Culture on My Mind
Pop Culture Download
June 10, 2018
On the Docket
Kelly Marie Tran, Rose Tico from Star Wars: The Last Jedi, has been forced off social media by targeted harassment. – [Esquire] [The Guardian]
Anthony Bourdain has died at the age of 61. – [CNN]
Keith DeCandido continues the 4-Color to 35-Millimeter: The Great Superhero Movie Rewatch with Man-Thing. – [Tor]
Culture on My Mind
Pop Culture Download
June 3, 2018
On the Docket
Andrew Lincoln is leaving The Walking Dead after Season Nine. – [Collider]
ABC has canceled the Roseanne revival in light of racist comments by star Roseanne Barr. – [Variety]
New York Comic Con claims that a technical glitch resulted in pro badges being denied to industry professionals. – [Comics Beat]
Keith DeCandido continues the 4-Color to 35-Millimeter: The Great Superhero Movie Rewatch with Constantine. – [Tor]
Culture on My Mind
Pop Culture Download
May 27, 2018
On the Docket
Swamp Thing is coming back to television via the DC digital platform. – [THR]
2018-19 Television: The Expanse has been renewed thanks to Amazon. – [THR]
As reported by series creator J. Michael Straczynski, Babylon 5 is coming to Amazon Prime in June. – [Cord Cutters News]
Netflix is joining production forces with President and Mrs. Obama. – [CNN]
Netflix stock hit an all-time high, briefly surpassing Disney. – [Variety]
She-Ra is coming back to television via Netflix. – [EW]
The Hollywood Museum’s Batman ’66 exhibit has been extended through the end of September. – [13th Dimension]
It’s time for the Original Batcopter 2018 summer tour! – [13th Dimension]
Keith DeCandido continues the 4-Color to 35-Millimeter: The Great Superhero Movie Rewatch with Witchblade. – [Tor]
Culture on My Mind
Pop Culture Download
May 20, 2018
On the Docket
Margot Kidder, Lois Lane from Superman: The Movie (1978), has died at the age of 69. – [Variety]
The Electronic Frontier Foundation has won the legal battle over podcast patents. – [EFF]
Speculation says we might get a Willow sequel. – [Movieweb]
Lost in Space is getting a second season on Netflix. – [THR]
Star Wars Celebration 2019 will be held in Chicago from April 11-15. – [StarWars.com]
Network TV 2018-19: ABC has given Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD a sixth season. – [Marvel]
The Six Billion Dollar Man is now sans director. – [THR]
The X-Files are closed once again. – [TVLine]
Season Two of The Orville will premiere in December 2018. – [TrekMovie]
Offering a glimpse into the future beyond next year’s Infinity War sequel, Marvel is setting up The Eternals. – [THR]
Keith DeCandido continues the 4-Color to 35-Millimeter: The Great Superhero Movie Rewatch with Witchblade. – [Tor]
Culture on My Mind
Pop Culture Download
May 13, 2018
On the Docket
Bill & Ted 3 is coming with Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter returning to their roles. – [THR]
Network TV 2018-19: Fox canceled The Mick, Last Man on Earth, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine… – [AV Club]
Network TV 2018-19: …only for NBC to save Brooklyn Nine-Nine. – [THR]
Network TV 2018-19: NBC’s renewal schedule doesn’t include Timeless or Champions… yet. – [TV by the Numbers]
Network TV 2018-19: NBC renewed The Blacklist for a sixth season. – [TV by the Numbers]
Network TV 2018-19: NBC renewed Blindspot for a fourth season. – [TV by the Numbers]
Network TV 2018-19: NBC canceled Taken after two seasons. – [TV by the Numbers]
Network TV 2018-19: The rest of NBC’s Fall 2018 schedule. – [TV by the Numbers]
Network TV 2018-19: ABC has passed on a reboot of The Greatest American Hero. – [Den of Geek]
Network TV 2018-19: ABC has canceled Marvel’s Inhumans, Deception, and The Crossing. – [TV by the Numbers]
Network TV 2018-19: ABC has also canceled Designated Survivor and Quantico. – [TV by the Numbers]
Network TV 2018-19: ABC’s renewals don’t (yet) include Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD. – [TV by the Numbers]
Network TV 2018-19: Fox renewed Lethal Weapon with a major recasting. – [TV by the Numbers]
Network TV 2018-19: Fox renewed Gotham for a fifth round. – [Variety]
Network TV 2018-19: Fox canceled Lucifer after three seasons. – [TV by the Numbers]
