This week the word is expectations. The nerds talk about how expectations can make or break an experience, and discuss the impact of expectations on everything from Star Wars to Harry Potter, including the Twilight Zone and various role-playing games. After they spoiler warning, they discuss Game of Thrones, the Orville, and Avengers: Endgame.
SPOILER WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS
This week the word is Scottish, since Keith was just in Scotland. He talks about some of his travel experiences, including the Student Nationals, his first stay in a bonafide flea-bag motel, and getting to meet the Minister of Cats of Scotland. Then the nerds spend a lot of time talking about the trailer for Star Wars episode 9. After the Spoiler Warning they discuss Star Trek: Discovery and the first couple of episodes of the new Twilight Zone.
SPOILER WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS
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 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 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
The show begins with a lengthy discussion of custard and other desserts. Keith talks about The Story George Told Me and How I Met Your Mother, which leads to another discussion about TV series finales. Andy steps away briefly to take some custards out of the oven, leaving Keith to talk about ice cream cake, and then they get into a big discussion about villains in the MCU. This leads to a discussion about long-term continuity in writing about famous characters, in particular the changes in direction in the recent Star Wars movies. (Beware of some slight Solo and Last Jedi spoilers towards the end.)
SPOILER WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS
The guys spend this whole episode just rambling about a wide range of topics, which include: visiting New Orleans, various implications of life-like robots, the tricky role of the Seer in a game of Werewolf, listener comments, dealing with cell phone usage in modern setting RPG games, strange cat behaviors, and a new game about robots which Andy is working on. Media topics mentioned include Westworld, Legion, Bumblebee, The Tick, The Good Place, The Americans, Solo, RGB, and Powerless.
First, Keith reports on his recent trip to the UK, including stories about Portmeirion, the Sir John Soanes Museum, UK Games Expo, and a boardgames meetup group called London On Board. Meanwhile, Andy’s just been working and watching TV. Moving on to media, they touch on Fahrenheit 451, The Americans, Legion, The Crossing, Into the Badlands, Dirk Gently, and Westworld, and then spend a lot of time discussing Solo.
SPOILER WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS
First Keith talks about Slurpees and a game called Vye. Andy talks about work stuff he’s been focusing on, including a massive redesign of the standard Fluxx rulesheet. Keith mentions his upcoming trip to Wales and the guys talk about games in and about The Prisoner. This leads to a discussion of reboots and problems that different shows can run into in their second season. Comments sent in by a listener named Michael get the guys into another conversation about stun guns and various other big-picture questions about the Star Wars universe. After dropping the spoiler curtain they discuss Westworld, the Expanse, and the Crossing.
SPOILER WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS
First Keith reports on his recent trip to his hometown of Ithaca NY. Andy mentions that this year’s Burning Man theme is “I, Robot” and Keith tells Andy about a new game being designed by friends of his called Inhuman Conditions, which is about trying to determine if your opponent is a robot or a human. Then they talk about tattoos people have gotten featuring images from their games. Andy tells Keith about a memorable hand of Action Cats! Then they spend more than half the show talking about Star Trek: Discovery, which Keith has finally gotten caught up on.