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Dear telefriends! Get ready to transcend this earthly plane, as Paul, Arlo, and Eric encounter a universe of concrete birds, homeo-whores, and techno-techno equipment for the latest Four-Color Flashback. The gang gets high (some of them too high) on Alejandro Jodorowsky and Mœbius’ sci-fantasy The Incal, a far-out trip to a new state of being. What starts as a noir riff quickly becomes a galaxy-spanning, head-spinning epic. Topics of discussion include the Lee/Kirby-esque dynamic between Jodo and Mœbius, each page’s intricate color design, what an asshole Detective John Difool is, whether or not any of this makes any sense (or if it needs to!), and much more.

NEXT: prepare to enter Val-halla. We begin our series of Val Kilmer double features with two of his first films, 1984’s Top Secret! and 1985’s Real Genius.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:45 - Intro / Banter

00:30:12 - The Incal

01:20:51 - [Paul got too high]

01:41:08 - Outro / Next

MUSIC

• “Because I Got High” by Afroman, Because I Got High (2000)
• “Too High” by Stevie Wonder, The Sounds of Stevie Wonder (1973)

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Something passed between them: the faintest hint of a common destiny. Does this describe Paul and Arlo’s first meeting, or the first time Farmer Hoggett sets eyes on the piglet known as Babe? What’s the difference? For a new That Was Then, the boys are joined by perennial guest Eric Sipple to discuss Chris Noonan’s 1995 film Babe. Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, the unlikely Best Picture nominee set a new standard for animal VFX and influenced a generation of vegetarians and vegans. The gang discusses the film’s surprising macabre side, its view of destiny, how it compares to Orwell’s Animal Farm, the contentious relationship between Noonan and co-writer/producer/shadow director (?) George Miller, and much more.

NEXT: drop some acid, find your spiritual center, and join us for a Four-Color Flashback exploring the first three volumes of Alejandro Jodorowsky & Mœbius’ The Incal.

BREAKDOWN

00:01:22 - Intro / Banter

00:03:38 - That Was Then: 1995

00:24:20 - Babe

01:47:28 - Outro / Next

MUSIC

• “Pigs on the Wing” by Pink Floyd, Animals (1977)
• “Piggies” by the Beatles, The Beatles (1968)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://www.unduemedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, it’s time for another nautical That Was Then. Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year is none other than Steven Spielberg’s Jaws, a landmark moment in American film that permanently changed the shape of the industry, for better or for worse. It can be tough to view such a classic as a piece of craft unto its own, but Paul, Arlo, and super-duper special guest Eric Sipple do their best. The gang recounts the film’s storied production, examines a young Spielberg’s filmmaking technique, discusses Jaws’ place in the Spielberg canon (particularly in light of The Fabelmans), and much more.

NEXT: That Was Then…this is sow. Paul, Arlo, and Eric head on down to the farm for a look at Chris Noonan’s 1995 Best Picture nominee Babe.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:43 - Intro / Banter

00:19:02 - That Was Then: 1975

00:32:00 - Jaws

01:55:00 - Outro / Next

MUSIC

• “Jaws (Main Title)” by John Williams, Jaws (1975)
• “Nightswimming” by R.E.M., Automatic For The People (1992)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://www.unduemedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Pop open a can of spinach and set sail for the far-off year of 1980, when noted auteur Robert Altman had his crew build an entire functioning town so they could shoot a Popeye movie. This unassuming comic strip adaptation represents the collision of the New Hollywood movement and the old studio system, both in their waning days; neither would survive “Stalag Altman,” as star Robin Williams coined it. Paul and Arlo are delighted by the end result, an improvisational-seeming ensemble picture in the Altman vein that also features cartoon gags, characters bursting into songs penned by Harry Nilsson, and a giant octopus. The boys discuss why the movie is so much better than its reputation suggests, Robin Williams’ and Shelly Duvall’s underappreciated performances, the surprisingly moving throughline of fatherhood, and so much more. Plus, a whole bunch of trailers for Marvel’s Thunderbolts, the new season of animated sci-fi anthology Love Death + Robots, the animated Predator movie Killer of Killers, and Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme; Paul stuns Arlo by singing the praises of the new Amazing Spider-Man #1; and Arlo is still reading old school Fantastic Four*.

NEXT: just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, it’s another That Was Then, as Paul, Arlo, and Eric Sipple take a bite out of Steven Spielberg’s Jaws on the eve of its 50th anniversary.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:46 - Intro / Even MORE Banter!

00:48:43 - Popeye

01:59:28 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• Thunderbolts*
• Love Death + Robots, Volume 4
• Predator: Killer of Killers
• The Phoenician Scheme
• Popeye Is the Best Movie Robin Williams Ever Made by Eric Spitznagel, Vanity Fair

MUSIC

• “I Yam What I Yam” by Robin Williams, Popeye (1980)
• “I’m Popeye the Sailor Man” by Robin Williams, Popeye (1980)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://www.unduemedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Here we go, here we go, here we go again: another Spider-Man adaptation? Don’t get your webs in a tizzy, True Believers, because this one is really worth it. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, the new animated series created by Jeff Trammell, imagines a branch of the Marvel Cinematic Universe where Peter Parker was never supposed to be bitten by that genetically altered spider–until he was. Cue wacky high school shenanigans, as a number of key changes from the comics and other shows/movies cause that butterfly effect to start flappin’ its wings. Paul, Arlo, and forever guest Eric Sipple discuss how Trammell and company capture the spirit of the early Ditko/Lee comics, praise the vibrant animation, consider whether these iterations of the Osbornes are definitive, and much more. Plus, the gang pays tribute to Val Kilmer, there are new teasers for Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld and Superman, Arlo’s been reading some more of the Kirby/Lee Fantastic Four, and Jonathan Hickman’s Ultimate Spider-Man is the best Spidey book on the stands.

NEXT: we yare what we yare, and what we yare is discussing Robert Altman’s 1980 take on Popeye for a new That Was Then.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:35 - Intro / WAY TOO MUCH BANTER!!!

00:50:38 - Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man

02:04:30 - Outro / Next

MUSIC

• “Neighbor Like Me” by The Math Club
• “Across 110th Street” by Bobby Womack, Across 110th Street (1973)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://www.unduemedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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It’s a reunion at the end of the world as Eric Sipple joins Paul and Arlo for the latest Four-Color Flashback. Paul has invited everyone to The Nice House on the Lake, James Tynion IV and Álvaro Martínez Bueno’s 2021-22 DC Black Label series about a group of old friends who have been sequestered from the apocalypse by their alien BFF. The gang discusses the way Tynion captures the feeling of being that friend who only has one other friend in the group, how Bueno uses his naturalistic and painterly style to evoke real horror, what the book says about what it takes to keep a group of adult humans from destroying each other, and much more. Plus, a whole bunch of casting announcements for Avengers: Doomsday and a trailer for Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another.

NEXT: Spider-Man, Spider-Man, does whatever a spider can, like starring in the new Disney Plus animated series Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:44 - Intro / Guest

00:26:51 - The Nice House on the Lake

02:11:10 - Outro / Next

MUSIC

• “Drops in the Lake” by Lord Huron, Long Lost (2021)
• “Friends” by Whodini, Escape (1984)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://www.unduemedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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We’re seeing triple on a new Geek Challenge featuring a duet of trios: first we’ve got John Landis’ notorious flop Three Amigos from 1986, then Robert Altman’s dreamy art film 3 Women from 1977. Paul and Arlo debate whether or not Three Amigos deserves its reputation, puzzle over the inscrutability of 3 Women, and compare the two films’ respective turns into surrealism. Plus, Arlo’s back in the Cage with a series of ‘90s action classics.

NEXT: three, two, one…who knows?

BREAKDOWN

00:00:30 - Intro

00:21:43 - Three Amigos!

00:48:39 - 3 Women

01:29:44 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• ‘Three Amigos’ Revisited: Still Charming and Singularly Strange at 30” by Vince Mancini, Uproxx
• “Altman Had a Dream…” by Roger Ebert, rogerebert.com

MUSIC

• “Three Is A Magic Number” by Bob Dorough, Schoolhouse Rock (1973)
• “The Magic Number” by De La Soul, 3 Feet High and Rising (1989)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://www.unduemedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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With How to Train Your Dragon, Chris Sanders taught us about human-dragon friendship. And now, with The Wild Robot, he shows us what happens when technology becomes stranded in the wilderness: a robot named Rozz learns to have a mother’s love for a gosling named Brightbill. Paul, Arlo, and forever-guest Eric Sipple discuss how the film merges its natural and sci-fi elements, Sanders’ evolution as a filmmaker, the stunning voice performance of Lupita Nyong’o, and what the movie says about parenthood. Plus, Paul gets Born Again with Daredevil and all the celebrities are dying.

NEXT: three is the magic number in a Geek Challenge featuring John Landis’ 1986 flop Three Amigos and Robert Altman’s obscure 1977 head trip 3 Women.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:39 - Intro / Guest

00:35:00 - The Wild Robot

02:01:00 - Outro / Next

MUSIC

• “Wild Wild Life” by Talking Heads, True Stories (1986)
• “Mr. Roboto” by Styx, Kilroy Was Here (1983)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://www.unduemedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Does a bear kill in the woods? That’s the question Patrick Horvath sets out to answer in his “Richard Scarry meets Dexter” opus Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees, the subject of this year’s very first Four-Color Flashback. The 2024 IDW series takes place in an idyllic world of anthropomorphic animals where not all is as it seems–the local hardware store owner, Samantha Strong, has a nasty habit of heading out to the city and slaughtering random passersby. That is, until another serial killer comes to her small town of Woodbrook, threatening the life she has carefully maintained for decades. Paul, Arlo, and Special Guest™ Eric Sipple discuss Horvath’s deceptively simple cartooning, his brilliant use of panel layouts, the limits of the book’s suburban satire, Hassane Otsmane-Elhaou’s visionary lettering, and so much more. Plus, Arlo raves about Best Picture nominee Nickel Boys.

NEXT: we’ll be back, someway, somehow.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:28 - Intro / Guest

00:02:48 - Banter and generally wasting time

00:08:44 - Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees

01:35:47 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• “Exclusive Interview: Patrick Horvath on BENEATH THE TREES WHERE NOBODY SEES” by Christian Angeles, The Beat

MUSIC

• “Teddy Bear’s Picnic” by Henry Hall, The Best Children’s Songs & Stories (2014)
• “Where Did You Sleep Last Night” by Lead Belly, The Tradition Masters (2002)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://www.unduemedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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And we’re back. Just like that, in the blink of an eye–or, depending on your perspective, what felt like several eternities–six months have passed since the last episode of Gobbledygeek. What happened? Where were we? Paul, Arlo, and third Gobbler Eric Sipple attempt to answer these questions on our season 16 premiere. Along the way, we eulogize master filmmaker David Lynch, discussing what made his Midwest surrealism so unique and why the “Lynchian” descriptor so often fails to capture his genius. We also run down a list of some of our favorite pop culture from last year, including I Saw the TV Glow (there’s some disagreement), The Substance (ditto), Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees, and much, much more.

NEXT: a big fat TBD.

MUSIC

• “Mairzy Doats” by Ray Wise
• “Falling” by Julee Cruise, Twin Peaks (1990)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://www.unduemedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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In an age where Deadpool & Wolverine is set to smash box office records, it can be hard to remember what things were like in the first wave of superhero blockbusters. Costumes were primarily made of black leather, nu-metal montages were all the rage, and yet–there was a willingness and desire to be experimental that is often lacking today. That's the scene The Incredibles burst onto in 2004, with its dynamic color palette, its retro-futuristic atmosphere, and (shockingly) its sharply defined point of view. For the next nostalgic installment of That Was Then, Paul and Arlo are joined by The Deli Counter of Justice co-founder Eric Sipple to discuss Brad Bird's landmark entry into the superhero canon. The gang discusses how Bird and his team utilized relatively primitive CGI to striking artistic effect, how comic books were not the film's main influence, and how Hollywood learned all the wrong lessons from The Incredibles’ success.

NEXT: let's head to 1994 for more That Was Then, as we gaze upon the horrors unleashed by the Oliver Stone/Quentin Tarantino collab Natural Born Killers.

LINKS

• The Cinematography of The Incredibles, Part 1 by Ron Doucet, Flooby Nooby
• Part 2
• Part 3

MUSIC

• “The Glory Days” by Michael Giacchino, The Incredibles (Music from the Motion Picture) (2004)
• “The Incredits” by Michael Giacchino, The Incredibles (Music from the Motion Picture) (2004)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://www.unduemedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Hail and well met! This week, Paul and Arlo raise their overpriced goblets to Lance Oppenheim’s HBO docuseries Ren Faire. The three-episode series concerns the nation’s largest Renaissance faire, the Texas Renaissance Festival, and the power-hungry Oompa Loompas looking to take over the chocolate factory from their perverted Willy Wonka. The boys are in awe (derogatory) of TRF owner George Coulam, a self-professed horny old man who seems much more interested in “sugaring” young women than in running his theme park. George berates all his pitiful hangers-on, including lifer Jeffrey Baldwin, Red Bull aficionado Louie Migliaccio, and no-nonsense Darla Smith. Topics of discussion include Oppenheim’s blend of documentary and narrative filmmaking techniques, whether or not anyone involved is deserving of our sympathy, and LARPing.

NEXT: hope you know where your super suit is, because The Deli Counter of Justice co-founder Eric Sipple is joining Paul and Arlo for a That Was Then look back at 2004’s The Incredibles.

LINKS

• Important Scoop: A Job Shuffle at HBO’s ‘Ren Faire’ by Vince Mancini
• Ren Faire’s Darla, Jeff, and Louie on Surviving HBO’s Real-Life Succession and King George by Julie Miller, Vanity Fair
• What If Game of Thrones and Succession Had a Docu-Baby? by Rebecca Alter, Vulture
• “Harvesting Artifice”: Lance Oppenheim Heightens Reality in HBO Series ‘Ren Faire’ by Dan Schindel, Documentary Magazine

MUSIC

• “How Can I Keep From Singing?” by Enya, Shepherd Moons (1991)
• “Who I’d Be” by Daniel Breaker & Bryan D’Arcy James, Shrek: The Musical (2010)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://www.unduemedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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The stork just made a special delivery, and it’s a new episode of Gobbledygeek! Bat-Turkey also welcomes a new addition to the family: Alexandra Jade Wiley, who came into this world on April 28, 2024. Arlo’s second daughter has arrived at a pivotal time, a time in which Paul has become consumed by Taylor Swift’s life-altering new album The Tortured Poets Department. Besides raving about the ladies in their lives, the boys catch up on pop culture: Luca Guadagnino’s triple threat Challengers, the tremendous second season of Interview with the Vampire, the riff-laden roots of heavy metal, and kaiju weepie Godzilla Minus One, among much more.

NEXT: huzzah! We take a trip to the Middle Ages with Lance Oppenheim’s HBO docuseries Ren Faire.

MUSIC

• “But Daddy I Love Him” by Taylor Swift, The Tortured Poets Department (2024)
• “Changes” by Black Sabbath, Vol. 4 (1972)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://www.unduemedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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For the first time this season, Paul and Arlo have lost the plot. That’s right, the beloved Gobbledygeek freestyle episode has returned, new and improved for 2024, including such scintillating subjects as: Back pain! Stomach bugs! Car crashes! Country mouse Arlo took a trip to New York City, taking a bite out of the Big Apple for the very first time; Paul is planning a secluded getaway just to listen to the new Taylor Swift album; and, what’s that? The boys are writing again? They’re going to release another book? Yes! Well, maybe! Probably! All that and more on the latest episode of your very most favorite podcast.

NEXT: anything is possible.

MUSIC

• “Welcome to New York (Taylor’s Version)” by Taylor Swift, 1989 (Taylor’s Version) (2022)
• “Borrowed Time” by John Lennon, Milk and Honey (1984)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/

• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/

• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://www.unduemedicaldebt.org/

• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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You’re a better podcaster than us, Michael Holland. That’s right, the City of Angels’ very own boy wonder is back to take Paul and Arlo to film school. The That Was Then classic gracing our screens this time is George Stevens’ 1939 adventure film Gunga Din, starring Cary Grant, Victor McLaglen, and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. The gang discusses the film’s connection to William Goldman, the subject of the first season of Michael’s podcast From Out of the Past; why it represents a milestone in action-adventure cinema; its surprising, or refreshing, lack of plot; and why Paul and Arlo had such a hard time watching this 85-year-old film for the very first time.

NEXT: much like Schwarzenegger, we’ll be back.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:42 - Intro / Guest

00:10:23 - Gunga Din

01:16:05 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• From Out of the Past Podcast
• Holland_Imaginarium

MUSIC

• “The Ballad of Gunga Din” by Jim Croce, Facets (1966)
• “You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere” by Bob Dylan and the Band, Bob Dylan’s Greatest Hits Vol. II (1971)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Around and around we go, where we’ll stop–only Arlo knows! For this month’s Four-Color Flashback, Gobbledygeek’s enfant terrible has chosen Junji Ito’s 1998-99 horror manga Uzumaki. Will Paul ever forgive him? On hand to find out is The Deli Counter of Justice co-conspirator Eric Sipple, who will be appearing on FCF episodes for infinity. The gang discusses Ito’s beautifully grotesque imagery, the book’s at times confounding narrative, their (in)experience with the manga form, and snails. Plus, Arlo has been dabbling in other East Asian art with more Godzilla movies and Edward Yang’s Taiwanese masterpiece Yi Yi; and Paul cannot hold back his rage when it comes to X-Men ‘97.

NEXT: where you been, Gunga Din? Hollywood’s own Michael Holland joins us to discuss George Stevens’ 1939 classic.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:49 - Intro / Godzilla banter

00:14:23 - X-Men ‘97 rage!

00:28:33 - Uzumaki

01:49:54 - Outro / Next

MUSIC

• “Spiraling Shape” by They Might Be Giants, Factory Showroom (1996)
• “Snails Pace” by Bob Brown, Snails Pace (2022)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Oh, what a tangled web we Weavers! For this month’s Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo trap Eric Sipple in their web once more, this time to discuss Simon Spurrier & Dylan Burnett’s Lovecraftian mob story Weavers. Despite being big fans of Spurrier’s (author of past FCF favorites Six-Gun Gorilla and The Spire), Paul and Arlo aren't quite sure what to make of this one, while Eric has some thoughts on why the book is an interesting failure. One thing they can all agree on is Burnett’s vibrant, stylish art–and how it elevates everything else on the page.

NEXT: Paul and Arlo will return.

MUSIC

• “Itsy Bitsy Spider” by Itsy Bitsy Spider (2015)
• “Boris the Spider” by The Who, A Quick One (1966)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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As they say, don’t drink and podcast, but here Paul and Arlo are talking about 2004’s Sideways for another round of That Was Then. Alexander Payne’s acclaimed dramedy follows alcoholic wine connoisseur Miles as he takes his bonehead best buddy Jack on a road trip through Santa Barbara the week before Jack’s due to get hitched. It is the Fox Searchlight movie, and the boys discuss what that means, how the performances bring forth certain emotional notes in the script’s body, and why somebody could come away from a first viewing not understanding 20 years’ worth of hype. Plus, Arlo goes into uncomfortable detail about his middle school career.

NEXT: enough old movies, let’s talk old(-ish) comics! This month’s Four-Color Flashback sees Eric Sipple joining Paul and Arlo for Si Spurrier and Dylan Burnett’s Weavers.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:45 - Intro / Guest

00:29:46 - Main Topic

01:35:36 - Outro / Next

MUSIC

• “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” by Billy Joel, The Stranger (1977)
• “A Case of You” by Joni Mitchell, Blue (1971)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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We’re speeding away at breakneck speed with another installment of our That Was Then series. This time Paul and Arlo are witnesses to The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, a 1974 subway heist thriller that is exactly what it says on the tin. Not that there’s anything wrong with that! But our boys do struggle to find much to say, choosing to highlight David Shire’s jazz-funk score and Owen Roizman’s gritty cinematography while mostly being puzzled by the script’s wasted potential. It’s a fun Noo Yawk movie, and that’s okay, folks!

NEXT: NO FUCKING MERLOT! That’s right, it’s another That Was Then, this time focusing on Alexander Payne’s 2004 buddy dramedy Sideways.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:30 - Intro / The Year That Was 1974

00:21:38 - The Taking of Pelham One Two Three

01:20:30 - Outro / Next

MUSIC

• “Sure Shot” by Beastie Boys, Ill Communication (1994)
• “Crazy Train” by Ozzy Osbourne, Blizzard of Ozz (1980)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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For the next installment in our That Was Then series, Paul and Arlo cast their minds back to 1964–a year that predates both of them, though the era’s Beatlemania might as well be Arlo’s spiritual birthplace. This time, they’re popping paisley parasols for Jacques Demy’s The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, a sung-through opera told in the style of a Hollywood musical with some of the most stunning colors you’ll ever see. Hollywood extraordinaire and From Out of the Past host Michael Holland is on hand to help the boys discuss how the film defies romantic conventions while adhering to them, the magic of Jean Rabier’s camerawork, the way Demy uses color to convey feeling, and why the film deserves to be mentioned alongside classics of the French New Wave.

NEXT: it’s a mystery, gang!

BREAKDOWN

00:00:33 - Intro / Guest / The Year 1964

00:21:00 - The Umbrellas of Cherbourg

01:28:00 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• From Out of the Past Podcast
• Holland_Imaginarium

MUSIC

• “Le Parapluies De Cherbourg” by Michel Legrand
• “Umbrella (feat. Jay-Z)” by Rihanna, Good Girl Gone Bad (2007)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Who ya gonna call? Gobbledygeek! For the first installment of our That Was Then series, taking a look back at movies celebrating anniversaries in 2024, Paul and Arlo take residence at Spook Central for 1984’s Ghostbusters. Turning a frightful 40 this year, Ivan Reitman’s classic comedy began as a high-concept riff on the “slobs v. snobs” template made popular by Animal House before becoming an inescapable pop cultural juggernaut. The boys discuss the thoughtfulness of Reitman’s direction in tandem with the great László Kovács’ photography, the perfectly structured script by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, how much of Pete Venkman is just Bill Murray, and why the right-wing backlash to the 2016 remake is ironic in light of the original’s sketchy politics.

NEXT: a little of this, a little of that.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:48 - Intro / The Year That Was 1984

00:18:19 - Ghostbusters (1984)

01:36:29 - Outro / Next

MUSIC

• “Ghostbusters” by Ray Parker Jr., Ghostbusters (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (1984)
• “Cleanin’ Up the Town” by The Busboys, Ghostbusters (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (1984)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Look, up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's the Gobbledygeek season 15 premiere! Breaking from vaguely defined tradition, Paul and Arlo are kicking off the season with a Four-Color Flashback, and their pal Eric Sipple is on hand to help turn the pages. Arlo has chosen to subject Paul and Eric to the classic Jeph Loeb/Tim Sale collab Superman for All Seasons, which may prove a tough sell to a couple of Super-skeptics. The gang discusses the book’s Rockwell-influenced aesthetic, the simplicity (or flatness, depending on taste) of the cast, how Sale’s big dopey Superman conveys Clark Kent’s decency, and the surprising love triangle at the book’s core. Plus, Arlo explains the very personal reasons he chose this book to start the season. You'll believe a man can cry.

NEXT: introducing our That Was Then series, wherein Paul and Arlo will be taking a look at various movies that are celebrating anniversaries in 2024. First up is perennial Gobbledy-fave Ghostbusters, which is turning a frightful 40.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:43 - Intro / Guest

00:13:05 - Superman For All Seasons

02:02:28 - Arlo kills the conversation (TW: dead dads)

02:21:30 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• Making the Scene podcast

MUSIC

• “Time of the Season” by The Zombies, Odessey and Oracle (1968)
• “Turn! Turn! Turn!” by The Byrds (1965)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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You’ll slash your eye out, Kidder! To close out our truncated season, it’s a Twisted Christmas double feature, as Paul and Arlo explore both of Canadian auteur Bob Clark’s yuletide classics: 1974’s proto-slasher Black Christmas and the 1983 staple A Christmas Story. The boys separately find each of these movies to be deeply annoying…but who couldn’t stand which one?! Just kidding, Paul’s not that into the horror movie and Arlo can’t stand the cutesy nostalgic one. We have a brand, and we’re sticking to it. Plus, our favorite movies and TV shows of 2023.

NEXT: Merry Christmas and happy New Year! We’ll potentially be back in January potentially with a guest and potentially discussing a movie. So much potential for 2024, can’t wait to squander all of it!

BREAKDOWN

00:00:49 - Intro

00:09:03 - Black Christmas

00:57:31 - A Christmas Story

01:49:06 - Outro / Next

MUSIC

• “Call Me” by Blondie, American Gigolo (1980)
• “BB Gun” by Roger Alan Wade, All Likkered Up (2005)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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What is there for a young, mixed-race woman to do in feudal Japan? Reject all traces of her femininity, assume the masculine identity of a ronin, and seek revenge on any of the four white men in the whole country who could potentially be her father. Is Mizu a demonic half-breed, an enlightened warrior, or something else altogether? Created by Michael Green and Amber Noizumi, Blue Eye Samurai charts Mizu’s journey of self-discovery and bloodlust, and Paul and Arlo are along for the ride. The boys discuss the show’s brilliant fight choreography, each character’s attempt to break free of their constraints, the tremendous voice performances of Maya Erskine and Brenda Song, and that Metallica cover. Plus, Arlo pays homage to big bald daddy Godzilla.

NEXT: ho ho no! It’s a Bob Clark double feature on the finale of our truncated season 14, as Twisted Christmas rears its festive face once more. Black Christmas and A Christmas Story are basically the same movie, right?

BREAKDOWN

00:00:55 - Intro / Guest

00:30:10 - Blue Eye Samurai

02:00:12 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• Blue Eye Samurai is one of the smartest Netflix shows in years by Aja Romano, Vox
• Blue Eye Samurai creator wanted to tell a different type of mixed-race story by Petrana Radulovic, Polygon
• Blue Eye Samurai is the best thing Netflix has done in years by Petrana Radulovic, Polygon
• ‘Blue Eye Samurai’ Is a Gory and Gorgeous Animated Series From Netflix by Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone
• How ‘Blue Eye Samurai’s’ Exploration of Mixed Race Identity Helps It “Break All of the Boxes” in Animated Storytelling by Abbey White, The Hollywood Reporter

MUSIC

• “For Whom the Bell Tolls” by Emi Meyer, Blue Eye Samurai (Soundtrack from the Netflix Series) (2023)
• “Pale Blue Eyes” by The Velvet Underground, The Velvet Underground (1969)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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We’re crash-landing back into regular podcasting with the Max original animated series Scavengers Reign. Created by Joseph Bennett and Charles Huettner, the seeds of Scavengers Reign were planted in an Adult Swim short before blossoming into a brilliant sci-fi series teeming with surrealist detours and bits of body horror. Paul and Arlo rave about the show’s Cronenberg-meets-Miyazaki vibe, laud the series’ refusal to provide easy answers, and hope against hope that this beautiful, otherworldly thing will continue to thrive in a second season. Plus, Arlo is the worst.

NEXT: more Western adult animation with heavy influence from the East, as the boys confront Netflix’s Blue Eye Samurai.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:45 - Intro / Arlo is the worst!

00:27:55 - Scavengers Reign

01:53:45 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• Scavengers Reign’s Writers on Creating a Beautifully Hostile Sci-Fi Show by Justin Carter, Gizmodo
• One With Nature, Stranded in Outer Space by Kambole Campbell, Variety
• The Sonic Ecosystem of Scavengers Reign by Marc Weidenbaum, Disquiet
• Max’s Scavengers Reign captures the beauty and terror of a truly alien world by Andrew Webster, The Verge
• The sci-fi adventure Scavengers Reign is an anomalous alien wonder by Toussaint Egan, Polygon
• Scavengers Reign Might Be the Most Underrated Show of the Year by Zach Kram, The Ringer

MUSIC

• “Interstellar Outer Space” by Anderson East, Maybe We Never Die (2021)
• “Slime Creatures from Outer Space” by “Weird Al” Yankovic, Dare to Be Stupid (1985)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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500 episodes! Can you believe it? What incredibly special way will we choose to commemorate this event??? By, well, just having a regular episode discussing Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse with our good friend Eric Sipple. At one point this past summer, we weren’t sure another episode was ever going to happen, so this seems like a fitting celebration. The boys rave about Across the Spider-Verse’s layered meanings, innovative animation, strong emotion, and how much more fun and exciting the movie is than the comics are these days.

NEXT: who even knows, man.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:55 - Intro / Guest

00:07:05 - Shout out to Levi Williams!

00:13:28 - Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

02:29:18 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• Superheroes, Miles Morales, and the Fallacy of Hard Choices by Eric Sipple
• The Life of Reilly: In-Depth Analysis of the Spider-Man Clone Saga by Andrew Goletz

MUSIC

• “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” by The Proclaimers, Sunshine On Leith (1988)
• “Spiderwebs” by No Doubt, Tragic Kingdom (1995)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• US (877) 565-8860

• Canada (877) 330-6366

• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org

• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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You have to believe Gobbledygeek is magic. Or at the very least, that Paul and Arlo will revel in cinematic magic on the latest Geek Challenge. Robert Greenwald's infamous 1980 flop Xanadu is paired with David Lynch's acclaimed 2001 masterpiece Mulholland Drive for a fantastical discussion of filmic fantasy. The boys argue that Xanadu should not be seen as a failure, interpret Mulholland Drive's many cryptic symbols, bask in the radiance of Olivia Newton-John, and laud Naomi Watts' raw emotion. Plus, our bodies continue to deteriorate.

NEXT: five hundo.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:39 - Intro

00:15:49 - Xanadu

01:04:15 - Mulholland Drive

01:57:26 - Outro / Next

MUSIC

• “Magic” by Olivia Newton-John, Xanadu (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (1980)
• “Llorando” by Rebekah Del Rio, All My Life - Toda Me Vida (2003)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• US (877) 565-8860

• Canada (877) 330-6366

• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org

• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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In brightest day, in blackest night, no listener shall escape the Four-Color Flashback’s might! In an unusual turn of events, Paul has selected a DC book–but, of course, it’s an unusual one. Published under DC’s Young Animal imprint, curated by My Chemical Romance’s Gerard Way, Far Sector is a Green Lantern murder mystery written by N.K. Jemisin (in her first comics work) with art by Jamal Campbell. Sojourner “Jo” Mullein is the newest Lantern in the universe, and she’s been kicked way out into the far reaches of space to solve the City Enduring’s first murder in half-a-millennia. That murder, though, is only a thread–and when Jo starts pulling, the whole city begins to unravel. The boys discuss Jemisin’s timely social commentary, Campbell’s gorgeous art, why Jo Mullein overcomes our hosts’ Green Lantern skepticism, and the freaking @At. Plus, Paul and Arlo binge some TV, including the final seasons of Succession, Barry, and Ted Lasso; the new season of I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson; and the very first season of American Born Chinese.

NEXT: it’s Xanadu vs. Mulholland Drive in a Geek Challenge for the ages.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:35 - Intro / Oh Lawd, it’s comin’!

00:08:00 - Recent TV season / series finales

00:38:06 - Far Sector

01:46:55 - Outro / Next

MUSIC

• “Space Cop” by Sam Guydude, Space Cop - Single (2023)
• “Many Moons” by Janelle Monae, Metropolis: The Chase Suite (2008)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Are you feeling “Homesick”? Are you all “Tangled Up in Blue”? Dogged by a “Simple Twist of Fate” or, perhaps, sippin’ on gin and “Orange Juice”? Then boy, do we have the Geek Challenge for you! Dipping their toes in musical waters for the first time in a while, our boys are listening to one of each other’s favorite albums. Paul has challenged Arlo to Noah Kahan’s 2022 singer-songwriter album Stick Season, and Arlo has in turn challenged Paul to Bob Dylan’s extremely singer-songwriter classic, 1975’s Blood on the Tracks. They grapple with each artist’s distinctive vocal stylings, compare the albums’ sense of mourning for loves lost, and are generally perplexed by what music the other is drawn to.

NEXT: Drop a sick beat, we’re gonna freestyle.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:55 - Intro / Guest

00:05:30 - Stick Season by Noah Kahan

01:19:28 - Blood on the Tracks by Bob Dylan

02:27:31 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• Noah Kahan’s ‘Stick Season’ beautifully captures the complexities of homesickness by Elle Muller, The Dartmouth
• Famous in a Small Town: Noah Kahan, ‘Stick Season’ and the Art of Looking Forward and Backward All At Once by Hannah Dailey, Billboard
• Pitchfork Review: Blood on the Tracks by Jesse Jarnow, Pitchfork

MUSIC

• “Stick Season” by Noah Kahan, Stick Season (2022)
• “Meet Me in the Morning” by Bob Dylan, Blood on the Tracks (1975)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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For this month’s Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo tackle a blindspot from one of their favorite writers. Gene Luen Yang, author of Gobbledyfaves like American Born Chinese and Avatar: The Last Airbender, tells the brutal story of the Boxer Rebellion in Boxers & Saints. The graphic novel duology delves into complex subjects like faith, spirituality, nationalism, and fascism; we cover ‘em all, hopefully in something resembling depth. Plus, Arlo returns to the city of Metropolis for more Superman comics, including mega-event The Death and Return of Superman and Grant Morrison & Mark Waid’s JLA run.

NEXT: we find our inner Greenwich Village folksters with a Geek Challenge featuring Noah Kahan’s Stick Season and Bob Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:30 - Intro / Arlo’s Adventures of Superman

00:36:45 - Boxers & Saints

02:20:14 - Outro / Next

MUSIC

• “The Boxer” by Simon & Garfunkle, Bridge Over Troubled Water (1970)
• “It’s Hard to Be a Saint in the City” by Bruce Springsteen, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. (1973)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Love can spread like a fungus throughout the soul, eradicating any shred of self-control. For a thorough depiction of that sentiment, we turn to HBO’s The Last of Us, a TV adaptation of the blockbuster video game series. Joining Paul and Arlo to talk everything mushroom are authors and pop culture enthusiasts Dale and Ensley Guffey, stopping by the show for their first visit in years. The gang discusses the game’s transition to television, how the show breaks new ground for the zombie apocalypse genre, the incredible chemistry between Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsay, and much more.

