Culture on My Mind – Pop Culture Download: April 1, 2018

April 1, 2018July 18, 2025 Michael FalknerLeave a comment

Culture on My Mind
Pop Culture Download
April 1, 2018

On the Docket

The 2018 Hugo Award Finalists have been announced. The winners will be announced on Sunday, August 19. – [Tor]

Powerhouse television producer Steven Bochco has died at the age of 74. – [THR]

Funko is introducing a horror/occult line of cereal, including Freddy Krueger, Elvira, and Beetlejuice. – [Bloody Disgusting]

Colin Trevorrow has been tapped for a third Jurassic World film. – [Variety]

Keith DeCandido continues his 4-Color to 35-Millimeter: The Great Superhero Movie Rewatch with the first Sam Raimi Spider-Man film. – [Tor]

Into The Chronic Rift

The Chronic Rift: Episode 012 – A Chat with Author Chuck Harter
Chuck Harter, author of “Mr. Novak: An Acclaimed Television Series”, chats with John about the groundbreaking TV series about high school teachers and their students, the appeal of star James Franciscus, the making of Chuck’s book and more.

The Shazam/Isis Podcast – Episode 39: Isis – “The Show Off”
Steve is a student who has a serious inferiority complex. He compensates by showing off, but his recklessness gets him into trouble very quickly.

John and Richard have a lot to talk about in this episode. First, there’s the excitement over Michael Gray’s appearance on AMC’s Comic Book Men this fall. Next, they look through the fourth issue of DC Comics’ 1976 run of The Mighty Isis. It’s the last issue before the series took an interesting turn. Finally, they review, “The Show Off,” an episode of Isis that turns out to be two stories in one as the first story is abandoned early in the second act. Plus, there’s admiration of Joanna Cameron’s acting with Tut, Brian Cutler’s fishing hat, and the use of more realistic gorilla costumes if you don’t want to use a real gorilla in your story.

The Hornet’s Sting Podcast: Episode 16: “Seek, Stalk and Destroy”
A trio of Korean War vets hatch a plan to bust their sergeant out of prison with a stolen tank. Will the Hornet be able to stop them in time? John and Jim are back with an episode that they are once again mixed on. They both agree the episode has merit, but one of them is overly enthused by the premise. Also, they discuss the influences of the Batman series on The Green Hornet and the music of Billy May.

The Chronic Rift Classic: Episode 33 – Time Paradoxes
Andrea Lipinski and Keith DeCandido welcome editor Ian Randal Strock, author Tim Powers, and movie critic Daniel Persons to our Roundtable discussion on time paradoxes and their place in literature and movies. Plus, Marc Macagnone reviews the PBM game, Real Politic, Keith reviews “Deadface: Doing the Island with Bacchus” by Eddie Campbell, and the Memorable Moment is from “The Avengers” episode, “The Masked Avenger”.

Originally Aired: September 30, 1991

The Chronic Rift Classic: Episode 34 – The Society for Creative Anachronism
Andrea Lipinski and Keith DeCandido welcome Ted Dillenkofer, Veda Crewe and Sondra Venableto the studio to discuss the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA). They appear in period regalia and offer video of SCA events in order to give the viewers a better idea of what the organization offers. Plus, Orenthal Hawkins offers his thoughts on the animated shows, “Bobby’s World” and “The Toxic Crusaders” and Keith reviews Innovation Comics’ take on “Quantum Leap” and “Lost in Space”.

Originally Aired: October 7, 1991

The Weekly Podioplex: April 1, 1988

The Watchlist

Current
Supergirl
The Flash
Black Lightning
Arrow
Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD
Blindspot
MacGyver
Legends of Tomorrow
Taken
Designated Survivor
Timeless

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
None

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 the summary of the Twenty-Third Series and the Sixth Doctor’s run. This week, I’ll be taking a slight detour into a couple of Sixth Doctor extras before starting the Seventh Doctor’s tenure.

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.

Culture on My Mind – Pop Culture Download: March 25, 2018

March 25, 2018July 18, 2025 Michael FalknerLeave a comment

Culture on My Mind
Pop Culture Download
March 25, 2018

On the Docket

Toys R Us founder Charles Lazarus has died at the age of 94. Coincidentally, it was just days after the company announced that it was liquidating its stores in the United States. – [CNN]

The Marvel News Desk channel on YouTube has compressed the Marvel Cinematic Universe into a twenty-minute video in preparation for next month’s Avengers: Infinity War. – [YouTube]

Deadpool 2 has a new trailer, one that definitely earns a red band. – [YouTube]

H. Wayne Huizenga, founder of the now defunct Blockbuster Video, has died at the age of 80. – [THR]

Disney Music Group is remastering the single-disc soundtracks for the first six Star Wars films – A New Hope, Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith – for release on May 4th. The remaining two-disc complete soundtracks for Episodes II and III are still missing in action. – [StarWars.com]

Keith DeCandido’s 4-Color to 35-Millimeter: The Great Superhero Movie Rewatch continues with a look at the first cinematic outing for the Incredible Hulk. – [Tor.com]

Into The Chronic Rift

The Chronic Rift: Episode 011 – In Review March 2018
Our monthly review episode is jammed packed with opinion pieces from old and new contributors to the Rift. Keith DeCandido and Dan Persons are back with TV and movie reviews. We welcome Denise Lhamon of The Weekly Podioplex as our book reviewer. And for the first time ever on The Chronic Rift, we have a music reviewer in the form of J. Andrew World. Add to it another look at pop culture by Ken Holtzhouser and you’ve got a new In Review episode of The Chronic Rift.

