Original Geek
Original Geek is a Bi-weekly geek culture podcast hosted by Gen X nerd veterans and stand-up comic Steve Scarfo with co-host Jeff Shaw. We dive deep into Star Wars, Marvel, DC, Dungeons & Dragons, sci-fi, fantasy, comic books, tabletop gaming, retro video games, classic horror, and modern pop culture—all served with sarcasm, nostalgia, and zero gatekeeping.
We’re the geeks who rolled our first D20 before the internet could tell us we were playing it wrong. From MCU debates and Star Trek canon wars to the resurgence of ’80s nostalgia and today’s fandom controversies, we break down what still matters, what doesn’t, and why people are way too mad about fictional universes.
This podcast is for Gen X geeks, millennial nerds, and anyone who loves movies, TV shows, gaming, comics, cosplay, sci-fi, fantasy, and fandom culture. Whether you’re a tabletop beginner, a lifelong dungeon master, a horror movie junkie, or someone who still knows Han shot first, Original Geek explores the evolution of geek culture—from VHS to streaming, Atari to next-gen consoles, Dragonlance to Baldur’s Gate 3.
If you’re looking for a funny, opinionated geek podcast with real personality, heated debates, and unapologetic nostalgia, you’re in the right basement.
🎙️ New episodes weekly.
Subscribe, roll initiative, and embrace your inner geek.
Episodes
36 episodes
Which Star Wars Trilogy Did the Most Damage? (May the 4th Special) | Original Geek | S1E32
May the 4th be with you… but we’ve got a problem.In this special episode of Original Geek, we put Star Wars on trial:👉 Did George Lucas wreck the saga with the prequels?👉 Or did J. J. Abrams and Rian Johnson finish the job w...
Daredevil: Born Again, Kingpin’s Evolution, and the Case for Ben Affleck’s Daredevil | Original Geek | S1E31
This week on Original Geek, we head into Hell’s Kitchen to talk all things Daredevil — especially Daredevil: Born Again on Disney+.Steve and Jeff break down what’s working in the new series, why Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin is still one ...
Why We Love Competence Porn | Project Hail Mary, Sherlock Holmes & Smart Heroes | Original Geek | S1E30
Why are stories about highly capable, hyper-competent characters so satisfying to watch?In this episode of Original Geek, Steve and Jeff explore the oddly perfect geek culture concept of “competence porn” — the movies, shows, and charac...
Galaxy Quest Reunion & Our First Convention in 30 Years... We Weren't ready | Original Geek | S1E29
What happens when two Gen X geeks walk into their first convention since the 80s?They realize geek culture didn’t just survive… it took over.In this episode of Original Geek, Steve and Jeff dive into their experience at Northeas...
Manga Is Beating American Comics… And We Didn’t See It Coming | Original Geek | S1E28
Two Gen X geeks finally sit down with One Piece — and realize they've been anime fans since childhood without knowing it. Steve and Jeff review Netflix's One Piece Season 1 (no spoilers for season 2!), flashback to Star Blazers and Voltron, and...
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters — Is It Fixing the Monsterverse? | Original Geek | S1E27
Is Monarch: Legacy of Monsters fixing the Monsterverse, or is the franchise getting too big for its own good?In this episode of Original Geek, Steve Scarfo and Jeff Shaw dive into the secret organization at the center of the Monstervers...
The Star Trek Era That Changed Everything (Kirk vs Picard) | Original Geek | S1E26
Kirk vs Picard: Which Star Trek Era Was the True Peak? + Starfleet Academy Random ReviewWhich era of Star Trek was the true peak?Was it the Original Series era — Kirk, Spock, and the foundation of the franchise?Or the Next G...
Street-Level vs Cosmic Marvel: Which TV Era Wins? | Original Geek | S1E25
Marvel Television has evolved from The Incredible Hulk in the 70s to Loki, Daredevil, WandaVision, and now Wonder Man on Disney+ — but which version of Marvel TV actually works best?In this episode of Original Geek, we dive deep into th...
How Game of Thrones Changed Fantasy Forever | Original Geek | S1E24
Before Game of Thrones, fantasy was rarely treated as prestige television.Then HBO brought George R.R. Martin’s world of Westeros to life — and the genre was never the same.In this episode of Original Geek, we revisit the cultur...
Why The Muppet Show Still Works | Original Geek | S1E23
For Original Geeks, The Muppet Show wasn’t just a kids’ program—it was controlled chaos, smart failure, and comedy that trusted the audience.In this episode, we dig into why the Muppets still matter 50+ years later, how Jim Henson delib...
