Busy Dads Do Sci-Fi

"I think that believes how in depth you are."

--Kevin (tired and still on East Coast time)

It's a sequel to Prometheus.  It's also a prequel to Alien.  Oh, and it's a prequel to Alien Vs. Predator.  Wait.  No.  It's a prequel to Alien Vs. Predator:  Requiem.  So, that makes it a sequel to Predators also.  

Well, ALIEN: COVENANT already has a lot of dings in its armor.  Divorced from all that continuity mess, how does this Ridley Scott movie stand up on its own merit?

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

MOVIES:

Alien: Covenant, 2017, dir. by Ridley Scott

SPOILER POLICY:  We take a “fly on the wall” approach to our listeners.  As such, some of what we discuss falls into the realm of SPOILERS.  Consider yourself warned.

If you enjoyed BUSY DADS DO SCI-FI, please take the time to rate and review us on iTunes, Stitcher, Tune In, Google Play or wherever you may find your podcasts.  You can follow us on Twitter or Instagram at bddscifi.

Thanks for listening and keep coming back.  See you in two weeks.

Theme song by Tony Fernandez

"Stupid people ruin shit."

--George

As part of our exploration of all things Blade Runner, the Busy Dads take a solid look at the new sequel to the cult classic.  What does a movie like Blade Runner 2049 mean for the modern cinema experience?  Do quiet, meditative movie experiences have any chance against the behemoths of Disney's Marvel and the endless spawn of sequels and franchise wannabes?  Just how DAMN good was this movie?  Find out and we dive in head first into Blade Runner 2049 on this episode of Busy Dads Do Sci-Fi Podcast.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

MOVIES:

Blade Runner, 1982, dir. by Ridley Scott

Blade Runner 2049, 2017, dir. by Denis Villeneuve

BOOKS

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick

It Devours by Phillip K. Dick & Jeffrey Canter

SPOILER POLICY:  We take a “fly on the wall” approach to our listeners.  As such, some of what we discuss falls into the realm of SPOILERS.  Consider yourself warned.

If you enjoyed BUSY DADS DO SCI-FI, please take the time to rate and review us on iTunes, Stitcher, Tune In, Google Play or wherever you may find your podcasts.  You can follow us on Twitter or Instagram at bddscifi.

Thanks for listening and keep coming back.  See you in two weeks.

Theme song by Tony Fernandez

"The meditative quality of this meditative movie was moving."

--Kevin

In a continuation of our return to some of the classic of Sci-Fi, and in anticipation of the sequel, the Busy Dads will finally take a look at the Ridley Scott iconic film that is BLADE RUNNER.  Kevin and George discuss why this movie is important now and why it's important to both of them.  There is some talk of comparison to the seminal work by Philip K. Dick on which the movie is loosely based as well as talk about any expectations we have for where the universe could go in the next movie.

So, get your Replicants out of retirement and join us for Episode 47 of the Busy Dads Do Sci-Fi Podcast.  Replicants our of retirement?  That doesn't make any sense!  If they're retired that means they're dead.  Oh, jeez.  I'll never hear the end of this one. 

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

MOVIES:

Blade Runner, 1982, dir. by Ridley Scott

BOOKS

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick

SPOILER POLICY:  We take a “fly on the wall” approach to our listeners.  As such, some of what we discuss falls into the realm of SPOILERS.  Consider yourself warned.

If you enjoyed BUSY DADS DO SCI-FI, please take the time to rate and review us on iTunes, Stitcher, Tune In, Google Play or wherever you may find your podcasts.  You can follow us on Twitter or Instagram at bddscifi.

Thanks for listening and keep coming back.  See you in two weeks.

Theme song by Tony Fernandez

"I don't know how Moonraker isn't Sci-Fi if The Orville is."

--Kevin

We take a look at the first 3 episodes of the hot new FOX show The Orville.  From the mind of Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy, Ted, American Dad) comes what is seemingly a love letter to Star Trek:  The Next Generation.  So, why does it also seemingly fall so flat?  We're open to the path ahead, but so far the road is bumpy and unfunny.  If this description alone is not enough for ya, please give us a listen.  

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

MOVIES:

The Orville, 2017, Fox Networks

SPOILER POLICY:  We take a “fly on the wall” approach to our listeners.  As such, some of what we discuss falls into the realm of SPOILERS.  Consider yourself warned.