The Batcave Podcast – Episode 79: “Batman vs Two-Face”
How is it possible to top the success of last year’s The Return of the Caped Crusaders? You add William Shatner to the mix! Shatner takes on the role of Harvey Dent/Two-Face in this new feature length film and just as with the previous film, the producers bring us an interesting take on the classic villain. In this episode, we discuss Adam West’s final performance, just how couched in the first season this film is, and our thoughts on the possibility of the series continuing without its lead actor.

Joining John to breakdown this movie in a double-sized episode is Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension, Billy Flynn of Geek Radio Daily, and Ben Bentley of the Batman 66 Message Board.

The Weekly Podioplex: March 20, 2018

The Watchlist

Current
The Good Doctor
Supergirl
The Flash
Black Lightning
Arrow
Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD
Blindspot
MacGyver
Legends of Tomorrow
Taken
Designated Survivor
Timeless

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 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
None

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 concluded The Trial of a Time Lord with The Ultimate Foe, and next week is the summary of the Twenty-Third Series and the Sixth Doctor’s run. After that, I’ll be taking a slight detour into a couple of Sixth Doctor extras before starting the Seventh Doctor’s tenure.

Other Musings
None

Upcoming Podcasts
I will be recording with The 42cast about Star Trek: Discovery.

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.

Culture on My Mind – Pop Culture Download: March 18, 2018

March 18, 2018July 18, 2025 Michael FalknerLeave a comment

Culture on My Mind
Pop Culture Download
March 18, 2018

On the Docket

Doctor Stephen Hawking, world-renowned theoretical physicist and cosmologist, has died at the age of 76. – [BBC]

Mark Hamill has been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. – [Variety]

Lynda Carter of Wonder Woman fame will be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame next month. – [Syfy]

The trailers have been released for Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, Mary Poppins Returns, Christopher Robin, and Avengers: Infinity War. – [In order on YouTube: 1, 2, 3, 4]

Keith DeCandido’s 4-Color to 35-Millimeter: The Great Superhero Movie Rewatch continues with the sort of sequel to the Christopher Reeve era of Superman with Superman Returns. – [Tor.com]

Into The Chronic Rift

The Chronic Rift: Episode 010 – A Chat with Author Jeremy K. Brown
Author Jeremy K. Brown returns to the podcast to discuss his new book, Zero Limit. Before they get to that, he and John discuss Netflix and how the streaming service is moving towards feeling like a television network. Then, they discuss Zero Limit and the parallels of motifs with his previous work, Ocean of Storms.

The Shazam/Isis Podcast – Episode 38: Isis – “How to Find a Friend”
Tom is a troubled student who tries to make friends, but fails. He comes up with the idea of really impressing a kid with a dirt bike he wants to ride by offering him an antique gun that belongs to his father. The problem is the firing mechanism of the gun is rusted and the weapon could go off in the user’s hands.

This is a packed episode even though it isn’t action packed. First, Richard relates his attending Big Apple Comic Con in New York with Jackson Bostwick and how the two participated in a panel on the history of the use of the name, Captain Marvel. Next, John and Richard discuss the third issue of the 1976 DC Comics run of Isis. Finally, they discuss the episode itself. Richard likes it more than John, finding the time manipulation elements interesting, while John just finds it weird.

The Hornet’s Sting Podcast – Episode 15: “The Hornet and the Firefly”
There’s an arsonist on the loose in the city and the Hornet takes the case. But Mike Axford has a former police investigator with a specialty in arson that he’d like to bring in. He quickly learns that the man has more to prove than just the case. John and Jim are at odds over the merits of this episode. Take a listen and see.

Presenting the Transcription Feature: Vic & Sade and Escape
“Vic and Sade” is the driest of domestic comedies. We present two 15-minute visits to “the small house half-way up on the next block.” First, Sade may have at last found a place to store all of her husband’s fraternal lodge regalia that’s always cluttering up the house. Then, what did people do for entertainment at the height of the Depression? Rush’s pal Rotten makes performance art out of a collapsed porch. Finally, on “Escape,” we all escape to Kafiristan, via an adaptation of the Rudyard Kipling classic story, “The Man Who Would Be King.”

The Weekly Podioplex: March 13, 2018

The Watchlist

Current
The Good Doctor
Supergirl
The Flash
Black Lightning
Arrow
Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD
Blindspot
MacGyver
Legends of Tomorrow
Taken
Designated Survivor
Timeless

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 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
A Wrinkle in Time: It looks great visually and carries the message of the book, but does take great liberties with the story. The tightened narrative was a benefit, but some of the acting didn’t quite click. Not a favorite by any stretch, but still enjoyable enough. – 7/10

Coco: Time got a little tight when this was released to theaters, so I bought it blind on Blu-ray. I’m glad I did. – 9/10

Night at the Theater

This week
A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder at The Fox Theater in Atlanta.

Coming soon
None

Literary Pursuits

Currently reading
Diving into the works of H.P. Lovecraft

Reviews
Star Wars: The Last Jedi by Jason Fry – 4/5

On the Virtual Air

Notes
None

Spotlight
None

Adventures in Creative Criticality

The Timestamps Project
This week continued The Trial of a Time Lord with Terror of the Vervoids, and next week is The Ultimate Foe.

