chris black

A rare look at the frightening power of a charismatic killer, just 18 years old -- a teenage mastermind who convinces other kids to kill. Would even a hardened reporter covering his story get caught up in the spell?  Keith Morrison reports.

This is our special Behind the Geeks interview with the creative team behind Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. We spoke with Executive Producers Matt Shakman & Matt Fraction, Showrunner Chris Black, and VFX Supervisor Sean Konrad about the monstrous task of creating this multigenerational family drama set in a post G-Day world. 

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters debuts on AppleTV+ with its first two episodes premiering on November 17th. 

Our spoiler-free review will be available on podcast feeds on November 16, 2023

Watch the full interview on YouTube 

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Check out Geekcentric on

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Join the Geekcentric Discord  HERE

Join Nate on Twitch at - twitch.tv/nateplaysgames

The second season is here! Blake Murphy kicks off Jays Talk Plus by providing a brief overview of Toronto's weekend series and the festivities that followed the clinch. He is later joined by Jonah Birenbaum, Senior Editor at TheScore, who outlines why the Jays have reasons to be optimistic as they head into the playoffs and why it would be a mistake to underestimate the Twins. In the latter part of the hour, Jon Morosi from MLB Network joins, opening with praise the potential farewells of four sure-fire Hall of Famers, including Cabrera, Wainwright, Greinke, and Votto. They then dive deep into a preview of Wild Card week, discussing all four matchups, including the Jays/Twins series, and debating the MLB's decision to go with dual overlap games versus a quadruple-header format (31:05). During the final hour, Sportsnet Producer Chris Black joins in-studio for an extended discussion. They begin by weighing the pros and cons of playing afternoon games at Target Field, before delving into a comprehensive review of the 2023 Blue Jays' regular season (51:32). From there, they explore potential roster decisions, game strategies, and share their overall expectations for the first round (01:20:15).

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

To kick off the show, Blake Murphy opens the show with a recap of last night’s Major League Baseball action, sans the idle Blue Jays. Following this, he is joined by Buffalo Bisons Manager, Casey Candaele to get his measure on the team’s 2023 season, including how he managed regularly losing a glut of talent due to call-ups during the year, including Davis Schneider, Spencer Horwitz and Nathen Lukes. They close the segment with a discussion on the merits and drawbacks to the use of the automatic strike zone. In the second half of the hour, Blake is joined by Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher, José Berríos, who connected with him at his charity event in Toronto. Their conversation spans various topics, including Berríos' personal journey growing up playing baseball in Puerto Rico, the recent performance of the Blue Jays, and his La Gente del Barrio Home Run Derby and Celebrity Softball Game scheduled for December (30:57). During the final hour, Sportsnet Producer Chris Black makes an in-studio appearance for an extended discussion. They dive into the analytics behind the Blue Jays' recent run, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s impressive turnaround in September, the concerns about his injured knee, potential lineup changes pending Brandon Belt's return, and the discourse behind Jordan Romano's finger-related issues (50:07).

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

After a day off, host Blake Murphy is back to set the table for final two weeks of the MLB season. He quickly revisits the Blue Jays' weekend sweep of the Red Sox, before looking ahead to the remaining schedule for all teams in the hunt for the American League Wild Card. Next, we turn out attention to a positive story within the Blue Jays organization, recognizing the Vancouver Canadians, who for the fifth time in franchise history and the first time in High-A, are champions of the Northwest League. Blake catches up with the C’s manager, Brent Lavallee, to talk about the team’s remarkable 2023 season (14:43). We shift focus back to the big leagues ahead of this week's series in New York with Bob Lorenz, YES Network studio host, for some insight on the Bronx Bombers and their recent success (35:34). In the second hour, Sportsnet Blue Jays producer and numbers specialist, Chris Black joins Blake in-studio to dive into some recent new data around the Blue Jays, specifically at the plate, and identifies which "fringe guys" deserve to be in the lineup more frequently (50:40).

