and hideous supernatural monsters. It’s set in the Jim Crow era, but also the past and the future and other planes of existence. And if you like the genres that we cover on The Incomparable, it’s worth your time. Jason Snell w...
Nov 28, 2020•2 hr 43 min•Ep 542•Transcript available on Metacast Happy Life Day! To celebrate this important occasion, The Incomparable hereby presents a commentary track, to be viewed alongside The Star Wars Holiday Special. You’ll need to find the Holiday Special via the usual rebel channels. We watched the version with ads in it, so if you find a different version, pause the show during the ads. Jason Snell with Annette Wierstra, Dan Moren, David J. Loehr, John Siracusa, Kelly Guimont, Steve Lutz and Chip Sudderth.
Nov 17, 2020•2 hr 4 min•Ep 541•Transcript available on Metacast It’s silly draft time! In this episode we’re drafting TV series that only lasted a single season. No, miniseries and unaired pilots and shows that got a second season don’t count! Also, everyone gets “Firefly.” Jason Snell with Moisés Chiullán, Monty Ashley, Philip Michaels, Glenn Fleishman, Dan Moren, Quinn Rose, James Thomson, Erika Ensign, David J. Loehr and Cicero Holmes.
Nov 14, 2020•2 hr 54 min•Ep 540•Transcript available on Metacast Game over, man, game over! We return to the world of xenomorphs and Weyland-Yutani Corp. as we discuss 1986’s “Aliens,” James Cameron’s fascinating follow-up to the Ridley Scott original. We discuss space marines, alien-friendly elevators, white milky blood, and subsequent Alien movies that are very much uncanonical. Jason Snell with Antony Johnston, James Thomson, Sandra Wong, Kelly Guimont and Monty Ashley.
Nov 07, 2020•2 hr 41 min•Ep 539•Transcript available on Metacast It’s one of the best things on television right now. It’s “What We Do in the Shadows,” a show that honors vampire lore while placing them in ridiculous mundane situations. A mockumentary sitcom featuring vampires might seem like an entry from TV Mad Libs, but this show (based on an indie feature film also by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi) uses its stellar cast and sharp writing to create a bizarre world of energy vampires, complaining familiars, new-age witches, and—the horror—local politics...
Oct 31, 2020•55 min•Ep 538•Transcript available on Metacast Football is life! But even if you don’t care about sports, you should still watch “Ted Lasso” on Apple TV+. It’s a very funny show that’s also full of empathy and respect for its characters, which never goes for the cheap joke, and takes the tropes of every sports movie you’ve seen and uses them in ways you’re not expecting. And we’ve left plenty of space before the Spoiler Horn for our cross-Atlantic panel to explain why you should watch it and why we love this fusion of American and English se...
Oct 24, 2020•1 hr 8 min•Ep 537•Transcript available on Metacast Duck into the prone position and aim your bow, because it’s time for us to talk about “The Last of Us Part II”, the sequel to a beloved apocalyptic video game. We follow the characters on their pursuit of cross-country revenge, filled with flashbacks and the infected. But on this journey, as we trade our adrenaline for tears, we learn that we were the last of us all along. Tiff Arment with John Siracusa and Brian Hamilton.
Oct 17, 2020•2 hr 45 min•Ep 536•Transcript available on Metacast It’s time to play the music It’s time to light the lights It’s time to draft the Muppets On the Incomparable tonight Jason Snell with David J. Loehr, Kelly Guimont, Moisés Chiullán, Philip Michaels, Monty Ashley, Nathan Alderman, Shelly Brisbin and Quinn Rose.
Oct 10, 2020•2 hr 37 min•Ep 535•Transcript available on Metacast Once more unto the breach, dear friends! This episode kicks off a new recurring feature, Shakespeare Club. Our first subject is “Henry V.” We watch Kenneth Branagh’s 1989 film and discuss Shakespeare’s Expanded Henry Universe, tennis balls, d’elbow, and what a jerk young Harry actually is. Jason Snell with David J. Loehr, Philip Michaels, Scott McNulty and Moisés Chiullán.
Oct 03, 2020•1 hr 12 min•Ep 534•Transcript available on Metacast Our Old Movie Club takes on two Billy Wilder comedies from 1939 and 1959, to see if they still hold up 81 and 61 years later. Erika Ensign’s selection is “Midnight,” starring Claudette Colbert and Don Ameche, and Philip Michaels counters with “Some Like It Hot,” starring Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, and Marilyn Monroe. Both films are about people pretending to be something they aren’t. And then the fun begins… hopefully! Jason Snell with Erika Ensign, Philip Michaels, Tiff Arment and Steve Lutz....
