Gobbledygeek

Everybody loves reboots, preboots, remakes, prequels, sequels, midquels, all the different -quels and -boots. The latest long-running franchise to get the reboot treatment is none other than your friendly neighborhood Gobbledygeek, as Paul and Arlo attempt to take the show in a new, looser, more banter-y direction. Fittingly, they talk about a couple of other high-profile remakes: The Haunting of Hill House and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, both available on Netflix. Speaking of, Netflix has become a cultural behemoth crushing the little guys like FilmStruck and leading to a new streaming boom that looks a lot like the old cable boom. The guys also discuss the concept of a “remake” itself and why it’s actually good--sometimes. Next: the sequel to the remake.

Gobbledyween returns! Again! Greg Sahadachny, once and future host of The Debatable Podcast, returns! Again! To close out our truncated season of horror happenings, Paul, Arlo, and Greg flip ahead to George A. Romero and Stephen King’s kooky 1982 splash page Creepshow. Indebted to old EC horror comics, Creepshow has become a cult classic in its own right, as silly and lowbrow as it is reverent and artful. The gang discusses why the meeting of these two horror masters may not be what you would expect; the underrated craft of Romero’s filmmaking; how tough it is to view Leslie Nielsen as anything other than the Naked Gun guy these days; and Ted Danson’s head in a tank. Plus, Paul travels to the fantastical world of Hilda; Arlo checks into The Haunting of Hill House; and forgive us, Carpenter, for we have synth-ed. Next: the show blows up.   THE BREAKDOWN 00:00:00 - 00:27:59  - Intro / Banter 00:27:59 - 00:44:35  - Main Topic (NON-SPOILER) 00:44:35 - 01:51:39  - Main Topic (SPOILERS) 01:51:39 - 02:05:51  - Outro

Leaves are on the ground, blood is on the silver screen. It's time for Gobbledyween. Paul and Arlo's beloved horror movie festival returns for the first time since 2015, and their opening selection debuted that same year: Robert Eggers’ new cult classic The Witch. Emerging from the wood to terrorize the boys is SyfyWire.com contributing editor Matthew Jackson. The gang discusses the rural dread Eggers exploits, if the film can be read as an empowerment tale, if anything on the screen actually happens, and more. Plus, Paul grooves to synthwave, Jon Favreau gears up for The Mandalorian, Arlo worships Nicolas Cage in Panos Cosmatos’ Mandy, and Spider-Ham makes his screen debut in the new Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse trailer. Next: Gobbledyween continues as filmmaker Jess Byard joins us to take a bite out of Kathryn Bigelow's Near Dark.   THE BREAKDOWN 00:00:00 - 00:37:00  - Intro / Banter 00:37:00 - 02:03:56  - Main Topic 02:03:56 - 02:10:50  - Outro / Next Week

Sight-impaired Jesus freak Matt Murdock finds himself in the crosshairs of rotund businessman Wilson Fisk in that most celebrated of Daredevil stories, Born Again. Paul and Arlo’s pal Chance Mazzia joins them for another superheroic Four-Color Flashback installment to discuss the Frank Miller/David Mazzucchelli classic. The gang discusses the tale’s obvious religious symbolism; Mazzucchelli’s fluid, detailed art; Miller’s Murdock-style descent into belligerent paranoia; and how Miller’s triple threat of Born Again, The Dark Knight Returns, and Batman: Year One changed superhero comics for better and worse. Plus, Cary Joji Fukanaga goes cuckoo with Netflix’s Maniac, and the gang pays their respects to late Batman artist Norm Breyfogle. Next: at long last, Gobbledyween returns. The festival of terror kicks off with Robert Eggers’ new cult classic, 2016’s The Witch.   THE BREAKDOWN 00:00:00 - 00:27:22  - Intro / Banter 00:27:22 - 02:01:20  - Main Topic 02:01:20 - 02:12:55  - Outro / Next Week

What if Superman was one of us? Just a slob like one of us? Just a stranger baling hay, trying to till his own farm? That’s part of the appeal of Alex Ross and Mark Waid’s Kingdom Come, the subject of our latest superheroic Four-Color Flashback--Ross’ painted artwork brings DC’s pantheon to vivid life. Of course, Superman isn’t one of us. He makes this clear when, after a decade in exile, he descends upon Metropolis to mete out cold hard justice to a new, irresponsible generation of heroes and villains. Kingdom Come was intended as a statement on the Xtreme anti-heroes of the ‘90s, and as its human protagonist Norman McKay witnesses the fantastic devastation around him, the book explores issues of faith and fascism. Paul and Arlo discuss how Ross and Waid’s tale holds up more than 20 years later, how it reconciles the heroes’ godlike power with fragile human will, why it may be Ross’ best work, and its nigh definitive portrait of DC’s Trinity. Plus, Arlo finishes his Disney marathon while catching Pokémon, an

Far beyond the fields we know, SyfyWire.com contributing editor Matthew Jackson joins Paul and Arlo for another installment of this year’s superheroic Four-Color Flashback. This time, they venture to the land of Asgard on their loyal steeds to discuss Thor Visionaries: Walter Simonson - Vol. 1. Simonson’s legendary run defined many cornerstones of Marvel’s Thor Odinson, from the deep ties to Norse mythology to the doing away of mortal identity Donald Blake. The gang discusses why his run is so definitive, Simonson’s vibrant art, his long-game storytelling, what makes Beta Ray Bill so cool, and the deadliness of McBurgers. Plus, The Big Bang Theory is finally ending, Veronica Mars is finally coming back, and Paul is Forged in Fire. Next: we’ll be back! At some point! We’re working on a book, kids!   THE BREAKDOWN 00:00:00 - 00:21:05  - Intro / Banter 00:21:05 - 01:48:07  - Main Topic 01:48:07 - 01:53:47  - Outro / Next Week

Unleash your bees, fire up your oil rigs, and prepare to get injected with the alien plague one last time--Wesley “Wezzo” Mead joins Paul and Arlo for their final episode discussing Chris Carter’s seminal sci-fi series The X-Files. The gang discusses the 2008 film I Want to Believe, which finds the FBI dragging Mulder and Scully out of retirement to deal with a psychic pedophile priest played by Billy Connolly; season 10, which fails to justify reviving the series; and season 11, which at least shows there’s a bit of a spark left. Godawful mythology mumbo-jumbo, horrendous mistreatment of Dana Katherine Scully, and Darin Morgan brilliance...sounds about right. Plus, Paul admires works of both stage and screen; Wezzo falls for Gravity Falls; and Arlo is vengeance, he is the night, he is watching Batman: The Animated Series. Next: Matthew Jackson joins us for another installment of this year’s superheroic Four-Color Flashback series. This time we’re talking Thor Visionaries: Walter Simonson - Vol. 1.   THE BREA

For this month’s superheroic Four-Color Flashback installment, Paul and Arlo set out for lands unknown with the late, great Darwyn Cooke’s DC: The New Frontier. Cooke’s ambitious 2004 limited series bridges the gap between comics’ Golden Age and Silver Age, paying nostalgic tribute to the fictional heroes of that time while using the era’s form and style to comment on the day’s social and political ills. They’re joined on their voyage by The Avatar Returns co-host and The Deli Counter of Justice co-creator Eric Sipple. The gang discusses Cooke’s artwork, striking and cinematic in ways few others comics have achieved; how Cooke wisely keeps Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman in the background to focus on new heroes like Green Lantern and the Flash; how the story of J’onn J’onzz, the Martian Manhunter, compares to that of African-American freedom fighter John Henry; the pretty good animated adaptation; and more. Plus, Eric has some personal news; SDCC happened, including a slew of trailers for the likes of Shaz

Have you tried New Koko? Here’s your chance! Comedy congressman Jason Tabrys returns to Gobbledygeek to help Paul and Arlo make sense of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. J.A. Bayona’s sequel, the fifth film in the Jurassic series, finds our heroes returning to Isla Nublar once again--and while the “save the dinosaurs” plot is a retread of The Lost World, Fallen Kingdom isn’t afraid to go in some bizarre new directions, for better or worse. Mostly worse. It’s fair to say none of the boys liked it, but Paul is put in the awkward position of defending a mediocre film from Arlo and Jason’s invective. Plus, Bruce and Selina head for the altar in Batman #50 and Catwoman #1; Ta-Nehisi Coates kicks off his run on Captain America; Al Ewing scares up the Immortal Hulk; and the gang is bowled over by Hannah Gadsby’s Nanette. Next: after a week off, Paul and Arlo get microscopic with Ant-Man and the Wasp.   THE BREAKDOWN 00:00:00 - 00:49:04  - Intro / Banter 00:49:04 - 01:07:08  - Main Topic (Non-Spoiler) 01:07:08 - 01:59