If you enjoyed BUSY DADS DO SCI-FI, please take the time to rate and review us on iTunes, Stitcher, Tune In, Google Play or wherever you may find your podcasts.  You can follow us on Twitter or Instagram at bddscifi.

Thanks for listening and keep coming back.  See you in two weeks.

Theme song by Tony Fernandez

"Why we gotta talk about people?"

--Kevin

Neill Blomkamp is a big name in Sci-Fi, unless you were to ask Kevin. In this episode we take a look at three separate short films from Blomkamp's OATS STUDIOS:  Firebase, Rakka and Zygote.

We discuss each one individually and as a whole.  Taking the ride on these meant different things for each of us.  What do they mean to you?  Check them out and then check us out!

Join us!

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

MOVIES:

Zygote, 2017, dir. by Neill Blomkamp

Firebase, 2017, dir. by Neill Blomkamp

Rakka, 2017, dir. by Neill Blomkamp

BOOKS:

Revelation Space by Allaistair Reynolds

Eye of the Mote by Larry Niven

Necronomicon by H.P. Lovecraft

SPOILER POLICY:  We take a “fly on the wall” approach to our listeners.  As such, some of what we discuss falls into the realm of SPOILERS.  Consider yourself warned.

If you enjoyed BUSY DADS DO SCI-FI, please take the time to rate and review us on iTunes, Stitcher, Tune In, Google Play or wherever you may find your podcasts.  You can follow us on Twitter or Instagram at bddscifi.

Thanks for listening and keep coming back.  See you in two weeks.

Theme song by Tony Fernandez

"It's so European.  Maybe even worse:  it's Canadian!"

--Kevin

We might get a little out of hand on this one.  If that's the case, it's only because we care so much.  The independent "sci-fi" movie EMBERS brings out the best in both Kevin and myself as we discuss the futility of life in a world with no memory, rampant sickness and inevitable starvation and sexual assault.

I know.  I know.  Painting a bring picture of the future of humanity, huh?  But, hey, at least it's got John Ritter's son in it.  So, you can kinda pretend that he's still alive.  Yes.  I agree that including Don Knotts would have really sealed the deal.

We take a “fly on the wall” approach to our listeners.  As such, some of what we discuss falls into the realm of SPOILERS.  Consider yourself warned.

If you enjoyed BUSY DADS DO SCI-FI, please take the time to rate and review us on iTunes, Stitcher, Tune In, Google Play or wherever you may find your podcasts.  You can follow us on Twitter or Instagram at bddscifi.

Thanks for listening and keep coming back.  See you in two weeks.

Theme song by Tony Fernandez

"The numbers are goin' through the roof."

--Producer Vic

Kevin has gone on a long journey to a mysterious, alien place known only as Florida.  George decides to take this ONE moment to get a little dramatic, a move he will surely never make again in his life.  

This episode is a reading of the Ray Bradbury short story THE ONE WHO WAITS.

Enjoy.

The Busy Daddies tear into TIGERMAN, carefully consider William Gibson’s SPOOK COUNTRY while Adam schools us all on cyberpunk.  We also talk about movies MAD MAX:  FURY ROAD and the worthwhile dystopian gems THE ROVER and YOUNG ONES.

WHAT THE HELL WERE THEY TALKING ABOUT?

MAD MAX:  FURY ROAD

2014, Directed by George Miller

Watch it:  iTunes  Amazon

THE ROVER

2014, Directed by David Michod

Watch it: iTunes  Amazon

YOUNG ONES

2014, Directed by Jake Paltrow (yes, Gweneth’s brother)

Watch it:  iTunes  Amazon

EX MACHINA

2015, Directed by Alex Garland

Watch it:  iTunes  Amazon

28 WEEKS LATER

2007, Directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo

Watch it:  iTunes  Amazon

TIGERMAN by Nick Harkaway

Read it:  Amazon

ONLY FORWARD by Michael Marshall Smith

Read it:  Amazon

SPOOK COUNTRY by William Gibson

Read it:  Amazon

"Is this a hand job in the theater movie?"

--Kevin

LIFE is beautiful.  LIFE is precious.  LIFE is a many splendored thing.  All of that.  This is not the case with all things that bear the label LIFE.  Now, while I haven't seen the Eddie Murphy movie of the same name, I can't imagine it being much more forgettable than the trip that Kevin and George take in this podcast.

