Tue, 16 April 2024
For the first time this season, Paul and Arlo have lost the plot. That’s right, the beloved Gobbledygeek freestyle episode has returned, new and improved for 2024, including such scintillating subjects as: Back pain! Stomach bugs! Car crashes! Country mouse Arlo took a trip to New York City, taking a bite out of the Big Apple for the very first time; Paul is planning a secluded getaway just to listen to the new Taylor Swift album; and, what’s that? The boys are writing again? They’re going to release another book? Yes! Well, maybe! Probably! All that and more on the latest episode of your very most favorite podcast.
NEXT: anything is possible.
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Sun, 7 April 2024
You’re a better podcaster than us, Michael Holland. That’s right, the City of Angels’ very own boy wonder is back to take Paul and Arlo to film school. The That Was Then classic gracing our screens this time is George Stevens’ 1939 adventure film Gunga Din, starring Cary Grant, Victor McLaglen, and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. The gang discusses the film’s connection to William Goldman, the subject of the first season of Michael’s podcast From Out of the Past; why it represents a milestone in action-adventure cinema; its surprising, or refreshing, lack of plot; and why Paul and Arlo had such a hard time watching this 85-year-old film for the very first time.
NEXT: much like Schwarzenegger, we’ll be back.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:42 - Intro / Guest 00:10:23 - Gunga Din 01:16:05 - Outro / Next
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Sun, 24 March 2024
Around and around we go, where we’ll stop–only Arlo knows! For this month’s Four-Color Flashback, Gobbledygeek’s enfant terrible has chosen Junji Ito’s 1998-99 horror manga Uzumaki. Will Paul ever forgive him? On hand to find out is The Deli Counter of Justice co-conspirator Eric Sipple, who will be appearing on FCF episodes for infinity. The gang discusses Ito’s beautifully grotesque imagery, the book’s at times confounding narrative, their (in)experience with the manga form, and snails. Plus, Arlo has been dabbling in other East Asian art with more Godzilla movies and Edward Yang’s Taiwanese masterpiece Yi Yi; and Paul cannot hold back his rage when it comes to X-Men ‘97.
NEXT: where you been, Gunga Din? Hollywood’s own Michael Holland joins us to discuss George Stevens’ 1939 classic.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:49 - Intro / Godzilla banter 00:14:23 - X-Men ‘97 rage! 00:28:33 - Uzumaki 01:49:54 - Outro / Next
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Tue, 27 February 2024
Oh, what a tangled web we Weavers! For this month’s Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo trap Eric Sipple in their web once more, this time to discuss Simon Spurrier & Dylan Burnett’s Lovecraftian mob story Weavers. Despite being big fans of Spurrier’s (author of past FCF favorites Six-Gun Gorilla and The Spire), Paul and Arlo aren't quite sure what to make of this one, while Eric has some thoughts on why the book is an interesting failure. One thing they can all agree on is Burnett’s vibrant, stylish art–and how it elevates everything else on the page.
NEXT: Paul and Arlo will return.
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Thu, 8 February 2024
As they say, don’t drink and podcast, but here Paul and Arlo are talking about 2004’s Sideways for another round of That Was Then. Alexander Payne’s acclaimed dramedy follows alcoholic wine connoisseur Miles as he takes his bonehead best buddy Jack on a road trip through Santa Barbara the week before Jack’s due to get hitched. It is the Fox Searchlight movie, and the boys discuss what that means, how the performances bring forth certain emotional notes in the script’s body, and why somebody could come away from a first viewing not understanding 20 years’ worth of hype. Plus, Arlo goes into uncomfortable detail about his middle school career.
NEXT: enough old movies, let’s talk old(-ish) comics! This month’s Four-Color Flashback sees Eric Sipple joining Paul and Arlo for Si Spurrier and Dylan Burnett’s Weavers.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:45 - Intro / Guest 00:29:46 - Main Topic 01:35:36 - Outro / Next
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Fri, 2 February 2024
We’re speeding away at breakneck speed with another installment of our That Was Then series. This time Paul and Arlo are witnesses to The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, a 1974 subway heist thriller that is exactly what it says on the tin. Not that there’s anything wrong with that! But our boys do struggle to find much to say, choosing to highlight David Shire’s jazz-funk score and Owen Roizman’s gritty cinematography while mostly being puzzled by the script’s wasted potential. It’s a fun Noo Yawk movie, and that’s okay, folks!
NEXT: NO FUCKING MERLOT! That’s right, it’s another That Was Then, this time focusing on Alexander Payne’s 2004 buddy dramedy Sideways.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:30 - Intro / The Year That Was 1974 00:21:38 - The Taking of Pelham One Two Three 01:20:30 - Outro / Next
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Mon, 29 January 2024
For the next installment in our That Was Then series, Paul and Arlo cast their minds back to 1964–a year that predates both of them, though the era’s Beatlemania might as well be Arlo’s spiritual birthplace. This time, they’re popping paisley parasols for Jacques Demy’s The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, a sung-through opera told in the style of a Hollywood musical with some of the most stunning colors you’ll ever see. Hollywood extraordinaire and From Out of the Past host Michael Holland is on hand to help the boys discuss how the film defies romantic conventions while adhering to them, the magic of Jean Rabier’s camerawork, the way Demy uses color to convey feeling, and why the film deserves to be mentioned alongside classics of the French New Wave.
NEXT: it’s a mystery, gang!
BREAKDOWN 00:00:33 - Intro / Guest / The Year 1964 00:21:00 - The Umbrellas of Cherbourg 01:28:00 - Outro / Next
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Tue, 23 January 2024
Who ya gonna call? Gobbledygeek! For the first installment of our That Was Then series, taking a look back at movies celebrating anniversaries in 2024, Paul and Arlo take residence at Spook Central for 1984’s Ghostbusters. Turning a frightful 40 this year, Ivan Reitman’s classic comedy began as a high-concept riff on the “slobs v. snobs” template made popular by Animal House before becoming an inescapable pop cultural juggernaut. The boys discuss the thoughtfulness of Reitman’s direction in tandem with the great László Kovács’ photography, the perfectly structured script by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, how much of Pete Venkman is just Bill Murray, and why the right-wing backlash to the 2016 remake is ironic in light of the original’s sketchy politics.
NEXT: a little of this, a little of that.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:48 - Intro / The Year That Was 1984 00:18:19 - Ghostbusters (1984) 01:36:29 - Outro / Next
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Wed, 17 January 2024
Look, up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's the Gobbledygeek season 15 premiere! Breaking from vaguely defined tradition, Paul and Arlo are kicking off the season with a Four-Color Flashback, and their pal Eric Sipple is on hand to help turn the pages. Arlo has chosen to subject Paul and Eric to the classic Jeph Loeb/Tim Sale collab Superman for All Seasons, which may prove a tough sell to a couple of Super-skeptics. The gang discusses the book’s Rockwell-influenced aesthetic, the simplicity (or flatness, depending on taste) of the cast, how Sale’s big dopey Superman conveys Clark Kent’s decency, and the surprising love triangle at the book’s core. Plus, Arlo explains the very personal reasons he chose this book to start the season. You'll believe a man can cry.
NEXT: introducing our That Was Then series, wherein Paul and Arlo will be taking a look at various movies that are celebrating anniversaries in 2024. First up is perennial Gobbledy-fave Ghostbusters, which is turning a frightful 40.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:43 - Intro / Guest 00:13:05 - Superman For All Seasons 02:02:28 - Arlo kills the conversation (TW: dead dads) 02:21:30 - Outro / Next
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Thu, 21 December 2023
You’ll slash your eye out, Kidder! To close out our truncated season, it’s a Twisted Christmas double feature, as Paul and Arlo explore both of Canadian auteur Bob Clark’s yuletide classics: 1974’s proto-slasher Black Christmas and the 1983 staple A Christmas Story. The boys separately find each of these movies to be deeply annoying…but who couldn’t stand which one?! Just kidding, Paul’s not that into the horror movie and Arlo can’t stand the cutesy nostalgic one. We have a brand, and we’re sticking to it. Plus, our favorite movies and TV shows of 2023.
NEXT: Merry Christmas and happy New Year! We’ll potentially be back in January potentially with a guest and potentially discussing a movie. So much potential for 2024, can’t wait to squander all of it!
BREAKDOWN 00:00:49 - Intro 00:09:03 - Black Christmas 00:57:31 - A Christmas Story 01:49:06 - Outro / Next
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Sat, 16 December 2023
What is there for a young, mixed-race woman to do in feudal Japan? Reject all traces of her femininity, assume the masculine identity of a ronin, and seek revenge on any of the four white men in the whole country who could potentially be her father. Is Mizu a demonic half-breed, an enlightened warrior, or something else altogether? Created by Michael Green and Amber Noizumi, Blue Eye Samurai charts Mizu’s journey of self-discovery and bloodlust, and Paul and Arlo are along for the ride. The boys discuss the show’s brilliant fight choreography, each character’s attempt to break free of their constraints, the tremendous voice performances of Maya Erskine and Brenda Song, and that Metallica cover. Plus, Arlo pays homage to big bald daddy Godzilla.
NEXT: ho ho no! It’s a Bob Clark double feature on the finale of our truncated season 14, as Twisted Christmas rears its festive face once more. Black Christmas and A Christmas Story are basically the same movie, right?
BREAKDOWN 00:00:55 - Intro / Guest 00:30:10 - Blue Eye Samurai 02:00:12 - Outro / Next
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Tue, 12 December 2023
We’re crash-landing back into regular podcasting with the Max original animated series Scavengers Reign. Created by Joseph Bennett and Charles Huettner, the seeds of Scavengers Reign were planted in an Adult Swim short before blossoming into a brilliant sci-fi series teeming with surrealist detours and bits of body horror. Paul and Arlo rave about the show’s Cronenberg-meets-Miyazaki vibe, laud the series’ refusal to provide easy answers, and hope against hope that this beautiful, otherworldly thing will continue to thrive in a second season. Plus, Arlo is the worst.
NEXT: more Western adult animation with heavy influence from the East, as the boys confront Netflix’s Blue Eye Samurai.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:45 - Intro / Arlo is the worst! 00:27:55 - Scavengers Reign 01:53:45 - Outro / Next
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Sun, 26 November 2023
500 episodes! Can you believe it? What incredibly special way will we choose to commemorate this event??? By, well, just having a regular episode discussing Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse with our good friend Eric Sipple. At one point this past summer, we weren’t sure another episode was ever going to happen, so this seems like a fitting celebration. The boys rave about Across the Spider-Verse’s layered meanings, innovative animation, strong emotion, and how much more fun and exciting the movie is than the comics are these days.
NEXT: who even knows, man.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:55 - Intro / Guest 00:07:05 - Shout out to Levi Williams! 00:13:28 - Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse 02:29:18 - Outro / Next
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Tue, 27 June 2023
You have to believe Gobbledygeek is magic. Or at the very least, that Paul and Arlo will revel in cinematic magic on the latest Geek Challenge. Robert Greenwald's infamous 1980 flop Xanadu is paired with David Lynch's acclaimed 2001 masterpiece Mulholland Drive for a fantastical discussion of filmic fantasy. The boys argue that Xanadu should not be seen as a failure, interpret Mulholland Drive's many cryptic symbols, bask in the radiance of Olivia Newton-John, and laud Naomi Watts' raw emotion. Plus, our bodies continue to deteriorate.
