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 the Bioshock video game series to how the Daily Wire could rationalize portraying this explicit novel in its full form. Why do people continually try to ressurect this swollen attempt at legitimizing capitalist exploitation? Please let this be the final, failed attempt.
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 on their works and what their deaths mean for their art.
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!
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's monster, or other Victorian/Romantic horrors? Why was the Dark Universe unable to replicate the success of the early MCU when they had at least as many bankable stars already signed? How is it that Tom Cruise signed on to The Mummy and turned down the role of Tony Stark?
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 textual forms? After Mash? Who greenlit that?
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 American story? And wouldn't gendered and racial diversity be expected in a game set in 2025 Miami? Of course it would!
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 shows are participating in this travesty. How could they?
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 the world? Topics range from J. R. R. Tolkien to China Mieville to Stephen R. Donaldson (perhaps the most underrated SF author) to Bethesda's latest miserable failure, Starfield.
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 seriously, what do we think about Tom Cruise as an action star in his 60s? Should the series come to an end or should they James Bond it?
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 we expect more episodes that abandon a serious exploration of cultural issues?
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 imagines in the song really exist?
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