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.

Culture on My Mind – Pop Culture Download: March 11, 2018

March 11, 2018July 7, 2025 Michael FalknerLeave a comment

Culture on My Mind
Pop Culture Download
March 11, 2018

On the Docket

Toys “R” Us is reportedly on the verge of liquidating U.S. operations, marking the end of an era. – [LA Times]

Lost in Space is coming back to televisions, this time on Netflix. – [Trailer]

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy has returned to BBC Radio with The Hexagonal Phase, part six of the famous trilogy. – [Ars Technica]

Jon Favreau has been tapped to executive produce and write a Star Wars live-action series. – [StarWars.com]

Keith DeCandido’s 4-Color to 35-Millimeter: The Great Superhero Movie Rewatch continues looking into the X-Men with X-Men: The Last Stand. – [Tor.com]

Into The Chronic Rift

The Chronic Rift: Episode 009 – Oscar Picks 2018 and More!
The Oscars have come and gone and John doesn’t care. And yet, there he was, offering his thoughts on this year’s Oscar nominees. See what he got right and what he got wrong. Also, it’s also a chance for John to do some housekeeping and present some things to you, the viewer, you may not be aware of when it comes to The Chronic Rift in general.

The Shazam/Isis Podcast – Episode 37: Isis – “Bigfoot”
Lee and Cindy claim to have seen Bigfoot while walking through the woods. Is it possible? Rick has a hard time believing it, but when the kids begin to panic and decide to hunt the beast down, Isis steps in and discovers the secret of Bigfoot (long before Steve Austin did).

John is especially excited to tackle this episode in light of his love for Bigfoot on The Six Million Dollar Man, but there are problems with it as John and Richard discuss. Plus, they also talk about how Isis managed to debunk supernatural tropes that were popular in the 70s, wonder how a man with shoes leaves a bare footprint, and discuss the second issue of the DC Comics The Mighty Isis Series, “The Creature from Dimension X” and “Lost and Found”.

The Batcave Podcast – Episode 67: “Return of the Caped Crusaders”
It’s the movie 50 years in the making (well, in the waiting). Adam West, Burt Ward, and Julie Newmar return to the Batman 66 universe in an all-new animated movie. Joker, Penguin, Riddler, and Catwoman have reunited to take control of Gotham City and the world once again with the theft of a duplicator ray. But it wouldn’t be Batman 66 if there wasn’t more to the plot and there certainly is as Batman becomes more aggressive in his pursuit of the villainous quartet. What is happening and will good triumph over evil in the end? Joining John to breakdown this movie in a double-sized episode is Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension, Billy Flynn of Geek Radio Daily, and Ben Bentley of the Batman 66 Message Board.

The Weekly Podioplex: March 6, 2018

The Watchlist

Current
The Good Doctor
Supergirl
The Flash
Black Lightning
Arrow
Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD
Blindspot
MacGyver
Legends of Tomorrow
Taken
Designated Survivor

Waiting room
Timeless (Season Two premieres March 11)
The 100 (Season Five premieres April 24)
The Orville (Season Two premieres Fall 2018)
Doctor Who (Series Eleven premieres Fall 2018)
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)

Backlog
Marvel’s Inhumans – Episodes 5-8

Movie Night

This week
Mar 9 – A Wrinkle in Time

Upcoming
May 4 – 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

Night at the Theater

This week
A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder at The Fox Theater in Atlanta.

Coming soon
None

Literary Pursuits

Currently reading
Star Wars: The Last Jedi by Jason Fry
Diving into the works of H.P. Lovecraft

Reviews
Amazing Spider-Man: Volume 1 – 3.5/5
Amazing Spider-Man: Volume 3 – “Spider-Verse” – 4.5/5

On the Virtual Air

Notes
None.

Spotlight
None.

Adventures in Creative Criticality

The Timestamps Project
This week’s started The Trial of a Time Lord with Mindwarp, and next week is Terror of the Vervoids.

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.

Culture on My Mind – Pop Culture Download: March 4, 2018

March 4, 2018July 7, 2025 Michael FalknerLeave a comment

Culture on My Mind
Pop Culture Download
March 4, 2018

On the Docket

David Ogden Stiers, Major Winchester from M*A*S*H, has died at the age of 75. – [Variety]

Warner Bros. has scheduled the Six Billion Dollar Man for Memorial Day 2019. – [Deadline]

Avengers: Infinity War has moved up one week to an April 27 worldwide premiere. – [THR]

Keith DeCandido’s 4-Color to 35-Millimeter: The Great Superhero Movie Rewatch continues looking into the X-Men with X2: X-Men United. – [Tor.com]

Into The Chronic Rift

The Chronic Rift: Episode 008 – In Review February 2018
It’s that time of the month when John gets a hankering for taking a look at all things pop culture and reviewing them with a group of people whose opinion he trusts. This month, the focus is on Marvel’s Black Panther movie. John is joined by Denise Lhamon of The Weekly Podioplex and artist Mike Fichera. Together they discuss Dan Persons’ assertion that Marvel didn’t really push the envelope when it came to the social message of the movie. Plus, they chat about the glut of superhero projects in general and is the bubble about to burst with thanks to commentary from Ken Holtzhouser. It’s all here, plus a little Bringing it to the Table for a new In Review for February 2018.