NEXT: five hundo. BREAKDOWN 00:00:39 - Intro 00:15:49 - Xanadu 01:04:15 - Mulholland Drive 01:57:26 - Outro / Next MUSIC
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Tue, 6 June 2023
In brightest day, in blackest night, no listener shall escape the Four-Color Flashback’s might! In an unusual turn of events, Paul has selected a DC book–but, of course, it’s an unusual one. Published under DC’s Young Animal imprint, curated by My Chemical Romance’s Gerard Way, Far Sector is a Green Lantern murder mystery written by N.K. Jemisin (in her first comics work) with art by Jamal Campbell. Sojourner “Jo” Mullein is the newest Lantern in the universe, and she’s been kicked way out into the far reaches of space to solve the City Enduring’s first murder in half-a-millennia. That murder, though, is only a thread–and when Jo starts pulling, the whole city begins to unravel. The boys discuss Jemisin’s timely social commentary, Campbell’s gorgeous art, why Jo Mullein overcomes our hosts’ Green Lantern skepticism, and the freaking @At. Plus, Paul and Arlo binge some TV, including the final seasons of Succession, Barry, and Ted Lasso; the new season of I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson; and the very first season of American Born Chinese.
NEXT: it’s Xanadu vs. Mulholland Drive in a Geek Challenge for the ages. BREAKDOWN 00:00:35 - Intro / Oh Lawd, it’s comin’! 00:08:00 - Recent TV season / series finales 00:38:06 - Far Sector 01:46:55 - Outro / Next MUSIC
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Wed, 10 May 2023
Are you feeling “Homesick”? Are you all “Tangled Up in Blue”? Dogged by a “Simple Twist of Fate” or, perhaps, sippin’ on gin and “Orange Juice”? Then boy, do we have the Geek Challenge for you! Dipping their toes in musical waters for the first time in a while, our boys are listening to one of each other’s favorite albums. Paul has challenged Arlo to Noah Kahan’s 2022 singer-songwriter album Stick Season, and Arlo has in turn challenged Paul to Bob Dylan’s extremely singer-songwriter classic, 1975’s Blood on the Tracks. They grapple with each artist’s distinctive vocal stylings, compare the albums’ sense of mourning for loves lost, and are generally perplexed by what music the other is drawn to.
NEXT: Drop a sick beat, we’re gonna freestyle.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:55 - Intro / Guest 00:05:30 - Stick Season by Noah Kahan 01:19:28 - Blood on the Tracks by Bob Dylan 02:27:31 - Outro / Next
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Wed, 12 April 2023
For this month’s Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo tackle a blindspot from one of their favorite writers. Gene Luen Yang, author of Gobbledyfaves like American Born Chinese and Avatar: The Last Airbender, tells the brutal story of the Boxer Rebellion in Boxers & Saints. The graphic novel duology delves into complex subjects like faith, spirituality, nationalism, and fascism; we cover ‘em all, hopefully in something resembling depth. Plus, Arlo returns to the city of Metropolis for more Superman comics, including mega-event The Death and Return of Superman and Grant Morrison & Mark Waid’s JLA run.
NEXT: we find our inner Greenwich Village folksters with a Geek Challenge featuring Noah Kahan’s Stick Season and Bob Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks. BREAKDOWN 00:00:30 - Intro / Arlo’s Adventures of Superman 00:36:45 - Boxers & Saints 02:20:14 - Outro / Next MUSIC
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Tue, 4 April 2023
Love can spread like a fungus throughout the soul, eradicating any shred of self-control. For a thorough depiction of that sentiment, we turn to HBO’s The Last of Us, a TV adaptation of the blockbuster video game series. Joining Paul and Arlo to talk everything mushroom are authors and pop culture enthusiasts Dale and Ensley Guffey, stopping by the show for their first visit in years. The gang discusses the game’s transition to television, how the show breaks new ground for the zombie apocalypse genre, the incredible chemistry between Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsay, and much more.
NEXT: a long-delayed Four-Color Flashback discussion of Gene Luen Yang’s Boxers & Saints.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:48 - Intro / Guests 00:03:00 - HBO’s The Last of Us 01:59:42 - Outro / Next
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Tue, 14 March 2023
You remind me of the pod…the pod with the geeks. Paul and Arlo fall down the rabbit hole of another Geek Challenge, this time pitting Jim Henson’s 1986 cult classic Labyrinth against Jan Švankmajer’s 1988 headtrip Alice. Henson’s film finds Jennifer Connelly dancing with David Bowie and a variety of Muppets as she attempts to rescue her baby brother, while Švankmajer’s finds Kristýna Kohoutová assailed by a variety of bizarre stop-motion creations and a taxidermied rabbit. It should be obvious who picked which movie. Topics of discussion include codpieces, sellouts, practical effects, and weird sex, among others.
NEXT: Paul and Arlo ride through The Last of Us’ post-apocalypse with the inestimable Dale Guffey and Ensley F. Guffey
BREAKDOWN 00:00:52 - Intro / Reminiscence on Vomit 00:42:07 - Alice 01:19:20 - Labyrinth 02:11:50 - Outro / Next
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Thu, 16 February 2023
Time to rise, roar, and revolt as Paul and Arlo engage in some extreme piggybacking with S.S. Rajamouli’s RRR. This alt-history epic is the rare Indian film to make a splash in the Western world, and our boys approach it as only two ignorant white guys can: with almost no knowledge of Indian culture or film! Nevertheless, they are in love with the movie, which reimagines Indian revolutionary figures Komaram Bheem and Alluri Sitarama Raju as superheroes who can outrun tigers, shoot a British bastard from a mile away, and stop motorcycles with their bare hands. The boys praise stars N.T. Rama Rao Jr. and Ram Charan, admire Rajamouli’s craft, and weep in awe at the insane shit happening in every single scene. Plus, there’s a trailer for The Flash and Arlo has finally gone back to reading old Superman comics.
NEXT: TBD.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:44 - Intro / Guest 00:18:04 - Main Topic 02:03:24 - Outro / Next
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Sun, 5 February 2023
Got a hankerin’ for god meat? Well, pull out your giant lightsaber knife and feast on a new Four-Color Flashback! For the first FCF of 2023, Paul and Arlo set out at warp speed to seek enlightenment with Al Ewing and Simone Di Meo’s We Only Find Them When They’re Dead. The BOOM! Studios series, whose 15-issue run wrapped in December, is set hundreds of years from now, when the primary industry is extracting proteins, enzymes, and minerals from the corpses of massive deities. Evocative title and crazy premise aside, the book is chock full of theosophical enigmas that our boys try to solve. Beyond the elusive quest for concrete answers, though, this comic certainly makes them feel a whole lot. Dig in. Plus, some bellyaching about the new slate of DC movies.
NEXT: a discussion of S.S. Rajamouli’s action epic RRR, which presumably concerns reading, writing, and arithmetic.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:30 - Intro / Banter 00:21:25 - We Only Find Them When They’re Dead 01:58:36 - Outro / Next
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Tue, 31 January 2023
We’re back, baby! After a longer than expected hiatus, Gobbledygeek has returned for season 14. That’s right, we’re up to 14 seasons of Paul and Arlo babbling on about any manner of nonsense–which they continue to do in this freestyle season premiere. 2023 has come in like a lion and is likely to go out like one, so we find our boys licking their wounds, recounting the real-life horrors that delayed their return to the mic, and generally complaining about everything. Including pop culture! Lest you forget that’s what they’re here for, Paul and Arlo sauté some thoughts on the mushroom apocalypse of HBO’s The Last of Us adaptation; rave about the movies they’ve caught up with, like The Fabelmans, RRR, and Aftersun; and decide to get high-brow by reading books that don’t have any pictures. Plus, a pitch for the inevitable Gobbledygeek TV series.
NEXT: okay, but we really like books that do have pictures in them. This year’s Four-Color Flashback series kicks off with Al Ewing and Simone Di Meo’s We Only Find Them When They’re Dead.
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Tue, 27 December 2022
Is that a tree branch on your face, or are you just lying to me? An extra-long Gobbledygeek season finale takes root with a discussion of Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson’s new stop-motion adaptation of Pinocchio. Paul and Arlo discuss the numerous ways del Toro has made Carlo Collodi’s immortal tale his own, chiefly by making it a study of mortality–oh, and fascism too. The boys rave about Ewan McGregor’s take on the Cricket, the awe-inspiring puppetry and animation on display, and Arlo’s pot-addled epiphany. Plus, tributes to Angelo Badalamenti and Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss, as well as a look at the Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse trailer.
NEXT: happy holidays, y’all. We’ll be back in 2023.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:45 - Intro 00:17:18 - Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio 02:10:16 - Our brief, incomplete list of Best of 2022 02:33:17 - Outro / Next
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Tue, 13 December 2022
Hang your stockings by the chimney, roast some chestnuts on that open fire, and prepare yourself for a very special Twisted Christmas installment. Our annual yuletide derangement has morphed into a Geek Challenge, featuring two obviously similar films: Paul has challenged Arlo to Michael Curtiz’s holly jolly classic White Christmas (1954), and in turn Arlo has thrust upon Paul Stanley Kubrick’s festive psychosexual nightmare Eyes Wide Shut (1999). Paul has some harsh words for Kubrick’s orgy, Arlo cringes at old-timey patriotism, and both of our boys come away filled with a little less Christmas cheer. Oh, and who is Danny Kaye again?
NEXT: for our season finale, we become real boys for Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:52 - Intro / Paul and Arlo’s Holiday Spirit 00:11:15 - Eyes Wide Shut 01:12:40 - White Christmas 02:02:00 - Outro / Next
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Wed, 7 December 2022
Now that rock star biopics have peaked with Elvis, what else can the genre do but get Weird? Dare to be stupid with Paul, Arlo, and Alex Jonestown Massacre guitarist Kenn Edwards as they discuss Weird: The Al Yankovic story. Everyone’s favorite accordionist parodies Oscar bait bologna to tell a fact-free version of his own life story, starring obvious choice Daniel Radcliffe. The gang recounts their history with “Weird” Al, dives into the film’s loving homage to early alt-comedy, and can’t help but wonder what Madonna thinks of it all.
NEXT: I’m dreaming of a Geek Challenge featuring the holy jolly classic White Christmas and the yuletide wet dream Eyes Wide Shut.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:38 - Intro / Guest / Theater Trauma 00:15:37 - A brief history of our heroes histories with “Weird Al” 00:34:35 - Weird: The Al Yankovic Story 01:41:00 - Outro / Next
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Fri, 25 November 2022
Aho, podcast listeners! To celebrate Native American Heritage Month, Paul and Arlo check in on the latest season of Reservation Dogs, possibly the best show on TV. It would be hard to top Rez Dog’s freshman year, a revelatory season filled with joy, pain, and a whole bunch of shitasses. Yet that’s exactly what Sterlin Harjo and his collaborators have done, deepening the themes of loss and community that made the first season so resonant. The boys rave about the show’s core cast–Devery Jacobs, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Lane Factor, and Paulina Alexis—while lauding Harjo’s ability to shine an even brighter light on supporting players like Zahn McClarnon, Jana Schmieding, and Lily Gladstone. Skoden.