We watch the 2017 "sci-fi" movie LIFE, so that you don't have to.  We don't agree on the outcome one bit.  Come and see where the chips lay.  Who liked it?  Who hated it?  Why did it get made?  Should it have gotten made?  Could WE write a better movie?  Join us.

We take a “fly on the wall” approach to our listeners.  As such, some of what we discuss falls into the realm of SPOILERS.  Consider yourself warned.

If you enjoyed BUSY DADS DO SCI-FI, please take the time to rate and review us on iTunes, Stitcher, Tune In, Google Play or wherever you may find your podcasts.  You can follow us on Twitter or Instagram at bddscifi.

Thanks for listening and keep coming back.  See you in two weeks.

Theme song by Tony Fernandez

"I would have rather been reading."

--Kevin

Luc Besson's 1997 "masterpiece" THE FIFTH ELEMENT is an audience divider.  Or is it?  Do you really have to split one way or the other on a movie like this?  What makes this movie a cult classic?  IS IT a cult classic?  How does it differ from other camp movies from the same era?  What does it get right and what does it fall flat on?  

Kevin and George revisited the Bruce Willis sci-fi flick 20 years after its initial release and came away with conflicting opinions on what we had seen.  Join us for a, perhaps, unkind look at a charming and funny movie...that just might not be a great science fiction flick.

We take a “fly on the wall” approach to our listeners.  As such, some of what we discuss falls into the realm of SPOILERS.  Consider yourself warned.

If you enjoyed BUSY DADS DO SCI-FI, please take the time to rate and review us on iTunes, Stitcher, Tune In, Google Play or wherever you may find your podcasts.  You can follow us on Twitter or Instagram at bddscifi.

Thanks for listening and keep coming back.  See you in two weeks.

Theme song by Tony Fernandez

"How deep was the well back then?"

-- Kevin

We are a sci-fi podcast and we'd be remiss in our duties if we did not, as some point, talk about the genius that is Ray Bradbury.  The man that shaped the ideal of mainstream sci-fi and influenced generations to tell their own stories on Mars and beyond.

Kevin and George unpack six of Bradbury's short stories and talk about the man, his influence on their own lives and where they see his work touching the work of others.

Also, is Intern Tony actually calling us back...on the air?!

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Ray Bradbury Short Stories:

The Golden Apples of the Sun, 1953

Tomorrow's Child, 1948

All of Summer In A Day, 1954

The One Who Waits, 1949

Sound of Thunder, 1952

Dark They Were, 1949

The Martian Chronicles, 1953

We take a “fly on the wall” approach to our listeners.  As such, some of what we discuss falls into the realm of SPOILERS.  Consider yourself warned.

If you enjoyed BUSY DADS DO SCI-FI, please take the time to rate and review us on iTunes, Stitcher, Tune In, Google Play or wherever you may find your podcasts.  You can follow us on Twitter or Instagram at bddscifi.

Thanks for listening and keep coming back.  See you in two weeks.

Theme song by Tony Fernandez

GEORGE: William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy, Paul McGann, John Hurt (kinda), Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant, Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi.

KEVIN:  And if you did that it meant you were good to drive?

Doctor Who is the longest running science fiction television show ever EVER.  Kevin is the new companion to the TARDIS, while George has been here for perhaps TOO long.  What is Doctor Who?  What is it's appeal to both the young and the older audiences?  

Join us on a journey through time and space as we tackle the BBC time-travel series Doctor Who.  How does it relate to current sci-fi television?  Where did it come from?  Where is it all going?  And most importantly, why the hell are we talking about it?

We take a “fly on the wall” approach to our listeners.  As such, some of what we discuss falls into the realm of SPOILERS.  Consider yourself warned.

If you enjoyed BUSY DADS DO SCI-FI, please take the time to rate and review us on iTunes, Stitcher, Tune In, Google Play or wherever you may find your podcasts.  You can follow us on Twitter or Instagram at bddscifi.

Thanks for listening and keep coming back.  See you in two weeks.

Theme song by Tony Fernandez

"Is that real?!"

--Kevin

Kevin is none too happy when he discovers that the Marvel movies are not VERBATIM adapted from the comic books.  We talk about GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, Vol. 2 and both came away with very different takes on the flick.