Fallout & the End of the World - Why We Can’t Stop Watching Apocalypse Stories | Original Geek | S1E22
What’s the worst apocalypse to survive?In this episode of Original Geek, we head straight into the wasteland to talk Fallout — the hit TV series, the video games that inspired it, and why post-apocalyptic stories refuse to leave our bra...
Predator: Badlands — How It Changes the Predator Franchise | Original Geek | S1E21
Predator: Badlands didn’t just land as another sequel — it cracked open a much bigger conversation about what the Predator franchise actually is, where it’s been, and where it might be going next.In this episode of Original G...
Zombies: Rage vs Rot | Original Geek | S1E20
What makes zombies terrifying—speed or decay?In this episode of Original Geek, we break down the two classic zombie types: rage-driven infected and slow, rotting undead. We explore how zombie movies and TV shows evolved, wh...
What Actually Makes a Disaster Movie? (Explosions Aren’t Enough) | Original Geek | S1E19
What actually makes a disaster movie?Is it explosions? CGI destruction? Cities getting wiped off the map?Or is it something smaller—and a lot more human?In this episode of Original Geek, we break down what defines a true...
Stranger Things Season 5 Random Review - Eps 5, 6, & 7: Wormholes, Mr. Clark, and Finale Predictions | Original Geek
This episode of Original Geek Random Review focuses exclusively on Stranger Things Season 5 Episodes 5, 6, and 7 — and what they’re setting up for the finale.Using a D20 dice roll, we let fate decide which topics com...
How Bruce Willis Changed Action Movies Forever (It Started With Die Hard) | Original Geek | S1E18
Before he was an action legend, Bruce Willis was a wisecracking TV star from Moonlighting. Then Die Hard happened—and John McClane changed action movies forever.In this episode of Original Geek, we use Die Hard as the entry point to tal...
Stranger Things Season 5 Random Review (Part 1b): Max, Vecna, and the Turning Point | Original Geek
In Part 2 of our Stranger Things Season 5 Random Review of the first four episodes, the dice take us straight into the emotional and structural heart of the season.We roll a successful Sense Motive check and land on one of the mos...
Stranger Things Season 5 Random Review (Part 1): The Hawkins Problem Nobody Wants to Talk About | Original Geek
You don’t hate Stranger Things Season 5… but something definitely feels off.In Part 1 of our Stranger Things Season 5 Random Review, we roll the dice and let chaos decide what we talk about—because that’s the o...
Everything You Knew About Rudolph Is Wrong (It’s Not Claymation!) | Original Geek | S1E17
You think you grew up watching claymation Christmas specials. You didn’t.In this episode of Original Geek, we take a deep dive into the classic Rankin & Bass Christmas specials and break down one of the biggest holida...
Daniel Wasn’t the Villain — He Was Just Annoying | Original Geek | S1E16
The Karate Kid is one of the most iconic Gen X movies ever made — and somehow, it’s still starting fights 40 years later.In this episode of Original Geek, we break down why The Karate Kid refuses to stay a simple...
Stranger Things Is the Most Accurate Gen X Show Ever | Original Geek | S1E15
Stranger Things isn’t just nostalgic — it’s accurate. And that’s why it hits Gen X differently than any other generation.In this episode of Original Geek, we break down why Stranger Things feels less like a retro...
Stephen King Still Owns Horror — Here’s Why No One Can Replace Him | Original Geek | S1E14
How the Master of Horror became the ultimate Geek KingStephen King didn’t just write horror — he defined it. From Carrie to It, The Shining to Shawshank, King’s stories built an entire universe of fear, magic, and monsters that shaped e...
Why Old Movie Monsters Are Cooler Than Modern CGI | Original Geek | S1E13
Grab your popcorn and dim the lights — this week on Original Geek, we’re firing up the old TV set for a trip back to Creature Double Feature! 👾Steve and Jeff dig into the evolution of the movie monster — from the...
TRON Flopped Because the World Wasn’t Ready for It | Original Geek | S1E12
TRON didn’t fail — it arrived early.In this episode, we explore how TRON predicted the digital age, pioneered CGI, and was misunderstood by audiences and Hollywood alike. We trace the franchise from 1982 to today and explain why its idea...
John Hughes Lied to Us About High School (And We Believed Him) | Original Geek | S1E11
John Hughes shaped how Gen X understood high school — for better and worse.In this episode, we revisit his iconic films and ask which ones still hold up, which don’t, and what they say about growing up in the 1980s. Nostalgia meets adult...