NEXT: Alex Jonestown Massacre guitarist Kenn Edwards is back and ready to get Weird: The Al Yankovic Story.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:34 - Intro 00:08:00 - Reservation Dogs: Season 2 01:42:03 - Outro / Next
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Sun, 6 November 2022
Listen to Gobbledygeek and live forever. This week, in a stealth continuation of this year’s Gobbledyween, Paul and Arlo head on down to New Orleans for Neil Jordan’s 1994 adaptation of Anne Rice’s classic Interview with the Vampire. Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, and Antonio Banderas are the most beautiful men anyone could have cast as immortals in the mid-’90s, and they’re joined by a prepubescent Kirsten Dunst to form a truly tragic coven. The boys discuss the evil joyfulness of Cruise’s Lestat, why the role of Louis de Pointe du Lac does not play to Pitt’s strengths, how amazing it is that the film’s overt homoeroticism made it to the screen, and much more. Plus, yoghurt.
NEXT: we’ll be back in two weeks to discuss season 2 of Reservation Dogs.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:53 - Intro / Go Go Yoghurt! 00:10:08 - Interview with the Vampire (1994) 02:06:08 - Outro / Next
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Sat, 29 October 2022
We all get lost, every now and then. Most of us don’t get quite as lost as the three film students at the center of The Blair Witch Project, a massive hit in 1999 whose reputation among the average moviegoer has also taken a massive hit. If you ask Arlo, though, it’s one of the greatest horror films ever made–and he tells Paul exactly why, as they celebrate the second and final week of this year’s abbreviated Gobbledyween. The boys discuss the incredibly convincing performances, why the characters being so annoying makes the movie so believable, how the found footage genre has expanded in the years since, and just how easy it is to get lost in America.
NEXT: why are you standing in the corner, Paul?
BREAKDOWN 00:00:32 - Intro 00:02:34 - The Blair Witch Project 01:39:11 - Outro / Next
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Thu, 27 October 2022
Leaves are on the ground, blood is on the screen–it’s time for a (very late) Gobbledyween! Gobbledygeek’s annual horror-thon returns for an abbreviated run, kicking things off with Mike Flanagan’s 2021 Netflix miniseries Midnight Mass. What at first seems like a riff on ‘Salem’s Lot–a vampire ingratiates himself into a tiny coastal community–becomes a soaring exploration of addiction, faith, and death. Joining Paul and Arlo to discuss the series is original Gobbler Joseph Lewis. Together, the Three Heathens rave about the central performances from Hamish Linklater, Zach Gilford, and Kate Siegel; dissect the show’s “bad miracle” vibe and how it relates to their own spiritual journey; and poke a little good-natured fun at the many, many monologues.
NEXT: we’ve got one more in store for you, as Paul and Arlo pop a tape into their camcorders for 1999’s The Blair Witch Project.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:50 - Intro / Guest / Banter 00:23:13 - Midnight Mass 02:27:36 - Outro / Next
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Mon, 19 September 2022
For his third film, Jordan Peele looks to the skies–and what he finds doesn’t want to be seen. This week, Paul and Arlo say yup to Nope, Peele’s celebration and evisceration of spectacle. The boys discuss the widening of Peele’s horizons in the summer blockbuster mode; how the film reveres Spielberg while offering a pointed rebuttal to Jaws; Daniel Kaluuya’s quiet intensity; and why first-time viewing Arlo is always the dumbest Arlo. Plus, a tribute to cinematic titan Jean-Luc Godard.
NEXT: more spectacle, as Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman reunite in Taika Waititi’s Thor: Love and Thunder.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:56 - Intro / RIP Jean-Luc Godard 00:06:47 - Nope 02:11:52 - Outro / Next
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Tue, 6 September 2022
Sing, sing a song; sing of oblivion, it’s 36 issues long! For this month’s first (?) Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo are harmonizing about Robert Kirkman and Lorenzo De Felici’s 2018-22 Image series Oblivion Song. It’s an alien invasion saga that questions the very concepts of “alien” and “invasion,” regarding its human and Kuthaal characters with equal levels of empathy and complexity. The boys discuss how Kirkman overcomes The Walking Dead’s biggest flaws, De Felici’s otherworldly artwork, Annalisa Leoni’s eerily beautiful colors, and so much more. Plus, Arlo made a return trip to Austin, TX.
NEXT: Nope? Yup.
BREAKDOWN 00:01:00 - Intro / Arlo’s Austin Adventures 00:27:17 - Oblivion Song 02:00:00 - Outro / Next
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Wed, 24 August 2022
No, this isn’t a dream (or even a nightmare): The Sandman, the iconic Vertigo comic book series created by Neil Gaiman, Sam Keith, and Mike Dringenberg, has finally been adapted for television. Paul, Arlo, and The Deli Counter of Justice co-creator Eric Sipple are all huge fans of the comics, and they use their familiarity with the Dreaming to dive deep into the first season of the Netflix TV show. The gang discusses the show’s mostly spot-on casting, whether it captures Morpheus as well as Roderick Burgess did, how the filmmakers modernize some of the books’ more outdated elements, and so very much more. Plus, a mini-review of Prey, the new Predator film directed by Dan Trachtenberg and starring Amber Midthunder.
NEXT: sing a song of oblivion with Robert Kirkman and Lorenzo De Felici’s Oblivion Song on a new Four-Color Flashback.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:32 - Intro / Guest 00:02:31 - Prey mini-review 00:26:28 - The Sandman, Season 1 02:35:00 - Outro / Next
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Mon, 15 August 2022
From Tupelo to Memphis, from Hollywood to Vegas, Elvis Presley conquered America–and now, telling his story, an Australian filmmaker has conquered the biopic. The operatic, maximalist, subtlety-eschewing Baz Luhrmann returns to the screen with Elvis, delivering the glitzy, excessive tribute this mythical/kitsch-ical icon deserves. Paul and Arlo share their personal connections to Elvis, rave about Austin Butler’s transformation into the King, discuss how the film’s portrayal of Elvis’ racial and sexual impact stack up to the real deal, and behold Tom Hanks’ embodiment of Satan. Here comes Sandy Claws!
NEXT: when the last streaming podcast deletes, our job will be finished. Eric Sipple joins us to discuss Netflix’s adaptation of The Sandman.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:21 - Intro 00:03:08 - Our histories with The King 00:29:48 - Elvis 01:54:05 - Outro / Next
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Mon, 1 August 2022
For another freestyle, Paul and Arlo are getting weird. As in “Weird Al” Yankovic, whom Arlo recently saw with their good buddy Kenn Edwards. Arlo recounts the concert moment he’d been waiting for all his life, then Paul discusses the joys and frustrations of the first-ever virtual Slayage conference. Plus, brief ruminations on Nope, Thor: Love and Thunder, and The Rehearsal; and we remember our friend Chelsea Hawk.
NEXT: TBD.
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Thu, 21 July 2022
Listener, we would have words with thee! As the Odinson and the Mighty Thor swing their hammers onto the big screen in Thor: Love and Thunder, Paul and Arlo revisit some of the film’s influences for this month’s Four-Color Flashback. The boys dig deep into the early part of Jason Aaron’s run on the golden-haired Avenger, with Thor: God of Thunder #1-25 and Thor (2014) #1-8. Topics of discussion include the dynamite art of Esad Ribić and Russell Dauterman, Thor’s crisis of faith, why Jane Foster wielding Mjolnir makes for such a great reinvention of the character, and more.
NEXT: anything is possible.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:32 - Intro / Banter 00:04:55 - Main Topic 00:11:54 - INTERLUDE: Giving Arlo $#!& 00:14:01 - Back to the Main Topic! 01:55:21 - Outro / Next
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Sun, 3 July 2022
Paul and Arlo are going slightly mad. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is the MCU’s latest trip through the titular multiverse, fracturing and reshaping reality to meet the franchise’s corporate needs. If that sounds a little unenthused, well, what can we say? The boys didn’t love this one. Paul, ever the optimist, discusses why the MCU’s depiction of sorcery continues to be one of its greatest assets. Arlo, ever the cynic, expresses appreciation of Sam Raimi’s trademark flourishes before lamenting that they’re all recycled riffs. Along the way, they discuss the film’s odd function as a WandaVision sequel, whether punching star-shaped holes in the universe is good goofy or bad goofy, those weird fucking kids, and more.
NEXT: more madness.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:34 - Awkward Intro 00:03:33 - Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (Spoiler-free) 00:21:15 - SPOILERS!!! 01:50:40 - Outro / Next
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Mon, 27 June 2022
For this month’s Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo roll the Die to discuss Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans’ dark tale of a group of one-time RPG nerds getting sucked into the world of the game. Gillen has described the book as “goth Jumanji,” and there’s some truth to that–these characters feel everything, hard. Luckily, so do we, and so does special guest Eric Sipple, author of Mimesis and co-creator of The Deli Counter of Justice. The gang discusses how Die takes apart and rebuilds typical D&D classes, its commentary on the entire history of gaming, why Ash is so important to Eric, and much more.
NEXT: by the hoary hosts of Hoggoth, it’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness!
BREAKDOWN 00:00:32 - Intro / Guest 00:05:46 - Our histories with RPGs 00:14:56 - Die 02:44:20 - Outro / Next
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Tue, 21 June 2022
In a multiverse without limitations…you have chosen to listen to Gobbledygeek. Let that sink in. While you do, you’ll also get to hear Paul and Arlo’s latest Geek Challenge! Arlo sort-of challenges Paul to The Daniels’ Everything Everywhere All at Once, the year’s big breakout movie, starring Michelle Yeoh as infinite versions of herself; and Paul in turn challenges Arlo to James Wong’s 2001 action flick The One, featuring Jet Li vs. Jet Li in a dystopian future. The boys discuss the Daniels’ hyper-maximalist approach to filmmaking, how Everything Everywhere earns its zaniness with real emotion, the shocking amount of hair Jason Statham sports in The One, and that film’s perfect time capsule of a soundtrack.
NEXT: Die! The Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans comic book, that is. Eric Sipple joins us for this month’s Four-Color Flashback.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:29 - Intro / RIP Tim Sale 00:09:55 - Everything Everywhere All at Once 01:09:30 - The One 01:36:49 - Outro / Next
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Mon, 13 June 2022
Travelers of the night, welcome to Paul and Arlo’s latest MCUTV discussion. They join hands once again with Hollywood wonder boy Michael Holland, and together they summon Moon Knight. Oscar Isaac joins the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Marc Spector, the human avatar of Egyptian god Khonshu, and…well, is he Marc Spector? Is he Steven Grant? Or is he someone else entirely? The gang discusses how the show tackles Marc’s dissociative identity disorder, the killer costume design, how the series pushes the MCU’s boundaries, and more.
NEXT: on a new Geek Challenge, we are The One who is Everything Everywhere All at Once.