Network TV 2018-19: The CW has greenlit a Charmed reboot. – [TV by the Numbers]
Network TV 2018-19: The CW ordered another year of The 100. – [TV by the Numbers]
Network TV 2018-19: CBS’s renew/cancel includes a 14th season for Criminal Minds. – [TV by the Numbers]
Network TV 2018-19: The slate of new shows coming to the major networks next season. – [TV by the Numbers]
Network TV 2018-19: The slate of cancelations (so far). – [TV by the Numbers]
Network TV 2018-19: The slate of renewals (so far). – [TV by the Numbers]
Network TV 2018-19: Syfy has ended The Expanse after three seasons. – [TV by the Numbers]
Network TV 2018-19: Starz wants more Outlander with a two-year renewal. – [TV by the Numbers]
Keith DeCandido continues the 4-Color to 35-Millimeter: The Great Superhero Movie Rewatch with Hellboy II: The Golden Army. – [Tor]
Culture on My Mind
Pop Culture Download
May 6, 2018
On the Docket
Mark Finn, a writer I know through RevolutionSF, has published a five-part essay series about the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Avengers: Infinity War. – [Finn’s Wake: Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5]
In a move that will most certainly (not) turn out well, Facebook is getting into the online dating game. – [Reuters]
Keith DeCandido continues the 4-Color to 35-Millimeter: The Great Superhero Movie Rewatch with one of the super films that I haven’t yet seen (but need to, I know): Hellboy. – [Tor]
Culture on My Mind
Pop Culture Download
April 29, 2018
On the Docket
The classic Doctor Who serial Genesis of the Daleks will be screened in movie theaters on June 11. – [Entertainment Weekly]
Julie Newmar, Catwoman on the 1996 Batman television series, has experienced a non-fatal heart attack. – [13th Dimension]
The inside story of how Lost in Space was remade. – [THR]
Bob Dorough, the creator of Schoolhouse Rock, has died at the age of 94. – [CNN]
Paramount has plans for two more Star Trek films. – [TrekCore]
One of those new Star Trek films will be directed by S.J. Clarkson, the first female director of a Star Trek film. – [Variety]
The next Star Wars animated series has been announced. Star Wars: Resistance will be spearheaded by franchise favorite Dave Filoni and will be set in the sequel trilogy era. – [StarWars.com]
Keith DeCandido continues the 4-Color to 35-Millimeter: The Great Superhero Movie Rewatch with nap-time, also known as Elektra. – [Tor]
Culture on My Mind
Pop Culture Download
April 22, 2018
On the Docket
Harry Anderson, probably best known as Judge Harry Stone on Night Court, has died at the age of 65. – [KCTV5]
Billy Mitchell, formerly known as the Donkey Kong world record holder, has been stripped of his title and scores after evidence of cheating surfaced. – [Variety]
The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle is being revived/remade on Amazon Prime. – [YouTube]
Asian-American theater pioneer Soon-Tek Oh has died at the age of 85. – [Variety]
A bitter court dispute is stopping any further films in the Mad Max series. – [Sydney Morning Herald]
Legendary NPR newscaster Carl Kassell has died at the age of 84. – [NPR]
Former First Lady Barbara Bush has died at the age of 92. – [NYT]
Star Wars: Episode IX has hired Victoria Mahoney as the second unit director. She is the first woman in Star Wars film history to serve as second unit director and in a directing role. – [THR]
Verne Troyer, probably best known as Mini-Me in the Austin Powers films, has died at age 49. – [CNN]
Starz has canceled Ash vs. The Evil Dead after three seasons. – [Variety]
Keith DeCandido continues the 4-Color to 35-Millimeter: The Great Superhero Movie Rewatch with the oft-maligned big budget debut of Daredevil. – [Tor]
Culture on My Mind
Pop Culture Download
April 15, 2018
On the Docket
Anson Mount (Hell on Wheels, Marvel’s Inhumans) has been tapped as Captain Christopher Pike of the USS Enterprise for Star Trek: Discovery‘s second season. – [StarTrek.com]
Stand-up comedian and star of One Mississippi Tig Notaro is joining Star Trek: Discovery as Denise Reno, chief engineer of the USS Hiawatha. – [Deadline]