Sep 26, 2020•1 hr 26 min•Ep 533•Transcript available on Metacast Launch the Photon Torpedoes! In this episode we’re drafting mostly obscure characters from all of Star Trek lore, and creating our own TV series pitches with the results. If you think our drafts have gone off the rails before, you haven’t seen anything yet! Jason Snell with Jim Metzendorf, David J. Loehr, Moisés Chiullán, Cicero Holmes, Jean MacDonald, Brianna Wu and Scott McNulty.
Sep 19, 2020•1 hr 8 min•Ep 532•Transcript available on Metacast Grab a shotgun, climb on a stolen motorcycle, and get out your 90s slang phrasebook, because it’s time to watch one of the definitive summer blockbusters, “Terminator 2: Judgment Day.” We marvel at Arnold Schwarzenegger’s perfectly robotic demeanor, Robert Patrick’s steely stare and creepy walk, and Linda Hamilton’s—well, pretty much everything. Hasta la vista, baby. Jason Snell with Aleen Simms, Annette Wierstra, Brian Hamilton and Kelly Guimont.
Sep 12, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Ep 531•Transcript available on Metacast Hop a flight piloted by a Dodo and leave behind the world you know! Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the perfect escape. Journey to a deserted island to do digital equivalents of chores you’re avoiding doing in the real world! One of the most subjective experiences in all of gaming turned out to be just what millions of us needed this summer. Guest host Moisés Chiullán and his six panelists are proof that “the friends you make along the way” really is the whole point after all. Well, that and dr...
Sep 05, 2020•3 hr 33 min•Ep 530•Transcript available on Metacast Grab a wad of counterfeit cash and get ready to swim up a waterfall! Our Miyazaki Club goes back to the beginning, to the great animation director’s first feature, “The Castle of Cagliostro.” It’s a franchise work-for-hire being executed by a budding genius, which is a fascinating combination. The film mixes cartoony action and heist-movie tropes with clouds and landscapes and flying machines that come straight from Miyazaki’s brain. Jason Snell with John Siracusa, Monty Ashley, Aleen Simms, Ton...
Aug 30, 2020•1 hr 8 min•Ep 529•Transcript available on Metacast Ten years ago today, The Incomparable began. To celebrate a decade of whatever this is, Jason gathered a dozen of the podcast’s top panelists for a round of toasts. Jason Snell with Dan Moren, David J. Loehr, John Siracusa, Steve Lutz, Scott McNulty, Erika Ensign, Monty Ashley, Glenn Fleishman, Serenity Caldwell, Moisés Chiullán, Tony Sindelar, Aleen Simms and Chip Sudderth.
Aug 22, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Ep 528•Transcript available on Metacast Inflate your pool floaties, prepare a wedding speech, and whatever you do, don’t go in the glowing red cave, because we’re discussing the delightful film “Palm Springs,” starring Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti, and J.K. Simmons, and currently available (to Americans, anyway) on Hulu. It’s the kind of movie we’ve seen before, but with so many interesting twists on the concept that it always feels fresh. In addition to pointing out what makes the movie work, we’ve got a bunch of nerdy questions abo...
Aug 15, 2020•1 hr 8 min•Ep 527•Transcript available on Metacast Want to pick up a comic book or graphic novel and don’t know where to start? Our panel has a bunch of very different ideas for you to choose from! We’ve made a list of nearly two dozen for you to try—all available in collections, all ready to pick up without knowing anything about history or backstory or continuity or anything. Jason Snell with Chip Sudderth, David J. Loehr, Lisa Schmeiser, John McCoy and Nathan Alderman.
Aug 03, 2020•1 hr 16 min•Ep 526•Transcript available on Metacast It’s our annual read of the annual science fiction and fantasy shortlist, the Hugo Awards nominees! Our panelists catch up on the three books that weren’t covered in our Nebula Awards episode, and then Jason and Erika spend a little time on the short fiction nominees. And the raging debate on whether a planet is space or not continues! Jason Snell with Erika Ensign, Aleen Simms, Scott McNulty and Dan Moren.
Jul 25, 2020•1 hr 20 min•Ep 525•Transcript available on Metacast Alex Garland has followed up his film “Ex Machina” with another philosophical drama about technology, the miniseries “Devs.” It’s unique, beautiful, thought provoking, and doesn’t remotely stick the landing. We spend a lengthy pre-Spoiler Horn slot discussing why you might want to watch it (and why you might not), and then we break down the strengths and weaknesses of the show overall and the final episode in particular. Jason Snell with Aleen Simms, Brian Hamilton, James Thomson and Glenn Fleis...
Jul 18, 2020•1 hr 19 min•Ep 524•Transcript available on Metacast It’s time to take a trip back to Vietnam and discuss Spike Lee’s new film, “Da 5 Bloods”! We discuss Netflix’s decision to release the movie right now, the plot’s many twists and turns, and all of the ways Spike Lee incorporates references to other genres and directors. Plus, heaps and heaps of praise for the cast. Cicero Holmes with Philip Michaels, Brian Hamilton, Moisés Chiullán and Shareef Jackson.