NEXT: a long-delayed Four-Color Flashback discussion of Gene Luen Yang’s Boxers & Saints.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:48 - Intro / Guests

00:03:00 - HBO’s The Last of Us

01:59:42 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• Dale’s NON-pop culture blog: Splendor in the Sticks

MUSIC

• “Never Let Me Down Again” by Depeche Mode, Music for the Masses (1987)
• “Long Long Time” by Linda Ronstadt, Silk Purse (1970)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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You remind me of the pod…the pod with the geeks. Paul and Arlo fall down the rabbit hole of another Geek Challenge, this time pitting Jim Henson’s 1986 cult classic Labyrinth against Jan Švankmajer’s 1988 headtrip Alice. Henson’s film finds Jennifer Connelly dancing with David Bowie and a variety of Muppets as she attempts to rescue her baby brother, while Švankmajer’s finds Kristýna Kohoutová assailed by a variety of bizarre stop-motion creations and a taxidermied rabbit. It should be obvious who picked which movie. Topics of discussion include codpieces, sellouts, practical effects, and weird sex, among others.

NEXT: Paul and Arlo ride through The Last of Us’ post-apocalypse with the inestimable Dale Guffey and Ensley F. Guffey

BREAKDOWN

00:00:52 - Intro / Reminiscence on Vomit

00:42:07 - Alice

01:19:20 - Labyrinth

02:11:50 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• To Solve the Labyrinth: An Essay Film About a Fantasy Film by J.D. Hansel
• INTERVIEW WITH JAN ŠVANKMAJER by Virginie Sélavy, Electric Sheep

MUSIC

• “Magic Dance” by David Bowie, Labyrinth (Original Soundtrack) (1986)
• “Alice” by Sisters of Mercy (1982)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Time to rise, roar, and revolt as Paul and Arlo engage in some extreme piggybacking with S.S. Rajamouli’s RRR. This alt-history epic is the rare Indian film to make a splash in the Western world, and our boys approach it as only two ignorant white guys can: with almost no knowledge of Indian culture or film! Nevertheless, they are in love with the movie, which reimagines Indian revolutionary figures Komaram Bheem and Alluri Sitarama Raju as superheroes who can outrun tigers, shoot a British bastard from a mile away, and stop motorcycles with their bare hands. The boys praise stars N.T. Rama Rao Jr. and Ram Charan, admire Rajamouli’s craft, and weep in awe at the insane shit happening in every single scene. Plus, there’s a trailer for The Flash and Arlo has finally gone back to reading old Superman comics.

NEXT: TBD.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:44 - Intro / Guest

00:18:04 - Main Topic

02:03:24 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• RRR: How S.S. Rajamouli Created an Action Movie Phenomenon – Tollywood Style by Gene Ching, Den of Geek
• ‘RRR’ Director S.S. Rajamouli Talks About His Spectacular Action Epic And Reveals That The Ecstatic U.S. Reception Has Inspired A Sequel: “Nothing Is Impossible” by Damon Wise, Deadline
• These ‘difficult actors’ said ‘RRR’ couldn’t be done. Their director proved them wrong by Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times
• RRR is an incredible action movie with seriously troubling politics by Ritesh Babu, Vox

MUSIC

• “Dosti” by Amit Trivedi, RRR (Original Soundtrack) (2022)
• “Naacho Naacho” by Vishal Mishra & Rahul Sipligunj, RRR (Original Soundtrack) (2022)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Got a hankerin’ for god meat? Well, pull out your giant lightsaber knife and feast on a new Four-Color Flashback! For the first FCF of 2023, Paul and Arlo set out at warp speed to seek enlightenment with Al Ewing and Simone Di Meo’s We Only Find Them When They’re Dead. The BOOM! Studios series, whose 15-issue run wrapped in December, is set hundreds of years from now, when the primary industry is extracting proteins, enzymes, and minerals from the corpses of massive deities. Evocative title and crazy premise aside, the book is chock full of theosophical enigmas that our boys try to solve. Beyond the elusive quest for concrete answers, though, this comic certainly makes them feel a whole lot. Dig in. Plus, some bellyaching about the new slate of DC movies.

NEXT: a discussion of S.S. Rajamouli’s action epic RRR, which presumably concerns reading, writing, and arithmetic.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:30 - Intro / Banter

00:21:25 - We Only Find Them When They’re Dead

01:58:36 - Outro / Next

MUSIC

• “For Whom the Bell Tolls” by Metallica, Ride the Lightning (1984)
• “Mystery Jack” by King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Float Along - Fill Your Lungs (2013)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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We’re back, baby! After a longer than expected hiatus, Gobbledygeek has returned for season 14. That’s right, we’re up to 14 seasons of Paul and Arlo babbling on about any manner of nonsense–which they continue to do in this freestyle season premiere. 2023 has come in like a lion and is likely to go out like one, so we find our boys licking their wounds, recounting the real-life horrors that delayed their return to the mic, and generally complaining about everything. Including pop culture! Lest you forget that’s what they’re here for, Paul and Arlo sauté some thoughts on the mushroom apocalypse of HBO’s The Last of Us adaptation; rave about the movies they’ve caught up with, like The Fabelmans, RRR, and Aftersun; and decide to get high-brow by reading books that don’t have any pictures. Plus, a pitch for the inevitable Gobbledygeek TV series.

NEXT: okay, but we really like books that do have pictures in them. This year’s Four-Color Flashback series kicks off with Al Ewing and Simone Di Meo’s We Only Find Them When They’re Dead.

MUSIC

• “At Last” by Etta James, At Last! (1960)
• “This Will Be Our Year” by The Zombies, Odessey and Oracle (1968)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Is that a tree branch on your face, or are you just lying to me? An extra-long Gobbledygeek season finale takes root with a discussion of Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson’s new stop-motion adaptation of Pinocchio. Paul and Arlo discuss the numerous ways del Toro has made Carlo Collodi’s immortal tale his own, chiefly by making it a study of mortality–oh, and fascism too. The boys rave about Ewan McGregor’s take on the Cricket, the awe-inspiring puppetry and animation on display, and Arlo’s pot-addled epiphany. Plus, tributes to Angelo Badalamenti and Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss, as well as a look at the Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse trailer.

NEXT: happy holidays, y’all. We’ll be back in 2023.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:45 - Intro

00:17:18 - Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio

02:10:16 - Our brief, incomplete list of Best of 2022

02:33:17 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• “Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio Reconceptualizes What it Means to be a ‘Real Boy’” by Mustafa Yasar II, IGN

• “Guillermo Del Toro Shows Why Entertainment & Children Are Fascism’s Greatest Tools” by Pramit Chatterjee, Digital Mafia Talkies

MUSIC

• “Twin Peaks Theme” by Angelo Badalamenti, Soundtrack from Twin Peaks (1990)
• “Big Baby Il Duce March” by Gregory Mann, Pinocchio (Soundtrack from the Netflix Film) (2022)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Hang your stockings by the chimney, roast some chestnuts on that open fire, and prepare yourself for a very special Twisted Christmas installment. Our annual yuletide derangement has morphed into a Geek Challenge, featuring two obviously similar films: Paul has challenged Arlo to Michael Curtiz’s holly jolly classic White Christmas (1954), and in turn Arlo has thrust upon Paul Stanley Kubrick’s festive psychosexual nightmare Eyes Wide Shut (1999). Paul has some harsh words for Kubrick’s orgy, Arlo cringes at old-timey patriotism, and both of our boys come away filled with a little less Christmas cheer. Oh, and who is Danny Kaye again?

NEXT: for our season finale, we become real boys for Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:52 - Intro / Paul and Arlo’s Holiday Spirit

00:11:15 - Eyes Wide Shut

01:12:40 - White Christmas

02:02:00 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• “35 Surprising Things About 'White Christmas' That Even Movie Buffs Don't Know” by Asher Fogle and Janaya Wecker, Good Housekeeping

• “‘Eyes Wide Shut’ at 15: Inside the Epic, Secretive Film Shoot that Pushed Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman to Their Limits” by Amy Nicholson, Vanity Fair

• “Debunking the Myths Around Eyes Wide Shut, Stanley Kubrick’s Final Film” by Katherine Jane Alexander, AnOther

MUSIC

• “Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing” by Chris Isaak, Forever Blue (1995)
• “Masked Ball (1999 Extended Mix)” by Jocelyn Pook, Flood (1999)
• “Musica ricercata, II (Mesto, rigido e cerimoniale)” by Dominic Harlan, Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
• “The Best Things Happen While You’re Dancing” by Danny Kaye, Selections from Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas” (1954)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Now that rock star biopics have peaked with Elvis, what else can the genre do but get Weird? Dare to be stupid with Paul, Arlo, and Alex Jonestown Massacre guitarist Kenn Edwards as they discuss Weird: The Al Yankovic story. Everyone’s favorite accordionist parodies Oscar bait bologna to tell a fact-free version of his own life story, starring obvious choice Daniel Radcliffe. The gang recounts their history with “Weird” Al, dives into the film’s loving homage to early alt-comedy, and can’t help but wonder what Madonna thinks of it all.

NEXT: I’m dreaming of a Geek Challenge featuring the holy jolly classic White Christmas and the yuletide wet dream Eyes Wide Shut.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:38 - Intro / Guest / Theater Trauma

00:15:37 - A brief history of our heroes histories with “Weird Al”

00:34:35 - Weird: The Al Yankovic Story

01:41:00 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• The Alex Jonestown Massacre on Spotify

MUSIC

• “The Weird Al Show Theme” by “Weird Al” Yankovic, Running with Scissors (1999)
• “Now You Know” by “Weird Al” Yankovic, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (2022)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Aho, podcast listeners! To celebrate Native American Heritage Month, Paul and Arlo check in on the latest season of Reservation Dogs, possibly the best show on TV. It would be hard to top Rez Dog’s freshman year, a revelatory season filled with joy, pain, and a whole bunch of shitasses. Yet that’s exactly what Sterlin Harjo and his collaborators have done, deepening the themes of loss and community that made the first season so resonant. The boys rave about the show’s core cast–Devery Jacobs, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Lane Factor, and Paulina Alexis—while lauding Harjo’s ability to shine an even brighter light on supporting players like Zahn McClarnon, Jana Schmieding, and Lily Gladstone. Skoden.

NEXT: Alex Jonestown Massacre guitarist Kenn Edwards is back and ready to get Weird: The Al Yankovic Story.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:34 - Intro

00:08:00 - Reservation Dogs: Season 2

01:42:03 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• “Sterlin Harjo Is Not Afraid to Sacrifice a Good Idea” by Kathryn VanArendonk, Variety
• “Reservation Dogs Creator Sterlin Harjo on Balancing Jokes and Tears in the Season 2 Finale, and Not Caring About Emmy Snubs” by Ariel LeBeau, GQ
• “The Ending Of Reservation Dogs Season 2 Explained” by Merri Palmer, Looper
• “Reservation Dogs ends a high-spirited second season with a California dream and cinematic realism” by Melanie McFarland, Salon

MUSIC

• “Going to California” by Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin IV (1971)
• “I Still Believe (Great Design)” by Tim Cappello, The Lost Boys (1987)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
  • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Listen to Gobbledygeek and live forever. This week, in a stealth continuation of this year’s Gobbledyween, Paul and Arlo head on down to New Orleans for Neil Jordan’s 1994 adaptation of Anne Rice’s classic Interview with the Vampire. Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, and Antonio Banderas are the most beautiful men anyone could have cast as immortals in the mid-’90s, and they’re joined by a prepubescent Kirsten Dunst to form a truly tragic coven. The boys discuss the evil joyfulness of Cruise’s Lestat, why the role of Louis de Pointe du Lac does not play to Pitt’s strengths, how amazing it is that the film’s overt homoeroticism made it to the screen, and much more. Plus, yoghurt.

NEXT: we’ll be back in two weeks to discuss season 2 of Reservation Dogs.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:53 - Intro / Go Go Yoghurt!

00:10:08 - Interview with the Vampire (1994)

02:06:08 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• Terror Track: Music, Sound and Horror Cinema (Janet K. Halfyard’s essay “Music of the Night: Scoring the Vampire in Contemporary Film” appears in this collection)

MUSIC

• “Bloodletting (The Vampire Song)” by Concrete Blonde, Bloodletting (1990)
• “Sympathy for the Devil” by The Rolling Stones, Beggars Banquet (1968)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
  • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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We all get lost, every now and then. Most of us don’t get quite as lost as the three film students at the center of The Blair Witch Project, a massive hit in 1999 whose reputation among the average moviegoer has also taken a massive hit. If you ask Arlo, though, it’s one of the greatest horror films ever made–and he tells Paul exactly why, as they celebrate the second and final week of this year’s abbreviated Gobbledyween. The boys discuss the incredibly convincing performances, why the characters being so annoying makes the movie so believable, how the found footage genre has expanded in the years since, and just how easy it is to get lost in America.

NEXT: why are you standing in the corner, Paul?

BREAKDOWN

00:00:32 - Intro

00:02:34 - The Blair Witch Project

01:39:11 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• My House Walk-Through

• The Backrooms (Found Footage)

• The Scooby-Doo Project

MUSIC

• “Gilligan’s Island” by Television’s Greatest Hits Band, Television’s Greatest Hits: Classic TV Theme Songs (2021)
• “Out of the Woods” by Taylor Swift, 1989 (2014)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
  • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Leaves are on the ground, blood is on the screen–it’s time for a (very late) Gobbledyween! Gobbledygeek’s annual horror-thon returns for an abbreviated run, kicking things off with Mike Flanagan’s 2021 Netflix miniseries Midnight Mass. What at first seems like a riff on ‘Salem’s Lot–a vampire ingratiates himself into a tiny coastal community–becomes a soaring exploration of addiction, faith, and death. Joining Paul and Arlo to discuss the series is original Gobbler Joseph Lewis. Together, the Three Heathens rave about the central performances from Hamish Linklater, Zach Gilford, and Kate Siegel; dissect the show’s “bad miracle” vibe and how it relates to their own spiritual journey; and poke a little good-natured fun at the many, many monologues.

NEXT: we’ve got one more in store for you, as Paul and Arlo pop a tape into their camcorders for 1999’s The Blair Witch Project.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:50 - Intro / Guest / Banter

00:23:13 - Midnight Mass

02:27:36 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• “The Netflix Series That Should Make Religious People Uncomfortable” by Matthew J. Cressler, The Atlantic
• “The Deeply Personal Horror of “Midnight Mass” – Guest Essay by Filmmaker Mike Flanagan” by Mike Flanagan, Bloody Disgusting

• “An Ex-Catholic’s Take on Mike Flanagan’s Supernatural Miniseries” by Gus, thomaslowery.medium.com

• Joseph William Lewis - YouTube - Letterboxd

MUSIC

• “And the Grass Won’t Pay No Mind” by Neil Diamond, Brother Love’s Travelling Salvation Show (1969)
• “Nearer My God to Thee” by The Newton Brothers, Midnight Mass (Soundtrack) (2021)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
  • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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For his third film, Jordan Peele looks to the skies–and what he finds doesn’t want to be seen. This week, Paul and Arlo say yup to Nope, Peele’s celebration and evisceration of spectacle. The boys discuss the widening of Peele’s horizons in the summer blockbuster mode; how the film reveres Spielberg while offering a pointed rebuttal to Jaws; Daniel Kaluuya’s quiet intensity; and why first-time viewing Arlo is always the dumbest Arlo. Plus, a tribute to cinematic titan Jean-Luc Godard.

NEXT: more spectacle, as Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman reunite in Taika Waititi’s Thor: Love and Thunder.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:56 - Intro / RIP Jean-Luc Godard

00:06:47 - Nope

02:11:52 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• “'Nope' Explores the Horrors of Exploiting Animals for Spectacle” by Molly Kusilka, Collider

• “Jordan Peele’s Nope, explained” by Alissa Wilkinson, Vox

• “Inside the Eerie UFO Design for Jordan Peele’s ‘Nope’” by Emma Stefansky, Thrillist

• “This Influential Anime Inspired The Final Alien Design In Nope” by Erin Brady, SlashFilm

• “NOPE’S SCIENCE CONSULTANT REVEALS THE NAME AND INSPIRATION FOR THE MOVIE’S ALIEN” by Melissa T. Miller, Nerdist

• “Nope VFX Supervisor Guillaume Rocheron on Creating That Spectacular Alien Creature” by Daron James, Motion Picture Association

MUSIC

• “Old Town Road (feat. Billy Ray Cyrus)” by Lil Nas X, 7 (2019)
• “Purple People Eater” by Sheb Wooley (1958)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Sing, sing a song; sing of oblivion, it’s 36 issues long! For this month’s first (?) Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo are harmonizing about Robert Kirkman and Lorenzo De Felici’s 2018-22 Image series Oblivion Song. It’s an alien invasion saga that questions the very concepts of “alien” and “invasion,” regarding its human and Kuthaal characters with equal levels of empathy and complexity. The boys discuss how Kirkman overcomes The Walking Dead’s biggest flaws, De Felici’s otherworldly artwork, Annalisa Leoni’s eerily beautiful colors, and so much more. Plus, Arlo made a return trip to Austin, TX.

NEXT: Nope? Yup.

BREAKDOWN

00:01:00 - Intro / Arlo’s Austin Adventures

00:27:17 - Oblivion Song

02:00:00 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• “Robert Kirkman on Survivor’s Guilt in ‘Oblivion Song’” by Jed W. Keith, FreakSugar

MUSIC

• “Fungal Jungle (Remix)” by Psilovibin’ (2019)
• “Bungle in the Jungle” by Jethro Tull, War Child (1974)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
  • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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No, this isn’t a dream (or even a nightmare): The Sandman, the iconic Vertigo comic book series created by Neil Gaiman, Sam Keith, and Mike Dringenberg, has finally been adapted for television. Paul, Arlo, and The Deli Counter of Justice co-creator Eric Sipple are all huge fans of the comics, and they use their familiarity with the Dreaming to dive deep into the first season of the Netflix TV show. The gang discusses the show’s mostly spot-on casting, whether it captures Morpheus as well as Roderick Burgess did, how the filmmakers modernize some of the books’ more outdated elements, and so very much more. Plus, a mini-review of Prey, the new Predator film directed by Dan Trachtenberg and starring Amber Midthunder.

NEXT: sing a song of oblivion with Robert Kirkman and Lorenzo De Felici’s Oblivion Song on a new Four-Color Flashback.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:32 - Intro / Guest

00:02:31 - Prey mini-review

00:26:28 - The Sandman, Season 1

02:35:00 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• The Sandman Four-Color Flashback Series

• 177, “The Sandman: Vol. I - Preludes & Nocturnes (feat. Eric Sipple)”

• 182, “The Sandman: Vol. II - The Doll’s House (feat. Eric Sipple)”

• 188, “The Sandman: Vol. III - Dream Country (feat. Greg Sahadachny)”

• 189, “The Sandman: Vol. IV - Season of Mists (feat. K. Dale Koontz & Ensley F. Guffey)”

• 193, “The Sandman: Vol. V - A Game of You (feat. K. Dale Koontz & Ensley F. Guffey)”

• 196, “The Sandman: Vol. VI - Fables & Reflections”

• 201, “The Sandman: Vol. VII - Brief Lives (feat. Eric Sipple)”

• 202, “The Sandman: Vol. VIII - Worlds’ End (feat. Ensley Guffey)”

• 209, “The Sandman: Vol. IX - The Kindly Ones”

• 211, “The Sandman: Vol. X - The Wake (feat. Eric Sipple, Greg Sahadachny, and K. Dale Koontz & Ensley F. Guffey)”

• 268, “The Sandman: Overture (feat. Eric Sipple)”

• “Vortexes, Killers and Fallen Angels: Meet The Sandman's Unusual Cast” by Joshua Lapin-Bertone, dc.com

• “The Sandman’s ‘The Sound of Her Wings’ is Why Adaptations Exist” by Michael Walsh, Nerdist

• “Jessamy's Failure To Help Dream Prevents A Major Sandman Change” by Matt Morrison, ScreenRant

• “The Sandman’s Dream Doesn’t Show Much Emotion — That’s What His Friends Are For” by Zosha Millman, Polygon

• “How The Sandman's One Change to John Dee Elevates the Original Story” by Taylor Piscitello, CBR

• “How the conscientious casting of women in "The Sandman" defies the gender-swapping trope” by Melanie McFarland, Salon

MUSIC

• “In Sleep” by Lissie, When I’m Alone: The Piano Retrospective (2019)
• “Cotton Candy Land” by Elvis Presley, It Happened At the World’s Fair (Original Soundtrack) (1963)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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From Tupelo to Memphis, from Hollywood to Vegas, Elvis Presley conquered America–and now, telling his story, an Australian filmmaker has conquered the biopic. The operatic, maximalist, subtlety-eschewing Baz Luhrmann returns to the screen with Elvis, delivering the glitzy, excessive tribute this mythical/kitsch-ical icon deserves. Paul and Arlo share their personal connections to Elvis, rave about Austin Butler’s transformation into the King, discuss how the film’s portrayal of Elvis’ racial and sexual impact stack up to the real deal, and behold Tom Hanks’ embodiment of Satan. Here comes Sandy Claws!

NEXT: when the last streaming podcast deletes, our job will be finished. Eric Sipple joins us to discuss Netflix’s adaptation of The Sandman.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:21 - Intro

00:03:08 - Our histories with The King

00:29:48 - Elvis

01:54:05 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• “Rumors of Elvis Racism in the ‘50s Still Cloud Presley’s Musical Legacy” by Alan Hanson, Elvis History Blog

MUSIC

• “Hound Dog” by Big Mama Thornton, Hound Dog: The Peacock Recordings (1992)
• “Steamroller Blues” by Elvis Presley, Walk a Mile in My Shoes (1995)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
  • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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For another freestyle, Paul and Arlo are getting weird. As in “Weird Al” Yankovic, whom Arlo recently saw with their good buddy Kenn Edwards. Arlo recounts the concert moment he’d been waiting for all his life, then Paul discusses the joys and frustrations of the first-ever virtual Slayage conference. Plus, brief ruminations on Nope, Thor: Love and Thunder, and The Rehearsal; and we remember our friend Chelsea Hawk.

NEXT: TBD.

LINKS

• GoFundMe: For Jared, Chelsea and Xion

MUSIC

• “We Would Be Building” by John Fahey, Days Have Gone By, Vol. 6 (1967)
• “Lame Claim to Fame” by “Weird Al” Yankovic, Mandatory Fun (2014)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Listener, we would have words with thee! As the Odinson and the Mighty Thor swing their hammers onto the big screen in Thor: Love and Thunder, Paul and Arlo revisit some of the film’s influences for this month’s Four-Color Flashback. The boys dig deep into the early part of Jason Aaron’s run on the golden-haired Avenger, with Thor: God of Thunder #1-25 and Thor (2014) #1-8. Topics of discussion include the dynamite art of Esad Ribić and Russell Dauterman, Thor’s crisis of faith, why Jane Foster wielding Mjolnir makes for such a great reinvention of the character, and more.

NEXT: anything is possible.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:32 - Intro / Banter

00:04:55 - Main Topic

00:11:54 - INTERLUDE: Giving Arlo $#!&

00:14:01 - Back to the Main Topic!

01:55:21 - Outro / Next

MUSIC

• “Divine Hammer” by The Breeders, Last Splash (1993)
• “Sweet Jane” by Cowboy Junkies, The Trinity Sessions (1988)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Paul and Arlo are going slightly mad. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is the MCU’s latest trip through the titular multiverse, fracturing and reshaping reality to meet the franchise’s corporate needs. If that sounds a little unenthused, well, what can we say? The boys didn’t love this one. Paul, ever the optimist, discusses why the MCU’s depiction of sorcery continues to be one of its greatest assets. Arlo, ever the cynic, expresses appreciation of Sam Raimi’s trademark flourishes before lamenting that they’re all recycled riffs. Along the way, they discuss the film’s odd function as a WandaVision sequel, whether punching star-shaped holes in the universe is good goofy or bad goofy, those weird fucking kids, and more.

NEXT: more madness.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:34 - Awkward Intro

00:03:33 - Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (Spoiler-free)

00:21:15 - SPOILERS!!!

01:50:40 - Outro / Next

MUSIC

• “I’m Going Slightly Mad” by Queen, Innuendo (1991)
• “X-Men Theme” by Florian Haack, X-Men Theme (Single) (2018)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
  • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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For this month’s Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo roll the Die to discuss Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans’ dark tale of a group of one-time RPG nerds getting sucked into the world of the game. Gillen has described the book as “goth Jumanji,” and there’s some truth to that–these characters feel everything, hard. Luckily, so do we, and so does special guest Eric Sipple, author of Mimesis and co-creator of The Deli Counter of Justice. The gang discusses how Die takes apart and rebuilds typical D&D classes, its commentary on the entire history of gaming, why Ash is so important to Eric, and much more.

NEXT: by the hoary hosts of Hoggoth, it’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness!

BREAKDOWN

00:00:32 - Intro / Guest

00:05:46 - Our histories with RPGs

00:14:56 - Die

02:44:20 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• “Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans On Bringing Their Acclaimed Image Comics Epic ‘DIE’ to an End” by Matthew Jackson, SyFy Wire

• “Die is the Darker Side of D&D Fans Didn't Know They Needed” by Evan Mullicane, ScreenRant

• “We Roll A Nat 20 For Interviewing And Talk To The Creative Team Behind DIE” by Mark Turetsky and Corey Smith, ComicsXF

• Kieron Gillen’s DIE RPG Beta

MUSIC

• “Tumbling Dice” by The Rolling Stones, Exile on Main St. (1972)
• “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)” by Kate Bush, Hounds of Love (1985)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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In a multiverse without limitations…you have chosen to listen to Gobbledygeek. Let that sink in. While you do, you’ll also get to hear Paul and Arlo’s latest Geek Challenge! Arlo sort-of challenges Paul to The Daniels’ Everything Everywhere All at Once, the year’s big breakout movie, starring Michelle Yeoh as infinite versions of herself; and Paul in turn challenges Arlo to James Wong’s 2001 action flick The One, featuring Jet Li vs. Jet Li in a dystopian future. The boys discuss the Daniels’ hyper-maximalist approach to filmmaking, how Everything Everywhere earns its zaniness with real emotion, the shocking amount of hair Jason Statham sports in The One, and that film’s perfect time capsule of a soundtrack.

NEXT: Die! The Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans comic book, that is. Eric Sipple joins us for this month’s Four-Color Flashback.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:29 - Intro / RIP Tim Sale

00:09:55 - Everything Everywhere All at Once

01:09:30 - The One

01:36:49 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• “‘The One’ Is the Original Multiversal Arts Movie for Fans of ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’” by Collier Jennings, Collider

• “How ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ Earns Its Kindness and Optimism” by Joe Hoeffner, Collider

• “How ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ Subverts the Action Movie Climax” by Fredrick James, Collider

MUSIC

• “Googly Eyes” by Caspar Babypants, This is Fun! (2011)
• “Down With the Sickness” by Disturbed, The Sickness (2000)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Travelers of the night, welcome to Paul and Arlo’s latest MCUTV discussion. They join hands once again with Hollywood wonder boy Michael Holland, and together they summon Moon Knight. Oscar Isaac joins the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Marc Spector, the human avatar of Egyptian god Khonshu, and…well, is he Marc Spector? Is he Steven Grant? Or is he someone else entirely? The gang discusses how the show tackles Marc’s dissociative identity disorder, the killer costume design, how the series pushes the MCU’s boundaries, and more.

NEXT: on a new Geek Challenge, we are The One who is Everything Everywhere All at Once.

BREAKDOWN

00:01:17 - Intro / Guest

00:11:00 - Moon Knight

01:36:40 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• Holland Imaginarium - The Essentials

MUSIC

• “A Man Without Love” by Engelbert Humperdinck, A Man Without Love (1968)
• “Nights in White Satin” by The Moody Blues, Days of Future Passed (1967)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org

• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/

• • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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It’s a freestyle episode, boys and girls! You know what that means: the Dragon’s Milk is flowing, the tangents are plentiful, and Paul and Arlo just can’t get enough Dick’s. Now, now, get your mind out of the gutter–we’re talking Dick’s, the iconic Seattle burger chain. In addition to chowing down on their favorite regional burgers (Arlo shouts out Akron’s very own Swenson’s), the boys are very much on their bullshit throughout. Arlo recounts the entire A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, Paul experiences Stranger Things with a fella named Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Arlo gets progressively more inebriated.

NEXT: welcome, travelers of the night, to another MCUTV installment with Hollywood wonder boy Michael Holland. This time, we’re discussing Moon Knight.

LINKS

• Dick’s Drive-In
• Swenson’s Drive-In

MUSIC

• “Posse on Broadway” by Sir Mix-a-Lot, Swass (1988)
• “Who Let the Dogs Out (As Made Famous by Baha Men)” by Karaoke DJ, Karaoke Hit Music the 00’s Vol. 2 - Instrumental Sing Alongs From the 2000’s (2010)
• “Are You Ready for Freddy” by Fat Boys, Coming Back Hard Again (1988)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
  • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Sit back and say ‘Aaaahhhh!’ For this month’s Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo take a trip to the dentist with Raina Telgemeier’s 2010 autobiographic novel Smile. Raina looks back on how her orthodontic woes served as a marker for her adolescence, from the loss of her two front teeth in 6th grade circa 1989 through finally ditching those braces in freshman year ‘92. This prompts Paul and Arlo to recount their own dental dramas in dramatic (traumatic?) detail before praising Telgemeier’s skillful cartooning, her incisive rendering of middle school social mores, the way historical events are set against the backdrop of teen life, and more. Plus, the boys have thoughts on the This Is Us series finale.

NEXT: more drama, more trauma.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:23 - Intro / This is Us

00:35:17 - Smile

01:35:33 - Outro / Next

MUSIC

• “Dentist!” by Steve Martin, Michelle Weeks, Tichina Arnold & Tisha Campbell, Little Shop of Horrors (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (1986)
• “Braces” by Robbo, A Kid’s Life (2000)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Riddle me this, riddle me that…who's afraid of Matt Reeves' The Bat(man)? Not Paul and Arlo, that's for sure, at least not with Project Batman vet Kenn Edwards at their side. There's a lot of ground to cover, beginning with: Did we need the 897th Batman movie? Of course not, but since we're here, the gang discusses Robert Pattinson's turn as the Caped Crusader, the film's emphasis on detective work, whether or not the story is served by a three-hour runtime, and much, much more.

NEXT: Smile! For this month's Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo have a little dental work done with Raina Telgemeier's autobiographical novel.

BREAKDOWN

00:01:10 - Intro / Guest

00:10:00 - The Batman

02:24:47 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• Project Batman: The Batman Immortal Podcast

• Batman Immortal: The Audio Drama - Official Trailer

• A/V (The Film)

MUSIC

• “Something in the Way” by Nirvana, Nevermind (1991)
• “The Riddler” by Method Man, Batman Forever (

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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And you run, you run to catch up with the sun, but it’s sinking…well, before it sets, Paul and Arlo have a few MCU movies they need to discuss. Due to that pesky pandemic, we’ve gotten behind on the Marvel Cinematic Universe here at Gobbledygeek, but fear not! In this special, super-sized episode, Paul and Arlo discuss three mighty Marvel movies: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, which brings Chinese mythology to the MCU; Eternals, which brings a race of immortal god-beings to the MCU; and Spider-Man: No Way Home, which brings a whole bunch of Spider-Men to the MCU. The boys rave about Tony Leung, have a friendly (?) debate about the merits of Eternals, can’t get enough of Andrew Garfield, and so very much more.

NEXT: he is vengeance, he is the night, he is Kenn Edwards! Everybody’s favorite podcaster/guitarist joins us for a look at Matt Reeves’ The Batman.

BREAKDOWN

00:01:47 - Intro / Banter

00:03:53 - Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

00:46:42 - Eternals

01:45:50 - Spider-Man: No Way Home

02:37:50 - Outro / Next

MUSIC

• “Time” by Pink Floyd, Dark Side of the Moon (1973)
• “Three is a Magic Number” by Bob Dorough, Schoolhouse Rock! (1973)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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What happens when a child is born who will invent immortality? According to Ram V and Felipe Andrade's The Many Deaths of Laila Starr, Death is fired from her job, is cast into a mortal body, and attempts to find and murder this child. Oh, she also dies a lot. On this month's Four-Color Flashback, Paul & Arlo discuss the book's unique approach to Indian mythology, Andrade's beautifully distorted figures, V's ability to be self-serious without being pretentious, and more. Plus, Paul gets into Severance, the boys aren't feeling This Is Us' final season, and Arlo reads more Superman.

NEXT: it's an MCU catch-up session. The boys will discuss the trifecta of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Eternals, and Spider-Man: No Way Home.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:34 - Intro / Banter

00:27:39 - The Many Deaths of Laila Starr

01:32:20 - Selecting the next FCF

01:36:03 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• “‘The Many Deaths of Laila Starr’ is more than the sum of its parts” by Meera S. Kumar, The Michigan Daily

• “Read This Book: The Many Deaths of Laila Starr” by unclehighlander, Biff Bam Pop

• “INTERVIEW: Ram V and Filipe Andrade on Death’s rude awakening in THE MANY DEATHS OF LAILA STARR” by Nancy Powell, The Beat

MUSIC

• “(I Just) Died in Your Arms Tonight” by Cutting Crew, Broadcast (1986)
• “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” by Blue Oyster Cult, Agents of Fortune (1976)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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It's Ladies' Night on Gobbledygeek! By which we mean we've got a Geek Challenge featuring Richard Donner's 1985 medieval fantasy epic Ladyhawke and Greta Gerwig's 2017 millennial coming-of-age tale Lady Bird. What do these two films have in common? They're both about transformation, of course! In Lady Bird, Saoirse Ronan transforms into a young woman ready to take on the big city; in Ladyhawke, Rutger Hauer and Michelle Pfeiffer quite literally transform into a wolf and a hawk, respectively. Paul struggles with passive aggressive family drama, Arlo is annoyed by Matthew Broderick, and they both remember what it was like to be 15.

