162 avsnitt • Längd: 60 min • Månadsvis
Andrew Heaton and an army of nerds plunge deep, deep into films, books, and TV shows to ask: what’s science fiction really about? What is The Twilight Zone really exploring? What are the underlying themes of Star Trek? What is the worldview of Star Wars? Also sometimes Heaton performs comedy on other planets.
The podcast Alienating the Audience is created by Andrew Heaton. The podcast and the artwork on this page are embedded on this page using the public podcast feed (RSS).
In "Subservience" Megan Fox plays a robot servant who goes off the rails, seduces her owner, and tries to kill his wife. Henrique Couto joins to discuss the ethical implications of cheating on your spouse with a robot, how we ought to treat robots even if they don't really have consciousness, and whether or not we'd buy robot servants in general.
Fresh after seeing “Alien: Romulus,” Dickie Lynch and Heaton discuss Ripley Scott’s “Alien” franchise: the creepy aesthetics of H. R. Geiger, the deepest fears of the movie, the alien seeding of “Prometheus,” and the most recent installment as a best-of.
It's three centuries after the apocalypse, and a small Catholic monastery in the desert is collecting and safeguarding whatever pre-calamite artifacts it can, to preserve knowledge until civilization gets going again. Brian Brushwood joins to discuss this post-apocalyptic "Jesuits in space" novel.
How has A. I. been portrayed through history in science fiction, and what's it going to look like as it keeps getting better? Stone Lynch and J. C. Campbell join to discuss.
Anthony Burgess wrote his dystopian novel “A Clockwork Orange” in 1962, but two different versions appeared on either side of the Atlantic. The American version stops at chapter twenty, whereas the British version has an extra twenty-first chapter, which totally changes the book. Brian Brushwood joins to discuss.
The universe is really, really big. Like huge. Really really really huge. Prompting science fiction to come up with workarounds so everyone isn't stuck on the same boring 'ol planet.
Dickie Lynch rejoins to discuss.
Drew Magary’s book “The Postmortal” explores a scenario in which a vaccine is made for aging. Whatever age you take it at, you are paused there indefinitely. How does that effect marriage, retirement, and society as a whole? Josh Jennings and Ashland Viscosi return to discuss.
Madeline Miller's "Circe" novelizes the mysterious character from the Odyssey who turns men into swine, but also helps Odysseus get home. The book shows the feckless, narcissistic nature of the Greek pantheon, what is the true nature of self, and the divine patriarchy.
Alexandra August and Isabella Reinhardt join to discuss.
George Orwell died way back in 1950, and his estate has never allowed anyone to canonically (or legally) contribute to the immense worldbuilding of "1984"... Until now.
Sandra Newman recently wrote "Julia," the official sequel to 1984, which happens conterminously with its events, but from the perspective of Winston's paramour, Julia.
Josh Jennings joins to discuss.
Season Finale! In which we talk about how to use sci-fi robots for helpful psychological thought experiments.
Support the show! www.patreon.com/alienating
Star Trek Deep Space Nine's Elim Garak is a simple, unassuming character. But also a spymaster. Why is he so beguiling, and what's his character arc? Andrew Young joins to discuss.
Is 1984 prophetic, or merely a terrifying dystopia? What makes this haunting book so engaging on a literary level? Josh Jennings returns to discuss.
Star Trek: Picard recently wrapped up its third and final season--and the first season Heaton or his guests have enjoyed of it. Scottish sci-fi twins Dickie and Stone rejoin to discuss Star Trek: Picard, and what made its ultimate season likeable.
Adrian Tchaikovsky's "Children of Time" tackles multi-generational sleeper ships, uplifiting species, AI, the nature of intelligence, teleforming and more.
Richard Amiro rejoins to discuss.
In this satirical novel by Max Barry, the United States is a corporate wasteland with ruthless businesses and toothless rump state unable to restrain them.
John Krikorian of Trekprofiles joins to discuss.
Book at: www.mightyheaton.com/goodscifi
How does the multiverse shake out in science fiction? What are the tropes, and what are the implications?
Scottish scifi twins Dickie and Stone Lynch join to discuss.
In “The Truman Show,” Jim Carey’s character is the unwitting star of a global reality television show–until he decides to escape. Director Henrique Cuoto joins to talk about the iconic film, and the evils of false reality.
Henrique’s dog: www.helpchicano.com
Support the show! Mightyheaton.com/alienating
Interstellar Vagabonding Clips, with Nick Sperdute: www.mightyheaton.com/vagabonding
Neil Stephenson's "Snowcrash" looked at the embryonic Internet and projected a future of VR and avatar onto it. And a world in which nation states had been eclipsed by successor states of corporate "franchulates."
