Original Geek
Original Geek is a 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
26 episodes
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...
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59:39
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 21
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56:50
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 20
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59:34
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 19
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1:00:04
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...
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Season 1
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16:57
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 18
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57:41
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...
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15:16
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...
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Season 1
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13:30
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 17
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58:17
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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49:51
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 15
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56:48
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 14
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57:51
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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51:34
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...
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57:45
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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1:03:13
How Dungeon Masters Went from Basement Weirdos to Legends | Original Geek | S1E10
Dungeon Masters used to run games quietly in basements. Now some are paid performers with massive audiences.In this episode, we explore the evolution of the DM — from Satanic Panic days to professional game mastering. We discuss storytel...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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58:23
Sports Used to Be Simple — Then Geeks Took Over | Original Geek | S1E09
Sports fandom used to be emotional. Now it’s data-driven.In this episode, we trace how stat-obsessed fans went from handwritten box scores to fantasy leagues and billion-dollar analytics. We debate whether numbers improved sports — or dr...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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55:10
LARP vs Ren Faire: Why Grown Adults Hit Each Other with Fake Swords | Original Geek | S1E08
What happens when D&D leaves the basement and hits the real world?In this episode, we put LARPing and Renaissance Faires on trial. We explore their shared roots, cultural differences, DIY origins, and how both went from fringe hobbie...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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55:26
Arcades Raised Us… and Then Disappeared | Original Geek | S1E07
Before online lobbies and DLCs, gaming meant arcades, quarters, and trash talk.In this episode, we revisit arcade culture, console wars, early home computing, and the shift to modern gaming. From Gauntlet and Mortal Kombat to VR and mone...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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1:04:34
Blockbusters Used to Be Risky — Now They’re Just Expensive | Original Geek | S1E06
Blockbusters were once bold, risky events. Today, they’re safer, bigger, and often forgettable.In this episode, we trace the evolution of the summer blockbuster from Jaws to modern franchise fatigue. We talk opening-night lines, merch ma...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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56:38
Why Comedy Movies Aren’t Funny Anymore (And What Broke Them) | Original Geek | S1E05
Comedy movies used to be theater events. Now they barely exist on the big screen.In this episode, we explore the rise and fall of theatrical comedy — from classic hits to streaming-era releases that feel safer and smaller. We debate nost...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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54:25
SPECIAL RELEASE: FULL Original Geek Theme Song!
🚨 DROP ALERT 🚨 You asked. We delivered. The full Original Geek theme song is finally here—and yes, it was generated by AI… but it still shreds harder than a critical hit with a Vorpal Sword.Whether you’re rolli...
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1:56
The Internet Used to Be Slow, Weird, and Better Than This | Original Geek | S1E04
The internet didn’t start as an algorithmic addiction machine. It started slow, chaotic, and a little dangerous.In this episode, we rewind to the early days of dial-up, AOL chat rooms, LimeWire, message boards, and online gaming — and tr...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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51:46
Star Wars vs Star Trek: One of Them Had to Win | Original Geek | S1E03
For decades, geeks have argued over lightsabers vs phasers, optimism vs philosophy, fantasy vs science fiction.In this episode, we put Star Wars and Star Trek on trial. We explore what each franchise represents, how they shaped geek iden...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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51:31
How Comic Books Went from Nerd Shame to Billion-Dollar Obsession | Original Geek | S1E02
Comic books were once dismissed as disposable kids’ entertainment. Today, they dominate movies, TV, and pop culture worldwide.In this episode, we track the evolution of comic books from spinner racks and plastic bags to cinematic univers...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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48:43