Laser Focus

Happy Nerdoween, friends! It’s our favorite time of year and once again Laser Focus will devote all of October to spookums. To start with, Kyle and Tai discuss the formative ‘90s anthology horror series, Are You Afraid of the Dark? What are the best episodes? What are the scariest monsters? And does it still hold up 35 years later?

This week, Kyle’s flying solo and riding high with his love of The Penguin and wanted to talk about his favorite Batman comics. He couldn’t choose just 5, so he went with a top 7. Do you favorites make the list?

With the release of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, a sequel nearly 40 years in the making, Kyle and returning champion Michael Walsh discuss the phenomenon of Legacy Sequels, what actually constitutes one, and which ones transcend their nostalgia-baiting to be actually good movies.

As an unapologetic Millennial, Kyle grew up watching old Disney cartoons on VHS. That’s why he’s so stoked to talk to his friend, GM of Geek & Sundry’s new show Sagas of Sundry: Goblin Mode, Amy Vorpahl, all about them! They get into all the greats, plus the weird ones from the ‘80s no one remembers. Also get a whole history of Ub Iwerks. 

Kyle’s love of Kamen Rider, the Japanese superhero series that started in 1971, knows no bounds. And no one better to talk about it with him than YouTube’s foremost Kamen Rider authority, Marcosatsu. Together they discuss why the show is so great, and where newcomers should start.

Ahead of the release of season two of Prime’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Kyle welcomes Nerdist Editor-in-Chief Ro Rusak to discuss the first season. Middle-earth, elves, Numenor, men falling from the sky, and Ro’s personal best friend Adar. Tolkien it up! 

It’s time for another plunge into nostalgia! Kyle welcomes Tai Gooden to talk about Animorphs, the ‘90s YA novel series about kids with the power to change into animals to defend the planet from an alien invasion. Additionally, they discuss all things Scholastic and reminisce about the days of book fairs and catalogues. Like a coupla olds.

Whether because it hit you too hard the first time, you’ve seen it a million times, or you’ve just outgrown the filmmaker, we all have movies we love or loved that we just don’t ever need to see again. Kyle welcomes back Michael Walsh to talk about their own lists. Get your angry comments ready now!

Kyle once again welcomes Nerdist writer Eric Diaz to talk about one of the two things they always talk about. In this case, it’s Batman, specifically the new animated series, Batman: Caped Crusader. Is it the triumphant return of Bruce Timm or does it leave people out in a cold Gotham night?

This week, hot off of a wild Comic-Con weekend and record-breaking box office performance, Marvel Studios is back (…for now). Kyle welcomes the great Hector Navarro of Heroes Reforged to discuss Deadpool & Wolverine and what it means for Marvel going forward. Is it a new beginning or a bittersweet end? Or both?

If Kyle loves three things it’s old TV, British TV, and sci-fi TV. And when they’re all together? Hoo boy! Joining him to discuss old British sci-fi TV is none other than podcast pioneer and classic Doctor Who aficionado Steven Schapansky. In addition to Who, they get into Blake’s 7, Sapphire & Steel, The Prisoner, and many more.

At just a little over halfway through the year, Kyle talks you through his 10 favorite movies he has seen so far. From LONGLEGS to FURIOSA, to some things you maybe haven’t heard of, ya boy’s got ya covered. And will never call himself “ya boy” ever again.

This week, Kyle speaks to YouTuber and filmmaker Jessie Earl (aka Jessie Gender) about their new film IDENTITEAZE, only on Nebula, as well as the 25th anniversary of The Matrix. Jessie is a font of knowledge on the subject, and then conversation goes into Star Wars, Star Trek, and the future of franchise science fiction as a whole.

This week, Kyle and returning champion Eric Diaz discuss one of their favorite comics, the once-hailed, once-derided, oft-overlooked Green Lantern. What’re the best and most important runs of the comic? Who were some of the major creators? And will the upcoming HBO series give GL some live-action retribution?

Tai Gooden returns to talk with Kyle about the recently ended Doctor Who season one (aka series 14, aka the first Disney+ one). They go episode by episode to determine the best and worst episodes, whether Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson made a good impression, and just what the hell was that Sutekh thing all about?