Is "Snowcrash" a corporate dystopia, a libertarian utopia, or merely prophetic?
Brian Brushwood joins to discuss.
In this episode we talk about all the times people get tiny in science fiction, from "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" to "The Fantastic Voyage" to Jonathan Swift.
Comedian John Robertson is a regular performer, panelist, and celebrity at science fiction conventions. He joins to discuss the community element of conventions, how celebrities should comport themselves, and how fans can best interact with them.
Vulcans, humans, Klingons, Romulans--everybody in the Star Trek universe can easily interbreed!
Stone and Dickie Lynch rejoin the show to discuss reproduction in the final frontier
"Rick and Morty" is the funniest science fiction to grace the world sense "Futurama"--if not the best comedy in general.
What is it about, and what distinguishes it from other, lesser comedies?
Jeff Maurer joins to discuss.
(Note: this episode was recorded before the fall of Justin Roiland)
There's a subgenre of science fiction we might call "femme fear," exemplified by writers like Margaret Atwood.
Olivia Wilde's "Don't Worry Darling" is the latest example. And while it was mostly panned by critics, Heaton enjoyed it.
Ashland Viscosi joins to discuss.
SUPPORT THE SHOW! www.patreon.com/alienating
John Carpenter’s “They Live” is a cult classic about seeing through societal mirage to glimpse the strings of the puppet masters. It’s also a specific and intentional “primal scream” against Reagonomics. Ron Hayden joins to discuss.
In "The Boys" super heroes superficially fight crime, but are really corporate pawns and predators, ranging from ladder-climbing reality show scumbags to full-blown Nietzschean demigods. What happens when super powers are not always entrusted in the super moral? Andrew Young joins to discuss.
Brain swaps are a beloved sci-fi trope, but how feasible are they?
Dr. John-Paul Kolsun is a brain doctor, and host of "The Neurosurgery Podcast"
He joins to discuss the feasibility of brain transplants.
In Stephen King's finest work, protagonist Jake Epping discovers a time portal which allows him to go back to the late 50s and then stick around long enough to stop Lee Harvey Oswald from killing President Kennedy. . . But should he interfere with the timeline, however good his intentions?
Josh Jennings and Tim Silfies join to discuss
The film "Moon," starring Sam Rockwell, follows the lonely exploits of a solo worker on a moon base, and the unfolding mystery and terror of what his life actually entails.
Scottish scifi twins Stone and Dickie Lynch join to discuss
SUPPORT THE SHOW! www.mightyheaton.com/ata
What ultimately brought down the Jedi Order, and was it actually worth saving?
Kevin Delano and Mike TV join to discuss
SUPPORT THE SHOW! www.mightyheaton.com/ata
“The Three Body Problem”, by Chinese author Liu Cixin, explores Maoism, how mankind reacts to imminent alien invasion, and asks the big question: is humanity worth saving?
Andrea Jones-Rooy jones to discuss.
Support the show! www.mightyheaton.com/ata
Books mentioned on the show at: www.mightyheaton.com/goodscifi
From Kirk and Spock through Deep Space Nine, the world of Star Trek has a shadowy alternate universe where mankind is alternately evil or oppressed. Andrew Young joins to discuss.
SUPPORT THE SHOW! www.mightyheaton.com/ata
Spike Jonze’s “Her”, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson, follows the story of a lonely man who falls in love with a sentient operating system. The film explores AI and romance in the not-too-distant-future, isolation and alienation, and the emotional resolution of relationships ending. Henrique Couto joins to discuss.
SUPPORT THE SHOW! www.mightyheaton.com/ata
In "Severance" employees of the Lumen corporation undergo a surgery which separates their mind into two distinct personalities--one who works inside the company, and one on the outside oblivious to it.
Brian Brushwood and Andrew Young join to discuss.
Dickie and Stone join to discuss the overwhelming camp and pulp of "Flash Gordon," a big costume budget and excellent soundtrack which also sorta has a plot.
When does science fiction get "too political"? What separates a film with a strong point of view from stale publum or Woke pulpitry?
Josh Jennings joins to discuss how political messaging can derail or suffocate scifi.
Andor is one of the best Star Wars properties ever devised; a television program explicitly for adults!
Beyond excellent storytelling, Andor highlights the problems which bedevil any organization: pettiness, career aspirations, incompetency, and zealotry.
David Bizarro and Brian Brushwood join to discuss.
Josh Jennings and Andrew Young rejoin the show to discuss the character.
Patrick McGoohan's 1967 series "The Prisoner" is an avante-garde science fiction series about a secret agent abducted by nefarious forces and subject to psychological torment in an atavistic village.