Arrow‘s Season Seven: Willa Holland is out and Colton Haynes is back in. – [THR]
Nat Geo is adapting Hidden Figures as a television series. – [Variety]
Black Panther will be released to digital on May 8 and physical media on May 15. – [IGN]
TV everyman Tim O’Connor (Buck Rogers, Peyton Place, Twilight Zone) has died at the age of 90. – [THR]
Iconic Full Metal Jacket drill instructor R. Lee Ermey has died at 74. – [THR]
Keith DeCandido continues the 4-Color to 35-Millimeter: The Great Superhero Movie Rewatch with the third (and often possibly worst) Sam Raimi Spider-Man film. – [Tor]
Culture on My Mind
Pop Culture Download
April 8, 2018
On the Docket
Black Panther is now the third-highest grossing film in domestic history, sailing past the once unsinkable Titanic. – [THR]
A new trailer has been released for Solo: A Star Wars Story. – [YouTube]
A League of Their Own is being optioned for television by Amazon Studios. – [THR]
Keith DeCandido continues the 4-Color to 35-Millimeter: The Great Superhero Movie Rewatch with the second Sam Raimi Spider-Man film. – [Tor]
Into The Chronic Rift
Presenting the Transcription Feature: Fibber McGee and Molly & Boston Blackie
First up, on “Fibber McGee and Molly,” the duo race around town trying to reclaim a very valuable coin accidentally spent on some cigars. The comic coincidences and tongue-twisters will leave your head spinning. Then we present, for the first time, an episode of “Boston Blackie.” Blackie is a righter of wrongs, a reformed safecracker and jewel thief. He first appeared in 1914, and his tough-but-clever style has taken him from magazines to films, television, and, of course, radio. This is a baseball-themed episode.
The Chronic Rift Classic – Episode 36: Vampires
Andrea Lipinski and Keith DeCandido welcome author Greg Cox and editors Ellen Datlow and John Betancourt to the studio to discuss the appeal of vampires in our literature and movies. Plus, James Frenkel shares a selection of books to try and Keith reviews “Billi 99” by Sarah Byam and Tim Sale.
Originally Aired: October 21, 1991
The Batcave Podcast: From the Files of the Batcomputer 29: “Wonder Woman: Who’s Afraid of Diana Prince?”
We move into the post-review era with the first in a series of episodes looking at the Batman-related works of the producers and stars of the show and at the pop culture influences from the series. First up, a look at William Dozier’s attempt at adapting another DC property – Wonder Woman. In this curious short, “Wonder Woman: Who’s Afraid of Diana Prince?” we are only given a taste of the potential of the series. Which begs the question, why wasn’t a full pilot produced, especially in light of the fact that a full script was commissioned, co-written by Batman scribe Stanley Ralph Ross? This question and possibly a few more will be asked by John and his guest, Chris Franklin of the Super Mates Podcast.
The Chronic Rift Classic: Episode 35 – Heroes & Villains
Andrea Lipinski and Keith DeCandido welcome writers Chris Claremont, Joe Nazzaro and Ellen Kushner to our Roundtable discussion on heroes and villains and their use in popular literature and cinema. Plus, the Man in Black returns with a new video release report, Keith reviews “Curse of the Molemen featuring Big Baby” by Charles Burns, and the Memorable Moment is from “Aliens 2”.
Originally Aired: October 14, 1991
The Weekly Podioplex: April 3, 2018
The Watchlist
Current
Supergirl
The Flash
Black Lightning
Arrow
Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD
Blindspot
MacGyver
Legends of Tomorrow
Taken
Designated Survivor
Timeless
The Crossing
Waiting room
Jessica Jones: Season Two
The 100 (Season Five premieres April 24)
The Orville (Season Two premieres Fall 2018)
Doctor Who (Series Eleven premieres Fall 2018)
The Good Doctor (Season Two premieres 2018/2019)
The Good Place (Season Three premieres 2018/2019)
Game of Thrones (Season Eight premieres 2019)
Star Trek: Discovery (Season Two premieres 2019)
Catching up
Madam Secretary (via CBS All Access)
The Punisher (via Netflix)
Backlog
Marvel’s Inhumans – Episodes 5-8
Movie Night
This week
Ready Player One – 8/10
With zero expectations, I was pleasantly surprised.