NEXT: this month's Four-Color Flashback contemplates mortality with a dive into Ram V and Filipe Andrade's The Many Deaths of Laila Starr.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:45 - Intro

00:10:54 - Lady Bird

01:04:04 - Ladyhawke

01:57:04 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• “Is ‘Ladyhawke’ the Best Fairytale of Them All?” by Leah Schnelbach, Tor.com

MUSIC

• “Main Title” by Andrew Powell & Philharmonia Orchestra, Ladyhawke (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (1985)
• “Crash Into Me” by Dave Matthews Band, Crash (1996)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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For Paul and Arlo, existential crises and comic books often go hand-in-hand. Such is the case for this week’s freestyle, wherein Paul’s rumination on the erosion of his teenage self-confidence leads into a discussion of superhero mags. Paul tells Goblin punks to fuck off as he rocks out to Cody Ziglar and Justin Mason’s Spider-Punk, goes undercover with Kelly Thompson and Elena Casagrande’s recently wrapped run on Black Widow, and cloaks himself in Jed MacKay and Alessandro Cappuccio’s Moon Knight. Meanwhile, Arlo rides on horseback through more goofy Silver Age Superman.

NEXT: we will continue to spiral.

MUSIC

• “I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times” by The Beach Boys, Pet Sounds (1966)
• “Running Water” by Daniel Johnston, Hi, How Are You (1983)
• “A Horse with No Name” by America, America (1971)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Weigh anchor and hoist the mizzen! Paul and Arlo set sail for a discussion of David Jenkins’ pirate rom-com Our Flag Means Death. The new HBO Max series, a very loose telling of the history between Stede “The Gentleman Pirate” Bonnet and Edward “Blackbeard” Teach, begins as a silly romp very much in the vein of executive producer/star Taika Waititi’s other work. And then…well, it becomes something very much more, depicting a number of queer romances in positive, affirming fashion. The boys discuss this shouldn’t-be-shocking-in-2022 level of representation, the chemistry between Rhys Darby and Waititi, how closely (or not) the show follows the historical record, the series’ moral of not accepting that the way things are is the way they have to be, and more. Plus, up in the sky! It’s a bird, it’s a plane, Arlo is reading old Superman comics!

NEXT: reply hazy, try again.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:47 - Intro / Banter

00:18:30 - Our Flag Means Death

01:36:26 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• “‘Our Flag Means Death’ Just Delivered a Mortal Blow to Queerbaiting” by Kaila Hale-Stern, The Mary Sue

• “How ‘Our Flag Means Death’ Uses Piracy to Denounce Toxic Masculinity” by Marco Vito Oddo, Collider

• “Not Just Queer Rep, but Queer Joy: A Deeper Look at the Multiple Romances of 'Our Flag Means Death'” by Dani Herd, Collider

• “With Gay Pirates, ‘Our Flag Means Death’ Revolutionaizes Queer TV” by Mey Rude, Out

• “Vico Ortiz on playing non-binary pirate Jim in ‘Our Flag Means Death’: I’m ‘proud to be part of it’” by Yolanda Machado, Entertainment Weekly

• “‘Our Flag Means Death’s creator on the show’s fandom and future, in season 2 and beyond” by Tasha Robinson, Polygon

MUSIC

• “Perfect Day” by Lou Reed, Transformer (1972)
• “Miles from Nowhere” by Cat Stevens, Tea for the Tillerman (1970)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Sometimes a gorilla is just a gorilla. Sometimes, though, that gorilla–righteously bearing arms though he may be–is a gateway to a story about the power and fluidity of narrative. For this month’s Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo go ape for Si Spurrier and Jeff Stokely’s Six-Gun Gorilla, a sci-fi Western published by BOOM! Studios in 2013. The boys discuss Stokely’s glorious, hyper-exaggerated art; how the book’s entertainment conglomerate dystopia feels like a logical extension of our present; the way Spurrier weaves various pulp genres throughout his story; and more. Plus, Paul got sick in Gatlinburg again and Arlo admits he was wrong about Dune.

NEXT: Gobbledygeek will return.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:55 - Intro / Banter

00:21:30 - Six-Gun Gorilla

01:25:50 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• “Six-Gun Gorilla: The Complete (Original) Saga”
• “Spurrier Aims for Future Western Weirdness With ‘Six-Gun Gorilla’” by Ryan Ingram, CBR
• “Simon Spurrier & Jeff Stokely’s ‘Six-Gun Gorilla’ Is Insane” by Andy Khouri, Comics Alliance
• “SIX-GUN GORILLA: The Awesome Starts Here” by Simon Spurrier
• “Read the lost adventures of Six-Gun Gorilla, the greatest cowboy gorilla in fiction” by Cyriaque Lamar, Gizmodo

MUSIC

• “Clint Eastwood” by Gorillaz, Gorillaz (2001)
• “Wayfaring Stranger” by Johnny Cash, American III: Solitary Man (2000)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Somethin’s comin’, somethin’ good: this week, Paul and Arlo pirouette through a discussion of Steven Spielberg’s new take on West Side Story, nominated for Best Picture at this year’s Oscars. Is it a spoiler to say they love it? The boys discuss how Spielberg and screenwriter Tony Kushner’s changes enrich the text, why choreographer Justin Peck’s bold choice to discard Jerome Robbins’ iconic choreography was the right move, what it means for the Sharks to be played by Latinx actors, and the joy of watching Spielberg treat every musical number like his and Janusz Kaminski’s playground. Plus, Taco Bell sends Arlo spiraling into an existential crisis, and the boys chat about this year’s other Best Picture nominees.

NEXT: Si Spurrier and Jeff Stokely’s Six-Gun Gorilla is locked and loaded for this month’s Four-Color Flashback.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:53 - Intro

00:06:39 - Interminable Oscars Discussion

00:37:43 - A Look Back to Episode 402

00:47:04 - West Side Story (2021)

02:14:52 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• How ‘West Side Story’ Reset Itself by Jackson McHenry and Helan Shaw, Vulture
• How Tony Kushner and His Collaborators Brought ‘West Side Story’ Into the 21st Century by Andrew R. Chow, Time
• ‘West Side Story’s’ Iris Menas Brings New Dimension to Old Character by Carole Horst, Variety

MUSIC

• “Something’s Coming” by Ansel Elgort, West Side Story (2021 Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2021)
• “Somewhere” by Rita Moreno, West Side Story (2021 Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2021)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
  • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Why use old code to mirror something new? Writer/producer Tilly Bridges is back to continue last week’s discussion of The Matrix series. This time, she joins Paul and Arlo to chat about 2003’s anime anthology The Animatrix, which fits surprisingly well into the series’ trans allegory; and, for the bulk of this episode, The Matrix Resurrections. Lana Wachowski’s triumphant return to her signature co-creation is strikingly similar to the original films…and strikingly different. The gang discusses Neo/Trinity’s self-actualization, Wachowski’s freer and more open approach to filmmaking, Jonathan Groff’s take on Agent Smith, and so much more.

NEXT: we’ll be back, or we won’t. We probably will be.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:55 - Intro / Guest

00:03:00 - The Animatrix

00:41:32 - The Matrix Resurrections

01:51:20 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• Tilly & Susan Bridges
• How The Animatrix Set the Bar For What If…? and Star Wars: Visions by Kayti Burt, Den of Geek
• Too many movies right now are “about trauma.” The Matrix Resurrections actually does the work by Emily VanDerWerff, Vox

MUSIC

• “White Rabbit” by Jefferson Airplane, Surrealistic Pillow (1967)
• “Wake Up” by Brass Against, Brass Against (2018)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Resources for Transgender Youth in Texas: https://www.txtranskids.org/
• Transgender Education Network of Texas: https://www.transtexas.org/
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/

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Unfortunately, no one can be told what Gobbledygeek is. You have to listen to it for yourself. Writer-producer Tilly Bridges joins Paul and Arlo for the first of a two-part discussion of Lilly & Lana Wachowski’s revolutionary Matrix franchise. This week, the gang discusses the original Matrix trilogy, which was released from 1999-2003 and shattered moviegoers’ preconceived notions of the world around them. In turn, Tilly shatters Paul and Arlo’s preconceived notions of these films by touching on the Wachowskis’ many choices–from dialogue to set design to costuming–that serve to reflect the trans experience.

NEXT: we plug back in to explore The Animatrix and The Matrix Resurrections.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:32 - Intro / Guest

00:13:47 - Main Topic

01:55:40 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• Tilly & Susan Bridges

• How The Matrix universalized a trans experience — and helped me accept my own by Emily VanDerWerff, Vox

MUSIC

• “Dissolved Girl” by Massive Attack, Mezzanine (1998)
• “Wake Up” by Rage Against the Machine, Rage Against the Machine (1992)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/

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Panthers…IN SPAAAAACE! For their first Four-Color Flashback of 2022, Paul and Arlo look to the stars, where they find Black Panther: The Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda. The second half of Ta-Nehisi Coates' Black Panther run, these 25 issues--with art by Daniel Acuña, Kev Walker, and Ryan Bodenheim, among others--concern T'Challa's rise from slave to legend in an alien empire that bears his kingdom's name. The boys discuss Coates' bold new direction, the question of expansion vs. imperialism at the heart of the book, Acuña's photorealistic interstellar action compared to Walker's more abstract emphasis on character, and that goddamn symbiote. Plus, an acknowledgement of how surreal it is to be reading a comic book depiction of war at this particular moment, Amazon's evisceration of comiXology, and more.

NEXT: let's party like it's 1999-2003. For the first of a two-part exploration of the Wachowskis' Matrix series, Mimesis author Eric Sipple jacks in to discuss the original trilogy. Whoa.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:23 - Intro / Banter

00:08:21 - Paul’s Unhinged ComiXology Rant

00:34:43 - Main Topic

01:56:36 - Outro / Next

MUSIC

• “Intergalactic” by Beastie Boys, Hello Nasty (1998)
• “Space Jam” by Quad City DJ’s, Space Jam (1996)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Clint Barton, draw back your bow and let your arrow go straight to Disney+. Hollywood big shot Michael Holland joins Paul and Arlo for another season of MCUTV. This time, Jeremy Renner returns as the titular Hawkeye for six episodes of street-level crimefighting. He’s joined by Hailee Steinfeld as that other titular Hawkeye, Kate Bishop, to do battle with tracksuit bros, LARPers, and showtunes. The gang praises the show for its relatively small stakes, compares it to Matt Fraction and David Aja’s classic run, discusses Clint’s unique baggage both inter- and extra-textually, and more.

NEXT: like the Terminator, we’ll be back.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:33 - Intro / Guest

00:09:37 - Hawkeye

01:39:45 - Outro / Next

MUSIC

• “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch” by Thurl Ravenscroft, Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)
• “Save The City” by Adam Pascal, Ty Taylor, Rory Donovan, Derek Klena, Bonnie Milligan, Christopher Siever & Shayna Steele, Hawkeye: Vol. 2 (Episodes 4-6) (2021)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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You're in luck--season 13 of Gobbledygeek is here. Everyone's favorite more or less (emphasis on less) weekly podcast returns with a look at the horrors 2022 has in store. How are Paul and Arlo feeling, two years into a pandemic? How dissatisfied are they with the goons running this whole show? Would they survive the apocalypse? At a certain point, the boys remember they're supposed to be doing a pop culture show. Paul heads to Station Eleven, while Arlo finds The Lost Daughter and runs to Flee. Whistle through the graveyard with your podcast pals!

NEXT: more good-time goofs from your friends at Gobbledygeek.

MUSIC

• “Back in the Saddle” by Aerosmith, Rocks (1976)
• “Jerry Springer” by “Weird” Al Yankovic, Running With Scissors (1999)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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It’s only one more Gobbledygeek ‘til Christmas! This year, instead of discussing the weird or cynical sides of the holidays, Paul and Arlo are embracing sincerity with a look at 1992’s The Muppet Christmas Carol. The first Muppets feature film following the death of Jim Henson is a faithful adaptation of the classic novella, with Gonzo as Charles Dickens himself and none other than Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge. The boys discuss why Caine’s decision to play things straight is key to the film’s success, the film’s technical wizardry, the beautiful songs by Paul Williams, and why it’s the greatest Christmas film of them all. Plus, Paul and Arlo recount a very strange year and get honest about the difficulties of the holiday season.

NEXT: have a safe and merry holiday, regardless of what you celebrate, and a happy new year. We’ll be back in 2022 with the long-awaited discussion of The Americans season 4 featuring Wesley Mead.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:50 - Intro

00:14:00 - The Muppet Christmas Carol

01:42:05 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• “A meta-masterpiece: why ‘The Muppet Christmas Carol’ is the perfect festive film” by Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett, The Guardian

• “A Grand Yuletide Theory: ‘The Muppet Christmas Carol’ is the Best Adaptation of ‘A Christmas Carol’” by Ethan Warren, Bright Wall / Dark Room

• “Long Lost ‘Muppet Christmas Carol’ Song Has Been Rediscovered and Will Be Included in 4K Release” by Hoai-Tran Bui, Slashfilm

• “The makers of ‘The Muppet Christmas Carol’ break down the movie’s lost musical number” by Tyler Aquilina, ew.com

• “How we made: The Muppet Christmas Carol” by Ben Beaumont-Thomas, The Guardian

MUSIC

• “Scrooge” by The Muppet Cast, The Muppet Christmas Carol (Original Soundtrack) (1992)
• “When Love Is Gone” by Meredith Braun, The Muppet Christmas Carol (Original Soundtrack) (1992)
• “It Feels Like Christmas” by The Ghost of Christmas Present, The Muppet Christmas Carol (Original Soundtrack) (1992)
• “One More Sleep ‘til Christmas” by Kermit the Frog, The Muppet Christmas Carol (Original Soundtrack) (1992)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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What if…you listened to a podcast about What If…? In a universe of infinite possibilities, Michael Holland (currently post-production supervisor on The Peripheral for Amazon) finds himself once again teaming up with Paul and Arlo for a discussion of MCUTV. This time, it’s the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first animated series, the multiversal What If…? Ostensibly an anthology series, the show ponders the ways in which our heroes’ lives could have gone very, very differently. For their part, the gang ponders the series’ relationship to the classic comic book of the same name, how the 2.5D animation allows for greater freedom than live-action, how voice acting is not the same thing as physical acting, and how–of course–everything is connected.

NEXT: we bid farewell to 2021 with the comfy, cozy The Muppet Christmas Carol.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:30 - Intro / Guest

00:04:06 - What if…there was a comic book series called What If…?

00:20:04 - What If…? (the show!)

02:19:40 - Outro / Next

MUSIC

• “Changes” by David Bowie, Hunky Dory (1971)
• “Howard the Duck Theme” by Dolby’s Cube feat. Cherry Bomb & Lea Thompson, Howard the Duck Original Soundtrack (1986)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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“And cast ye the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” So says Matthew 25:30, and in John Layman and Afu Chan’s Outer Darkness, there is plenty of weeping–and so, so much gnashing of teeth. For their last Four-Color Flashback of the year, Paul and Arlo discuss Layman and Chan’s 2018-19 Image/Skybound series, which imagines a far-flung future where spaceships need exorcists onboard and the dead can be resurrected so long as you cast a net wide enough to catch their souls. The boys discuss the book’s ingenious mash-up of space opera and supernatural horror, how Layman & Chan expertly juggle a number of timelines, why the visceral splorches of Chan’s art are so satisfying, and the depressing realities behind the series’ cancellation.

NEXT: what if…we did another MCUTV episode with Hollywood’s own Michael Holland? We’ll be discussing, you guessed it, the animated Marvel series What If…?

BREAKDOWN

00:00:57 - Intro

00:04:39 - Outer Darkness

01:37:00 - Outro / Next

MUSIC

• “Spirit in the Sky” by Bauhaus, Singles (2013)
• “Furries!” by Pony Death Ride, Not a Foal, Not Yet a Horse (2012)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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The best show on TV is on FX--well, FX on Hulu, that is. It’s called Reservation Dogs, it was created by Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi, and it is about four Indigenous kids from Oklahoma dreaming of escape to California. To discuss this funny, heartbreaking show, Paul and Arlo are joined by pop culture writer extraordinaire Nikki Stafford. The gang discusses the show’s subtle storytelling, its incredible cast, the way Harjo and his team thread the needle between tragedy and comedy, and how this series breaks ground for mainstream Native representation in America. Plus, Arlo almost killed Paul.

NEXT: second time’s the charm; hopefully, we’ll actually do a Four-Color Flashback on John Layman and Afu Chan’s Outer Darkness.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:42 - Intro / Guest

00:10:45 - Reservation Dogs

01:25:45 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• ‘Stoodis!’ & ‘Skoden’ — ‘Reservation Dogs’ Puts NDN Slang in Focus by Jeanette Centeno, powwows.com

• “‘Reservation Dogs’ Co-Creators Sterlin Harjo & Taika Waititi Talk Using Humor “To Subvert Expectations” In Indigenous Representation – TCA” by Alexandra Del Rosario, Deadline

• “'Reservation Dogs' Creator Talks New FX Series,” All Things Considered

• “‘Reservation Dogs’: The Interview” by Jonathan Sims, The Paper.

• Sterlin Harjo on creating FX’s ‘Reservation Dogs’ with an Indigenous cast and crew -- The Business Podcast

• There There, a novel by Tommy Orange

MUSIC

• “I Wanna Be Your Dog” by The Stooges, The Stooges (1969)
• “Come and Get Your Love” by Redbone, Wovoka (1973)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Gobbledyween has come to a close for another year--and we’re going out with a fang! To round out our month of frightening films, we’ve chosen a movie most people have probably never heard of: Rockula, a vampiric musical from 1990 starring Dean Cameron as the bloodsucking Ralph, cursed to try and win back the love of his immortal life every 22 years. We have also chosen to torture none other than Mimesis author Eric Sipple, who has been forced to endure this film with Paul and Arlo. The gang discusses mirror selves, farting bats, resentful stars, and of course, Bo Diddley.

NEXT: enough inner darkness, how about some Outer Darkness? For our next Four-Color Flashback, we explore the interstellar terror of John Layman and Afu Chan’s 2018-19 Image series.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:40 - Intro / Guest

00:09:36 - Rockula

01:29:46 - The Box Office Game!

01:52:26 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• Rockula Online

MUSIC

• “Rockula” by Los Straitjackets, Damas y Caballeros (2001)
• “Rockula” by Jesse Cutler, Test of Time (2008)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Have you ever heard of insect podcasts? Neither have we. Paul and Arlo continue Gobbledyween 2021 with a deep penetrating dive into the plasma pool, as Alex Jonestown Massacre guitarist Kenn Edwards teleports on over to discuss David Cronenberg’s 1986 classic The Fly. The gang places the film in the context of the AIDS epidemic, marvels at just how charming it is, raves about Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis’ chemistry, and declares makeup effects artist Chris Walas to be one of the unsung heroes of ‘80s cinema. Plus, Kenn gives us a breakdown of the 20 (!) live events he’s been to post-vaccine.

NEXT: all things must come to an end, and so Gobbledyween returns to the grave after one final performance. Mimesis author Eric Sipple helps us lift the coffin lid on Luca Bercovici’s 1990 masterpiece Rockula.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:20 - Intro / Guest

00:05:42 - The Fly

00:11:18 - Oh wait, it’s Ted Lasso tangents and concert reviews…

00:47:35 - Okay, back to The Fly, for real this time

01:26:46 - Kenn blindsides us with his House of the Devil thoughts

01:30:00 - Aaaaaand the finale of our The Fly discussion

02:01:20 - The Box Office Game!

02:26:28 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• The Beetle and the Fly by David Cronenberg, The Paris Review

• The Definitives: The Fly by Brian Eggert, Deep Focus Review

• Pushing the Button: a Chronologically LOST Posdcast

• Welcome to Paradise: A Green Day Podcast

• Alex Jonestown Massacre // Bandcamp // Spotify

MUSIC

• “Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)” by The Offspring, Americana (1998)
• “Fly Away” by Lenny Kravitz, 5 (1998)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Listen to them, the children of the night. What movies they make! For the second installment of Gobbledyween 2021, A/V writer-director Joseph Lewis joins Paul and Arlo for a discussion of Clive Barker’s 1990 film Nightbreed. Butchered by the studio on initial release and restored to its full grotesquerie decades later, Nightbreed is a bizarre fusion of epic fantasy, slasher, and supernatural horror. The gang discusses why that mix is so fascinating, why it’s important that the monsters are the good guys, auteur David Cronenberg’s turn as the evil Dr. Dekker, and the queer framework that gives the film extra resonance. Plus, as promised, Joe has some thoughts on The House of the Devil.

NEXT: speaking of that Cronenberg guy, Alex Jonestown Massacre guitarist Kenn Edwards helps us continue Gobbledyween with a discussion of 1986’s The Fly.

BREAKDOWN

00:01:00 - Intro / Joe’s thoughts on The House of the Devil

00:24:30 - Nightbreed

01:43:53 - Closing shenanigans (The Box-Office Game?)

02:00:18 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• [Horror Queers] The Inherent Queerness of Clive Barker’s Nightbreed by Trace Thurman, Bloody Disgusting

• Nightbreed: The Enduring Appeal of a Horror Classic by Marc Buxton, Den of Geek

• The Monsters of Midian by Duncan Ralston, duncanralston.com

• Mac Tonight Compilation (video)

• Joe’s Letterboxd Gobbledyween List

MUSIC

• “Blessed Are You” by Iced Earth, Something Wicked This Way Comes (1998)
• “Johnny Get Angry” by Anne Bobby, Nightbreed Soundtrack (1990)
• “Berserker” by Love Among Freaks, Clerks (Music from the Motion Picture) (1994)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Leaves are on the ground. Blood is on the screen. It’s time for Gobbledyween. Our beloved, bloody tradition returns for another fiendish film fest featuring only the finest (?) of the horror genre. Greg Sahadachny, once and future host of The Debatable Podcast, helps Paul and Arlo kick off Gobbledyween 2021 by giving them a ride to The House of the Devil. Ti West’s 2009 breakthrough was a seminal moment in the indie horror boom of the last decade-plus. The question now, so many years removed, is if that moment was worth having. The gang discusses how this film’s slow burn played in the context of the torture porn era; its expert aping of the ‘80s aesthetic so near and dear to Paul’s heart; the strong performances from Joceline Donahue, Greta Gerwig, and Tom Noonan; and whether West’s loving homage is anything more than a reminder of better films.

NEXT: we’re checking out of this house, as we hitch a ride with A/V writer-director Joseph Lewis through the mind of Clive Barker. We’ll be discussing the director’s cut of his 1990 cult classic Nightbreed.

BREAKDOWN

00:01:06 - Intro / Guest

00:08:44 - The House of the Devil

01:36:00 - Outro / Next

MUSIC

• “The Number of the Beast” by Iron Maiden, The Number of the Beast (1982)
• “One Things Leads to Another” by The Fixx, Reach the Beach (1983)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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For their latest Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo are exploring the world of Si Spurrier and Jeff Stokely’s 2015 mini-series The Spire. Our location is a massive, tiered city surrounded by a desolate wasteland; our cast of characters include privileged aristocrats and the undesired “Sculpted,” hybridized from human and animal DNA; and our story is one of noir sleuthing, extreme violence, racial intolerance, and classism. The boys discuss Spurrier and Stokely’s deceptively simple storytelling; the “soft edges” around their world-building; Stokely’s manga-influenced art; and just how in-spire-ing it all is. Plus, a number of previous FCF selections are hitting the small screen, including Y: The Last Man, The Sandman, and most unbelievably of all, Grendel.

NEXT: what’s that? It’s October? Time for Gobbledyween 2021. Our annual horror-fest kicks off with a discussion of Ti West’s 2009 indie phenom The House of the Devil, featuring our old pal Greg Sahadachny.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:51 - Intro / Comics on TV banter

00:22:11 - The Spire

01:34:42 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• Netflix Orders Grendel Series Based On Dark Horse Comic With Abubakr Ali To Star, 8 More Cast by Alexandra Del Rosario, Deadline

• The Sandman First Look Teaser

• Strange Cities, Stranger Crimes and “Glorious Weirdness”: An Interview with Simon Spurrier on The Spire by Tobias Carroll, Paste

• World Building: Character and Color in Stokely and Spurrier’s The Spire by Alex Spencer, ComicsAlliance

• Not Controlling the Outcome: Si Spurrier and Jeff Stokely Talk The Spire by Keith Silva, Comics Bulletin

MUSIC

• “Gumshoe” by Penny & Sparrow, Finch (2019)
• “Fresh Tendrils” by Soundgarden, Superunknown (1994)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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To paraphrase Philip and Elizabeth Jennings’ new/old handler Gabriel, “Podcasting and timeliness in many ways are antithetical.” After a series of delays, Paul and Arlo are back with guest of honor Wesley “Wezzo” Mead to continue their discussion of Joe Weisberg and Joel Fields’ modern classic spy drama The Americans. This time, they’re taking a look at season 3, a masterclass in thematic cohesion. Everything, more or less, comes back to the challenge of parenthood: on a micro level, how the Jennings plan on guiding Paige into the world of spycraft; on a macro level, how they can act as individuals under the forceful hand of the Centre. The gang talks self-actualization, bone-crunching, necklacing, and Frank motherfucking Langella. Plus, a detour into the “wholesomeness discourse” raging around Ted Lasso.

NEXT: John Cusack and Paul Dano take on John C. Reilly and Jenna Fischer in a Geek Challenge. It’s the very real music biopic Love & Mercy versus the parody music biopic Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:44 - Intro / Guest

00:05:37 - Some words about Ted Lasso

00:25:48 - The Americans: Season 3

02:22:37 - Outro / Next

MUSIC

• “Only You” by Yaz, Upstairs at Eric’s (1982)
• “Vienna” by Ultravox, Vienna (1980)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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What happens when a regularly scheduled episode gets regularly postponed? A freestyle, that’s what! In lieu of talking about The Americans season 3, Paul and Arlo talk about...well, whatever the fuck they want to talk about. Paul’s angry, Arlo’s drunk, it’s an angry drunken ramble! “Topics” of “discussion” include dumb reality shows like Clash of Cones, the intrinsic value (or lack thereof) in a star rating system, how disappointing the new Lorde album is, and whether or not the boys are actually going to see each other in person this year.

NEXT: The Americans season 3 with Wesley Mead? Maybe?

MUSIC

• “Happy” by Pharrell Williams, Girl (2013)
• “Happy Jack” by The Who, Happy Jack (1967)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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That Sipple you like is going to come back in style. It’s been a long while--we’re talking pre-pandemic here--but Eric Sipple is finally making their return to this humble little podcast. Author of Broken Magic and one-third of the Deli Counter of Justice braintrust, Eric tells Paul and Arlo all about their new YA fantasy novel Mimesis--including the loaded, sometimes confusing connotations inferred by the term “YA.” The gang discusses the gorgeous cover art by Demetrio Kring, what inspired Mimesis, and Eric’s upcoming gig at the MileHiCon in Denver, CO. Plus, assorted and often tangential thoughts on the Spider-Man: No Way Home trailer.

NEXT: TBD.

LINKS

• Eric Sipple’s website

• Kring Demetrio’s website

• Kring Demetrio’s Instagram

• Mimesis Pre-Order (Digital)

• The Deli Counter of Justice

MUSIC

• “What the Water Gave Me” by Florence and the Machine, Ceremonials (2011)
• “Cold Cold Water” by Mirah, Advisory Committee (2002)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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You can’t go home again. But you can return to the creator-owned post-apocalyptic fantasy saga that captivated comics readers for 40 twisted, beautiful issues. That’s exactly what Jeff Lemire did last year with Sweet Tooth: The Return, a sequel miniseries that takes place three whole centuries after the original Vertigo series’ ending. Considering that ending was perfect, does The Return need to exist? Paul and Arlo aren’t so sure. They discuss what The Return adds (or subtracts) from the greater narrative, the book’s alleged Twin Peaks influence, the story’s many “It’s like poetry, it rhymes” moments, and why you shouldn’t fuck around with elephants. Plus, they start things off by chatting about why Netflix’s Sweet Tooth is a great adaptation.

NEXT: Eric...Sipple? Does anyone know who this is? Why is he talking to us? Oh god.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:50 - Intro

00:03:24 - Netflix Sweet Tooth adaptation

00:15:50 - Sweet Tooth: The Return

01:17:13 - Outro / Next

MUSIC

• “Living Underground” by Nico Vega, Nico Vega (2009)
• “The Elephant” by Pete Seeger, Birds, Beasts, Bugs & Fishes (Little & Big) (1998)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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After a two-year absence--thanks, global pandemic!--the Marvel Cinematic Universe makes its return to the big screen with the long-awaited Black Widow. And we do mean long-awaited: it’s been 11 years since Scarlett Johansson made her debut as Natasha Romanoff, and only now, after we’ve seen Nat die in Avengers: Endgame, does Black Widow get a solo movie. Paul and Arlo are joined by pop culture fan and academic Tanya Cochran to discuss whether or not Cate Shortland’s film was worth the wait. There’s talk of trauma, family dramedy, falling debris, and how much Arlo absolutely loves David Harbour as Red Guardian.

NEXT: Sweet Tooth returns, again, in Sweet Tooth: The Return for our next Four-Color Flashback.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:50 - Intro / Guest

00:05:50 - Black Widow

00:26:48 - SPOILERS

02:04:47 - Outro / Next

MUSIC

• “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Think Up Anger (feat. Malia J) (2015)
• “American Pie” by Don McLean, American Pie (1971)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Gobbledygeek’s very own MCU TV brain trust reconvenes somewhere in the multiverse, as post-production supervisor to the stars Michael Holland joins Paul and Arlo to discuss Michael Waldron and Kate Herron’s Loki. The gang untangles the kooky timeline shenanigans, falls in love with the incestuous narcissism at the heart of the Loki/Sylvie relationship, find themselves wowed by Owen Wilson, and ponders where the show’s timey-wimey finale leaves the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Plus, Arlo likes Blade Runner now, and there’s some Space Jam: A New Legacy trash talk.

NEXT: the MCU returns to the big screen with Cate Shortland’s Black Widow.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:42 - Intro / Guest

00:17:50 - Main Topic

01:56:30 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• Michael’s Page - Holland Imaginarium

MUSIC

• “Fly Like An Eagle” by Steve Miller Band, Fly Like An Eagle (1976)
• “Very Full” by Tom Hiddleston, Loki: Vol. 1 (Episodes 1-3) (Original Soundtrack) (2021)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Nature is healing. For this month’s Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo conclude the post-apocalyptic journeys of The Boy and the Big Man with Jeff Lemire’s Sweet Tooth: Deluxe Edition - Books Two and Three. The remnants of humanity fight tooth and nail for survival against the paws and claws of the human/animal hybrid children, who only seem to be increasing in number. Which begs the question, Whose apocalypse is this, exactly? The boys discuss the obvious influence of Lost on the book, whether or not Lemire should have thrown back a certain Fish, the series’ beautiful finale, and how horses are just really tough to draw.

NEXT: could be Loki, could be low-key.

CORRECTION

Paul and Arlo rave about Jeff Lemire’s use of watercolors throughout Sweet Tooth. That praise should actually be reserved for brilliant colorist José Villarrubia. Sorry, José!

BREAKDOWN

00:00:55 - Intro / Guest

00:04:40 - Main Topic

01:47:23 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• The End of 'Sweet Tooth': A deep dive with Jeff Lemire about wrapping up his acclaimed comic book saga by Jeff Jensen, EW.com

• Damon Lindelof Interviews Jeff Lemire, Part I by Jeffrey Renaud, CBR

• Damon Lindelof Interviews Jeff Lemire, Part II by Jeffrey Renaud, CBR

• Man Gets Ass Kicked By Deer

MUSIC

• “(Nothing But) Flowers” by Talking Heads, Naked (1988)
• “Nature Trail to Hell” by “Weird Al” Yankovic, In 3-D (1984)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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For Norma Desmond, the pictures got small when words stole her mystique; for Alan Swann, it was when his drunken antics got him downgraded to the boob tube. They’re both stand-ins for larger-than-life stars past their prime, Norma in Billy Wilder’s scathing Sunset Blvd. (1950) and Alan in Richard Benjamin’s cozy My Favorite Year (1982). In our latest Geek Challenge, Paul and Arlo discuss these fallen idols and how their respective movies take much different approaches to a mentor/mentee relationship. The boys break down the ways in which both films echo real-life Hollywood legends; praise Gloria Swanson’s arch turn as Norma and Peter O’Toole’s thinly veiled take on Errol Flynn; pine for dead monkey funerals; and wonder what things would be like if Jessica Harper ruled the mob.

NEXT: on this month’s Four-Color Flashback, we conclude the post-apocalyptic adventures of Gus and Jeppard in Deluxe Editions 2 and 3 of Jeff Lemire’s Sweet Tooth.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:40 - Intro / Guest

00:06:28 - Sunset Blvd.

00:52:15 - My Favorite Year

01:28:56 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• Sunset Boulevard at 70: We’re All Norma Desmond Now by Tom Joudrey, The Guardian

• Sunset Boulevard: The Original Hollywood Exposé by Tony Sokol, Den of Geek

• Sunset Boulevard - Filmsite Movie Review

• Sunset Boulevard - Roger Ebert’s Review

• My Favorite Year: A Mirror for Errol Flynn & Peter O’Toole’s Hellraising by Richard Monetti, Den of Geek

• ‘Lord Jim’ and ‘Great Catherine’ in ‘My Favorite Year’ by Ben Yagoda, Movies in Other Movies

• My Favorite Year - Cineaste Review

MUSIC

• “Mama Said Knock You Out” by LL Cool J, Mama Said Knock You Out (1990)
• “Celluloid Heroes” by The Kinks, Everybody’s in Show-Biz (1972)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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You know what they say: Parenting is hard, especially when you’re undercover KGB operatives masquerading as a suburban American couple. As Paul, Arlo, and special guest Wesley “Wezzo” Mead dive into season 2 of Joe Weisberg and Joel Fields’ modern classic The Americans, they discover all the ways child-rearing is difficult for Philip and Elizabeth Jennings. This includes concealing your secret identity; setting up a decoy aunt; keeping your kids out of the church; and shielding them from the dreaded “spurtsposition.” Plus, Paul and Wezzo rock out to the new Fratellis album and share some nice words about Ted Lasso.

NEXT: it’s My Favorite Year to take a stroll down Sunset Blvd. on a new Geek Challenge.