BREAKDOWN 00:01:17 - Intro / Guest 00:11:00 - Moon Knight 01:36:40 - Outro / Next
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Fri, 3 June 2022
It’s a freestyle episode, boys and girls! You know what that means: the Dragon’s Milk is flowing, the tangents are plentiful, and Paul and Arlo just can’t get enough Dick’s. Now, now, get your mind out of the gutter–we’re talking Dick’s, the iconic Seattle burger chain. In addition to chowing down on their favorite regional burgers (Arlo shouts out Akron’s very own Swenson’s), the boys are very much on their bullshit throughout. Arlo recounts the entire A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, Paul experiences Stranger Things with a fella named Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Arlo gets progressively more inebriated.
NEXT: welcome, travelers of the night, to another MCUTV installment with Hollywood wonder boy Michael Holland. This time, we’re discussing Moon Knight.
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Tue, 31 May 2022
Sit back and say ‘Aaaahhhh!’ For this month’s Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo take a trip to the dentist with Raina Telgemeier’s 2010 autobiographic novel Smile. Raina looks back on how her orthodontic woes served as a marker for her adolescence, from the loss of her two front teeth in 6th grade circa 1989 through finally ditching those braces in freshman year ‘92. This prompts Paul and Arlo to recount their own dental dramas in dramatic (traumatic?) detail before praising Telgemeier’s skillful cartooning, her incisive rendering of middle school social mores, the way historical events are set against the backdrop of teen life, and more. Plus, the boys have thoughts on the This Is Us series finale.
NEXT: more drama, more trauma.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:23 - Intro / This is Us 00:35:17 - Smile 01:35:33 - Outro / Next
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Sun, 22 May 2022
Riddle me this, riddle me that…who's afraid of Matt Reeves' The Bat(man)? Not Paul and Arlo, that's for sure, at least not with Project Batman vet Kenn Edwards at their side. There's a lot of ground to cover, beginning with: Did we need the 897th Batman movie? Of course not, but since we're here, the gang discusses Robert Pattinson's turn as the Caped Crusader, the film's emphasis on detective work, whether or not the story is served by a three-hour runtime, and much, much more.
NEXT: Smile! For this month's Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo have a little dental work done with Raina Telgemeier's autobiographical novel.
BREAKDOWN 00:01:10 - Intro / Guest 00:10:00 - The Batman 02:24:47 - Outro / Next
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Sat, 30 April 2022
And you run, you run to catch up with the sun, but it’s sinking…well, before it sets, Paul and Arlo have a few MCU movies they need to discuss. Due to that pesky pandemic, we’ve gotten behind on the Marvel Cinematic Universe here at Gobbledygeek, but fear not! In this special, super-sized episode, Paul and Arlo discuss three mighty Marvel movies: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, which brings Chinese mythology to the MCU; Eternals, which brings a race of immortal god-beings to the MCU; and Spider-Man: No Way Home, which brings a whole bunch of Spider-Men to the MCU. The boys rave about Tony Leung, have a friendly (?) debate about the merits of Eternals, can’t get enough of Andrew Garfield, and so very much more.
NEXT: he is vengeance, he is the night, he is Kenn Edwards! Everybody’s favorite podcaster/guitarist joins us for a look at Matt Reeves’ The Batman.
BREAKDOWN 00:01:47 - Intro / Banter 00:03:53 - Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings 00:46:42 - Eternals 01:45:50 - Spider-Man: No Way Home 02:37:50 - Outro / Next
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Sun, 24 April 2022
What happens when a child is born who will invent immortality? According to Ram V and Felipe Andrade's The Many Deaths of Laila Starr, Death is fired from her job, is cast into a mortal body, and attempts to find and murder this child. Oh, she also dies a lot. On this month's Four-Color Flashback, Paul & Arlo discuss the book's unique approach to Indian mythology, Andrade's beautifully distorted figures, V's ability to be self-serious without being pretentious, and more. Plus, Paul gets into Severance, the boys aren't feeling This Is Us' final season, and Arlo reads more Superman.
NEXT: it's an MCU catch-up session. The boys will discuss the trifecta of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Eternals, and Spider-Man: No Way Home.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:34 - Intro / Banter 00:27:39 - The Many Deaths of Laila Starr 01:32:20 - Selecting the next FCF 01:36:03 - Outro / Next
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Sat, 16 April 2022
It's Ladies' Night on Gobbledygeek! By which we mean we've got a Geek Challenge featuring Richard Donner's 1985 medieval fantasy epic Ladyhawke and Greta Gerwig's 2017 millennial coming-of-age tale Lady Bird. What do these two films have in common? They're both about transformation, of course! In Lady Bird, Saoirse Ronan transforms into a young woman ready to take on the big city; in Ladyhawke, Rutger Hauer and Michelle Pfeiffer quite literally transform into a wolf and a hawk, respectively. Paul struggles with passive aggressive family drama, Arlo is annoyed by Matthew Broderick, and they both remember what it was like to be 15.
NEXT: this month's Four-Color Flashback contemplates mortality with a dive into Ram V and Filipe Andrade's The Many Deaths of Laila Starr.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:45 - Intro 00:10:54 - Lady Bird 01:04:04 - Ladyhawke 01:57:04 - Outro / Next
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Mon, 11 April 2022
For Paul and Arlo, existential crises and comic books often go hand-in-hand. Such is the case for this week’s freestyle, wherein Paul’s rumination on the erosion of his teenage self-confidence leads into a discussion of superhero mags. Paul tells Goblin punks to fuck off as he rocks out to Cody Ziglar and Justin Mason’s Spider-Punk, goes undercover with Kelly Thompson and Elena Casagrande’s recently wrapped run on Black Widow, and cloaks himself in Jed MacKay and Alessandro Cappuccio’s Moon Knight. Meanwhile, Arlo rides on horseback through more goofy Silver Age Superman.
NEXT: we will continue to spiral.
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Mon, 4 April 2022
Weigh anchor and hoist the mizzen! Paul and Arlo set sail for a discussion of David Jenkins’ pirate rom-com Our Flag Means Death. The new HBO Max series, a very loose telling of the history between Stede “The Gentleman Pirate” Bonnet and Edward “Blackbeard” Teach, begins as a silly romp very much in the vein of executive producer/star Taika Waititi’s other work. And then…well, it becomes something very much more, depicting a number of queer romances in positive, affirming fashion. The boys discuss this shouldn’t-be-shocking-in-2022 level of representation, the chemistry between Rhys Darby and Waititi, how closely (or not) the show follows the historical record, the series’ moral of not accepting that the way things are is the way they have to be, and more. Plus, up in the sky! It’s a bird, it’s a plane, Arlo is reading old Superman comics!
NEXT: reply hazy, try again.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:47 - Intro / Banter 00:18:30 - Our Flag Means Death 01:36:26 - Outro / Next
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Mon, 28 March 2022
Sometimes a gorilla is just a gorilla. Sometimes, though, that gorilla–righteously bearing arms though he may be–is a gateway to a story about the power and fluidity of narrative. For this month’s Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo go ape for Si Spurrier and Jeff Stokely’s Six-Gun Gorilla, a sci-fi Western published by BOOM! Studios in 2013. The boys discuss Stokely’s glorious, hyper-exaggerated art; how the book’s entertainment conglomerate dystopia feels like a logical extension of our present; the way Spurrier weaves various pulp genres throughout his story; and more. Plus, Paul got sick in Gatlinburg again and Arlo admits he was wrong about Dune.
NEXT: Gobbledygeek will return.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:55 - Intro / Banter 00:21:30 - Six-Gun Gorilla 01:25:50 - Outro / Next
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Sun, 20 March 2022
Somethin’s comin’, somethin’ good: this week, Paul and Arlo pirouette through a discussion of Steven Spielberg’s new take on West Side Story, nominated for Best Picture at this year’s Oscars. Is it a spoiler to say they love it? The boys discuss how Spielberg and screenwriter Tony Kushner’s changes enrich the text, why choreographer Justin Peck’s bold choice to discard Jerome Robbins’ iconic choreography was the right move, what it means for the Sharks to be played by Latinx actors, and the joy of watching Spielberg treat every musical number like his and Janusz Kaminski’s playground. Plus, Taco Bell sends Arlo spiraling into an existential crisis, and the boys chat about this year’s other Best Picture nominees.
NEXT: Si Spurrier and Jeff Stokely’s Six-Gun Gorilla is locked and loaded for this month’s Four-Color Flashback.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:53 - Intro 00:06:39 - Interminable Oscars Discussion 00:37:43 - A Look Back to Episode 402 00:47:04 - West Side Story (2021) 02:14:52 - Outro / Next
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Tue, 15 March 2022
Why use old code to mirror something new? Writer/producer Tilly Bridges is back to continue last week’s discussion of The Matrix series. This time, she joins Paul and Arlo to chat about 2003’s anime anthology The Animatrix, which fits surprisingly well into the series’ trans allegory; and, for the bulk of this episode, The Matrix Resurrections. Lana Wachowski’s triumphant return to her signature co-creation is strikingly similar to the original films…and strikingly different. The gang discusses Neo/Trinity’s self-actualization, Wachowski’s freer and more open approach to filmmaking, Jonathan Groff’s take on Agent Smith, and so much more.
NEXT: we’ll be back, or we won’t. We probably will be.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:55 - Intro / Guest 00:03:00 - The Animatrix 00:41:32 - The Matrix Resurrections 01:51:20 - Outro / Next
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Sun, 6 March 2022
Unfortunately, no one can be told what Gobbledygeek is. You have to listen to it for yourself. Writer-producer Tilly Bridges joins Paul and Arlo for the first of a two-part discussion of Lilly & Lana Wachowski’s revolutionary Matrix franchise. This week, the gang discusses the original Matrix trilogy, which was released from 1999-2003 and shattered moviegoers’ preconceived notions of the world around them. In turn, Tilly shatters Paul and Arlo’s preconceived notions of these films by touching on the Wachowskis’ many choices–from dialogue to set design to costuming–that serve to reflect the trans experience.
NEXT: we plug back in to explore The Animatrix and The Matrix Resurrections.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:32 - Intro / Guest 00:13:47 - Main Topic 01:55:40 - Outro / Next
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Sun, 27 February 2022
Panthers…IN SPAAAAACE! For their first Four-Color Flashback of 2022, Paul and Arlo look to the stars, where they find Black Panther: The Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda. The second half of Ta-Nehisi Coates' Black Panther run, these 25 issues--with art by Daniel Acuña, Kev Walker, and Ryan Bodenheim, among others--concern T'Challa's rise from slave to legend in an alien empire that bears his kingdom's name. The boys discuss Coates' bold new direction, the question of expansion vs. imperialism at the heart of the book, Acuña's photorealistic interstellar action compared to Walker's more abstract emphasis on character, and that goddamn symbiote. Plus, an acknowledgement of how surreal it is to be reading a comic book depiction of war at this particular moment, Amazon's evisceration of comiXology, and more.