Also, Kevin has read INFINITY GAUNTLET and managed to fine the hearty Sci-Fi in it all.  So, buckle up and put on your favorite mix tape.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

MOVIES:

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (2014, dir. by James Gunn)

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, VOL. 2 (2017, dir. by James Gunn)

We take a “fly on the wall” approach to our listeners.  As such, some of what we discuss falls into the realm of SPOILERS.  Consider yourself warned.

If you enjoyed BUSY DADS DO SCI-FI, please take the time to rate and review us on iTunes, Stitcher, Tune In, Google Play or wherever you may find your podcasts.  You can follow us on Twitter or Instagram at bddscifi.

Thanks for listening and keep coming back.  See you in two weeks.

Theme song by Tony Fernandez

"That's the opposite of having a gift, George."

--Kevin

How could you possibly condense 40 years worth of comic book stories, told across multiple titles and timelines into one movie and have it maintain all the appeal of the original material?  Well, you cannot.  BUT...if you just want to make a kick-ass, really fun Sci-Fi Comic Book movie with some great characters and memorable moments then you hire James Gunn.  We talk about GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, which Kevin has never seen and George has seen about 50 times.  So, break out your Rocket Raccoon Happy Meal Toys and your Drax the Destroyer Slurpee Cups and buckle in for an HOUR of Busy Dads talking about a comic book movie.

Enjoy and thanks for putting up with us!

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

MOVIES:

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (2014, dir. by James Gunn)

SLITHER (2006, dir by James Gunn)

SUPER (2010, dir. by James Gunn)

LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN

BOOKS:

Revelation Space by Allaistair Reynolds

League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by Alan Moore

Guardians of the Galaxy

SPOILER POLICY:  We take a “fly on the wall” approach to our listeners.  As such, some of what we discuss falls into the realm of SPOILERS.  Consider yourself warned.

If you enjoyed BUSY DADS DO SCI-FI, please take the time to rate and review us on iTunes, Stitcher, Tune In, Google Play or wherever you may find your podcasts.  You can follow us on Twitter or Instagram at bddscifi.

Thanks for listening and keep coming back.  See you in two weeks.

Theme song by Tony Fernandez

Original Airdate:  April 13, 2016

“Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you limp.” –Adam

Well, consider the title a bit of a content spoiler.  With Kevin getting back from a brutal work bender, this was the first time we’d been together in over a month.  A catch up was in order.  What are we doing.  How are we BUSY and what’s going on in the DADDY world.  We then make the leap into the SCI-FI part of the podcast title.

We watched the listener suggested flick COHERENCE, Kevin breaks down the current state of Chinese Sci-Fi with THE THREE BODY PROBLEM, and we talk about how Cronenberg influenced William Gibson with VIDEODROME.

SPOILER POLICY:  We take a “fly on the wall” approach to our listeners.  As such, some of what we discuss falls into the realm of SPOILERS.  Consider yourself warned.

WHAT THE HELL WERE THEY TALKING ABOUT?

BOOKS:

THE THREE BODY PROBLEM by Liu Cixin

MOVIES:

 COHERENCE, 2014, Dir by James Ward Byrkit

MEET THE FEEBLES, 1989, Dir by Peter Jackson

DEAD RINGERS, 1988, Dir by David Cronenberg

TELEVISION:

DAREDEVIL, 2016, Netflix

VINYL, 2016, HBO

If you enjoyed BUSY DADDIES DO SCI-FI, please take the time to rate and review us on iTunes or Stitcher or wherever you may find your podcasts.  You can follow us on Twitter or Instagram at BDDSCiFi.

Thanks for listening and keep coming back.

"Diamond Age!"  -- George (after the podcast was recorded)

Kevin and George watch a worthy follow up to Tarkovsky's STALKER in HARD TO BE A GOD.  A movie that gives you a premise and asks you to find the science fiction.  Has there been a more bare-bones non-sci-fi sci-fi take done before?  I'm hard pressed to think of one.  

Join us as we experience the experience, misery and all, that is HARD TO BE A GOD.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

HARD TO BE A GOD, 2014, dir. by Aleksi German

SPOILER POLICY:  We take a “fly on the wall” approach to our listeners.  As such, some of what we discuss falls into the realm of SPOILERS.  Consider yourself warned.