BREAKDOWN

00:01:16 - Intro / Guest

00:14:17 - Main Topic

01:51:00 - Outro / Next

MUSIC

• “Twilight Zone” by Golden Earring, Cut (1982)
• “Here Comes the Flood” by Peter Gabriel, Peter Gabriel (1977)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Imagine a world where a global pandemic killed millions and changed society forever. Spooky stuff, huh? Well, take a break from reality with this month’s Four-Color Flashback: Sweet Tooth: The Deluxe Edition - Book One, comprising the first 12 issues of Jeff Lemire’s offbeat breakthrough about a little deer boy and the post-apocalyptic hell that awaits him in the wilds of Nebraska. Along the way, he meets a Frank Miller-style tough guy named Jepperd, who seems to be the grizzled protector to Gus’ naive innocent. It’s a little more complicated than that, of course. Paul and Arlo discuss Lemire’s weird, idiosyncratic artwork; the way he uses the faces and especially the eyes of his laconic characters to convey so much; and how the new Netflix adaptation is radically different.

NEXT: dust off that mail robot, it’s time for The Americans season 2 with British secret agent Wesley “Wezzo” Mead.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:47 - Intro / Banter

00:19:38 - Sweet Tooth: The Deluxe Edition - Book One

01:37:00 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• Sweet Tooth Filmmaker Jim Mickle on Reimagining the Apocalypse by Matthew Dessem, Slate

• Why Sweet Tooth Created a Friendlier Apocalypse by Alec Bojalad, Den of Geek

MUSIC

• “My Father’s House” by Bruce Springsteen, Nebraska (1982)
• “Out of the Woods” by Taylor Swift, 1989 (2014)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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On a new freestyle episode, Paul and Arlo spend the whole podcast telling you about other podcasts you should be listening to instead (and one you should not). You see, Paul has descended into true crime madness, his paranoia reaching heretofore unseen levels as he falls asleep to the sounds of violence. There are also serial killers following him. Elsewhere, Arlo’s vestigial nose twin stalks the night, plotting his revenge. Oh, and Arlo provides a really detailed recap of an episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia for some reason.

NEXT: everybody gets a sweet tooth now and then. We’ll have 12 of them as we discuss the first two volumes of Jeff Lemire’s Vertigo series Sweet Tooth for this month’s Four-Color Flashback.

MUSIC

• “Murderer” by Buju Banton, ‘Til Shiloh (1995)
• “Every Breath You Take” by The Police, Synchronicity (1983)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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The Four-Color Flashback, that most venerated non-Gobbledyween tradition, has been around in some form for nearly all of this podcast’s 11 years. And yet--we’ve never discussed manga, the world’s most popular comics format. Paul and Arlo have decided to rectify that with the first volume of Inio Asano’s Goodnight Punpun, the surreal exploration of one young boy’s troubled adolescence. Punpun Punyama has a crush on the new girl at school, stays with his hipster uncle because of his abusive dad, hears the voice of God, and is beginning to familiarize himself with the art of self-pleasure. Oh, he and his whole family are also rendered as simple little cartoon bird and/or ghost people, while the world around them is drawn in gorgeous detail by Asano. The boys share their limited experience with manga, Arlo enjoys weird vagina monsters, and Paul has an epiphany.

Next: free(style) as a bird(boy).

BREAKDOWN

00:00:55 - Intro / Guest

00:04:58 - Main Topic

01:16:40 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• Goodnight Punpun: A Masterpiece of Millennial Fiction by Jamie Redgate, Books & Bao
• Goodnight Punpun and Good Morning Depression by John Smith, Ani-Gamers
• Manga Review: Goodnight Punpun by Jack Poskus, NEIU Independent
• Goodnight Punpun is the Strangest Manga of the Year (and One of the Best) by Tom Speelman, Comics Alliance
• The Depths of Despair: Oyasumi Punpun Manga by Lumi(?), Lumi Reviews Things

MUSIC

• “Baby Blue” by Fishmans, Kuuchuu Camp (1996)
• “Iko Iko” by The Dixie Cups, Chapel of Love (1964)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/

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Paul, Arlo, and returning guest Michael Holland aren’t in Westview anymore. For its second TV series, the Marvel Cinematic Universe returns to more conventional superheroics. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is the Captain America sequel we’ve been waiting for, filled with stellar action sequences, resonant character work, and a twisty-turny plot. The gang debates how well that last element works, but one thing they can all agree on: director Kari Skogland and head writer Malcolm Spellman do their cast justice, bringing depths to Sam and Bucky we haven’t gotten to see on the big screen. Other topics of discussion include just how relatable the Flag Smashers are, Madripoor’s splashy MCU debut, Sharon Carter’s heel turn, and how Wyatt Russell makes an insufferable character sufferable.

NEXT: he’s not exactly a falcon, but he is a weird little bird-boy. For the first Four-Color Flashback discussing manga, Paul and Arlo take a look at Inio Asano’s Goodnight Punpun: Vol. 1.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:44 - Intro / Guest

00:05:05 - Main Topic

02:05:00 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• Captain America’s Legacy Isn’t the Shield, It’s Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes by Jess Bacon, Inverse
• Falcon Watch: The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Finale Reminds Us Why Steve Gave Sam the Shield by Rachel Leishman, The Mary Sue
• Marvel Has Big Plans for Julia Louis-Dreyfus by Joanna Robinson, Vanity Fair
• The Falcon and the Winter Soldier: Shooting a Psychological Thriller About the Legacy of the Shield by Bill Desowitz, Indiewire
• The Falcon And The Winter Soldier's Most Challenging Scenes To Film, According To The Cinematographer by Erik Swann, Cinemablend
• Carl Lumbly Defines What Makes a Good Captain America by Anthony Breznican, Vanity Fair
• The Falcon and The Winter Soldier: Emily VanCamp and Erin Kellyman on Sharon Carter’s Role as the Power Broker by Christine Dinh, Marvel.com
• Falcon and Winter Soldier: Baron Zemo Fixes Marvel’s Most Notorious Problem by Eric Francisco, Inverse

MUSIC

• “Trouble Man” by Marvin Gaye, Trouble Man (Soundtrack) (1972)
• “Fly Like an Eagle” by Steve Miller Band, Fly Like an Eagle (1976)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Deception is as American as apple pie. Elizabeth and Philip Jennings are well aware of this--they’re Russian spies under deep cover as a suburban couple in the U.S., after all. Their new next door neighbor, FBI Agent Stan Beeman, threatens to throw a wrench into their long con. Over the course of The Americans season 1, there are plenty of twists, turns, betrayals, and confessions. Wesley “Wezzo” Mead has infiltrated the podcast to join Paul and Arlo as they begin a retrospective on Joe Weisberg’s critically acclaimed but criminally underseen FX series. The gang discusses the tremendous work by leads Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys; how the show is a little pulpier and fast-moving than they remembered; the characters’ vacillating beliefs in each other and the systems they move within; and, of course, all those wigs.

NEXT: Hollywood post-production supervisor Michael Holland flies in for a look at The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Take note, Jennings--Soviet agents can be reformed!

BREAKDOWN

00:00:51 - Intro / Guest

00:03:45 - Main Topic

01:50:05 - Outro / Next

MUSIC

• “Tusk” by Fleetwood Mac, Tusk (1979)
• “Games Without Frontiers” by Peter Gabriel, Peter Gabriel (1980)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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We've all been isolated, to some degree, for the last year. Austin Allan James' debut feature Who's With Me?, available for free on YouTube, perfectly captures the sense of loneliness and paranoia to which many of us have become accustomed. His film was also almost entirely finished pre-pandemic. Paul and Arlo talk with Austin about his clairvoyant powers, working on a shoestring budget, the inspiration he draws from filmmakers such as David Lynch and Joel Potrykus, how much of a fee turtles can demand, and what it all means, man.

NEXT: at long last, we go undercover with Wesley "Wezzo" Mead for a discussion of The Americans season 1.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:52 - Intro / Guest

00:04:40 - Main Topic

01:08:25 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• Who’s With Me? - Full Feature (2021 Sci-Fi, Drama, Horror)

MUSIC

• “Locked Inside” by Reef, Rides (1999)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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This is a freestyle episode, so you better believe Paul and Arlo talk about all manner of goofy shit, but--there’s also kind of a topic too? Look, we make this stuff up as we go along, get that look off your face. Arlo watched John Carpenter’s 1981 cult classic Escape from New York for the very first time, and he absolutely loved it. He and Paul rave about the movie, its highly relatable cynicism, and its amazing music...which leads Arlo to proffer a shocking apology. The stick up his ass, it’s gotten a little shorter over the years. Plus, an in-depth breakdown of This Is Us’ timeline and an exploration of why roasts suck. Sponsored by the adult toy purveyor of your choice!

NEXT: indie filmmaker Austin Allan James joins us to discuss his debut feature, Who’s With Me.

MUSIC

• “Escape from New York (Main Title)” by John Carpenter, Escape from New York (Original Film Soundtrack) (1981)
• “Bandstand Boogie” by Les Elgart (1954)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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We’re all about lending a hand here at Gobbledygeek, so for this month’s Four-Color Flashback, we’re slicing and dicing our way through Daniel Warren Johnson’s Extremity. The ultra-violent 12-issue series follows Thea, an artist who lost a core piece of her identity when a rival clan chopped off her drawing hand. As her father leads their clan on a bloodthirsty quest for revenge, she and her brother Rollo must question whether they will perpetuate this endless cycle of violence. Paul and Arlo discuss the series’ surprising commitment to pacifism, Johnson’s insanely detailed artwork, why the book’s violence isn’t at odds with its intent, and some quirky sound effects.

NEXT: tune in to find out.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:28 - Intro / Guest

00:01:46 - Main Topic

01:29:55 - Outro / Next

MUSIC

• “I Want to Hold Your Hand” by The Beatles (1970)
• “The Winner Takes It All” by ABBA, Super Trouper (1980)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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When we’re not contracting coronavirus, we’re contracting people to work on our houses. And sometimes those people, too, can be a plague. Paul and Arlo commiserate over uncomfortable contractor experiences, uncomfortable evangelicalism, and the uncomfortable intersection of those two very uncomfortable things. In other news, baby-faced Paul got his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and had to deal with some folks getting way too up in his personal space. Are we ready for a return to normal? No. No, we are not. Plus, we remember to talk pop culture and chat about the Oscar nominations.

NEXT: Paul decides on air during this very episode that next week will be this month’s Four-Color Flashback, discussing Vols. 1 & 2 of Daniel Warren Johnson’s Extremity.

MUSIC

• “Comfort Eagle” by Cake, Comfort Eagle (2001)
• “Burning Down the House” by Talking Heads, Speaking in Tongues (1982)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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And now back to our regularly scheduled programming. After two long years in the Marvel Cinematic Universe desert, since Avengers: Endgame and its postscript Spider-Man: Far from Home, Marvel’s mightiest are back on the air. For the first MCU series on Disney Plus, we have WandaVision, a TV show that is very much about TV shows and what the medium means to us. The comfy-cozy sitcom rhythm of the show, as Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch and Paul Bettany’s Vision make-believe they’re on the sets of The Dick Van Dyke Show or Family Ties, is interrupted by unsettling reminders of where we left these characters. Wanda was grieving--because Vision was dead. What’s going on here? Don’t change that channel, because Paul, Arlo, and special guest Michael Holland--currently post-production supervisor on The Afterparty--discuss how showrunner Jac Schaeffer and director Matt Shakman channel grief, capture the nostalgic spirit of old TV, weaponize fan expectations, and more.

NEXT: we’ll be back, same Bat-time, same Bat-channel.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:50 - Intro / Guest

00:05:53 - WandaVision

01:51:39 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• Michael’s Blog - Holland Imaginarium
• How the ‘WandaVision’ Creator Brought Her Vision (and Wanda’s) to Life by Dave Itzkoff, The New York Times
• ‘WandaVision' Creator on That Ending, Wanda Criticism, and Why Paul Bettany Is Allowed to Troll by Liz Shannon Miller, Collider
• 'WandaVision': Let's Break Down What Those Commercials Reveal About the Show's Mystery by Tom Reimann, Collider
• 'WandaVision': MCU Easter Eggs You Might Have Missed by Allie Gemmell, Collider

MUSIC

• “A Newlywed Couple” by Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez, WandaVision (2021)
• “Agatha All Along (feat. Kathryn Hahn)” by Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez, WandaVision (2021)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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What’s more American than ruthless bastards sucking dry the poor, hardworking souls that make this country what it is--all in the name of progress? We’re not just talking about capitalism here, we’re also talking about the bloodthirsty monsters at the heart of Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque’s American Vampire. For this month’s Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo sink their fangs into the first two volumes of Snyder and Albuquerque’s (with an assist from Stephen King) decades-spanning Vertigo series. The boys discuss how Snyder charts the path of American history through three distinct time periods; the seriously cool vampire taxonomy; Albuquerque’s ghastly, gorgeous art; the way King cusses; and, yes, what the book says about capitalist conquest. Plus, Paul chills with three very different Netflix projects: Moxie, Ginny & Georgia, and Behind Her Eyes.

NEXT: Michael Holland, post-production supervisor on American Horror Story and ABC’s For Life, joins us to discuss Disney+’s first MCU series, WandaVision.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:50 - Intro

00:07:14 - American Vampire

01:34:36 - Outro / Next

MUSIC

• “American Girl” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (1977)
• “Walking on Sunshine” by Katrina and the Waves, Walking on Sunshine (1985)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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In honor of the late Christopher Plummer, Paul and Arlo host a Geek Challenge with two films featuring one of Canada’s greatest. First, Paul has Arlo watch Mike Nichols’ 1994 horror (?) film Wolf, starring Jack Nicholson as a middle-aged book editor who finds the beast inside courtesy of a wolf bite (with a five-minute cameo from a scenery-chewing Plummer). Then, Arlo makes Paul watch Michael Mann’s 1999 ripped-from-the-headlines thriller The Insider, with Russell Crowe as a scientist taking on Big Tobacco, Al Pacino as the journalist trying to tell his story, and Plummer doing one hell of a job as Mike Wallace. Plus, Paul tries to get Arlo to watch Craig McCracken’s new animated series Kid Cosmic.

NEXT: the boys sharpen their fangs on a Four-Color Flashback discussion of the first two volumes of Scott Snyder, Stephen King, and Rafael Albuquerque’s American Vampire.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:55 - Intro / Kid Cosmic

00:10:29 - Wolf

00:55:45 - The Insider

01:49:45 - Pointless tangent about the term “bucket list” (We’re sorry.)

01:52:54 - Outro / Next

MUSIC

• “Wolf Like Me” by TV On The Radio, Return to Cookie Mountain (2006)
• “Iguazu” by Gustavo Santoalalla, Ronroco (1998)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Two hosts, unalike in dignity, in fair Gobbledygeek, where we set our podcast. For this month’s Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo pull out a boombox blasting Romeo and Juliet side B. In Prince of Cats, Ronald Wimberly passes the mic to Juliet’s cousin Tybalt, a sideways entry point into the events that lead to and inform the soapy classic. Oh, and did we mention this version stars a Black cast living in an ‘80s NYC where everybody participates in an underground samurai swordfighting ring? The boys discuss Wimberly’s ingenious distortion of Shakespearean language; his manga-influenced art; how the book enriches (perhaps even improves upon?) the play; and what it means to tell this story from a race-conscious perspective.

NEXT: oh hey, it’s that Christopher Plummer Geek Challenge we promised. Mike Nichols’ Wolf and Michael Mann’s The Insider go head-to-head.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:48 - Intro / Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet

00:23:00 - Prince of Cats

01:03:45 - (Interlude: Paul reads NSFW Shakespearean dialogue from Prince of Cats)

01:55:08 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• Lighten Up by Ronald Wimberly, The Nib

MUSIC

• “Step Off” by Grandmaster Melle-Mel & The Furious Five (1984)
• “Sucker M.C.’s” by Run-DMC, Run-DMC (1983)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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I am a podcast. This week, Paul and Arlo are joined by Wesley Mead to unravel the mystery of Derek DelGaudio's stage show In & Of Itself, now available on Hulu in a filmed version directed by none other than Frank Oz. Truth be told, if truth is a concept you believe in, the gang doesn't do much unraveling. No, that would be beyond the point. Instead, they discuss how the show makes them feel and what it reveals about the relationship between one human being and another. Magic, wolves, self-identity, and the communal experience all make an appearance. Plus, Wezzo tells us how the UK is faring with lockdown, and Arlo raves about Merawi Gerima's stunning feature debut Residue.

NEXT: I'll meet you in another life, when we are both cats. This month's Four-Color Flashback is all about Ronald Wimberly’s take on Romeo and Juliet, 2012's Prince of Cats.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:55 - Intro / Guest

00:23:37 - Derek DelGaudio’s In & Of Itself

01:52:12 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• How Derek DelGaudio Pulled Off the Astonishing ‘In & Of Itself’ by Matt Wilstein, The Daily Beast
• Here Are All the Celebrity Cameos in Derek DelGaudio’s In & of Itself by Matthew Dessem, Slate

MUSIC

• “Dog and Wolf” by Green Dolphin Street, Boozekilla (2017)
• “I Am” by AWOLNATION, Run (2015)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Ah, merry old England. A land of many fine tales as well as some pretty crummy ones. This week, Paul and Arlo explore both sides of English mythmaking in a Geek Challenge that hearkens back to the Middle Ages; i.e., the 1930s and 1980s. First up is a movie Paul has been trying to get Arlo to watch literally as long as they've been podcasting: Terry Marcel's 1980 sword-and-sorcery epic (?) Hawk the Slayer, featuring John Terry and Jack Palance as improbable brothers warring over the power of the Mind Sword. In return, Arlo has Paul watch Michael Curtiz's 1938 classic The Adventures of Robin Hood, starring Errol Flynn as the screen's most iconic Robin. The boys discuss Hawk as Paul's Rosetta stone; Robin Hood as one of those movies you just sort of absorb by osmosis; gloriously cheesy synth scores; Daffy Duck becoming a friar; and more. Plus, Jonathan Hickman's X-Men!

NEXT: TBD.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:30 - Fade In / Intro

00:06:34 - Hawk the Slayer

00:52:10 - The Adventures of Robin Hood

01:24:37 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• nos-stal-gia: Hawk the Slayer by Paul Smith, Gobbledygeek

• “The Paper Clip” (segment from ‘Ripley’s Believe It Or Not’ hosted by Jack Palance)

MUSIC

• “Hawk the Slayer” by Harry Robertson, Hawk the Slayer (Original Soundtrack) (1980)
• “Duel, Victory and Epilogue” by Erich Wolfgang Korngold, The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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‘Tis the damn season. Last summer, we convened the Three Heathens--Paul, Arlo, and A/V writer-director Joseph Lewis--to discuss Taylor Swift’s first surprise album of 2020, Folklore. It was surprising not only for the nature of its release but for the folk pop/singer-songwriter shift it marked, becoming the finest achievement of Swift’s career. On her second surprise album of 2020, Evermore, she may have equaled that achievement. The Heathens are back to discuss the progression of Swift’s Joni Mitchell phase, as her lyrics become more reflective and complex. They’re strengthened by producer/co-writer Aaron Dessner’s sonic palette, introducing new sounds to Swift’s oeuvre. It’s true, the boys go a little off the rails into Lynch references, but one thing is undeniable: the more we say, the less you know. Plus, a discussion of the Disney+ making-of/concert film Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions.

NEXT: it’s Hawk the Slayer vs. The Adventures of Robin Hood in a Geek Challenge.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:37 - Intro / Guest

00:03:40 - Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions

00:16:47 - Evermore

02:36:36 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• Every Literary Reference in Taylor Swift’s folklore and evermore Explained, by Jack Ben Edwards

MUSIC

• “Willow” by Taylor Swift, evermore (2020)
• “Champagne Problems” by Taylor Swift, evermore (2020)
• “‘Tis the Damn Season” by Taylor Swift, evermore (2020)
• “Should’ve Said No” by Taylor Swift, Taylor Swift (2008)
• “No Body, No Crime (feat. HAIM)” by Taylor Swift, evermore (2020)
• “No Body, No Crime (The No Hugo, No Stiglitz Remix)” by Joe Lewis
• “Coney Island (feat. The National)” by Taylor Swift, evermore (2020)
• “Ivy” by Taylor Swift, evermore (2020)
• “Cowboy Like Me” by Taylor Swift, evermore (2020)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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First comes a podcast, then comes 423 more podcasts, then comes a baby who is doomed to think having a podcast host for a dad is normal. On the Gobbledygeek season 12 premiere, Arlo is revealed to be a babydaddy--and the kid isn’t Paul’s! Scandal! Arlo discusses life as the father of a newborn, which involves a good deal of poop. Paul has also had to deal with a good deal of poop, even though his isn’t issuing forth from a screaming, squealing bundle of joy. In between all the poop talk, the boys squeeze out some pop culture talk: Arlo catches up with the new seasons of Ramy and PEN15; Paul gets TikTok’d; Arlo watches (and reads) You; and the boys commiserate about the bizarre, disappointing Wonder Woman 1984.

NEXT: ‘tis the damn season. A/V writer-director Joseph Lewis returns to the show for another round of Swiftie analysis with a deep-dive into Evermore.

BREAKDOWN

00:01:07 - Intro

01:24:30 - Spoilers for Netflix’s You (and the novels it’s based on)

01:29:20 - End spoilers

01:55:05 - Outro / Next

MUSIC

• “Isn’t She Lovely” by Stevie Wonder, Songs in the Key of Life (1976)
• “Wellerman” by Nathan Evans (2021)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Because our mascot is a turkey, and because we generally frown upon genocide, Paul and Arlo are spending Thanksgiving weekend discussing films with ties to Native American culture. For this Geek Challenge, Paul urges Arlo to watch Michael Apted's 1992 conspiracy thriller Thunderheart, starring Val Kilmer as an FBI agent who grows to embrace his Sioux heritage. In turn, Arlo makes Paul watch Jim Jarmusch's 1995 psychedelic Western Dead Man, wherein Johnny Depp's iteration of William Blake takes an offbeat journey to the next life. The boys address the major caveat of both films starring white men, as well as their own lily whiteness; determine that Graham Greene and Gary Farmer walk away with their respective movies; and discuss how both films explore spiritual death and rebirth. With a bonus discussion of Apted's documentary Incident at Oglala!

NEXT: Arlo's having a baby. We're going on hiatus with hopes of returning in mid-to-late January. We wish everyone a happy and, more importantly, safe holiday season. We love you.

BREAKDOWN

00:01:00 - Intro / Guest

00:07:15 - Thunderheart

01:08:16 - Dead Man

02:09:36 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• “The Best of Both Worlds: Otherness, Appropriation, and Identity in Thunderheart” by Sam Pack

• “FILM VIEW: One Director, Two Routes to American Indian Travail” by Caryn James, New York Times

• “Dead Man: Blake in America” by Amy Taubin, Criterion

• “Unveiling the spiritual nature of Dead Man” by Briana Berg, Cinescapade

• “The Untamed Territory of Jim Jarmusch’s Dead Man” by Scout Tafoya, The Spool

• “For Native Peoples, Thanksgiving Isn’t a Celebration. It’s a National Day of Mourning” by Tonya Mosley and Allison Hagan, wbur.org

MUSIC

• “Grafitti Man” by John Trudell, A.K.A. Grafitti Man (1986)
• “NDN Kars” by Keith Secola, Circle (1992)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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For the penultimate Gobbledygeek of the year, Paul and Arlo return to an institution they dropped like a bad habit at the start of the pandemic: the Four-Color Flashback! Vickie Willis Navarra, board member of the Comics and Popular Arts Conference at DragonCon, joins the boys to discuss Sandman Mystery Theatre: Book One. Matt Wagner’s resurrection of DC’s Golden Age hero Wesley Dodds, with art by Guy Davis, John Watkiss, R.G. Taylor, and David Hornung, explores the dark dreams of 1938 New York. The gang discusses the art’s sketchy, shadowy noir qualities; Vickie interrupts her praise of Dian Belmont long enough to wonder if Dian falls into the “exceptional female” trope; Paul and Arlo ponder the series’ connection to Neil Gaiman’s Sandman; and more.

NEXT: season 11 comes to a close with a Geek Challenge featuring Thunderheart and Dead Man.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:35 - Intro / Guest

00:11:50 - Main Topic

01:54:34 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• V.E.W. Navarra: Writing All The Things

• Reading Joss Whedon, edited by Rhonda V.. Wilcox, Tanya R. Cochran, Cynthea Masson, and David Lavery

• At Home in the Whedonverse: Essays on Domestic Place, Space and Life, edited by Juliette C. Kitchens

• Geek Rock: An Exploration of Music and Subculture, edited by Alex DiBlasi and Victoria Willis
• Routledge Companion to Popular Music and Humor, edited by Thomas M. Kitts and Nick Baxter-Moore

MUSIC

• “Begin the Beguine” by Artie Shaw (1938)
• “I’ve Got a Pocketful of Dreams” by Bing Crosby (1938)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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We’re still here. The world spins on, at least for a time. In the aftermath of Election Day 2020, there are many variables. Will that loser leave the White House? Will the GOP’s slow-rolling coup pay off? Will a Trumpian shadow militia form, leading to an actual Civil War II? As is the norm, Paul and Arlo have no answers, but they ponder these questions and many others. The boys recount their Election Night spirals; Arlo gets tested for COVID; Paul goes to the severe county of Sevier County; and they discuss some pop culture too, like why the kitchen-sink melodrama of This Is Us works, why Baby Yoda being a monster on The Mandalorian is cool and good, and why Paul hates The Simpsons.

NEXT: for the penultimate episode before our pregnancy-induced hiatus, Vickie Willis Navarra joins us for a Four-Color Flashback discussing Sandman Mystery Theatre: Book One by Matt Wagner, Guy Davis, John Watkiss, and R.G. Taylor.

MUSIC

• “FDT (feat. Nipsey Hustle)” by YG, Still Brazy (2016)
• “Three Little Birds” by Bob Marley & The Wailers, Exodus (1977)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Hello, kiddies. Are you ready for your deadtime story? Gobbledyween 2020 comes to a close as A/V writer-director Joseph Lewis joins Paul and Arlo in the Cryptkeeper's lair to discuss Ernest R. Dickerson's 1995 frightfest Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight. These hodunk, podunk, well-then-there motherfuckers discuss the insane cast, including William Sadler, Billy Zane, Dick Miller, and CCH Pounder; the importance of Jada Pinkett Smith's heroine Jeryline; Dickerson's use of light and color; and why this is the perfect mid-'90s time capsule.

NEXT: VOTE.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:50 - Intro / Guest

00:09:08 - Demon Knight

01:47:19 - Outro / VOTE!!! / Next

LINKS

• “From Script to the Big Scream: Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight Turns 25!” by Meagan Navarro, Bloody Disgusting

• “A Celebration of Demon Knight’s Unlikely Hero Jeryline” by Tai Gooden, Nerdist

• "Joel Silver Wanted Cameron Diaz to Star in ‘Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight’" by Brad Miska, Bloody Disgusting

MUSIC

• “Tales from the Crypt” by Danny Elfman, Original Music from Tales from the Crypt (1992)
• “Hey Man Nice Shot” by Filter, Short Bus (1995)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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This week, we want all our garmonbozia. Gobbledyween 2020 emerges from the Black Lodge as Brett Easton Hell Yes host Katie L. Wright joins Paul and Arlo to discuss David Lynch’s divisive Twin Peaks prequel/sequel, 1992’s Fire Walk With Me. The gang discusses the film’s polarizing reception at Cannes (Tarantino hated it!), the surprising empathy Lynch and co-writer Robert Engels show toward both victims and perpetrators of sexual abuse, how Fire Walk With Me is the lynchpin (get it?) of the Twin Peaks universe, and of course, Sheryl Lee’s incredible performance as Laura Palmer.

NEXT: Gobbledyween comes to a close as original Gobbler Joseph Lewis hams it up with the Cryptkeeper for Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight.

BREAKDOWN

00:01:07 - Intro / Guest

00:03:10 - Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me

01:40:05 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• “The Maligned Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me Is Better—and More Important—Than You Know” by Julie Muncy, Wired

• “Watch ‘Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me’ and You’ll Know What the Show Was Really About: Incest and Rape” by Michael Nordine, IndieWire

• “Revisiting the Nightmarish Twin Peaks Movie” by David Sims, The Atlantic

• "THE AWFUL TRUTH IN 'TWIN PEAKS'" by M.C. Blakeman, Chicago Tribune

• "Fire Walk With Me: how David Lynch’s film went from laughing stock to the key to Twin Peaks" by Martyn Conterio, The Guardian

• "31 Days Of Feminist Horror Films: TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME" by Kate Hagen, The Black List

• "Seeing FWWM as a survivor of abuse" Reddit post by MhpLydian

• Bret Easton Hell Yes: A Bret Easton Ellis Fancast - website - Apple Podcasts

MUSIC

• “A Real Indication” by Angelo Badalementi, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture) (1992)
• “The Pink Room” by Angelo Badalementi, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture) (1992)
• “Questions In a World of Blue” by Angelo Badalementi, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture) (1992)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Perfection, NV, pop. 14, is adding three more country bumpkins to its census: Paul, Arlo, and Jason Tabrys, writer for Uproxx and Den of Geek, who is returning to the show after a stunning two-year absence. The gang is here to continue the month-long horror celebration Gobbledyween by discussing Ron Underwood’s 1990 creature feature Tremors. There is discussion of Kevin Bacon’s small head, Burt Gummer’s voting record, the simple efficacy of S.S. Wilson and Brent Maddock’s script, why the Graboids are great movie monsters, and more. Long-time listeners will know that when Jason Tabrys is involved, more means more.

NEXT: we want all our garmonbozia. Jessica Shipp joins us to discuss Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:28 - Intro / Guest

00:06:00 - Tremors

01:33:40 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• Failed Astronaut: A Jason Tabrys Catch-All

• “Tremors: Making Perfection” (Documentary)

• “Tremors turns 30, the most perfect B movie creature feature ever made” by Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica

MUSIC

“Good Vibrations” by The Beach Boys, Smiley Smile (1967)

“Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” by Jerry Lee Lewis, Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On (Single) (1957)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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Leaves are on the ground. Blood is on the screen. It’s time for Gobbledyween.

Take a break from the horror of the real world to join Paul and Arlo for that most venerated of Gobbledygeek traditions, the month-long horror movie marathon known as Gobbledyween. To kick things off for 2020, our pal Greg Sahadachny takes a break from the usual goofy stuff we stick him with (like the very goofy The Stuff) to go legit with his own personal selection: André Øvredal’s 2016 procedural chiller The Autopsy of Jane Doe. The gang takes a scalpel to the film, discussing how Øvredal gets the most out of his “bottle episode” morgue setting; Brian Cox and Emile Hirsch’s strong performances as a father-son coroner duo; how the film avoids fetishizing Olwen Kelly’s nude body; and why nihilism in horror films can feel so satisfying.

NEXT: grab(oid) onto your butts, Uproxx editor Jason Tabrys joins us to talk Tremors.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:50 - Intro / Guest

00:08:00 - The Autopsy of Jane Doe

01:26:06 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• “The Autopsy of Jane Doe Is the Most Tasteful Movie Ever Made About Cutting Up a Woman’s Corpse” by Jordan Crucchiola, Vulture
• "Autopsy of Jane Doe: How an actress played dead for horror film" by Clark Collis, Entertainment Weekly

MUSIC

“Open Up Your Heart (and Let the Sunshine In)” by Frente!, Saturday Morning Cartoons’ Greatest Hits (1995)

“Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures) [From the American Tribal Love Rock Musical “Hair”]” by The 5th Dimension, The Age of Aquarius (1969)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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If you’re seeing double--do not adjust your set. Paul and Arlo, podcasting’s own dynamic duo, have done a Geek Challenge involving dos doppelganger dramas. Well, drama might be a strong word for such a picture as Peter Medak’s 1981 spoof Zorro, The Gay Blade, starring George Hamilton as Don Diego Vega and his brother Ramon Vega, who are charged with taking up their father’s mantle of El Zorro. That’s Paul’s challenge to Arlo, of course--and Paul’s challenge to himself (listen and find out!) is Krzysztof Kieslowski’s 1991 film The Double Life of Veronique, a mysterious and possibly supernatural film featuring Irène Jacob as Polish singer Weronika and French music teacher Veronique, who share an indefinable connection. Get ready to swash some buckles and contemplate some existences!

NEXT: after a week off, it’s that time again. Leaves are on the ground and blood is on the screen. It’s time for Gobbledyween. Greg Sahadachny joins us to discuss The Autopsy of Jane Doe.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:32 - Intro / Guest

00:07:20 - Zorro, The Gay Blade

00:57:25 - The Double Life of Veronique

01:58:41 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• “In ‘Joker’ Do We Think The Wayne Family Enjoyed ‘Zorro, The Gay Blade’?” by Mike Ryan, Uproxx

• “The Double Life of Véronique: Through the Looking Glass” by Jonathan Romney, The Criterion Collection

• “The dizzying hall of mirrors that is The Double Life Of Veronique” by Tasha Robinson, The Dissolve

• “Fantasy, emotion, and the unsolved mysteries of Double Life of Veronique” by Noel Murray, Keith Phipps, Tasha Robinson, and Scott Tobias, The Dissolve

• “The Depths of What We Cannot Know: On ‘The Double Life of Véronique’” by Jessica Ritchey, RogerEbert.com

• “Behind the Curtain: The Double Life of Véronique” by David Braga, Bright Wall/Dark Room
• “Have you ever felt strangely as if you were somewhere else?” by Roger Ebert, RogerEbert.com

MUSIC

“It Takes Two” by Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock, It Takes Two (1988)

“I Think I’m a Clone Now” by Weird Al Yankovic, Even Worse (1988)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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For all you kids at home with a copy of Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary Deluxe Second Edition taking pride of place on your bookshelf--boy, do we have a treat for you! Paul and Arlo are back on their bullshit, running at the mouth about anything they damn well please. This week’s subjects include: the extreme metal-ness of childbirth, Spider-Man: Miles Morales swinging onto the brand spankin’ new PS5, covert earbuds, Infinity Train heading to the station on HBO Max, a treatise on The Searchers and Apocalypse Now, and so much more.

NEXT: Zorro, the Gay Blade spends a day in The Double Life of Veronique for a doppelganger-centric Geek Challenge.

LINKS

The Infinity Train Comes and Goes, Leaves Audience Feeling Empty in the Best Way Possible, by Alexander Lewis, Loyola Phoenix

Raised By Wolves Review: Ridley Scott Among the Androids, by Mike Hale, New York Times

Gameplay Footage from Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales (PS5)

MUSIC

“Doin’ It” by LL Cool J, Mr. Smith (1995)

“Piece of Me” by Britney Spears, Blackout (2007)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

View Details

For another freewheeling freestyle extravaganza, Paul and Arlo cast their minds to everything from billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne to the inevitable end of all things. They wonder how they might write The Deli Counter of Justice in the harsh light of 2020 before the conversation mutates into a treatise on the relative fascism of Batman, an update on Arlo’s progress through Andy Mulvihill’s Action Park book, the boys reacting to the Dune trailer because that shit always gets mad hits on YouTube, and eventually a rumination on whether or not human life should even exist. What a fun pop culture podcast.