NEXT: let's party like it's 1999-2003. For the first of a two-part exploration of the Wachowskis' Matrix series, Mimesis author Eric Sipple jacks in to discuss the original trilogy. Whoa.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:23 - Intro / Banter 00:08:21 - Paul’s Unhinged ComiXology Rant 00:34:43 - Main Topic 01:56:36 - Outro / Next
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Tue, 15 February 2022
Clint Barton, draw back your bow and let your arrow go straight to Disney+. Hollywood big shot Michael Holland joins Paul and Arlo for another season of MCUTV. This time, Jeremy Renner returns as the titular Hawkeye for six episodes of street-level crimefighting. He’s joined by Hailee Steinfeld as that other titular Hawkeye, Kate Bishop, to do battle with tracksuit bros, LARPers, and showtunes. The gang praises the show for its relatively small stakes, compares it to Matt Fraction and David Aja’s classic run, discusses Clint’s unique baggage both inter- and extra-textually, and more.
NEXT: like the Terminator, we’ll be back.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:33 - Intro / Guest 00:09:37 - Hawkeye 01:39:45 - Outro / Next
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Mon, 31 January 2022
You're in luck--season 13 of Gobbledygeek is here. Everyone's favorite more or less (emphasis on less) weekly podcast returns with a look at the horrors 2022 has in store. How are Paul and Arlo feeling, two years into a pandemic? How dissatisfied are they with the goons running this whole show? Would they survive the apocalypse? At a certain point, the boys remember they're supposed to be doing a pop culture show. Paul heads to Station Eleven, while Arlo finds The Lost Daughter and runs to Flee. Whistle through the graveyard with your podcast pals!
NEXT: more good-time goofs from your friends at Gobbledygeek.
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Wed, 22 December 2021
It’s only one more Gobbledygeek ‘til Christmas! This year, instead of discussing the weird or cynical sides of the holidays, Paul and Arlo are embracing sincerity with a look at 1992’s The Muppet Christmas Carol. The first Muppets feature film following the death of Jim Henson is a faithful adaptation of the classic novella, with Gonzo as Charles Dickens himself and none other than Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge. The boys discuss why Caine’s decision to play things straight is key to the film’s success, the film’s technical wizardry, the beautiful songs by Paul Williams, and why it’s the greatest Christmas film of them all. Plus, Paul and Arlo recount a very strange year and get honest about the difficulties of the holiday season.
NEXT: have a safe and merry holiday, regardless of what you celebrate, and a happy new year. We’ll be back in 2022 with the long-awaited discussion of The Americans season 4 featuring Wesley Mead.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:50 - Intro 00:14:00 - The Muppet Christmas Carol 01:42:05 - Outro / Next
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Wed, 15 December 2021
What if…you listened to a podcast about What If…? In a universe of infinite possibilities, Michael Holland (currently post-production supervisor on The Peripheral for Amazon) finds himself once again teaming up with Paul and Arlo for a discussion of MCUTV. This time, it’s the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first animated series, the multiversal What If…? Ostensibly an anthology series, the show ponders the ways in which our heroes’ lives could have gone very, very differently. For their part, the gang ponders the series’ relationship to the classic comic book of the same name, how the 2.5D animation allows for greater freedom than live-action, how voice acting is not the same thing as physical acting, and how–of course–everything is connected.
NEXT: we bid farewell to 2021 with the comfy, cozy The Muppet Christmas Carol.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:30 - Intro / Guest 00:04:06 - What if…there was a comic book series called What If…? 00:20:04 - What If…? (the show!) 02:19:40 - Outro / Next
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Mon, 6 December 2021
“And cast ye the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” So says Matthew 25:30, and in John Layman and Afu Chan’s Outer Darkness, there is plenty of weeping–and so, so much gnashing of teeth. For their last Four-Color Flashback of the year, Paul and Arlo discuss Layman and Chan’s 2018-19 Image/Skybound series, which imagines a far-flung future where spaceships need exorcists onboard and the dead can be resurrected so long as you cast a net wide enough to catch their souls. The boys discuss the book’s ingenious mash-up of space opera and supernatural horror, how Layman & Chan expertly juggle a number of timelines, why the visceral splorches of Chan’s art are so satisfying, and the depressing realities behind the series’ cancellation.
NEXT: what if…we did another MCUTV episode with Hollywood’s own Michael Holland? We’ll be discussing, you guessed it, the animated Marvel series What If…?
BREAKDOWN 00:00:57 - Intro 00:04:39 - Outer Darkness 01:37:00 - Outro / Next
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Fri, 26 November 2021
The best show on TV is on FX--well, FX on Hulu, that is. It’s called Reservation Dogs, it was created by Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi, and it is about four Indigenous kids from Oklahoma dreaming of escape to California. To discuss this funny, heartbreaking show, Paul and Arlo are joined by pop culture writer extraordinaire Nikki Stafford. The gang discusses the show’s subtle storytelling, its incredible cast, the way Harjo and his team thread the needle between tragedy and comedy, and how this series breaks ground for mainstream Native representation in America. Plus, Arlo almost killed Paul.
NEXT: second time’s the charm; hopefully, we’ll actually do a Four-Color Flashback on John Layman and Afu Chan’s Outer Darkness.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:42 - Intro / Guest 00:10:45 - Reservation Dogs 01:25:45 - Outro / Next
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Sat, 30 October 2021
Gobbledyween has come to a close for another year--and we’re going out with a fang! To round out our month of frightening films, we’ve chosen a movie most people have probably never heard of: Rockula, a vampiric musical from 1990 starring Dean Cameron as the bloodsucking Ralph, cursed to try and win back the love of his immortal life every 22 years. We have also chosen to torture none other than Mimesis author Eric Sipple, who has been forced to endure this film with Paul and Arlo. The gang discusses mirror selves, farting bats, resentful stars, and of course, Bo Diddley.
NEXT: enough inner darkness, how about some Outer Darkness? For our next Four-Color Flashback, we explore the interstellar terror of John Layman and Afu Chan’s 2018-19 Image series.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:40 - Intro / Guest 00:09:36 - Rockula 01:29:46 - The Box Office Game! 01:52:26 - Outro / Next
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Mon, 25 October 2021
Have you ever heard of insect podcasts? Neither have we. Paul and Arlo continue Gobbledyween 2021 with a deep penetrating dive into the plasma pool, as Alex Jonestown Massacre guitarist Kenn Edwards teleports on over to discuss David Cronenberg’s 1986 classic The Fly. The gang places the film in the context of the AIDS epidemic, marvels at just how charming it is, raves about Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis’ chemistry, and declares makeup effects artist Chris Walas to be one of the unsung heroes of ‘80s cinema. Plus, Kenn gives us a breakdown of the 20 (!) live events he’s been to post-vaccine.
NEXT: all things must come to an end, and so Gobbledyween returns to the grave after one final performance. Mimesis author Eric Sipple helps us lift the coffin lid on Luca Bercovici’s 1990 masterpiece Rockula.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:20 - Intro / Guest 00:05:42 - The Fly 00:11:18 - Oh wait, it’s Ted Lasso tangents and concert reviews… 00:47:35 - Okay, back to The Fly, for real this time 01:26:46 - Kenn blindsides us with his House of the Devil thoughts 01:30:00 - Aaaaaand the finale of our The Fly discussion 02:01:20 - The Box Office Game! 02:26:28 - Outro / Next
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Sun, 17 October 2021
Listen to them, the children of the night. What movies they make! For the second installment of Gobbledyween 2021, A/V writer-director Joseph Lewis joins Paul and Arlo for a discussion of Clive Barker’s 1990 film Nightbreed. Butchered by the studio on initial release and restored to its full grotesquerie decades later, Nightbreed is a bizarre fusion of epic fantasy, slasher, and supernatural horror. The gang discusses why that mix is so fascinating, why it’s important that the monsters are the good guys, auteur David Cronenberg’s turn as the evil Dr. Dekker, and the queer framework that gives the film extra resonance. Plus, as promised, Joe has some thoughts on The House of the Devil.
NEXT: speaking of that Cronenberg guy, Alex Jonestown Massacre guitarist Kenn Edwards helps us continue Gobbledyween with a discussion of 1986’s The Fly.
BREAKDOWN 00:01:00 - Intro / Joe’s thoughts on The House of the Devil 00:24:30 - Nightbreed 01:43:53 - Closing shenanigans (The Box-Office Game?) 02:00:18 - Outro / Next
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Thu, 7 October 2021
Leaves are on the ground. Blood is on the screen. It’s time for Gobbledyween. Our beloved, bloody tradition returns for another fiendish film fest featuring only the finest (?) of the horror genre. Greg Sahadachny, once and future host of The Debatable Podcast, helps Paul and Arlo kick off Gobbledyween 2021 by giving them a ride to The House of the Devil. Ti West’s 2009 breakthrough was a seminal moment in the indie horror boom of the last decade-plus. The question now, so many years removed, is if that moment was worth having. The gang discusses how this film’s slow burn played in the context of the torture porn era; its expert aping of the ‘80s aesthetic so near and dear to Paul’s heart; the strong performances from Joceline Donahue, Greta Gerwig, and Tom Noonan; and whether West’s loving homage is anything more than a reminder of better films.
NEXT: we’re checking out of this house, as we hitch a ride with A/V writer-director Joseph Lewis through the mind of Clive Barker. We’ll be discussing the director’s cut of his 1990 cult classic Nightbreed.
BREAKDOWN 00:01:06 - Intro / Guest 00:08:44 - The House of the Devil 01:36:00 - Outro / Next
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Thu, 30 September 2021
For their latest Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo are exploring the world of Si Spurrier and Jeff Stokely’s 2015 mini-series The Spire. Our location is a massive, tiered city surrounded by a desolate wasteland; our cast of characters include privileged aristocrats and the undesired “Sculpted,” hybridized from human and animal DNA; and our story is one of noir sleuthing, extreme violence, racial intolerance, and classism. The boys discuss Spurrier and Stokely’s deceptively simple storytelling; the “soft edges” around their world-building; Stokely’s manga-influenced art; and just how in-spire-ing it all is. Plus, a number of previous FCF selections are hitting the small screen, including Y: The Last Man, The Sandman, and most unbelievably of all, Grendel.
NEXT: what’s that? It’s October? Time for Gobbledyween 2021. Our annual horror-fest kicks off with a discussion of Ti West’s 2009 indie phenom The House of the Devil, featuring our old pal Greg Sahadachny.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:51 - Intro / Comics on TV banter 00:22:11 - The Spire 01:34:42 - Outro / Next
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Tue, 14 September 2021
To paraphrase Philip and Elizabeth Jennings’ new/old handler Gabriel, “Podcasting and timeliness in many ways are antithetical.” After a series of delays, Paul and Arlo are back with guest of honor Wesley “Wezzo” Mead to continue their discussion of Joe Weisberg and Joel Fields’ modern classic spy drama The Americans. This time, they’re taking a look at season 3, a masterclass in thematic cohesion. Everything, more or less, comes back to the challenge of parenthood: on a micro level, how the Jennings plan on guiding Paige into the world of spycraft; on a macro level, how they can act as individuals under the forceful hand of the Centre. The gang talks self-actualization, bone-crunching, necklacing, and Frank motherfucking Langella. Plus, a detour into the “wholesomeness discourse” raging around Ted Lasso.