The name is Anderson. Kyle Anderson. This week, he discusses the James Bond franchise with friend and filmmaker Matt Warren. They both love the movies and the books, but is it a series that really needs to continue? Is changing it worth the effort or should it go by the wayside? If you’re in Los Angeles, check out Matt’s debut sci-fi/horror flick, Delicate Arch, playing at Dances with Films festival June 28.

This week, Kyle welcomes video essayist and cohost of the Lynch Pins podcast, Maggie Mae Fish, to discuss the work of the truly singular David Lynch. From the importance of Twin Peaks to the dark empathy of Mulholland Drive, Kyle and Maggie talk all things David Lynch. Find Lynch Pins wherever you get podcasts, or uncut on Nebula.

Finally! Kyle has finally found someone to talk about Ultraman with. And who better than the writer-director of the Netflix animated feature film, Ultraman: Rising? Together they discuss why the franchise is so much fun, what led to making an Ultraman movie, and which series are best.

Hot on the heels of the release of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Kyle and Michael Walsh discuss the film and the one-of-a-kind wasteland glory of the entire Mad Max franchise. And, of course, they talk about Italian rip-offs, because of course.

In one of our most esoteric episodes yet, Kyle welcomes back Adam Murray to discuss another genre he’s been obsessed with lately: legal and courtroom thrillers from the ‘90s. Why does this captivate him so? What movies are worth revisiting now? And what’s more exciting: Tom Cruise running or Tom Cruise shouting?

This week, hot on the heels of the finale for X-Men ’97, Kyle and returning champion Eric Diaz break down the entire season and why it might be the best X-Men media ever outside of comics. What do they hope for a season two, and how can the MCU ever hope to capture this gift to mutant fans?

Kyle once again welcomes Nerdist’s editor-in-chief and Star Wars field reporter Amy Ratcliffe to talk about two similar yet wildly different animated outings: the brand new Tales of the Empire and 2022’s Tales of the Jedi. Why does one work so well while the other hardly works at all? 

This week Kyle welcomes Heroes Reforged co-host Hector Navarro to discuss their picks for the projects they hope to see in the future of the MCU and DCU. Kyle tries very hard not to just list X-Men things and fails miserably.

Kyle ventures into the television wasteland to discuss the first season of Prime Video’s Fallout TV series. Joining him are colleagues Rotem Rusak and Michael Walsh, who reflect on the show’s many characters, what factions we could see next year, and why heading to New Vegas could be more surprising than we think!

This week, Kyle sits down with Marvel Comics writer Benjamin Percy to talk about the culmination of his tremendous 50-issue run writing X-Force, from how he picked who’d go on the team, to making Beast into a bad guy. And, of course, how many times he thinks Wolverine has died, canonically.

This week, Kyle once again welcomes Tai Gooden to the show to geek out about something very near and dear to both of them: the bygone era of TV theme songs. With lyrics! They test each other, sing a few, and discuss why they were such a big part of childhood for ‘90s kids.

Kyle still has giant monsters on the brain and so as an addendum to last week’s episode, he discusses some of his very favorites in the genre. Godzilla, sure, but also Gamera, Daimajin, Cloverfield, and more!

This week, Kyle lets out his inner kaiju as he sits down with monster expert Dr. Emily Zarka, creator and host of MONSTRUM on PBS’ Storied channel. Together they discuss why we’re so fascinated by giant monsters, their social implications, as well as why the likes of Godzilla, Kong, and Mothra hold such special place in our hearts.

This week, Kyle and returning champ Michael Walsh discuss the 40th anniversary of This Is Spinal Tap and count down their top 10 personal favorite comedy movies ever made to determine which is the very best. 

In the wake of a ton of news regarding James Gunn’s highly anticipated Superman movie, and the new DCU in general, Eric Diaz joins Kyle to talk about the character, why so many other movies have gotten him wrong, and why they’re incredibly hopeful Gunn gets it exactly right.

This week, Ro Rusak returns to talk to Kyle about the recent Netflix series, Avatar: The Last Airbender. They discuss how well it adapts the animation to live-action, whether it’s better to stay true or blaze your own trail in adaptation, and how old the child actors will be by time the series wraps up. 

