Science Fiction University
Each episode Driftglass and Blue Gal discuss one work of classic science fiction plus one science fiction movie. The two pieces share a theme, whether it be time travel, unreliable narrators, dystopias, etc. Join the adventure at sciencefictionuniversity.com
Episodes
29 episodes
Ep 29 Propaganda!
A dive into propaganda in science fiction, particularly those instances where aliens take over the world to the advantage of the privileged. What?Links for this episode:Ray Nelson, "Eight O'Clock In the Morning" available ...
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Episode 29
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33:50
Ep 28 Apple TV's 'Dark Matter' and the Multiverse
Diving into Apple TV's new series "Dark Matter," based on Blake Crouch's bestselling novel. We'll explore how the show tackles concepts of both parallel realities, and the nature of identity across multiple timelines.But the multiverse m...
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Episode 28
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35:38
Andy Weir's Hopeful, Hard SF
On this episode of Science Fiction University, we dive into the works of Andy Weir, the author behind the hit novels The Martian and Project Hail Mary.Project Hail Mary, Weir's latest novel takes readers on an epic journey across the cos...
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Episode 27
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47:19
The Day The Earth Stood Still
We talk about "The Day the Earth Stood Still" and the 1940 short story that inspired it, sort of. More at https://www.sciencefictionuniversity.com. Support the show:
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Episode 26
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1:18:40
Episode 25 | 3 Body Problem
We talk about the new Apple TV series "3 Body Problem," which we highly recommend. We also relate it to lots of other science fiction works. Looking for political content? We were on The Brad Cast on Monday
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Episode 25
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57:02
Ep 24 We drop everything to talk about Dune 2
What the title says! Support the show at proleftpod.com and thanks!
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1:05:17
Ep 23 The Maltese Falcon (Is Not Science Fiction)
We take a short break from Science Fiction to dive into the 1941 film noir masterpiece The Maltese Falcon, comparing and contrasting that Humphrey Bogart classic with two earlier versions, one made in 1931, and a Bette Davis comedy (?) version,...
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1:03:26
Ep 22: How Did You Fall In Love With Science Fiction?
Driftglass and Blue Gal share their stories of falling in love with SF. More at sciencefictionuniversity.com.
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Episode 22
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51:27
Ep 21: Labor Relations and 'The Icicle Works'
We discuss the very political "The Day the Icicle Works Closed" by Frederick Pohl, and also why science fiction stories often don't stand the test of time. More at sciencefictionuniversity.com.
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Episode 21
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47:54
Ep 20 Time Travel and Netflix's 'Bodies'
The Netflix series "Bodies" brings up all kinds of connections to time travel in science fiction. We watched the 8 part series in three days -- it's good!
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Episode 20
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43:29
Ep 19 Too Much of a Good Thing / Whither Dune?
We discuss tragic heroes and utopias in science fiction, then we turn to the possiblity of future Dune movies. More at sciencefictionuniversity.com.
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Episode 19
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52:23
Ep 18: Fish Stories
Alternate title: 'Mother Nature, USMC'. A subgenre of science fiction in which humans try to bend nature to their will, sometimes with disastrous results. Also, an ocean creature theme. Movies discussed include&n...
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Episode 18
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46:25
Ep 17: Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One and Neuromancer
Driftglass took Blue Gal to see Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1 for her birthday. During the movie, Driftglass noticed many plot points that connect this blockbuster to William Gibson's 1984 novel, "Neuromancer." So we did...
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32:46
Ep 16 Multiverses
Multiversal success and failure. Success? Star Trek TOS episode "Mirror, Mirror," and the 2017 Starz series, "Counterpart." Failure? It pains Driftglass to say it, but Robert Heinlein's "The Number of the Beast" is well...
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50:02
Ep 15 When Genres Collide!
Science Fiction "versus" Fantasy – When Genres CollideRobert Heinlein’s “Glory Road”Babylon 5: The Technomages.Star WarsJohn Varley’s Wizard/Demon TrilogyThe Dragonr...
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Episode 15
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36:06
Ep 14 Gene Roddenberry and the Good Robot
We look at a 1970's pilot, "The Questor Tapes," which was a scratchpad for the invention of the TNG character known as Data. More at sciencefictionuniversity.com.
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Episode 14
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31:18
Ep 13 The Forbin Project and A.I.
The 1970 film, "Colossus: The Forbin Project" and the "uh oh, we shouldn't have done that" genre of science fiction. More at sciencefictionuniversity.com .
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Episode 13
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35:02
Ep 12: The Prisoner
We discuss our re-watching of Patrick McGoohan in "The Prisoner," perhaps the most influential science fiction single-season show ever. More at sciencefictionuniversity.com
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Episode 12
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40:10
Ep 11 Adapting Stories to the Screen: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
We discuss what can go wrong, and right, when adapting a much-loved science fiction story to the big or big-ish screen. Examples include Foundation, Dune, and the more recent Kindred. More at ScienceFictionUniversity.com. ...
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Episode 11
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42:03
Ep 10: When Aliens Are Truly Alien
We discuss Stanley Kubrick's 1968 film, "2001: A Space Odyssey," Andrei Tarkovsky’s 1972 film, “Solaris,” and Denis Villeneuve’s 2016 film, “Arrival.” More at ScienceFictionUniversity.com. Support our ad-fre...
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Episode 10
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48:48
Ep 9: Attack of the '60's
We discuss three modern productions with roots in the 1960's: Apple TV's Foundation, Denis Villeneuve's Dune, and For All Mankind (also Apple TV). More at
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58:38
Ep 8 Save The Timeline, Destroy the Timeline
We discuss timelines using examples from Loki, Travelers, Star Trek TOS "The City on the Edge of Forever," and 11.22.63 (Honorable mention to “All You Zombies”/”By His Bootstraps”, The End of Eternity)Support the show at
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Episode 8
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41:05
Ep 7: While You Were Sleeping: Planet of the Apes, Idiocracy, Groundhog Day
Looking at time travel stories generated by a main character waking from sleep. More at sciencefictionuniversity.com. (Episode contains spoilers and occasional swear words.)
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Episode 7
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41:37
Ep 6 System Failure -- The Outsider, The Night Stalker and The Blob
HBO's 2020 series "The Outsider" meets the cult classics the 1972 made-for-TV movie/pilot for "The Night Stalker" and the 1958 Steve McQueen debut "The Blob." These science fiction stories are connected by a truth-knower untrusted by the ...
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Episode 6
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40:33