NEXT: John Cusack and Paul Dano take on John C. Reilly and Jenna Fischer in a Geek Challenge. It’s the very real music biopic Love & Mercy versus the parody music biopic Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:44 - Intro / Guest 00:05:37 - Some words about Ted Lasso 00:25:48 - The Americans: Season 3 02:22:37 - Outro / Next
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Tue, 7 September 2021
What happens when a regularly scheduled episode gets regularly postponed? A freestyle, that’s what! In lieu of talking about The Americans season 3, Paul and Arlo talk about...well, whatever the fuck they want to talk about. Paul’s angry, Arlo’s drunk, it’s an angry drunken ramble! “Topics” of “discussion” include dumb reality shows like Clash of Cones, the intrinsic value (or lack thereof) in a star rating system, how disappointing the new Lorde album is, and whether or not the boys are actually going to see each other in person this year.
NEXT: The Americans season 3 with Wesley Mead? Maybe?
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Mon, 30 August 2021
That Sipple you like is going to come back in style. It’s been a long while--we’re talking pre-pandemic here--but Eric Sipple is finally making their return to this humble little podcast. Author of Broken Magic and one-third of the Deli Counter of Justice braintrust, Eric tells Paul and Arlo all about their new YA fantasy novel Mimesis--including the loaded, sometimes confusing connotations inferred by the term “YA.” The gang discusses the gorgeous cover art by Demetrio Kring, what inspired Mimesis, and Eric’s upcoming gig at the MileHiCon in Denver, CO. Plus, assorted and often tangential thoughts on the Spider-Man: No Way Home trailer.
NEXT: TBD.
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Sun, 22 August 2021
You can’t go home again. But you can return to the creator-owned post-apocalyptic fantasy saga that captivated comics readers for 40 twisted, beautiful issues. That’s exactly what Jeff Lemire did last year with Sweet Tooth: The Return, a sequel miniseries that takes place three whole centuries after the original Vertigo series’ ending. Considering that ending was perfect, does The Return need to exist? Paul and Arlo aren’t so sure. They discuss what The Return adds (or subtracts) from the greater narrative, the book’s alleged Twin Peaks influence, the story’s many “It’s like poetry, it rhymes” moments, and why you shouldn’t fuck around with elephants. Plus, they start things off by chatting about why Netflix’s Sweet Tooth is a great adaptation.
NEXT: Eric...Sipple? Does anyone know who this is? Why is he talking to us? Oh god.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:50 - Intro 00:03:24 - Netflix Sweet Tooth adaptation 00:15:50 - Sweet Tooth: The Return 01:17:13 - Outro / Next
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Tue, 17 August 2021
After a two-year absence--thanks, global pandemic!--the Marvel Cinematic Universe makes its return to the big screen with the long-awaited Black Widow. And we do mean long-awaited: it’s been 11 years since Scarlett Johansson made her debut as Natasha Romanoff, and only now, after we’ve seen Nat die in Avengers: Endgame, does Black Widow get a solo movie. Paul and Arlo are joined by pop culture fan and academic Tanya Cochran to discuss whether or not Cate Shortland’s film was worth the wait. There’s talk of trauma, family dramedy, falling debris, and how much Arlo absolutely loves David Harbour as Red Guardian.
NEXT: Sweet Tooth returns, again, in Sweet Tooth: The Return for our next Four-Color Flashback.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:50 - Intro / Guest 00:05:50 - Black Widow 00:26:48 - SPOILERS 02:04:47 - Outro / Next
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Tue, 10 August 2021
Gobbledygeek’s very own MCU TV brain trust reconvenes somewhere in the multiverse, as post-production supervisor to the stars Michael Holland joins Paul and Arlo to discuss Michael Waldron and Kate Herron’s Loki. The gang untangles the kooky timeline shenanigans, falls in love with the incestuous narcissism at the heart of the Loki/Sylvie relationship, find themselves wowed by Owen Wilson, and ponders where the show’s timey-wimey finale leaves the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Plus, Arlo likes Blade Runner now, and there’s some Space Jam: A New Legacy trash talk.
NEXT: the MCU returns to the big screen with Cate Shortland’s Black Widow.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:42 - Intro / Guest 00:17:50 - Main Topic 01:56:30 - Outro / Next
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Mon, 2 August 2021
Nature is healing. For this month’s Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo conclude the post-apocalyptic journeys of The Boy and the Big Man with Jeff Lemire’s Sweet Tooth: Deluxe Edition - Books Two and Three. The remnants of humanity fight tooth and nail for survival against the paws and claws of the human/animal hybrid children, who only seem to be increasing in number. Which begs the question, Whose apocalypse is this, exactly? The boys discuss the obvious influence of Lost on the book, whether or not Lemire should have thrown back a certain Fish, the series’ beautiful finale, and how horses are just really tough to draw.
NEXT: could be Loki, could be low-key.
CORRECTION Paul and Arlo rave about Jeff Lemire’s use of watercolors throughout Sweet Tooth. That praise should actually be reserved for brilliant colorist José Villarrubia. Sorry, José!
BREAKDOWN 00:00:55 - Intro / Guest 00:04:40 - Main Topic 01:47:23 - Outro / Next
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Sat, 24 July 2021
For Norma Desmond, the pictures got small when words stole her mystique; for Alan Swann, it was when his drunken antics got him downgraded to the boob tube. They’re both stand-ins for larger-than-life stars past their prime, Norma in Billy Wilder’s scathing Sunset Blvd. (1950) and Alan in Richard Benjamin’s cozy My Favorite Year (1982). In our latest Geek Challenge, Paul and Arlo discuss these fallen idols and how their respective movies take much different approaches to a mentor/mentee relationship. The boys break down the ways in which both films echo real-life Hollywood legends; praise Gloria Swanson’s arch turn as Norma and Peter O’Toole’s thinly veiled take on Errol Flynn; pine for dead monkey funerals; and wonder what things would be like if Jessica Harper ruled the mob.
NEXT: on this month’s Four-Color Flashback, we conclude the post-apocalyptic adventures of Gus and Jeppard in Deluxe Editions 2 and 3 of Jeff Lemire’s Sweet Tooth.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:40 - Intro / Guest 00:06:28 - Sunset Blvd. 00:52:15 - My Favorite Year 01:28:56 - Outro / Next
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Sun, 11 July 2021
You know what they say: Parenting is hard, especially when you’re undercover KGB operatives masquerading as a suburban American couple. As Paul, Arlo, and special guest Wesley “Wezzo” Mead dive into season 2 of Joe Weisberg and Joel Fields’ modern classic The Americans, they discover all the ways child-rearing is difficult for Philip and Elizabeth Jennings. This includes concealing your secret identity; setting up a decoy aunt; keeping your kids out of the church; and shielding them from the dreaded “spurtsposition.” Plus, Paul and Wezzo rock out to the new Fratellis album and share some nice words about Ted Lasso.
NEXT: it’s My Favorite Year to take a stroll down Sunset Blvd. on a new Geek Challenge.
BREAKDOWN 00:01:16 - Intro / Guest 00:14:17 - Main Topic 01:51:00 - Outro / Next
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Sat, 19 June 2021
Imagine a world where a global pandemic killed millions and changed society forever. Spooky stuff, huh? Well, take a break from reality with this month’s Four-Color Flashback: Sweet Tooth: The Deluxe Edition - Book One, comprising the first 12 issues of Jeff Lemire’s offbeat breakthrough about a little deer boy and the post-apocalyptic hell that awaits him in the wilds of Nebraska. Along the way, he meets a Frank Miller-style tough guy named Jepperd, who seems to be the grizzled protector to Gus’ naive innocent. It’s a little more complicated than that, of course. Paul and Arlo discuss Lemire’s weird, idiosyncratic artwork; the way he uses the faces and especially the eyes of his laconic characters to convey so much; and how the new Netflix adaptation is radically different.
NEXT: dust off that mail robot, it’s time for The Americans season 2 with British secret agent Wesley “Wezzo” Mead.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:47 - Intro / Banter 00:19:38 - Sweet Tooth: The Deluxe Edition - Book One 01:37:00 - Outro / Next
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Fri, 11 June 2021
On a new freestyle episode, Paul and Arlo spend the whole podcast telling you about other podcasts you should be listening to instead (and one you should not). You see, Paul has descended into true crime madness, his paranoia reaching heretofore unseen levels as he falls asleep to the sounds of violence. There are also serial killers following him. Elsewhere, Arlo’s vestigial nose twin stalks the night, plotting his revenge. Oh, and Arlo provides a really detailed recap of an episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia for some reason.
NEXT: everybody gets a sweet tooth now and then. We’ll have 12 of them as we discuss the first two volumes of Jeff Lemire’s Vertigo series Sweet Tooth for this month’s Four-Color Flashback.
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Mon, 7 June 2021
The Four-Color Flashback, that most venerated non-Gobbledyween tradition, has been around in some form for nearly all of this podcast’s 11 years. And yet--we’ve never discussed manga, the world’s most popular comics format. Paul and Arlo have decided to rectify that with the first volume of Inio Asano’s Goodnight Punpun, the surreal exploration of one young boy’s troubled adolescence. Punpun Punyama has a crush on the new girl at school, stays with his hipster uncle because of his abusive dad, hears the voice of God, and is beginning to familiarize himself with the art of self-pleasure. Oh, he and his whole family are also rendered as simple little cartoon bird and/or ghost people, while the world around them is drawn in gorgeous detail by Asano. The boys share their limited experience with manga, Arlo enjoys weird vagina monsters, and Paul has an epiphany.
Next: free(style) as a bird(boy).
BREAKDOWN 00:00:55 - Intro / Guest 00:04:58 - Main Topic 01:16:40 - Outro / Next
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Thu, 27 May 2021
Paul, Arlo, and returning guest Michael Holland aren’t in Westview anymore. For its second TV series, the Marvel Cinematic Universe returns to more conventional superheroics. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is the Captain America sequel we’ve been waiting for, filled with stellar action sequences, resonant character work, and a twisty-turny plot. The gang debates how well that last element works, but one thing they can all agree on: director Kari Skogland and head writer Malcolm Spellman do their cast justice, bringing depths to Sam and Bucky we haven’t gotten to see on the big screen. Other topics of discussion include just how relatable the Flag Smashers are, Madripoor’s splashy MCU debut, Sharon Carter’s heel turn, and how Wyatt Russell makes an insufferable character sufferable.
NEXT: he’s not exactly a falcon, but he is a weird little bird-boy. For the first Four-Color Flashback discussing manga, Paul and Arlo take a look at Inio Asano’s Goodnight Punpun: Vol. 1.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:44 - Intro / Guest 00:05:05 - Main Topic 02:05:00 - Outro / Next
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Tue, 4 May 2021
Deception is as American as apple pie. Elizabeth and Philip Jennings are well aware of this--they’re Russian spies under deep cover as a suburban couple in the U.S., after all. Their new next door neighbor, FBI Agent Stan Beeman, threatens to throw a wrench into their long con. Over the course of The Americans season 1, there are plenty of twists, turns, betrayals, and confessions. Wesley “Wezzo” Mead has infiltrated the podcast to join Paul and Arlo as they begin a retrospective on Joe Weisberg’s critically acclaimed but criminally underseen FX series. The gang discusses the tremendous work by leads Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys; how the show is a little pulpier and fast-moving than they remembered; the characters’ vacillating beliefs in each other and the systems they move within; and, of course, all those wigs.