This week, Kyle sits down with YouTube creator and action figure aficionado Dan Larson of the channel Secret Galaxy to discuss the action dolly market in the year 2024. Is it going to last, or will it die with ‘80s and ‘90s nostalgia? 

This week, Kyle talks with Nerdist’s resident Dune-atic, Matt Caron, about Frank Herbert’s Dune book saga and its various adaptations. Additionally, they get into what new readers could gain from reading this 60-year franchise.

This week, Kyle cedes hosting duties to frequent guest Tai Gooden so she can interview creator of the comics Malice in Ovenland and Diary of a Mad, Black Werewolf, Micheline Hess. Together they talk about Micheline’s early comics career working for Milestone Comics and what it’s like being a Black woman working in the comic book industry.

This week, Kyle gets into the creepy, cosmic nightmares of manga writer and artist Junji Ito, author of Uzumaki and Tomie. Joining to discuss this singular artist and his work is video essayist and comic book fanatic Patrick H. Willems. In addition to Ito, they also talk about the current run of X-Men and how it could influence the MCU.

We love movies here at Laser Focus, and we love blockbuster franchise movies. But let’s be honest, not all of them are good. This week, Mikey Walsh joins Kyle to talk about long-running movie franchises that, if push came to shove, you’d have to admit only have one good movie in them. (We look forward to your letters.)

This week, Kyle welcomes back Alison Mattingly to discuss arguably the most influential author working today, Stephen King, and the many, many, MANY film and television adaptations of his works. Seriously, it’s like so many.

This week, Kyle and returning champ Eric Diaz discuss the heyday of cartoons, toys, and governmental deregulation. That’s right, it’s all about how President Reagan’s new FCC policy made it so companies could market directly to children. The upside is it gave us some of the best cartoons and toys ever made. Transformers, TMNT, My Little Pony, Robotech, and more!

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King turned 20 last month so Kyle and Nerdist Editor-in-Chief Amy Ratcliffe decided to have a chill vibes love fest about the trilogy, what those movies mean to them, to Tolkien heads, and to the movies in general, and try their darnedest not to say bad things about the later Hobbit trilogy. TRY.

Happy New Year, faithful listeners! Kyle is back after the holidays to talk to returning champion Tai Gooden about the recent Doctor Who specials, featuring David Tennant, Catherine Tate, and Ncuti Gatwa. They discuss righting the wrongs of 2008, Neil Patrick Harris’ outrageous German accent, and whether you’d know you saw a TARDIS if you saw it.

If you’re a movie fan, while some of your bigger franchises had duds and flops, you still got loads and loads of great cinema to choose from. Kyle and Michael Walsh discuss their top 11 movies of the year, including Barbenheimer, Godzilla, and Guardians 3. Happy New Year!

This week, Kyle reflects on the year in genre television with Tai Gooden and Ro Rusak. The trio list some of their favorite series, including The Last of Us, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and One Piece, and take stock of some of the shows they totally forgot even came out.

This week, Kyle and Adam Murray attempt to discuss the very lengthy and complicated Alien movie franchise in a concise way. More often they go into sidebars and tangents about the different filmmakers, strengths and weaknesses of the entries, and why Xenomorphs look so damn cool.

2023 is nearing an end, but so too is a cinematic universe. Next month, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will signal the death of the DCEU before the franchise’s rebirth as the DCU. Eric Diaz joins Kyle to discuss the ups and downs of the 10-year, 14-movie experiment, and what about James Gunn’s proposed opening slate has them the most excited going forward.

This week it’s a double dose of Marvel. Returning champion Mikey Walsh is back to talk with Kyle about season 2 of Loki, plus a bit about The Marvels. How well did they explore their respective characters? Are people too harsh on these titles? Are we ready for a whole year with only one MCU movie?

This week Kyle sits down for a chat with Macon Blair, the writer-director of the upcoming horror-comedy, The Toxic Avenger, a reimagining of the 1984 Troma film. They discuss inspirations, the daunting nature of tackling a cult classic, favorite splatter movies and absurdist comedies, and some secrets about the new film.