Jim Swift and Ron Hayden join to discuss the deeper meaning of the series.
Josh Jennings temporarily hosts the show in order to interview Andrew Heaton about what all goes into writing science fiction, a la his new book, "Inappropriately Human: 21 Short Stories."
Get your copy at:
https://www.amazon.com/Inappropriately-Human-21-Short-Stories/dp/B09S3WYDSJ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=5UO16ZY0DADV&keywords=andrew+heaton+inappropriately+human&qid=1646195709&sprefix=men%27s+modal+shirt%2Caps%2C148&sr=8-1
From "Inappropriately Human: 21 Short Stories" by Andrew Heaton. Now available as an audio book!
Get your copy at https://www.amazon.com/Inappropriately-Human-21-Short-Stories/dp/B09S3WYDSJ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=5UO16ZY0DADV&keywords=andrew+heaton+inappropriately+human&qid=1646195709&sprefix=men%27s+modal+shirt%2Caps%2C148&sr=8-1
In "Vivarium," starring Jesse Eisenberg and Imogen Poots, a young couple find themselves trapped in some kind of suburban pocket universe. Their captors leave an alien infant on with the instructions "Raise the child and you will be released." Josh Jennings joins to discuss the various concepts the film plays with, including: autism, millennial adulting terror, fey folk, and suburban ennui. Find this film and others discussed on the show at www.mightyheaton.com/goodscifi
Please enjoy "Simulucrum," one of the stories from my new book, "Inappropriately Human: 21 Short Stories"!
Get a copy at:
www.mightyheaton.com/books
Enjoy this scifi piece from my new book "Inappropriately Human: 21 Short Stories." Like it? Trust me to provide some solid scifi content? Then check it out! Go to:
Or look for "Inappropriately Human" or "Andrew Heaton" on Amazon.
Thanks!
Scottish scifi enthusiasts Stone and Dickie Lynch return to discuss
Joe Haldeman's novel "The Forever War" is great science fiction in and of itself, involving aliens, time dilation, and how conflicts stretch out for centuries thanks to relativity. It's also a great exploration of the nature and hopelessness of war, a la Vietnam.
Tom Merritt joins to discuss
Get the book at: https://mightyheaton.com/goodscifi
Earth is a Class 12 Deathworld--we just didn't know it! To the rest of the universe it is violent and uninhabitable, and our amazing species grew up on this badass planet, and thought it was perfectly normal. Such is the premise of the Deathworld series. Michael "Macca" Cameron joins to discuss Deathworld, anthropology, and whether religion is an accident or intrinsic to the human condition.
Source text: "Humans Don't Make Good Pets" https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/2ftcpy/text_the_kevin_jenkins_experience_chapter_1_part_i/
Cardassians include some of Star Trek's best characters and plot, from Elim Garak (the best character ever) to Dukat (single greatest villain) to Orwellian illusions and Holocaust analogies.
Scottish scifi aficionados Dickie and Stone Lynch return to discuss the Cardassian oeuvre.
"Waterworld" depicts a post-flood dystopia of psychos on jet skis and Kevin Costner with gills.
John DeVore, celebrated writer for "Humungus" joins to discuss its deeper meaning, and how it's ultimately a Western--only wetter.
What qualities define a sidekick? What makes a good one or a cringey one? Tom Brennan and Jeremiah Johnson join to discuss.
What's the difference between a gaping plot hole, vs mere shoddy writing or poor character decisions? Scottish science fiction enthusiasts Stone and Dickie Lynch join the show to discuss.
Babylon 5 has a magnificent plot arch, solid writing, and vibrant characters. If it weren't for the low budget and 90s CGI, it would have been massive cultural sensation--bigger than Game of Thrones! John Krikorian and Cameron Riddles join to explain the sheer majesty of Babylon 5
What happens to society when everyone on Earth goes sterile, and there's no future generation to hand things off to or better the world for? Andrew Young and Josh Jennings join to discuss the film "Children of Men".
Dennis Taylor's "Bobiverse" comedically follows the exploits of an engineer whose mind is uploaded into a self-replicating probe, which becomes its own civilization of Bobs.
Tom Merritt joins to discuss the implications of immortality, and when reproduction means copying yourself indefinitely.
Justin Robert Young comes on to discuss "Doctor Who," arguably the most successful science fiction program (along with Star Trek) in history, and the most popular scifi program in Britain.
Jordan Morris is the author of "Bubble" and the co-host of "Jordan, Jesse Go!" on Maximum Fun. He joins the show to discuss culture and economic satire... in space.
