Wherein Andy and Justice exhume Captain Kirk because of William Shatner's recently proclaimed dissatisfaction with the legendary figure's death. We revisit that scene in Star Trek: Generations and discuss whether or not his opinion holds up. Would Kirk have appeared in NuTrek if he had not died? Would we have even wanted that? Was this an apporpria…

Wherein Justice and Andy run screaming from the theater to produce this review of the newest entry in the Aliens franchise, Alien: Romulus. Fede Alvarez daringly returns to the original films' timeline and style, setting it between the first and second films. What do we see in this new entry that distinguishes it from the others? Where does this fi…

Wherein Andy and Justice slice into the question of whether or not Deadpool & Wolverine and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes can or have revitalized their respective franchises. TLDL: No. But seriously, both movies are worthwhile and Deadpool & Wolverine borders on excellence. Fight us. While Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes made some questionabl…

Wherein Justice and Andy burn down the final season and really the entire series Star Trek: Discovery. What once sounded promising turned into a catastrophe. From initially placing it just before the original series time and then spore-driving it nearly a millenium into the future where the Federation no longer existed, this show has made an unprec…

Wherein Andy and Justice run the guantlet of Supergiant's Hades franchise of games. While this episode mostly looks at The Hugo Award winning first game, we also talk about Hades 2 which is currently in early access. What makes these games so compelling, even for newcomers to the rougelike genre? For starters, its engagement with Greek mythology ma…

Wherein Justice and Andy dust themselves off after a trip through the wasteland in the new Amazon Prime series Fallout. How does the franchise adapt itself to this new medium? What is familiar from the games and what is original to the show? Where do we see this series going? And who keeps hiring Kyle MacLachlan?…

Wherein Andy and Justice welcome Tony Hoffmann, the man responsible for forcing us to watch Zack Snyder's Rebel Moon (2023) from beginning to end. Together we complain about Snyder's professional cannibalization of Star Wars, Dune, The Lord of the Rings, and so many more superior texts into the cinematic casserole that is Rebel Moon. By way of comp…

Wherein Justice and Andy lament the news of Larian Studios decision to not pursue a sequel to Baldur's Gate 3. And futher, that they have decided to leave the Dungeons & Dragons setting entirely. Is this a good business decision for the studio? Why leave when you've perfected the formula for a D&D rpg? We're sure their next project will meet the sa…

Wherein Andy and Justice memorialize Akira Toriyama, best known as the creator of the Dragonball franchise. One of his other masterworks is the video game Chrono Trigger, the SNES RPG from 1995. We also mention the recently deceased musical genius Neil Peart, drummer and lyricist from Rush and accomplished author. We look back with some nostalgia o…

Wherein Justice and Andy draft a roster of monsters to pit against one another. The rules: Only two titans and the human-sized-ish monsters must have a semi-Earth origin. Crystal clear. We each pick five and debate their battles. Come and see who wins!Hagan & Hoffmann által

Wherein Andy and Justice bite into the drama surrounding the cancellation of the Dark Universe franchise and the monstrous success of the Monsterverse franchise. What makes Godzilla and King Kong compelling both individually and together? At the same time, what makes Dracula compelling by himself but not when paired with the wolf man, Frankenstein'…

Wherein Justice and Andy get turned around in their attempts to define what distinguishes a spinoff from a reboot and whether or not such things are worth the risk to the original work. As ubiquitous as spinoffs have been, how many can compare to the source material? And why do we think of spinoffs mostly in terms of television and not other textua…

Wherein Andy and Justice aim their sights on the right-wing talking point that the upcoming GTA 6 game from Rockstar has "gone woke." That was an excruciating sentence for the two of us to write because the very idea of it is ridiculous. What does the GTA franchise seek to accomplish beyond making money? What do its many entries say about the Ameri…

Wherein Justice and Andy endure the agony of the Very Short Treks series on YouTube. Why do these exist? What niche are they trying to fill? Clearly they shouldn't exist and aren't filling any niche. I mean, these are just an embarassment to the Star Trek franchise, and a slap in the face to all True Trek fans. Actors from previous and current show…

Wherein Andy and Justice embark on a discussion of worldbuilding across the genres of written and nonwritten texts. What is the difference between a top-down and bottom-up approach to worldbuilding and what makes each world feel alive and complete? Is it the landscape? Is it the history? Is it the characters? Who is the player or the audience in th…

Wherein Justice and Andy sneak into the scuttlebut about the end of the Mission Impossible franchise. Is it in fact coming to an end? The lead actor and the studio seem to have different plans in mind. What do you think about a secret agent who can almost collect social security? Does the agency supplement Medicare... or provide supplements? But se…

Wherein Andy and Justice harmonize in opposition to the Strange New Worlds episode "Subspace Rhapsody." The first Star Trek episode in history to be framed as a musical, fans around the world were devastated by its departure from fifty-eight years of their expectations. Why was this done? Why such a marked departure from a proven formula? And can w…