The Batcave Podcast – Episode 69: “Mayhem, Millionaires, & Minerva”
Minerva has a plan to rob the richest men in Gotham City while using her spa as a front for her operations. It seems almost like a plausible story for the third season. In fact, John went into it dreading it and then found in watching it and then talking about it with guest host, longtime Batman 66 fan, Robert Long, that it wasn’t all that bad. Robert goes so far as to point out that the episode has the beats of a condensed two-part second season story. They also discuss the relationship between Barbara Gordon/Batgirl and Alfred compared with his relationship with Batman and Robin. It may be the final review of the original series, but it’s not the end of the podcast as John explains towards the end.

The Hornet’s Sting Podcast – Episode 14: “May the Best Man Lose”
District Attorney Scanlon is running for re-election and it looks like it’s going to be a rough one as his life is threatened. The Hornet has to step in to investigate, but how does he do it without connecting himself to the DA? This is an interesting episode of the series as it addresses a number of questions, the least of which is why should one elect someone who has failed time and again to catch public enemy number one, The Green Hornet?

Presenting the Transcription Feature: The Kraft Music Hall & The College Quiz Bowl
Bing Crosby leads “The Kraft Music Hall” with special guest, Lucille Ball. Before she was “Lucy,” the comedy legend, she was a would-be glamour girl with a knack for comedy. Then on “The College Quiz Bowl” students from Barnard College and Syracuse University tackle topics as diverse as mythology, anatomy, and politics.

The Weekly Podioplex: February 27, 2018

The Watchlist

Current
The Good Doctor
Supergirl
The Flash
Black Lightning
Arrow
Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD
Blindspot
MacGyver
Legends of Tomorrow
Star Wars Rebels – (Series Finale 3/5)
Taken
Designated Survivor

Catching up
Madam Secretary (via CBS All Access)

Backlog
Marvel’s Inhumans – Episodes 5-8

Movie Night

This week
None

Upcoming
Mar 9 – A Wrinkle in Time
May 4 – 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

Night at the Theater

This week
Rent at The Fox Theater in Atlanta. It was chaotic and beautiful.

Coming soon
A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder at The Fox Theater in Atlanta

Literary Pursuits

Currently reading
Diving into the works of H.P. Lovecraft

Reviews
Captain Marvel: Volume 1 – 4/5
Captain Marvel: Volume 2 – 4/5

On the Virtual Air

Notes
None. It’s been business as usual during an otherwise crazy busy week.

Spotlight
Also none, though as time permits I need to get some spotlights written for a few good podcasts.

Adventures in Creative Criticality

The Timestamps Project
This week’s started The Trial of a Time Lord with The Mysterious Planet, and next week is Mindwarp.

Other Musings
None.

Upcoming Podcasts
I’m recording this week with The 42Cast.

Upcoming Appearances
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.

Culture on My Mind – Pop Culture Download: February 25, 2018

February 25, 2018July 2, 2025 Michael FalknerLeave a comment

Culture on My Mind
Pop Culture Download
February 25, 2018

On the Docket
(In order of discovery this week)

Series Eleven of Doctor Who has a new logo and look. – [BBC/BBCA]

Dragon Con has selected Literacy Action Inc. as their official charity for 2018. – [Dragon Con]

Lost in Space is coming back to television once again, this time on Netflix. – [YouTube]

Solo: A Star Wars Story tie-in comics and storybooks have been revealed. – [StarWars.com]

Joss Whedon has bowed out of the Batgirl movie. – [THR]

Sharknado 6 is going time traveling. – [BloodyDisgusting]

Keith DeCandido continues the 4-Color to 35-Millimeter: The Great Superhero Movie Rewatch with the mutants of the new millennium: X-Men (2000). – [Tor.com]

Into The Chronic Rift

The Chronic Rift: Episode 007 – Disco Isn’t Dead
The first season of Star Trek: Discovery is in the books and enough time has passed that we can have a spoiler filled discussion of what worked and what didn’t. John and guest, writer Julio Angel Ortiz, get into their favorite moments, episodes, and characters as well as discuss the fan reaction to the new series overall. In addition, they offer their suggestions for a second season in 2019.

The Batcave Podcast: Episode 68 – “The Entrancing Dr. Cassandra”
It’s the penultimate episode of the series and it seems to lack any spark or energy to it despite featuring Ida Lupino and Howard Duff as alchemist Dr. Cassandra and her groovy husband Cabala. That alone should make it exciting, but then add Batgirl in the Batcave and a prison break featuring six of the villains from Batman’s Rogue’s Gallery and you should have a classic – and yet, nothing. Joining John to discuss an episode that’s only thing that makes it stand out is the sexual innuendo is writer/editor Jim Beard of Gotham City 14 Miles.

The Hornet’s Sting: Episode 13 – “Freeway to Death”
The Hornet and Mike Axford teaming up? How is this possible? When Britt orders Mike to work with the Hornet in order to bring down a construction racket, Mike has his own ideas that could threaten his life. John and Jim are in agreement that this is a “Must Watch” episode, but they’re not entirely sure why. Is it the appearance of Jeffrey Hunter? Is it the Black Beauty versus three bulldozers? Is it the Hornet Mortars? Is it the Hornet and Mike working together? Take a listen and maybe you can help them figure it out. Also, the two take a moment to talk about the late Van Williams and his legacy of The Green Hornet.

Generations Geek: Episode 46 – Treknology
Science fiction writer Scott Pearson welcomes astrophysicist Ethan Siegel to discuss science and Treknology, his new book about how the technology of Star Trek compares with what we have now and what we could develop in the future. Plus, Ella reacts to the surprise at the end of Star Trek: Discovery’s first season finale.