Paul and Arlo continue to swing through this year’s superheroic Four-Color Flashback to discuss Spider-Man: Origin of the Hobgoblin, joined by FreakSugar managing editor Jed Waters Keith. This early ‘80s story, primarily written by Roger Stern and drawn by John Romita Jr., finds Peter Parker faced with the emergence of a horrific new villain in the grotesque figure of the Hobgoblin. Who is this masked man? Who knows! In true Parker fashion, Spidey tries to unmask Hobby while snapping pix for the Bugle and juggling his crazy love life. The gang discusses the convoluted behind-the-scenes drama surrounding the Hobgoblin’s identity, the evolution of JRJr, how Peter Parker is kind of a huge ladies’ man for being such a dork, and more. Plus, Paul attended this year’s Slayage conference, while Arlo and Jed are reading a whole mess o’ comics.   Next: Jurassic World 2: Even Assic-er.   THE BREAKDOWN 00:00:00 - 00:42:55  - Intro / Banter 00:42:55 - 02:12:27  - Main Topic 02:12:27 - 02:15:35  - Outro / Next Week

After 14 long years, the Incredibles are back. The superhero film landscape has changed drastically in that time--but, blissfully, Brad Bird and his retro supers have not, as they  teleport and babysit their way through another round of domestic struggles. Paul and Arlo discuss how Incredibles 2 inverts and deepens the themes of the first, why this is some of the finest superhero action ever committed to film, how Jack-Jack avoids Minion-ization, and why Bird and his films are not Randian. Plus, Paul plays a game of Tag, Arlo takes in a service at First Reformed, Paul keeps getting mistaken for Thanos, Arlo is obsessed with Guillermo del Toro, and Paul goes all Cloak & Dagger. Next: this year’s superheroic Four-Color Flashback continues as Jed Waters Keith joins us to discuss Spider-Man: Origin of the Hobgoblin.   THE BREAKDOWN 00:00:00 - 00:36:17  - Intro / Banter 00:36:17 - 01:02:20  - Main Topic (Non-Spoilery) 01:02:20 - 02:00:57  - Main Topic (SPOILERS) 02:00:57 - 02:03:22  - Outro / Next Week

Even with a spoonful of sugar, Paul finds this week’s Geek Challenge hard to stomach. You see, he has invited Arlo to watch Robert Stevenson’s delightful 1964 classic Mary Poppins, in which a magical Julie Andrews and an accented Dick Van Dyke dance their hearts out while unlocking the joy hidden within a stuffy banker. In return, Arlo has forced Paul to endure Agnieszka Smoczynska’s 2015 goth music video The Lure, in which there is little magic but plenty of pain, blood, and desperation as two virginal maneating mermaids come of age. They’re both musicals, they’re both about women, and...that’s about where the similarities end. Some men just like to watch the world burn, and Arlo appears to be one of them. Plus, lots of great trailers; Sense8, Legion, and Westworld broaden sci-fi TV’s horizons; Brian Michael Bendis’ time with Spider-Man comes to an end; and Arlo finally watched Guillermo del Toro’s debut feature Cronos. Next: after 14 years, The Incredibles 2.   THE BREAKDOWN 00:00:00 - 00:45:30  - Intro / B

Everyone loves aural after a wedding. An aural document of said wedding, that is! That's right, Arlo and Amber tied the knot, and Paul was on hand to witness the entire drunken event. So are Joseph Lewis, completing the Three Heathens reunion; Kenn Edwards, whose new EP rules; longtime friend of the show but first-time guest Darryl James, who challenges Arlo to a Buffy trivia quiz; and newbie Gabe Hochstetler, who finds himself the sole positive voice during a brief review of Solo: A Star Wars Story. Video game bars, shots, impolite tailors, shots, poorly choreographed “Gangnam Style” dances, shots, impromptu mowing, and oh yeah, shots. It was a wild ride, and you are formally invited. Next: let your magical umbrellas take you to Romania for a musical Geek Challenge featuring Mary Poppins and The Lure.   THE BREAKDOWN 00:18:51 - Part One (Arlo and Paul chillin’ out.) 00:29:31 - Part Two (Joe arrives - The Three Heathens ride again...in a basement, in recliners.) 01:25:19 - Part Three (Kenn, Darryl, and Gabe j