I have a new book out! Los Angeles is Hideous: Poems About An Ugly City. Arguably the funniest book ever written about the horribleness which is LA. Here are two quick readings from what is about to become your new favorite coffee table book.
You can find "Los Angeles is Hideous: Poems About An Ugly City" at www.LAisUgly.com
In a world where you can download memories directly into your brain, how can you determine what's reality and what's artifice?
Jay Mutzafi returns to discuss implanted memories in science fiction, from "Total Recall" to "Rick and Morty."
"Logan's Run" (1976) explores a society where everyone dies aged 30. In the most campy, over-the-top 70s scifi romp imaginable, it explores fear of ageing, fear of death, fear of infantalization... and fear of Baby Boomers.
M. R. Carey is the author of "The Girl with All the Gifts" (previously discussed on this program) as well as the Koli Trilogy. He joins the show, along with Ashland Viscosi, to talk about his approach to science fiction.
To see Carey's books and more, go to www.mightyheaton.com/goodscifi
“Gattaca” (1997) explores a dystopian future where inequality is staggering--and genetic. Andrew Mayne joins the show to discuss the implications of genetic engineering and to what extent it should be avoided morally or prohibited legally.
Andy Weir, author of "The Martian," joins the program to talk about science fiction, technology, and his new book "Project Hail Mary"
You can find his book, as well as others discussed on the program, by going to mightyheaton.com/goodscifi
Dr. H. A. Hellyer gained international attention (and flak) when he compared Jedi monks to Sufi Islamic warriors in an article for CNN. He joins the show to discuss parallels between the Force and Islamic mysticism, why Star Wars is a cross-cultural touchstone, and the interaction between science fiction and Islam.
Dr. H. A. Hellyer is a scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in DC, as well as a senior associate fellow at at the Royal United Services Institute in London.
The science fiction of Kurt Vonnegut was permeated by ethics and politics, not the least of which included socialism, opposition to war, secularism, and being nice to people in general. Royce Sharp joins to discuss.
“Galaxy Quest” is the greatest parody of Star Trek imaginable… without technically being Star Trek. Nick Sperdute and Erin Macdonald join the show to discuss what makes the show so memorable--and hilarious.
Links to the film and the referenced documentary at www.mightyheaton.com/goodscifi
"Hyperion" by Dan Simmons projects Chaucer's Canterbury Tales onto a distant scifi future. Katherine Mangu-Ward joins to discuss the multiple characters who make their away on a deadly pilgrimage to meet the Shrike—a robot monster who moves backwards in time, and what it all means for humanity, mortality, and literature
Michael Weiss, editor-at-large at The Daily Beast, joins the show to discuss Darth Vader: why he’s such a compelling malefactor, the deep inner conflict and tumult which motivates him, and the mythological figures the dark lord of the Sith represents.
"Watchmen" kicks off with the Tulsa Race Massacre, which defines the central theme of the rest of the series: race. Hannibal Johnson is the author of “Black Wall Street 100–An American City Grapples With Its Historical Racial Trauma,” as well as the host of "Black Wall Street Remembered."
He joins Heaton to discuss the Greenwood Massacre, racial animus, and reparations.
Brian Brushwood joins the show to discuss "Watchmen," the televised sequel to the film and book, "The Watchmen." Topics include: underlying tensions in the show, is Dr. Manhattan a stupid character, and was Ozymandias right?
This is Part One of a two-part episode; episode two will go deep on the Tulsa Race Massacre which kicks off the series, and its unresolved racial tensions.
"Demolition Man" is a cult classic, wherein Sylvester Stallone gets thawed out in the near future to stop Wesley Snipes from destroying Los Angeles. Society is bifurcated into infantilized virginal technocrats up top, and rat-eating, free-thinking punks beneath.
Economist Steve Horwitz joins to discuss.
In "Clans of the Alphane Moon" by Philip K. Dick, a planet is colonized as an insane asylum, then abandoned, so that its inmates develop their own society and cultures.
Tom Merritt, host of "Sword and Laser" joins to answer: what happens when pathologies become the basis of civilization, rather than its aberrations?
You can check out "Clans of the Alphane Moon" as well as the other books and films discussed on the show by going to Mightyheaton.com/goodscifi
"Mad Max: Fury Road" is the height of post-apocalyptic wasteland glam--everyone is really getting into skulls, cars, and neo-Viking lore. Not to mention it may be the greatest feminist film in science fiction.
Scott Johnson of Frogpants Studios joins to discuss!