The Weekly Podioplex: February 20, 2018

The Chronic Rift is looking for reviewers for games, video games, books, podcasts, comic books, and music. If you’re interested contact us at the website or via Facebook Messenger.

The Watchlist

Current – (Most on hiatus for sweeps and the Olympics)
The Good Doctor
Supergirl
The Flash
Black Lightning
Arrow
Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD
Blindspot
MacGyver
Legends of Tomorrow
Star Wars Rebels

Waiting room
Designated Survivor (returns February 28)
Timeless (Season Two premieres March 11)
The 100 (Season Five premieres April 24)
The Orville (Season Two premieres Fall 2018)
Doctor Who (Series Eleven premieres Fall 2018)
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)

Backlog
Marvel’s Inhumans – Episodes 5-8

Movie Night

This week
Feb 16 – Black Panther – (Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase III, Chapter 6)
Visually stunning and powerful. A magnificent entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. – 8.5/10

Night at the Theater

This week
Rent at The Fox Theater in Atlanta

Coming soon
None

Literary Pursuits

Currently reading
Ms. Marvel, Volumes 1 and 2 (via Kindle Unlimited) – 4/5 for each entry.

Reviews
None

On the Virtual Air

Notes
None

Spotlight
None

Adventures in Creative Criticality

The Timestamps Project
This week’s review is the Twenty-Second Season review, and next week beings The Trial of a Time Lord with The Mysterious Planet. I’m hoping this gets better.

Upcoming Podcasts
I visited RetroBlasting HQ on last week. We discussed toys and Doctor Who. – [YouTube]

The 42Cast released our discussion on the state of geek fandom. – [42Cast]

I plan on visiting the 42Cast again in the near future to discuss Star Trek.

Upcoming Appearances
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.

Culture on My Mind – Pop Culture Download: February 18, 2018

February 18, 2018July 2, 2025 Michael FalknerLeave a comment

Culture on My Mind
Pop Culture Download
February 18, 2018

On the Docket
(In order of discovery this week)

Toy Story Land opens at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on June 30, 2018. – [Disney Parks]

Solo: A Star Wars Story tie-in comics and storybooks have been revealed. – [StarWars.com]

Keith DeCandido continues 4-Color to 35-Millimeter: The Great Superhero Movie Rewatch with a look at Marvel’s first theatrical success, the Blade trilogy, from 1998, 2002, and 2004. – [Tor.com]

(Otherwise, kind of a slow but busy week for gathering pop culture news.)

Into The Chronic Rift

The Chronic Rift – Episode 006 – Time Loop-de-Loops
It’s the 25th anniversary of the release of the movie Groundhog Day. There is something about a time loop that fascinates most everyone, be it for the comedy or drama potential. We’re going to discuss just what makes a good time loop story and of course talk about Groundhog Day with The Podcast Cowboy Clay Dugger and Denise Lhamon of The Weekly Podioplex.

The Shazam/Isis Podcast – Episode 36: ISIS – “Lucky”
Randy is getting ready to enter high school and he’s looking forward to it, even though it means leaving his dog Lucky behind during the day. When Lucky drowns in the ocean during a beach party, Randy struggles with his loss. And when he questions Isis for not using her powers to revive Lucky, Isis must teach him a lesson on life and death. In the most heartwarming and heartbreaking episode of either series, John and Richard discuss the dealing with loss in one’s life. Plus, they also look at the first issue of DC Comics’ The Mighty Isis comic book and rave about Joanna Cameron’s acting in light of her performance in this episode. In the end though, is this one of the best, if not the best episode of the series? John and Richard are of mixed thoughts about this.

The Weekly Podioplex: February 13, 2018

The Watchlist

Current – (Most on hiatus for sweeps and the Olympics)
The Good Doctor
Supergirl
The Flash
Black Lightning
Arrow
Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD
Blindspot
MacGyver
Legends of Tomorrow

Waiting room
Star Wars Rebels (returns February 19)
Designated Survivor (returns February 28)
Timeless (Season Two premieres March 11)
The 100 (Season Five premieres April 24)
The Orville (Season Two premieres Fall 2018)
Doctor Who (Series Eleven premieres Fall 2018)
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)

Backlog
Marvel’s Inhumans – Episodes 5-8

Movie Night

This week
Feb 16 – Black Panther – (Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase III, Chapter 6)
[Watching on Sunday evening]

Night at the Theater

This week
None

Coming soon
Rent at The Fox Theater in Atlanta

Literary Pursuits

Currently reading
Beta read for an undisclosed author

Reviews
None

On the Virtual Air

Notes
I finally caught up on the Dead Robots Society farewell tribute to Justin Macumber. It was very touching. – [DRS]

Spotlight
I need to get some spotlights written for a few good podcasts.

Adventures in Creative Criticality

The Timestamps Project
This week’s review is Revelation of the Daleks, and next week is the Twenty-Second Season review.

Upcoming Podcasts
I visited RetroBlasting HQ on Saturday. We discussed toys and Doctor Who. – [YouTube]

There are also plans afoot with some long-time friends and science fiction classics.

Upcoming Appearances
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.

