This week the word is fandom, as in “What are your fandoms?” What does it mean to be a fan? The nerds each talk about their own fandoms, including being fans of their own creations. Near the end they bring down the Spoiler Curtain to discuss the first episode of season 2 of The Orville, followed by Riverdale and Babylon 5.
SPOILER ALERT: CONTAINS SPOILERS
This week the word is new. Topics the nerds discuss include new elements being added into existing games or stories to freshen them up (such as Scrappy Doo, Worf, Seven of Nine, Batgirl, and the Great Gazoo), how their games have evolved as they’ve created new editions and new game mechanics, and shows that have radically re-invented themselves from one season to the next (including the Sarah Connor Chronicles and It’s About Time). Andy talks about where he’s gotten to in watching Babylon 5 and how surprised he was by the appearance of a couple of notable guest stars. Keith tries to talk about Bumblebee without spoiling it. Lastly they bring down the Spoiler Curtain to discuss Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse.
SPOILER WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS
This week the word is endings. Topics the nerds discuss include the all-time best ending to a TV series, stories that had the perfect ending but then continued anyway, and stories that ended before their time. Media they mention include Newhart, MASH, Lost, Battlestar Galactica, The Americans, Journeyman, How I Met Your Mother, all of the Star Treks, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Buffy, and in particular, Babylon 5. They also compare Keith’s frequently re-run RPG game, Unusual Suspects, with Andy’s Parsely games.
SPOILER ALERT: CONTAINS VINTAGE SPOILERS
This week the word is holidays. Topics the nerds discuss include made-up holidays, christmas movies about ghosts and princes, the non-existence of a Star Trek holiday special, drive-in movies, Iceland’s Yule cat and Lads, Holland’s Zwarte Piet, Leap Day Williams, holiday music, and the possibility that Santa is a vampire. Andy saw Ralph Breaks the Internet, and Keith saw The Favourite, and they tell each other a little about those. Andy talks about finally getting to see again that one really scary episode of Space: 1999. Lastly, they discuss the latest episode of The Good Place.
SPOILER WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS
This week the word is pax, which the nerds discuss along with other words that sound like pax and other words that are just interesting, including whiz mob, grifter, and okus. They each discuss their experiences at PAX Unplugged. Other topics include the classic board game Masterpiece, time travelers who exist in every time at once, and the hand-held gizmos used on Space: 1999. They also spend a lot of time discussing sonic screwdrivers.
This week the word is bugs. Among other things, the nerds discuss the trailer for the Bumblebee movie, and Andy talks about vintage sci-fi he’s been watching lately, specifically Space: 1999, the original Battlestar Galactica, and Babylon 5. Lastly, they discuss the Good Place.
SPOILER WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS
This week the word is Excelsior because Stan Lee passed away this week. The nerds talk about their early experiences with comic books, the differences between Marvel and DC heroes, etc. Then Keith talks about a recent incident in which Illimat made the news for witchy reasons. Moving on to media, they discuss Forever, Babylon 5, the Star Trek Discovery between-season shorts, and after a spoiler warning, they discuss Homecoming at length.
SPOILER WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS
This week the nerds talk about the number nine. They have at least nine thoughts about it. Andy has elaborate ideas for what he would do if he suddenly got the job of writing Star Wars Episode 9, then Keith tosses out his own ideas for how to finish the trilogy of Star Wars trilogies. Moving on to other media, Keith talks about a new show called Homecoming, and Andy gives his reactions to season 2 of Babylon 5, which they compare with Deep Space 9.
SPOILER WARNING: INCLUDES VINTAGE SPOILERS
This week the nerds talk about the use of dice, or lack thereof, in role-playing games. Keith just got back from AmberCon with many tales of the games he played and ran there, and they discuss various RPG systems and how they use — or eschew — the roll of the dice. Media discussions include Homecoming, Babylon 5, and First Man.
This week the nerds talk about plans. They discuss various media that purported to have a plan, but didn’t (like Battlestar Galactica and Lost), and media that really should have had a plan but never did (like the new Star Wars movies). They discuss the differences between stories that are meant to go on forever vs. those that are complete and self-contained. Andy talks gives his reactions to some first season episodes of Babylon 5, which he is finally watching. He also shares a few thoughts about the new Doctor Who and reports on his recent trip to Costa Rica. Then they discuss the issue of human ashes being dumped at the Haunted Mansion. Lastly, they discuss Manifest and The Good Place (with a few little spoilers).
SPOILER WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS