Sario Rip's Podcast: Recent Episodes
Sario Rip
The secret alien war is starting to seep into the geopolitical conflicts of a pre-9/11 America! Visser Three is in charge now, and all hell is breaking loose. We talk about Ax's impossible choices as an alienated Andalite, the sudden presence of the American military, and the ongoing Andalites-as-Americans motif.
[TRT 01:03:34 We do not own the evergreen jam "American Idiot" by Green Day.]
Given the recent hateful spouting of a once-beloved children's author, the Animorphs series is getting some attention recently as a better alternative. We discuss the differences between the Harry Potter and Animorphs series, J.K. Rowling and K.A. Applegate, and, just for fun, toss in some musings about The Himbo Discourse that swept through Twitter.
[TRT 01:48:06. We do not own anything, verbal or musical, of Baz Luhrmann's 1999 classic, "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)." This was recorded before JKR's most recent hateful spouting on July 5.]
WELCOME TO THE BEGINNING OF THE END. ...to clarify, we're talking about the events in the Animorphs series, not the current global pandemic. :/ Join us as we connect during self-isolation to talk about this book's journey for Marco and his family, plus the Big Changes that unravel the core tension of the series, fulfill long-awaited hopes, and pivot us to begin the final battles of the Animorphs.
Wishing health and safety to all, especially those sick and recovering, and those that are putting themselves at risk to do their jobs during this truly surreal and awful situation.
[TRT 47:41 As ever, we do not own "Father of Mine" by Everclear.]
Two Star Wars hermits come out of hiding to review the latest movie on opening weekend, having read no reviews online, then wait one month to post it. We talk about how everything is basically fine, the challenges of talking about Star Wars with other fans, and oh yes, the New Force Rules.
[TRT 01:43:45. We do not own John Williams' "Training of a Jedi Knight" or any of his maestroworks.]
Join us to talk about Cassie being an earth goddess, moral philosopher, and bonafide action hero! Cassie's Australian Adventure shows there's no limit to our girl's potential, as she battles aliens, performs surgery, and quick-thinks her way to the outback... and back.
[TRT 59:15 We do not own Kylie Minogue's "Butterfly" or any other Australian national treasures.]
This Tobias book brings us back to Taylor, the Yeerk-infested teen villainess who returns with an unbelievable proposition - truly. Listen in as we talk about the suspension of disbelief required for this plot, how well Taylor was handled the second time around, and which characterizations got short shrift in The Test.
[52:37 We do not own the musical stylings of any Taylor, and certainly not the one who sings the perfect anthem for Yeerk Taylor, a definite nightmare dressed like a daydream.]
On March 31, 1999, both The Matrix and 10 Things I Hate About You hit theaters and entered the cultural consciousness. Naturally, we wanted to explore the ways these movies reflected where we'd been, where we were headed, and how they affected popular culture, in similar and different ways.
It's a long one! Topics include: the nexus of past and future, nerd fantasy wish fulfillment, technology onscreen, the self vs. the collective, atypical villain structures, female-gaze male characters, and Riot Grrrls Kat and Trinity. PHEW.
[TRT 01:54:16. We do not own Semisonic's "FNT" but we invite you to daydream about going on a date with Heath Ledger while listening.]
Rachel, or The Friz? The gang's journey through Marco's body systems brings up questions of visual storytelling, so we tackle the events of the book plus the tough questions in bringing the Animorphs series to a screen, big or small.
[TRT 57:14. We do not own the Magic School Bus Theme Song.]
Let's talk about another hypothetical timeline, this time when Jake wakes up 10 years older and the Yeerks are in power! We delve into the plausibility of these future-projections, who's pulling the strings, and what any of this means if it's not even real.
BONUS GAME: count the references to other TV shows, books, plays, and movies! I've got 17...
[TRT 01:08:51. We do not own, and could never dream of owning, Britney Spears's "Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman."]
WHAT IF. We discuss the parallel timeline where the Animorphs never met Elfangor and never banded together to fight the Yeerks: the ins and outs of this particular sci-fi/fantasy trope, comparing and contrasting each character's story and arc, and the ways in which the two realities diverge and converge.
[TRT 1:05:45 We do not own "Otherside" by California funk rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers]
In discussing Gafinilan, Mertil, and Ax in #40 The Other, we took a slight detour to focus broadly on the Andalites: drawing comparisons to Americans, imagining their home world, and asking questions about their culture, military, and societal structure. Y'know, softball investigations of fictional alien species.
