When It Was Cool Pop Culture Podcast: Recent Episodes
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When It Was Cool reviews, remembers, and celebrates the toys, music, action figures, television, movies, and popular culture of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. Star Wars, G.I. Joe, Super Friends, Comic Books, Comics, DC Comics, Marvel Comics, My Little Pony, Alice in Wonderland, books, Six Million Dollar Man, Godzilla, video games, and all things retro.
Up from the depths. 30 stories high. Beathing fire. He stands in the sky! Godzilla! Godzilla! Godzilla! Oh, yeah and Godzuki too unfortunatly. Still, in 1978, kids everywhere in the United States sat in front of their TV set with their Shogun Warriors Godzilla toy in hand to thrill to the adventures of the giant Toho monster! Today on First! we look back at the first episode of the Godzilla Saturday morning cartoon show!
Generally speaking, this is my most listened to show of the year, so thank you and strap in. Over the past several months this podcast has focused on many of the people who had not yet made the ballot. That gives me much more latitude on today's show to dive into the people and process of the Hall of Fame, examine the ballot, and on the second half of the show I throw a curveball to the process which makes for a very interesting segment. Also, I am preparing a suggestion for Dave Meltzer about how to handle the pioneer era of wrestling.
I am a sucker for Greco-Roman mythology, so I thought I’d check out the much lauded performance of bodybuilder Steve Reeves in the first of his two appearances as Hercules in the 1958 movie of the same name. Obviously, as far as special effects goes, this movie was seriously limited by it’s era, but I have to say, Steve Reeves made a pretty darn impressive Hercules. The story took an unneeded detour in the middle which drug things down, but overall, this was a pretty solid movie.
Our next episode of First! takes a look back at Godzilla's comic book arrival in the United States in his own Toho licensed comic book series that was actually set directly in the Marvel Universe. In the pages of Godzilla (1977), Marvel's S.H.I.E.L.D. tried to stop Godzilla from crossing the United States after he comes ashore on the west coast and begins his march east. By the end, he ends up facing The Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and others!
Godzilla is a multi-million-dollar intellectual property that has given us many films, toys, and more. Today, When It Was Cool looks back at the first Godzilla movie from 1954, a great blend between a monster and horror movie. The first Godzilla movie stands the test of time.
This week, I have an episode from our new comic book podcast series at When It Was Cool called: First! This podcast series takes a look at first issues, first appearances, and more in comics and comic related pop culture. Today, we travel back to 1983 for one of the wonderful staples of the spinner rack- Alpha Flight! Mutants were soaring in popularity and Marvel had the idea to spin off a super team based in Canada.
This is my first time seeing George Reeves as Superman. Reeves was the iconic Superman of the 1950s and this movie length feature launched that beloved series. I didn't think this was very good and compared to the Superman movie serials a few years before fell short. But apparently it struck a chord in children of the era because it launched one of the most beloved TV series in American history.
Aquaman issue one was not the first appearance of Aquaman. Aquaman had a limited run in the Golden Age, but this was his debut in the Silver Age of comics and his first ever solo title. A multi-part story featuring Aquaman, Aqualad, and others against some Fire Troll. Join me for the second episode of First! covering first issues, first episodes, first appearances, and more! Now, let's go talk to the fishes for a minute.
Atom Man vs. Superman (1950) was the sequel to the 1948 Superman serial and used the original actors in their roles again. This time, however, the villain is a good one- Lex Luthor! We take a look at Lex Luthor's first time appearing in a live action series and, in my opinion, this is the best Luthor to-date! Atom Man... not so much.
Today the When It Was Cool special podcast takes a look back at the 1949 follow up to the previously reviewed 1943 The Batman. This serial was titled simply "Batman and Robin" and was a much better story with significantly worse costuming. There were some hilarious blunders along the way and once again Robin is old enough to be your dad but let's take a look at this much less racist Batman as he takes on the masked Wizard! Be sure to also check out the accompanying article at WhenItWasCool.com
The debut of the new First! podcast series. This series takes a look back at first issues, first appearances, and pop culture firsts contained in comic books. We will be looking at comics from the Golden Age, Silver Age, Bronze Age, and Modern Age of comics. Today we look back to one of the earliest patriotic heroes and the most successful of them all- Captain America! Today, Captain America has multiple movie appearances including in the successful Marvel Avengers franchise, but all started out in 1941 with Captain America punching a certain real life historical bad guy right in the face!
Superman is a 1948 15-part Columbia Pictures film serial based on the comic book character Superman. It stars an uncredited Kirk Alyn (billed on-screen only by his character's name, Superman; but credited as Kirk Alyn on the promotional posters) and Noel Neill as Lois Lane. It was the first live-action appearance of Superman on film.[1] The serial was directed by Thomas Carr (who later directed many early episodes of the Adventures of Superman television series[1]) and Spencer Gordon Bennet, produced by Sam Katzman, and shot in and around Los Angeles, California. It was originally screened at movie matinées, and after the first three scene-setting chapters, every episode ends in a cliffhanger. The Superman-in-flight scenes are animations, in part due to the small production budget.
Captain America is a 1944 Republic black-and-white 15-chapter serial film loosely based on the Timely Comics (now Marvel Comics) character Captain America. It was the last Republic serial made about a superhero. It also has the distinction of being the most expensive serial that Republic ever made. It stands as the first theatrical release connected to a Marvel character. The film was re-released in 1953, and it was released in Turkey in popular before the release of the original comics, Turkish Captain America films was also produced such as 1968 film Binbaşı Tayfun and 1973 film 3 Dev Adam. It was the first live-action rendition of a Marvel character.
A great Universal monsters horror film from 1944! House of Frankenstein features Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Wolf Man in action with and against each other! A fine and fun horror movie!
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There's a new Dracula in town kids. Following the classic Bela Lugosi led classic, Universal Pictures came back with two (sort of) sequels- Daughter of Dracula and Son of Dracula. We take a look at Son of Dracula that apparently doesn't feature the son of Dracula at all. Nope, it's the count himself and he is played by Lon Chaney, Jr. this time with Bela Lugosi nowhere to be found. This time Dracula comes to the U.S. looking for fresh blood but he's not looking for a bride... a bride is looking for him! Listen in as Karl from When It Was Cool reviews Son of Dracula!
Join pro wrestling historian and author Karl Stern as he talks about the complicated history and legacy of pro wrestling legend Hulk Hogan, who passed away on July 24, 2025, at his home in Florida. Hulk Hogan, who began his pro wrestling career in the late 1970s, became one of the most famous pro wrestlers in history and a major pop culture star as well. From his movies to his reality show, Hulk Hogan was one of the biggest media stars pro wrestling ever produced.
Oh boy... you win some and you lose some. While Adventures of Captain Marvel from Republic Films was a real winner the same cannot be said for the racist and silly 1943 Columbia Film The Batman. The casting was beyond terrible and there were few good qualities about this 15-part serial. The costuming was fine but today we meet a Batman who never wins a fight, a Robin that was at least twice too old, and dialog meant to offend probably everyone. This film did introduce The Bat's Cave to Batman lore and just wait until you hear about the amazing special effect that accompanied the Batmobile! Be sure to also read the article on the main When It Was Cool website for photos and more!
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Yesterday, I went to see James Gunn's new Superman movie starring David Corenswet. What should I expect? The dark, grim, and joylessness of the Snyderverse? Nope. This movie was a lot of fun with a lot of excitement. It has been criticized in the media as being too 'woke' or political, but I didn't see it that way. This was not a great movie but was a very good one and a promising start to the new (and hopefully improved) DC cinematic universe!
The Fleischer Superman cartoons in the 1940s were extraordinarily groundbreaking at the time and are still looked back on as one of the greatest animated series ever. On this episode, Karl from When It Was Cool looks back at this epic piece of retro pop culture!
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This week our retro movie review continues looking back at the 1941 Universal horror classic The Wolf Man starring Lon Chaney, Jr. While this is perhaps my least favorite of the Universal Pictures horror classics it did lay down the lore for much of what we know as the werewolf mythology. The movie does have its good points also and today host Karl from When It Was Cool talks The Wolf Man (1941).
This episode takes a look back at the 1941 Republic Movie serial on Captain Marvel (Shazam) which is considered one of the best of the old-time movie serials.
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Once again it is Friday the 13th so, of course, we have a Friday the 13th movie review! Part VII: The New Blood (1988) features the first appearance of Kane Hodder as Jason Vorhees who also sets a filming record in this movie for the longest legit stunt fire scene up to that date. There is a new cast of victims for Jason to prey upon, but the same tired formula continues in this very predictable movie leading to future changes. Did you know this movie was supposed to be Carrie verses Jason? It was also supposed to be Freddy verses Jason too but that was pushed down the road a few years. Let's talk about it.
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On this When It Was Cool Patreon special I review a movie condensed from the 1940 Green Hornet film serial. Green Hornet and the Lone Ranger exist inside the same fictional universe, in fact, later cannon has Green Hornet as the great nephew of the Lone Ranger. Keye Luke who later played BIind Master Po in Kung Fu is Kato in this series. Karl Stern talks you through this often-overlooked corner of the superhero universe.
I have sadly sworn off the MCU for some time now. None of the offerings in recent years have appealed to me but when Captain America: Brave New World showed up on Disney Plus I decided to give it a try. Featuring the debut of Harrison Ford's Red Hulk character, could this be the movie that brings me back into the Marvel Universe? Not so fast. Join me while I try to find a ray of hope inside this flawed super hero movie.
My podcast today takes a detailed look back at June 1985 in pro wrestling history. The text is taken from my book DragonKingKarl's 1984-1985 Pro Wrestling Omnibus. In June 1985 pro wrestling's first action figures become available, a set of AWA action figures by Remco toy company and WWF figures by LJN. In addition to that, Sgt. Slaughter sort of wins a title in the AWA, there is finally some life in Jim Crockett Promotions because of Magnum TA, and Japan is red hot!
Check out the extended version on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/posts/130634871
Today I wrap up my three-part series on the appeal of one of my favorite pop-culture properties: G.I. Joe. Previously, I have taken a look at both the action figures and the comic books and today I look at the multiple cartoon series that have featured G.I. Joe since the mid-1980s including the favorably remembered Sunbow series and the less favorably remembered DIC series, plus more!
When It Was Cool Dark looks back at 1939's Universal Monster movie Son of Frankenstein where the son of the original Dr. Frankenstein comes to claim his family estate and discovers The Monster has been saved by Ygor (played by Bela Lugosi of Dracula fame) and is being used as a weapon against Ygor's enemies. Karl and Tonya (from When It Was Cool website) discuss the movie and the changes in macabre films over the years and what are the modern equivalents of this type cinema.
Many believe this is the greatest of the classic monster movies and who am I do disagree? Bride of Frankenstein was a 1935 classic and sequel to the excellent Frankenstein. Join pop culture historian Karl from When It Was Cool as he discusses this classic.
One of my favorite aspects of the G.I. Joe franchise were the Marvel comic book series. G.I. Joe had other comic book runs dating as far back as the Golden Age of comics, but it was the 1980s G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero comic book series that really tied everything together. From fan favorites like Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow, to deeper dives like Bazooka and Grand Slam, G.I. Joe is a fantastic franchise that is still going strong today.
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Join us for a classic retro movie review from our Patreon archive at When It Was Cool. The 1933 monster movie classic King Kong! What a fun movie this was. While the stop motion animation may seem antiquated when compared to modern CGI movies, the story and presentation of the original King Kong movie is still a pleasure to watch!
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This is a free episode of our Patreon series: Superman in Order Podcast where we follow the appearances of Superman in chronological order. Finally, Superman acts like... well... Superman! Issue 5 of Action Comics features the fifth chronological appearance of Superman and, unlike the last few, Superman is in full costume and saving a town from a dam which is about to burst! A really fun issue of Action Comics!
From our Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wiwcool archive at When It Was Cool is our review of the 1932 Universal Monster movie classic The Mummy! Check us out at When It Was Cool for almost 3000 podcasts on pop culture, retro pop culture, and more!
Today I begin the first of three new podcasts discussing my favorite retro pop culture property- G.I. Joe! The first installment is on the 3.75-inch G.I. Joe action figures which debuted in stores in 1982 by Hasbro and continues, in some form, until this very day! In two weeks, I will look at G.I. Joe: The Marvel Comics Series then, finally, G.I. Joe: The Cartoon Series. Yo Joe!
From the When It Was Cool archive on Patreon here, comes a review of the Universal Monsters classic adapted from the legendary book - Dracula! Much of what vampires are and can do were first established in the original novel and the movie. Check out our podcast review of Dracula!
From our Patreon archive at https://www.patreon.com/wiwcool Karl and Tonya take a look back at the silent movie masterpiece Phantom of the Opera from 1925. Check us out at When It Was Cool for more horror movie classics, retro pop culture, and much more!
I have a review of a Spider-Man universe Sony movie today. Morbius (2022), much like Kraven the Hunter which followed it, got scathing reviews online. In fact, many review websites had it ranked as low as 15% positive. It seems I am out of step with these websites because, much like the Kraven movie, I liked this one quite well. In fact, I found it quite true to the source material. I do like vampire movies in general and I thought this one was very much good. Let's talk about it.
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Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror is a 1922 silent German horror film directed by F. W. Murnau and starring Max Schreck as Count Orlok, a vampire. Nosferatu was produced by Prana Film and is an unauthorized and unofficial adaptation of Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula. Various names and other details were changed from the novel, including Count Dracula being renamed Count Orlok. Even with several details altered, Stoker's heirs sued over the adaptation, and a court ruling ordered all copies of the film to be destroyed. However, several prints of Nosferatu survived, and the film came to be regarded as an influential masterpiece of cinema. Today, Karl from When It Was Cool reviews this, very close to the novel, interpretation of Dracula in Nosferatu (1922).
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This is one of my favorite podcasts from the When It Was Cool Patreon archives, this is a fun look back at the 1973 Kung Fu martial arts movie epic - Enter the Dragon featuring Bruce Lee! Get instant access to over 2,000 podcasts at https://www.patreon.com/wiwcool
Join me on this show from our Patreon archive looking back at the classic DC Super Powers toy line from the 1980s. This type of content and over 2000 other podcasts are available immediately upon joining our Patreon! Superman, Batman, Flash, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel, and many more! Sign up on Patreon here - https://www.patreon.com/wiwcool
The When It Was Cool flagship podcast returns today as Karl and Tonya discuss multiple pop culture issues and news including recent information on the death of actor Gene Hackman. Tonya then discusses some arts and crafts matters as she tries a few new things.
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Today his 'official' (sort of) name is Shazam, but during the 1940s Captain Marvel was a superhero on the same popularity level as Superman! He even had a serialized adventure series in the 1940s, the earliest of the superheroes! While Captain Marvel in this series differed in many respects from his comic book counterpart, it was still quite a good series!
Join When It Was Cool on this new series following the chronological history of Superman from his debut in 1938 through history. This is not a documentary series about the creators and artists (though they are mentioned) but instead is a study of the character of Superman himself and the changes he has gone through over the years. Episode one takes a look back to 1938 and the debut of Superman in the pages of Action Comics.
I learned to read in the 1970s largely using comic books. I have read and collected comics for over 40 years. Here at When It Was Cool I have selected my 100 favorite comic books from my life as a comic fan. Included in the discussion are Superman, Batman, Fantastic Four, G.I. Joe, Justice League, Avengers, Defenders, Iron Fist, Daredevil, and many more. Support us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/wiwcool
While Daredevil has been brought back from limbo by the MCU, Daredevil's first on screen appearance wasn't the Netflix series, nor even the forgettable 1990s movie! Instead, it was as a character in the 1989 made for TV movie - Trial of the Incredible Hulk! This show is from our Patreon archive of over 2,500 shows. Join today - https://www.patreon.com/wiwcool
The 25th appearance of Batman took place in January 1941 in the pages of Detective Comics issue 47. As far as stories go, it is pretty tame, but the character of the Batman himself continues to evolve. In this issue, Bruce Wayne does his best Dick Tracy impersonation and Robin has a reduced role.
Read the feature article - here.
The Batman in Order series will now go on pause and in two weeks we will begin our look at the first 25 appearances of Superman as we start to build an entire "... In Order" section to the website!
Beginning today, every Monday I will post one retro pop culture offering from our vast library of almost 3,000 podcasts on our Patreon Page at WhenItWasCool.com. Today we look back one of the most beloved animated cartoon properties, X-Men the Animated Series from 1992!
From our Patreon files at WhenItWasCool.com we present to you this classic review of the G.I. Joe Sunbow cartoon series! G.I. Joe was one of my favorite toy properties in the 1980s and 1990s and I was a huge fan of the G.I. Joe Marvel Comic book series but less a fan of the cartoon. Today, I give G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero cartoon series a new look!