Why is "The Mandalorian" so popular with Star Wars fans, yet the latest films are so divisive? Where does it veer from the traditional beats and themes of Star Wars, and where does it embrace that unique George Lucas flavor? Jack Helmuth and Nick Sperdute join to unpack everyone's favorite bounty hunter.
“The Stepford Wives” (1975) is a satirical horror film about spunky urban wives getting replaced by their husbands with submissive, ornamental robots. Chris and Cristi Moody come on to talk about the unease captured by the movie in a time of gender roles tumult, 1950s conformity, Second Wave Feminism, and parallels to “Get Out.”
Nick and Heaton visit Kashyyyk to work as mall santas for Life Day on the Wooki homeworld.
"Silent Night" care of "How it Should have Ended" on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vd79mpzBnJ4
Is the robot in "Ex Machina" a self-aware entity or just a stack of cold, complex algorithms which appear such? If we knew super intelligent A.I. could curse cancer (but also wanted to kill us) would we even attempt to build it? Ashland Viscosi and Jay Mutzafi rejoin to discuss.
Topics covered: the Turing Test, "The Chinese Room" thought experiment, and "Mary in the Black and White Room."
Lord Martin Rees is a cosmologist, mathematician, and the Astronomer Royal of the United Kingdom. When he's not busy running the Centre for The Study of Existential Risk at Cambridge University, he's authoring books on science and astrophysics. He joins the show to discuss his latest work, "On the Future: Prospects for Humanity." Click here to see this and other books featured on the podcast!
We beat Hitler. Whew! But what if we hadn't? What if the Nazi regime had prevailed? Science fiction repeatedly approaches the topic, either to guess geopolitics or just to gawk at the horror of it. On today's episode Andrew Young and Josh Jennings join Heaton to talk about "The Man in the High Castle" by Philip K. Dick, "Fatherland" by Robert Harris, and "The Plot Against America" by Philip Roth.
Confronted by an alien probe which can only speak the language of an extinct species, Nick and Heaton must journey back in time to save Earth.
If an asteroid were poised to wipe out all life on Earth, would you still go to work? In Ben Winters' novel, a detective investigates a homicide in the pre-apocalypse, while many of his colleagues think it's pointless.
Tim Sandefur returns to discuss "The Last Policeman," existentialism, and finding purpose in life against our inevitable mortality.
The Matrix is actually quite a lot deeper than simulation theory and some cool fight scenes with black trench coats. The Wachowski sisters put a modern, techy spin on Plato's Allegory of the Cave, with ample helpings of Descartes, Hilary Putnam's "Vat in a Brain" and Robert Nozick's "Experience Machine."
Andrew Young and Nick Sperdute join Heaton to discuss.
Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" is simultaneously the most beautiful and hideous post-apocalyptic prose ever written. It follows a father and his son as they make their way through hellish wasteland, witnessing the horror of civilization's last wheeze en route. Josh Jennings joins to discuss.
Robin Hanson is an economist and the author of "The Age of Em: Work, Love and Life when Robots Rule the Earth." He joins the show to discuss his theory that in the future the most intelligence and productive people in society will be uploaded to computers and indefinitely duplicated, to supercharge the economy.
How does Star Trek handle gay characters, and what's the balance between representation and tokenism? Andrew Young rejoins the show to discuss homosexuality in the Star Trek universe. (And get into a bunch of digressions involving John Stossel's Emmy, and Cambodia.)
What would happen if you were reincarnated. . . to the exact same life you just lived? What would happen when you were reborn to the exact same life fifteen times in a row?
Ashland Viscosi and Nick Sperdute rejoin for another book club episode about "The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August" by Claire North.
"The Black Hole" is Disney's 1979 answer to Star Wars--which didn't work out quite as well. It's a fun romp, involving telepaths, snarky robots, and a spacey Captain Nero. Although it has... some issues. Nick Sperdute and Andrew Young join to discuss on ATA's first inaugural Movie Club!
If you could put together a new series, drawing on characters from across the Star Trek franchise, what would you make? Paul Mattingly and Nick Sperdute join Heaton for a round of Starfleet Draft Picks.
Nick and Heaton must journey to the mysterious "Staten Island" as part of their quest, where they encounter a degenerate lizard man.
Cast: Paul Mattingly as the Lizard Man, Andrew Heaton, and Nick Sperdute
Comedian Will Hines joins to discuss the themes and work of Philip K. Dick, the genius (and unstable) mind behind films like "Minority Report" and "Bladerunner," plus a slew of books and short stories.
Nick and Heaton must journey to the Replicant Homeworld in hopes of tracking down their Netflix password.
Cast: Nick Sperdute, Andrew Heaton, and Kourtni Beebe as Fuschia Robotski
First, Jennings and Heaton compare their plans to beat the undead in their respective cities of Los Angeles and Wichita.