[TRT 27:33]
We're a bit late on this one, but hopefully by now the hot takes have died down and we can mostly just revel in Han Solo being the most capable hapless dweeb.
[TRT 01:06:47. We do not own John Williams's "The Asteroid Field," although it was my ringtone in college and scared the crap out of me every time someone called me.]
We discuss the "Gay Andalite" book - more specifically, how well it handles social issues in a sci-fi package, the importance of Marco as narrator, and Gafinilan and Mertil's love story.
[TRT 35:02. We do not own any of Frank Ocean's "Forrest Gump."]
Join us as we discuss the ups and downs of the high-stakes "car chase" book and whether or not it was an effective use of narrator, plotting, and ethical exploration!
[TRT 40:11. We do not own Buffalo Springfield's "Go and Say Goodbye."]
Who wants to hear more Star Wars opinions? We delve into our own thoughts - what worked for us in The Last Jedi, and what didn't - as well as some of the takes we've seen and heard out in the world.
[TRT 01:30:07. We do not own Binary Sunset by John Williams.]
Part bildungsroman, part bizarro Marvel movie, and part Twilight Zone episode, this Ax-centric installment is still squarely an Animorphs foray into the gray area. We take on the heavy #38 dealing with antiheroes, cultural identity, and disillusionment.
[TRT 44:03. We do not own any part of "Losing My Religion" by REM.]
Join us for a lengthy discussion on Yeerk politics, Rachel's leadership skills, and the kinds of foreshadowing taking shape with her character.
[TRT 57:45. We do not own Joan Jett's Bad Reputation, the song or otherwise.]
This one-off goes deeper and deeper with its truly bizarre premise, and leaves us wondering: what makes this an Animorphs book, then? Tune in as we discuss our kids getting immersed in a classic sci-fi narrative and decide if it holds any - well, water.
[TRT 25:08. We don't own The 5th Dimension's Aquarius (Let the Sunshine In).]
Step right up to the hazy line between Yeerk and host, good and evil, and of course, right and wrong! We talk about the rise and fall of Visser One, gender politics, effective villains, and the relevance of this chronicle today.
[TRT 47:56 We do not own Bohemian Rhapsody.]
As an apology for our long hiatus, we're coming at you with our thoughts on Rogue One! Spoilers: we loved it. Hear us rhapsodize about the story of many vs. one, the ingloriousness of rebellion, and our one true love, Princess Leia of Alderaan.
Please note: we recorded this two weeks ago. RIP, Carrie Fisher. You leave behind so much, and yet there's still so much we miss.
[TRT 46:18. We do not own Leia's Theme by John Williams.]
Who let the poo-bear out? Marco did, because he's having emotional issues and it's affecting his morphing. Join us to talk about Marco's coping skills, the 90s-tastic nature of this book, and how to take down a celebrity.
[TRT 31:33. We do not own the classic hit "Who Let the Dogs Out?" by the Baha Men, but we actually encourage you to listen to the whole thing because it's WILD.]
We have the distinct joy of podcasting TOGETHER for this book! The downside: we realized we sound virtually identical when we're in the same room. So, please enjoy listening to us talk about Cassie's awesome morphing powers, alien ethics and history, and the confluence of everything we've ever learned about the rise of the Yeerks - if you can tell who's who.
[TRT 36:04. We do not own Genie in a Bottle, of course, but we remember it with fond nostalgia and cackled with glee as we placed it in the podcast.]
New year, new returns to sadness! The Illusion finds us chatting about Tobias's connection to his ancestry, the concept of his and Rachel's dualities, and the (successful?) inclusion of Taylor as a Rachel-foil and villain.
[TRT 33:21. We do not own "Somewhere Out There," or the tears you might spill listening to it.]
Unable to fit it in an already-overstuffed discussion about #32, we bring you the extended conversation. Topics include the Warrior Girl archetype, antiheroines and subversions, women leads and ensembles, and the changing dialogue surrounding lady characters as we march forward and outward in media.
[TRT 12:59]
Join us, at the tipping point. We discuss the horror beneath the hijinks: what Rachel's duality and separation means for herself, the Animorphs, the series, and female characters in YA fiction as a whole. Oh yeah. It's a doozy.
[TRT 35:56. We do not own Nicki Minaj's "Dear Old Nicki." In fact, it probably owns us.]
We return to you with talks about Jake's tragic family conflicts, the emotional burden of war, and the scope of Yeerk HR and their invasion strategy.