Wherein Justice and Andy stroll into the recent controversy in country music with the release of Jason Aldean's "Try That In a Small Town." Pulled from circulation on CMT, it has ignited a veritable molotov cocktail of protest. What is this song about, really? Do political messages deserve to be treated politically? And does the small town that he …

Wherein Andy and Justice call into question the wisdom and timeliness of continuing the seemingly unending Avatar franchise. Given that there was 14 years between the first and second film, we were hoping that it was finished. Why does there need to be more when the first film told a complete story? And will the next three entries be as predictable…

Matt Holder is the founder of Loop, a tee time engine that helps golfers book the best tee times at their favorite local courses. In this episode, we discuss Matt's experiences in the world of technology, and how those experiences prepared him to launch this new marketplace. Topics include: Matt's golf origin story Matt's relationship to golf today…

Wherein Justice and Andy drill into the anthropocene by way of 2003's The Core and the 1993 episode "Forces of Nature" from Star Trek: The Next Generation. Given that we're confronted with the awesome problem of the climate crisis, we've decided to rewind the clock to look at two early versions of impending ecological disaster. Despite the radicall…

Wherein Andy and Justice navigate the uneven chracter arc of Star Trek: The Next Generation's Wesley Crusher. From a whining beneficiary of nepotism to a valuable member of the bridge crew to an interdimensional cosmic entity and winding up as Wil Wheaton playing himself, we chart the many successes and failures of this character. If the enire brid…

Wherein Justice and Andy shuffle into the disappointing realization that there is no history of or cultural references to zombies in the universe of The Walking Dead. And why have the creators of the franchise chosen to do this? For the least interesting reason possible. With centuries of zombie and other undead stories woven into human culture and…

Wherein Andy and Justice stomp into the world of Nintendo's Mario. The success of the recent film got us thinking about Mario's character arc, such as it is. Why is he popularly understood to be a plumber when he has never plumbed anything in any game? Isn't he rather an exterminator of various pests and populations? Topics range from the Mario fil…

Wherein Justice and Andy mosey down the trail of the western genre in film and television. We look at Taylor Sheridan's Yellowstone franchise alongside the 1963 John Wayne film McLintock! How has the westen genre evolved in the last sixty years and why have we seen a sudden resurgence of it in popular television? Given that Yellowstone has taken th…

Wherein Andy and Justice turn back the clock to 2014's Edge of Tomorrow and 1993's Groundhog Day. Why do we keep watching timeloop movies over and over again? What is compelling about the opportunity - or the curse - to relive the same day for years, decades, or centuries? How long could you do it before losing your mind, or is there something to b…

Wherein Justice and Andy creep into the conversation of the antihero in popular culture. What do you think accounts for the recent explosion of the antihero in film and television? Why are we drawn to characters of evil and violence? Does it reflect our own anxieties of morality, or is the depravity real? Subjects range from The Joker to Superman t…

Wherein Andy and Justice sketch out a short discussion of the pulling of Scott Adams' Dilbert comic strip from newspapers across the country. This happened as a result of Adams' recent podcast episode in which he ranted about a Rasmussen poll that asked the question "Do you agree with this statement: 'It's OK to be white.'" Following Adams' misunde…

Wherein Justice and Andy create a new conversation around the ideas of recycled and fresh intellectual property. We take a look at the (hopefully) final Jurassic World film and the Apple TV series See in an effort to demonstrate that there are still fresh ideas out there. Why are the legacy characters present in Dominion other than to enrich the pr…

Wherein Andy and Justice march through a conversation about race, urban spaces, and violence in 1993's Falling Down and Rockstar's 2013 modern classic Grand Theft Auto 5. In this second look at GTA5, we focus more on a racialized breakdown of the fictional version of Los Angeles, Los Santos, and read that against "D-Fens" journey through Los Angele…

Wherein Justice and Andy ambush the argument about who would win in a fight between two of the best sneak attackers in comic books, The Punisher or Batman. While Batman is probably the most popular character in DC comics and Marvel's The Punisher flies mostly under the radar, they have remarkably similar styles (and costumes). It's in their methodo…

Wherein Andy and Justice scheme their way into a discussion about Rockstar Games' 2013 masterpiece Grand Theft Auto V and the ensemble heist films of the Ocean's Eleven franchise. Which is more enjoyable: the murdeous mayhem of GTAV's heists or the casual elegance of the heists of the new Rat Pack? Topics range from a total lack of anxiety within t…

Wherein Justice and Andy capitalize on the news of the Daily Wire's acquisition of the unadaptable Atlas Shrugged. Is there any way at all that this could possibly be a wise financial move for erstwhile conservative "news" organization? Could you imagine how many seasons this monstrosity would need? Topics range from Rand's bloated writing style to…