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Following another disappointing night at Rogers Centre in this all-important series against the Texas Rangers, host Blake Murphy echoes the fans’ dismay. He brings on Kaitlyn McGrath, MLB writer at The Athletic, to get her thoughts on the Blue Jays and what areas need to improve on both sides of the field. Later on, Blake is joined by Mike Warne and Kate MacLean of the Toronto band PKEW PKEW PKEW. Both musicians are baseball enthusiasts and huge Jays fans, so it's only right to chat about their new song “The Night John Buck Hit Three Home Runs” from their latest album "SIIICK DAYS", set to release on September 22nd (34:45). The second hour is highlighted by Sportsnet Producer Chris Black's weekly visit to help sift through the Jays' latest trends, what’s attributing to their lack of success in big games, and how they can improve in their final two against Texas (49:49).

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

With one big offensive inning and another strong start from Chris Bassitt, the Blue Jays are back in a postseason position, overtaking the Texas Rangers for the final Wild Card spot! Host Blake Murphy brings on The Athletic’s Kaitlyn McGrath to dive deeper into the team’s recent string on victories, winning five of their last six, and how they can further that momentum down the stretch. Next up, Blake checks in with former Major Leaguer, Buffalo Bisons hitting coach and Blue Jays swing consultant, Matt Hague, to get some insight into the success we’re seeing from the team’s recent call-ups, before sharing some other names Jays fans can look forward to seeing in the future (26:55). Sportsnet Blue Jays producer and statistician Chris Black kicks off the second hour chatting about the buzz surrounding the Jays' upcoming schedule, as well as the incoming roster decisions the team will have to make with Bo Bichette and Matt Chapman returning. Later, the two “numbers guys” dig deeper into the stat sheet to determine which trends should balance out, and which ones could linger (53:55).

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Blake Murphy starts the show by providing a swift overview of the Blue Jays' victorious series opener in Baltimore. He’s then joined by Sportsnet’s Chris Black for an extended segment discussing the playoff atmosphere at Camden Yards, the divergent trajectories of Varsho and Chapman, and what they expect from Kevin Gausman tonight. Next, Blake opens up the JTP Mailbag to address your questions and comments (34:55). Moving into the second hour, Blake is joined by Sportsnet’s Madison Shipman. Together, they explore the Blue Jays' "hyper-aggressive" approach on both offence and defence last night, Brandon Belt’s confidence, and speculate if Kevin Gausman's Splitter will mirror the well-known tale of Jekyll and Hyde in tonight’s start (51:20). In the final segment, Ben Clemens from FanGraphs makes an appearance, immediately diving into the realm of analytics, specifically the intricacies of leverage execution and the influential factors during clutch moments, statistical indicators that sway the Cy Young award voting process, as well as the recent significant front office maneuvers in the south-side of Chicago (01:13:08).

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

The Blue Jays had an off-day yesterday, but still managed to gain some ground in the Wild Card race thanks to the Kansas City Royals. Host Blake Murphy is joined by The Athletic’s Kaitlyn McGrath to discuss what the Jays need to do keep that momentum going and separate themselves from the teams chasing them. Next up, Jonathan Mayo of MLB Pipeline and MLB.com offers some insight into some of the Jays' top prospects and some of the big names drafted this year, before sharing what his book “Smart, Wrong, and Lucky: The Origin Stories of Baseball's Unexpected Stars” is all about (31:10). In the second hour, Sportsnet Blue Jays Producer Chris Black checks in for his weekly hit to go over some of the Jays’ latest trends and numbers as they head into this week's fun slate featuring the Phillies and Reds (51:25). Blake closes today show with FanGraphs contributor Michael Baumann, who discusses his latest piece on tonight's starter Yusei Kikuchi, and helps preview some of the pitchers Toronto might face this week (01:20:37).

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

With the trade deadline in the rearview mirror, Jays fans still aren’t too thrilled - possibly because of the drubbing at the hands of the Orioles immediately afterwards. Host Blake Murphy welcomes on MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson to delve into the Jays' deadline deals and his expectations for the home stretch. Later on, JTP turns it's attention to the division-leading Orioles with MASN's Melanie Newman, who shares what's been behind Baltimore’s surge this season and what's got fans so excited for the final two months (32:25). In the second hour, Sportsnet Blue Jays producer Chris Black joins Blake in-studio to break down some recent trends, which proves to be surprisingly optimistic despite two recent losses, before considering some post-deadline moves Toronto could make to help bolster their playoff push (50:20).