I’ve mentioned before that the trailers gave me near-zero indication of the actual story. Everything in them was about video game characters fighting and DeLoreans racing in a simulated world that was bright and shiny in comparison to the financial apocalypse of the real. I also have never set eyes on the book, so with that in mind, I was anticipating an absolute failure of a movie.
The film itself is pretty paint-by-numbers 1980s-era Spielberg, but the story and moral snagged me once I stopped watching for pop culture call-outs. After I stopped hunting for them, my inner soundtrack nerd was pleased to hear Spielberg and Silvestri nod to Zemeckis with the Back to the Future “twinkle” theme.
The universe itself made sense once I thought about it. Without spoilers, since the entire world is completely absorbed in a virtual reality that centers around the pop culture of a particular era, it wasn’t too large a leap to understand why so much marketing and product in the story’s universe also remains there. One example is the 1980s Doritos bag that makes a couple of appearances.
What doesn’t make complete sense is that no other creators have made something new to either compete with or complement the existing worldwide tech craze. So much of history’s best creative periods spring from times of deep tribulation, destitution, and conflict. But, I guess when the prize is valued in the trillions of dollars, what corporation would ignore the immediate return on investment on nostalgia?
It meant a lot personally to see the moral of this story echo something that I try to live by, even though it is ironic that the advertising focused so much on the pop culture world to pass a message to audiences on how much they should spend more time with flesh and blood interactions.
As an aside, this was a good test of our MoviePass cards. I think they were a good investment.
Upcoming
Apr 27 – Avengers: Infinity War – (Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase III, Chapter 7)
May 11 – Life of the Party – (A close friend of mine was an extra with significant camera time on this project)
May 18 – Deadpool 2 – (X-Men series #11)
May 25 – Solo: A Star Wars Story
Jun 15 – The Incredibles 2
Jun 22 – Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
Jul 6 – Ant-Man and the Wasp – (Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase III, Chapter 8)
Jul 27 – Mission: Impossible — Fallout – (M:I #6)
Oct 5 – Venom – (Sony Spider-Man Universe revival)
Nov 2 – X-Men: Dark Phoenix – (X-Men series #12)
Nov 2 – Mulan – (Disney live-action remake)
Nov 16 – Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald – (Fantastic Beasts #2, Harry Potter #10)
Nov 21 – Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2 – 11/21
Dec 14 – Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse – (Sony Spider-Man multiverse)
Dec 21 – Aquaman – (DC Extended Universe #6)
Dec 25 – Mary Poppins Returns
Future
Feb 2019 – The New Mutants – (X-Men series #13)
Mar 2019 – How to Train Your Dragon 3
Mar 2019 – Captain Marvel – (Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase III, Chapter 9)
Mar 2019 – Dumbo – (Disney live-action remake)
Apr 2019 – Shazam! – (DC Extended Universe #7)
May 2019 – Avengers #4 – (Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase III, Chapter 10)
May 2019 – Aladdin – (Disney live-action remake)
Jun 2019 – Gambit – (X-Men Series #14)
Jun 2019 – Men in Black Untitled – (Men in Black #4)
Jun 2019 – Toy Story 4
Jul 2019 – Spider-Man Homecoming #2 – (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
Jul 2019 – Top Gun
Jul 2019 – The Lion King – (Disney live-action remake)
Jul 2019 – Terminator sequel – (Terminator #6)
Aug 2019 – Artemis Fowl
Nov 2019 – Wonder Woman #2 – (DC Extended Universe #8)
Nov 2019 – Frozen 2
Dec 2019 – Star Wars: Episode IX
Dec 2019 – Wicked
Jul 2020 – Indiana Jones #5
Jul 2020 – Minions #2
Night at the Theater
This week
None
Coming soon
Something Rotten at The Fox Theater in Atlanta.
Literary Pursuits
Currently reading
Diving into the works of H.P. Lovecraft
Podcasting for Dummies (3rd Edition) by Tee Morris and Chuck Tomasi
Reviews
None
On the Virtual Air
Notes
None
Spotlight
None
Adventures in Creative Criticality
The Timestamps Project
This week was a detour with the Sixth Doctor in Real Time. Next week is A Fix with Sontarans before starting the Seventh Doctor’s run.
Other Musings
None
Upcoming Podcasts
None
Upcoming Appearances
May 5-7: WHOLanta 2018
Aug 30-Sep 3: Dragon Con 2018
Until next time, enjoy the journey.
Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.
For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.
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