Culture on My Mind – Pop Culture Download: February 11, 2018

February 11, 2018July 1, 2025 Michael FalknerLeave a comment

Culture on My Mind
Pop Culture Download
February 11, 2018

On the Docket
(In order of discovery this week)

John Mahoney, the actor who played Martin Crane on Frasier, has died at the age of 77. – [THR]

Solo: A Star Wars Story premiered a Super Bowl teaser and a cinematic teaser. – [YouTube/YouTube]

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom premiered a Super Bowl trailer. – [YouTube]

Mission: Impossible – Fallout premiered a Super Bowl trailer. – [YouTube]

The Cloverfield Paradox, the third film in the super secret franchise, premiered a Super Bowl trailer… and then premiered the movie itself on Netflix right after the game. – [YouTube]

David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, the creators behind television’s Game of Thrones, have been tapped to write and produce a new series of Star Wars films. – [StarWars.com]

Keith DeCandido continues 4-Color to 35-Millimeter: The Great Superhero Movie Rewatch with a look at The Spirit, both the 1987 and 2008 versions. – [Tor.com]

Michael Jan Friedman is trying to fund Empty Space, a new and mysterious space adventure. The Kickstarter campaign ends on February 16. – [Kickstarter]

Into The Chronic Rift

The Chronic Rift – Episode 005 – Podcast of the Apes
Originally broadcast on Facebook Live on February 5, 2018. It’s the 50th anniversary of the premiere of the original “Planet of the Apes” movie starring Roddy McDowell as Cornelius. Since then, there have been five movies in the original movie series, a cartoon, a TV series, various comic book series, a failed attempt at reviving the franchise in 2001, and a more successful revival that continues to produce hit movies to this day. We take a look at the history of this franchise with Dan Greenfield of 13thDimension.com, and writer Jim Beard. What stands out? What survives the test of time and what do we wish we could just say never happened? Considering the political climate today, what should future movies deal with in plotlines?

The Hornet’s Sting – Episode 12: “The Secret of Sally Bell”
The Sally Bell returns to dock after having mysteriously disappeared. There’s only one survivor who is now injured thanks to a Hornet’s Sting. With the aid of a doctor, the Hornet tries to protect the man from his comrades who are all trying to discover the secret of the Sally Bell. John and Jim are back to being at odds over the merits of this particular episode. They do both agree though that the character of Honey Boy is absolutely useless. Take a listen and let us know what you think.

The Batcave Podcast – Episode 66: “The Joker’s Flying Saucer”
The final Joker episode for Batman 66 is not exactly a fan favorite, but there are things of merit in the episode that are worth discussing. There were missed opportunities in a story that went beyond even the insanity of Joker surfing by having Joker build an unidentified flying object to terrorize Gotham City. And who is Verdigris? Is being a Martian his shtick? Is he just a bomb expert? Or is he a bunko artist? Joining John to discuss what could have been a two-part story based on the high concept ideas expressed but never fully realized is writer/editor Jim Beard of Gotham City 14 Miles.

The Weekly Podioplex: February 6, 2018

The Watchlist

Current
Star Trek: Discovery
The Good Doctor
Supergirl
The Flash
Black Lightning
Arrow
Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD
Blindspot
MacGyver

Waiting room
Legends of Tomorrow (returns February 12)
Star Wars Rebels (returns February 19)
Designated Survivor (returns February 28)
Timeless (Season Two premieres March 11)
The 100 (Season Five premieres April 24)
The Orville (Season Two premieres Fall 2018)
Doctor Who (Series Eleven premieres Fall 2018)
The Good Place (Season Three premieres 2018/2019)
Game of Thrones (Season Eight premieres 2019)

Catching up
None

Backlog
Marvel’s Inhumans – Episodes 5-8

Movie Night

This week
Feb 16 – Black Panther – (Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase III, Chapter 6)

Night at the Theater

This week
None

Coming soon
Rent at The Fox Theater in Atlanta

Literary Pursuits

Currently reading
Beta read for an undisclosed author

Reviews
Captain America: Winter Soldier Volume 2 – 4/5

On the Virtual Air

Notes
None. It’s been business as usual during an otherwise crazy busy week.

Spotlight
Also none, though as time permits I need to get some spotlights written for a few good podcasts.

Adventures in Creative Criticality

The Timestamps Project
This week’s review is Timelash, and next week is Revelation of the Daleks. Spoiler: Things did not end well.

Other Musings
I republished my thoughts on how Star Wars isn’t about me (or you). They were originally published on my Facebook profile, but with the recent fervor over Solo: A Star Wars Story, I thought it important to put them on the blog as well. You can find it here.

Upcoming Podcasts
I have plans in motion for a visit to RetroBlasting HQ. There are also plans afoot with some long-time friends and science fiction classics.

Upcoming Appearances
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.

Culture on My Mind – Pop Culture Download: February 4, 2018

February 4, 2018July 1, 2025 Michael FalknerLeave a comment

Culture on My Mind
Pop Culture Download
February 4, 2018

On the Docket
(In order of discovery this week)

Tom Hanks will play Fred Rogers in the upcoming biographical film You Are My Friend – [THR]

Fuller House gets a fourth season on Netflix. – [Variety]

Carrie Fisher earned a posthumous Grammy for the year’s best spoken word album. – [EW]

A new trailer was released for Ant-Man and the Wasp. – [YouTube]

DC greenlit a Metropolis-based prequel series from the team behind Gotham. – [THR]

Hasbro has created a “cheater’s edition” of Monopoly. – [Business Insider]

Keith DeCandido continues 4-Color to 35-Millimeter: The Great Superhero Movie Rewatch with a look at Generation X (1996) and Justice League of America (1997). – [Tor.com]

Michael Jan Friedman is trying to fund Empty Space, a new and mysterious space adventure. The Kickstarter campaign ends on February 16. – [Kickstarter]

Into The Chronic Rift

The Chronic Rift – Episode 004 – The Herbie J Pilato Affair
Author, TV host, writer/producer Herbie J Pilato joins John to chat about his upcoming television show “Then Again with Herbie J Pilato” (premiering in 2018 on the Decades TV Network). We also discuss his creation of the Classic TV Preservation Society, his numerous written works on classic TV shows and actors, and his love for Elizabeth Montgomery and the television series, “Bewitched”. Plus, Daniel Persons reviews Stephen King’s It 2017 and Have a Nice Day HD movie and John suggests a unique Valentine’s Day gift.

Presenting the Transcription Feature – Life with Luigi & Information, Please
It’s February, and that means Valentines Day – or at least couples. First up, it’s “Life With Luigi,” the adventures of a recent Italian immigrant in Chicago. Luigi has a date for Valentine’s Day, and nothing could possibly go wrong. Then on “Information Please,” there are two female guest panelists and lots of questions about couples: separated couples, couples in literature, broken courtships, and even the phrase “ladies and gentlemen” are all covered.

The Weekly Podioplex: January 30, 2018

The Watchlist

Current
Star Trek: Discovery
The Good Doctor
Supergirl
The Flash
Black Lightning
Arrow
The Good Place
Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD
Blindspot

Waiting room
MacGyver (returns February 2)
Legends of Tomorrow (returns February 12)
Star Wars Rebels (returns February 19)
Designated Survivor (returns February 28)
Timeless (Season Two premieres March 11)
The 100 (Season Five premieres April 24)
The Orville (Season Two premieres Fall 2018)
Doctor Who (Series Eleven premieres Fall 2018)
Game of Thrones (Season Eight premieres 2019)

Catching up
Taken – via Netflix

Backlog
Marvel’s Inhumans – Episodes 5-8

Movie Night

This week
None

Upcoming
Feb 16 – Black Panther – (Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase III, Chapter 6)
Mar 9 – A Wrinkle in Time
May 4 – 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

Night at the Theater

This week
None

Coming soon
Rent at The Fox Theater in Atlanta

Literary Pursuits

Currently reading
Captain America: Winter Soldier Volume 2 via Kindle Unlimited

Reviews
Planet Hulk – 4/5
World War Hulk – 2/5
Star Wars #1: Skywalker Strikes – 5/5
Star Wars #2: Showdown on the Smuggler’s Moon – 5/5
Star Wars: Darth Vader #1 – Vader – 5/5
Star Wars: Darth Vader #2 – Shadows and Secrets – 5/5
Captain America: Winter Soldier Volume 1 – 4/5

On the Virtual Air

Notes
I took a trip in the Geek Seat on the Earth Station One podcast. – [ESO]

Spotlight
None

Adventures in Creative Criticality

The Timestamps Project
This week’s review is The Two Doctors, and next week is Timelash. This depends on whether or not I get enough time to review the episodes. Last week was a bit hectic, but I might be able to squeak in 90 minutes of Doctor Who. If not, I can push it to next week.

Upcoming Podcasts
I have plans in motion for a visit to RetroBlasting HQ. There are also plans afoot with some long-time friends and science fiction classics.

Upcoming Appearances
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.

Culture on My Mind – Pop Culture Download: January 28, 2018

January 28, 2018July 1, 2025 Michael FalknerLeave a comment

Culture on My Mind
Pop Culture Download
January 28, 2018

On the Docket
(In order of discovery this week)

Jessica Jones: Season Two is coming to Netflix on March 8. – [Deadline]

BEN Books acquires the publication rights to Snow, a crime/adventure series by Bobby Nash. – [BEN Books]

Michael Jan Friedman is trying to fund Empty Space, a new and mysterious space adventure. The Kickstarter campaign ends on February 16. – [Kickstarter]

Keith DeCandido continues 4-Color to 35-Millimeter: The Great Superhero Movie Rewatch with a look at Howard the Duck (1986) and Nick Fury: Agent of SHIELD (1998). – [Tor.com]

Michael French of RetroBlasting takes viewers on a tour of his impressive studio and archive. – [YouTube]

Every episode of Dark Shadows is available to stream on Amazon. – [Decider]

It’s only a year and a half old, but I finally saw Patrick Stewart singing country songs. You should too, then follow the trail to an actual sampler album. – [Billboard]

New York Times bestselling author David Mack will be taking part in his first Reddit Ask Me Anything (AMA) on February 1. This is celebrating the release of his new novel The Midnight Front, a World War II-era epic fantasy. The AMA will take place in the r/fantasy subreddit. – [Blog]

Naomi Parker Fraley, the inspiration for Rosie the Riveter, has died at age 96. – [CNN]

The 2018 Academy Award nominees have been announced. (I’m not sure if I’ll do another Oscars contest on The Weekly Podioplex.) – [Variety]

Neil Diamond is retiring from the concert tour circuit after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s. – [PIX11]

Elton John is retiring from the concert tour circuit after fifty years on the road. – [CNN]

The Shannara Chronicles has been canceled after two seasons. – [Variety]

Acclaimed fantasy author Ursula K. Le Guin has died at the age of 88. – [NYT]

Toys ‘R’ Us is closing over 180 stores worldwide. – [AJC]

The sixth Mission: Impossible film gets a title. – [Deadline]

Candice Bergen returns to television for a Murphy Brown revival series. – [Deadline]

Into The Chronic Rift

The Chronic Rift – 003: Some Things to Think About
John flies solo on this episode offering reviews from Dan Persons of Hour of the Wolf (movies – Mary and the Witch’s Flower), Keith R.A. DeCandido (TV – Major Crimes) and himself (podcasts – Flip Florey’s Super Saturday Board Game Serial).