Karl and Tonya invite you in for a discussion about pop culture and retro pop culture from When It Was Cool! On this podcast, Karl and Tonya discuss school life in the 1970s through the 1990s, how things have changed, and what we can't make sense of today. Then we take you with us as we go through another subscription snack box, this time we have snacks from Spain! From pro wrestling history, to toys, to movies, TV, and more, When It Was Cool is your place for retro pop culture fun!
Recommendation for today - DragonKingKarl's Pioneer Era Pro Wrestling Omnibus Book: The Bible of the Pioneer Era of Pro Wrestling. Order here!
Karl and Tonya reminisce about the important pop culture influences in their lives. Tonya discusses fashion of the 1980s and 1990s, Karl talks about the Six Million Dollar Man and comic books. They discuss the impact that pop culture has made in their lives and how the love of music was a common factor in their relationship. From the sitcoms of the 1960s-1990s to the music we all love, When It Was Cool is your podcast all about retro pop culture fun!
Karl and Tonya from WhenItWasCool.com return for a new season of the flagship When It Was Cool Podcast where we talk about retro pop culture and fun! On this show we discuss some of the retro pop culture highlights from last year and look ahead to 2025's new offerings including the new Superman movie and more. Then we dive into a box full of snacks that are supposed to be popular in Korea! Was it a boom or bust? We will let you know! Movies, TV, music, sports, toys, and more at When It Was Cool!
A refreshing new season of the When It Was Cool podcast will be arriving in 2025! Lots of exciting new shows here on the free podcast feed. Until then, continue to get all the retro pop culture you love on our Patreon Page at https://www.patreon.com/wiwcool
We continue our November celebration of 1970s superhero culture with this look from our Patreon archives at MEGO action figures. In the 1970s, MEGO had the action figure license for Marvel, DC, Star Trek, and many others! Come and join us! https://www.patreon.com/wiwcool
Direct from our Patreon archives at https://www.patreon.com/wiwcool we jump back in time to the late 1970s to look at the live action Incredible Hulk TV show. A cult classic! For more shows like this (over 2000) visit When It Was Cool and join our Patreon! Thousands of hours of retro pop culture!
When It Was Cool continues to look back at the live-action superheroes of the 1970s with the second Captain America special- Death Too Soon. This podcast is from the Patreon archives at When It Was Cool. Check it out - https://www.patreon.com/wiwcool
Join When It Was Cool celebrates November with a look back at some great 1970s superhero flix! This week we start off with a look back at 1979's Captain America made for TV movie. Next week we will look at the follow up sequel. This is from our Patreon archive at When It Was Cool where over 2,000 podcasts are waiting for you! Check it out today - When It Was Cool | creating a Website and Podcast Network | Patreon
Today we visit our Patreon archives for an episode of DragonKing Dark looking at the Werewolf and Wolfman in our celebration of Halloween. There is a newly relaunched Universal Pictures Wolf Man movie coming out in early 2025 and we look back at the original, plus other great Werewolf stories. Support us on Patreon at - https://www.patreon.com/wiwcool
It is the official book launch of my new 700-page monster research project on the pioneer era of United States pro wrestling. The DragonKingKarl's Pioneer Era Pro Wrestling Omnibus: The Bible of the Pioneer era of Pro Wrestling is now available as a print book and on Kindle! I am joined by my wife Tonya from the When It Was Cool website who sits down with me to discuss the pioneer era of pro wrestling, why it is so interesting, how it really influenced modern pro wrestling, plus much more. If you have ever wondered about pro wrestling in the U.S. before Frank Gotch then check out this week's podcast!
Today we pull from our Patreon feed at https://www.patreon.com/wiwcool an episode of DragonKing Dark Podcast discussing The Mummy! Why are mummies associated with Halloween? Why is the mummy frightning? Plus great Mummy movies and more! Check us out at When It Was Cool for more great horror and Halloween podcasts.
Celebrate Halloween with a horror movie review selection from our Patreon archive at When It Was Cool. Join us as we look back at probably the greatest horror film ever made - the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Support us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/wiwcool
Celebrating Halloween all month long at When It Was Cool we have another offering from our Patreon selection from the DragonKing Dark Podcast - The story of Dracula! The vampire and Dracula are highly associated with Halloween. Let's look at the macabre history and pop culture impact of the king of the vampires! Support us on Patreon and get instant access to all the DragonKing Dark episodes! When It Was Cool | creating a Website and Podcast Network | Patreon
To celebrate Halloween this month I pull from our Patreon archives an episode of DragonKing Dark discussing Frankenstein. What is the line between life and death? What was the Victorian Era fascination with death? All of that and much more is discussed on this episode. Patreon supporters get full access to the complete archives of DragonKing Dark Podcast at When It Was Cool.
It's that time of year again, Dave Meltzer has sent out the 2024 ballots for the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame. This is my most popular show of the year (two parts with part 2 airing next week) and we have a lot to discuss this year. Will the multitude of tag teams introduced over the last few years get in? What about the Young Bucks? Who is in danger of dropping off the list? Several new names are now on the ballot. So, let's discuss the 2024 Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame ballot. Part 1.
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We wrap up our summer of Batman series today on the When It Was Cool free feed with a review from our Patreon archive of the 2008 DC animate movie Justice League New Frontier. This was a critically acclaimed comic book and animated series and well worth checking out. Please check out our Batman in Order podcast and article series at https://www.whenitwascool.com/batman-in-order-series-the-batman-chronology-ariticles-and-podcasts
Our summer of Batman series is about to wrap up next week here at When It Was Cool. This has been a promotion for our Patreon Only podcast series - Batman in Order where we cover every appearance of Batman in chronological order. This week from our Patreon archive we present a review of the DC animated feature Justice League Dark (2017) featuring John Constantine, Swamp Thing, and Batman!
The summer of Batman is winding down here at When It Was Cool and I present another podcast from our Patreon page looking back at the beloved Justice League the Animated Series (2001) cartoon which, of course, features Batman. Check out our Batman in Order Podcast series running at When It Was Cool. Exclusive to our Patreon following every appearance of Batman in chronological order. Tomorrow (Sept 12, 2024) will feature the 15th appearance of Batman from the pages of Detective Comics!
As the summer of Batman begins to wind down, I take a look back at a pretty cool but largely forgotten Justice League Action cartoon series featuring Batman. This is an offering from the Patreon archives at When It Was Cool which features over 2000 shows including our bi-weekly Batman in Order Podcast series where we follow the appearances of Batman in chronological order! Check it out - https://www.whenitwascool.com/batman-in-order-series-the-batman-chronology-ariticles-and-podcasts
Here is another offering from our Patreon back catalog for the summer of Batman series promoting our new Batman in Order Collection from WhenItWasCool.com. This is a look at the divisive 2017 Justice League movie featuring Ben Affleck's Batman. Our Patreon features over 2000 podcasts, books, and more on pop culture and retro pop culture. Give us a look!
Batman is starring on Amazon Prime (of all places?) in a new animated series stylized very similar to the classic Batman the Animated Series. The series is either getting rave reviews or brutalized depending on who you ask. Well, if you're asking me, I thought it was pretty good. Some episodes are better than others and a few are excellent. It is a slightly different take on Batman to be sure. Speaking of being sure, be sure to check out our ongoing Patreon series Batman in Order following every chronological appearance of Batman!
From the Patreon archives at When It Was Cool we continue to celebrate the summer of Batman with this review of one of our favorite movies of all time - Joker from 2019. With the sequel on the horizon, now is a great time to revisit this monumental film. Be sure to check out our Batman in Order podcast and article collection here - https://www.whenitwascool.com/batman-in-order-series-the-batman-chronology-ariticles-and-podcasts
We continue the summer of Batman at When It Was Cool with this offering from our Patreon feed where we discuss the classic Super Powers toy line (which has now made a comeback). Batman and Robin were a key part of this toy line. Join us on our Patreon page for our Batman in Order podcast series where we follow every appearance of Batman in chronological order starting with Detective Comics issue 27. We have about a dozen episodes up already so check it out!
The summer of Batman at When It Was Cool continues with another sampling from our premium Patreon feed looking at the 2019 animated movie Batman verses The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Be sure to check out our Patreon exclusive series the Batman in Order Podcast at WhenItWasCool.com!
Batman makes his twelfth appearance in the pages of Detective Comics issue 38 from April 1940 and Robin makes his debut! We get the tried-and-true origin of Dick Grayson who sees his acrobat father and mother killed by the mob in what appears to be a tragic accident. Batman knows what really happened and together, he and Dick Grayson, who he trains as his sidekick- Robin, seek justice. The tone of Batman changes starting with this issue, but Robin also straight up murders a dude. Let's talk about it!
Check out the feature article here - http://www.whenitwascool.com/batman-in-order-detective-comics-38-1940
The summer of Batman continues at When It Was Cool as we pull another show from our Patreon feed, the controversial Batman The Killing Joke from 2016. Join our Patreon at When It Was Cool to enjoy our new ongoing podcast series Batman in Order where we look at every chronological appearance of Batman beginning with Detective Comics issue 27. We are 11 appearances in so far! WhenItWasCool.com
No, we aren't Swifties, but you can bet a ton of money that Taylor Swift is one of the biggest pop culture stars of this era. Tonya turned it on, and Karl watched it, and many lessons were learned. Taylor Swift is a pop culture phenomenon and in front of 100,000 people in Los Angeles she put on a three-hour entertainment spectacular that bears commentary. No matter if you are a fan of her music or not there is much that can be learned about the entertainment machine that is Taylor Swift. If you aren't already there, support us on Patreon. Try us for one month and get instant access to over 2,100 podcasts on pop culture and retro pop culture. The time is now!
We continue to celebrate the summer of Batman at When It Was Cool and we dive into our Patreon archive for a look back at Batman the Animated Series from 1992 and an episode titled Beware the Grey Ghost that has easter eggs aplenty for the Batman fan. Check out our ongoing new podcast series at When It Was Cool - Batman in Order where we are reviewing every appearance of the character of Batman since his debut in Detective Comics issue 27 in 1939.
Join me for another show from our Patreon archive (over 2,300 shows there!) taking a look at the DC Animated movie from 2019- Batman Ninja. This one is a real brain scrambler with a heavy dose of anime. We continue our summer of Batman series at When It Was Cool. Check out WhenItWasCool.com for our bi-weekly Batman in Order article and podcast series looking at the character of The Batman since his inception in chronological order.
During season 2 of the Batman television series, Batman and Robin met two other TV heroes in a cross-over adventure - The Green Hornet and Kato! It was a perfect mash-up of two TV properties and a great way to publicize the Green Hornet TV series, plus, we actually get a fight scene between Batman and the Green Hornet and Robin and Kato (Bruce Lee!). Join When It Was Cool for a look back at this cool moment in television history!
Join the When It Was Cool website for a look back at the Batman 1966 television series starring Adam West and Burt Ward. We are going to be putting up a lot of Batman content this summer to help promote our Patreon only Batman In Order Podcast Series. So, check out these free reviews and if you enjoy them and want to deep dive into the chronological history of Batman then check out our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/wiwcool
Karl and Tonya visit the true crime genre this episode as we review the new documentary that attempts to answer more questions about the death of Caylee Anthony around July 2008. Her mother Casey was ultimately found not guilty of her child's death but was charged with lying to authorities. Few people, aside apparently from the jury, seem to believe she wasn't at least heavily involved. Since then, Casey has turned on her parents, her father in particular, and has leveled hideous accusations against him. Now, A&E Network has given Casey's parents a lie detector test and the results are in... Come to the gray area with When It Was Cool.
The eighth appearance of The Batman took place in the December 1939 issue of Detective Comics. Batman, does not appear on the cover, instead a man in a red mask and a fedora who doesn’t appear in any story in the comic book graces the cover. However, Batman’s picture and name now appears directly above the Detective Comics logo. This issue is one of the most disjointed and simplistic stories so far in Batman’s eight appearances. It also appears to have been written to take place before his seventh appearance and directly after his two-part battle with The Monk and his vampires as that is referenced at the beginning of the story.
Plus, read the feature article here!
Karl and Tonya from When It Was Cool take a look at the new documentary Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV a 2024 documentary that details the behind-the-scenes world of children's TV programs from the 1990s to the 2000s, focusing on Dan Schneider's tenure as a producer at Nickelodeon. The series was released on both Max and Discovery Plus. This show is dark. Listener discretion is advised, and you shouldn't have to say that about a documentary about kid's TV shows.
Part of our Darkest Moments in Pop Culture History Series
Join us as we discuss a new blockbuster movie based on a retro property- The Fall Guy! Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt star in a story about a stunt man who ends up caught up in a murder mystery in Australia. This movie is fantastic with tons of action and comedy. It doesn't try to get too sophisticated for what it is and pays a great deal of respect to the original Lee Majors lead TV show. Hop in your four-wheel drive and get ready to do some cannon rolls!
Willie Nelson turned 91 this week and being the American icon he is Karl and Tonya decided to review one of his western movies. This one starred not only Willie Nelson (who in his mid-50s at the time was playing Doc Holliday, a man who died at 36 years old), Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Christopherson, and Bo Duke... I mean John Schneider. Others as well, this was a packed cast. It was a perfectly fine Western movie (actually, a remake of an older movie) and really a lot of fun.
Karl and Tonya from When It Was Cool review the 1989 Tom Hanks movie The Burbs! Somehow, despite seeing this movie at the movie rental store for years and years he had never seen it. This film is actually pretty great and very fun! Carrie Fischer, Corey Feldman, and a host of other familiar faces from the 1980s appear in this movie. This was a fun one and worth checking out!
Karl and Tonya from When It Was Cool sit down to discuss the strange and conflicting 2023 drama Dream Scenario starring Nicolas Cage. This bizarre movie presents a pretty novel storyline of an unremarkable teacher who begins appearing in the dreams of people all over the world in passive situations. He becomes a viral celebrity and soon the dreams take a darker turn. This all sounds amazing, but the movie seems to lose its sense of where it is going. Join us as we discuss this very odd film.
Karl and Tonya return with a retro movie review from 1996. George Clooney, Quentin Tarantino, and others star in this bizarre movie which switches from being solid crime escape action movie into a B-Movie vampire film about halfway through. This is one weird movie. Parts of this movie are fantastic in both scope, story, and scenery, while parts of it were straight out of a direct to video monster movie. I dunno... let's talk about it.
The fifth appearance of The Batman took place in the September 1939 issue of Detective Comics. Once again, Batman was featured on the cover and this adventure pitted him against a new foe: The Monk, a mysterious man dressed in a red cloak and hood who had as his heavy a giant gorilla. We discover something new about Bruce Wayne in this issue, he is engaged to a woman named Julie Madison who is hypnotized (along with others) by the Monk.
Read the article - here
Karl and Tonya review a trio of movies today on the When It Was Cool podcast. We discuss the classic 1971 Gene Wilder film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, the tremendous Tim Burton 2005 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory starring Johnny Depp, and the new prequel now streaming on Max- Wonka starring Timothee Chalmete. All three films are tremendous in their own way and the 1971 film was a staple of many childhoods. Come on a trip (both literal and figurative) with Karl and Tonya as we discuss these three great movies where the snozberries taste like snozberries.
When It Was Cool listeners come on down! Karl and Tonya sit down to discuss one of the most iconic of game shows: The Price is Right! It seems like everyone's grandmother loved this show and was probably secretly crushing on Bob Barker. Hey, let's be honest, The Price is Right was a fun TV game show full of goofy gimmick games and way over valued stuff, but it was tons of fun. Don't forget to have your pet spayed or neutered too you geek.
Today at WhenItWasCool.com we take a look at the fourth appearance chronologically of the Batman character from the pages of Detective Comics issue 30 Detective Comics issue 30 cover dated August 1939. These Batman in Order reviews are less about the creators, behind the scenes, and the process of it all, and more about the story of The Batman, the character, and how he has changed and evolved and often represented or stood against common conventions of the time. The fourth Batman story is part two of a two-part series about an antagonist called Doctor Death. Batman not only kills somebody again in this issue (his third kill) he largely does so intentionally.
Read the article -here
I, Karl, am writing this description. Scrabble is the bane of my existence. Tonya schools me in it ever... single... game. I don't know why. I am literate. I have a decent vocabulary, but she beats me in almost every single game. Scrabble is part crossword puzzle, part chance, and a lot of strategy. Join Karl and Tonya from WhenItWasCool.com to talk about one of our board game favorites- Scrabble!
The third appearance of The Batman took place in Detective Comics issue 29 which came out in July 1939. It begins a two-part story arch against a mad scientist type named Doctor Death and, for the first time since Batman debuted, he managed not to kill someone... yet. In this issue the purpose of Batman's utility belt is introduced, and we find out he has created a contraption to allow him to scale buildings.
To read the article - click here.
Karl and Tonya revisit and Old West favorite- Maverick! Played in the 1950's - 1962 by James Garner and in a 1994 feature movie by Mel Gibson (with a co-starring role with James Garner as well!) Maverick was a slick talking master poker player and gunslinger (and con man). Both Garner and Gibson brought a slick charisma to the role and both series are among some of the best westerns out there. Join Karl and Tonya from When It Was Cool as we discuss the great western property, Maverick!