Then, author Daniel Kraus comes on to discuss his new book "The Living Dead," which he co-authored with the late George Romero.
Kraus interview at 1:03
It turns out, rumors of Nick's demise have been greatly exaggerated.
Cast: Andrew Heaton, Nick Sperdute, and Jared Berman as Joeblobe
Mary Jo Pehl wrote and acted in MST3K, a comedy show which dug up old (terrible) sci fi flicks and then pelted jokes at it. Over the course of its run, MST3K pioneered a new comedic medium, and rose from a local access program, to a Comedy Central hit, to cult classic. Mary Jo joins Heaton to discuss how they put the show together, and the deeper side of the comedy that went into it.
Nick selflessly enters a deadly chamber in order to save the other inhabitants of the apartment from radiation.
Cast: Andrew Heaton, Nick Sperdute, Jared Berman as Joeblobe, Kevin Delano as AJ-19
Nick and Heaton travel through an inter-dimensional portal they found, and emerge on a planet strikingly similar to the one from Star Trek: The Final Frontier
Cast: Andrew Heaton, Nick Sperdute, and Andrew Young as the Spacehead god
When Nick and Heaton discovered an inter-dimensional doorway in the back of their refrigerator, they're able to step through and visit the winter world of Narnia. And meet one of its talking animal inhabitants.
Cast: Andrew Heaton, Nick Sperdute, and Nick Polowy as Mr. Beaver
Heaton realizes he's actually been living inside of a virtual reality program, and must confront his actual reality.
Cast: Andrew Heaton and Nick Sperdute
Stuck in lockdown and bored, Heaton and Nick download into a virtual Sim City universe to manage an entire city. Cast: Andrew Heaton, Nick Sperdute, and Andrew Young as Mayor Sinclair St. Lewis
Who had the best character arcs in Star Trek: Voyager, and what were the hardest ethical conundrums the Delta Quadrant lobbed at Captain Janeway? How does her command style compare to Kirk or Picard? Dr. Erin Macdonald and Andrew Young join Heaton to discuss the deeper side of everyone's favorite intrepid-class vessel.
If supervillains are so evil, why are they so captivating? Which crime lord would you serve under if you had to pick one? Former Marvel editor Tom Brennan and comic book aficionados Jeremiah Johnson and Nick Sperdute join Heaton to discuss the underlying mystique and purpose of supervillains.
This file corrects for an audio issue in a previous upload.
The comedy sketches with Nick and Heaton at the end of the show will be their own segment from now on: "Interstellar Vagabonding: With Nick & Heaton."
In this episode, a detective shows up at the apartment to investigate Nick's untimely death.
And he thinks it was murder!
If "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country" is about the end of the Cold War, what's it's position on the Soviet Union? Tim Sandefur challenges Heaton on the underlying morality of the movie and whether or not it's a commie apologism, leading to a long-form discussion about its merits and underlying purpose.
Science fiction has a more complex analysis of religion than either "good" or "bad." Yonatan Huber and Josh Jennings join Heaton to discuss how scifi authors tackle it, and how the nature of religious critique has changed between centuries.
Today we mount a defense of Star Trek's most underrated films! Tim Sandefur rejoins the program, along with Aeon Skoble, to discuss the franchise's least-appreciated flicks: "The Motion Picture", "The Voyage Home", and "The Final Frontier." Afterwards Nick Sperdute, Andrew Young, and Heaton go on another intergalactic comedy adventure.
The foundational elements of Star Wars are deeply mythological, influenced by Joseph Campbell's book "The Hero with a Thousand Faces." Professor Ryan Slesinger joins the show to explain the Hero's Journey, archetypes, and the deepest elements of the whole saga.
Fermi's Paradox brings up a troubling issue: if even a small fraction of stars have planets with intelligent life, much of it should be more advanced than us--so why have aliens never come by to say hello? Do civilizations all blow themselves up? Are we next? Josh Jennings joins Heaton to suss out the paradox, and go over possible explanations of alien absence.
Picard never left the Nexus. We caught the wrong Khan. Star Trek fandom is full of theories casting doubt on characters and plots as we know them. Brilliant or ridiculous, fan theories at least make us look at the franchise in a different light. John Krikorian of the Trek Profiles podcast and comedian Nick Sperdute join Heaton to discuss.
From "Futurama" to "Demolition Man," cryonically suspending bodies for future reanimation by tomorrow's scientists is a mainstay of science fiction. Dennis Kowalksi, President of the Cryonics Institute, joins the show to go past the tropes and explain the mechanics, science, and hopes of cryonic freezing.
