Dr. H. A. Hellyer gained international attention (and flak) when he compared Jedi monks to Sufi Islamic warriors in an article for CNN. He joins the show to discuss parallels between the Force and Islamic mysticism, why Star Wars is a cross-cultural…

The science fiction of Kurt Vonnegut was permeated by ethics and politics, not the least of which included socialism, opposition to war, secularism, and being nice to people in general. Royce Sharp joins to discuss.

“Galaxy Quest” is the greatest parody of Star Trek imaginable… without technically being Star Trek. Nick Sperdute and Erin Macdonald join the show to discuss what makes the show so memorable–and hilarious. Links to the film and the referenced…

“Hyperion” by Dan Simmons projects Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales onto a distant scifi future. Katherine Mangu-Ward joins to discuss the multiple characters who make their away on a deadly pilgrimage to meet the Shrike—a robot monster who moves…

Michael Weiss, editor-at-large at The Daily Beast, joins the show to discuss Darth Vader: why he’s such a compelling malefactor, the deep inner conflict and tumult which motivates him, and the mythological figures the dark lord of the Sith represents.

“Watchmen” kicks off with the Tulsa Race Massacre, which defines the central theme of the rest of the series: race. Hannibal Johnson is the author of “Black Wall Street 100–An American City Grapples With Its Historical Racial Trauma,” as well as…

Brian Brushwood joins the show to discuss “Watchmen,” the televised sequel to the film and book, “The Watchmen.” Topics include: underlying tensions in the show, is Dr. Manhattan a stupid character, and was Ozymandias right?  This is Part One of…

“Demolition Man” is a cult classic, wherein Sylvester Stallone gets thawed out in the near future to stop Wesley Snipes from destroying Los Angeles. Society is bifurcated into infantilized virginal technocrats up top, and rat-eating, free-thinking…

In “Clans of the Alphane Moon” by Philip K. Dick, a planet is colonized as an insane asylum, then abandoned, so that its inmates develop their own society and cultures. Tom Merritt, host of “Sword and Laser” joins to answer: what happens when…

“Mad Max: Fury Road” is the height of post-apocalyptic wasteland glam–everyone is really getting into skulls, cars, and neo-Viking lore. Not to mention it may be the greatest feminist film in science fiction.  Scott Johnson of Frogpants Studios…