We continue our chronological look at the appearances of The Batman in chronological order. The second appearance of Batman took place in the pages of Detective Comics issue 28 cover dated June 1939. Batman swings from building to building on a rope for the first time. Completely throws a dude off a building to his death all to solve a jewelry theft.
You can read the article at When It Was Cool - here
Join When It Was Cool on this new series following the chronological history of The Batman from his debut in 1939 through history. This is not a documentary series about the creators and artists (though they are mentioned) but instead is a study of the character of the Batman himself and the changes he has gone through over the years. Episode one takes a look back to 1939 and the debut of Batman in the pages of Detective Comics.
Another book review from Karl from When It Was Cool and this one is a great book about comic books called the Untold History of Marvel Comics. This is a tremendous book tracing the history of Marvel Comics from the Golden Age until the era of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It seems that the reality behind the famous Marvel Bullpen was way different than depicted by Stan Lee in the pages of Marvel Comics. Instead of a bunch of artists brainstorming ideas, it was a cutthroat world of politics, backstabbing, and disrespect. This is a fantastic book looking at the characters you love and the creators who made them.
Magazine/Podcast contributor Justin Jones returns to the pod to discuss The Iron Claw movie, which we saw the same day we recorded the pod (on Boxing/St Stephen's Day). What we liked and didn't like as much, what portrayals were the best and which are not nearly as bad as social media would have you believe. Short review is that we both liked it as a movie and as wrestling fans, but not the best film going (that's Godzilla Minus One by a mile). Plenty of spoiler talk and also some general wrestling history chat, including the idea of foreign menaces as world champions, attendances now vs then and other topics.
Karl and Tonya review the 2023 pro wrestling biopic The Iron Claw. This is a dramatized retelling of the tragic story of the Von Erich family which endured tragedy after tragedy including the young deaths of multiple brothers, a domineering father, and more. Karl and Tonya look at how the film did in communicating the horrific events of the Von Erich family and Karl takes a look at some of the real facts which the movie fictionalized. We both loved this movie so come and join us for an extensive look at The Iron Claw.
Mark presents the Winter Palace Podcast and is joined by cartoonist Zander Cannon to discuss Godzilla Minus One movie, the 1979 Godzilla comic book from Marvel Comics, the third and final hardcover collection of his comic book Kaijumax coming out, comics industry shop talk including digital art vs old school pencil and ink, color guides and more.
It's finally here, When It Was Cool looks back at the classic Hanna-Barbara space monster cartoon series The Herculoids! This cartoon series was a favorite of mine back when I was a kid and thanks to our wonderful Patreon member Andy I now have the complete series, so let's dive in! Wait a minute... basically every episode is exactly the same just swapping out robots for aliens here and there. Who cares?! There is a triceratops that shoots exploding rocks out of its horn, a laser beam shooting dragon, a giant rock ape, and two lumps of goop. And they kill people about every episode. The 1960's didn't care about your triggers. ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?
Larry Hama returns to the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero comic book series now being published at Skybound/Image for issue 301 or issue 1 of the new run. G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero issue 301 picks up directly where issue 300 ended and has a great new artist breathing new life into this old product. Duke, Roadblock, Will Bill, Cobra Commander, Serpentor, and others are prime players in this story arch and we finally start to sort out the convoluted Snake Eyes storyline with one less to worry about.
Karl, who is a huge fan of the rock band Rush, reviews Geddy Lee's new memoire My Effin' Life which dropped a couple of weeks ago. Geddy Lee's book takes a detailed look at the history of the band, his parent's incredible story as holocaust survivors, their musical variety over the course of their 40 plus year career, induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Alex Lifeson's infamous speech, and the final days of Neil Peart. A fantastic and fun biography!
Recently, Karl and Tonya from When It Was Cool visited the gravesite of American music legend Johnny Cash. We recently had watched an amazing documentary about the life, faith, and career of Johnny Cash and this episode of the When It Was Cool Podcast takes a look at that documentary. From the highest of highs and incredible success to literally crawling into the depths of a cave and laying down to die, the Redemption of an American Icon is a fascinating documentary film.
Karl and Tonya take a trip to the movie theater this week to see the new movie The Exorcist: Believer which is a sequel to The Exorcist 50 years later. And it is a sequel, following the mother of Regan from the original as she hopes to help solve a modern-day demonic possession of two schoolgirls who disappeared for three days only to reemerge in an altered state. Does this movie stand up to the original which was one of the greatest horror films ever? Let's talk about it.
Join Karl and Tonya for a new Friday the 13th movie review podcast. Every time the real calendar hits Friday the 13th, When It Was Cool reviews another chapter in the supernatural / slasher / killer franchise featuring the hockey masked monster Jason Voorhees. This one, sad to say, is another dud with very little Jason and very little plot. Still, we have fun with it so come and join us!
This is a Patreon requested movie review. A knock-off of Marvel Comic's Thor franchise but this one features Kevin Nash in the role of Odin... and it is terrible. Look, this movie is beyond terrible. Most of the action takes place off screen due to the lack of actors, the special effects are terrible, and Kevin Nash is honestly beyond awful as an actor. This movie is bad on every level. An obvious cash grab for the video store (remember them?) And the dude who played Thor? Oh, brother. There's a reason he never appeared in anything else.
The pod is happy to welcome for the first time author Daniel Budnik, author of "From Beverly Hills to Hooterville" as we discuss the surrealistic hidden gem that is Green Acres. We talk about the creation of the Hooterville Trilogy, of which Green Acres is the third part after the creation of The Beverly Hillbillies and Petticoat Junction. We discuss how the show's root lie in a 1950 radio show and how it was adapted and updated by Jay Sommers. We go through the premise and cast of characters, from Oliver and Lisa Douglas to Eb, Mr. Haney and Sam Drucker, to the breakout star of the show, Arnold the Pig. And then we go though many of the episodes' plot, just how absurdist they were, es[ecially for 1960s network TV. Naturally, we go into all the metatext on the show, including the cast interacting with the show's credits. We close with CBS and the "rural purge" of their schedule, making way for the new era of TV lead by All in the Family. This was a fun episode to discuss, and we hope to have Daniel back on the show in the future for more popular culture chat.
Let's be honest, Hulk Hogan has made some really good bad movies in his life. In the late 1990s as Hollywood Hulk Hogan he had a pro wrestling career resurgence in WCW and he also made some really, really good bad movies. Hogan wanted a deal with TBS/TNT to make some terrible similarly themed Commando style action movies where he wore a hair piece and played an anti-hero. Many of these went straight to video including this one. The Ultimate Weapon is one of the most cliched action movies ever and Hogan looks awful in a toupee. Let's talk about it. (A hilariously terrible special appearance by BRUTUS BEEFCAKE as well).
The classic television series Gilligan's Island (1964) is the topic of this episode of the When It Was Cool Podcast. I loved this show as a kid but watching it as an adult I realize that these geeks are exactly where they deserve to be. What a bunch of idiots. I had forgotten how infuriating Gilligan and The Skipper were. This is also another of those classic TV shows which tells you everything you need to know upfront in the theme song.
Join the Arkansas Hellbender this week as we try to pop a wheelie over the front handlebars. Tons of fun for everyone in the world that is Harley Davidson!
Bullshido at it's finest! The 1976 post-Bruce Lee era Master of the Flying Guillotine is one of my favorite Kung-Fu movies. It is utterly ridiculous. Featuring a one armed Kung Fu master who is the target of an evil Kung Fu master. The evil Kung Fu matches shows up at an incredibly ridiculous Kung Fu tournament and starts killing every one armed person there! This movie features everything you love about wacky Kung Fu movies: bizarre tournament to the death, evil Kung Fu heels, traps, and more! Prepare to be destroyed!
On the 78th anniversary of the atomic bomb being dropped on Hiroshima, we look at the 1980 song Enola Gay by the British band OMD. And, with the box office success of Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, we look at some of the older films that tackled the historical topic, including "Fat Man and Little Boy," where Oppenheimer was played by ... Dwight Schultz from the A-Team and Star Trek: The Next Generation?
Tonya and Karl went to see the 2023 blockbuster movie Barbie starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling. Bringing the iconic Mattel toy property to a live action movie seemed like a challenge and this movie isn't really sure what it is. Part bizarre pink fantasy and part feminist manifesto the Barbie movie has still managed to strike a chord with a large audience catapulting it to becoming 2023's biggest hit so far. Tonya and Karl give you their thoughts on this strange, yet memorable film.
A more modern take on Hercules starring Lou Ferrigno in the lead role. This movie is terrible. I think it regressed from the Steve Reeves movies despite the fact that Lou Ferrigno (yes, the Hulk guy) looks like he literally stepped off of Mount Olympus. You may or may not know that Lou Ferrigno is mostly deaf and has a speech impediment so his lines were actually dubbed pretty well but the special effects are horrible beyond words. This, however, is one of those movies that is so bad it's kind of good. Hercules!
The second and final of the Steve Reeves' Hercules movies. Similar to the first film, Hercules Unchained is bolstered by a solid opening and closing but again is labored (see what I did there?) by a largely boring and unnecessary middle. Still, Steve Reeves' portrayal of the Greco-Roman mythological hero Hercules is fantastic and Hercules Unchained even features an appearance by former World Boxing and World Wrestling champion Primo Carnera! Grab your sword and sandals and let's go fight some monsters!
What happens when Winnie the Pooh and friends ends up in the public domain? Somebody makes a horror movie about them of course. Oh, bother. Anyway, Karl and Tonya watched this abomination so you wouldn't have to. It is every slasher movie you've ever seen only with one of your favorite fictional characters as the antagonist. Please don't ask what happened to Eeyore. You thank us for helping you avoid this wreck of a movie.
The Plot Podcast, brought to you by When It Was Cool, pays tribute to the late actor Alan Arkin, who passed away recently at the age of 89. The Plot Podcast plays some clips from some of our favorite films in which he starred, and not the usual candidates. Join us for this celebration of Alan Arkin.
I am a sucker for Greco-Roman mythology, so I thought I’d check out the much lauded performance of bodybuilder Steve Reeves in the first of his two appearances as Hercules in the 1958 movie of the same name. Obviously, as far as special effects goes, this movie was seriously limited by it’s era, but I have to say, Steve Reeves made a pretty darn impressive Hercules. The story took an unneeded detour in the middle which drug things down, but overall, this was a pretty solid movie.
Today Karl and Tonya discuss the Child's Play (Chucky!) movie franchise which includes the films: Child's Play, Child's Play 2, Child's Play 3, Bride of Chucky, Seed of Chucky, Curse of Chucky, and the rebooted Child's Play. We look at the horror movie character Chucky, a possessed serial killer doll, and how the franchise went from horror to comedy and back to horror again.
Inspired by our friends at the Longbox Heroes podcast doing a Sandman read-though, we take a look at the Silver Age DC Comics duo Stanley and his Monster, specifically their 1993 mini-series by Phil Foglio. We look at the characters’ creation in the mid 1960s, how the mini-series is loosely connected to the Sandman story Season of Mists and the two showing up in one of the best DC books of the last few years, Scooby Doo Team Up.
Flash Gordon, The Phantom, and Mandrake the Magician are joined by their children in this Avengers / Justice League style team up series from the mid-1980s that drove everyone mild. Yes, you read that right. Despite having a Saturday morning cartoon series, a comic book series, and action figures, this dull series of heroes battling Ming the Merciless fell to little reception then and is utterly forgettable now.
I'm all out of bubblegum. This 1988 John Carpenter cult classic starring Rowdy Roddy Piper is actually a pretty solid little movie. Join Karl from When It Was Cool as I look back on Roddy Piper's biggest film, the cult movie VHS era, and wonder if, in fact, any of you are aliens. Cause, I'd say there is cause to wonder. Also, I swear, the longest fight scene in history.
Jesse "The Body" Ventura stars in the leading role in this VHS era space cop movie. Jesse Ventura is Abraxas, a 10,000 year old space cop who is charged with tracking down his former partner gone rogue. The duo ends up on Earth where his former partner has created a child with special powers and it's up to Abraxas to solve the problem! A fairly fun VHS era straight to tape sci-fi adventure.
Classic rock music has been a staple of Americana for decades. The sound track of our lives. Artists like Bruce Springsteen, Aerosmith, Journey, John Mellencamp, The Rolling Stones, Styx, the Doobie Brothers, REO Speedwagon, Foreigner, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and many more have helped us through growing up and growing old. Sadly, many of these iconic acts are going away and few from the following era remain to take their place. Join Karl from WhenItWasCool.com to look at the aging end of classic rock and what happens next?
oin the Arkansas Hellbender today as we seek out the elusive Possum Pie! Somewhere under a Red Oak, someone is rolling out a pie crust and its almost Dinner time! Support the platform that houses this podcast: whenitwascool.com Support my tag team partner: dirtydawgmes on Patreon. Stop killing each other!
Double Dragon was a great video game back in the day which was eventually picked up as a cartoon series. I recently watched the first few episodes and, while obviously dated, turned out to be pretty interesting. Very derivative of the old Kung Fu cinema features. Join Karl as he takes a look back at this retro cartoon property- Double Dragon!
Today Tonya and I review two recent popular horror/slasher movies: Terrifier (2016) and Terrifier 2 (2022) the later of which features my good, close, personal friend Chris Jericho. Art the Clown has become one of the hottest cult monster characters of this era. Make no mistake, these movies are terrible but I think they are supposed to be. They are certainly a throwback to the old VHS straight to video slasher movies and there are a lot of easter eggs from that genre as well.
Join the Hellbender this week as we discuss the creepy crawlers wandering around unnoticed in his landscape. Newly rebranded to reflect current events, it's the same show with a southern twist. Enjoy the Show! Support the platform that hosts this podcast and stop killing each other.
Karl and Tonya return with a duel movie review. From 1986 the Tom Cruise classic Top Gun and the sequel from 2022 Top Gun: Maverick. Both were awesome movies and this is a rare case where the sequel, though 36 years later, was as good or better than the original. Also, why has Tom Cruise seemingly not aged a day in 36 years? Anyway, this movie is all about adrenaline. Powerhouse jets coming right at you, Kenny Loggins blaring Danger Zone. What's not to love?
Karl and Tonya sit down to watch the second installment of Creed from the Rocky Universe of movies and we liked this one much better than Creed I. This one brought back Ivan Drago along with his son to face Adonis Creed but Rocky isn't having any of it. A LOT happens in this movie with Adonis Creed winning the World title, getting hammered by Viktor Drago, and then having to make the Rocky style comeback. Also, we get a very nebulous possible ending for Rocky Balboa! Stay tuned!
Join The Desert Rat today as we doff our hats and pay tribute to one of the finest comic artists of our time- MAD Magazine's legendary Al Jaffee. Besides his many other contributions to MAD he invented the famous MAD fold-in feature and worked there for over 65 years. A long life well lived. Support the platform that houses this podcast. Stop Killing Each other!
Mark from The Plot podcast presents: In a giant week for Nintendo, we welcome GameXplain's Andre Segers back to the podcast to discuss the Super Mario Brothers Movie, the upcoming Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, the Super Nintendo World theme park in California and revisiting Paper Mario Sticker Star on its tenth anniversary, a game he hated at the time with the fury of a thousand suns. Thanks to Andre for carving out some time for us on a super busy week for him and his crew.
Well, well, well, what have we here? NoFriender finally crawls from beneath whatever rock he's been hiding under and all it took was for Over Kill to release a new album. Scorched is the twentieth studio album by American thrash metal band Overkill, released on April 14, 2023. It is the band's first studio album in four years, following The Wings of War, the longest gap between studio albums for the band. Much in the same way the gap between episode 95 and 96 of the Thrash Metal Show was the longest for NoFriender.
Karl and Tonya review the next installment in the Rocky Universe with a look at Creed I (2015) where we pick up Rocky's story by way of Apollo Creed's previously unknown son Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan). We find out how Creed had this secret son, his rough childhood, how he travels to Philadelphia to meet Rocky, and a tons of twists and turns. We also a revelation of a nearly 30 year old secret- who won the basement rubber match between Rocky and Apollo at the end of Rocky 3.
Everything, Everywhere, All at Once (2022) is now the most awarded movie in history. Seriously, this movie has garnered more accolades than any other film, so Tonya and I have sat down to watch it and it is a mind trip all right. There are some incredible performances to be sure. Ke Huy Quan, Michelle Yeoh, Jamie Lee Curtis, and others do a great job. But does this film deserve all the love heaped upon it? Eh, there are some problems, but it is a heck of a story.
Karl and Tonya sit down to discuss the latest Toy Story movie which find our cast of toy characters on a road trip in an RV where they discover former toy companion Bo Peep, who now leaves as a free unowned toy. A new toy enters the story- Forky, who, of course, gets lost and needs rescued. This installment also introduces several new toy characters which we may see in future movies.