Battlestar Galactica kicked off just three years after the 9/11 attacks, and tackles everything from theocratic warfare to stem cell research and waterboarding. Comedian Andrew Young joins Heaton to discuss the series, it's relentless tension and fear of being compromised by undetected enemies, and how absolutely badass Saul Tigh is.
John Varley's novel "Steel Beach" portrays a future brimming with attractive immortals living in amusement parks on the Moon--yet the main character contemplates suicide. Absent strife, can humans find purpose? Tim Sandefur joins Heaton to discuss John Varley, utopianism, and man's search for meaning.
Robert Zubrin is the head of the Mars Society and author of "The Case for Mars." He joins Heaton along with special guest co-host Andrew Mayne to discuss how to get to the Red Planet using existing technology, and the implications of finding life once we're there.
Today we speak with physicist Stephen Granade about robots! How to build giant arm-swingin' robots, how we can automate them, and where we stand on Mind Machine Interface technology in case we want to pilot said robots ourselves.
"The Girl With All the Gifts" is a brilliant spin on otherwise stale zombie tropes. Nick Sperdute and Ashland Viscosi join the program for a spoiler-free discussion about the novel.
Plus a refresher on Greek mythology, how John Locke and Thomas Hobbes pertain to Armageddon, and the time Heaton met Meatloaf.
Deep Space Nine masterfully tackled complex plot lines, moral ambiguity, and deep themes over its arc. Tom Merritt, host of the Sword & Laser podcast and scifi novelist, joins Heaton to suss out the deeper meaning of Star Trek's finest series.
"Black Mirror," a dark television series about the grim potential of technology, explores issues from social media to immortality. Comedian Myq Kaplan joins the show to look at the otherwise bleak satire through the dual lenses of optimism and Buddhism.
Nick Sperdute and Josh Jennings join Heaton for a rousing game of "First Officer, Holodeck Buddy, Red Shirt" using Star Trek characters from across the franchise.
We'll probably get to Mars a lot sooner if people think they can make a buck off of it. Andrew Mayne, author of the book "How to Make Money on Mars" joins the show to discuss what feasible, if not lucrative, private Mars missions might look like.
AJ West and science consultant Mika McKinnon ("Stargate Atlantis" and "Stargate Universe") join the program to pitch Stargate as bingable show, and suss out its themes and triumphs.
In a special just-for-kicks live episode, Star Trek consultants Dr. Erin Macdonald and Dr. Mohamed Noor return to the show to play Starfleet Draft Picks: If you could staff a new vessel with characters from any Star Trek series, who would you select?
Andrew Maynard is a scientist, professor, and expert in nanotechnology. He joins the show to answer: how likely is it that microscopic robots will go awry and turn the world into gray goo? What cool inventions are on the horizon? And finally, what are the good and bad portrayals of nanotechnology in science fiction?
"The Day of the Triffids," by John Wyndham, arguably kicked off the modern zombie genre, in which protagonists flee shambling cannibals in an urban wasteland. Josh Jennings joins Heaton to review the book, and ask: what is so fascinating about zombies on a primal level?
Hugh Howey is the author of "Wool," the New York Times bestselling thriller set in a massive post-apocalyptic bunker. He joins the show to talk about his book, the nature of existential threats, and why optimists are the ultimate heretics.
Why is Darth Vader "Lawful Evil" or Ramsay Bolton "Chaotic Evil"? Captains Kirk and Picard are both good, but only one of them is "Neutral." The D&D Alignment System comprehensively explains the moral temperaments of any scifi character you can lob at it! New York comedians (and long-time D&D veterans) Chris Scott and Nick Sperdute join to explain.
What would first contact with an alien civilization look like? Could we handle it? If we could, would it even be possible to communicate with a vastly different (or superior) intelligence? Peter Boghossian, Professor of Philosophy at Portland State University, joins to geek out about aliens and science fiction.
Brian Dunning, host of the Skeptoid Podcast, joins Heaton to talk about all things time travel--the best films, TV shows and books, plus how to get around pesky time travel paradoxes, if we should try to go back and kill Hitler, and the most interesting period of history to return to as a tourist.
Dr. Eric Spana (Duke University biology professor and delightful nerd) joins Heaton to discuss how genetics works in various scifi and fantasy realms: from recessive wizarding genes in Harry Potter, to the midichlorians of Star Wars, to super power mutations in the world of X-Men.
The long-awaited "Picard" series is out now, starring Patrick Stewart and following the exploits of Jean-Luc Picard two decades after we last saw him in "Nemesis." Nicholas Sperdute comes on to analyze the pilot, predict where the plot will take us, and generally enjoy the relief that it looks like it will be a great franchise.