NOTE: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.

Nerdist’s editor-in-chief Amy Ratcliffe returns to chat with Kyle about the latest Star Wars series, Ahsoka, and how well it continues a story begun a long time ago in a cartoon far, far away. How well are the Star Wars shows working in general? Will Thrawn be the focal point the franchise needs? Is Ahsoka Tano our only hope?!

To finish off this October with a Halloween treat, Kyle counts down his top 15 horror movies of all time. It’s a mix of old favorites and more recent finds. You will surely not agree with him, he’s a weirdo. Happy Halloween everyone!

What’s your favorite scary movie? Well for returning champions Alison Mattingly and Tai Gooden, their answer may well be Scream, or one of its five sequels. Kyle and his guests talk about the franchise’s lasting impact on horror cinema, the strengths and weaknesses of each entry, and have choice words about the most recent films. We’ll be right back…

On this very special episode of Laser Focus, Kyle is joined by director and horror expert Joe Lynch to discuss his favorite erotic thrillers. Joe also discusses filming his latest, the H.P. Lovecraft adaptation Suitable Flesh, and why he put himself in the movie with a pervy mustache. Suitable Flesh is in theaters and on VOD 10/27/2023.

This week, Kyle and returning champ Tai Gooden discuss the prevalence of tropes in horror cinema, where they came from, what they add or subtract from the genre, and their very favorites. Kyle’s will always be the mirror gag.

This week, Kyle talks about some of his favorite family and kids movies from his youth that were absolutely terrifying. Kids today ought to be scared more often. 

Not every person who enjoys the Halloween season likes horror movies, or even being scared. How can that be? Well, with a phenomenon called Cozy Spooky of course! To discuss liking the trappings of Halloween without particularly liking scary stuff, Kyle is joined by Nerdist Editor-in-Chief Amy Ratcliffe, a self-proclaimed wimp. What constitutes Cozy Spooky? Is there a criteria or is it in the eye of the boo-holder?

This week, Kyle talks about his love of a series of British anthology horror films from Amicus Productions. Most of them feature the late, great Peter Cushing, and one of them, Tales from the Crypt, was the first adaptation of the EC Comics classics. 

Happy October, friends! We here at Laser Focus love Halloween, and we love horror movies, and we want you to love them too. In this episode, to give your spooky season a kick, Kyle and Adam Murray each give five recommendations for underseen horror gems to add to your watchlist. They’re very creepy and eerie and so on.

It’s the spookiest time of year, and the most fun for us! Every week in October, Kyle will bring you a bonus episode of Laser Focus to give some horror recommendations. First up, it’s all Italian! Kyle offers five of his favorite giallo movies and five of his favorite Euro Gothic movies.

This week, Ro Rusak returns to Laser Focus to discuss Avatar: The Last Airbender, and specifically how Zuko’s arc represents one of the best antihero’s journeys in all of fiction. Kyle is lucky to speak on the subject with a literal connoisseur of antiheroism. They also talk about the future of ATLA, its upcoming animated movie, and live-action remake. Will Aang save the world again?!

This week’s Laser Focus heads to the wild, weird, and wonderful world of Mr. David Lynch. Joining Kyle to discuss the 1992 film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me is Nerdist writer and resident Lynch-and-Peaks-Expert Eric Diaz. Look out for creamed corn, blue roses, and David Bowie doing a bad southern accent.

This week, Laser Focus looks for good car ideas as Kyle and returning champion Mikey Walsh give their top five sketches from each season of I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson. We highly recommend you watch the show otherwise this episode will make no sense. Actually, kind of like I Think You Should Leave.

It’s only taken 11 episodes but Kyle finally lets loose and discusses his favorite show, Doctor Who. And who better to talk about all things Time Lord, and where the franchise sits just before its 60th anniversary, than another Doctor Who superfan, Tai Gooden! How well did Jodie Whittaker’s era wrap up, what do we think will happen with David Tennant’s return, and who could possibly look better in any costume than Ncuti Gatwa?!

This week, Kyle is joined by none other than Dan Casey to get into the current state of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. What do we like and dislike about the post-Endgame Marvel movie and TV landscape? What do we hope for in the future? And will it ever get back to where it was in 2019?