Karl and Tonya discuss the 2022 thriller Fall where two people attempt to scale the 7th tallest structure on earth, a California decommissioned television tower (based on a real tower) and things go terribly wrong. A nail biter thriller which did exceptional at the box office on a fairly small budget. Set your fear of heights aside and join us for this movie review!
We take a look at the use of subliminal message in two classic 1980s pieces of science fiction - Howard Chaykin's American Flagg comic from 1983 and the original British pilot for Max Headroom from 1985. We discuss the history of each project, how subliminals were used in the plot and just ahead of their time both projects were and would fit right in today's culture in 2023.
Karl and Tonya return with a review of 2010's Toy Story 3. In this adventure the toy's owner, Andy, goes off to college and a misunderstanding finds his toys not ending up in the attic as they were supposed to but instead- IN THE TRASH! It all works out of course and ultimately the toys end up with a new owner after much adventure. Join us to follow the exploits of Woody, Buzz, Jessie, Hamm, the Potato Heads, Rex, and the whole gang as we review Toy Story 3!
Join the Desert Rat this week as he cusses and discusses the differences in cultures of the desert dwellers verses the hillbillies and how he is coping. Culture shock is covered and then a verbal tour of his new stomping ground. Support the platform that houses this podcast and Stop Killing Each other!
Karl and Tonya return for a review of the second Toy Story movie from Pixar / Disney where Woody (Tom Hanks) learns his origin story and meets his fellow toy property friends Jessie and Bullseye. A rescue mission is launched that takes us inside a toy store and a new Buzz Lightyear enters the scene. Another fun Toy Story movie!
Karl and Tonya sit down to review one of the all-time classic modern age Pixar / Disney Movies: Toy Story from 1995. We meet Woody and the gang for the first time and get the origin story of Buzz Lightyear. The Toy Story movies are a lot of fun and the first one is really excellent. It's hard to believe that this movie is now 28 years old! We will be reviewing all of the Toy Story movies in the coming weeks so hang on to infinity and beyond!
The final movie of the mainline Rocky movies (after this the Rocky universe transitions to the Creed movies) and this one is probably my favorite. Tonya also loves it. Rocky finally gives his son a speech that essentially sums up the spirit of the all the Rocky movies. Yes, at 60 years of age, Rocky fights again but the result isn't important. This movie wraps up some long time threads and ends the series on an inspirational high note.
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Karl and Tonya take a look at the 2023 movie M3gan, a sci-fi horror movie which plays on the tropes of fear of artificial intelligence and uncanny valley. A technology toy creator pairs her new project, an A.I. android named Megan with her niece who recently lost her parents to a car accident. As you can imagine, things go wrong. With similarities to Annabelle and Chucky, Megan (2023) is a modern horror movie take on immerging technology.
One of my favorite shows as a kid. Gil Gerrard stars as a United States astronaut on a deep space mission, however, a malfunction puts him into suspended animation and he returns to Earth... in the 25th century. But first, he meets some aliens (which people on Earth already know about in the 25th century.) Buck Rogers is a man out of time in a society that is now most ran by... wait for it... computers. Actually, a very fun show. Let's talk about it.
After many years, I’m happy to say we have got Mark Waid as a guest. And what better subject to discuss, fresh off his new book Dark Crisis - Big Bang, than the concept of continuity and the multiverse. Why has the idea of multiple worlds become so popular in the last decade or so, when it was something often thought as troublesome years earlier? We discuss how omnipresent it is now, in comics, movies and more. We also talk about the original Crisis in 1985, including Mark editing an issue of Amazing Heroes all about the post-Crisis landscape at DC following the series. There’s also talk about Hypertime and other attempts DC made to try and “simplify” continuity over the years and how things are going the other way now. There’s also a deep-dive on things like The Super Sons, The Inferior Five, Cancelled Comics Cavalcade and more. We also discuss Mark’s current books at DC, including Batman-Superman World’s Finest, Batman vs Robin and the upcoming Shazam (don’t call him Captain Marvel).
One of the most critically acclaimed episodes of the highly acclaimed Batman: The Animated Series cartoon was that of The Grey Ghost! The Grey Ghost was voiced by the Batman (1966) actor Adam West and The Grey Ghost was sort of an amalgamation of the character Batman's inspiration of The Shadow. A crime spree in Gotham is reminiscent of an episode of The Grey Ghost TV show, yet, the series has been lost to time and Batman seeks out the man who played the Grey Ghost for help. The series also speaks to a lot of tropes about collector culture in the early 1990s. A great episode!
Tonya says it best, "Wouldn't it great if we could just ignore away parts of our life like they did with the whole Rocky 5 movie?" Yeah, this movie isn't as terrible as I remembered but it isn't great either. Rocky and Adrianne are back in the poor house thanks to some stupid shenanigans Paulie pulled while they were in Russia during Rocky IV. Also, Rocky it seems, got his brains beat out in that movie and they don't work no more, yo. Rocky ignores his son, who has somehow aged five years since Rocky went to Russian, fought Drago, and returned home. Instead, he's enamored by a new guy, Tommy Gunn (Tommy Morrison) but, wow, does that go wrong: Enter silly villain Duke. (No, not that Duke, another Duke just to confuse things further).
After an eleventh-hour topic change, in honor of the upcoming Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania movie, we look at the convoluted continuity of Kang the Conqueror, which sort of starts before his first appearance. Or does it? Let's discuss Kang, Rama Tut, the Scarlet Centurion, Immortus, Doctor Doom, Nathaniel Richards, Ravonna, the Council of Cross Time Kangs, the TIme Variance Authority, Mobius M. Mobius and ... Merlin the Magician? Is this one character biography or four? Or is it five? Let's try and figure this one out without once using the word multiverse. (Although, this is a great companion to our recent pod with Mark Waid discussing continuity in comics.)
Karl introduces Tonya to Rocky 4. Is it East verses West or man against man? The Burning Heart of Rocky Balboa goes after the stoic Russian Ivan Drago to avenge Apollo Creed in this mid-1980s pop culture classic which also gave us "Living in America" by James Brown. It also gave us iconic training in the snow scenes, "If he dies, he dies", and not one but TWO hit Survivor songs. Go get 'em Rocky! Ugh, I feel good!
Our retro movie review today takes a look back at Rocky III from 1982, one of the most important pop culture movies of the decade. This movie introduces the world to Mr. T as Clubber Lang against Rocky Balbo (Sylvester Stallone) with an appearance by a pre-WWE champion Hulk Hogan. This movie gave us Eye of the Tiger by Survivor, Mr. T, the elements of the Rock and Wrestling movement that would launch the pro wrestling boom of the 1980s, and much more. A great movie with a lot of impact. I predict... pain.
The guys are back and trying to ease into a regular schedule again. Mike is (still) on the mend and Joseph is mending the still, and after going in search of a fun topic for this episode they've come up with a banger; Unexplained phenomena! That's right - Bigfoot, aliens, the Bermuda Triangle, and more. Step aside Leonard Nimoy, the UBW Research Team is on the case! But before all of that, there's a little house keeping and catching up to do with some brief talk about recent movies and TV shows. It's time for some retro pop-culture nostalgia, the UBW podcast way!
It's the rematch of the century! World heavyweight champion Apollo Creed seeks to avenge his near defeat to Rocky Balbo. However, Adrian, Rocky's wife, does not want him to fight again fearing the loss of his eyesight and further injury. She's also pregnant with their child. Will Rocky fight Creed? Who will win the rematch? Join Karl as he reviews the fantastic sequel Rocky II (1979)! Getting Strong Now! Fighting Hard Now!
It's another Friday the 13th so it's time for our When It Was Cool review of the next installment in the series and this time it's in 3D! This installment is terrible. Friday the 13th Part 3 is the worst of the lot so far, saved only because Jason gets his iconic hockey mask in this movie which will follow him through the rest of the series.
Happy Friday the 13th! As is now tradition at When It Was Cool we present to you a review of a Friday the 13th movie. This is the second one from 1981 and as far as story line progression goes, the sole survivor from Part 1 dies quickly in part 2 in a storyline that makes no sense. Jason upgrades from barefaced disfigurement to a pillowcase over his head. We fast forward 5 years where he shows up and murders campers, although the movie just forgets two of them and we have no idea what their fate is. And a girl wears a sweater. It's Friday the 13th Part 2!
Happy Friday the 13th... I guess. Anyway, this is a great day to review the first of the Friday the 13th slasher movies. Part 1 was released in 1980 and was a straight up slasher movie. Karl and Tonya discuss Jason's mother being the antagonist in this film and the little we get to see of Jason Vorhee's. How these movies changed from being straight up murder/slasher movies to super-natural slasher movies over time and much more. Plus, Kevin Bacon.
We begin our reviews of the classic sports and human spirit triumph Rocky movies by looking back at Rocky (1) (1976) starring Sylvester Stallone and Carl Weathers. This is one of my favorite movie series. As my wife asked as I was watching this, "Is this a love story or a boxing movie?" It's both and so much more. It is the story of the indomitable human spirit and it won the Best Picture Academy Award for 1976. Let's look back at Rocky (1).
What better way to celebrate the holidays than with some singing cowboy Xmas pictures? Roy Rogers takes on crooked Christmas tree harvesters in “Trail of Robin Hood” and Gene Autry fights for better treatment of Natives in “the Cowboy and the Indians.”
Uphill Both what? Oh, the retro pop-culture nostalgia podcast hosted by those proud card-carrying members of AARP? We're back, baby! Mike is almost fully recovered from his surgery a couple of months ago so it's back to the grind! The guys spend this episode catching up on things from the past couple of months, including movies, TV, and books. There's no regular feature this episode, but there IS plenty of flying by the seat of their pants. enjoy the show!
Join The Desert Rat today as we travel The Purple Heart Trail. The purpose of the Purple Heart Trail is to create a symbolic and honorary system of roads, highways, bridges, and other monuments that give tribute to the men and women who have been awarded the Purple Heart medal. The actual format and design of the signs vary from state to state. There are currently designated sections in 45 states as well as Guam.
How can y'all hate Barney the big purple dinosaur? Well, apparently, a lot of you did. A new documentary attempts to document the sour relationship between a fun, happy show for toddlers featuring a person in a big purple dinosaur suit and the rabid base of (mostly adults) who hate him and how it impacted the creators and family. An interesting documentary that largely missed it mark but still shed light on America's hate culture and simple things in life like a loveable pretend dinosaur.
The When It Was Cool comic book review podcast takes a look back to the first major superhero comic featuring the first appearance of Superman. How did the 1938 Superman differ from later versions? What powers did the original golden age Superman have? A very interesting comic book that pioneered the era of the super hero.
Join Karl and Tonya as we look at the divisive 2022 Marvel streaming series She-Hulk: Attorney At Law. Featuring multiple crossovers from the larger MCU such as The Abomination, The Hulk, and the entry into the MCU proper of Daredevil. The often-times fourth wall breaking series and questionable CGI make for an odd, yet fun series.
The Plot returns with a tribute to Kevin Conroy, who sadly passed away on November 10, 2022 at the age of 66. In our corner of the popular culture universe, he’s best known for being the voice of Batman (and Bruce Wayne) in the DC Animated Universe starting with Batman the Animated Series in 1992 and continued until 2019, encompassing animation, video games and even live action. So, here’s a short look at some of our favorite BTAS episodes: the origin of the BTAS Riddler (John Glover) in “If You’re So Smart, Why Aren’t You Rich?”, Batman teaming up with his childhood hero (Adam West) in “Beware the Gray Ghost” and an episode with not much Batman, “Showdown,” an Old West tale featuring Jonah Hex (Billy McKinney) versus Ra’s Al Ghul (David Warner) and his son Arkady Duvall (Malcolm McDowell).
This year, 2022, marks the 40th anniversary of Masters of the Universe. In keeping with the retro ethos of When it Was Cool, we will be going back in time ten years to the 30th anniversary. In today's adventure, Christoph looks at the 30th anniversary action figure collection, as well as the DC Comic books which were launched at that time and ran for eight years.
Another great El Santo verses Dracula film review for you this month. Pre-dating the earlier reviewed El Santo and Blue Demon verses Dracula and the Wolfman, El Santo faces the revived vampire lord Dracula in Mexico. Played by the same actor as the previously mentioned film, it seems to share little, if any, continuity. However, the movie is a ton of fun and available to watch this Halloween season on the streaming network Tubi!
Another great El Santo verses Dracula film review for you this month. Pre-dating the earlier reviewed El Santo and Blue Demon verses Dracula and the Wolfman, El Santo faces the revived vampire lord Dracula in Mexico. Played by the same actor as the previously mentioned film, it seems to share little, if any, continuity. However, the movie is a ton of fun and available to watch this Halloween season on the streaming network Tubi!
It's Halloween on Eternia! In today's adventure, Christoph gives a couple cartoon episodes recommendations to get you in the spooky spirit. Then he dives deep into the character design origins of the Universal Monster Movie wannabes of the Masterverse - the Evil Horde!
It's Halloween on Eternia! In today's adventure, Christoph gives a couple cartoon episodes recommendations to get you in the spooky spirit. Then he dives deep into the character design origins of the Universal Monster Movie wannabes of the Masterverse - the Evil Horde!
The Plot Podcast during Hallowe’en Month at When It Was Cool goes from tongue in cheek to deadly earnest. We’re joined by Odessa Steps Magazine contributor Justin Jones (@xPrimusPilusx) to discuss one of his all-time favorite TV shows, 1998’s Ultraviolent. The British show, written and directed by Joe Aherne, stars Jack Davenport, Susannah Harker, Philip Quast and a young Idris Elba as a team trying to fight the good fight against … well, they call them Code V’s or leeches, but those monsters who want our blood to stay alive. We discuss how we both found the show here in the early 2000s, the premise of the show, and what we love about it. Since there are only six episodes, we discuss each one in detail, so spoilers ahoy. We rave about the quality writing and acting on display, some of our favorite scenes and more. It’s a Valentine in October to a program I often describe as “The X-Files and Blade fight Vampires.”
The Plot Podcast during Hallowe’en Month at When It Was Cool goes from tongue in cheek to deadly earnest. We’re joined by Odessa Steps Magazine contributor Justin Jones (@xPrimusPilusx) to discuss one of his all-time favorite TV shows, 1998’s Ultraviolent. The British show, written and directed by Joe Aherne, stars Jack Davenport, Susannah Harker, Philip Quast and a young Idris Elba as a team trying to fight the good fight against … well, they call them Code V’s or leeches, but those monsters who want our blood to stay alive. We discuss how we both found the show here in the early 2000s, the premise of the show, and what we love about it. Since there are only six episodes, we discuss each one in detail, so spoilers ahoy. We rave about the quality writing and acting on display, some of our favorite scenes and more. It’s a Valentine in October to a program I often describe as “The X-Files and Blade fight Vampires.”
Join Karl as he reviews the 2022 Marvel Special Presentation from Disney Plus - Werewolf by Night! Werewolf by Night was one of Marvel Comics 1970 horror titles and this special brings the Werewolf, along with Ulysses and Elsa Bloodstone (and one other mystery monster) into the Marvel Cinematic Universe! A fun show! Spoilers are plentiful so enter at your own risk!
Join Karl as he reviews the 2022 Marvel Special Presentation from Disney Plus - Werewolf by Night! Werewolf by Night was one of Marvel Comics 1970 horror titles and this special brings the Werewolf, along with Ulysses and Elsa Bloodstone (and one other mystery monster) into the Marvel Cinematic Universe! A fun show! Spoilers are plentiful so enter at your own risk!
There was never a good Masters of the Universe video game. But by the twin moons of Eternia, there should have been. In the first half of today's adventure, we take a trip back through the bad games of yesteryear. Are any of them worth seeking out today? (No.) In the second half, we look at where the series of games left off, and explore where it would have made sense to go through the late 80s and into the 90s. What should have He-Man looked like on Nintendo, Genesis, SNES, and even the Neo Geo? We would love some participation on this one, how do you think Masters of the Universe would have worked in the days of grunge and cartridges?
There was never a good Masters of the Universe video game. But by the twin moons of Eternia, there should have been. In the first half of today's adventure, we take a trip back through the bad games of yesteryear. Are any of them worth seeking out today? (No.) In the second half, we look at where the series of games left off, and explore where it would have made sense to go through the late 80s and into the 90s. What should have He-Man looked like on Nintendo, Genesis, SNES, and even the Neo Geo? We would love some participation on this one, how do you think Masters of the Universe would have worked in the days of grunge and cartridges?