Next: more fun.

MUSIC

“The End” by The Doors, The Doors (1967)

“The End of the Line” by Traveling Wilburys, Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1 (1988)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• Donate to the Milwaukee Freedom Fund in support of the protesters in Kenosha: https://supportwomenshealth.salsalabs.org/mkefreedomfund/index.html
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/
• Support the California Wildfire Relief Fund: https://www.calfund.org/wildfire-relief-fund/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Support RIP Medical Debt and remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• After the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman, educate yourself about colorectal cancer, and get screened if you’re at risk: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/colon-rectal-cancer.html

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As Hamilton taught us, everything is legal in New Jersey. So we shouldn’t be surprised that it was once home to Action Park, the most dangerous amusement park in the world. Eugene Mulvihill’s vision of a lawless hellscape with pleasure as its only principle is the American Dream in miniature, with a guest appearance by Donald Trump himself! Paul and Arlo discuss the new HBO Max documentary Class Action Park, which brought the Mulvihill legend to their attention; some ancillary material available on YouTube, including one insane post-credits sequence; how Paul would love to bean somebody with a flaming tennis ball; and their respective childhoods, one as a latchkey kid in the ‘70s/’80s and one as a cowardly nerd in the ‘90s/’00s. Will they emerge unscathed? Tune in and find out!

Next: another episode of your favorite podcast. No, not that one. This one. Wait. Come back.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:24:00

• 00:00:30 - Intro / Main Topic
• 01:21:07 - Outro / Next

THE MUSIC

• Action Park commercial (1983)
• “Don’t Talk to Strangers” by The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Turtle Tunes (1994)

THE LINKS

• The Most Insane Amusement Park Ever (Video)
• Defunctland: The History of Action Park (Video)
• TMNT: Don’t Talk to Strangers (Video)

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Paul and Arlo are doin' good, they're on some new shit: actually talking at length about music! A/V director and founding Gobbler Joseph Lewis joins the boys to rave about Taylor Swift's newest (and best) album, Folklore. The gang discusses how Folklore offers a more mature and introspective look at Swift’s pop star persona, how the collaboration with The National’s Aaron Dessner enhances her sonic palette, the drama of the Teenage Love Trilogy, the beautiful video for "cardigan," and more.

Next: slippin' and slidin' with Class Action Park.

BONUS MUSIC RECOMMENDATIONS:

Joe

• Manic by Halsey
• Punisher by Phoebe Bridger
• Gaslighter by The Chicks
• Tourist Season by Miel
• The New Abnormal by The Strokes
• Run-On Death Sentence by Alex Jonestown Massacre

Arlo

• Every Bad by Porridge Radio
• Rough and Rowdy Ways by Bob Dylan
• Song for Our Daughter by Laura Marling
• Once I Was an Eagle by Laura Marling
• Fetch the Bolt Cutters by Fiona Apple

Paul

• Louie 99 by Pet Rocks and Fake Flowers
• Imploding the Mirage by The Killers
• Twelfth by Old 97’s

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 02:46:30

• 00:01:00 - Intro / Banter
• 00:07:14 - Our histories with Taylor Swift
• 00:28:38 - Track-by-track review of folklore
• 02:31:28 - Other new music recommendations
• 02:42:50 - Outro / Next

THE MUSIC

• “the 1” by Taylor Swift, folklore (2020)
• “cardigan” by Taylor Swift, folklore (2020)
• “exile” by Taylor Swift, folklore (2020)
• “seven” by Taylor Swift, folkky8lore (2020)
• “august” by Taylor Swift, folklore (2020)
• “illicit affairs” by Taylor Swift, folklore (2020)
• “betty” by Taylor Swift, folklore (2020)
• “hoax” by Taylor Swift, folklore (2020)

THE LINKS

• “Who Is Rebekah Harkness, Star of Taylor Swift’s ‘The Last Great American Dynasty’?” by Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone

• “Betty” Pop Punk Cover

View Details

He wasn't going to get away that easy. Just in time for his biennial torture session, Chance Mazzia has been roped into another episode of Gobbledygeek. Since his last go-round, Chance has become a high school teacher, thereby automatically becoming a more productive member of society than either Paul or Arlo. Chance tells us about the esports team he coaches at school, Paul and Arlo share a rare moment of commiseration by not knowing any of the games Chance mentions, the gang is bummed out by the latest developments concerning Netflix's live-action Avatar remake, and Paul and Arlo are surprised to fall in love with Harley Quinn.

Next: Taylor Swift delivers the best album of her career with Folklore.

THE MUSIC

• “Multiplayer” by Barbie, Video Game Hero (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2017)
• “Spare Change” by Pet Rocks and Fake Flowers (2020)

THE LINKS

• “Avatar: The Last Airbender Creators Just Left the Live-Action Netflix Adaptation” by Beth Elderkin, Gizmodo
• “Spare Change” by Pet Rocks and Fake Flowers

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They’ll tear you a new puppet hole, bitch! The worlds of Charles Band and Don Mancini collide in a pre-Gobbledyween Geek Challenge. Paul sends Arlo a psychic alert letting him know to watch 1989’s Puppet Master, the first of producer Band’s direct-to-VHS Full Moon Features and the source of approximately one trillion sequels. In turn, Arlo goes meta and has a doll voiced by him call Paul while the real Arlo is tied to a bed behind him, commanding Paul to watch 2004’s Seed of Chucky. Paul recounts the joy of watching Full Moon Features in his 20s, Arlo launches a full-throated defense of Mancini’s vision, and they are both just completely miserable. Plus, the boys have nothing but nice things to say about Taylor Swift’s Folklore.

Next: we’re off, then we’re not.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:49:34

• 00:00:25 - Intro / Banter
• 00:16:56 - Puppet Master
• 01:03:15 - Seed of Chucky
• 01:45:00 - Outro / Next

THE MUSIC

• “Master of Puppets” by Metallica, Master of Puppets (1986)
• “Doll Parts” by Hole, Live Through This (1994)

THE LINKS

• “How ‘Child’s Play’ Became The Funniest, Most Reliably Surprising, And Queerest Slasher Series” by Louis Peitzman, BuzzFeed

• “Queer Underworld: SEED OF CHUCKY (2004)” by Leigh Monson, Birth.Movies.Death.

• “Why Seed of Chucky holds a special place in my heart” by Sam Mauro, Little White Lies

• “Seed of Chucky” by Roger Ebert, RogerEbert.com

• “We Watched and Ranked Every Single ‘Puppet Master’ Film” by Daniel Kurland, Bloody Disgusting

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2020 may be an absolute shitshow, but thanks to Disney+, we can all be in the living room where it happens: the filmed performance of Hamilton, recorded in 2016 with the original Broadway cast, is now available to stream. Paul and Arlo may have talked about Hamilton, oh, once or twice or 18 times since its debut five years ago, but luckily über-fan Sarah Kosheff is on hand to help them find new things to say. Arlo talks about getting to see an actual production of Hamilton for the first time, Paul relays the time he was sprayed with Groff sauce, the gang discusses the up-close nuance of the troupe’s acting, and they address some of the political and cultural criticisms of the show.

Next: we get all dolled up for a Geek Challenge featuring Puppet Master and Seed of Chucky.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 02:15:20

• 00:00:18 - Intro / Guest
• 00:01:34 - Main Topic
• 02:09:40 - Outro / Next

THE MUSIC

• “Alexander Hamilton” by Original Broadway Cast of Hamilton, Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast Recording) (2015)
• “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story” by Original Broadway Cast of Hamilton, Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast Recording) (2015)

THE LINKS

• The Podcast Where It Happens

• “We got comfortable with Hamilton. The new film reminds us how risky it is.” by Alissa Wilkinson, Vox

• “Hamilton's Secret Character: How Death Appears Throughout The Show” by Hannah Shaw-Williams, Screenrant

• “Eliza's Gasp at the End of Hamilton Has the Internet Divided” by Elena Nicolaou, Oprahmag.com

• “Hamilton is fanfic, and its historical critics are totally missing the point” by Aja Romano, Vox

• “Why Hamilton is as frustrating as it is brilliant — and impossible to pin down” by Aja Romano, Vox

• “Hamilton True Story: What Did Lin-Manuel Miranda Change?” by Laura Potier, Screenrant

• “Hamilton and the Historical Record: Frequently Asked Questions” by Jennifer Schuessler, New York Times

• “Hamilton Movie Sees Renewed Calls to 'Cancel' Show Over Depiction of Slavery” by Staff, Inside Edition

• “In Defense of Hamilton” by Michael McLean, We’re History

• “Hamilton felt revolutionary in 2015 — but it strikes a different chord today” by Cate Young, Today

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A deadly virus rages across the world. The U.S. is in shambles. Despite the imminent threat, humans have started to turn on one another. And in other news, this week Paul and Arlo are talking about Naughty Dog's highly anticipated zombie apocalypse sequel The Last of Us Part II. Joining them for a discussion of this brutal, beautiful game is none other than Alex Jonestown Massacre guitarist Kenn Edwards. The gang discusses how the game departs from its predecessor, the incredible acting of Ashley Johnson and Laura Bailey, how writer-director Nate Druckmann forces the player to confront the consequences of their actions, and more. Also, Arlo didn't actually play it! Plus, Kenn tells us about AJM's new album Run-On Death Sentence and his Lost rewatch podcast Pushing the Button.

Next: there's hope for our ass after all. Sarah Kosheff joins us to discuss the filmed performance of Hamilton.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 02:55:47

• 00:01:24 - Intro / Banter
• 00:06:43 - Kenn’s new podcast
• 00:16:25 - Kenn’s new album
• 00:30:24 - The Last of Us Part II
• 02:45:45 - Outro / Next

THE MUSIC

• “Future Days” by Troy Baker (2020)
• “Take On Me” by Ashley Johnson (2020)
• “Millennial Whoop” by Alex Jonestown Massacre, Run-On Death Sentence (2020)

THE LINKS

• Pushing the Button: A Chronologically LOST Podcast

• Alex Jonestown Massacre - Bandcamp - Spotify

• “Drinking the Kool-Aid with The Alex Jonestown Massacre” by Alicen Hackney, RVA

• “The Last of Us Part II Is a Dark Game for a Dark Time” by Conor Dougherty, New York Times

• “Neil Druckmann and Halley Gross Open Up About the Biggest Twists of The Last of Us Part II” by David Ehrlich, IndieWire

• “The Last of Us Part II boldly reckons with its predecessor and its own violent design” by A.A. Dowd, AV Club

• “The Last of Us Part II: How Naughty Dog made a classic amidst catastrophe” by Sam White, GQ

• “Last of Us 2’s Ending Explained - What Happens and Why When the Game Ends” by Phil Hornshaw, Gamespot

• “The Last of Us 2 epitomizes one of gaming’s longest debates” by Chris Plante, Polygon

• “The Last of Us Part II points toward a more honest portrayal of religion in gaming” by Gene Park, Washington Post

• “The Last of Us (The Movie)” edited by Andy Gilleand

• “The Last of Us: Left Behind (The Movie)” edited by Andy Gilleand

• “THE LAST OF US 2 All Cutscenes (Full Game Movie) PS4 Pro 1080p HD” edited by Gamer’s Little Playground

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The beauty of Gobbledygeek freestyle episodes is that Paul and Arlo will hop on the microphone and start yammering about something or other, then next thing you know, bam, it’s been a tight 45 on the Child’s Play franchise. Killer doll movies, killer German time travel shows (what up, Dark), killer longings for idealized video stores of yesteryear, killer viruses--this episode’s got it all. It will kill you.

Next: speaking of somebody who got killed, Hamilton: An American Musical comes to Disney+.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:49:40

• 00:00:20 - Intro
• 01:45:06 - Outro / Next

THE MUSIC

• “Chucky Rap” by Daddyphatsnaps, Chucky Rap (2019)
• “The Buddi Song” by Mark Hamill (2019)

View Details

The world is, yet again, a much different place than when we last recorded an episode of Gobbledygeek. In the month since the police killing of George Floyd, there have been a wave of protests worldwide and renewed conversations about what role police have in society, if any at all. We--Paul and Arlo--are not sure we should be part of this conversation. After postponing recording for many reasons, our initial urge to record some deep, thought-provoking discussion about racial injustice has subsided. We’re two white guys on an extremely niche podcast that is supposedly about pop culture. We are not going to cover any new ground. What we will say, unequivocally, is that Black Lives Matter. Yesterday, today, always. We do discuss the state of the world, George Floyd, Rayshard Brooks, police abolition, ACAB, etc.--hopefully in a respectful way that might interest some of our listeners. Oh, and there’s still a pandemic going on, so we talk about that too.

Fear not: we also talk about pop culture! Paul plays The Last of Us: Part II, Arlo watches great films by Black filmmakers like Charles Burnett and Billy Woodberry, we have a brief discussion on the state of the comics industry mid-COVID, and more. Hopefully there are some laughs.

Next: we’ll be back, theoretically in a week’s time.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:40:35

• 00:00:40 - Intro
• 01:37:36 - Outro / Next

THE MUSIC

• “Fuck tha Police” by N.W.A., Straight Outta Compton (1988)
• “Pressure Drop” by Toots & The Maytals, Monkey Man (1970)

View Details

Ah, youth. A time of joy and comfort, of excitement and adventure. Also pain and fear and anxiety and awkwardness and all that fun stuff. Spinning out of their recent conversation with senior British correspondent Wesley Mead, Paul and Arlo talk about nostalgia (Greek for “pain from an old wound,” according to Don Draper). They regale the listener with tales of their misbegotten youths, from chronic illness and cutting class to oddball rebellion and a very memorable chauffeur experience. Is any of this interesting? Who knows? We’re past episode 400 here, what do you expect?

Next: as always in these strange times, you’ll know when we do.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:31:39

• 00:00:45 - Intro
• 01:27:55 - Outro / Next

THE MUSIC

• “Borrowed Time” by John Lennon, Milk and Honey (1984)
• “Moonshadow” by Cat Stevens, Teaser and the Firecat (1971)

View Details

Rule, Wezzo! Wezzo, rule the podcast! Gobbledygeek’s senior British correspondent, Wesley “Wezzo” Mead, returns after a truly mind-boggling 22-month gap to fill us in on how exactly the UK is falling apart. Boris Johnson is handling the COVID-19 pandemic very poorly, especially for someone who nearly died from the virus--but still not as poorly as Galactic Emperor Trump, with his Space Forces and super-duper missiles. You’ve heard all about how Paul and Arlo are coping with quarantine, but what’s Wezzo been watching? Well, do you remember the Olsen twins sitcom Two of a Kind and Amanda Bynes vehicle What I Like About You? No? That’s okay, Wezzo remembers them for you! Nostalgia plays a big role this episode, as we pine for our glory days from the discomfort of our hellish present; and specifically, those tactile yet intangible sense memories. Wow, deep! But it’s mostly What I Like About You.

Next: gonna cruise her round the town, show everybody what I’ve found, rock ‘n’ roll with all my friends, hopin’ the music never ends, these happy days are yours and mine, oh happy days.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:53:55

• 00:00:33 - Intro? (Time has no meaning anymore…)
• 01:51:05 - Outro / Next

THE MUSIC

• “Blinded by the White” by Butch Walker, American Love Story (2020)
• “Sweet” by Porridge Radio, Every Bad (2020)

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Another week, another reckoning with the apocalypse. As the country gears up to reopen, Paul and Arlo discuss how their home states of Alabama and Ohio are handling things. They are not optimistic! Crowds packed close, restaurants teeming with teens, maskless mugs--these things, and more, contribute to our hosts’ reluctance to get this society back on the road. After they’re done ruminating on our impending doom, Paul raves about Hulu’s Normal People; Arlo recommends two more Hulu series, PEN15 and Ramy; they’re both excited about the forthcoming Sandman audio drama; and the announcement of a much sooner release date for the filmed performance of Hamilton leads Arlo to go negative on negativity. Plus, bones slathered in peanut butter.

Next: senior British correspondent Wesley Mead updates us on life in Boris Johnson’s UK.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:37:20

• 00:01:00 - Intro? (Time has no meaning anymore…)
• 01:34:30 - Outro / Next

THE MUSIC

• “Theme From Cheers (Where Everybody Knows Your Name)” by Gary Portnoy (1982)
• “Peanut Butter Sandwich” by Raffi, Singable Songs for the Very Young (1976)

THE LINKS

• “Sandman: James McAvoy Leads Star-Studded Audio Adaptation Cast” by Noah Dominguez, CBR

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When you’re a geek, you’re a geek til ya die, from the stupid reviews to the heaviest sighs. And so, tonight, tonight, the geeks are out tonight--we’re talkin’ finger-snappin’, toe-tappin’ street gangs, daddy-o! Out of seemingly nowhere, Arlo pressures Paul into watching Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins’ 1961 adaptation of the 1957 Broadway show West Side Story by Arthur Laurents, Stephen Sondheim, and Leonard Bernstein. You might have heard of it! Somehow, though both of them love musicals--as documented extensively on this podcast--neither Arlo nor Paul had ever seen one of the most famous, and the most Oscar-adorned, musicals ever made. And so the boys discuss how, in true Romeo and Juliet fashion, Tony and Maria are kind of boring; George Chakiris and Rita Moreno being the film’s true stars; Robbins’ dynamic dance choreography; how you’ve just got to stay loose, boy, and accept the movie’s campy, colorful world; and more. Plus, a quarantine update and an exciting new behind-the-scenes development.

Next: T-B-muthafuckin’-D.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:48:58

• 00:00:25 - Intro
• 00:17:20 - Main Topic
• 01:46:45 - Outro / Next

THE MUSIC

• “Cool” by Tucker Smith, West Side Story (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (1961)
• “America” by Rita Moreno, West Side Story (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (1961)

THE LINKS

• “West Side Story: Review” by Roger Ebert

• “A First Look at Spielberg’s ‘West Side Story’” by Anthony Breznican, Vanity Fair

View Details

We’re all responding to quarantine (semi- or otherwise) in different ways. Paul seems to be practicing some sort of immersion therapy, living out the post-apocalypse in games like The Last of Us and shows like The Leftovers. Arlo, meanwhile, reaches for the comfort of old reliable favorites like the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie or the modern classic sketch comedy series Key and Peele. Have you ever realized they’re different people? The boys discuss texting syntax, Paul’s genuine repulsion at a certain aspect of The Leftovers, Arlo’s journey through old superhero comics, and so much (or at least a little) more.

Next: TBD, as per ush.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:58:01

• 00:00:27 - Intro
• 01:55:00 - Outro / Next

THE MUSIC

• “Gunfight Epiphany” by Robert Duncan, Gunfight Epiphany (Theme from Terriers) (2010)
• “Let the Mystery Be” by Iris DeMent, Infamous Angel (1992)

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Once upon a time, three idiots did a podcast. Their names were Paul Smith, Arlo “AJ” Wiley, and Joseph “Will Penley” Lewis. And no, we’re not talking about Gobbledygeek episode 400--we’re talking about the very first episode, recorded a full decade ago. This painful, awkward reminder of where it all began has been lost to time and/or the BlogTalkRadio servers for at least a few years now. Now, it has been restored--but never remastered--to its proper glory. Relive the earliest day of the podcast, with discussion of Alice in Wonderland, Lost, Joss Whedon, Kevin Smith, and a whole bunch of random nerd shit they did not have the faculties to properly critique. Enjoy?

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A global pandemic. Britain leaving the European Union. Donald Trump being elected president. FX canceling Terriers after one goddamn season. It has been, without question, the dumbest decade. Add to that list the strange, mystifying endurance of Gobbledygeek. A podcast hosted by two straight cis white male idiots, ostensibly devoted to the discussion of “popular culture,” and listened to by only a small handful of reprobates, has somehow lasted ten years and 400 episodes. Many other, arguably better podcasts have come and gone. But Paul and Arlo are still here, joined by original Gobbler and fellow Heathen Joseph Lewis, to reminisce about their extraordinarily humble beginnings. The gang listened back to their very first episode (now available to cringe through for the first time in years!) before recording, and they revisit those long-forgotten topics in the year of our lord 2020. Do they remember anything about Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland? Does the Lost finale hold up? Do they give even a single shit about “fandom” anymore? All that PLUS they commiserate about our COVID-infected present and reenact a scene from a truly insane screenplay Joe wrote when he was 15. Oh, they talk about the Gary Oldman thing again too.

Next: we’ve given up even trying to guess. There’ll be another one of these soon.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 02:18:40

• 00:00:00 - Painful, awkward reminder of where it all began
• 00:02:00 - Painful, awkward proof of how far we’ve come
• 02:13:13 - Outro / Next

THE MUSIC

• “Also Sprach Bat-Turkey” by Arlo Wiley (feat. Richard Strauss) (2010)
• “A Song About Arlo J. Wiley and Paul Smith” by Papa Razzi and the Photogs, Papa Razzi is Back. And He’s Singing More Nice Songs! (2011)

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FIRST THING’S FIRST: Paul obliquely confesses a past sin during this episode, it’s kind of a super tense moment, but Arlo has cleared off-mic that it was not a criminal act! So...do with that what you will! Elsewhere, the world is fucking ending, so you might as well watch The End of the Fucking World. Paul and Arlo muse on the collapse of civilization, discuss proper social distancing etiquette, and recommend things to watch and read as society dissolves. Some of those recommendations: The Hunt, now available on VOD since movie theaters have shuttered; comfy junk food movies like Yes Man and Ghosts of Girlfriends Past; Netflix’s I Am Not Okay with This; Hawkeye: Freefall by Matthew Rosenberg and Otto Schmidt; Matt Fraction and Steve Lieber’s uproarious Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen; and, of course, perennial classic Good Burger.

Next: Ten years. 400 episodes. It’s all led to this. It’s a shame we’re all dying.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 02:08:53

• 00:00:46 - Random thoughts on the end of the world
• 00:59:30 - Paul interrupts the flow to obliquely confess a past sin
• 01:13:00 - What to watch / read as we slowly go mad and die alone
• 02:02:26 - Outro / Next

THE MUSIC

• “Doom Days” by Bastille, Doom Days (2019)
• “Make Art Not Friends” by Sturgill Simpson, SOUND & FURY (2019)

View Details

We start with frozen dairy dessert. We end with a world on the brink of madness. Between that gulf lies...nothing, everything. Paul chides Arlo for becoming obsessed with Black Hammer. The boys laugh about getting the @Gobbledygeek Twitter handle back. Good stuff. You like that, right? Well, guess what? Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson have coronavirus, the NBA has suspended the season, all travel from the EU to the US has been stopped, our president appears to be slowly dying on national television. All that, in real time. Read the mouse print, baby: it’s the end of all things.

Next: assuming we make it, there’s another Four-Color Flashback. Yep, another one. Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic. Alison Bechdel. See you then.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:46:30

• 00:00:33 - Madness!!!
• 01:44:25 - Outro / Next

THE MUSIC

• “I’m Going Slightly Mad” by Queen, Innuendo (1991)
• “Creeping Death” by Metallica, Kill ‘em All (1983)

THE LINKS

• “Masturbation boosts your immune system, helping you fight off infection and illness” by Jaimee Bell, Big Think

• "Tom Hanks & Rita Wilson Test Positive For Coronavirus As Outbreak Hits ‘Elvis Presley’ Film" by Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline

• "President Trump restricts 'all travel' from EU to US starting Friday" by John Fritze, David Jackson & Courtney Subramanian, USA Today
• "NBA suspends 2019-20 season after Jazz player tests positive for coronavirus" by Brad Botkin, CBS Sports
• Mouse Print

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Don’t you just hate it when you’re a superhero who saves the world and then gets zapped to a shitty little farm town in another dimension that you literally cannot leave? In Jeff Lemire and Dean Ormston’s Dark Horse series Black Hammer, Abraham Slam, Golden Gail, Barbalien, Talky-Walky, Colonel Weird, and Madame Dragonfly sure do. For this month’s Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo discuss the recently concluded “main” storyline of Lemire and Ormston’s ever-expanding creation, consisting of Black Hammer issues #1-13 and Black Hammer: Age of Doom issues #1-12. From a backwater farm to the furthest reaches of time and space, our heroes explore every facet of the superhero genre. Along the way, they confront the metatextual realities of comics storytelling--and the just plain textual fact of aging.

Next: we have no plans.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 02:33:48

• 00:00:37 - Intro
• 00:02:14 - Black Hammer
• 02:29:10 - Outro / Next

THE MUSIC

• “(Don’t Go Back To) Rockville” by R.E.M., Reckoning (1984)
• “How You Gonna Keep ‘Em Down On the Farm” by Andrew Bird, Soldier On (2007)

THE LINKS

• “Black Hammer, an Indie Comic, Gets a Major Film and TV Deal” by George Gene Gustines, The New York Times

• “How Ya Gonna Keep ‘Em Down on the Farm? BLACK HAMMER and the end of the ‘farm story’” by Joe Grunewald, The Beat

• “Jeff Lemire Returns to His Favorite Black Hammer Character for Colonel Weird: Cosmagog with Tyler Crook” by Grant DeArmitt, Newsarama

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No one, especially not Alan Moore, ever really wanted a Watchmen sequel. Which is exactly why handing the reins to Damon Lindelof, who has a history of disorienting and upsetting expectations, is a stroke of genius. Last year’s HBO series, spearheaded by Lindelof, is a bold, startling continuation of Moore and Dave Gibbons’ graphic novel masterpiece--so of course, after talking about the book, Paul, Arlo, and reformed podcaster Greg Sahadachny had to discuss the TV show. The gang talks about the ways in which Lindelof subverts and pays tribute to Moore and Gibbons’ work; how Lindelof built a writers’ room with people who were not like him; the show’s provocative exploration of race and authority; whether or not the show sticks the landing; and much, much more.

Next: due to one scheduling kerfuffle after another, we’ve got another Four-Color Flashback for you! Paul and Arlo will discuss Jeff Lemire and Dean Ormston’s Black Hammer.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 02:32:50

• 00:00:30 - Intro
• 00:05:40 - Sturgill Simpson’s A Good Look’n Tour
• 00:28:28 - Watchmen
• 02:28:25 - Outro / Next

THE MUSIC

• “Turtles All the Way Down” by Sturgill Simpson, Turtles All the Way Down (2014)
• “Best Clockmaker On Mars” by Sturgill Simpson, Sound & Fury (2019)

THE LINKS

• “The Case for Reparations” by Ta-Nahesi Coates, The Atlantic

• “Watchmen Gave Us All the Answers” by Kathryn VanArendonk, Variety

• “HBO’s Watchmen Captures the Spirit of the Graphic Novel Better Than Anything Else” by Princess Weekes, The Mary Sue

• “The Real Black History Hidden Within HBO’s Watchmen” by Karama Horne, SyFy Wire

• “The Incendiary Aims of HBO’s Watchmen” by Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker

• “Stephen Williams goes behind the scenes of the emotionally devastating and technically dazzling ‘This Extraordinary Being.’” By Joanna Robinson, Vanity Fair

• “How ‘Watchmen’ Pulled Off One of the Best TV Seasons of the Decade” by Adam B. Vary, Variety

• “Olivia Hooker, one of the last survivors of the 1921 Tulsa race massacre, dies at 103” by Deneen L. Brown, Los Angeles Times

• “Following Watchmen, 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Added to Oklahoma Curriculum” by Adreon Patterson, CBR

• PETEYPEDIA

• The Official Watchmen Podcast - website - iTunes

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After a year of pointedly discussing no superhero stories, Paul and Arlo revive Four-Color Flashback for a new decade with the big kahuna of all superhero stories: Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ 1986-87 maxi-series Watchmen. Aided by emotional sherpa Greg Sahadachny, once and future host of The Debatable Podcast, the boys openly admit there is no new light to shed on perhaps the most analyzed comic book of all time--then get to shedding. What’s it like reading Watchmen in 2020? In the wake of Damon Lindelof’s TV sequel? The gang finds that, like all great art, Watchmen has not changed in the 33 years since its run wrapped, but we have. In a world where fascism seems much more tangible, where superhero fiction reigns supreme, Moore and Gibbons’ work has taken on a renewed sense of meaning. The gang discusses the book’s formalist genius; our heroes’ utter contempt for those they claim to save; why, for a certain type of reader, Rorschach is a morally just idol; and plenty more.

Next: we continue watching the Watchmen with a discussion of Lindelof’s HBO show.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:50:43

• 00:00:21 - Intro
• 00:04:00 - Watchmen
• 01:47:43 - Outro / Next

THE MUSIC

• “Desolation Row” by Bob Dylan, Highway 61 Revisited (1965)
• “Cosmic Charlie” by The Grateful Dead, Aoxomoxoa (1969)

THE LINKS

• “In 1986, Watchmen skewered the way we love superheroes. It’s still as relevant as ever.” by Alex Abad-Santos, Vox

• “Watchmen’s Fearful Symmetry: (almost) frame by frame” by Pedro V. Ribeiro, Medium

• Sam Hamm’s Batman Script

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The geeks speak! Gobbledygeek has been resurrected via cloning or Force magic or some shit, and to kick off season 11, Broken Magic author and The Deli Counter of Justice co-creator Eric Sipple has lightspeed-skipped on over to discuss Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker. After adoring The Last Jedi, the gang approached this supposed final film in the Skywalker Saga with heavy amounts of skepticism--well-earned, depending on who you ask. They discuss the mystical, magical malarkey behind Palpatine’s return; how director J.J. Abrams and writer Chris Terrio are uniquely suited to not deliver a satisfying conclusion; the oodles of fan service; what the film’s final scene means for the legacy of Star Wars; and more. Plus, they talk about The Baby Yoda Show AKA The Mandalorian.

Next: it is January 29, 2020. Paul and Arlo are discussing Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ Watchmen for a Four-Color Flashback. I am tired of this world; these people.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 02:35:50

• 00:00:00 - Intro
• 00:02:35 - The Mandalorian
• 00:28:52 - Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
• 02:31:20 - Outro / Next

THE MUSIC

• “Fanfare and Prologue” by John Williams, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2019)
• “Finale” by John Williams, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2019)

THE LINKS

• “Why ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ Pissed Off Fans” by Matt Singer, Screencrush

• “The Last Jedi dared to put the philosophy of Star Wars in the foreground” by Siddhant Adlahka, Polygon

• “The Rise Of Skywalker, And How Star Wars Is Junk” by Chuck Wendig, Terribleminds

• “Rey's revelation in 'Rise of Skywalker' changes Star Wars for the worse” by Chris Taylor, Mashable

• “How ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’ Failed Kylo Ren and What It Could Have Learned from ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’” by Hoai-Tran Bui, SlashFilm

• “Rote and Cowardly, The Rise of Skywalker Sets a Dangerous Precedent” by Jeffrey Zhang, Strange Harbors

• “STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER Has A Ben Solo Problem” by Lindsey Romain, Nerdist

• “There's No Such Thing as a Great Star Wars Movie” by Edoardo Ranaboldo, CBR

• “The Rise of Skywalker Makes It Clear Star Wars NEEDS Rian Johnson” by Anthony Gramuglia, CBR

• “‘Star Wars’: Still With Us, but No Longer Above Us” by Owen Gleiberman, Variety

• “Proof That Luke Skywalker’s Story Got the Proper Ending: King Arthur” by Eric Diaz, Nerdist

• “Dark Star Rising: How Adam Driver’s angst and brooding intensity made the world fall in love with a ‘Star Wars’ supervillain” by Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone

• “The Rise of Skywalker Allowed Toxic Fandom to Win” by Sergio Pereira, CBR

• “Star Wars: Did The Skywalker Saga Bring Balance to the Force in the End?” by Hannah Collins, CBR

• “The Greatest Trick Star Wars Ever Played Was Making Us Think It Was About Redemption” by Susana Polo, Polygon

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‘Twas the season 10 finale of Gobbledygeek, when all through the podcast,

Zombies were shuffling, Scottish dancers aghast.

John McPhail’s Anna and the Apocalypse was the topic du jour,

In hopes that Paul and Arlo would discuss the songs, the jokes, and maybe some more.

The movie does not foster too much discussion, alas;

While instead, talking about Christmas plans and getting high, our hosts have a blast.

Paul in his kerchief and Arlo in his cap,

Have settled their mics for a long winter’s nap.

Next: merry Christmas and happy New Year. We’ll see you in 2020.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:32:00

• 00:01:18 - Intro
• 00:04:32 - Main Topic
• 00:48:05 - Holiday plans / Season 10 wrap-up
• 01:28:50 - Outro / Next

THE MUSIC

• “Break Away” by Ella Hunt, Sarah Swire & Malcolm Cumming, Anna and the Apocalypse (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2018)
• “It’s That Time of Year” by Marli Siu, Anna and the Apocalypse (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2018)
• “Human Voice” by Cast from Anna and the Apocalypse, Anna and the Apocalypse (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2018)
• “Hollywood Ending” by Cast from Anna and the Apocalypse, Anna and the Apocalypse (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2018)

THE LINKS

• Zombie Musical (Original Short Film)
• Ryan Gosling Won’t Eat His Cereal
• “The tragic, triumphant story behind zombie-musical Anna and the Apocalypse” by Clark Collis, EW.com

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It took Brás de Oliva Domingos so long to find out, and he found out. What, if anything, he found out is the central question of Fábio Moon and Gabriel Bá’s 2010 Vertigo series Daytripper, subject of our final Four-Color Flashback for 2019. You see, Brás writes obituaries for a São Paulo newspaper--and at the end of most chapters in this book, he dies. Twin writers/artists Moon and Bá pave the way for an existential journey along the many turning points of a life, from the imperceptible to the unmistakable. Paul and Arlo discuss Daytripper’s hint of magical realism; the coherent, airtight structure that grounds the book’s absurdity; how the series’ hopeful attitude brushes up against horrific tragedy; Moon and Bá’s distinctive (though not so distinctive we know who is penciling and/or inking what!) art style, accentuated by master colorist Dave Stewart; and more.