The Batcave Podcast: Episode 81 – “Will the Real Robin Please Stand Up?” & “He Who Takes the Ice, Gets the Cooler”
Catwoman finds a ringer for Robin and manages to get him to replace the real deal. But Batman doesn’t appear to be buying it. Can it proves his suspicions before this ringer can reveal Batman’s identity to Catwoman? Plus, Mr. Freeze kidnaps a maharaja, right under the noses of the GCPD and Batman and Robin. Can they rescue him before he is frozen and tossed into Gotham Harbor?

Generations Geek Episode 45 – The A2s Always Were a Bit Twitchy
Science fiction writer Scott Pearson and his daughter, Ella, dive into Aliens (1986) for part three of their epic review of the entire Alien movie series. Remember, always listen to Ripley!

The Weekly Podioplex: January 23, 2018

The Watchlist

Current
Star Trek: Discovery
The Good Doctor
Supergirl
The Flash
Black Lightning
Arrow
The Good Place
Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD
Blindspot

Catching up
Taken – via Netflix

Backlog
Marvel’s Inhumans – Episodes 5-8

Movie Night

This week
None

Night at the Theater

This week
None

Coming soon
Rent at The Fox Theater in Atlanta

Literary Pursuits

Currently reading
Planet Hulk via Kindle Unlimited
World War Hulk via Kindle Unlimited

Reviews
Heart of Vengeance by Glynn Stewart and Terry Mixon
Oath of Vengeance by Glynn Stewart and Terry Mixon

I received both of these as Advanced Reader Copies (ARCs) in exchange for honest reviews. I also fell behind because the end of 2017 was a trial in its own right.

After apologizing to Terry for my tardiness, I promised to make these stories a priority in 2018.

The Vigilante series (which I really hope extends beyond these two titles in the future) is a mix of hard science fiction and pirate action on the high seas with a dash of Star Wars in some of the technology. The main character is Brad, a crewman on his uncle’s merchant ship who faces off against the solar system’s most feared pirate and loses in stellar fashion, but turns his failure into an ascendancy to revenge and opportunity.

The pirate flavor blended with hard science fiction is a unique touch, adding the rules of the pirate code (complete with swashbuckling action with pseudo-lightsabers) to a world of mass driver cannons, literal torpedoes, and non-faster than light travel. The stories have varying degrees of strengths and weaknesses: Heart of Vengeance is fast-paced and dynamic with substantial character growth, but it suffers from the plot driving the characters rather than allowing Brad to take charge; Oath of Vengeance flips that analysis, allowing Brad to take the center seat and push the plot, but his power is limited due to events which I really appreciated from the hard sci-fi aspect but serve to stall everything around them. While the roadblocks presented in Oath make sense, they also frustrate since the end goal is based on a hard time limit.

Weaknesses aside, these are both fun tales told in a pulpy, Saturday afternoon style, and are definitely worth a read.

I gave each book a rating of four out of five.

Both Heart of Vengeance and Oath of Vengeance are available at Amazon.

On the Virtual Air

Notes
The Hollywood Outsider Podcast postponed their normal schedule in order to say goodbye to Justin Macumber. It’s a touching tribute to a wonderful person. – [The Hollywood Outsider]

The Trek Files podcast has premiered on the Roddenberry Podcast Network. Hosted by “Dr. Trek” Larry Nemecek, a production and consulting veteran of the franchise, the show takes a deep-dive into the archives of Roddenberry Entertainment and the personal files of Gene Roddenberry. – [Roddenberry Podcast Network]

Spotlight
Women at Warp: A Roddenberry Star Trek Podcast

Women at Warp is a twice-monthly podcast where four women talk about Star Trek, its representations of women, contributions of women behind the scenes, and other fun Trek topics. The crew of Andi, Grace, Jarrah, and Sue have reviewed many aspects of the franchise from a unique perspective, and have also analyzed the voyages of our favorite captains and how they stand the test of time.

They also host a book club, movie commentaries, and weekly recaps of Star Trek: Discovery episodes.

Women at Warp can be found on the Roddenberry Podcast Network.

Adventures in Creative Criticality

The Timestamps Project
This week’s review is The Mark of the Rani, and next week is The Two Doctors.

Even though the goal line is moving forward as long as more Doctor Who is being made, I’ve finally reached the halfway point in this journey. I’m also starting to consider what I can do next. Long-term rewatch ideas include Star Trek and Stargate, as well as a first-time watch of Dark Shadows. Short-term ideas are far more prevalent, including Quantum Leap, MacGyver, Babylon 5, Farscape, the various Star Wars series, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the James Bond films.

The key is time, which is limited in this era of blessing/curse with the plethora of genre entertainment.

Upcoming Podcasts
I have plans in motion for visits to Earth Station One and RetroBlasting. There are also plans afoot with some long-time friends and science fiction classics.

Upcoming Appearances
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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