Hello people of the When It Was Cool Network. You may know me as the host of The Plot Podcast here on the network, but I've been publishing Odessa Steps Magazine since 2000 and doing the Winter Palace Podcast since 2005. Since our new episode fits nicely into Hallowe'en Month, I asked Karl if he'd like to post it here, since it fits what's going on in October and it would be a good taster for people to check out our other podcast. He said "sure" so here is a portion of that episode. I'm joined by AP reporter Ashraf Khalil to talk about the Sandman TV show. We both read Sandman in college when it was coming out in the early 1990s, so we'll talk about that, its early connection to the DC Universe, the creation of Vertigo and the walling off of the DCU, our favorite issues, the comic finally coming to the screen, casting choices, the use of animation, future seasons and more.
Hello people of the When It Was Cool Network. You may know me as the host of The Plot Podcast here on the network, but I've been publishing Odessa Steps Magazine since 2000 and doing the Winter Palace Podcast since 2005. Since our new episode fits nicely into Hallowe'en Month, I asked Karl if he'd like to post it here, since it fits what's going on in October and it would be a good taster for people to check out our other podcast. He said "sure" so here is a portion of that episode. I'm joined by AP reporter Ashraf Khalil to talk about the Sandman TV show. We both read Sandman in college when it was coming out in the early 1990s, so we'll talk about that, its early connection to the DC Universe, the creation of Vertigo and the walling off of the DCU, our favorite issues, the comic finally coming to the screen, casting choices, the use of animation, future seasons and more.
I can't believe I have never done a podcast review for my favorite of the Universal Studios monster movies - Dracula (1931) starring Bela Lugosi in his legendary role. A role that redefined who and what Dracula was even into the modern era. From the surreal and macabre studio sets, to the ambiance that Bela Lugosi brought to the screen every moment he was on it, Dracula is a true cinematic classic.
I can't believe I have never done a podcast review for my favorite of the Universal Studios monster movies - Dracula (1931) starring Bela Lugosi in his legendary role. A role that redefined who and what Dracula was even into the modern era. From the surreal and macabre studio sets, to the ambiance that Bela Lugosi brought to the screen every moment he was on it, Dracula is a true cinematic classic.
Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror is a 1922 silent German horror film directed by F. W. Murnau and starring Max Schreck as Count Orlok, a vampire. Nosferatu was produced by Prana Film and is an unauthorized and unofficial adaptation of Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula. Various names and other details were changed from the novel, including Count Dracula being renamed Count Orlok. Even with several details altered, Stoker's heirs sued over the adaptation, and a court ruling ordered all copies of the film to be destroyed. However, several prints of Nosferatu survived, and the film came to be regarded as an influential masterpiece of cinema. Today, Karl from When It Was Cool reviews this, very close to the novel, interpretation of Dracula in Nosferatu (1922).
Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror is a 1922 silent German horror film directed by F. W. Murnau and starring Max Schreck as Count Orlok, a vampire. Nosferatu was produced by Prana Film and is an unauthorized and unofficial adaptation of Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula. Various names and other details were changed from the novel, including Count Dracula being renamed Count Orlok. Even with several details altered, Stoker's heirs sued over the adaptation, and a court ruling ordered all copies of the film to be destroyed. However, several prints of Nosferatu survived, and the film came to be regarded as an influential masterpiece of cinema. Today, Karl from When It Was Cool reviews this, very close to the novel, interpretation of Dracula in Nosferatu (1922).
The Plot Podcast returns as part of Hallowe'en Month at When It Was Cool to look at some 1960s Spy TV shows and how they took on some classic creatures .. or do they? Watch The Man from UNCLE tangle with Count Zark, The Avengers (Steed and Mrs. Peel) investigate Professor Frank N. Stone and the agents of Get Smart investigate Dr. Drago. Things are seldom what they seem.
The Plot Podcast returns as part of Hallowe'en Month at When It Was Cool to look at some 1960s Spy TV shows and how they took on some classic creatures .. or do they? Watch The Man from UNCLE tangle with Count Zark, The Avengers (Steed and Mrs. Peel) investigate Professor Frank N. Stone and the agents of Get Smart investigate Dr. Drago. Things are seldom what they seem.
How Spider-Man saved Eternia. In todays adventure we follow an unlikely trail from the Daily Bugle to Castle Grayskull. Let’s take a look at the circumstances surrounding the 200X revival of Masters of the Universe. Who were behind the toys? What was the storyline? How did it turn out? Is it worth revisiting today?
Where's the paw-ty? Right here! Anything is paw-sible when Mike and Joseph get together to raise the woof! Things start off with the fellas on a short leash as they Gift, Keep, and Ditch famous dogs from movies and TV shows, and then its on to the main topic, a look at cartoon dogs through the years. This episode may be a diamond in the ruff, but you're barking up the wrong tree if you think that it isn't a paws-itively fetching episode. Dear Dog, there goes our dignity. Woof.
Karl and Tonya sit down to discuss The Neverending Story from 1984, as well as, the less talked about two sequels. Giant puppets, a child hero who shouts ever single line of dialogue, and an Empress who might be 30 or 13 I can't really tell. The first movie was a fun adventure and then it just got bad. Actually, who are we kidding, this movie holds up terribly and the flying dog dragon thing is really an acid trip.
In the new episode of the Plot Podcast, we pay tribute to the recently-deceased Jean-Luch Godard by looking at three French New Wave heist films: Shoot the Piano Player, Band of Outsiders and Le Doulos, all of which are streaming as of this recording.
This episode the fellas talk about some of the movies they watched from this year's Genre Blast Film Festival (including 'Manfish', 'Johnny Z' and 'The Brilliant Terror') - which were hits and which were misses? You've gotta listen to find out. Plus, September 15th (this episode's release day) is National Malcolm Day, so what better way to celebrate than to do a Gift, Keep, Ditch with famous Malcoms! This one's like a sequel to the previous episode. Or is it a reboot? A reimagining? Even we're confused!
KZ on the comeback trail, KZ shares his Florida hated, George Lucas and his mental state, Elvis, KZ shares his podcast playlist, an insane pro wrestling match and a Top 5 anytime movie discussion...all that and more! match link: https://tinyurl.com/kzboot
Grab a bucket of popcorn and a large drink - the boys have a super-long bonus-sized episode this time around! Up first is Gift, Keep, and Ditch featuring breakfast cereals of yore and then it's on to the feature presentation as they discuss some of the movies from the recent 2022 edition of the Popcorn Frights Film Festival. Join them as they FOLLOW HER through this FINAL SUMMER in the lead-up to the THIRD SATURDAY IN OCTOBER to the TINY CINEMA where we'll all be LIVING WITH CHUCKY.
Karl and Tonya discuss the epic new Elvis biopic recently in the theaters. Elvis Presley (Austin Butler) and his relationship with Col. Tom Parker (Tom Hanks) is the focus of the film... from the perspective of Col. Parker! This movie was amazing in every way and we discuss the incredibly complex (and utterly carney) Col. Tom Parker and how Elvis biggest fear was the least thing he had to worry about. An amazing movie. Join us as we discuss Elvis (2022).
Karl and Tonya discuss the epic new Elvis biopic recently in the theaters. Elvis Presley (Austin Butler) and his relationship with Col. Tom Parker (Tom Hanks) is the focus of the film... from the perspective of Col. Parker! This movie was amazing in every way and we discuss the incredibly complex (and utterly carney) Col. Tom Parker and how Elvis biggest fear was the least thing he had to worry about. An amazing movie. Join us as we discuss Elvis (2022).
In this episode of the Plot, we look at two spinoffs from the Pink Panther franchise: the 1968 film Inspector Clouseau, made without Blake Edwards and Peter Sellers, starring Alan Arkin as the bumbling French detective and The Inspector, the long-running animated film/tv series starring Pat Harrington Jr as The Inspector.
Join us as Mike and Joseph take a leisurely Sunday drive back in time to talk about some of their favorite cars from TV shows like the Batmobile (of course!), the Monkee Mobile (really?), and Fred Sanford's beat-up pick-up truck (why not?!). Before that, it's time for "Gift, Keep, Ditch" which sees the guys offer up their choices for spaceships! From dog-boned shaped satellites to tricked out school busses, this episode is a high-octane burst of nostalgia!
Thankfully, this is the last "flu era" episode we have recorded. With both Karl and Tonya now feeling better we will get the podcasts back to normal again. But as they fight off the last vestiges of sickness, they take a night to turn down the lights, light some oil lamps, and watch one of the most famous early horror movies ever- The Phantom of the Opera starring Lon Chaney (Sr.) and his famous make-up kit. Join us for this legendary 1925 silent movie classic (yet, still with a color scene!)
Did you have any figures in your collection that looked like a Masters of the Universe toy, smelled like a Masters of the Universe toy, and tasted like... well, maybe like lead paint and carcinogens? In today's adventure, Christoph takes you through the weird world of knock offs and bootlegs. Conan! Hercules! Rambo! Baltard?
As we start getting towards the end of Summer it's time for Joseph and Mike to discuss what they did on their childhood summer vacations - from county fairs to community pools and summer camps to Disneyland. Plus, a shocked Mike has to explain how to play "Kick the Can" to Joseph who never saw the game outside of that episode from 'The Twilight Zone'. All that AND there's a visit to the Planet of the Apes!
Karl and Tonya are finally back with a new episode of the flagship podcast. After our very successful (thank you Patreons!) A-Z of pop culture series, it is time to get back to business, so we start with a new review of one of our favorite movies, from 2004 - Napoleon Dynamite! We love this movie and we hope you have listening to us recounting tales of Napoleon, Uncle Rico, Kip, Deb, and the whole cast of characters. I found a Shawshone arrowhead over there under them chicken pins.
This yellow brick road that doesn't lead to any Emerald Cities! What it DOES lead to is a world of souped up cars, animals fighting back, dystopian drive-ins and so much more. Yep - the guys are talking Ozploitation flicks! But before that it's a "Gift, Keep, Ditch" of elementary school lunches. Throw another shrimp on the barbie - it's time for Uphill Both Ways!
When It Was Cool presents episodes one and two of Christoph's new Masters of the Universe themed podcast which is available on our Patreon feed to all $1 and higher Patreon supporters. Episode 3 is on the feed now. This podcast takes a deep dive into the Masters of the Universe toy, comic, and cartoon universe. I promise you will learn things about MOTU you never knew! And amazing great new addition to the When It Was Cool Podcast Network at WhenItWasCool.com
Bell bottoms! Giant collars! Tie-dye! Concert t-shirts! Pegged jeans! It's time for an Uphill Both Ways fashion show! Join the guys as they talk about fashion from the 70s and 80s in general and specifically what their usual style of dress was. Which one dressed like a bad guy from the Alpha Beta fraternity and who dressed like Ducky from 'Pretty in Pink'? You're going to have to listen to find out because we're not spoiling the surprise here!
This episode concludes the WhenItWasCool.com podcast series - the A-Z of pop culture. For the letter Z we examine the song Zombie by the Cranberries, and intense song with a historical narrative. Become a Patreon supporter at WhenItWasCool.com for almost 2000 premium podcasts on retro pop culture.
Kevin Costner stars in the most popular television drama of the last several years - Yellowstone. Set near Yellowstone National Park, this series tells the story of one of the largest ranches in the United States and the family that owns and protects it from a constant stream of those looking to take it. The violent and engrossing series has resulted in multiple spin-off shows and each season promises to be bigger than the last. Join Karl and Tonya as we review the popular series Yellowstone.
Today WhenItWasCool.com takes a look back at the classic 1990s X-Men the animated series cartoon. This cartoon aired during the peak of the X-Men's pop culture hype. The comic books were selling gangbusters and the cartoon series aired to both commercial and critical sucess. Let's take a look back at Wolverine, Cyclops, Professor X, Jean Gray, and the whole X-Men gang in this iconic cartoon series.
As a follow-up to the previous episode, Joseph and Mike discuss R.I.F. - the old Reading Is Fundamental program, going to the library, and paying visits to the beloved Bookmobile. New regular segment "Gift, Keep, Ditch" features foes of Godzilla, and there's even an announcement about a new contest for another free movie on Blu-ray!
Join Karl from WhenItWasCool.com as he takes a look at musician Weird Al Yankovic. Known for his parodies of popular songs, Weird Al has amassed a huge cult following and, it doesn’t hurt, that he seems to be one of the nicest people in the music business. Let’s take a When It Was Cool look at somebody who remains cool even now - Weird Al Yankovic.
Join Karl from WhenItWasCool.com in a retro journey back to some of the most fun and memorable video games of the 1970s-1980s. The video game arcade was the place to be when I was growing up. From Space Invaders, to Asteroid, to Defender, you needed a pocket full of quarters whenever you went to the mall or theater. Let's talk retro pop culture. Let's talk video games!
I like big robots and I can not lie... well, technically not a robot but I love giant Japanese fighting things. Godzilla, Mothra, Ultraman, you name it! This episode I look back at the 1971 Ultraman TV series and dive into the whole Ultraman mythos. If you like big aliens fighting monsters then this is your hook up!
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is one of the most enduring brands of the last 35 years. TMNT's have been covered in everything from movies, to comic books, to the toy aisle and have dominated. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle franchise remains extremely popular even up to today as TMNT merchandise can still be found everywhere. Join Karl from WhenItWasCool.com in this look at the amazing TMNT franchise.
When It Was Cool welcomes veteran podcaster Kid Zombie and his show Life and Times with KZ to our network! This debut show is free with talk about movies, pro wrestling, relationships, and more! His other shows can be found on our Patreon feed at the $1 level! Stop by and check it out at WhenItWasCool.com
Ernest Hemingway once said "There is no friend as loyal as a book" and if that's true, then Joseph and Mike have an army of buddies! Join the guys as the talk about the books that they read as kids back in the 70s (and early 80s) and find out who read works by people like Jules Verne and H.G. Wells and who read Beverly Clearly and the ghost writers behind the Franklin W. Dixon pseudonym. We'd say this episode is a "real page turner", but, well - it's a podcast and that wouldn't make a lot of sense. So click the link and listen already!
Join The Desert Rat today as we review the musings of the sci-fi/fantasy author Anne McCaffrey! A world of dragons is her legacy, source of fascination for millions! Support the platform that houses this podcast:
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The Six Million Dollar Man (AKA: The Bionic Man) was a popular television show in the mid-1970s which also spawned a popular line of action figures. Join Karl from WhenItWasCool.com as he talks about this favorite show of his from when he was a kid and relives the tales of Steve Austin, Bionic Bigfoot, the Venus Death Probe, and more!
In our A-Z of Pop Culture series we take a look at the most popular album by Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Rush. I have been a huge Rush fan for almost 40 years. They are my favorite band and I take a great deal of pride in their music. So, let’s discuss their most popular album - Moving Pictures. Be sure to check out the WhenItWasCool.com feature article 100 Best Rush Songs as well.
In our A-Z of Pop Culture series we stop on the letter Q with a deep dive into G.I. Joe continuity with a look at Quick Kick! Now, G.I. Joe is full of ninjas, and ninja forces, and more ninjas, and even a samurai, but Quick Kick, oddly enough, never really cast his lot with those sub-groups. So, what does this obvious Bruce Lee inspired character do in a military outfit? Depends on the cartoon or the comics! Let's talk about Quick Kick.
In our A-Z of Pop Culture series we stop on the letter Q with a deep dive into G.I. Joe continuity with a look at Quick Kick! Now, G.I. Joe is full of ninjas, and ninja forces, and more ninjas, and even a samurai, but Quick Kick, oddly enough, never really cast his lot with those sub-groups. So, what does this obvious Bruce Lee inspired character do in a military outfit? Depends on the cartoon or the comics! Let's talk about Quick Kick.
The Power Rangers were a giant pop culture property in the 1990s through the 2000s. Still today you can find plenty of Power Ranger themed toys in stores and there is no shortage of Power Rangers shows to watch. Karl from WhenItWasCool.com tells about how this began as a Japanese show yet took the whole world by storm. Go, go, Power Rangers!
Guess who just got back today? / Them wild-eyed boys that'd been away / Haven't changed, had much to say / But man, I still think them cats are crazy… That's right! Mike and Joseph are back! New shorter length! New intro and outro music! Same old men! It's a little bit of this and that, some catching up, and A CONTEST! This very special episode of Uphill Both Ways is brought to you by Red Barn! How about another exclamation point?!
Today, Karl from WhenItWasCool.com takes a look at the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Omnibus which collects the original run of the same series. This was the official character bible of Marvel Comics in the 1980s and would later be updated with a deluxe edition and other series. This was THE series that every kid in the 1980s had to have!
Today WhenItWasCool.com takes a look back at the legendary rock band Nirvana as part of our pop culture A-Z series. The early 1990s was an important transitional time in popular music and we discuss the changing of the era and the reasons for it.
It's May 19th and that can only mean one thing- It's the feature horror movie See No Evil starring WWE's Kane (Glen Jacobs). As far as horror movies go, this one is about as good as any of them and Kane is perfectly fine in the role. The marketing around the movie focused on the release date of May 19th so, here we are 16 years later remembering it.