NEXT: Hollywood post-production supervisor Michael Holland flies in for a look at The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Take note, Jennings--Soviet agents can be reformed!
BREAKDOWN 00:00:51 - Intro / Guest 00:03:45 - Main Topic 01:50:05 - Outro / Next
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Tue, 27 April 2021
We've all been isolated, to some degree, for the last year. Austin Allan James' debut feature Who's With Me?, available for free on YouTube, perfectly captures the sense of loneliness and paranoia to which many of us have become accustomed. His film was also almost entirely finished pre-pandemic. Paul and Arlo talk with Austin about his clairvoyant powers, working on a shoestring budget, the inspiration he draws from filmmakers such as David Lynch and Joel Potrykus, how much of a fee turtles can demand, and what it all means, man.
NEXT: at long last, we go undercover with Wesley "Wezzo" Mead for a discussion of The Americans season 1.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:52 - Intro / Guest 00:04:40 - Main Topic 01:08:25 - Outro / Next
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Mon, 19 April 2021
This is a freestyle episode, so you better believe Paul and Arlo talk about all manner of goofy shit, but--there’s also kind of a topic too? Look, we make this stuff up as we go along, get that look off your face. Arlo watched John Carpenter’s 1981 cult classic Escape from New York for the very first time, and he absolutely loved it. He and Paul rave about the movie, its highly relatable cynicism, and its amazing music...which leads Arlo to proffer a shocking apology. The stick up his ass, it’s gotten a little shorter over the years. Plus, an in-depth breakdown of This Is Us’ timeline and an exploration of why roasts suck. Sponsored by the adult toy purveyor of your choice!
NEXT: indie filmmaker Austin Allan James joins us to discuss his debut feature, Who’s With Me.
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Wed, 14 April 2021
We’re all about lending a hand here at Gobbledygeek, so for this month’s Four-Color Flashback, we’re slicing and dicing our way through Daniel Warren Johnson’s Extremity. The ultra-violent 12-issue series follows Thea, an artist who lost a core piece of her identity when a rival clan chopped off her drawing hand. As her father leads their clan on a bloodthirsty quest for revenge, she and her brother Rollo must question whether they will perpetuate this endless cycle of violence. Paul and Arlo discuss the series’ surprising commitment to pacifism, Johnson’s insanely detailed artwork, why the book’s violence isn’t at odds with its intent, and some quirky sound effects.
NEXT: tune in to find out.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:28 - Intro / Guest 00:01:46 - Main Topic 01:29:55 - Outro / Next
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Sun, 11 April 2021
When we’re not contracting coronavirus, we’re contracting people to work on our houses. And sometimes those people, too, can be a plague. Paul and Arlo commiserate over uncomfortable contractor experiences, uncomfortable evangelicalism, and the uncomfortable intersection of those two very uncomfortable things. In other news, baby-faced Paul got his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and had to deal with some folks getting way too up in his personal space. Are we ready for a return to normal? No. No, we are not. Plus, we remember to talk pop culture and chat about the Oscar nominations.
NEXT: Paul decides on air during this very episode that next week will be this month’s Four-Color Flashback, discussing Vols. 1 & 2 of Daniel Warren Johnson’s Extremity.
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Tue, 30 March 2021
And now back to our regularly scheduled programming. After two long years in the Marvel Cinematic Universe desert, since Avengers: Endgame and its postscript Spider-Man: Far from Home, Marvel’s mightiest are back on the air. For the first MCU series on Disney Plus, we have WandaVision, a TV show that is very much about TV shows and what the medium means to us. The comfy-cozy sitcom rhythm of the show, as Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch and Paul Bettany’s Vision make-believe they’re on the sets of The Dick Van Dyke Show or Family Ties, is interrupted by unsettling reminders of where we left these characters. Wanda was grieving--because Vision was dead. What’s going on here? Don’t change that channel, because Paul, Arlo, and special guest Michael Holland--currently post-production supervisor on The Afterparty--discuss how showrunner Jac Schaeffer and director Matt Shakman channel grief, capture the nostalgic spirit of old TV, weaponize fan expectations, and more.
NEXT: we’ll be back, same Bat-time, same Bat-channel.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:50 - Intro / Guest 00:05:53 - WandaVision 01:51:39 - Outro / Next
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Mon, 15 March 2021
What’s more American than ruthless bastards sucking dry the poor, hardworking souls that make this country what it is--all in the name of progress? We’re not just talking about capitalism here, we’re also talking about the bloodthirsty monsters at the heart of Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque’s American Vampire. For this month’s Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo sink their fangs into the first two volumes of Snyder and Albuquerque’s (with an assist from Stephen King) decades-spanning Vertigo series. The boys discuss how Snyder charts the path of American history through three distinct time periods; the seriously cool vampire taxonomy; Albuquerque’s ghastly, gorgeous art; the way King cusses; and, yes, what the book says about capitalist conquest. Plus, Paul chills with three very different Netflix projects: Moxie, Ginny & Georgia, and Behind Her Eyes.
NEXT: Michael Holland, post-production supervisor on American Horror Story and ABC’s For Life, joins us to discuss Disney+’s first MCU series, WandaVision.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:50 - Intro 00:07:14 - American Vampire 01:34:36 - Outro / Next
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Sun, 7 March 2021
In honor of the late Christopher Plummer, Paul and Arlo host a Geek Challenge with two films featuring one of Canada’s greatest. First, Paul has Arlo watch Mike Nichols’ 1994 horror (?) film Wolf, starring Jack Nicholson as a middle-aged book editor who finds the beast inside courtesy of a wolf bite (with a five-minute cameo from a scenery-chewing Plummer). Then, Arlo makes Paul watch Michael Mann’s 1999 ripped-from-the-headlines thriller The Insider, with Russell Crowe as a scientist taking on Big Tobacco, Al Pacino as the journalist trying to tell his story, and Plummer doing one hell of a job as Mike Wallace. Plus, Paul tries to get Arlo to watch Craig McCracken’s new animated series Kid Cosmic.
NEXT: the boys sharpen their fangs on a Four-Color Flashback discussion of the first two volumes of Scott Snyder, Stephen King, and Rafael Albuquerque’s American Vampire.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:55 - Intro / Kid Cosmic 00:10:29 - Wolf 00:55:45 - The Insider 01:49:45 - Pointless tangent about the term “bucket list” (We’re sorry.) 01:52:54 - Outro / Next
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Sat, 27 February 2021
Two hosts, unalike in dignity, in fair Gobbledygeek, where we set our podcast. For this month’s Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo pull out a boombox blasting Romeo and Juliet side B. In Prince of Cats, Ronald Wimberly passes the mic to Juliet’s cousin Tybalt, a sideways entry point into the events that lead to and inform the soapy classic. Oh, and did we mention this version stars a Black cast living in an ‘80s NYC where everybody participates in an underground samurai swordfighting ring? The boys discuss Wimberly’s ingenious distortion of Shakespearean language; his manga-influenced art; how the book enriches (perhaps even improves upon?) the play; and what it means to tell this story from a race-conscious perspective.
NEXT: oh hey, it’s that Christopher Plummer Geek Challenge we promised. Mike Nichols’ Wolf and Michael Mann’s The Insider go head-to-head.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:48 - Intro / Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet 00:23:00 - Prince of Cats 01:03:45 - (Interlude: Paul reads NSFW Shakespearean dialogue from Prince of Cats) 01:55:08 - Outro / Next
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Tue, 23 February 2021
I am a podcast. This week, Paul and Arlo are joined by Wesley Mead to unravel the mystery of Derek DelGaudio's stage show In & Of Itself, now available on Hulu in a filmed version directed by none other than Frank Oz. Truth be told, if truth is a concept you believe in, the gang doesn't do much unraveling. No, that would be beyond the point. Instead, they discuss how the show makes them feel and what it reveals about the relationship between one human being and another. Magic, wolves, self-identity, and the communal experience all make an appearance. Plus, Wezzo tells us how the UK is faring with lockdown, and Arlo raves about Merawi Gerima's stunning feature debut Residue.
NEXT: I'll meet you in another life, when we are both cats. This month's Four-Color Flashback is all about Ronald Wimberly’s take on Romeo and Juliet, 2012's Prince of Cats.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:55 - Intro / Guest 00:23:37 - Derek DelGaudio’s In & Of Itself 01:52:12 - Outro / Next
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Sun, 7 February 2021
Ah, merry old England. A land of many fine tales as well as some pretty crummy ones. This week, Paul and Arlo explore both sides of English mythmaking in a Geek Challenge that hearkens back to the Middle Ages; i.e., the 1930s and 1980s. First up is a movie Paul has been trying to get Arlo to watch literally as long as they've been podcasting: Terry Marcel's 1980 sword-and-sorcery epic (?) Hawk the Slayer, featuring John Terry and Jack Palance as improbable brothers warring over the power of the Mind Sword. In return, Arlo has Paul watch Michael Curtiz's 1938 classic The Adventures of Robin Hood, starring Errol Flynn as the screen's most iconic Robin. The boys discuss Hawk as Paul's Rosetta stone; Robin Hood as one of those movies you just sort of absorb by osmosis; gloriously cheesy synth scores; Daffy Duck becoming a friar; and more. Plus, Jonathan Hickman's X-Men!
NEXT: TBD.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:30 - Fade In / Intro 00:06:34 - Hawk the Slayer 00:52:10 - The Adventures of Robin Hood 01:24:37 - Outro / Next
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Mon, 1 February 2021
‘Tis the damn season. Last summer, we convened the Three Heathens--Paul, Arlo, and A/V writer-director Joseph Lewis--to discuss Taylor Swift’s first surprise album of 2020, Folklore. It was surprising not only for the nature of its release but for the folk pop/singer-songwriter shift it marked, becoming the finest achievement of Swift’s career. On her second surprise album of 2020, Evermore, she may have equaled that achievement. The Heathens are back to discuss the progression of Swift’s Joni Mitchell phase, as her lyrics become more reflective and complex. They’re strengthened by producer/co-writer Aaron Dessner’s sonic palette, introducing new sounds to Swift’s oeuvre. It’s true, the boys go a little off the rails into Lynch references, but one thing is undeniable: the more we say, the less you know. Plus, a discussion of the Disney+ making-of/concert film Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions.
NEXT: it’s Hawk the Slayer vs. The Adventures of Robin Hood in a Geek Challenge.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:37 - Intro / Guest 00:03:40 - Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions 00:16:47 - Evermore 02:36:36 - Outro / Next
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Sun, 24 January 2021
First comes a podcast, then comes 423 more podcasts, then comes a baby who is doomed to think having a podcast host for a dad is normal. On the Gobbledygeek season 12 premiere, Arlo is revealed to be a babydaddy--and the kid isn’t Paul’s! Scandal! Arlo discusses life as the father of a newborn, which involves a good deal of poop. Paul has also had to deal with a good deal of poop, even though his isn’t issuing forth from a screaming, squealing bundle of joy. In between all the poop talk, the boys squeeze out some pop culture talk: Arlo catches up with the new seasons of Ramy and PEN15; Paul gets TikTok’d; Arlo watches (and reads) You; and the boys commiserate about the bizarre, disappointing Wonder Woman 1984.