Next: on the Gobbledygeek season 10 finale, Christmas gets twisted with John McPhail’s 2018 horror-comedy-musical Anna and the Apocalypse.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:32:47

• 00:00:42 - Intro
• 00:06:30 - Main Topic
• 01:26:40 - Outro / Next

THE MUSIC

• “Day Tripper” by Sergio Mendes & Brasil ‘66, Herb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes & Brasil ‘66 (1966)
• “Circle of Life” by Carmen Twillie & Lebo M, The Lion King (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (1994)

THE LINKS

• “'Daytripper' Explores The Quiet Moments That Shape A Man's Life. And His Death(s)” by Glen Weldon, NPR
• “Daytripper (Review)” by Chris Mautner, The Comics Journal
• “INTERVIEW: Fábio Moon & Gabriel Bá Part 2: A Daytripper Retrospective” by Alexander Lu, Comics Bulletin

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The Cloud burst, and for forty days and forty nights, all of our secrets rained down. In the not terribly distant future world of Brian K. Vaughan, Marcos Martin, and Muntsa Vicente’s 2013-15 series The Private Eye, the Internet is a distant memory and anonymity is now the foundation of American society. Of course, our hero is an amoral paparazzo-slash-private investigator whose job is to dig up those old secrets; of course, this leads him into a world of trouble. For the penultimate Four-Color Flashback of 2019, Paul and Arlo discuss Vaughan’s clever utilization of noir tropes in the post-Internet age, Martin’s dynamic pencils/inks, Vicente’s eye-popping colors (this is one noir that doesn’t hide in the shadows), their radical pay-what-you-want self-publishing platform Panel Syndicate, and the big philosophical question at the heart of the book: is the Internet worth it?

Next: for the final Four-Color Flashback of the season, we get existential with Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba’s Daytripper.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:31:30

• 00:00:22 - Intro
• 00:04:10 - Main Topic
• 01:27:00 - Outro / Next

THE MUSIC

• “Private Eyes” by Daryl Hall & John Oates, Private Eyes (1981)
• “This Masquerade” by The Carpenters, Now & Then (1973)

THE LINKS

• Panel Syndicate

• “The Private Eye: A Damn Good Comic About How the Internet Changes Us” by Evan Narcisse, Kotaku

• “An Internet Comic About Post-Internet Life Imagines All Our Privacy Nightmares Come True” by Mark Peters, Slate
• “Cloud Burst: A Review Of Brian K. Vaughan’s Futuristic Comic Noir, The Private Eye” by Andrew Jones, Digital America

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Ever have a job so shitty, it haunts you years (or even decades) down the line? Paul and Arlo have, and it’s called Gobbledygeek! Hey-o! In all seriousness (?), Paul recounts a traumatic experience at Shakey’s Pizza and Arlo is filled with regret over his time at the right-wing call center InfoCision. Cue flashbacks to high school football teams ravenous for wings and evil televangelists separating the faithful from what little coin they carry. Speaking of the latter, Arlo laments Kanye West’s evangelical turn on Jesus Is King. Elsewhere, Paul watches TV, including Succession, Primal, Daybreak, Watchmen, and Modern Love; and braves crowds of drunken revelers at shows for Bastille, Joywave, Trampled by Turtles, and The Avett Bros.

Next: TBD.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:39:58

00:00:33 - Intro

00:01:12 - We are NOT sponsored by the Gobble meal delivery service

00:07:30 - Cold pizza and really, really hot wings

00:14:43 - Way too much about InfoCision

00:43:48 - Not nearly enough about some great new TV shows

00:54:08 - More than a little bit about Succession

01:07:20 - Unfortunately, we discuss the new Kanye album

01:15:30 - A Popeye’s chicken sandwich interlude

01:17:15 - Back to Kanye (and controversial comments on Beyonce)

01:24:31 - Lastly, Paul’s been to some concerts

01:37:05 - Outro / Next

THE MUSIC

“This Fucking Job” by Drive-By Truckers, The Big To-Do (2010)

“Blastoffff” by Joywave, Blastoffff (Single) (2018)

THE LINKS

“Charitable donations benefit telemarketers” by David Evans, The Washington Post

Gobble meal kit delivery service (who is NOT a sponsor of our show)

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Our favorite thing is Gobbledyween, so to close out this year’s frightening festivities, Paul and Arlo are breaking from the norm to discuss Emil Ferris’ 2017 graphic novel My Favorite Thing Is Monsters. Joining them for this first Gobbledyween/Four-Color Flashback crossover is their The Deli Counter of Justice collaborator Eric Sipple. The gang marvels at Ferris’ stunning art (all done in ballpoint pen!), attempts to process the numerous threads in this first of two planned volumes (sexuality, duality, and reality, oh my!), draws unexpected parallels to Art Spiegelman’s Maus (a FCF entry just this past August!), and so much more (no parenthetical necessary!). We promise there are monsters.

Next: and I’m freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, free Gooooobbliiiiiiin’.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:42:55

00:00:44 - Intro

00:03:20 - My Favorite Thing is Monsters

01:36:51 - Outro / Next

THE MUSIC

“Wild Thing” by The Troggs, From Nowhere (1966)

“Good Monsters” by Jars of Clay, Good Monsters (2006)

THE LINKS

“The Holocaust, Art, Chicago & Sickness: A 3,500-Word Interview with My Favorite Thing Is Monsters Mastermind Emil Ferris” by Hillary Brown, Paste

“'My Favorite Thing Is Monsters' Is A Dazzling, Graphic Novel Tour-De-Force” by John Powers, NPR

“My Favorite Thing Is Monsters - Review” by Andrea Crow, Lambda Literary

“Emil Ferris: ‘I didn’t want to be a woman - being a monster was the best solution’” by Sam Thielman, The Guardian

“My Favorite Thing Is Monsters - Review” by Paul Tumey, The Comics Journal

“When Everyone’s a Monster, No One Is: The Ugly Everyday in My Favorite Thing is Monsters” by Em Nordling, Tor.com

“My Favorite Thing Is Monsters is a brilliant, eye-opening graphic novel debut” by Oliver Sava, AV Club

“The Bite That Changed My Life” by Elly Fishman, Chicagomag.com

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Tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme: the rich have always sucked off the poor, and podcasting icon Greg Sahadachny has always joined Gobbledyween for the most ridiculous and outrageous pick of the season. This time, Paul and Arlo have chosen to torment Greg with Brian Yuzna’s 1989 satire Society, which is a dumb teen sex comedy until--well, until it isn’t. The gang discusses the film’s subtext and/or screaming neon text; Screaming Mad George’s “surrealistic makeup effects”; how the movie surprisingly rewards repeat viewings; and the film’s unlikely parallels to Lynch, Friedkin, Polanski, and a whole buncha other pretentious arthouse weirdos.

Next: Gobbledyween comes to a close as Broken Magic author Eric Sipple joins us to discuss Emil Ferris’ graphic novel My Favorite Thing Is Monsters.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:14:44

00:00:45 - Intro

00:03:42 - Society

01:09:00 - Outro / Next

THE MUSIC

“The Eton Boating Song (feat. Helen Moore)” by A.D.E.W., Mark Ryder & Phil Davies, Society (Motion Picture Soundtrack) (1989)

“Society Is My Friend” by Kurt Vile, Smoke Ring for My Halo (2011)

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It finally happened. After three long years of behind-the-scenes turmoil, Near Dark has made its way to Gobbledyween. A/V writer-director Joseph Lewis joins Paul and Arlo to discuss Kathryn Bigelow’s 1987 vampiric Western, which reimagined the creatures of the night as filthy, lowdown rednecks. The gang discusses the influence Near Dark has had on vampire fiction, the late great Bill Paxton’s immortal performance as Severen, the film’s surprisingly conservative stance on biological family, and how surprisingly difficult it is to get ahold of the movie these days.

Next: Gobbledyween lives in a society. Greg Sahadachny joins us to talk Brian Yuzna’s 1989 satire Society.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:33:05

00:00:45 - Intro

00:03:44 - Near Dark

01:24:22 - Outro / Next

THE MUSIC

“Fever” by The Cramps, Songs the Lord Taught Us (1980)

“The Cowboy Rides Away” by George Strait, Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind (1984)

THE LINKS

“25 Things We Learned from Kathryn Bigelow’s Near Dark Commentary” by Rob Hunter, Film School Rejects

“Bloodthirsty and Lonely in the Heartland: Kathryn Bigelow’s NEAR DARK” by Jacob Mazer, Bryn Mawr Film Institute

“The Deafening Night: Kathryn Bigelow’s NEAR DARK” by Jacob Knight, Birth. Movies. Death.

“How Near Dark Explores the Dark Side of Family Structure” by Nat Brehmer, Wicked Horror

“Near Dark (1987)” by Roderick Heath, Ferdy on Films

“Sunlight Through Bullet Holes” by Tammy Oler, Slate

“Near Dark” by John M. Miller, TCM

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Leaves are on the ground, blood is on the screen. It’s time once again for Gobbledyween, that most beloved of Gobbledygeek institutions--and one that has not reared its horrific head in full since 2015! All month long, Paul and Arlo will be discussing horror or horror-adjacent movies, starting with one they actually discussed seven years ago: Drew Goddard’s mega-meta 2011 genre critique The Cabin in the Woods. The boys reveal why they’re revisiting the film (hint: it involves sheer incompetence!), break down Goddard and co-writer/producer Joss Whedon’s refutation of horror stereotypes, compare Cabin’s prevailing sense of nihilism to the pragmatic hope on display in Buffy and Angel, and go nuts trying to name all the monsters we see on screen.

Next: the night, it’s deafening. A/V writer-director Joseph Lewis joins us to discuss--finally--Kathryn Bigelow’s 1987 vampire Western Near Dark.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:43:03

00:00:35 - Intro

00:11:12 - The Cabin in the Woods

01:40:36 - Outro / Next

THE MUSIC

“Horror Movies” by Dickie Goodman (1961)

“Last” by Nine Inch Nails, Broken (1992)

THE LINKS

“‘The Cabin in the Woods’ Spoilers: Drew Goddard Speaks Freely” by Maria Elena Fernandez, The Daily Beast

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For another installment of this year’s non-superhero Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo look at the story of a real-life hero in Green River Killer: A True Detective Story, Jeff Jensen and Jonathan Case’s loving tribute to Jeff’s dad, Detective Tom Jensen. Detective Jensen was instrumental in catching Gary Leon Ridgway AKA the Green River Killer, America’s most prolific serial killer. The boys discuss Paul’s connection to (and possible culpability in?!) the case, the comparisons or lack thereof to the father-son dynamic in Maus, Case’s beautiful character acting, and more.

Next: leaves are on the ground, blood is on the screen. It’s time for Gobbledyween. We kick off this year’s festivities with a(nother) discussion of Drew Goddard’s 2011 mega-meta horror film The Cabin in the Woods. This time, Paul and Arlo are joined by Michael Holland, post-production supervisor for American Horror Story.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:15:25

00:00:35 - Intro

00:02:00 - Green River Killer

01:09:47 - Outro / Next

THE MUSIC

“Green River” by Creedence Clearwater Revival, Green River (1969)

“Deep Red Bells” by Neko Case, Blacklisted (2002)

THE LINKS

“Writer Jeff Jensen Talks Dark Horse’s Green River Killer: A True Detective Story”, diamondcomics.com

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For the latest installment of this year’s spandex-free Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo tackle a big one: Art Spiegelman’s Maus: A Survivor’s Tale, still the only comic book ever to be awarded a Pulitzer Prize. Joining them to discuss Spiegelman’s harrowing account of his father Vladek’s time in the concentration camps of Nazi-occupied Poland--and Art’s own tense relationship with Vladek--is Broken Magic author and The Deli Counter of Justice co-creator Eric Sipple. The gang discusses Spiegelman’s provocative choice to depict Jews as mice, Nazis as cats, Poles as pigs, etc.; how Spiegelman follows in a tradition going all the way back to Mickey Mouse; and why it’s specifically disturbing to read Maus in 2019.

Next: Paul and Arlo will return.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:32:45

00:01:52 - Intro

00:04:04 - Maus: A Survivor’s Tale

01:27:43 - Outro / Next

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The Amazon is burning and all anyone cares about is Spider-Man. Yay! Welcome to another exciting episode of Gobbledygeek! After nixing a fash-bashing Geek Challenge because Paul absolutely could not sit through three hours of The Sound of Music, he and Arlo decide to freestyle it and, well, all is not well! The world’s on fire, the government is imploding, and Spider-Man might not get to be an Avenger anymore! As for that last one, the boys have deeply conflicted feelings about their love for the character and the Marvel movies with their disdain for Disney the Evil Empire. Plus, Arlo still won’t watch all the things Paul says he should watch, and Marc Maron chimes in.

Next: for even more lighthearted family fun, the boys have asked their The Deli Counter of Justice co-editor Eric Sipple to join them for a discussion of Art Spiegelman’s Pulitzer Prize-winning, extremely depressing yet extremely essential, Maus: A Survivor’s Tale.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:27:36

00:00:35 - Intro

00:02:30 - Us NOT talking about The Sound of Music and The Great Dictator

00:21:15 - The Spider-Man Custody Battle (aka Money Ruins Things)

00:42:55 - Arlo ignores GLOW, Dark, and Mindhunter in favor of Fast & Furious

00:58:48 - Karina Longworth’s You Must Remember This podcast goes Manson-crazy

01:03:39 - Marc Maron joins an elite group of “adults” too cool for superheroes

01:13:24 - Kevin Conroy and the Crisis on Infinite CW Shows

01:18:14 - New Caliburn Chronicles

01:24:05 - Outro / Next

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A long time ago in an industry far, far away...the end was nigh for Hollywood’s good ol’ days. Charles Manson had arrived, Family in tow, to disrupt the neverending Summer of Love. Quentin Tarantino’s ninth (and penultimate?) film, Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood, takes a look at L.A. in 1969, as Leonardo DiCaprio’s washed-up actor and Brad Pitt’s mysterious stuntman cross paths with rising star (and future Manson victim) Sharon Tate, here played by Margot Robbie. Joining Paul and Arlo to navigate Tarantino’s exploration of a half-century’s worth of pop culture detritus are former Smoke Gets in Your Ears co-hosts Joseph Lewis and Kenn Edwards. The gang discusses the film’s languid pace, how Once Upon a Time compares to Tarantino alternate histories like Inglourious Basterds or Django Unchained, the ways in which the film pointedly interrogates various problematic aspects of its writer-director, and--of course--the groovy soundtrack.

Next: Nazis! We hate those guys. So do the heroes of The Sound of Music and The Great Dictator, subjects of our latest Geek Challenge.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 02:27:50

00:00:50 - Intro / Guests

00:03:49 - Main Topic (SPOILERS)

02:11:06 - Outro / Next

View Details

Paul and Arlo are in the place to be, rapping about Ed Piskor’s Hip Hop Family Tree. For the latest Four-Color Flashback installment, our nerdy white heroes take on nerdy white cartoonist Piskor’s quartet (so far) of graphic novels discussing the history of hip hop culture. The boys discuss Piskor’s art, equally indebted to underground comix and superhero books of the ‘70s and ‘80s; how the physical editions beautifully replicate the aesthetics of the time period; how Piskor captures the rhythm and fluidity of DJs and breakdancers; and what in the hell he’s got against Russell “Rush” Simmons.

Next: Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood is Family-friendly entertainment.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:22:35

00:00:35  - Intro / Main Topic

01:18:40  - Outro / Next

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Paul cannot get his fridge under control because these damn restaurants keep serving him so much damn food. He and Arlo discuss the uniquely American problem of ever-expanding portion sizes, stopping at the Cheesecake Factory before taking a detour into canine conundrums, parental pondering, and nostalgic nightmares. You’ll never look at a Heffalump the same way. Featuring a cameo from Fatty Liver & The Teething Puppies!

Next: the Gobbledygeeks in the place to be, gettin’ busy with Hip Hop Family Tree.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:16:05

00:00:58 - Intro / Portion Sizes

00:06:45 - Trigger Warning: IBS

00:14:48 - Heffalumps and Woozles Haunt My Dreams

00:18:40 - Feline Facts and Canine Cliches

00:32:11 - Let’s Have Kids...Or Not

00:48:15 - Teasing That Deliverse Podcast Thing

00:50:34 - NKOTB / Not Down With “Fluffer” Acts

01:10:00 - Outro / Next

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Pack your unnamed dead uncle's bags, grab your favorite designer sunglasses (that can also level whole cities), and fly on over for a discussion of Spider-Man: Far from Home. GameZone editor-in-chief Cade Onder swings by to join Paul and Arlo, becoming simultaneously the biggest Spider-Fan and the youngest guest to ever grace the podcast. The gang debates the moral implications of EDITH, the gentrification of Peter Parker, whether or not Zendaya is the best MJ, and if we ever need to see that dang Iron Spider suit again.

Next: free the gobble.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:42:45

00:00:30  - Intro / Guest

00:06:30  - Main Topic (Non-Spoilery)

00:22:07  - Main Topic (SPOILERS)

01:37:40  - Outro / Next

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We’re tired. So tired. That’s what you want to hear when you’re about to fire up a podcast, right? You are reading this, aren’t you? Buried among such illuminating subjects as the coffee Arlo’s drinking, Paul’s underhanded behind-the-scenes manipulations, and the boys’ general unprofessionalism, there is indeed some pop culture palaver and parley. The boys are digging HBO’s troubled teens drama Euphoria despite being approximately 400 years too old to say things like “that’s a mood”; Arlo is losing faith in The Handmaid’s Tale; Paul remembers Yesterday; and they both are in awe of Toy Story 4 being so much more than a cynical cash-grab.

Next: Toby Maguire now vanquished, Jake Gyllenhaal finally makes his way into a Spider-Man movie, donning a fishbowl for Spider-Man: Far From Home.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:11:48

00:00:30 - Intro / The Dog Ate My Sleep

00:07:35 - We Never Talk About Pop Culture Anymore

00:09:49 - Euphoria

00:25:12 - The Handmaid’s Tale

00:36:33 - The Walking Dead Comic Series is Dead

00:45:55 - The Kitchen Trailer (and Tiffany Haddish Fatigue?)

00:50:15 - Toy Story 4

00:57:19 - Yesterday (Very Briefly...More to Come)

01:00:35 - Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story

01:04:46 - Anima

01:07:45 - Outro / Next

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For the next installment of this year’s superhero-free Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo leave the realm of autobiography, semi- or otherwise, for some thrilling adventures in fictional China. Faith Erin Hicks’ The Nameless City trilogy has everything: young men and women coming of age in trying times, political intrigue, backstabbing, betrayal, and some pretty cool martial arts fights. The boys discuss Hicks’ deceptively simple artwork, how she incorporates sound effects into her storytelling, Jordie Bellaire’s stunning color, and why The Nameless City is a love story but not a romance.

Next: freegobble!

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:47:52

00:00:40  - Intro / Fatty Liver and the Teething Puppies

00:18:00  - Main Topic

01:43:13  - Outro / Next

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For the next installment of this year’s non-superheroic Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo are joined by their pal Johny Ho to discuss Gene Luen Yang’s American Born Chinese. While they’ve previously discussed Yang’s work on the Avatar: The Last Airbender comics, Paul and Arlo discover a whole new side of Yang in this semi-autobiographical novel; while Johny finds pieces of his experience reflected in the story of Jin Wang, an Asian kid enrolled in a Western school. The gang discusses Yang’s simple yet exciting artwork; Lark Pien’s vibrant colors; the horrifying stereotypes Yang spotlights; the meaning of the Monkey King’s journey; and more.

Next: game over. Sarah Kosheff rides in on her dragon to talk Game of Thrones’ final season.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:19:45

00:00:25 - Intro / Guest

00:03:00 - Main Topic

01:15:45 - Outro / Next

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How does one go from lamenting the untimely demise of Tom King’s Batman to discussing the power structures that dictate what one finds culturally acceptable in any given generation? There’s only one way to find out: by listening to this week’s Gobbledygeek! Paul and Arlo blather about superheroic drama, including Superman: The Animated Series; opinions that have evolved with time, whether they’re on The Downward Spiral or She-Ra: Princess of Power; and why the hell Pete Venkman was carrying 300ccs of Thorazine.

Next: Johny Ho joins Paul and Arlo to discuss Gene Luen Yang’s American Born Chinese in the latest Four-Color Flashback.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:10:56

00:00:25 - Intro / the boys are pissed off

00:02:39 - Tom King kicked out of the Bat-cave.

00:12:22 - Hickman murders the X-Men.

00:16:27 - Rest in peace, Whiskey Cavalier.

00:24:04 - What the hell has Arlo been doing in the shadows?

00:26:50 - Oh, he’s been watching Superman cartoons.

00:41:22 - Our changing perspective on beloved art and pop culture.

00:52:06 - Peter Venkman was creepy as hell!

01:08:00 - Outro / Next

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To paraphrase Olivia Newton-John, “Let’s get political--political!” Paul and Arlo discuss politics only occasionally, but this week, they unload. With anti-abortion bills being signed into law in both of their home states, Alabama and Ohio, the boys have a thing or two to say. (Spoiler: they are loudly and clearly pro-choice.) Where do you go after that? Well, Paul saves a restaurant bird, Arlo goes down a murderous Reddit rabbit hole, and Paul cannot get the fuck to sleep. Sweet dreams, kids.

Next: who knows!

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:02:35

00:00:46  - Intro / Terrible No Good Very Very Bad Politics

00:33:49  - Paul saved a restaurant bird

00:39:11  - Arlo hates gore, loves murder sub-reddits

00:49:24  - The paranoia is coming from inside the house

00:53:36  - Backdoor neighbors

00:59:00  - Outro / Next

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Welcome to another Freestyle episode of Gobbledygeek, wherein you can either choose to hear Paul yell at clouds or Arlo have an existential crisis about adulthood. Just remember: whatever you choose, it’s gonna taste like watered-down Dr. Pepper. Paul and Arlo discuss Arlo’s new house; their digitally-assisted strolls down memory lane; how nostalgia can lead to arrested development (neither the show nor the hip-hop group); and how “take” culture has sucked a lot of the joy (and nuance) out of pop culture discussion.

Next: oh god, it might be another one of these?

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:11:46

00:00:30  - Intro / Banter

01:04:42  - Outro / Next

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All good things must come to an end. And while the Marvel Cinematic Universe is not one of those things--there’s another one of these bad boys coming out in a few months--Avengers: Endgame does represent the culmination of this first wave/cycle/saga of the MCU. Paul and Arlo are joined by their The Deli Counter of Justice co-creator Eric Sipple to discuss just how in the hell directors Anthony and Joe Russo, screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, and many many other talented filmmakers pulled off this marvelous feat. Because somehow, some way, Endgame is just about the most satisfying conclusion you could hope for.

Next: enter the void.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 02:04:13

00:00:30 - Intro / Banter

00:05:37 - Avengers: Endgame (Non-Spoiler)

00:30:17 - Avengers: Endgame (SPOILERS)

02:02:00 - Outro / Next

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For the next black-and-white non-fiction graphic novel of Four-Color Flashback 2k19, Paul and Arlo head East to discuss Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis. Published between 2000-04, Persepolis tells Satrapi’s autobiographical story of growing up during the Iranian Revolution and coming of age in a totalitarian society. The boys discuss Satrapi’s simplistic, cartoony artwork and its heavy use of black ink; why comics is the perfect medium to make this story a universal one; how Satrapi challenges our Western notions of Iranian culture; and why Paul had a tough time connecting to the book.

Next: whatever it takes. Avengers: Endgame.

THE BREAKDOWN

Run Time: 01:21:47

00:00:30 - Intro / Banter

00:01:33 - Persepolis

01:17:20 - Outro / Next

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It’s 11:11, better grab your gardening shears and press play on this week’s Gobbledygeek, a discussion of writer-director Jordan Peele’s Us. This is a tricky one; it’s got more layers than a cake. Paul and Arlo discuss Peele’s extensive use of duality and mirroring, the awards categories they’re going to have to invent to honor Lupita Nyong’o’s tremendous performance, the film’s transitions between humor and horror, and what it all means.

Next: back to the void.

THE BREAKDOWN

Run Time: 01:59:37

00:00:30 - Intro / Banter

00:02:45 - Us (Non-Spoiler)

00:37:40 - Us (SPOILERS)

01:58:06 - Outro / Next

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Marks on paper, sheets of snow, first loves crowned with halos. These are some of the images that make up Craig Thompson’s 2003 illustrated novel Blankets, a modern classic if ever there was one. Paul and Arlo continue this year’s “nondenominational” Four-Color Flashback with a discussion of Thompson’s masterpiece, an autobiographical story of childhood, sexuality, first love, and the author’s struggle with faith. The boys discuss Thompson’s brave and uncomfortable truth, their experiences (or lack thereof) with organized religion, Craig’s idolatry of his beloved Raina, and Thompson’s stunning artwork. Plus, scraps of Marvel news that have no business being in this episode but which broke after we recorded the Captain Marvel one. Sorry. We’re professionals.

Next: after a week off, the boys are back and who knows what they’ll be talking about?

THE BREAKDOWN

Run Time: 02:06:55

00:00:30 - Intro / Banter

00:17:41 - Blankets

02:01:23 - Outro / Next

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It only took ‘em 21 movies, but the Marvel Cinematic Universe has finally debuted a solo female superhero with Captain Marvel. Acclaimed indie filmmakers Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck take to the stars for the story of Carol Danvers, ace pilot turned intergalactic warrior. Drenched in ‘90s nostalgia, the film finds buddy comedy with the spirited Brie Larson/Samuel L. Jackson dynamic; it finds Memento-lite storytelling gymnastics with Carol's fractured memories. Paul and Arlo debate this approach's effectiveness; think back to whether or not they loved the ‘90s; consider what the film's cosmic shenanigans mean for the future of the MCU; and attempt (with varying degrees of success) to check their privilege while analyzing a tale of female empowerment.

Next: the boys crash land back on Earth for another Four-Color Flashback installment, this one discussing Craig Thompson's modern classic Blankets.

THE BREAKDOWN

Run Time: 01:51:55

00:00:30 - Intro / Yet another “we recognize our privilege” CYA disclaimer

00:02:38 - Captain Marvel (Non-Spoiler)

00:31:04 - Captain Marvel (SPOILERS)

01:49:36 - Outro / Next

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In which our daring duo defies devilish dentists. In all sincerity, here’s a big fat content warning: if, like Paul and Arlo, you are one of the 5-15% of adults with dentophobia, we talk about the dentist. A whole bunch. From childhood orthodontic nightmares to phantasmagoric periodontics of the present day, the boys discuss in (perhaps excruciating) detail their toothy troubles. Plus, if that doesn’t turn you off of the whole damn enterprise, there’s also talk of How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World in IMAX, Netflix’s take on The Umbrella Academy, and a belated discussion of seasons 2 and 3 of AMC’s Preacher adaptation.

Next: Higher. Further. Faster. Captain Marvel.

THE BREAKDOWN

Run Time: 01:22:12

00:02:23 - More HTTYD (on IMAX this time)

00:10:00 - Dentophobia (CONTENT WARNING!)

00:45:24 - Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy

00:56:00 - Arlo finally watched AMC’s Preacher

01:15:36 - Outro / Next

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Paul and Arlo return to the land of Berk one last time for a discussion of How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World. Joining them is their fellow dragon rider (and The Deli Counter of Justice co-editor) Eric Sipple. The gang discusses their journey through the years with Hiccup and Toothless, whether or not the supporting cast weighs the series down, writer-director Dean DeBlois’ original intentions for the villain, and their differing interpretations of the conclusion.

Next: enter the void.

THE BREAKDOWN

Run Time: 02:28:10

00:00:37 - Intro / Disclaimer (Paul is emotional and broken and in therapy ABOUT these films!)

00:08:26 - Main Topic (Non-Spoiler)

00:42:23 - SPOILERS

02:23:17 - Outro / Next

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In honor of Black History Month, Paul and Arlo are discussing John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell’s March for their second Four-Color Flashback of 2019. This three-volume set, published from 2013-16, follows Rep. Lewis from his days raising (and baptizing) chickens in Pike County, Alabama, to standing side-by-side with leading figures of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement. The boys discuss how their whiteness both helps and hinders the discussion, their admiration for Lewis’ adherence to the tenets of nonviolent resistance, why comics are uniquely suited to convey a story of such historical import, and Nate Powell’s genius use of lettering.

Next: who knows! Join us for the ride. If you dare.

THE BREAKDOWN

Run Time: 01:43:01

00:00:34 - Intro / Disclaimer (We’re white.)

00:06:45 - Main Topic

01:38:37 - Outro / Next

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This week finds Paul and Arlo being a coupla ding-dong daddies as another musical Geek Challenge is summoned from a mail-order spellbook. First, Paul challenges Arlo to Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Robert Stevenson’s 1971 follow-up to Mary Poppins. Then, Arlo forces Paul to endure Rob Marshall’s 2002 Best Picture winner Chicago. Witchcraft and murder...this one’s got it all. The boys discuss Bedknobs and Broomsticks’ unlikely connection to The Island of Dr. Moreau, whether or not Chicago deserves its reputation as one of the weakest Best Picture champs, and why Paul refuses to pay Rent.

Next: after a week off, we’re back for our second Four-Color Flashback of 2019, discussing March by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell.

THE BREAKDOWN

Run Time: 01:40:46

00:01:56 - Banter (But we swore we wouldn’t do this anymore!)

00:11:51 - Bedknobs and Broomsticks

00:51:55 - Chicago

01:36:10 - Outro / Next

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For Four-Color Flashback 2019, Paul and Arlo are venturing beyond the realm of superheroes and into the wide world of comics many Americans never visit. To first appreciate comics, though, it’s important to understand their capabilities. There’s nowhere better to turn than Scott McCloud’s seminal 1993 tome Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art. It’s an academic, analytical study of the comics form--but it’s also a friendly, entertaining, flat-out fun read. Paul and Arlo discuss why everyone should read Understanding Comics, how it influenced the way they read comics, the concept of closure, and the digital revolution.

Next: witchcraft, murder, and all that jazz in a musical Geek Challenge. Arlo must watch Disney’s 1971 Angela Lansbury vehicle Bedknobs and Broomsticks, while Paul is tasked with 2002’s Renee Zellweger showcase Chicago.

THE BREAKDOWN

Run Time: 01:18:46

00:00:46 - The history (and future) of FCF

00:05:20 - Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art

01:14:51 - Outro / Next

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We’re back, babies! Gobbledygeek returns for its 10th season--though not its 10th anniversary, get your math right--with our hosts doing the bare minimum to keep this thing afloat. The centerpiece is an anxiety-fueled story about chicken wings, for gods’ sakes. Meanwhile, Paul went to Disney World again and lived to tell the tale. Arlo has thoughts on Jason Reitman directing the next Ghostbusters film. Beards are soothed. Y’know, the usual. Plus, Paul has seen Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse once for each season of the show!

Next: Four-Color Flashback 2019 gets off to an early start, as our year of non-superhero fare kicks off with Scott McCloud’s non-fiction classic Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art.

THE BREAKDOWN

Run Time: 01:12:26

00:01:55 - New year, new show

00:04:30 - Paul’s Walt Disney World trip

00:19:18 - Anxiety

00:39:00 - Beard Spa / Scalp Camp

00:44:17 - Jason Reitman’s Ghostbusters

00:57:15 - More about Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

01:02:56 - New Deliverse project?

01:09:08 - Outro / Next

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Paul and Arlo swing into the Gobbledygeek season 9 finale with a discussion of the latest (and possibly greatest?) Spider-Man movie, Into the Spider-Verse. Popping in from an alternate dimension where “Curtis” has two s's is their pal Nate Curtiss. The gang discusses how the movie nails the characterizations of Miles Morales and Peter Parker, its dazzling visuals, the film's message of inclusion, and moviegoers’ animation biases. Plus, Paul and Arlo both make important announcements, and we discuss Miles in both the Spider-Man PS4 game and his own new comic book.

Next: if we're legally allowed to say this, That's all, folks! Happy holidays and we'll see you next year for season 10!

THE BREAKDOWN

Run Time: 01:59:00

00:03:05 - Banter

00:22:19 - Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

01:01:50 - SPOILERS!

01:55:28 - Outro / Next

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This year's superheroic Four-Color Flashback comes to a close as the Visions of Virginia move into their house at 616 Hickory Branch Lane, Arlington, VA, 21301. In Tom King and Gabriel Hernandez Walta's The Vision, the synthezoid Avenger creates his own family in an effort to achieve normalcy--and watches as his efforts fail, early and often. Joining Paul and Arlo to discuss one of the decade's best comics is FreakSugar contributing editor Jed Waters Keith. The gang discusses the foreboding on every page; King's watchmaker precision; Walta's subtle emotional modulations; and how by denying his emotions and refusing to learn from his mistakes, the Vision is as human as any of us. Plus, Arlo still hasn't gone on a poop cruise; and Paul wants to Die while reading Winter Soldier.

Next month: this bizarre roller coaster ride of a season ends with a discussion of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

THE BREAKDOWN

00:00:00 - 00:48:21 - Intro / Banter

00:48:21 - 02:14:34 - Main Topic

02:14:34 - 02:20:56 - Outro / Next

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Ollie, draw back your bow and let your arrow go straight to that killer’s heart. For the penultimate Four-Color Flashback of the year, and the final DC installment of our Age of Heroes project, Paul and Arlo head to the asphalt jungle of Seattle as Oliver Queen stalks his street punk prey in Mike Grell’s 1987 miniseries Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters. As was common practice in the ‘80s, Grell reimagined the character of Green Arrow as grimmer, grittier, and existing in a real world full of boobs and blood. The boys discuss why Grell, by and large, does not really pull this off; the two really interesting moments of subversion he does manage; his stellar, sketchy, detailed artwork; and Dinah Lance’s near-fridging. Plus, the boys honor Stan Lee; Arlo cooks up some groovy spaghetti with the new White Album set; Paul needs a Bodyguard; and things get horrifying with The Immortal Hulk and Outer Darkness.

Next: happy Thanksgiving! Paul and Arlo return next month to close out the Age of Heroes with Tom King and Gabriel Hernandez Walta’s The Vision, joined by their pal Jed Waters Keith.

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Jazz hands, everyone! It's time for a new episode of the new era of Gobbledygeek, which is either painfully self-indulgent or--well, there is no other option, BUT. Paul and Arlo freestyle about why they're freestyling, discuss how perspectives on art change, extoll the complicated virtues of Miles Davis and Queen, and become flummoxed at the hyper-realistic minutiae of Red Dead Redemption 2.