Wherein Andy and Justice conjure up a discussion of the Netflix original series Stranger Things and Stephen King's IT. The orignal novel and both adaptations of King's horrying nightmare all present us with a version of victimized or marginalized children who are able to collectively overcome supernatural terrors. The kids in Stranger Things accomp…

Wherein Justice and Andy interrupt both the micro - and macro aggressions of Dr. Kathryn Pulaski on Star Trek: The Next Generation to talk about her flawed character. After Dr. Crusher's temporary departure, the showrunners made a terrible blunder by replacing her comradery with a character whose disdain and bigotry for one of Star Trek's most belo…

Wherein Andy and Justice are dying to understand the many representations of a personified death in film and literature. We look at the 2022 Hugo Award-winning short story Mr. Death and the 1957 Ingmar Bergman film The Seventh Seal. Given its inevitablity, death is typically represented as terrifying; however, recent depictions show a more compassi…

Wherein Justice and Andy return to the arena of pop culture and literary studies after an overwhelming August and September. We share some of our hardships and personal reasons for having had to take a break from working on the show. We missed you and we missed each other. Glad to be back!Hagan & Hoffmann által

Wherein Andy and Justice track the development of the Predator franchise and mark the successes of its newest entry, Prey. How have the films changed over time? What is the difference between typical action films and those that focus on hunting? Are the Predators that come to Earth the losers? We hope not!…

Wherein Justice and Andy conjure up a discussion of the 1992 Disney film Aladdin and The Daevabad Trilogy by S. A. Chakraborty. How are Middle Eastern and North African cultures depicted in these works? In what ways do they employ myth and the supernatural? Given the 24 years between them, do we see a growth in the way that MENA cultures are repres…

Wherein Andy and Justice challenge each other's readings of Ted Chiang's The Truth of Fact, the Truth of Feeling. How do we trust our memories? Should we trust them? What effect would memories based on perfect recall have on our development? Would you commit your whole life to a recording? We wouldn't!…

Tony Starks is a copywriter for TaylorMade Golf and a recent contestant on ABC's Holey Moley. In this episode, we discuss Tony's 15 year career in the world of golf, as well as his experience on Stephen Curry's extreme mini golf show. Topics include: How Tony first heard about Holey Moley How Tony became a contestant The application and recruiting …

Wherein Justice and Andy hammer out the impact of the third season of The Boys and where the series might go next. Who's the real villain here and what's with the short-lived redemptive arcs? Is Butcher going to go full-supe? How will the show maintain its Homelander-focused anxiety over two more seasons (or more)? And is Frenchie the funniest char…

Wherein Andy and Justice welcome Dr. Jackielee Derks, longtime friend and colleague, to a remix of Helen Oyeyemi's Mr. Fox and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Why do authors and production companies keep retelling the same stories? Is it to address contemporary issues or to enrich the almighty corporation? Topics range from J. J. Abrams' time-honored…

Andrew is the founder of The Petcash Post, an email newsletter focusing on the business of athletes and sports. He played division 1 basketball at Boston University and is a great resource when it comes to understanding NIL deals. We talked about his popular newsletter, college basketball, and NIL. Topics include: How Andrew came up with the idea f…

Wherein Justice and Andy pause their reading to rant about the increasingly common practice of television series to take mid-season breaks. What is the point of making viewers wait when the content is already finished? Are you doing this to extend our subscriptions? Are you trying to drag out award seasons? Do you consider the stars of your shows c…

Wherein Andy and Justice profile the interview style of Terry Gross, legendary host of Fresh Air on National Public Radio. Why does Terry skip the pleasantries in her guest introductions? And why does she begin with a seemingly off-topic and ultra-specific question? Also, Conan O'Brien likes tapdancing.…

Wherein Justice and Andy welcome Dr. Brian Kenna to the show. The three of us chronicle the myths, gods, and the supernatural present in Neil Gaiman's American Gods and Richard Adams' Watership Down. What is the function of myth in these stories? How do deities operate as representations of belief and models created by contemporary human cultures? …

Scott is a golf course designer, greenkeeping consultant and retired superintendent. One of Scott's projects includes the recently opened Gravel Pit Golf Course in Brainerd, Minnesota. We talked about this unique project and other design-centric questions. Topics include: Scott's early connection to golf Pursuing a turfgrass management degree at Mi…

Zach and Andy Pessagno are the owners of Chasing Fowl Photography. These brothers teamed up several years ago to launch a golf-centric photography business that captures moments both on and off the course. In this episode, we talk about how they got started and what they've learned along the way. Topics include: Their journey into photography Growi…

Wherein Andy and Justice infiltrate the legacy of James Bond's many representations throughout the decades. If James Bond is a reflection of his culture, which era has spoken to you and why? Has Daniel Craig changed our ideas of who Bond can be? Is there a Bond that stands above the rest? It can't possibly be Roger Moore.…