[TRT 29:21. We do not own the fantastic song "Mon Frère" from the French stage musical "Les Dix Commandements" but we highly recommend you check it out.]
We're back! Talkin' bout Marco's ruthlessness, the sad situation he's in, and the terrible idea to let him make all the decisions in it.
[TRT 20:41. We do not own Kanye West's 'Hey Mama.' But we love it.]
It's been awhile, but we return with a big one! Join us as we parse the complications of time travel and the implications of big events and small choices in history. That's right. We are CHANGING THE PAST. And it's messy.
[TRT 52:53. We sadly do not own Cher's masterpiece classic "If I Could Turn Back Time.")
WE'RE BACK. And talking about The Sickness, wherein Cassie saves the day in a very big way. Twice.
[TRT 23:28. We do not own the song "Get Down With the Sickness. We also apologize for implying we don't like it.]
We got cows! Topics of discussion: Ax's hilarious affinity for television, the concept of free will, and Marco's driving.
[We don't own Twister, unfortunately. TRT 22:50]
Talkin' bout the Chee Net, weird plot structure, and the all-consuming glory sadness of Rachel's darkness arc.
[TRT 34:32. We do not own "Deep Sea Diver" by Bat For Lashes, but we do suggest you check it out because it's pretty Rachel-appropriate.]
THE ELLIMIST V. CRAYAK ft. killing machines and middle schoolers. We discuss the meaty details of ants on a chessboard and the triumph of imperfect humanity!
[TRT 29:18: We don't own any fragment of the Harry Potter franchise. We're just dummies who thought using it in this instance would be funny.]
Fittingly to this week's weather, the Animorphs get stranded in the arctic.
[TRT 31:09. We don't claim to own Ice Ice Baby.]
Helmacrons. The science of shrink rays. Misandry alien societies. So, this isn't the most content-heavy book. But it's a fun one.
[TRT 18:56; we don't own anything by David Bowie. We are not worthy.]
We're back! We talk about Tobias' dilemma in "The Pretender."
[TRT 23:05. We don't own "Cat's in the Cradle" by Harry Chapin.]
We discuss the tragic circumstances of the Hork-Bajir and Dak Hamee, complicated ethical choices for Dak and Aldrea, and the subverted trope of "star-cross'd lovers." [TRT 43:16]
We discuss The Discovery, The Threat, and The Solution, and the turning point they represent for the series and its protagonists. Focus on David (the newest member of the Animorphs) - and how awful he is - as well as the moral repercussions of difficult choices for Rachel, Jake, and Cassie.
We do not own the Talking Heads' "Psycho Killer."
[TRT 37:03]
This book's heavy, surreal, and abstract. We discuss the moral dialogues, the collision of ideologies, and Cassie's choices.
[TRT 32:57. We don't own Crazy Town's "Butterfly."]
We're a little bit rusty. On the plus side: dinosaurs!
[TRT 25:04. Would that we have any ownership over the brilliance of John William's theme. Alas, we borrow... and grovel.]
This is a weird book. But it had cinnamon buns, so there's that. Bunzzzzz.
[TRT 31:01. Unfortunately, we do not own the Muppets nor have anything to do with the Jim Henson Company. It's regrettable, really.]
The Animorphs must decide if they should wield their greatest weapon against the Yeerks...
Oatmeal.
[TRT 28:07. We do not own the Batman Theme Song.]
The Invasion goes hard. K.A.’s not messing around. [TRT 10:44]
(Sorry about the fuzzy quality!)
Diana has deep thoughts about The Capture. She Bloggo just makes puns using Billy Joel song titles. [TRT 10:00]
Cassie and Ax are badasses. We wonder about the crazy lady in the woods, and what exactly Rachel was planning on doing with her weekend. Y’know, before the amnesia. [TRT 09:56]
Ax has decisions to make. Andalites have secrets. [TRT 10:25 - sorry about the poor quality, too!]
This podcast was originally split into three installments, but has been stitched together in one massive Frankensteinian effort to discuss ALL THE DEPRESSING THINGS about The Andalite Chronicles. Enjoy! [TRT 28:12]
Sario Rip's professional Animorphs reviewers discuss book #16, The Warning! Topics include the awesome flashbacks to 90s-era internet technology, the moral dilemmas of decision making, and the unfortunate usefulness of baby poop.
"It's All About the Pentiums" belongs to Weird Al Yankovic and Volcano Records. No copyright infringement intended.
Total length [37:07]