Next: back to your regularly scheduled podcast with a Four-Color Flashback discussion of Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters.

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Everybody loves reboots, preboots, remakes, prequels, sequels, midquels, all the different -quels and -boots. The latest long-running franchise to get the reboot treatment is none other than your friendly neighborhood Gobbledygeek, as Paul and Arlo attempt to take the show in a new, looser, more banter-y direction. Fittingly, they talk about a couple of other high-profile remakes: The Haunting of Hill House and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, both available on Netflix. Speaking of, Netflix has become a cultural behemoth crushing the little guys like FilmStruck and leading to a new streaming boom that looks a lot like the old cable boom. The guys also discuss the concept of a “remake” itself and why it’s actually good--sometimes.

Next: the sequel to the remake.

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Gobbledyween returns! Again! Greg Sahadachny, once and future host of The Debatable Podcast, returns! Again! To close out our truncated season of horror happenings, Paul, Arlo, and Greg flip ahead to George A. Romero and Stephen King’s kooky 1982 splash page Creepshow. Indebted to old EC horror comics, Creepshow has become a cult classic in its own right, as silly and lowbrow as it is reverent and artful. The gang discusses why the meeting of these two horror masters may not be what you would expect; the underrated craft of Romero’s filmmaking; how tough it is to view Leslie Nielsen as anything other than the Naked Gun guy these days; and Ted Danson’s head in a tank. Plus, Paul travels to the fantastical world of Hilda; Arlo checks into The Haunting of Hill House; and forgive us, Carpenter, for we have synth-ed.

Next: the show blows up.

THE BREAKDOWN

00:00:00 - 00:27:59 - Intro / Banter

00:27:59 - 00:44:35 - Main Topic (NON-SPOILER)

00:44:35 - 01:51:39 - Main Topic (SPOILERS)

01:51:39 - 02:05:51 - Outro / Next Week / New Show Format!

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Leaves are on the ground, blood is on the silver screen. It's time for Gobbledyween. Paul and Arlo's beloved horror movie festival returns for the first time since 2015, and their opening selection debuted that same year: Robert Eggers’ new cult classic The Witch. Emerging from the wood to terrorize the boys is SyfyWire.com contributing editor Matthew Jackson. The gang discusses the rural dread Eggers exploits, if the film can be read as an empowerment tale, if anything on the screen actually happens, and more. Plus, Paul grooves to synthwave, Jon Favreau gears up for The Mandalorian, Arlo worships Nicolas Cage in Panos Cosmatos’ Mandy, and Spider-Ham makes his screen debut in the new Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse trailer.

Next: Gobbledyween continues as filmmaker Jess Byard joins us to take a bite out of Kathryn Bigelow's Near Dark.

THE BREAKDOWN

00:00:00 - 00:37:00 - Intro / Banter

00:37:00 - 02:03:56 - Main Topic

02:03:56 - 02:10:50 - Outro / Next Week

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Sight-impaired Jesus freak Matt Murdock finds himself in the crosshairs of rotund businessman Wilson Fisk in that most celebrated of Daredevil stories, Born Again. Paul and Arlo’s pal Chance Mazzia joins them for another superheroic Four-Color Flashback installment to discuss the Frank Miller/David Mazzucchelli classic. The gang discusses the tale’s obvious religious symbolism; Mazzucchelli’s fluid, detailed art; Miller’s Murdock-style descent into belligerent paranoia; and how Miller’s triple threat of Born Again, The Dark Knight Returns, and Batman: Year One changed superhero comics for better and worse. Plus, Cary Joji Fukanaga goes cuckoo with Netflix’s Maniac, and the gang pays their respects to late Batman artist Norm Breyfogle.

Next: at long last, Gobbledyween returns. The festival of terror kicks off with Robert Eggers’ new cult classic, 2016’s The Witch.

THE BREAKDOWN

00:00:00 - 00:27:22 - Intro / Banter

00:27:22 - 02:01:20 - Main Topic

02:01:20 - 02:12:55 - Outro / Next Week

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What if Superman was one of us? Just a slob like one of us? Just a stranger baling hay, trying to till his own farm? That’s part of the appeal of Alex Ross and Mark Waid’s Kingdom Come, the subject of our latest superheroic Four-Color Flashback--Ross’ painted artwork brings DC’s pantheon to vivid life. Of course, Superman isn’t one of us. He makes this clear when, after a decade in exile, he descends upon Metropolis to mete out cold hard justice to a new, irresponsible generation of heroes and villains. Kingdom Come was intended as a statement on the Xtreme anti-heroes of the ‘90s, and as its human protagonist Norman McKay witnesses the fantastic devastation around him, the book explores issues of faith and fascism. Paul and Arlo discuss how Ross and Waid’s tale holds up more than 20 years later, how it reconciles the heroes’ godlike power with fragile human will, why it may be Ross’ best work, and its nigh definitive portrait of DC’s Trinity. Plus, Arlo finishes his Disney marathon while catching Pokémon, and we tease a future discussion of Spider-Man PS4.

Next: we switch religions from DC to Marvel as our pal Chance Mazzia joins us to talk Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli’s Daredevil: Born Again.

THE BREAKDOWN

00:00:00 - 00:33:06 - Intro / Banter

00:33:06 - 01:46:50 - Main Topic

01:46:50 - 01:55:19 - Outro / Next Week

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Far beyond the fields we know, SyfyWire.com contributing editor Matthew Jackson joins Paul and Arlo for another installment of this year’s superheroic Four-Color Flashback. This time, they venture to the land of Asgard on their loyal steeds to discuss Thor Visionaries: Walter Simonson - Vol. 1. Simonson’s legendary run defined many cornerstones of Marvel’s Thor Odinson, from the deep ties to Norse mythology to the doing away of mortal identity Donald Blake. The gang discusses why his run is so definitive, Simonson’s vibrant art, his long-game storytelling, what makes Beta Ray Bill so cool, and the deadliness of McBurgers. Plus, The Big Bang Theory is finally ending, Veronica Mars is finally coming back, and Paul is Forged in Fire.

Next: we’ll be back! At some point! We’re working on a book, kids!

THE BREAKDOWN

00:00:00 - 00:21:05 - Intro / Banter

00:21:05 - 01:48:07 - Main Topic

01:48:07 - 01:53:47 - Outro / Next Week

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Unleash your bees, fire up your oil rigs, and prepare to get injected with the alien plague one last time--Wesley “Wezzo” Mead joins Paul and Arlo for their final episode discussing Chris Carter’s seminal sci-fi series The X-Files. The gang discusses the 2008 film I Want to Believe, which finds the FBI dragging Mulder and Scully out of retirement to deal with a psychic pedophile priest played by Billy Connolly; season 10, which fails to justify reviving the series; and season 11, which at least shows there’s a bit of a spark left. Godawful mythology mumbo-jumbo, horrendous mistreatment of Dana Katherine Scully, and Darin Morgan brilliance...sounds about right. Plus, Paul admires works of both stage and screen; Wezzo falls for Gravity Falls; and Arlo is vengeance, he is the night, he is watching Batman: The Animated Series.

Next: Matthew Jackson joins us for another installment of this year’s superheroic Four-Color Flashback series. This time we’re talking Thor Visionaries: Walter Simonson - Vol. 1.

THE BREAKDOWN

00:00:00 - 00:49:37 - Intro / Banter

00:49:37 - 02:13:46 - Main Topic

02:13:46 - 02:18:13 - Outro / Next Week

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For this month’s superheroic Four-Color Flashback installment, Paul and Arlo set out for lands unknown with the late, great Darwyn Cooke’s DC: The New Frontier. Cooke’s ambitious 2004 limited series bridges the gap between comics’ Golden Age and Silver Age, paying nostalgic tribute to the fictional heroes of that time while using the era’s form and style to comment on the day’s social and political ills. They’re joined on their voyage by The Avatar Returns co-host and The Deli Counter of Justice co-creator Eric Sipple. The gang discusses Cooke’s artwork, striking and cinematic in ways few others comics have achieved; how Cooke wisely keeps Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman in the background to focus on new heroes like Green Lantern and the Flash; how the story of J’onn J’onzz, the Martian Manhunter, compares to that of African-American freedom fighter John Henry; the pretty good animated adaptation; and more. Plus, Eric has some personal news; SDCC happened, including a slew of trailers for the likes of Shazam, Aquaman, and more; and Nathan Fillion gets his Nathan Drake on in the Uncharted fan film.

Next: the end is out there. Wesley “Wezzo” Mead joins Paul and Arlo to talk The X-Files one last time, as the gang discusses the big screen continuation I Want to Believe and both revival seasons.

THE BREAKDOWN

00:00:00 - 00:48:32 - Intro / Banter

00:48:32 - 02:03:13 - Main Topic

02:03:13 - 02:06:35 - Outro / Next Week

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Have you tried New Koko? Here’s your chance! Comedy congressman Jason Tabrys returns to Gobbledygeek to help Paul and Arlo make sense of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. J.A. Bayona’s sequel, the fifth film in the Jurassic series, finds our heroes returning to Isla Nublar once again--and while the “save the dinosaurs” plot is a retread of The Lost World, Fallen Kingdom isn’t afraid to go in some bizarre new directions, for better or worse. Mostly worse. It’s fair to say none of the boys liked it, but Paul is put in the awkward position of defending a mediocre film from Arlo and Jason’s invective. Plus, Bruce and Selina head for the altar in Batman #50 and Catwoman #1; Ta-Nehisi Coates kicks off his run on Captain America; Al Ewing scares up the Immortal Hulk; and the gang is bowled over by Hannah Gadsby’s Nanette.

Next: after a week off, Paul and Arlo get microscopic with Ant-Man and the Wasp.

THE BREAKDOWN

00:00:00 - 00:49:04 - Intro / Banter

00:49:04 - 01:07:08 - Main Topic (Non-Spoiler)

01:07:08 - 01:59:04 - Main Topic (SPOILERS)

01:59:04 - 02:02:50 - Outro / Next Week

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Paul and Arlo continue to swing through this year’s superheroic Four-Color Flashback to discuss Spider-Man: Origin of the Hobgoblin, joined by FreakSugar managing editor Jed Waters Keith. This early ‘80s story, primarily written by Roger Stern and drawn by John Romita Jr., finds Peter Parker faced with the emergence of a horrific new villain in the grotesque figure of the Hobgoblin. Who is this masked man? Who knows! In true Parker fashion, Spidey tries to unmask Hobby while snapping pix for the Bugle and juggling his crazy love life. The gang discusses the convoluted behind-the-scenes drama surrounding the Hobgoblin’s identity, the evolution of JRJr, how Peter Parker is kind of a huge ladies’ man for being such a dork, and more. Plus, Paul attended this year’s Slayage conference, while Arlo and Jed are reading a whole mess o’ comics.

Next: Jurassic World 2: Even Assic-er.

THE BREAKDOWN

00:00:00 - 00:42:55 - Intro / Banter

00:42:55 - 02:12:27 - Main Topic

02:12:27 - 02:15:35 - Outro / Next Week

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After 14 long years, the Incredibles are back. The superhero film landscape has changed drastically in that time--but, blissfully, Brad Bird and his retro supers have not, as they teleport and babysit their way through another round of domestic struggles. Paul and Arlo discuss how Incredibles 2 inverts and deepens the themes of the first, why this is some of the finest superhero action ever committed to film, how Jack-Jack avoids Minion-ization, and why Bird and his films are not Randian. Plus, Paul plays a game of Tag, Arlo takes in a service at First Reformed, Paul keeps getting mistaken for Thanos, Arlo is obsessed with Guillermo del Toro, and Paul goes all Cloak & Dagger.

Next: this year’s superheroic Four-Color Flashback continues as Jed Waters Keith joins us to discuss Spider-Man: Origin of the Hobgoblin.

THE BREAKDOWN

00:00:00 - 00:36:17 - Intro / Banter

00:36:17 - 01:02:20 - Main Topic (Non-Spoilery)

01:02:20 - 02:00:57 - Main Topic (SPOILERS)

02:00:57 - 02:03:22 - Outro / Next Week

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Even with a spoonful of sugar, Paul finds this week’s Geek Challenge hard to stomach. You see, he has invited Arlo to watch Robert Stevenson’s delightful 1964 classic Mary Poppins, in which a magical Julie Andrews and an accented Dick Van Dyke dance their hearts out while unlocking the joy hidden within a stuffy banker. In return, Arlo has forced Paul to endure Agnieszka Smoczynska’s 2015 goth music video The Lure, in which there is little magic but plenty of pain, blood, and desperation as two virginal maneating mermaids come of age. They’re both musicals, they’re both about women, and...that’s about where the similarities end. Some men just like to watch the world burn, and Arlo appears to be one of them. Plus, lots of great trailers; Sense8, Legion, and Westworld broaden sci-fi TV’s horizons; Brian Michael Bendis’ time with Spider-Man comes to an end; and Arlo finally watched Guillermo del Toro’s debut feature Cronos.

Next: after 14 years, The Incredibles 2.

THE BREAKDOWN

00:00:00 - 00:45:30 - Intro / Banter

00:45:30 - 01:26:02 - Mary Poppins

01:26:02 - 01:57:02 - The Lure

01:57:02 - 02:00:00 - Outro / Next Week

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Everyone loves aural after a wedding. An aural document of said wedding, that is! That's right, Arlo and Amber tied the knot, and Paul was on hand to witness the entire drunken event. So are Joseph Lewis, completing the Three Heathens reunion; Kenn Edwards, whose new EP rules; longtime friend of the show but first-time guest Darryl James, who challenges Arlo to a Buffy trivia quiz; and newbie Gabe Hochstetler, who finds himself the sole positive voice during a brief review of Solo: A Star Wars Story. Video game bars, shots, impolite tailors, shots, poorly choreographed “Gangnam Style” dances, shots, impromptu mowing, and oh yeah, shots. It was a wild ride, and you are formally invited.

Next: let your magical umbrellas take you to Romania for a musical Geek Challenge featuring Mary Poppins and The Lure.

THE BREAKDOWN

00:18:51 - Part One (Arlo and Paul chillin’ out.)

00:29:31 - Part Two (Joe arrives - The Three Heathens ride again...in a basement, in recliners.)

01:25:19 - Part Three (Kenn, Darryl, and Gabe join the gang for a post-bachelor party Solo: A Star Wars Story review, and Darryl challenges Arlo to a Buffy the Vampire Slayer trivia challenge.) (And Tom says hi.)

02:30:02 - Part Four (Arlo and Paul reconvene a week later to put a bow on the whole affair.)

02:33:43 - Outro / Next Week

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The truth is out there, or so we’ve been told. As Paul, Arlo, and special British guest Wesley “Wezzo” Mead reach The X-Files season 9 and find the series’ original finale “The Truth,” they wonder if they should have just left it out there. Despite ostensibly having new leads in Doggett and Reyes, Chris Carter & Co. cling to Scully and Mulder--the former is a bored-looking recurring character, the latter is literally no longer on the show--harder than ever before. The gang discusses why Carter’s inability to let go of the show’s past hinders its present, how the character of Dana Scully is destroyed, and whether or not “The Truth” is truly one of the worst series finales in TV history. (Spoiler: it is.) Plus, Arlo and Paul get down with killer clowns with Terrifier and Deadpool 2.

Next: Arlo’s getting hitched! Gobbledygeek will return in June.

THE BREAKDOWN

00:19:49 - Intro / Banter

01:37:30 - Main Topic

01:42:46 - Outro / Next Week

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In the winding, physics-defying halls of Mount Olympus, the idea for the noble Amazon race was hatched among the gods. In the presumably plain, ordinary offices of DC comics circa 1987, the idea to reboot one of their most iconic heroes was hashed out by George Pérez, Greg Potter, Len Wein, Karen Berger, and more. And on this typically long, rambling podcast, Paul and Arlo continue this year’s superheroic Four-Color Flashback by discussing Wonder Woman by George Pérez: Vol. 1, collecting the first 14 issues of Diana’s post-Crisis series. Heather Wiley joins them to discuss how Pérez revitalized the character by leaning hard into her mythological aspects; why it’s important that the series touches on uncomfortable subject matter; the minute details that make Pérez such a terrific artist; and why this run hasn’t lodged its place in the public consciousness alongside The Dark Knight Returns and Man of Steel. Plus, Heather fails to keep quiet about Hush, and Paul reads comics.

Next: we inch closer to oblivion with Wesley Mead, who joins us once more to discuss Chris Carter’s seminal sci-fi series The X-Files. This time? It’s season 9, the original final season. So. Yeah.

THE BREAKDOWN

00:12:45 - Intro / Banter

01:44:57 - Main Topic

01:50:00 - Outro / Next Week

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A feat even more miraculous than Paul and Arlo agreeing on the same movie? Successfully juggling a cast of dozens in an interplanetary epic that shakes up the world’s most popular film series. That’s exactly what Joe & Anthony Russo have done with Avengers: Infinity War, a daring space opera that acts as a culmination of a decade’s worth of superheroic blockbusters while taking the Marvel Cinematic Universe in new directions. The boys discuss how (nearly) each character gets their due, why Josh Brolin’s Thanos more than lives up to the hype, and where the MCU goes from here. Plus, Arlo binges the Disney Renaissance and MoviePass takes an unsurprising heel turn.

Next: this year’s Four-Color Flashback continues as Heather Wiley joins Paul and Arlo to discuss Wonder Woman by George Perez: Vol. 1.

THE BREAKDOWN

00:37:20 - Intro / Banter

01:02:53 - Main Topic (Non-Spoilery)

02:28:17 - Main Topic (SPOILERS)

02:31:10 - Outro / Next Week

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An American feels betrayed by his government, which has revealed itself to be nothing but a bureaucratic system designed to conceal criminal activity. Sounds familiar, right? It's also the basis for the superhero classic Captain America and the Falcon: Secret Empire. Steve Englehart, Mike Friedrich, and Sal Buscema’s Nixon-era tale finds Cap on the run from a populace that no longer trusts him. Joining Paul and Arlo for this Four-Color Flashback installment is Wanna Cook? author and Cap superfan Ensley F. Guffey. The gang discusses why a story like this couldn't be told today, how it's difficult to understand Watergate’s importance given today's political climate, the uncomfortable jive-talkin’ racial stereotypes, and why the outrageous cornball of old superhero comics doesn't dilute its power. Plus, Arlo makes an apology and the gang shares what comics they've been reading.

Next: it's all been leading to this. Avengers: Infinity War.

THE BREAKDOWN

• Intro / Banter (00:00 - 16:10)
• What Comics Are We Reading? (16:10 - 49:43)
• Main Topic (49:43 - 2:15:32)
• Outro / Next Week (2:15:32 - 2:18:43)

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Shh. Keep it down or you’ll miss the latest episode of Gobbledygeek, wherein Paul and Arlo are joined by their pal Nate Curtiss for a discussion of John Krasinski’s horror-thriller A Quiet Place. The nearly wordless film, which makes extensive use of subtitled American Sign Language, presents a unique theatergoing experience; every gulp of soda and crunch of popcorn reverberates throughout the auditorium. The gang talks about their different theater experiences, and how the film reveals the true heart of an audience; why it’s important Krasinski cast deaf actress Millicent Simmonds; how Krasinski’s lack of horror experience proves to be a strength; and more. Plus, Paul digs on TV sci-fi: Final Space, Lost in Space, The Expanse, and Legion.

Next: this year’s superheroic Four-Color Flashback continues with a discussion of the original, non-Nazi-fied Captain America and the Falcon: Secret Empire. Wanna Cook? co-author (and Cap superfan) Ensley F. Guffey drops by.

THE BREAKDOWN

• Intro / Banter (00:00 - 24:30)
• A Quiet Place NON-SPOILERY (24:30 - 1:03:06)
• A Quiet Place SPOILERS (1:03:06 - 1:58:33)
• Outro / Next Week (1:58:33 - 2:01:59)

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Shh. Keep it down or you’ll miss the latest episode of Gobbledygeek, wherein Paul and Arlo are joined by their pal Nate Curtiss for a discussion of John Krasinski’s horror-thriller A Quiet Place. The nearly wordless film, which makes extensive use of subtitled American Sign Language, presents a unique theatergoing experience; every gulp of soda and crunch of popcorn reverberates throughout the auditorium. The gang talks about their different theater experiences, and how the film reveals the true heart of an audience; why it’s important Krasinski cast deaf actress Millicent Simmonds; how Krasinski’s lack of horror experience proves to be a strength; and more. Plus, Paul digs on TV sci-fi: Final Space, Lost in Space, The Expanse, and Legion.

Next: this year’s superheroic Four-Color Flashback continues with a discussion of the original, non-Nazi-fied Captain America and the Falcon: Secret Empire. Wanna Cook? co-author (and Cap superfan) Ensley F. Guffey drops by.

THE BREAKDOWN

• Intro / Banter (00:00 - 24:30)
• A Quiet Place NON-SPOILERY (24:30 - 1:03:06)
• A Quiet Place SPOILERS (1:03:06 - 1:58:33)
• Outro / Next Week (1:58:33 - 2:01:59)

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For the (belated) inaugural installment of Four-Color Flashback 2018, wherein Paul and Arlo will be discussing a different classic superhero story each month, they've recruited their old pal Kenn Edwards to help them discuss Batman: A Death in the Family by writer Jim Starlin and artist Jim Aparo. Kenn knows a thing or two about the Caped Crusader, having been part of the Batman Immortal fan film project. However, he's never read this particular story, in which the Joker savagely beats Robin to death. That puts him on equal footing with our hosts: it's one of Arlo's blind spots and Paul hasn't read it since it was published in 1988. They're all a little shocked by how anachronistic its goofy plotting and dialogue seem given its release in a post-Dark Knight Returns landscape. Superhero comics were starting to mature, and this one feels like it may have gotten left behind. The gang discusses the impact of Robin's death; whether Bruce’s hypocrisy is a bug or a feature; the ludicrous political implications of the Joker’s scheme; and why the follow-up story A Lonely Place of Dying is much better. Plus, Arlo is still watching Disney cartoons.

Next: be vewwy, vewwy quiet. The boys and their pal Nate Curtiss are hunting Krasinskis for a discussion of A Quiet Place.

THE BREAKDOWN

• Intro / Banter (00:00 - 30:05)
• Main Topic (30:05 - 1:42:44)
• Four-Color Flashback Schedule (1:42:44 - 1:50:24)
• Outro / Next Week (1:50:24 - 1:57:53)

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This week, Wesley “Wezzo” Mead stops by for more abuse. He joins Paul and Arlo to once again discuss Chris Carter’s seminal sci-fi series The X-Files; this time, the gang talks season 8, the last pre-revival season to feature David Duchovny as a (semi-)regular. They discuss how frustrating it is the show can’t let go of Duchovny when it clearly needs to; why the introduction of Robert Patrick as John Doggett is so strong; how, despite some real stinkers, this is the most consistent the show has been in years; and how Carter & Co. continue to put Scully in boxes that conform to gender stereotypes. Plus, Wezzo has more obscure Netflix recommendations, Paul is obsessed with the forthcoming Spider-Man game for PS4, and--guess what--Arlo ropes Wezzo into discussing politics again.

Next: this year’s Four-Color Flashback gets off to a belated start as Kenn Edwards drops by to discuss Batman: A Death in the Family.

THE BREAKDOWN

• Intro / Banter (00:00 - 36:35)
• Political Banter (36:35 - 1:09:05)
• Main Topic (1:09:05 - 2:31:16)
• Outro / Next Week (2:31:16 - 2:38:21)

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Nostalgia, some say, means pain from an old wound. This week, Paul is nursing pain from a fresh wound: his immense disappointment at the way Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One has turned out. Spielberg’s big-screen reworking of the tale of a young boy immersed in a virtual reality game called the OASIS, using pop culture as currency to find freedom, is loud and overwhelming. For someone like Paul, that doesn’t sit well; Arlo, on the other hand, finds himself in the unusual position of defending one of these big dumb movies. The boys discuss crucial changes the film makes that change the story’s intention; whether or not Spielberg’s CG rendering of the OASIS is impressive; the ethical and metatextual implications of certain scenes; and why the book is unfairly derided. Plus, Arlo continues his journey through Disney animation.

Next: it’s that time again. Wesley “Wezzo” Mead stops by to once again discuss Chris Carter’s seminal sci-fi series The X-Files. This time, the gang will discuss season 8, the last pre-revival season to feature David Duchovny as a (semi-)regular.

THE BREAKDOWN

• Intro / Banter (00:00 - 25:57)
• Ready Player One NON-SPOILER (25:57 - 1:09:08)
• Ready Player One SPOILERS (1:09:08 - 2:02:05)
• Outro / Next Week (2:02:05 - 2:05:14)

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Time, she has been wrinkled. Tesser on over as Paul and Arlo discuss Ava DuVernay’s big screen adaptation of Madeleine L’Engle’s beloved fantasy classic A Wrinkle in Time. The boys discuss how the film differs from the novel, for both better and worse; what a strong find Storm Reid is in the lead role; how the film is admirable for willing to be absolutely ridiculous; why it’s so important DuVernay is in the director’s chair; and whether or not the film actually manages to be as inspiring as it wants to be. Plus, the boys pay tribute to Stephen Hawking and discuss the current state of Stan Lee; Paul reads comics; and Arlo continues his Disney journey.

Next: it’s that time again. Wesley “Wezzo” Mead stops by to once again discuss Chris Carter’s seminal sci-fi series The X-Files. This time, the gang will discuss season 8, the last pre-revival season to feature David Duchovny as a (semi-)regular.

THE BREAKDOWN

• Intro / Banter (00:00 - 33:43)
• A Wrinkle in Time NON-SPOILER (33:43 - 1:09:05)
• A Wrinkle in Time SPOILERS (1:09:05 - 2:00:20)
• Outro / Next Week (2:00:20 - 2:03:23)

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Ahoy and salut! Kicking off a series of occasional musical episodes--as in episodes about musicals; nobody wants to hear our boys sing--inspired by Paul’s love of This Is Me, he and Arlo gear up for a tuneful Geek Challenge. They are both intensely on brand: Arlo challenges Paul to Jacques Demy’s deceptively candy-colored 1967 classic The Young Girls of Rochefort, while Paul forces Arlo to endure Ken Annakin’s inexplicable 1982 swashbuckler The Pirate Movie. They’re surprised to discover that these incredibly different films, besides both being musicals, have some connective tissue: the use of fantasy to escape cruel reality, metatextual references to themselves and other movies, and...well, okay, after that, they’re almost completely different, but come on! Wouldn’t it be cool if Catherine Deneuve danced with a cartoon octopus? Plus, Paul has thoughts on the Star Wars Rebels finale and Arlo has been taking a trip through classic Disney.

Next: Kronos must have forgotten to fold his sheets, because there is now A Wrinkle in Time. I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.

THE BREAKDOWN

• Intro / Banter (00:00 - 34:00)

• Star Wars Rebels SPOILERS (4:00 - 11:43)

• The Young Girls of Rochefort (34:00 - 1:28:07)

• The Pirate Movie (1:28:07 - 2:06:51)

• Outro / Next Week (2:06:51 - 2:11:41)

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Self-destruction. Division. Separation. Annihilation. These are the frivolous, lighthearted concerns of Alex Garland’s latest film, a mind-expanding sci-fi trip that finds Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tessa Thompson, Gina Rodriguez, and Tuva Novotny exploring “Area X,” a mutated piece of land encompassed by the full-on-double-rainbow-all-the-way that is the Shimmer. What’s going on here? What’s causing it? Does an answer even matter? Paul and Arlo dig into Annihilation’s writhing, metastasizing guts to discuss the beautiful, macabre work of production designer Matt Digby; the organic/electronic discomfit of Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury’s score; how Garland’s approach intentionally places the viewer at a distance; and that goddamn bear. Plus, Paul watched something called the Olympics; Arlo wants to help The Breadwinner make some dough; and Paul gives Arlo shit, what else is new.

Next: the episode we teased last week! For a musical Geek Challenge, Arlo must watch Kenn Anakin’s 1982 “classic” The Pirate Movie and Paul must endure Jacques Demy’s 1967 classic (no quotation marks necessary) The Young Girls of Rochefort.

THE BREAKDOWN

• Intro / Banter (00:00 - 23:09
• Main Topic NON-SPOILERS (23:09 - 49:41)
• Main Topic SPOILERS (49:41 - 2:10:38)
• Outro / Next Week (2:10:38 - 2:14:45)

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First-time guest Phaicia “Fe” McBride joins Paul and Arlo as they take a direct flight to the African utopia of Wakanda, courtesy of Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther. King T’Challa’s first feature film marks the 18th entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe; it also marks a long overdue watershed moment for mainstream black culture. The gang discusses why Black Panther is so important and exciting; how the film takes the MCU in exciting new directions, particularly with its nuanced villain; how rare and wonderful it is to see so many female characters with agency, skill, and personality; why Ludwig Goransson’s score (and Kendrick Lamar’s soundtrack, at least according to Arlo) is a true sonic statement; and how some of the fight sequences bring to mind Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man. Plus, Arlo’s obsessed with a bizarre lo-fi mobile game called InstLife; and Paul goes full steampunk ahead with Batman: Gotham by Gaslight.

Next: despite what they say at the end of the episode, Paul and Arlo are actually getting ready for Annihilation.

THE BREAKDOWN

• Intro / Banter (00:00 - 22:30)
• Main Topic NON-SPOILERS (22:30 - 50:52)
• Main Topic SPOILERS (50:52 - 1:59:36)
• Outro / Next Week (1:59:36 - 2:04:46)

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Alas, poor Yorick! We knew him, a fellow of infinite wisecracks, of most ridiculous immaturity. We hath borne Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra’s Y: The Last Man on our podcast ten times, and now, how abhorred (and a little relieved) in our imagination it is! Our mics rise at it. Here laid those narrative devices about which we kvetched we know not how oft. Where be Guerra’s glorious artwork now? Vaughan’s pithy dialogue? Their penchant for emotional devastation? Their flashes of genius (let’s be honest--they were more than flashes) that here culminate in a tremendous feat of sequential art? We are not ones now to complain after all they’ve accomplished. Quite the opposite. Now get you to iTunes and listen, let us ramble for hours, to this conclusion we must come. Hopefully we will make you laugh, at that. Prithee, Kenn Edwards, let us get to the point.

Next: less Shakespearean speech, more Shakespearean drama. We travel to Wakanda for Black Panther.

THE BREAKDOWN

• Intro / Banter (00:00 - 21:21)
• Main Topic (21:21 - 2:09:12)
• Outro / Next Week (2:09:12 - 2:17:00)

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Come one, come all to The Greatest Showman, Michael Gracey’s musical retelling (or is that reshaping?) of the life of circus impresario P.T. Barnum. Paul and Arlo are joined by first-time guest Nate Curtiss, whose obsession with the film rivals Paul’s well-documented mania. The gang discusses the film’s message of tolerance and inclusion, why it’s a better musical than La La Land, and if it’s a problem that the filmmakers have refashioned Barnum as a beacon of progressivism. Plus, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are back (did they ever leave?), which is making some fans unhappy (aren’t they always?); and The Cloverfield Paradox was a surprise post-Super Bowl release on Netflix.

Next: last year’s Four-Color Flashback finally comes to a close, as Kenn Edwards joins us to discuss Y: The Last Man - Vol. 10: Whys and Wherefores.

THE BREAKDOWN

• Intro / Banter (00:00 - 24:56)
• Main Topic NON-SPOILERS (24:56 - 44:24)
• Main Topic SPOILERS (44:24 - 1:53:50)
• Outro / Next Week (1:53:50 - 2:01:05)

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Come on in; the water’s fine. Sarah Kosheff joins Paul and Arlo to discuss Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water, freshly nominated for 13 Academy Awards. Del Toro’s girl-meets-fish romance is one of last year’s most ravishing, visually sumptuous films, and the gang discusses why exactly that is. (Spoiler: they don’t all quite agree.) Topics of discussion include Sally Hawkins’ and Doug Jones’ tremendous wordless performances; Alexandre Desplat’s beautiful score, and how music is an important mode of communication in the film; the importance of color, specifically green; and how the film is, in del Toro’s own words, about the “beauty of the other.” Plus, Paul has joined MoviePass just in time for it come under intense scrutiny.

Next: Paul just wouldn’t shut up about The Greatest Showman, so first-time guest Nathan Curtiss will be joining the boys to discuss the Hugh Jackman-starring musical.

THE BREAKDOWN

• Intro / Banter (00:00 - 16:42)
• Main Topic NON-SPOILERS (16:42 - 35:38)
• Main Topic SPOILERS (35:38 - 1:45:15)
• Outro / Next Week (1:45:15 - 1:48:15)

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No TV show is at its best seven seasons in, as Paul, Arlo, and special British guest Wesley “Wezzo” Mead can attest. The gang has just watched season 7 of Chris Carter’s seminal sci-fi series The X-Files, and they have questions: Why would anyone think that was a satisfying resolution to the Samantha Mulder storyline? Why is Dana Scully, one of the greatest female characters in all of genre fiction, consistently robbed of agency? Why is Chris Carter the worst writer on his own show? Why didn't the show just end here? In addition to lamenting the season's VR fantasmagorias and double scoops of Kathy Griffin, the gang does find praise for cast members going behind the camera and Vince Gilligan inching ever closer toward Breaking Bad. Plus, Paul continues to visit The Greatest Showman; Wezzo tells us of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, Somebody Feed Phil, and Inside No. 9; and gosh, politics are just AWFUL.

Next: Paul and Arlo dive into Guillermo del Toro's The Shape of Water.

THE BREAKDOWN

• Intro / Banter (00:00 - 32:14)
• Politics! (32:14 - 1:02:26)
• Main Topic (1:02:26 - 2:30:40)
• Outro / Next Week (2:30:40 - 2:35:17)

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Ladies and gentlemen, we are through the tweeting glass. First-time guest Sarah Kosheff joins Paul and Arlo to discuss Charlie Brooker’s sci-fi anthology series Black Mirror in general, and the new fourth season in particular. The gang discusses how the series explores the intersection of technology and society, if the “what if phones but too much” line of criticism is reductive, if the idea of a Black Mirror “shared universe” is in any way appealing, and more. Plus, Paul meets The Greatest Showman, Arlo and Sarah marvel at The Shape of Water, and Arlo finally puts Paul in his mouth.

Next: famed Briton Wesley “Wezzo” Mead stops by once again to discuss Chris Carter’s seminal sci-fi series The X-Files. This time, they’ll discuss season 7.