NEXT: ‘tis the damn season. A/V writer-director Joseph Lewis returns to the show for another round of Swiftie analysis with a deep-dive into Evermore.
BREAKDOWN 00:01:07 - Intro 01:24:30 - Spoilers for Netflix’s You (and the novels it’s based on) 01:29:20 - End spoilers 01:55:05 - Outro / Next
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Fri, 27 November 2020
Because our mascot is a turkey, and because we generally frown upon genocide, Paul and Arlo are spending Thanksgiving weekend discussing films with ties to Native American culture. For this Geek Challenge, Paul urges Arlo to watch Michael Apted's 1992 conspiracy thriller Thunderheart, starring Val Kilmer as an FBI agent who grows to embrace his Sioux heritage. In turn, Arlo makes Paul watch Jim Jarmusch's 1995 psychedelic Western Dead Man, wherein Johnny Depp's iteration of William Blake takes an offbeat journey to the next life. The boys address the major caveat of both films starring white men, as well as their own lily whiteness; determine that Graham Greene and Gary Farmer walk away with their respective movies; and discuss how both films explore spiritual death and rebirth. With a bonus discussion of Apted's documentary Incident at Oglala!
NEXT: Arlo's having a baby. We're going on hiatus with hopes of returning in mid-to-late January. We wish everyone a happy and, more importantly, safe holiday season. We love you.
BREAKDOWN 00:01:00 - Intro / Guest 00:07:15 - Thunderheart 01:08:16 - Dead Man 02:09:36 - Outro / Next
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Sun, 22 November 2020
For the penultimate Gobbledygeek of the year, Paul and Arlo return to an institution they dropped like a bad habit at the start of the pandemic: the Four-Color Flashback! Vickie Willis Navarra, board member of the Comics and Popular Arts Conference at DragonCon, joins the boys to discuss Sandman Mystery Theatre: Book One. Matt Wagner’s resurrection of DC’s Golden Age hero Wesley Dodds, with art by Guy Davis, John Watkiss, R.G. Taylor, and David Hornung, explores the dark dreams of 1938 New York. The gang discusses the art’s sketchy, shadowy noir qualities; Vickie interrupts her praise of Dian Belmont long enough to wonder if Dian falls into the “exceptional female” trope; Paul and Arlo ponder the series’ connection to Neil Gaiman’s Sandman; and more.
NEXT: season 11 comes to a close with a Geek Challenge featuring Thunderheart and Dead Man.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:35 - Intro / Guest 00:11:50 - Main Topic 01:54:34 - Outro / Next
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Mon, 16 November 2020
We’re still here. The world spins on, at least for a time. In the aftermath of Election Day 2020, there are many variables. Will that loser leave the White House? Will the GOP’s slow-rolling coup pay off? Will a Trumpian shadow militia form, leading to an actual Civil War II? As is the norm, Paul and Arlo have no answers, but they ponder these questions and many others. The boys recount their Election Night spirals; Arlo gets tested for COVID; Paul goes to the severe county of Sevier County; and they discuss some pop culture too, like why the kitchen-sink melodrama of This Is Us works, why Baby Yoda being a monster on The Mandalorian is cool and good, and why Paul hates The Simpsons.
NEXT: for the penultimate episode before our pregnancy-induced hiatus, Vickie Willis Navarra joins us for a Four-Color Flashback discussing Sandman Mystery Theatre: Book One by Matt Wagner, Guy Davis, John Watkiss, and R.G. Taylor.
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Fri, 30 October 2020
Hello, kiddies. Are you ready for your deadtime story? Gobbledyween 2020 comes to a close as A/V writer-director Joseph Lewis joins Paul and Arlo in the Cryptkeeper's lair to discuss Ernest R. Dickerson's 1995 frightfest Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight. These hodunk, podunk, well-then-there motherfuckers discuss the insane cast, including William Sadler, Billy Zane, Dick Miller, and CCH Pounder; the importance of Jada Pinkett Smith's heroine Jeryline; Dickerson's use of light and color; and why this is the perfect mid-'90s time capsule.
NEXT: VOTE.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:50 - Intro / Guest 00:09:08 - Demon Knight 01:47:19 - Outro / VOTE!!! / Next
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Sat, 24 October 2020
This week, we want all our garmonbozia. Gobbledyween 2020 emerges from the Black Lodge as Brett Easton Hell Yes host Katie L. Wright joins Paul and Arlo to discuss David Lynch’s divisive Twin Peaks prequel/sequel, 1992’s Fire Walk With Me. The gang discusses the film’s polarizing reception at Cannes (Tarantino hated it!), the surprising empathy Lynch and co-writer Robert Engels show toward both victims and perpetrators of sexual abuse, how Fire Walk With Me is the lynchpin (get it?) of the Twin Peaks universe, and of course, Sheryl Lee’s incredible performance as Laura Palmer.
NEXT: Gobbledyween comes to a close as original Gobbler Joseph Lewis hams it up with the Cryptkeeper for Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight.
BREAKDOWN 00:01:07 - Intro / Guest 00:03:10 - Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me 01:40:05 - Outro / Next
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Fri, 16 October 2020
Perfection, NV, pop. 14, is adding three more country bumpkins to its census: Paul, Arlo, and Jason Tabrys, writer for Uproxx and Den of Geek, who is returning to the show after a stunning two-year absence. The gang is here to continue the month-long horror celebration Gobbledyween by discussing Ron Underwood’s 1990 creature feature Tremors. There is discussion of Kevin Bacon’s small head, Burt Gummer’s voting record, the simple efficacy of S.S. Wilson and Brent Maddock’s script, why the Graboids are great movie monsters, and more. Long-time listeners will know that when Jason Tabrys is involved, more means more.
NEXT: we want all our garmonbozia. Jessica Shipp joins us to discuss Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:28 - Intro / Guest 00:06:00 - Tremors 01:33:40 - Outro / Next
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MUSIC “Good Vibrations” by The Beach Boys, Smiley Smile (1967) “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” by Jerry Lee Lewis, Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On (Single) (1957)
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Wed, 7 October 2020
Leaves are on the ground. Blood is on the screen. It’s time for Gobbledyween.
Take a break from the horror of the real world to join Paul and Arlo for that most venerated of Gobbledygeek traditions, the month-long horror movie marathon known as Gobbledyween. To kick things off for 2020, our pal Greg Sahadachny takes a break from the usual goofy stuff we stick him with (like the very goofy The Stuff) to go legit with his own personal selection: André Øvredal’s 2016 procedural chiller The Autopsy of Jane Doe. The gang takes a scalpel to the film, discussing how Øvredal gets the most out of his “bottle episode” morgue setting; Brian Cox and Emile Hirsch’s strong performances as a father-son coroner duo; how the film avoids fetishizing Olwen Kelly’s nude body; and why nihilism in horror films can feel so satisfying.
NEXT: grab(oid) onto your butts, Uproxx editor Jason Tabrys joins us to talk Tremors.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:50 - Intro / Guest 00:08:00 - The Autopsy of Jane Doe 01:26:06 - Outro / Next
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MUSIC “Open Up Your Heart (and Let the Sunshine In)” by Frente!, Saturday Morning Cartoons’ Greatest Hits (1995) “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures) [From the American Tribal Love Rock Musical “Hair”]” by The 5th Dimension, The Age of Aquarius (1969)
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Mon, 28 September 2020
If you’re seeing double--do not adjust your set. Paul and Arlo, podcasting’s own dynamic duo, have done a Geek Challenge involving dos doppelganger dramas. Well, drama might be a strong word for such a picture as Peter Medak’s 1981 spoof Zorro, The Gay Blade, starring George Hamilton as Don Diego Vega and his brother Ramon Vega, who are charged with taking up their father’s mantle of El Zorro. That’s Paul’s challenge to Arlo, of course--and Paul’s challenge to himself (listen and find out!) is Krzysztof Kieslowski’s 1991 film The Double Life of Veronique, a mysterious and possibly supernatural film featuring Irène Jacob as Polish singer Weronika and French music teacher Veronique, who share an indefinable connection. Get ready to swash some buckles and contemplate some existences!
NEXT: after a week off, it’s that time again. Leaves are on the ground and blood is on the screen. It’s time for Gobbledyween. Greg Sahadachny joins us to discuss The Autopsy of Jane Doe.
BREAKDOWN 00:00:32 - Intro / Guest 00:07:20 - Zorro, The Gay Blade 00:57:25 - The Double Life of Veronique 01:58:41 - Outro / Next
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MUSIC “It Takes Two” by Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock, It Takes Two (1988) “I Think I’m a Clone Now” by Weird Al Yankovic, Even Worse (1988)
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Fri, 18 September 2020
For all you kids at home with a copy of Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary Deluxe Second Edition taking pride of place on your bookshelf--boy, do we have a treat for you! Paul and Arlo are back on their bullshit, running at the mouth about anything they damn well please. This week’s subjects include: the extreme metal-ness of childbirth, Spider-Man: Miles Morales swinging onto the brand spankin’ new PS5, covert earbuds, Infinity Train heading to the station on HBO Max, a treatise on The Searchers and Apocalypse Now, and so much more.
NEXT: Zorro, the Gay Blade spends a day in The Double Life of Veronique for a doppelganger-centric Geek Challenge.
LINKS The Infinity Train Comes and Goes, Leaves Audience Feeling Empty in the Best Way Possible, by Alexander Lewis, Loyola Phoenix Raised By Wolves Review: Ridley Scott Among the Androids, by Mike Hale, New York Times Gameplay Footage from Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales (PS5)
MUSIC “Doin’ It” by LL Cool J, Mr. Smith (1995) “Piece of Me” by Britney Spears, Blackout (2007)
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Sat, 12 September 2020
For another freewheeling freestyle extravaganza, Paul and Arlo cast their minds to everything from billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne to the inevitable end of all things. They wonder how they might write The Deli Counter of Justice in the harsh light of 2020 before the conversation mutates into a treatise on the relative fascism of Batman, an update on Arlo’s progress through Andy Mulvihill’s Action Park book, the boys reacting to the Dune trailer because that shit always gets mad hits on YouTube, and eventually a rumination on whether or not human life should even exist. What a fun pop culture podcast.
Next: more fun.
MUSIC “The End” by The Doors, The Doors (1967) “The End of the Line” by Traveling Wilburys, Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1 (1988)
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Thu, 3 September 2020
As Hamilton taught us, everything is legal in New Jersey. So we shouldn’t be surprised that it was once home to Action Park, the most dangerous amusement park in the world. Eugene Mulvihill’s vision of a lawless hellscape with pleasure as its only principle is the American Dream in miniature, with a guest appearance by Donald Trump himself! Paul and Arlo discuss the new HBO Max documentary Class Action Park, which brought the Mulvihill legend to their attention; some ancillary material available on YouTube, including one insane post-credits sequence; how Paul would love to bean somebody with a flaming tennis ball; and their respective childhoods, one as a latchkey kid in the ‘70s/’80s and one as a cowardly nerd in the ‘90s/’00s. Will they emerge unscathed? Tune in and find out!
Next: another episode of your favorite podcast. No, not that one. This one. Wait. Come back.
THE BREAKDOWN Total Run Time: 01:24:00
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