This week, Kyle is joined by Nerdist video writer-producer-editor-“occasional talent” Adam Murray to discuss the cult animated favorite, The Venture Bros, and more specifically the exhaustive, hour-long timeline video Adam made about it. Kyle sits and marvels at Adam’s knowledge of the show and his ability to remember specific episodes and lines. Adam’s a true nerd, and perfect for Laser Focus!

We’re big fans of comfort media here on Laser Focus. Those shows, books, games, and movies that always give you the warm fuzzies. Joining Kyle this week to talk about her comfort watch, the 2004 Nicolas Cage adventure flick National Treasure, is none other than returning champion, Nerdist Editor-in-Chief Amy Ratcliffe! Never before has historical theft been this enjoyable.

Buckle up, Bub! This week’s Laser Focus is all about those Merry Mutants, the X-Men. Kyle is once again joined by Eric Diaz to sing the praises of the current roster of X-books from Marvel, as well as why the 1990s X-Men Animated Series is so iconic, and what (and when) they might show up in the MCU. It’s possibly our nerdiest episode yet!

This week, Kyle goes deep into a subject he only knows from 25 years ago. It’s Pokémon, everyone’s favorite monster-catching franchise! Joining him is Nerdist’s Digital Platform Manager and verified Poke-expert, Alison Mattingly, who discusses not only the video games and anime, but also the collectible card game which has consumed her life. Does Kyle have to catch them all or is he all set? Find out!

This week, Kyle delves into a fictional universe he left behind ages ago as he and Nerdist’s resident Dead Head Tai Gooden discuss the new AMC spinoff series, The Walking Dead: Dead City. The six-episode first season (hey! No fair!) brought Maggie and Negan together in New York City to face a new deadly foe, but is the show up to snuff? Is it worth watching for anyone who noped out of the franchise? And is Rick Grimes fiction’s most put-upon hero? Listen and find out, and leave us feedback at [email protected].

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, listen to this week’s Laser Focus! In honor of the release of Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part 1, Kyle is welcoming back returning champion Michael Walsh to discuss everything having to do with the latest movie, plus the franchise as a whole. Best action sequences, best villains, best Ethan Hunt running, plus they give their complete series ranking. It’s a lot of fun in this IMFer.

Welcome back to Laser Focus! This week, we take our first Nostalgia Trip, looking at shows and movies we loved as kids (or young adults). This time, Nerdist News Editor Ro Rusak has chosen Power Rangers in Space, which Kyle had never seen! They go into why it’s considered by many to be the best season of Power Rangers, why Andros is the most compelling Ranger of all time, and whether or not serialized storytelling of this kind works (or works better) today!

This week, Kyle welcomes author and Nerdist’s Editor-in-Chief Amy Ratcliffe to discuss the third episode of Star Trek: Strange New World’s second season, the time-travel mystery-romance “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow.” They go into the show from a Starfleet perspective, discuss the complex character of La’an Noonien Singh, and marvel at James T. Kirk’s unending swagger.

Welcome to Laser Focus! This brand new podcast from Nerdist features deep-dive, spoiler-filled discussions about all the stuff you love. In our inaugural episode, your host, Nerdist Senior Editor Kyle Anderson, welcomes longtime Nerdist staff writer Michael Walsh to go into the many dimensions of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Is Miguel O’Hara a villain? Is Gwen the real protagonist? Why is Spider-Punk so cool? And should you ever buy ice cream if you think you might get stuck in traffic? All of these questions and more will be answered!

Welcome back to Laser Focus! This time, Nerdist Senior Editor Kyle Anderson talks all things speed force with staff writer and diehard DC Comics fan Eric Diaz. How well does the new Flash movie depict Barry Allen’s most famous comics story? Does Michael Keaton’s Batman belong here? And will we ever see this Supergirl again? Get ready for a deep-dive, spoiler-filled discussion of the movie and the comics!

A new podcast from Nerdist?! Yes, Laser Focus is on the way. Host Kyle Anderson tells you what to expect from this new weekly pop culture deep-dive.