THE BREAKDOWN * Intro / Banter (00:00 - 18:24) * Main Topic (18:24 - 2:19:14) * Outro / Next Week (2:19:14 - 2:25:00)

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Yorick's gang (there's gotta be a snappier name, right?) inch closer to destiny in Y: The Last Man - Vol. 9: Motherland, as Paul and Arlo near the end of their Four-Color Flashback discussion of Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra’s beloved comics series. The boys once again rehash their frustrations with putting this series under the occasional monthly microscope, leading Arlo to posit that maybe different books are different kinds of great. Then Paul hashes out the most plausible explanations Vaughan has presented for the manpocalypse, and whether any of them catch the boys’ fancy. Plus, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is more fun than it has any right to be, and it looks like Red Sparrow may be the Black Widow movie Marvel has denied us.

Next: the boys go through the looking glass with season 4 of Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror, joined by first-time guest Sarah Kosheff.

THE BREAKDOWN * Intro / Banter (00:00 - 21:33) * Main Topic (21:33 - 1:34:56) * Outro / Next Week (1:34:56 - 1:38:02)

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This is not going to go the way you think. Indeed, in a rare occurrence, the stars (and their wars) have aligned to allow Paul, Arlo, and their Avatar Returns co-host Eric Sipple to agree that Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi is one of the best blockbusters in years. The gang discusses why that is, including the surprising directions in which writer-director Rian Johnson takes the story, its iconic imagery, another rousing John Williams score, how it strengthens the weaknesses of past Star Wars films, and one hell of a performance from Mark Hamill. And, yes, they tackle the fandom’s baffling response to the film.

Next: Gobbledygeek returns in 2018 with a continuation of Paul and Arlo's Four-Color Flashback discussion of Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra’s Y: The Last Man. This time, they'll tackle the penultimate collection, Vol. 9: The Motherland.

THE BREAKDOWN

• Intro / Banter (00:00 - 04:05)
• Main Topic (04:05 - 20:55)
• SPOILERS (20:55 - 2:34:18)
• Outro / Next Week (2:34:18 - 2:38:51)

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That venerated institution, the Geek Challenge, takes to the bright blue sky with a pair of retro ‘90s flicks. First up, Paul challenges Arlo to Joe Johnston’s 1991 Billy Campbell-starring adventure The Rocketeer, a proto-First Avenger that mixes pulp fiction with ‘30s Hollywood. Then, Arlo challenges Paul to Gary Ross’ 1998 directorial debut Pleasantville, which finds Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon zapped inside the black-and-white world of a hunky dory ‘50s sitcom. These films look backward to say something about the present, and while one admittedly has a lot more on its mind than the other, the boys find both to be unsettlingly timely. From populist demagoguery to villains that no longer feel like an historical artifact, Paul and Arlo mine a lot from these goofy, decades-old movies. Plus, Arlo remembers that comics exist.

Next: after a week off, the boys return to discuss experimental arthouse feature Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi, which will be of interest to only the most devout cineaste.

THE BREAKDOWN

• Intro / Banter (00:00 - 27:00)
• Main Topic (27:00 - 1:49:50)
• Outro / Next Week (1:49:50 - 1:53:05)

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This week, Paul and Arlo return to their Four-Color Flashback exploration of Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra’s Y: The Last Man with Vol. 8: Kimono Dragons. Joining them for the first time in a while is once and future 90 700 Club host Chance Mazzia. Frustrated by some of the detours this Japanese misadventure takes, the gang gets around to asking the question that’s hung over this entire FCF series: nearly a decade removed from publication, is Y: The Last Man still as great as they thought it was? To find the answer, they discuss Vaughan’s writing style, how each volume reads compared to the whole, and what if anything Y contributed to the evolution of the comics medium. Plus, Justice League arrives in theaters (leading to a breakthrough in Paul and Arlo’s relationship), the Avengers assemble for the Infinity War trailer, and Arlo is delighted by The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

Next: the Geek Challenge rides again, with a retro kick. Paul will force Arlo to watch Joe Johnston’s 1991 superhero cult classic The Rocketeer, and Arlo will force Paul to watch Gary Ross’ colorful 1998 film Pleasantville.

THE BREAKDOWN

• Intro / Banter (00:00 - 31:52)
• Main Topic (31:52 - 1:40:03)
• Outro / Next Week (1:40:03 - 1:45:30)

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For a return to our regularly scheduled pop culture chatter, Paul and Arlo ride their hammers to the faraway world of Asgard, which is in a spot of trouble. Avenger and heir to the throne Thor Odinson must defend his people from the villainous Hela; along the way, he gets imprisoned by an eccentric weirdo named the Grandmaster and is forced to do battle with the Hulk, his infamous “friend from work.” The boys discuss why Thor: Ragnarok is among the very best the Marvel Cinematic Universe has to offer, what perspective New Zealander Taika Waititi brings to the franchise, what the film says about immigrants (besides cueing up the perfect Robert Plant wail), and if we’ll ever see Bruce Banner again. Plus, they discuss the pop culture they enjoyed during the show’s hiatus.

Next: in two weeks’ time, Paul and Arlo pick up their Four-Color Flashback exploration of Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra’s Y: The Last Man with Vol. 8: Kimono Dragons.

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So, what’s new? We miss anything? Gobbledygeek returns with a Very Special Episode wherein Paul and Arlo attempt to explain why the show went away for a couple months and how exactly it’s coming back. They made almost no attempt to prepare for this discussion, so it’s a little awkward, a little uncomfortable, and we’re not gonna lie, there’s some tension between our co-hosts. But the minions are back. And that’s what matters, right?

Next: a return to our regularly scheduled programming with a discussion of Thor: Ragnarok.

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Six years in, how is The X-Files handling Mulder and Scully’s relentless quest for the truth? To investigate this particular mystery, Paul and Arlo have once again abducted Wesley “Wezzo” Mead from the U.K. The gang discusses how the sixth season of Chris Carter’s seminal sci-fi series handles the movie's revelations; how the production move from Vancouver to L.A has affected the tone; if this season is a touch goofier than previous years; and what the radical changes to the series’ mythology means for the future, if anything. Plus, they talk politics. Of course they do. And it's depressing. Of course it is.

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Come and listen to my story about a guy named Dan; a poor prospector, a self-made man. And then one day, to California he drew, and up from the ground come a-bubblin’ crude. Blood, that is. Capitalist blood. For the third in our Ten Years Later series (we’re in the market for a snappier name), Paul and Arlo turn to Paul Thomas Anderson’s study of American monster/oilman Daniel Plainview, There Will Be Blood. Joining them is The Debatable Podcast’s Greg Sahadachny, who makes his triumphant return to Gobbledygeek after nearly two years. The boys discuss how the film explores the intersection between religion and capitalism; whether or not Daniel Day-Lewis and Paul Dano give into overacting; if Daniel Plainview could be considered a villain; and how the “I drink your milkshake!” scene holds up after a decade of memeification.

Next: we’ve abducted Wesley “Wezzo” Mead once again to discuss Chris Carter’s seminal sci-fi series The X-Files. This time, we investigate the L.A.-bound season 6.

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Appropriately, this month’s Four-Color Flashback entry is riddled with flashbacks, as Y: The Last Man - Vol. 7: Paper Dolls takes a look at Agent 355 and Ampersand’s pasts to give us a taste of what must be going through their heads in the present. Ensley F. Guffey, co-author of Wanna Cook? The Complete, Unauthorized Guide to Breaking Bad, joins Paul and Arlo to continue their exploration of Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra’s acclaimed Vertigo series. The gang discusses how this volume shows society’s evolution post-gendercide, puzzles over Yorick’s motivations (what else is new?), and asks Ensley to be smart for them. Plus, Paul got his ass kicked by Atomic Blonde, and Ensley has a few choice words about Nazi Captain America.

Next: Greg Sahadachny of The Debatable Podcast returns to Gobbledygeek to discuss Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood ten years on.

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Sun, spray, bullets, and blood: Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk recounts the worst beach trip in history, as 400,000 Allied troops were trapped by the Nazis in Dunkirk, France. The word Paul and Arlo keep coming back to as a descriptor is “relentless.” 107 minutes of third-act intensity, Dunkirk may be the purest expression of Nolan’s watchmaker-precise skill. The boys discuss the film’s three interweaving time strands, the lack of overt character development (except for that moment), Hans Zimmer’s ticking time bomb of a score, and why the movie never names or shows its Nazi enemies. Plus, Arlo is convinced the rest of the world is experiencing a mass delusion regarding Arrested Development season 4; and the boys take a look at the SDCC trailers for Ready Player One, Justice League, Thor: Ragnarok, Stranger Things, and The Defenders.

Next: it’s another Four-Color Flashback, as Ensley F. Guffey, co-author of Wanna Cook? The Complete Unauthorized Guide to Breaking Bad, joins Paul and Arlo to discuss Y: The Last Man - Vol. 7: Paper Dolls.

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War for the Planet of the Apes! Huh! Who is it good for? The answer would be cinephiles searching for an intelligent, emotionally and politically resonant blockbuster. Welcome to Paradise’s Kenn Edwards joins Paul and Arlo to discuss Matt Reeves’ final installment in the so-called “Caesar Cycle,” which may be the bleakest monkey movie in history. (Also, they’re not monkeys. Just ask Arlo’s fiancée.) The gang delves into the genius of the film’s visual effects, Andy Serkis’ Oscar-worthy performance, the Apocalypse Now riffs, and how or if these films tie into the original Planet of the Apes series. Plus, Kenn finds a new way to watch Jaws, Paul comes down with The Big Sick, the Doctor is a lady, and the gang commemorates George Romero and Martin Landau.

Next: Christopher Nolan goes to war sans apes with Dunkirk.

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It’s a Wiley whammy as first-time guest Heather Wiley joins Gobbledygeek’s very own Arlo Wiley in teaming up to finally take down Paul. Actually, this is a pretty convivial episode, as all three agree that Spider-Man: Homecoming is not only one of the better Spider-Man movies--some on this podcast would venture to call it the best--but one of the better entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe thus far. The gang discusses why that is: the familiar yet fresh take on our friendly neighborhood webhead, an effortless mix of comedy and drama, a believable villain who doesn’t want to shoot giant beams of light into the sky, genuine Queens-like diversity, and killer turns from Tom Holland and Michael Keaton. Plus, Paul conducted a Mozart in the Jungle binge, Arlo got together with Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and Heather tries to piece together if she and Arlo are indeed blood relatives.

Next: War for the Planet of the Apes is hell.

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This week, Paul and Arlo put the pedal to the metal and drop the needle on Baby Driver, the latest nerd fantasia from writer-director Edgar Wright. Filled with rock and soul classics, Wright’s first American film is a high-concept car chase musical that nevertheless plays things a little straighter than his British/Canadian ventures. The boys discuss their favorite music cues, whether or not the internet is right to hate Ansel Elgort, what the film says about music as the soundtrack to our lives, and of course the goddamn Hamm. Plus, Paul and Arlo puzzle over the latest season of Orange Is the New Black and take a bite out of Bong Joon-ho’s Okja.

Next: first-time guest Heather Wiley swings by to talk Spider-Man: Homecoming.

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Landlubber Yorick Brown sets sail for Australia in Y: The Last Man: Vol. 6 - Girl on Girl, and Paul and Arlo are on hand to detail his nautical adventure. Now that their year-long Four-Color Flashback journey through Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra’s beloved comic book is more than halfway over...the boys have an existential crisis and ponder why it’s been so difficult to discuss their journey. Is a series like Y: The Last Man built for this kind of volume-by-volume analysis? Every comic book is different, so is it fair for the boys to place it under the same scrutiny they did The Sandman? Besides making a classic of the medium sound surprisingly shitty, the boys do mine discussion from Girl on Girl, particularly about how the women in Yorick’s life realize they’re trapping themselves inside his narrative. They swear they love this book. Really. Plus, Arlo forced Amber to watch Firefly and Serenity.

Next: put pedal to the metal as Edgar Wright drops the needle on Baby Driver.

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135 years ago, Robert Ford put a bullet in the back of Jesse James’ head. 34 years ago, Ron Hansen put pen to paper for a literary retelling of this slaying, calling it The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. 10 years ago, Australian writer-director Andrew Dominik put to film his version of this novel. What gets lost over time and multiple translations? What aspects of the legend become amplified, and what diminished? These are appropriately heady questions, as Dominik’s film tackles the very concepts of celebrity, idolatry, memory, and myth. The movie, met with decent reviews and zero fanfare upon release, seems like a classic in 2017. Paul and Arlo rave about the film, including Roger Deakins’ once-in-a-lifetime stellar cinematography, the spellbinding score by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, and the haunting performances from Casey Affleck and Brad Pitt. They also discuss who’s the real coward, who really killed whom, and what the film has to say about masculinity and the Old West. Plus, that new Spider-Man game for the PS4 looks baller.

Next: the boys’ year-long Four-Color Flashback exploration of Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra’s Y: The Last Man continues with Vol. 6: Girl on Girl.

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This week, the lasso of truth compels Paul and Arlo to tell you all about their thoughts on Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman, the fourth film in the DC Extended Universe and the first major female-led superhero movie since freaking Elektra. Joining them on this Themysciran horseback ride is friend of the show Hallie Prime. The gang discusses Gal Gadot’s note-perfect performance, Chris Pine’s frighteningly large eyebrows, whether or not the film’s villains live up to its hero, and if there’s still hope for the DCEU yet. Plus, Arlo gets all evangelical about The Leftovers.

Next: after a week off, Paul and Arlo will take a look at The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford ten years on.

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Once again, Paul and Arlo’s most British friend Wesley “Wezzo” Mead is abducted from the U.K. to discuss Chris Carter’s seminal sci-fi series The X-Files. The gang has reached the show’s fifth season; for a while now, Paul and Wezzo have been warning neophyte X-Phile Arlo that things would go downhill, and we may have reached that point. They discuss why season 5 doesn’t work quite as well as previous seasons; the big celebrity guest writers (Stephen King! William Gibson!); if the mytharc stuff makes any sense at this point; whether or not Scully has been completely robbed of agency; and the series’ first feature film, Fight the Future. Plus, there’s despairing political talk as always, and Arlo revisited every single David Lynch movie.

Next: the lasso of truth compels Paul and Arlo to give you their thoughts on Patty Jenkins’ big-screen Wonder Woman.

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Y: The Last Man gets it very own Ring Cycle with Vol. 5: Ring of Truth, wherein Yorick is separated from his engagement ring while the Culper Ring goes head-to-head with the Setauket Ring. Meanwhile, Paul and Arlo’s year-long Four-Color Flashback “study” of Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra’s acclaimed series runs rings around the competition (not that there is any). The boys discuss everyone’s relative morality; the stand-alone issue “Hero’s Journey,” which allows us to see things from a feminine perspective; whether or not it all comes down to crane spunk and monkey shit; and Christ on a cross. Plus, Paul and Arlo remember Chris Cornell.

Next: killer trees are afoot as Wesley “Wezzo” Mead joins the boys once again to discuss Chris Carter’s seminal sci-fi series The X-Files. This time, the gang sets their sights on season 5 and the series’ first big screen outing, Fight the Future.

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Family is family, no matter how much they might piss you off. It’s fitting that while the ragtag band of losers at the heart of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 learn this lesson, Paul and Arlo are relearning it. That’s right, kids, the boys’ miraculous and unprecedented string of agreements is over: Paul is tail over paws in love with Vol. 2, while Arlo rides the good ship Kelly McGillis into a sea of disappointment. Are the film’s various character pairings emotionally satisfying? Does Vol. 2 merely rehash everything you loved about the first? Is Michael Rooker a goddamn gift to humanity/Centauriankind? Plus, Paul mind-melds with Sense8 season 2, and Arlo wants to believe with The Leftovers season 3.

Next: after a week off, Ensley F. Guffey will join the boys for the next installment in their (woefully unappreciated) Four-Color Flashback exploring Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra’s Y: The Last Man. This time, they’ll slip on the Ring of Truth for Y: The Last Man - Vol. 5.

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Anti-immigrant sentiment. Militarized police. Fascist leadership. A Britain with closed borders. No, this isn’t our world circa 2017; it’s the 2027 of Alfonso Cuarón’s 2006 sci-fi masterpiece Children of Men. A world rocked by mass infertility and faced with humanity’s impending extinction has led down a path of violent extremism, one you and I may be traveling as we speak. Paul and Arlo discuss the film’s terrifying relevance, its rightful ascendance to modern classic status, those insane tracking shots, and, you know, white male privilege. Plus, Paul promised Arlo he would watch Park Chan-wook’s The Handmaiden, and by god that’s a promise he kept.

Next: three years after their self-titled debut, the Guardians of the Galaxy are about to drop Vol. 2, and you’re invited to the listening party.

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Slip on your shiniest boots of leather and grab those whips, it's Four-Color Flashback time! Professional Grendel podcaster Chance Mazzia joins Paul and Arlo for their year-long exploration of Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra's Y: The Last Man for Vol. 4: Safeword, wherein things get a little kinky. When the gang stops at a remote cabin in the woods (never a good sign), Yorick is in for a femdom fiesta complete with chains, ropes, and soul-searching. The boys discuss how the series subverts conventional ideas of masculinity; what Yorick's sexual history tells us about him; and how the story functions in a post-9/11, circa Trump world. Plus, Chance wants you to know The Name of the Wind, and Arlo furthers the kink with Park Chan-Wook's The Handmaiden.

Next: it's been more than a decade since Alfonso Cuarón's Children of Men hit theaters. Paul and Arlo examine how the film's dark and despairing future reflects our dark and despairing present.

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This week, a podcast about a podcast. Of course, S-Town is no ordinary podcast; from the producers of This American Life and Serial, it's a coherent piece of documentary art unto itself. Reporter Brian Reed had little idea what he was getting himself into when John B. McLemore of Shittown (née Woodstock), Alabama, emailed him about a possible murder cover-up. Likewise, the listener who presses play on the first episode of S-Town has no idea of the journey they're about to take, one that is about time, empathy, compassion. Joining Paul and Arlo to suss out some of this journey's meaning is Paul's better half, Pam Smith, herself a lifelong Alabamian. The gang discusses how S-Town resonates with them, whether or not it's too invasive, why it should be mandatory listening, and Paul and Pam's trip to Woodstock. Plus, Pam plays some calming video games (Abzu, Flow, Journey, and Flower), while Arlo's other half finally gets him to play The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time; and we have movie sign as Paul heckles Netflix's Mystery Science Theater 3000 revival.

Next: Gobbledypal Chance Mazzia stops by for more Four-Color Flashback fun. This time, he's here for Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra's Y: The Last Man. He'll help Paul and Arlo tackle Vol. 4: Safeword.

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Aliens dripping their acidic psychosexual horrors all over you. Artificial intelligence becoming real, seeing and hearing and controlling all you do. Your friends' flesh peeling back to reveal their true inhuman visage. These are the nightmares conjured by such sci-fi horror classics as Alien, The Terminator, and The Thing, but you may not have seen their likes in recent years. Blumhouse and Birth. Movies. Death. writer Jess Hicks joins Paul and Arlo to ask, “Where have all the good sci-fi horror movies gone?” The gang discusses why the genre reached its apex in the '80s; why it's so much more difficult to produce (or even conceptualize of) good sci-fi horror these days; and how TV may be picking up the slack. In the middle of all this, technology literally revolts against our hosts. Plus, Paul and Arlo come from the land of the ice and snow to geek out over the giddy Thor: Ragnarok teaser.

Next: a podcast about a podcast. Paul's better half, Pam Smith, joins the boys to discuss the beautiful, stunning S-Town.

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This week, Paul and Arlo turn on and tune into the wonders and terrors of the superhuman mind by taking a gander at the first season of Legion. The FX series, developed by Fargo's Noah Hawley and theoretically set in the X-Men universe, is unlike most other superheroic media. David Haller is either schizophrenic, an extremely powerful telepathic/telekinetic mutant, or both. Witnessed through his eyes, the world is fractured, bizarre, disturbing, and a tad surreal. As such, the typical X-Men plot--David is rescued from a mutant-hunting government organization known as D3 by a group of rebels with a Magneto-esque leader--is given a swift kick in the pants. The boys discuss this inventive telling of a simple story, the show's many visual flourishes, why it's a powerful exploration of mental health, and Aubrey Plaza's revelatory turn as a 50-year-old man. Plus, a surprise Rick and Morty pre-empts Samurai Jack, overjoying one of our hosts and causing considerable frustration in the other; and the boys rave about the fifth season of another brilliant FX drama, The Americans.

Next: film critic and horror expert Jess Byard joins Paul and Arlo to ask, “Where has all the good sci-fi horror gone?”

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Hallelujah, it's raining men! As Yorick Brown discovers he may not be the last man in the universe thanks to a space shuttle carrying two others, Paul and Arlo invite Kenn Edwards to join them on their year-long Four-Color Flashback discussion of Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra's Y: The Last Man. With Vol. 3: One Small Step, the gang discusses the book's self-referential devices, the prominence of fiction as a theme, and how Yorick's progression from boy to man is coming along. There's also talk of guest artist Paul Chadwick, who fills in for Guerra on the two-issue departure "Comedy & Tragedy"; depending on who you ask, the story is either a Gaiman-esque delight or the height of masturbatory self-indulgence. Fun times! Plus, Arlo and Kenn discuss Dave Chappelle's new Netflix specials, Jerrod Carmichael's 8, and, you know, the role of comedy in modern society. Meanwhile, Paul twiddles his thumbs.

Next: throw out your meds, drop the needle on The Dark Side of the Moon, and get ready for a discussion of Noah Hawley's brain-breaking FX/Marvel TV series Legion.

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If only these walls could talk, the secrets they could tell. Among them: murder, betrayal, lies, infidelity, and how in the hell Tommy Wiseau made a movie. It's time for another Geek Challenge, and Arlo has seized the opportunity to finally force Paul into watching Wiseau's 2003 cult classic The Room. In turn, Paul has challenged Arlo to Sidney Lumet's much more dignified 1982 crime comedy Deathtrap. The boys discuss the advantages of stage over screen, and vice versa; questionable acting, be it Dyan Cannon or Greg Sestero; homoerotic subtext (or maybe it's just text); and, yet again, Arlo's fascination with epically bad filmmaking. Plus, Paul got his ears blown out by the Alabama Symphony's Led Zeppelin.

Next: Kenn Edwards joins Paul and Arlo for the next installment of their year-long Four-Color Flashback discussion of Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra's Y: The Last Man. This time, the gang will talk Vol. 3: One Small Step.

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People get old. Claws get rusty. Movie franchises get tired. After 17 years of real-world time and 150+ fictional years, the time has come for James "Logan" Howlett AKA Wolverine to take a bow. In Logan, the final film featuring Hugh Jackman in his iconic star-making role, we're introduced to a near-future bereft of mutants and full of sorrow. Logan's mind is a potent cocktail of regret, pain, and futility. When a young girl named Laura throws him back into action, he takes the nonagenarian Professor X on the road for one last adventure. Though "adventure" is not a word one would use to describe this brutal, melancholy film, about as far in tone as you could get from any of the nine previous installments in the X-Men series. Paul and Arlo discuss the film's worthiness as a swan song for Canada's most violent citizen, how it fits perfectly alongside Cop Land in director James Mangold's canon, whether or not the very R-rated violence is gratuitous, and if in a perfect world this should be the end of the X-Men's silver screen career.

Next: Paul and Arlo will be subjecting each other to yet another Geek Challenge. Paul must finally watch Tommy Wiseau's infamous 2003 cult classic The Room, while Arlo is tasked with Sidney Lumet's 1982 crime comedy Deathtrap.

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Bringing a much-needed feminist perspective to a story about a man surrounded on all sides by women, Jeff Bridges poet Donora Rihn joins Paul and Arlo for their year-long Four-Color Flashback exploration of Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra's acclaimed Vertigo comic book series Y: The Last Man. This time, the gang discusses Vol. 2: Cycles, which collects issues #6-10 of the original series. Donora asks Paul and Arlo how they perceive the book as men, and if they think it shows Yorick growing into his role as the last man on Earth; in turn, Paul and Arlo ask Donora if she finds Vaughan's narrative voice to be overwhelmingly male and if it fairly represents its many female characters. In between, Arlo can't stop recommending things to comics newbie Donora, there is yet more praise of Guerra's clean and beautiful artwork, and there are select readings from Valeria Solanas' SCUM Manifesto. Plus, Donora has a new name and the gang remembers the late great Bill Paxton.

Next: after a week off for another of Arlo's poop cruises, the boys sharpen their claws to discuss the final Wolverine film, Logan.

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Just in time for everyone's distrust in government to be at an all-time high, Wesley "Wezzo" Mead joins Paul and Arlo once again to discuss Chris Carter's seminal sci-fi series The X-Files. This time, the gang sets their sights on season 4, and opinion seems to be divided on just how well the season holds together. Is this where the mythology stuff starts to really go off the rails? Does Scully's cancer make for a compelling dramatic throughline? And most importantly of all, is there an obvious heir to Darin Morgan's throne (a couple suggestions are thrown out)? Plus, Wezzo laments the progression of Brexit, while Paul and Arlo sift through the Trump Administration's mounting atrocities; and on a happier, sillier note, the gang has a blast with The Lego Batman Movie.

Next: this year's Four-Color Flashback exploration of Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra's Y: The Last Man continues. Jeff Bridges poet Donora Rihn joins Paul and Arlo to discuss Vol. 2: Cycles.

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After nearly seven years of fruitless podcasting, Gobbledygeek has reached its 300th episode. For some time now, Paul and Arlo have semi-jokingly referred to episode 300 as the "therapy episode"...so, what the hell, here's three hours of the boys discussing the skeletons in their closest. Acting as guest host and amateur therapist, friend of the show and So Let's Get to the Point host Kenn Edwards grills the guys about their childhoods, their families, their romances, and what they really think of each other. You'll learn more about Paul and Arlo than you ever hoped to, and then some. Will you survive the experience? Will they?

Next: after a week off to recuperate, the boys return to discuss The X-Files season 4 with that roguishly charming Brit, Wesley "Wezzo" Mead.

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FIVE SECONDS AGO: Arlo cracks open the first volume of Y: The Last Man. FOUR SECONDS AGO: Paul berates Arlo for not turning on his mic. THREE SECONDS AGO: Arlo rolls his eyes, turns on mic. TWO SECONDS AGO: Arlo loudly eats into the microphone. ONE SECOND AGO: Paul presses record. NOW: Gobbledygeek's 2017 Four-Color Flashback series is here. This year, the boys will be discussing all ten volumes of Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra's acclaimed Vertigo series Y: The Last Man, in which every male mammal on the planet drops dead at the same time...save one young escape artist cum layabout and his pet monkey. With Vol. 1: Unmanned, the boys dive into the adventures of Yorick Brown, the laconic Agent 355, and the many varied women they come across during their adventures. Under discussion are the series' politics, its place in Vaughan's career, and what makes Guerra's simple and clean artwork so effective. Plus, Arlo was on a boat, Paul sang along to Moana, and they both struggle to find the joy in discussing pop culture during this incredibly despairing time in American history.

Next: the mythical episode 300 is upon us. Dr. Kenn Edwards, PhD will plumb the tender, fragile psyches of Paul and Arlo. The show will never be the same. They will never be the same. You will never be the same.

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Wait, what's that? Not only did someone listen to our Grendel episodes...but they decided to join us on air?! Wonders never cease. Joining Paul and Arlo to finish last year's Four-Color Flashback series on Matt Wagner's Grendel is Chance Mazzia, who actually discovered the show thanks to Wagner's whacked-out opus. The gang discusses "Devil's Reign," collected in Grendel Omnibus: Vol. 3, which is not technically the end of the sprawling series but marks a fine endpoint for their analysis. Orion Assante seeks to unite the world, but at what cost? Among this week's subjects are vampirism and Elvis, Trump and Obama, and the subtle art of dick jokes.

Next: a new Four-Color Flashback is upon us. This time the boys will be discussing the presumably much more popular series Y: The Last Man by Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra. Up first is Vol. 1: Unmanned.

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A band of dirty rebels go to extreme lengths to send a transmission that will change the fate of the galaxy...yes, that's right, Paul and Arlo are risking everything to get the Gobbledygeek season 8 premiere out there. After a months-long hiatus, the boys make their triumphant return to discuss Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, joined by So Let's Get to the Point and Welcome to Paradise's Kenn Edwards and The Deli Counter of Justice co-editor Eric Sipple. Gareth Edwards' prequel (ooh, there's the p-word) could be taken as a proof of concept for Disney's slate of standalone Star Wars films. The gang debates its merits as a Star Wars movie and a movie on its own terms; wonders why the characters don't stick out more; and asks the question that will unlock Rogue One's many secrets...why is the door stuck?

Next: to the delight of almost no one, Paul and Arlo clean house following last year's abbreviated season by finishing their Four-Color Flashback analysis of Matt Wagner's Grendel with "Devil's Reign," collected in Grendel Omnibus: Vol. 3.

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We're back! Sort of. Before Gobbledygeek's official return next month, Paul and Arlo explain the terrible real-life circumstances that led to the hiatus. The boys discuss grief, loss, tragedy, depression, and a whole bunch of other super fun and upbeat things! To end things on a positive note, they also discuss some happy news and the pop culture they've enjoyed during the hiatus (Westworld! Arrival! Moonlight!).

Next: the show returns toward the end of next month to make another journey to a galaxy far, far away with a discussion of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

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We are devastated to report that on Sunday, October 9, 2016, Arlo's mother Kim passed away. This has been a difficult year for many of us, but a death in the Gobbledygeek Family hits especially hard. So we hope you'll understand that Arlo, and the show, will be taking a much-needed hiatus to process and grieve. We will return in January 2017 with a brand new season, Season 8, but in the meantime we appreciate all the thoughts, prayers and comfort you can give to our friend and his family. 

We've set up a GoFundMe campaign to help with medical expenses and funeral arrangements. We understand everyone is on a budget, but no amount is too small. If you're able, please go to https://www.gofundme.com/arlo-wiley-support-fund-2tsqaec?ssid=767925923&pos=1. 

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Armed only with a glass of water and his trusty baseball bat, Kenn Edwards of So Let's Get to the Point invades the podcast this week to help Paul and Arlo kick off Gobbledyween 2016. This year's month-long horror-fest gets off to a miraculous start with a discussion of M. Night Shyamalan's sci-fi thriller Signs. After the runaway success of The Sixth Sense and the lukewarm contemporary response to Unbreakable, Signs is often considered the last film Shyamalan made before a precipitous decline; that is, when it's considered at all. The gang gets to the core of what makes Signs a worthwhile film, including a question you may hear repeated about the other movies on this year's slate: Is it a horror film at all? The boys also delve into Shyamalan's exploration of faith, how the film functions as a response to 9/11, whether or not it's okay to still enjoy a Mel Gibson performance, and more. Plus, Paul violently shames Arlo for not watching Luke Cage, and the mythical episode 300 is teased.

Next: Gobbledyween 2016 grows fangs for Kathryn Bigelow's 1987 vampiric neo-Western Near Dark.

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Vampires, bananas, and Weird Al-esque song parodies, oh my! Paul and Arlo may be winding down their coverage of Matt Wagner's Grendel, the subject of this year's exceedingly popular (ahem) Four-Color Flashback series, but the story shows no signs of letting up in "God and the Devil" chapters 7-10. A cosmetically altered face from the distant past returns, incest is rationalized, and produce is used in an attempt to rape the sun. The boys question some of the story's leaps in logic and the general coherence of the Grendel cycle while admiring its utter batshit insanity and dynamic artwork. Plus, Paul watches TV (Arlo does too kind of) and Arlo's life has exploded.

Next: fall is in the air and blood is on the silver screen. Gobbledyween 2017 kicks off as Kenn Edwards of So Let's Get to the Point swings by to discuss M. Night Shyamalan's Signs.

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Live from Denny's, it's Donora Hillard! The Jeff Bridges poet returns to talk about...pretty much everything with Paul and Arlo. While enjoying late-night diner ambiance, the gang discusses driving and the anxiety it causes; dance, of the So You Think You Can variety (featuring, upon special request, a rendition of Paul's classic Black Swan diatribe); tiny houses, one of which Donora owns; and what's in everyone's bags (Arlo's answers will amaze you). Plus David Lynch, Bunheads, arrested development (neither the rap group nor the television series)...everything.

Next: the boys take their penultimate trip to the hellish world of Matt Wagner's Grendel as this year's Four-Color Flashback nears its close, with a look at "God and the Devil, Part 2," collected in Grendel Omnibus: Vol. 3 - Orion's Reign.

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Are you in the mood to Bone? I hope so, because Paul and Arlo are returning to the world of Jeff Smith's cartoonish epic, which they explored in last year's Four-Color Flashback series, to discuss the newly released 25th anniversary book Bone: Coda. The new adventure included in the volume is described as a "completely superfluous" addition to the saga of the Bone cousins--Fone, Phoney, and Smiley--which proves that there is indeed truth in advertising. The story picks up right where Smith's magnum opus left off in 2004, but it's merely a cute little one-off. The boys debate the merits of such an inconsequential return while discussing the other two-thirds of the book, which consist of Smith's memoir-esque piece "A Moveable Pizza Party" and Stephen Weiner's A Bone Companion (what, they couldn't get Hy Bender?). Plus, Paul spent his summer vacation reading 131 comic books and Arlo describes Akron's diverse grilled cheese climate.

Next: Jeff Bridges poet Donora Hillard returns to the show to talk about whatever she damn well pleases.

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The truth is out there: season 3 of The X-Files is the show's strongest season. That is, if you can trust Paul, Arlo, and the inimitable Wesley "Wezzo" Mead as they have another of their periodic discussions of Chris Carter's '90s masterwork. What makes season 3 work so well? It might have something to do with the series' expanded tonal range--a tense thriller in "Pusher," Satanic panic meetsHeathers in "Syzygy"--and the confidence with which it tackles both the monster-of-the-week hours and the increasingly complex (or is that convoluted?) mytharc installments. Then there are the Darin Morgan episodes ("Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose," "War of the Coprophages," and "Jose Chung's From Outer Space"), which are something else entirely. Plus holy cow, UK politics have gotten super depressing since the last time Wezzo stopped by.

Next: Paul and Arlo return to Boneville, site of last year's Four-Color Flashback, for a look at the newly published Bone: Coda.