If you enjoyed BUSY DADS DO SCI-FI, please take the time to rate and review us on iTunes, Stitcher, Tune In, Google Play or wherever you may find your podcasts.  You can follow us on Twitter or Instagram at bddscifi.

Thanks for listening and keep coming back.  See you in two weeks.

Theme song by Tony Fernandez

"I don't know what's creepier a bang on the door or a prolonged soft knock as as to not disturb you."

--Kevin

Bill Paxton is dead.  Long live Bill Paxton.  Intern Tony has all but forced us to watch the un-sci-fi sci-fi Spike Jonze movie HER.  Thank God he did because it's a fantastic movie and we get into the philosophical nitty gritty of it all.  We do what we do.  We ask the questions.  What does this movie say about relationships?  What does it say about Artificial Intelligence?  What does it say about us?  Our future.

Join us.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

HER, 2013, written and directed by Spike Jonze

SPOILER POLICY:  We take a “fly on the wall” approach to our listeners.  As such, some of what we discuss falls into the realm of SPOILERS.  Consider yourself warned.

If you enjoyed BUSY DADS DO SCI-FI, please take the time to rate and review us on iTunes, Stitcher, Tune In, Google Play or wherever you may find your podcasts.  You can follow us on Twitter or Instagram at bddscifi.

Thanks for listening and keep coming back.  See you in two weeks.

Theme song by Tony Fernandez

"I don't even know what I'm doing any more, but I'm enjoying the hell out of the ride."

--Kevin

It can be argued that no genre suits the template of short film or story better than Science Fiction.  It CAN be argued, but who likes to fight?  Kevin and George watch two AWARD WINNING Sci-Fi shorts, PRISM and GOLDILOCKS.

See if they're up to snuff.  Whatever snuff is and whatever one has to do to be UP to it.  Enjoy.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

PRISM, 2015, dir. by Jackson Miller

GOLDILOCKS, 2015, dir. by Samuel Faict

SPOILER POLICY:  We take a “fly on the wall” approach to our listeners.  As such, some of what we discuss falls into the realm of SPOILERS.  Consider yourself warned.

If you enjoyed BUSY DADS DO SCI-FI, please take the time to rate and review us on iTunes, Stitcher, Tune In, Google Play or wherever you may find your podcasts.  You can follow us on Twitter or Instagram at bddscifi.

Thanks for listening and keep coming back.  See you in two weeks.

As if George's life wasn't busy enough, his favorite Russian film making antagonist is back from beyond the grave.  Kevin and George sit down, crack a bottle of non-flavored seltzer (thanks, Vic) and talk about Andrei Tarkovsky's iconic masterpiece STALKER.

Meditative.  Beautiful.  Mesmerizing.  But, science fiction?  Well, it doesn't really matter.  Take the trip with us as we unwind what this moving piece of art did for our minds and for our souls.  

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

STALKER, 1979, dir. by Andrei Tarkovsky

SPOILER POLICY:  We take a “fly on the wall” approach to our listeners.  As such, some of what we discuss falls into the realm of SPOILERS.  Consider yourself warned.

If you enjoyed BUSY DADS DO SCI-FI, please take the time to rate and review us on iTunes, Stitcher, Tune In, Google Play or wherever you may find your podcasts.  You can follow us on Twitter or Instagram at bddscifi.

Thanks for listening and keep coming back.  See you in two weeks.

"Today is August 4, 2026"

A little change in the pace of things seems appropriate right now.  Even more appropriate right now is the Ray Bradbury short story There Will Come Soft Rains.  I'm not sure why, but here we are.  Listening to one of my favorite science fiction shorts read aloud in my own voice.  I feel lucky today.  Lucky that I do not live in the empty world this story depicts.  Fortunate to know that we, as a race, can get to this precipice again.    

Join us back for our regularly scheduled program in 2 weeks.  Thanks for listening.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES by Ray Bradbury

SPOILER POLICY:  We take a “fly on the wall” approach to our listeners.  As such, some of what we discuss falls into the realm of SPOILERS.  Consider yourself warned.

If you enjoyed BUSY DADDIES DO SCI-FI, please take the time to rate and review us on iTunes, Stitcher, Tune In, Google Play or wherever you may find your podcasts.  You can follow us on Twitter or Instagram at bddscifi.

Thanks for listening and keep coming back.  See you in two weeks.