If we had to send a spaceship to start a colony on another planet, how many humans would we need to get the party started? How do you avoid inbreeding, and what's a stable amount of people to maintain purpose on a multi-generational mission? Rob Raffety joins to discuss, looping in everything from "The Twilight Zone" to "Wool" and "Children of Time."
Mr. Spock is the most captivating character in Star Trek lore, and the embodiment of logic in popular culture. John Champion, host of "Mission Log" Star Trek podcast, joins Heaton for a deep dive into the character and meaning of Spock.
Dr. Mohamed Noor is the author of "Live Long and Evolve: What Star Trek Can Teach Us about Evolution, Genetics, and Life on Other Worlds," and is the head of Biology at Duke University. He joins the show to talk about the origins of life, and why aliens could probably never mate in real life despite knocking boots in Star Trek.
Alright, it's been a month--let's discuss "The Rise of Skywalker"! Is it the franchise-busting wompa scat critics panned it as, or just a situation of haters gonna hate? Nick Sperdute joins to analyze the film.
The central premise to The Matrix is that we're actually living in a computer simulation, as well as think piece episodes from Star Trek, Black Mirror, and even Rick & Morty. Jay Mutzafi, host of "The Last Turtle" philosophy podcast joins Heaton to talk about Simulation Theory, and it's scifi application.
How would Emperor Palpatine's Press Secretary describe the Galactic Empire? How would Grand Moff Tarkin spin the destruction of Alderaan? Jonathan Last of "The Bulwark" joins Heaton to describe why he believes the Empire was a good thing--an imperfect system, but on balance the best one for peace and order in the galaxy.
Robert Heinlein, author of "Stranger in a Strange Land," "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress," "Starship Troopers," and dozens of other novels, is at the tippy top of science fiction's pantheon of writers. Andrew Mayne joins the show to discuss Heinlein and the themes which pervaded his corpus: competency, rugged individualism, and free love. Want to chat about the episode with other nerds? Check out Heaton's Heathens on Discord.
Dr. Erin Macdonald is an astrophysicist and science fiction consultant who advises major Hollywood productions on what they're screwing up in scripts. She joins Heaton to discuss the physics pitfalls science fiction constantly blunders into, from artificial gravity to the proliferation of cleavage in species that don't have mammalian glands. Plus: the difference between warp bubbles in Star Trek, the FTL drive in Battlestar Gallactica, and the hyperspace of Star Wars.
What's Star Trek's take on Artificial Intelligence, and how do Aristotle's virtue ethics govern Data? Also if the holodeck can summon AI's, and they are indeed sentient, is it ethical to sleep with them? John Krikorian of "Trek Profiles" and Alexandra August of "The Disco Trek" come on for an awesome chat about AI in the Star Trek universe.
What do we learn about humanity when gazing through the optical sensors of a robot? Did Isaac Asimov write a novel where the end of humanity begins on a planet full of Libertarians? Ryan McGary joins for a full-throttle Isaac Asimov discussion, from whale intuition to transhumanism to Elon Musk.
Tim Sandefur joins Heaton on the podcast's kickoff episode to dissect The Twilight Zone, and how Rod Serling's fascination with nostalgia, the Cold War, collectivism, and totalitarianism made the most iconic scifi/horror show in American history.
Ben Domenech joins Heaton to discuss "Bladerunner," "Bladerunner: 2049" and the book which inspired both, "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" by Philip K. Dick.
Spice is a metaphor for oil. Arrakis is the Middle East. Ben Brockshmidt joins Heaton to discuss all things dune--the economic, political, and historical influences which shaped Frank Herbert's scifi universe.
Tim Sandefur joins Heaton to discuss the philosophical differences between Star Trek TOS and Star Trek The Next Generation. Gene Rodenberry and his contemporaries lived through World War II and the Cold War, and believed in clear right and wrongs. Whereas the TNG of the 1980s belies a more relativistic worldview.
Stephen Kent is the host of "Beltway Banthas" and joins Heaton to discuss the politics of Star Wars.
Grant Carlisle joins to discuss the power dynamics and political themes underlying Game of Thrones.
Is Batman a Libertarian (wealthy, gizmos, works outside the law) or something else? Which superheroes would be Democrats? Any Republicans afoot? Comedian and Marvel aficionado Megan Sass joins Heaton to discuss.
Former Congressman Dan Maffei joins Heaton to discuss: Is the "The Orville" more Star Trek than Star Trek, or just a knockoff?
En liten tjänst av I'm With Friends. Finns även på engelska.