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Host Blake Murphy is joined by Sportsnet Blue Jays Producer Chris Black in-studio to go over some of the latest numbers around Toronto’s MLB team. After that, Blake turns his attention to the upcoming trade deadline with the help of The Athletic’s Levi Weaver, writer of “The Windup” MLB newsletter (32:40).  For the second hour, JTP heads to the City of Angels with Sportsnet’s own Ben Nicholson-Smith, who shares his takeaways from his first game ever at Chavez Ravine, before taking some time to sift through the top trade targets for Toronto (50:50). We wrap things up with Fabian Ardaya, Dodgers writer for The Athletic, who offers some insight into Los Angeles' season so far and previews some names they could be looking at for the deadline (01:24:42).

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Blue Jays back in action tonight at the Rogers Centre to take on the San Diego Padres! Host Blake Murphy dives into some of the series matchups with the help of The Athletic’s Kaitlyn McGrath, who discusses why the best may still be yet to come for both of these clubs. Next up, Keith Law of The Athletic hops aboard to offer his perspective on the MLB draft and shares what Blue Jays fans can expect from their crop of picks and prospects (26:47). Later on, Sportsnet Blue Jays producer Chris Black joins Blake in-studio for a deep dive into some of the Jays' numbers and what trends to look (or hope) for in order for the team to continue their winning ways, especially from Alek Manoah (50:30). Lastly, Blake checks in with Padres radio broadcaster Tony Gwynn Jr. for some insight on San Diego’s team, before chatting about what comes with carrying a legacy name in baseball (01:24:00).

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Blake Murphy kicks off the show by summarizing the events of the weekend, emphasizing the Boston Red Sox' successful sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre while maintaining a positive perspective. He welcomes on Jon Morosi from the MLB Network to deconstruct the homestand, what's being cultivated in the Jays' farm system, the approaching trade deadline, and Alek Manoah's progress south of the border. James Fegan of the Chicago Sun Times shares his thoughts on both of Chi-town's MLB teams ahead of the Jays' series against the White Sox, and offers a comprehensive look at former Jay, newly minted All-Star, and potentially tradable target, Marcus Stroman (28:26). The second half of the show features Sportsnet Blue Jays Producer Chris Black, who shares the numbers behind Toronto's baserunning woes, before zooming out to chat about a potential batting order shuffle, his confidence in Jordan Romano, and Chris Bassitt's sustainability (50:00). In the final segment, ESPN's Clinton Yates delves into Shohei Ohtani's potential MVP season in 2023, the positive impact of the World Baseball Classic and the College World Series, the upcoming All-Star Game, and, of course, their predictions for the winner of the home run derby (01:20:51).

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Blake Murphy starts the show alongside Blue Jays producer Chris Black, to take a detailed look at roster, the injuries that have crept in, and what moves we could see the team make ahead of this upcoming series Baltimore for an A.L. East showdown. Next up, Blake brings on the guitarist from PUP, Steve Sladkowski, to chat about his love of baseball and reminisce about some of his all-time favourite Jays ahead of the band’s show at Budweiser Stage in Toronto this Friday (30:30). Later on, Sportsnet’s own Ben Nicholson-Smith checks in from Baltimore to dive deep into the series at Camden Yards, before getting into some early trade talk (50:55). Lastly, Blake catches up with former Jays pitcher and current Manager of the Williamsport Crosscutters, Jesse Litsch, who lets us know the ins and outs of the MLB Draft League, before sharing some old stories from his days in Toronto (01:21:00).