In this episode previously only for Patreon supporters of WhenItWasCool.com, host Karl Stern takes a look back at the very first Marvel Comic book and the debuts of both the Human Torch and the Sub-Mariner. We take a look at what both Marvel and DC were doing at the time and how they compared. Support When It Was Cool on Patreon for hundreds of other podcasts just like this one!
We dip back into our Patreon files for this look back at an icon of classic television - Little House on the Prairie. Little House, based on a series of books by the real life Laura Ingles Wilder, was a staple of American television in the 1970s and 1980s. A wonderful family program featuring Michael Landon.
Today WhenItWasCool.com takes a look at the legendary rock band KISS! Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley, and Peter Criss have been a staple of pop culture and rock music since the 1970s. Today, Karl from When It Was Cool takes a look back at the hottest band in the world - KISS!
Joker (2019) is one of our favorite movie ever. Jacquine Phoenix is tremendous in this movie as the future arch rival to Batman, the Joker. This is a Joker origin story, which upset a lot of people, but wow what a great movie. Even if this isn't 'your' Joker, this Joker is tremendous. A favorite of When It Was Cool.
Join WhenItWasCool.com for a look back at the classic 1960s sitcom I Dream of Jeannie! From the Golden Age of Television. I Dream of Jeannie was one of the most popular shows on television for many years and replayed regularly during the 1970s-1990s. Join Karl and Tonya as we review this classic retro TV series.
Today we go back to a time when CBS had tons of programming aimed at rural America. One of the most classic of those hits, Hee Haw, was basically Saturday Night Live for the farm belt and deep south. I grew up on this show. As the Grandson of farmers this was can't miss programing. Let's talk about Roy Clark, Buck Owens, and whole Hee Haw gang! Salute!
Bad boys! What cha gonna do when the blah, blah, whatever those next words are, comes for you! TDR is back with another GREAT retro review - The Desert Rat does a Pitt maneuver and careens over into the DragonKing's lane this episode as he covers the Iconic COPS television series! Let's ride along vvith the various agencies of our fine nation as they kill people and break things, no, wait, that's the military! I meant to say, as they protect and serve their jurisdictions under the steely eye of the camera. This property has been a fan favorite for decades.
Join G.I. Joe fan Karl as he looks back at the cartoon series that gave life to his favorite line of action figures. G.I. Joe has had multiple cartoons since 1982 but the Sunbow series is generally considered the best and was followed by the less favorably remembered DIC series. It's a G.I. Joe lovefest from WhenItWasCool.com
Let's start the Family Feud! The fun and iconic America television game show has featured several hosts over the years but has remained a staple of American television for decades. Let's go back and take a look at the early years of this classic game show!
Join The Desert Rat today as VVe take a look at one of the largest interactive manhunts ever created, Americas Most VVanted. From its inception in the late 80s until today, this program has left several marks in the popular culture, and perhaps even altered the publics interaction vvith lavv enforcement. Also, bios on John VValsh, and Elizabeth Vargas, past and current hosts of the shovv. Contact The Desert Rat: thedesertrat@yahoo.com.
Bruce Lee stars in his biggest movie and American film break-thru role Enter the Dragon. He also dies before the movie's premier. Bruce Lee travels to a private island as a government agent to spy on an underground martial arts tournament. Bruce Lee is amazing in this 1973 action movie role.
Pop Culture A-Z series continues with our look back at the Vampire soap opera from 1966 - Dark Shadows! This is a great show, I love Dark Shadows. Barnabus Collins, the old house, Collinwood, I love everything about this classic vampire thriller series. WhenItWasCool.com looks back at Dark Shadows. Support us on Patreon!
One of my favorite films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is the first Captain America movie. After rewatching this movie it holds up just as strong as ever. A tremendous retelling of the story and origin of Captain America. Join Karl from WhenItWasCool.com for a look back at this great Marvel movie.
B is for Batman. While there have been many Batman movies, serials, TV shows, and animated series over the years (and we have reviewed MANY of them on our Patreon feed) today we look back on the classic Adam West 1966 campy Batman series. A fun, colorful, exciting, and most of all fun Batman treatment. Join our Patreon at WhenItWasCool.com for almost 2000 other pop culture shows.
We begin our series of A-Z of pop culture and retro pop culture where we are posting many of our podcasts and premium Patreon podcasts from the When It Was Cool Podcast Network. Starting with "A" for All in the Family, our retro TV review of the controversial sitcom starring Carol O'Connor.
oin The Desert Rat today as we review the Euro-hit show about that legendary Belgian- Hercules Poirot! Third of three in the Britbox Trilogy.
Contact The Rat: thedesertrat3@yahoo.com
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whenitwascool.com
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dirtydawgmes on Patreon
Stop Killing Each Other!
Karl and Tonya are back on the When It Was Cool flagship show to discuss the Netflix mini-series from last year- Dracula. Oh my, this series was so good. While the series started off filling in some of the gaps in the classic Bram Stoker Dracula novel, it soon deviated into a new telling of the Dracula mythos with an amazingly complex and capable protagonist. Answering many questions about vampire lore, Dracula is a wonderful cerebral fresh take on the most classic of vampire stories.
Part Two of the Britbox Trilogy. Since the DragonKing isn't into Police procedurals (note from Karl - I am NOT into police procedurals), then let me be, for a while at least, and toss this little log on the fire. Join The Desert Rat today as we ride along with Chief Inspector Vera!
When It Was Cool takes a look back at the 2016 DC Animated Movie feature Batman - The Killing Joke. A classic comic book story pitting The Joker against Batman than ends up being one of the most iconic Batgirl storylines ever. A story that completely changed her history. Did the animated movie hold up?
Join The Desert Rat today as we begin a trilogy featuring popular European television series. First up is the cycle pedaling priest, with a nose for solving criminal riddles-Father Brown. Britbox Episode One.
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whenitwascool.com
Today Karl takes you on a retro TV review ride with Knight Rider (1982) another classic television show about car mixed with crime drama. Former police officer and Vietnam veteran Michael Long is shot in an ambush but nursed back to health by a billionaire who, in addition to saving Long's life, also rebuilds his car as the indestructible and A.I. infused KITT. He also reconstructs Long's face and bestows on him a new identity - Michael Knight.
This week's Stuck In the Desert reviews some of Hollywood's attempts to capture the fury and grandeur that is Mother Nature on a cleaning spree! The Desert Rat will be crouched behind that rock outcropping during the production, doing his best to avoid detection and exercising the better part of valor...
contact The Rat: thedesertrat3@yahoo.com
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whenitwascool.com
Support my tag team partner,
dirtydawgmes on Patreon
Stop Killing Each Other!
Join The Desert Rat on the Yellow Brick Road this episode as we look back on the movie classic, The Wizard of Oz.
Support the platform that houses this podcast:
whenitwascool.com
Support my tag team partner,
dirtydawgmes on Patreon
Stop Killing Each Other!
The popular X-Men character Wolverine actually first appeared in the pages of the Incredible Hulk issue 181. A battle between the Hulk and the Wendigo was interrupted by the mysterious Canadian special agent superhero. Wolverine's character would become more hashed out as the years went by but still with a mysterious element to us. Join Karl from WhenItWasCool.com as he reviews Incredible Hulk issue 181.
Karl and Tonya return with the flagship When It Was Cool Podcast to discuss nostalgia and retro fun. Tonya has been helping sort out her grandmother's estate and has found some really nostalgic old items there including a time capsule of her cousin's old school yearbooks which are rocking some late 1980s and early 1990s fun. Plus, we revisit our own school days and wonder if certain things still exist. It's fun walk down times past on your source for retro pop culture - WhenItWasCool.com
Join The Desert Rat this week for an episode of Good Trucks and Truckers Gone Bad! Support the platform that houses this podcast: whenitwascool.com
The first Boston album spawned hit after hit despite Boston being only a marginally real band. No, seriously, the story of Boston is strange. The backstory of the song Rock and Roll Band is a complete fiction. However, Brad Delp was a real person and an incredible vocalist. Sadly, his life took a downward spiral which ultimately ended in suicide. This is that story.
I've got a retro TV review for you today. The famous episode of I Love Lucy where Lucy tries to pass herself off as Superman at her kid's birthday party only to, predictably, mess things up. But the real Superman (George Reeves) swoops in to save the day. A really fun and iconic sitcom episode from the classic TV era. Streaming on the Roku app.
Join The Desert Rat today as we patrol the city streets on horseback with the iconic Detective McCloud! I hope your roping skills are up to par!
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whenitwascool.com
Support my tag team partner,
dirtydawgmes on Patreon
Stop Killing Each Other!
Led Zeppelin 4 broke many music industry records and records and birthed one of the most popular rock songs in history - Stairway to Heaven. Join Karl from WhenItWasCool.com as we look back at this classic band and this legendary classic rock album.
Let's take a ride today in the "Beatupmobile" of Lt. Columbo as he bumbles his way into jailing this week's murderer! Peter Falk as an actor, and Columbo specifically are touched on in this episode. Support the platform that houses this podcast: whenitwascool.com Support my tag team partner, dirtydawgmes on Patreon Stop Killing Each Other!
Join The Desert Rat in our last surfing location (for now), and join the pineapple express as we meet the team of Hawaii Five-0. Ghastly crimes set in the land of paradise solved by Jack Lord and his team. Contact The Rat: thedesertrat3@yahoo.com
Support the platform that houses this podcast:
whenitwascool.com
Support my tag team partner,
dirtydawgmes on Patreon
Stop Killing Each Other!
In the 1970s, Marvel tried to ride the sucess of the Incredible Hulk TV series by adding a live-action Captain America show as well. Two TV specials aired. We have previously reviewed the first one and today we look back at the second and final one- Captain America II - Death Too Soon. While these specials made considerable changes to Captain America's character, he was still recognizable enough, and the two specials are probably better than you remember.
The new Star Wars spin-off series from Disney Plus was a rollercoaster ride that has fans split. I too, as you will hear, had significant problems with this series through-out. However, I thought they brilliantly pulled it together in the end. This is a review show so there are SPOILERS and I do mean significant spoilers so if that's a problem for you come back later. This is an episode-by-episode review, so enjoy.
We are back on the beach again this week, so come along with The Desert Rat as we kick up sand in slow motion with the cast of Baywatch!
Travel to paradise with The Desert Rat this week as we watch Nick Slaughter and Sylvie Gerard figure out Whodunnit under the palm trees next to the crashing waves... Pina Coladas are on me! Support the platform that houses this podcast: whenitwascool.com Support my tag team partner, dirtydawgmes on Patreon Stop Killing Each Other!
Today we travel back in time to 1979 and take a look at the first of two Captain America TV specials. Building off the popularity of The Incredible Hulk series, while not exactly true to the comics, the Captain America TV special was not too bad. Actually, it's probably way better than you remember. While it did fail to launch into a regular series it did get another one shot special.
Karl and Tonya take on the Book of Unusual Knowledge, a giant hardcover trivia book. We pick 3 topics dealing with popular culture and learn more about it. The infamous 27 club of musicians who have died at the age of 27, the Cadillac Ranch outside of Amarillo, Texas, and more! A fun time and you can order this same book off the from page of WhenItWasCool.com!
Roll off onto the desert backroads with The Desert Rat this week as we ride along with Lorenzo Lamas in his starring role as Renegade! If you like Bikes, Brawls, and good old-fashioned skullduggery, this may just be your next favorite show!
There were two Superman movie serials produced, one in 1948 and another in 1950. This week we look at the first where Superman faces an original masked crime lord called The Spider Lady. The serial is actually pretty decent aside from the low budget and animated flight sequences. Most of the actors are fine and while Superman might be a little too much on the silly side, he was still considerably better than the much-maligned Batman actors from the same era.
The flagship When It Was Cool podcast returns as Karl and Tonya discuss the 1990s! We talk Beanie Babies (which Tonya use to collect and still has some!), Beverly Hills 90210, Melrose Place, The Golden Girls and Betty White, plus a bonus feature after the main show from our Patreon archive a review of a wacky 1990 TV show - Cop Rock! Let's be careful out there!
It may be a new year, but it's time to go back to when you'd race home from school, throw your stuff onto a chair, grab a snack and then flip on the TV to catch your beloved after school shows. Whether it was Ultraman, Gigantor, Spider-Man, or even the aptly-named "Afterschool Special" on ABC, chances are high that you had something you just couldn't miss and Mike and Joe are ready to run down some of their favorites. But first it's Joseph running down his playlist for the SLP VHS Dub Tape Challenge in which he floods us with Drastic Weather Events!
Today we take a look back at the first of the famous Fleischer film animated shorts from 1941 - Superman: Mad Scientist. These animated films were known for being very advanced for their time and still hold up quite well today. With an epic cinematic score, tremendous voice acting, and exciting plots, it's no wonder the Fleischer Films still are revered today. These films are now in the public domain and available on many streaming services and on YouTube.
Karl and Tonya return for the last show of 2021. We discuss some of the things we got pop culture related for Christmas including our thoughts on how Christmas needs to change. Then we look forward to 2022 what is ahead both for pop culture and society. We discuss social media and more. Happy New Year to everyone and we look forward to 2022 being the biggest year ever for When It Was Cool.
Join The Desert Rat today as we wind up the vigilante trilogy. We will be reviewing the eerie blood-soaked path of the Dexter the tv series. Eight horrific seasons in the bag, but hold on to your socks, this is another show that's up on the reboot list! Will the terror never cease Support the platform that houses this podcast: whenitwascool.com on Patreon. Support Wrestling With the Dawg: dirtydawgmes on Patreon. Stop killing each other.
Thanks to all of the schedule shuffling this episode would have originally been recorded and aired as episode #119 and there would be a Christmas episode waiting for you here. But that episode aired LAST week and this episode isn't really a Christmas-themed episode - although it is mentioned a few times. With THAT out of the way, settle down into your favorite chair and listen as Mike and Joe talk a little about "Planet of the Apes" and a fan-film they both reviewed called "Revision of the Planet of the Apes". And of course there's the regular segment - the SLP VHS Dub Tape Challenge - in which Mike lists what is on his six hour tape of "After School Awesomeness". It's the last show of 2021 - join us, won't you?
Join The Desert Rat this episode as we team up with Reese and Fitch and the gang to fight the bad guys high tech style. In the Person of Interest series. This show is a fun wild ride through the dark side of humanity, made even eerier by the fact that our advancements in tech make the scenario plausible. If it is occurring, I hope heroes like this are in charge of the project.. Old fan, or first time watcher, this show will leave you with food for thought.
Join The Desert Rat today as we follow along with Team Leverage, modern day Robin Hoods of the techno age! Part one of a techno-vigilante series. Support the platform that houses this podcast: whenitwascool.com on Patreon. Support Wrestling With the Dawg:
dirtydawgmes on Patreon. Stop killing each other.
The much maligned Kevin Smith Masters of the Universe Revelation Netflix series is reviewed by Karl from WhenItWasCool.com. Why did the series garner so much hate? Is it really as bad as people say? Karl gives you the good, the bad, and the ugly of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe continuation series by producer Kevin Smith.
Schedules and timing are a bear this time of year and Mike and Joseph were hit from all sides with conflicting commitments and surprise events, so there was no way to get together and record a new episode. But fret not! Using technological wizardry, the guys have cobbled together a "Best of Christmas Episodes" clip show. So, grab that eggnog, open up that tin of sugar cookies, and enjoy nearly an hour of Uphill Both Ways Memories.
Join The Desert Rat today as we take a look at some more modern interpretations of what the private eye gig is really all about. An interesting contrast to the last episode from a time of different sensibilities. The tv series Psych, and Chuck are today's artifacts. Support the platform that houses this podcast: whenitwascool.com on Patreon. Support Wrestling With the Dawg: dirtydawgmes on Patreon. Stop killing each other.
This show combines two past When It Was Cool Patreon specials. First, a biography of the classic southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd who are probably a lot better than you might remember. A lot smarter too. I think many people dismiss Lynyrd Skynyrd as simplistic southern rock but they are actually one of the best and most well written rock bands ever. Their story is tragic but also inspiring. Then we have a review of a recent (2021) concert from the band and where they stand today.
Karl and Tonya are back to review two of their favorite comedy movies: Step Brothers (starring Will Ferral and John C. Riely) and Walk Hard (starring Riely). Step Brothers is a hilariously absurd comedy following two 40-year-old Step Brothers who still live at home with their parents done in the ridiculous Will Ferral style. Walk Hard is equally funny but also a witty look at the history of popular music from the 1940s through the early 2000s. The two movies together give a hilarious look back at pop culture.
Join The Rat today, as we go sleuthing! In this episode we meet the rotund Frank Cannon, and the wily Joe Mannix; Two out of a handful of private detective shows that were all the rage in the late 60s, and early 70s. Real classic entertainment! We always get our man... and will continue getting him until the network pulls the plug! Support the platform that houses these works, whenitwascool.com on Patreon. Support my tag team partner, Eric Darcie of Wrestling with the Dawg! dirtydawgmes on Patreon. Stop killing each other!