Jul 12, 2020•2 hr 58 min•Ep 523•Transcript available on Metacast They should have sent a poet, but instead we sent ourselves to celebrate the 23rd (it’s a prime number, as any alien would know) anniversary of the Robert Zemeckis film “Contact”, starring Jodie Foster in an adaptation of the novel by Carl Sagan. How do we reconcile the film’s debate about science and religion? Is this really two movies in one? How showy are the film’s set pieces and special effects? We’re ok to go—otherwise this podcast would be an awful waste of space. Jason Snell with John Si...
Jul 05, 2020•2 hr 44 min•Ep 522•Transcript available on Metacast Our walkthrough of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” continues with season 5, in which Buffy inherits a sister with retcon powers, the gang loses someone close to them, and everyone realizes it’s time to grow up. Also, the Big Bad thinks she’s prettier than Buffy, but when you spend all that time around a bunch of gnomish lackeys, your aesthetic sense is bound to get a bit skewed. Jason Snell with Aleen Simms, Jean MacDonald, Quinn Rose, Steve Lutz and Mattie Cox.
Jun 27, 2020•2 hr 30 min•Ep 521•Transcript available on Metacast It’s not 🧠🧑ðŸ»â€ðŸ”¬âš›ï¸, it’s 🚀🧑ðŸ»â€âš•ï¸ðŸ”ª. Emojipedia’s own Jeremy Burge joins our crew to watch the heck out of 2017’s “The Emoji Movie,” a very 😑 movie in which Patrick Stewart plays 💩 and we’re told that 🆠belongs in the Loser Lounge. Jason Snell with Jeremy Burge, Glenn Fleishman, Kathy Campbell, Steve Lutz and Monty Ashley.
Jun 21, 2020•1 hr 29 min•Ep 520•Transcript available on Metacast Put on your Sunday clothes and get ready to patrol the trash heap that is Earth, because it’s time to discuss Pixar’s “Wall-E.” We cover the nearly dialogueless first act, whether the broader comedy on the B&L ship Axiom works, Fred Willard (RIP), and the greatness of Ben Burtt. Watch out for rogue robots! Jason Snell with Jean MacDonald, Kelly Guimont, Moisés Chiullán and Steve Lutz.
Jun 14, 2020•1 hr 17 min•Ep 519•Transcript available on Metacast We break down the third season of HBO’s “Westworld”, a show that we may appreciate more for the big swings that it takes rather than the number of times it actually connects. This just-finished season was messy, with one clear through-line and a bunch of other characters who are not served particularly well. We break down the character arcs for Dolores, Bernard, Dolores, Maeve, Dolores, Serac, and Dolores. There’s also praise for Marshawn Lynch (and his shirt), for the show’s continued excellent...
Jun 07, 2020•1 hr 17 min•Ep 518•Transcript available on Metacast Old Movie Club takes on two distinctly different Raymond Chandler adaptations: 1946’s “The Big Sleep” (with Humphrey Bogart as Philip Marlowe) and 1973’s “The Long Goodbye” (with Elliott Gould as Marlowe). Both of them have twisty plots that unravel, leaving dead bodies behind. Women throw themselves at Bogie! Elliott Gould needs to buy cat food! Film Boir will never be the same. Jason Snell with Philip Michaels, Shelly Brisbin, Monty Ashley and Dr. Drang.
Jun 01, 2020•1 hr 20 min•Ep 517•Transcript available on Metacast We’ve completed our read of this year’s six Nebula Award nominees for best science fiction/fantasy novel of the year, and have returned with our opinions! And this year was a pretty good one, with very few of our readers experiencing the pain of bad books. From space opera to portal fantasy to Mexican mythology, there are almost certainly books on this list that will strike your fancy. Also, we debate the perennial question: Are planets in space? Jason Snell with Erika Ensign, Aleen Simms, Scott...
May 24, 2020•2 hr 33 min•Ep 516•Transcript available on Metacast Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale A tale of a fateful show We drafted yet more TV themes And the theme song list did grow The guest list was a lengthy one The pickers came prepared If not for the courage of our editor The listeners would be scared So join us on your podcast app You’ll listen till you’re full It’s favorite TV theme songs Here on The Incomparable Jason Snell with Philip Michaels, Lizbeth Myles, Steven Schapansky, James Thomson, Moisés Chiullán, Dan Moren, Monty Ashley and...
May 16, 2020•2 hr 31 min•Ep 515•Transcript available on Metacast Dan Moren joins Jason to discuss what went into writing his new novel, “The Aleph Extraction.” No spoilers for the story, but we do discuss how he builds characters, the optimal length of a novel, how writing a novel under contract is different from having years to write one without a publisher, and why Jason has access to the Galactic Cold War wiki. Jason Snell with Dan Moren.
May 09, 2020•1 hr 11 min•Ep 514•Transcript available on Metacast 
