Open World Chat
Discussing all "genre" media and geek culture.
Episodes
115 episodes
Recasting pt 2: Jaws, A Clockwork Orange, This is Spinal Tap, The Thing
Part two of recasting classic movies as films of today. What i fun game this was! Last episode Mark and John assigned each other Blade Runner and Princess Bride, and the results were... different. Come play along with us and come up with your o...
Recasting movies pt 1!!! The Princess Bride and Blade Runner
Mark and John have some serious geeking out fun and challenge each other to make contemporary recasting picks for classic genre (more or less) films. This is part one and it's two heavy lifts: The Princess Bride and Blade Runner. See if you lav...
Absolutely Perfect TV episodes
These are the TV episodes that hit every beat perfectly, that couldn't withstand a single thing changed, and that should never be edited or messed with in any way. Not just the "oh that was cool, but maybe they could have done 'x'," - these are...
The Odyssey and beyond: Greek myths onscreen
With Christopher Nolan's cinematic presentation of The Odyssey still making boffo box office, we spend some time going over the film before diving into a discussion of greek mythology (or some emblance thereof) on the big screen, the small scre...
Roles that Can't be Recast (just pack 'em up and put 'em away)
Some parts just can't be recast, and attempting to do so would only lead to disaster. Mark and John go through a suprisingly long and varied list of many of these roles - and aren't always in agreement! Take a listen and see if you agree.
When Star Trek Has Failed Itself
Star Trek has always been defined by its vision of a future Earth (if not a future galaxy) and a Federation of different societies as an expression of values. But on many occasions it hasn't lived up to its lofty ideals. Mark and John look at t...
When We Make Contact Part 3: The International System
In the finale of a three part series, Mark and John discuss the implications of potential first contact to global politics and international conflict.
When We Make Contact Part 2: Religion and Culture
Mark and John continue the conversation about First Contact, this time speculating on what it would do to our religion and culture, including the philosophy and culture of capitalism.
When We Make Contact Part 1: Economy and Politics
Mark and John start their path down a rabbit hole they'll dig into in a multi-part series "When We Make Contact" where we consider the implications to the world of an actual First Contact scenario. In Part 1, we do some stage-setting and move i...
Our Favorite Fictional Sociopaths
Diving back into the world of villainy, Mark and John discuss sociopathy and their favorite examples in film and TV.
The Cli-Fi Episode! Climate and Environmental Destruction in Sci-Fi
For obvious reasons, environmental doom is an increasing theme in sci-fi. So much so that the term "Cli-Fi" (with the "Cli" for "Climate," obviously) is an actual thing now. Mark and John dive into it, looking at some of the more well-known exa...
Our favorite death scenes
Settle in as we review nearly 20 of the best (or at least the best as we see them) death scenes in film and TV. Some obvious ones, some not so obvious ones - and Mark and John's lists are surprisingly different.
Our Favorite Parasites
It's tick season! We talk our favorite science fiction parasites (and a few symbiotes) in this episode honoring the return of the clingy bloodsuckers. Like James Gunn's "Slither?" We've got you covered. Have you ever thought of the Borg as para...
A look at spoiled characters
Let's call it the Hank Pym effect - one single choice by one writer making one character kind of wrecked forever. There are quite a few and we talk about some of them in this week's episode.
Sci-fi Bracketology 2026!!!
It's March Madness folks, get your brackets out and pick the winners -- of the best sci-fi movies and TV! Thirty-two "teams" over four quadrants: Cyberpunk & AI, Space & Exploration, Aliens & Horror, Blockbusters & Franchises - ...
Star Trek: State of the Franchise
For the first time in a decade there's no Star Trek series currently in production. John and Mark take a look at the state of the Star Trek franchise in terms of stories and corporate status, and what we might expect going forward.
Resistance Movements in TV and Movies
Mark and John get into the political once again in an analysis of resistance movements in Sci-Fi on the big and little screens.
Movies you wish you could see for the 1st time again
There are favorite movies, and there are the movies you wish you could have that 1st-viewing experience with again. Sometimes they're your favorite movies, but sometimes they're movies that just hit you in a time and place. Heck, some of them m...
Sci-fi that will make aliens laugh their asses off at us
Not quite our "dumb" sci-fi.... more the embarrassing ones. The ones that will make you cringe when we finally meet the extraterrestrials, sit down on the couch with them, and stumble on.
Movies that don't know they're horror movies
Mark and John look at what makes a movie a horror movie (surprisingly complicated!) and apply that to movies that aren't generally considered to be horror. What movies pass the test of horror-that-doesn't-know-it's-horror?
Science as the Bad Guy - When sci-fi hates science
There are mad scientists aplenty in science fiction, but somethimes - perhaps ironically - it's the science itself that science fiction is demonizing. Mark and John look at the science that sci-fi hates and wind through some examples that you a...
"Look at Us Now: A Comic Book Movie" Filmmaker Vee Rodriguez on what comics mean to us
"Look at Us Now: A Comic Book Movie" Filmmaker Vee Rodriguez has a conversation with Mark and John about what comics mean to readers and how they've shaped us over the years. As per imdb: "Based on the poem by VRO, The Poet, LOOK AT US NOW: A C...
Villains who make a good point
Baddies are a dime a dozen, but the really good ones are the ones that have a point and demand you listen. Mark and John discuss them (and go off on a couple tangents, but that happens...).
TV themes! Mark and John Share Their Top 10s!
There are way too many TV themes to call Mark's list and John's lists definitive, but they've got some good ones (and just to make the point, there was no overlap between the lists). That adds up to 20 awesome things ranging from the 1960s to t...