Happy Thanksgiving to all of our listeners in the U.S.! The guys have a larger than usual episode to go along with your larger than usual servings of turkey dinner as they discuss some music that they are thankful for, specifically their favorite albums. Some of it's pretty middle of the road, top 40 stuff (Mike, we're looking at you) and some of it is a bit more varied (Yo, Joe!), but all of it is top of the charts for them. But first, kicking things off, is Joseph answering the SLP VHS Dub Tape Challenge of "Cover Ups and Conspiracies". So, take that tinfoil off of your dinner and fashion it into a hat, because it's time for some Uphill Both Ways!
Join The Desert Rat today for eggs over easy, and a side order of "kiss my grits!", as we remember the Alice sitcom and its spinoff Flo. We can take a peek into the diner, still in operation today In Phoenix, Arizona! Support the platform that houses this podcast: whenitwascool.com on Patreon and support my tag team partner: dirtydawgmes on Patreon!
On this episode of the When It Was Cool flagship podcast, Karl and Tonya discuss two of the most popular shows on TV and streaming right now. Yellowstone is the most popular show on TV entering it's fourth season from Paramount and streaming previous seasons on Peacock. The Kevin Costner crime/drama/western has amassed a huge following because it is a GREAT show. Then the crime/drama You has dropped a new season as well and hits the true crime sweet spot for many viewers.
Join The Desert Rat today as we review the 2011 tv series Hell on Wheels! Painted ladies and dastardly deeds galore in this six year property that showcases the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad. Support the platform that houses this podcast: whenitwascool.com on Patreon. Throw the dawg a bone! Dirtydawgmes on Patreon. Peace be with you my friends!
Drag out that toybox you've kept in storage and let's root around in there for a while as Joseph and Mike reminisce about old toys like Slinkys, Colorforms, Super Balls, and toy robots (to mention just a few things!) However, the first thing Mike has to do is answer Joseph's VHS SLP Dub Tape challenge and provide six hours worth of recorded media with the theme of "Well I'll Be a Monkey's Uncle". Things are gonna get bananas!
Join The Desert Rat today as we consider the life and works of much renowned actor Raymond Burr (Perry Mason, Godzilla, etc)! Support the platform that houses this podcast. whenitwascool.com on Patreon.
The flagship podcast of WhenItWasCool.com is back with a big show today. First, Karl and Tonya discuss a fun list of the most expensive toys from our youth. Obviously, this is a gimmick list with lots of caveats but it did jar some fun memories from Masters of the Universe, Star Wars, Cabbage Patch Kids, Garbage Pail Kids, Barbie, comics, and much more. Then we review the recent Black Label Society concert featuring Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Zakk Wylde and a couple of veteran heavy metal opening acts.
It's almost time, kids. The clock is ticking. Be in front of your TV sets for the Horrorthon. And don't forget to wear your masks. The clock is ticking. It's almost time. But first, Mike and Joseph break out the treats and talk about an assortment of things related to Halloween. Then it's time for something different. The 'Christmas Carol' episode is one of their favorites, so they decided to do something similar for this episode by doing their version of Edgar Allen Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado". Joseph also answers the SLP VHS Dub Tape Challenge of the theme "Wait! That's my Sister!".
It's almost time, kids. The clock is ticking. Be in front of your TV sets for the Horrorthon. And don't forget to wear your masks. The clock is ticking. It's almost time. But first, Mike and Joseph break out the treats and talk about an assortment of things related to Halloween. Then it's time for something different. The 'Christmas Carol' episode is one of their favorites, so they decided to do something similar for this episode by doing their version of Edgar Allen Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado". Joseph also answers the SLP VHS Dub Tape Challenge of the theme "Wait! That's my Sister!".
Join The Desert Rat today as we revisit the dynamic duo of the old west in our review of the retro tv series Alias Smith and Jones! This series bit the dust primarily because of a tragedy in the cast, which we will discuss here. Support the platform that hosts this podcast- whenitwascool.com on Patreon also support my tag team partner Eric Darcy-Dirtydawgmes on Patreon! Happy Trails!
The flagship of WhenItWasCool.com returns with a duel Halloween filled review podcast. Karl and Tonya take a look at the latest installment in the Michael Meyers Halloween film franchise Halloween Kills (2021). Spoilers a-plenty. Plus how this movie melds the continuity between the original series and the Rob Zombie series. Then Karl reviews another of the Universal monster classics The Mummy from 1932 starring Boris Karloff. A fun filled Halloween season podcast! Spread the word and support When It Was Cool!
Join The Desert Rat this week, as we delve into another steam punk classic of comics and movie lore; The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Support the platform that houses this podcast: whenitwascool.com on Patreon. Throw The Dawg a bone: dirtydawgmes on Patreon. Rest In Peace Dad.
Lock your doors, pull down the window shades, and huddle close together as it's time for the first of two Halloween-themed episodes! In this episode Joseph and Mike talk about the "unholy trinity" of Universal's classic monsters - Dracula, Frankenstein's monster, and The Wolf-Man - and their lasting visual and thematic impact on pop culture for the past nearly 100 years. Movies other than the Universal ones from the 30s and 40s, cartoons, comic books, and even vinyl recordings have all been stamped by the portrayals of the creatures by Karloff, Lugosi, and Chaney, Jr. There's also the SLP VHS Dub Tape Challenge in which Mike answer's Joseph's challenge - or does he?
Join The Desert Rat today as we look back at another short lived, but totally awesome classic, The Adventures of Brisco County Jr! Steam punk at its finest. Support the platform that houses their podcast - whenitwascool.com on Patreon
The When It Was Cool flagship podcast sails again with two full length retro reviews for you. First, is a fun filled review of a Saturday morning cartoon that ran for two seasons in the early 1980s based on the pop culture phenom video game Pac Man! Then we have a full review, appropriate for October, of The Bride of Frankenstein, a movie considered by many to be the best of the old Universal Monster movies. Plus some talks on the upcoming Rolling Stones concert and much more!
One of our older Patreon shows. WWE WWF owner Vince McMahon tried his hand at another passion of his in the 1990s - professional bodybuilding. He loaded up on gimmicks, and silliness, hired a few celebrity types including Lou Ferrigno and rival wrestling promotion WCW's champion Lex Luger and produced the big flop known as the WBF.
It's almost Halloween season and Mike and Joseph are busy picking out their costumes and decorating the UBW offices with skeletons, Jack O'Lanterns, bats, and all sorts of creepy things they found at the Dollar Store. So rather than skip this week they decided to run an encore of an older episode that sees Joe spell out his mix-tape of songs about sports in the Mix-Tape Challenge and then it's time for the main event as the guys chat about old horror TV shows from the 70s and 80s like "Circle of Fear" and "Tales From the Darkside". It's the perfect episode to get you in the mood for the upcoming Halloween holiday!
The new and improved When It Was Cool flagship podcast returns with Karl and Tonya discussing the pop artist Pink and her incredible singing, songs, and life. Then Karl returns with a review of one of the most wacked out episodes of Super Friends ever - Colossus! Apache Chief (of all people) saves the day. When It Was Cool discusses pop culture, retro pop culture, history, and more! Visit our website at WhenItWasCool.com for more!
Join The Desert Rat today as we look back at the much lauded but somewhat controversial tv series from the late 1960s. Wild Wild West is an artifact well worth revisiting. I loved this show, and perhaps you did too! Support the platform that hosts this show. Join up on Patreon from the When It Was Cool home page. A labor of love and growing community for over 5 years now!
The review trilogy comes to a close as Joseph and Mike share their thoughts on six of the movies that aired as part of this year's Genre Blast Film Festival. Were there any stand-outs or stinkers? Is Kringle Time an actual time zone? And what does Vernon Wells have to do with any of this? Before you get the answers to THOSE questions, though, Joe answers the SLP VHS Dub Tape Challenge with the topic of "losing a job". Let's all head to the lobby for some refreshing snacks before the start of the show!
Join Karl from WhenItWasCool.com as he looks back at a classic prime time television show from his childhood. This episode we look back at the trucking comedy/drama BJ and The Bear. As a kid this featured everything you needed for a fun TV show- an 18 wheeler truck and a monkey. You seldom ever see this show in reruns but it was a huge hit back in the late 1970s into the 1980s.
The flagship has returned to sail into the next 5 years! Karl and Tonya return to discuss the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks and the new documentary by National Geographic called 9-11: One Day in America. Where were you on September 11th? Tonya was working for a major food chain distributor while Karl was a police officer. They discuss the massive changes in their professions following 9-11 and how the world changed plus all the dramatic new footage in the National Geographic documentary. History, pop culture, memories, and more- that's the new and improved When It Was Cool.
Join the Desert Rat today as he reminisces about some of the good times he has had, and his favorite When It Was Cool editions. Support the platform that hosts this podcast, and help us make 5 years a decade.
Mike and Joe review and discuss RetroTV's newest program, "Dracula's Kung-Fu Theater" and how it harkens back to old TV horror hosts, albeit with the hook that instead of monster flicks, we get old martial arts films. This leads into memories of hosts from their youth like Sir Graves Ghastly, Bob Wilkins, the Ghoul and others, as well as how current and more recent personalities like Svengoolie, Elvira, and Joe Bob Briggs provide today's horror hounds with similar experiences.
Oh, yeah - and there's the debut of the newest feature, The SLP VHS Tape Challenge! Was Mike able to fill up a six hour video tape of things inspired by the topic "The One That Got Away"? Find out by downloading or hitting play now!
Karl and Tonya review the last 4 chronological installments in the Conjuring Universe of horror movies. Annabelle Comes Home follows the story of the haunted Annabelle doll set in 1972. The Curse of La Llorona is set in 1973. The Conjuring 2 takes the Warrens and their story to England in 1977. The latest movie in the Conjuring Universe is set in 1981- Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It and is presently in theaters.
Courtesy of the Peacock Channel I bring you the DIRT WORST show I have watched in a long time- Airwolf from 1984. This show seemed to have all the ingredients to appeal to me- a super jet helicopter, military fightin', and the 1980s. But it has too much going against it. For one, Ernest Borgnine, but he wasn't even close to the worst thing in it. This show was the most melodramatic bucket full of bad stereotypes it would have been almost unwatchable had it not been so hilarious. Then eye-patch dude shows up and tells a story. Then I hated it so much I loved it.
It's movie review time! The guys sit down and talk about four movies that played at this year's Popcorn Frights Film Festival that was held in person in Fort Lauderdale along with a nationwide virtual version from August 12th until today. On tap are two slasher-esque flicks as well as two creature features, both of which were world premieres. Plus, Joseph introduces the SLP VHS Dub-Tape Challenge. Put some Jiffy Pop on the stove burner and get ready for something completely different.
Join pro wrestling historian Karl Stern from When It Was Cool as he looks in depth at the history of WWE legend Hulk Hogan before he became WWF champion in 1984. Did he hold a world championship before then in the AWA? It's complicated. A detailed deep dive into the history of pop culture and pro wrestling legend Hulk Hogan. Part of our new Monday drop of shows on the When It Was Cool podcast network. This show was previously available to our Patreon supporters.
While Joe is busy spending his Summer break waiting to get his second Covid vaccine shot, the guys weren't able to schedule any time to record, so Mike has put together the next best thing: A clip show! But not just any clip show, no sir! One of the most popular UBW features was the Monthly Mix-Tape Challenge, so Mike put together seven of the best challenges and compiled them into this very special episode. Songs about the one that got away, songs that would make cool movies, and songs that make you think about Halloween are just a few of the ones you've got waiting for you here. Just push play already!
This week on the free When It Was Cool podcast from WhenItWasCool.com hosts Karl and Tonya review the first 4 movies in the Conjuring Universe in chronological order: The Nun (set in 1952), Annabelle Creation (set in 1955), Annabelle (set in 1967), and The Conjuring (set in 1971). Many horror movie fans consider The Conjuring family of movies to be one of the best horror movie franchises in many years and When It Was Cool takes you through the first half of the story this week. Coming in September 2021 we are relaunching the When It Was Cool flagship podcast and refreshing the entire website with some new ideas. Not only will we continue to have fun retro reviews and tons of pro wrestling history but we will now also be looking at the idea of "When it was cool..." in a whole new fresh way. The best is yet to come and THANK YOU for helping us on this journey. Now strap in, because you ain't seen nothing yet.- Karl & Tonya
Lois Lane, Mary Jane Watson, and Veronica Lodge - what do they all have in common? They're non-powered love interests of comic book characters. While there are plenty of couples in comic books, most of them don't last long or, when they do, both parties have extraordinary abilities. So Joseph and Mike decided to take a hike up Mt. Retromore and discuss those love interests and each list their top four. Then, sticking with the comic book theme, the guys discuss what got them into comics, their early days of buying, when they realized they were collectors, and other topics related to their comic book fixations back in the day.
Karl and Tonya sit down and review the first two Harry Potter movies for the first time in this collected edition podcast previously available to our Patreon supporters. Neither of us have saw a Harry Potter movie before nor have we read the books so we are going to see what all the fuss is about. These movies were important pop culture events for a generation and we want to explore that magic (pun intended) for ourselves.
It's a special review show as the guys look at Craig Moss and Goldwyn Films new movie, "Let Us In" which debuted on VOD last Friday. They discuss the movie and other examples of "gateway" horror geared towards kids, or that is at least kid-friendly, and how they both were drawn to and/or introduced to the horror genre. But before that Mike reveals what has been ailing him the past six months or so and then it's a trip to their favorite landmark, Mt. Retromore, where they each run down their top four TV detectives from the 70s and 80s. And for Pete's sake, if someone starts knocking on your door asking if they can come in, make sure they aren't dressed in black and don't have empty black eyes before you say 'Yes'.
When it comes crashin' down and it hurts inside- dun dun dun dun dun-dun dun-dun! Yeah! It might not be "cool" to be an American these days but BY GAWD we don't feel that way at When It Was Cool! Karl and Tonya discuss how the Fourth of July was celebrated back during our childhoods. The absolute God given American way- by blowing stuff up with questionable grade explosives! So brush your mullet, hop in your Trans-Am, and let's run down to the fireworks stand while the adults sip sweet tea and watch us lose an eye. It's Independence Day! Let freedom ring!
Joe talks about some old Kiss demo clips that he found on YouTube, Mike bemoans the cardiac event monitor that he has to wear for two weeks, and they both share their top four identifiable villains in this episode's "Mount Retromore". After that, it's time to get into the nuts and bolts of the episode as the guys look back at electronic devices that made their debut - or at least became affordable and commonplace among consumers - in the 1970s. So grab your Sony Walkman and pop a cassette copy of this episode in and give it a listen!
What is the Ultimate History of Pro Wrestling at When It Was Cool? The history of professional wrestling from it's earliest inception to the year 2000 is being indexed at WhenItWasCool.com. Learn about people like Col. James H. McLaughlin, William Muldoon, Farmer Burns, Frank Gotch, Tom Jenkins, George Hackenschmidt, Strangler Lewis (both of them), Lou Thesz, Gorgeous George, Buddy Rogers, Bruno Sammartino, Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin, The Rock, and more.
Today we present two Patreon exclusive shows for free both focusing on the old 1966 Batman series! The first half of the show looks back at episode one and season one and discusses all the fun aspects of the Batman TV show. The second half of the show looks at one of the best superhero TV crossovers ever as The Green Hornet and Kato (Bruce Lee) invade the Batman TV show in an epic battle!
Last episode's 'Mail bag' posed an interesting question; What is your most memorable pro-wrestling moment? The guys decided that an answer to that question would be better served on its own show - and that show is now! From jealousy tearing The Megapowers apart to Andy Kaufman going ballistic on Jerry Lawler on an episode of "Late Night With David Letterman", Mike and Joseph dig deep into the days of kayfabe and come up with at least a dozen events between the two of them. Oh, yeah - and Mount Retromore focuses on the best Butlers and Maids and has a very surprising outcome. Go ahead and listen now - we'll get the door if anyone stops by.
This episode we dive into the mailbag and answer tons of listener questions. These mailbag shows are usually only done for our Patreons but I'm behind on them so, boom! Here it is. Tons of pro wrestling history questions. Among topics discussed include The Fugitive inspiration Dr. Sam Shepard, Power Rangers, wrestling hillbillies, pioneer era pro wrestling, true crime and the case of Randy Rose, wrestlers with the most different names, and much more. A packed show!
Today Karl looks back on the popular Street Fighter/Street Fighter 2 video game property which also spawned a movie, multiple animated series, comic books, action figures, and a whole genre of music... yes. With such great characters as Ryu, Ken Masters, Sagat, M. Bison, E. Honda, Guile, and Blanca, Street Fighter 2 shares many similarities and differences with Mortal Kombat.