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Blake Murphy starts things off where last night’s game pretty much ended: Alek Manoah’s nightmare first inning in what was perhaps the toughest start of his career. He brings on Jays producer Chris Black to try to dissect Manoah's mind-boggling season they’ve seen from the team’s supposed ace. In a positive twist, they look at recent plate appearances by Vlad Jr. and why he’s trending up. Blake then welcomes MLB analyst Rob Friedman to shares his story of how he became the infamous "Pitching Ninja", before taking a look around the league at some of the coolest pitches being thrown and the state of Toronto's rotation (28:35). In the second hour, Sportsnet’s own Ben Nicholson-Smith joins Blake to break down what he saw Monday night and what to expect ahead of Manoah's scheduled next start (48:35). To close the show, Astros analyst and World Series champ, Geoff Blum dives a bit deeper into Houston's season so far and what to expect in the final three games at Rogers Centre (01:19:30).

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

After a rare off day, Blake Murphy gets you set for the Blue Jays' return to Rogers Centre for a three game series with the Milwaukee Brewers. Sportsnet's Jays producer Chris Black joins in-studio to dive into some analytics and some of the stifling numbers around Toronto. Where else would they start but with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and his recent cold stretch at the dish. They also take time to break down the numbers around Daulton Varsho, Yusei Kikuchi and Alek Manoah. To start the second hour, Blake checks in with former Toronto Raptor and current London Lion Sam Dekker. After some quick basketball thoughts, they get into Sam's love for the Brew Crew: where did that die-hard fandom came from and what does he think of this year’s squad (50:15). To close the show, Blake takes an even closer look at Milwaukee with radio play-by-play broadcaster Josh Maurer, who lets us know how the team has been performing lately atop the N.L. Central (01:13:10).

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Déjà vu! Similar to 2022, this season of Jays Talk Plus starts amid some struggles for Toronto’s MLB team that continued into Game 1 at Tropicana Field Monday night. Blake Murphy breaks down what went wrong not only last night, but what hasn’t clicked for them so far this season. He sorts through the numbers to back it up with Sportsnet Blue Jays Producer, Chris Black (28:35). After that, Blake welcomes Robert Orr, a data analyst and contributor at Baseball Prospectus, to dive into his latest piece "How The Rays Raised Their Offensive Game" and share some quick thoughts on a few names familiar to Jays fans (47:10). Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith joins Blake in-studio to chat about the Blue Jays' broken promise of attention to detail early on, and the state of the crowded AL East division (01:13:21).

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

In this powerful cultural exchange episode, we reach across the aisle and are joined by notable straights Chris Black and Jason Stewart of the podcast How Long Gone. We both learn so much from each other like which nasty smells are actually good, which New York City boroughs are officially "over," and what controversial act you can do RIGHT NOW to help fashion photographer Juergen Teller. Plus, we unpack the mysteries of working on your home and finally get to the bottom of if it's better to just pay someone. The answer may surprise you!

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We head down to Rogers Centre where General Manager Ross Atkins speaks to the media for his end-of-season availability after the Jays get swept in the Wild Card to the Mariners (00:20). Then, Blake Murphy and Sportsnet producer Chris Black share their reactions from Atkins' comments on the roster and interim manager John Schneider heading into next year (22:51). Afterward, the guys discuss how strongly the organization will stick with the current group of position players, if they need to re-evaluate their trade deadline approach, the bullpen's potential to reach elite pitching levels, adding left-handed batters, and George Springer's future in the outfield (24:59). 

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Sportsnet's Arden Zwelling joins Blake Murphy to discuss how the Jays approached the end of their regular season, the Wild Card roster decisions including leaving Lourdes Gurriel Jr. off the lineup, the addition of a third catcher, Yusei Kikuchi placed as their 13th pitcher, and his excitement to call Game 2 on Sportsnet 590 The FAN (02:31). MLB.com's Mike Petriello jumps on the chat about what situations the Jays could use Kikuchi against the Mariners, pinch-runner scenarios, if Julio Rodríguez is the best outfielder in the series, and who will be the first out of Seattle's bullpen (49:33). Finally, Sportsnet producer Chris Black weighs in on where he stacks Alek Manoah among Toronto's starting pitchers, how much will he use the changeup, and how will Luis Castillo attack the Jays hitters (01:14:50).

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.