It's been a while since they've done it, so Mike and Joe dump out a few bags of the hundreds of letters they get each month and dive into some "Listener Mail". Topics include, but are in no way limited to; Ultraman fighting a couple of other guys, nostalgic fashion, lunchboxes, and whether or not they plan on including the 90s into any upcoming shows. And don't forget your climbing gear for a trek to the summit of Mt. Retromore and the top four picks from each on the subject of newspaper comic strip characters! Thrills, chills, and spills - this one has it all!
This episode Karl and Tonya discuss various arts and crafts and fun fads from the past and the present. Wood burning kits, cross stitching, doll making, action figure customs, painting, and more. And now T-Shirt customizing, T-Shirt bleaching, and tie dying. Some arts and craft fads of the past were silly and useless while others taught us skills and gave us a creative outlet. Plus, the new Iron Man Marvel legends action figure, and much more! Retro pop culture, fun, and more from WhenItWasCool.com
In honor of the 75th birthday (May 19, 2021) of the legendary Andre the Giant, wrestling historian Karl Stern presents a reading of Dave Meltzer's biography of Andre the Giant from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Tons of background and information on one of the literal and figurative biggest names in pro wrestling history. Support WhenItWasCool.com on Patreon for over 1500 more shows just like this.
Episode #103 - "Love Rollercoaster"... Iconic corporate mascots take center stage in this episode's "Mt. Retromore" and then it's time to cram the family in the car and head off to Wally World as Mike and Joseph talk memories of theme parks like Disneyland, Disney World, Cedar Point, Marriott's Great America, Boblo Island Amusement Park, and more. Please keep your arms, hands, legs, feet and head inside the ride vehicle at all times. You must be this tall to enjoy this ride.
Karl and Tonya are back for the flagship When It Was Cool Podcast discussing retro pop culture and more. This episode we debate 1990s music, discuss Nirvana, Gin Blossom's, Goo Goo Dolls, rap and hip-hop, how Karl bait and switched Tonya with a cowboy hat, plus feature segments on the DC Arrowverse, Karl's feud with McDonalds, Big Van Vader, and much more!
On this retro review, Karl from WhenItWasCool.com takes a look back at the popular 1965 sitcom Green Acres. A fun show with lots of laughs. Karl also has a personal connection to one of the shows stars. Have fun revisiting a retro television classic.
Joseph and Mike talk about the band Sparks and the recent kaiju brawl Godzilla vs Kong in the opening segment and then it's time to talk about animals and famous TV pets for Mt. Retromore. While there are tons to choose from, two made both Mike and Joseph's list and we're almost willing to bet they'll make yours as well. Finally, while it's still over a week away, the guys celebrate Mother's Day with a discussion about Famous TV moms from the 70s and 80s. Some are traditional, old family values mothers, some are more hip and "with it", and others are... a bit out there, both figuratively and literally. So make sure you wash your face and hands, comb your hair, and sit up straight because it's time for Uphill Both Ways.
Today we look at the Masters of the Universe Origins line of action figures which are about the only action figures you can find on toy shelves any more. These throwback style action figures are proving very popular and we discuss the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe property both old and new and more. I have the power!
Creeping up on us from out of the darkness... our FOURTH ANNIVERSARY SHOW! Where did this come from? Why, it seems like it was just last episode the guys marked one hundred episodes and now they want to celebrate another anniversary? To do so, they look at schoolyard games for this installment of Mt. Retromore and then to tie into the 4th anniversary they discuss famous and influential quartets from the 70s and 80s. It's 76 minutes of pop culture nostalgia Uphill Both Ways style.
It's finally here! Karl's arch nemesis in life- the Warner Brothers DC Universe movies - have resurrected one of their own from the grave (literally and figuratively as it turns out) as the Justice League returns bigger, better, stronger. I guess. I do agree this one is better than the original cut and Karl and Tonya have watched this redux and break it down for you. There are certainly vast improvements. Still problems. Lots and lots of problems, but this movie isn't nearly as hateable as the others but it is a whopping four hours long.
It's finally here! Karl and Tonya review Godzilla vs Kong (2021) from the comfort of our own home on HBO MAX. Did it live up to the hype? Who won? (SPOILERS) Was it any good? Did Kong get transported to fight Godzilla via helium balloons again (no, but close). And the glory that is 2021 Mechagodzilla! This movie was, in many ways, exactly what we expected and in many ways it wasn't.
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Episode #100 - No joke, it's finally here! Episode #100! Joseph and Mike present the Uphill Both Ways 100 Essential Pop Culture Things from the 1970s and 1980s. It's a topic that only an extra sized episode could contain!
Are you hyped for the new Godzilla vs Kong movie? We are! And we've done this once before. All the way back in 1962 Godzilla fought King Kong. Karl and Tonya watch this masterpiece and review it. This episode features the worst looking King Kong in cinematic history, frantic arm waving Godzilla, a volcano (of course), and much more. Join us for King Kong vs Godzilla!
The boys are back in town! Sidekicks - quick, name your top four! Joseph and Mike surprise each other with theirs in this episode's installment of "Mt. Retromore" as they also talk about what makes a sidekick (among other things) and then it's time to hit the main topic which was inspired by the episode number. Yep, it's the old "100 bottles of beer on the wall" topic. No? How about the number of times Mike says "Uhm"? Not buying that either, huh? Would you believe it's a discussion about the TV show "Get Smart"? From Agent 99 herself to Hymie the robot and shoe phones, the guys lift the cone of silence and share their affection for this classic sitcom. And most importantly, maybe we'll find out just why Siegfried was pretending to be a doctor on 'The Love Boat'.
Karl and Tonya are back to talk about one of the biggest pop culture movies of the 1980s- Footloose! Footloose was not only a movie of it's era (dancing solves problems, small town politics and religion) but the soundtrack produced multiple hit songs including the title track which was one of the biggest hits of the 1980s. We discuss the culturally impactful movie Footloose from 1984.
The podcast gods have once again foiled the best laid plans of mice, men, and Mike and Joseph, so it's time for a very special episode - a "one half" episode. That's right - this is episode 98 and a half! Mike talks a little about the successful "Fist of Justice" Kickstarter, we listen to a few old commercials, and Joseph updates everyone on his living conditions before providing an addendum to his recently posted article on the UBW web page as well as a bit of teaser for the upcoming second article. You are checking out the website at ubwpodcast.com, right? Things will be back to normal in the next week or two when episode #99 rolls around and then it's time for the big one - number 100! So until then, please enjoy this sample-sized episode (little plastic cup and toothpick not included).
I love big monsters and big robots. I'm a Godzilla fan and with a big new Godzilla project coming next month I thought I'd set the mood by watching some other Tokusatsu related stuff. I've always like the design and idea of Ultraman. The character even had some crossovers into pro wrestling but I'd honestly never watched much about the character. Recently, on one of the streaming services, I saw Return of Ultraman (1971) listed and watched for a review. I really enjoyed this fun show! Come join me to talk about Ultraman!
It's time to put on make-up, it's time to get things right, it's time for When It Was Cool to cover the return of the original Muppet Show to television via the Disney Plus streaming app. All your favorites like Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, and more along with their legendary 1970s guest stars like Elton John, John Denver, Kenny Rogers, Mark Hamill, and many more. Karl and Tonya discuss the fun that is The Muppet Show yeahhhh!
A mid-1970s sitcom that I remember watching regularly as a kid. Little did I know that I would grow up to sort of do what they were doing. As a matter of fact, I have seen Barney Miller described as "the most realistic cop show on TV" and, oddly enough, in a lot of ways it's sort of true. A pretty awesome cast of characters on this better than average sitcom. Let's talk about Barney Miller.
A new edition of the When It Was Cool flagship podcast as Karl and Tonya discuss a favorite topic- 1980s music! We have been burning up playlists on YouTube lately and Karl is an expert in all things retro music. We talk about classic rock and pop and discuss many legendary and forgotten acts including The Police, Simply Red, Genesis, Robert Palmer, David Bowie, Madonna, Morris Day and the Time, John Mellencamp, Hall and Oates, Laura Brannigan, Survivor, Loverboy, Heart, and much more! A super fun (and hopefully informative) show!
This was a blast to review! I have loved Enter the Dragon and Bruce Lee my whole life. This is the first time I have watched Enter the Dragon in many years and this was so much fun to watch and review. Then I go on some hilarious sidebar tangents. I hope you enjoy this show as much as I enjoyed doing it. Let's look back at Bruce Lee's greatest (and last) master work.
The Bangles, Stephanie Mills, John Paragon, and... Don Felder? What do these people have in common? The answer may amaze you! Cap'n Crunch, Trix, Lucky Charms, Count Chocula, and... Green Onion Chex?!? What do these things have in common? The answer may surprise you! AC/DC, Kansas, Bruce Springsteen, Sparks, and... Danny Elfman? What do they have in common? The answer may astound you! What's New, Mt. Retromore, and the main topic for this episode will make everything crystal clear. Join Joseph and Mike as they paddle down the stream of consciousness on their way to episode #100!
On this edition of the flagship When It Was Cool podcast we discuss the NBCU's Peacock streaming network which is in the news this week for a deal to absorb the WWE Network into it's service in March. I have gotten the app and I'll tell you what is on there of interest to retro pop culture fans (a lot!) and discuss streaming apps in general. The second half of our show takes a detailed look at the career of Phil Collins, one of the biggest selling pop stars of all time.
When It Was Cool reviews the 1950 serialized film Atom Man vs Superman. This is one of the best super hero films of pre-TV era and features a Mad Scientist verses Superman in one of Superman's regular tropes from the Golden Age. Join Karl from WhenItWasCool.com with a look back at the early days of one of comics greatest heroes - Superman!
It's time for a new movie review! But first - Mt. Retromore! Joseph and Mike discuss their top four iconic picks for "Friendly Aliens from TV and Movies". Then it's time to dive right into the new movie "Psycho Goreman" which was written and directed by Steven ("The Void") Kostanski - a fun movie but one that is certainly not for the young ones. But fret not, despite the carnage within the film, everything is kept at the usual "PG" level. Which, now that we think about it, could also stand for "Psycho Goreman". In fact, it DOES stand for that in the movie. Uh-oh - could this be the episode that breaks the rules and changes the game (hopefully not to "Crazy Ball")? Nah, who are we kidding - that's coming in three episodes! Nyuk nyuk!
The new When It Was Cool flagship podcast has set sail and on this edition we look at the state of pop culture as 2021 is upon us. What is the future of concerts, movies, music, TV, pro wrestling, sports, and more? Then the second half of the show is a Patreon requested review of one of the greatest ensemble dramas in TV history- LOST! We look at where the show went very right and where it went very wrong and the very mixed success of the actors from the series. Fans of LOST don't miss this one!
Now that all of the holiday hubub is over, Mike and Joseph are back together and ready to charge forward into the new year. Things start off with a Mt. Retromore of favorite TV waitresses, then it's off to an uncharted desert isle in the South Pacific as they talk about the passing of the iconic Dawn Wells and the rest of the castaways and the hijinks that went down on "Gilligan's Island". As per usual there's a couple of sidebars and random tangents, but the guys are getting older and that's to be expected. Welcome to 2021 everybody!
This is another older show that I'm rebranding as Music Monday in my continuing effort to get everything organized in 2021. If you've never heard this show I hope you check it out. Jimmy Buffett isn't the most cerebral of singer songwriters. His music lacks subtilty or depth a lot of time but everything doesn't need to be complicated. Sometimes we just need music to sit on the beach and listen to while the waves crash in. There are still nuggets of wisdom to be gleaned. One of the wisest sayings I know of is captured in one of his songs. Let me tell you about it. This one goes out to you Eric Dawg my friend!
The flagship podcast of WhenItWasCool.com returns with 3 reviews and discussion. First up, Forrest Gump starring Tom Hanks. One of the greatest movies ever made and packed full of pop culture relevancy. Then, a movie some consider THE greatest movie ever made and a movie that is virtually a blueprint of the last four years- Citizen Kane starring Orson Wells. Then after the break in case you don't want to know yet- SPOILERS a review of the second season of The Mandalorian which is the Star Wars I always wanted. A fun and packed show!
The hectic holiday season is keeping Mike and Joseph apart, but that doesn't mean you're not getting a new episode - it's just not the type you're used to. Joseph delivers a Christmas message to everyone, Mike digs into the archives and pulls out a couple of old Christmas related clips, and then it's time for a replay of last year's "audio drama" as the "Uphill Both Ways Players" present an edited and abridged telling of Dicken's "Christmas Carol". It may not be 60 minutes of new material, but it's better than the lump of coal that Bingo the Helper Monkey wanted to give everyone! Happy holidays to everyone from the Uphill Both Ways crew!
I've seen REO Speedwagon a couple of times in concert and am a fan of their big radio hits. REO Speedwagon had several classic rock staples in the 1970s and 1980s including "I'm Gonna Keep on Loving You", "Take It On the Run", "Keep on Rollin'", and "Riding the Storm Out". While they are often viewed as soft rock, they also have several guitar heavy tunes as well. Join Karl as he discusses REO Speedwagon.
Joseph starts things off by discussing "In Search Of" and how he uses the classic show in his classroom, then it's off to Mt. Retromore where the guys give TV Moms their due. The main event is a review/discussion about the movie "The Legend of Baron To'a" and a side discussion about the 'Islander' gimmick in professional wrestling in the 70s and 80s. It's the penultimate show of 2020!
Whiskey bottles, and brand new cars, oak tree you're in my way. We begin November with a breathe of fresh air and we reach back into the 1970s for a look at a band that holds a special place around Sweet Home Alabama- Lynyrd Skynyrd. We talk a look at the band, their politics (not what you think they are), their death at the peak in 1977, and Lynyrd Skynyrd 2.0. Plus, we talk Muscle Shoals, Neil Young, and more. This is a show I think you'll really enjoy.
Today we cover the 1970s-80s hit making band Styx. The WIWC family will be seeing Styx in concert in a couple of weeks. Karl has already seen the original line-up and is a fan of their music. Today this show tells you how this band originated in Chicago and grew to a stadium mega-group and then imploded at the same time they were still at the top of the charts. The tension between Tommy Shaw and Dennis DeYoung and much more.
It's a bit of a free-for-all this episode as the fellas present their Mt. Retromore of TV Dads and then swing into talk about the origins of the show, give thanks to some special folks, and talk a little about the future of Uphill Both Ways. The countdown to #100 continues!
Karl and Tonya from When It Was Cool went on an epic cross country tour the past week stopping at several iconic pop culture places and locations of historical importance. It started with the memorial park to the Oklahoma City bombing for a somber historical moment. Then on to the Big Texan Steakhouse in Amarillo, the Cadillac Ranch on Old Route 66 and several Ghost Towns. We stood on a corner in Winslow, AZ, saw the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest. We stood on the rim of the Grand Canyon. Slept over top of a canyon river, toured Monument Valley where Forrest Gump called an end to his run, then braved a dangerous mountain road. Come join us on our adventure!
It's right there in the name, folks - this episode has wall to wall ACTION! It's a collaborative "Mt. Retromore" of 70s and 80s action movie stars as Joseph and Mike nominate and select the foursome they feel best exemplifies the genre at the time. And then it's off to the main event where the guys review and discuss the "the craziest action film you never saw", "Action USA". Filmed in 1988 with an all-but-forgotten VHS edition, this 4K Restoration & rerelease from Verdugo Entertainment is the holy grail of 80s B-Movie action flicks!
The flagship podcast of WhenItWasCool.com is back this week and we are about to embark on an epic roadtrip. I have done this before a few times and the nostalgia I see and feel along the way is an important part of it. No matter if you're standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona or Rocky Mountain High in Colorado, the sights and scenes of Americana are important to keeping things in perspective. I know the world seems ridiculous right now, but let me spread some old farm wisdom your way on this episode as I tell you about my trips across America and how I came to realize that sometimes the only thing wrong is it ain't got no gas in it. (This show includes ONE Randy Colley reference for those concerned)
Two free Patreon specials for you today. The first, we discuss the popular music of 1987 which was a great year in pop music and the other is a biography of the classic rock Hall of Famers- Chicago. Lot's of fun discussion about the music of the 1970s and 1980s.
The UBW Halloween Trilogy concludes with a Mt. Retromore of giant monsters, a couple of movie recommendations, and the main topic: a review of the Rankin/Bass Halloween stop-motion classic, "Mad Monster Party". Find out what Mike and Joseph think about this almost-forgotten but cult-favorite slice of late 60s pop-culture pie (pumpkin, of course!) The countdown to episode #100 is on!
There's a packed retro news feature this episode plus Karl reviews the Universal Studios monster classic The Wolfman (1941) and the Dracula sequel Son of Dracula (1943). The Universal Monster movies are the foundational films in the horror movie genre and many of them are far better than you might suspect. The Wolfman is an odd movie with some strange plot choices so it's fun to review. The Universal sequels mostly lacked the impact and quality of the originals and thus is the story of Son of Dracula which, in a weird kind of way, makes it fun to review also.