The truth is out there, or so we’ve been told. As Paul, Arlo, and special British guest Wesley “Wezzo” Mead reach The X-Files season 9 and find the series’ original finale “The Truth,” they wonder if they should have just left it out there. Despite ostensibly having new leads in Doggett and Reyes, Chris Carter & Co. cling to Scully and Mulder--the former is a bored-looking recurring character, the latter is literally no longer on the show--harder than ever before. The gang discusses why Carter’s inability to let go of the show’s past hinders its present, how the character of Dana Scully is destroyed, and whether or not “The Truth” is truly one of the worst series finales in TV history. (Spoiler: it is.) Plus, Arlo and Paul get down with killer clowns with Terrifier and Deadpool 2. Next: Arlo’s getting hitched! Gobbledygeek will return in June.   THE BREAKDOWN 00:19:49 - Intro / Banter 01:37:30 - Main Topic 01:42:46 - Outro / Next Week

In the winding, physics-defying halls of Mount Olympus, the idea for the noble Amazon race was hatched among the gods. In the presumably plain, ordinary offices of DC comics circa 1987, the idea to reboot one of their most iconic heroes was hashed out by George Pérez, Greg Potter, Len Wein, Karen Berger, and more. And on this typically long, rambling podcast, Paul and Arlo continue this year’s superheroic Four-Color Flashback by discussing Wonder Woman by George Pérez: Vol. 1, collecting the first 14 issues of Diana’s post-Crisis series. Heather Wiley joins them to discuss how Pérez revitalized the character by leaning hard into her mythological aspects; why it’s important that the series touches on uncomfortable subject matter; the minute details that make Pérez such a terrific artist; and why this run hasn’t lodged its place in the public consciousness alongside The Dark Knight Returns and Man of Steel. Plus, Heather fails to keep quiet about Hush, and Paul reads comics. Next: we inch closer to oblivion wit

A feat even more miraculous than Paul and Arlo agreeing on the same movie? Successfully juggling a cast of dozens in an interplanetary epic that shakes up the world’s most popular film series. That’s exactly what Joe & Anthony Russo have done with Avengers: Infinity War, a daring space opera that acts as a culmination of a decade’s worth of superheroic blockbusters while taking the Marvel Cinematic Universe in new directions. The boys discuss how (nearly) each character gets their due, why Josh Brolin’s Thanos more than lives up to the hype, and where the MCU goes from here. Plus, Arlo binges the Disney Renaissance and MoviePass takes an unsurprising heel turn. Next: this year’s Four-Color Flashback continues as Heather Wiley joins Paul and Arlo to discuss Wonder Woman by George Perez: Vol. 1.   THE BREAKDOWN 00:37:20 - Intro / Banter 01:02:53 - Main Topic (Non-Spoilery) 02:28:17 - Main Topic (SPOILERS) 02:31:10 - Outro / Next Week

An American feels betrayed by his government, which has revealed itself to be nothing but a bureaucratic system designed to conceal criminal activity. Sounds familiar, right? It's also the basis for the superhero classic Captain America and the Falcon: Secret Empire. Steve Englehart, Mike Friedrich, and Sal Buscema’s Nixon-era tale finds Cap on the run from a populace that no longer trusts him. Joining Paul and Arlo for this Four-Color Flashback installment is Wanna Cook? author and Cap superfan Ensley F. Guffey. The gang discusses why a story like this couldn't be told today, how it's difficult to understand Watergate’s importance given today's political climate, the uncomfortable jive-talkin’ racial stereotypes, and why the outrageous cornball of old superhero comics doesn't dilute its power. Plus, Arlo makes an apology and the gang shares what comics they've been reading. Next: it's all been leading to this. Avengers: Infinity War.   THE BREAKDOWN Intro / Banter (00:00 - 16:10) What Comics Are We Reading?

Shh. Keep it down or you’ll miss the latest episode of Gobbledygeek, wherein Paul and Arlo are joined by their pal Nate Curtiss for a discussion of John Krasinski’s horror-thriller A Quiet Place. The nearly wordless film, which makes extensive use of subtitled American Sign Language, presents a unique theatergoing experience; every gulp of soda and crunch of popcorn reverberates throughout the auditorium. The gang talks about their different theater experiences, and how the film reveals the true heart of an audience; why it’s important Krasinski cast deaf actress Millicent Simmonds; how Krasinski’s lack of horror experience proves to be a strength; and more. Plus, Paul digs on TV sci-fi: Final Space, Lost in Space, The Expanse, and Legion. Next: this year’s superheroic Four-Color Flashback continues with a discussion of the original, non-Nazi-fied Captain America and the Falcon: Secret Empire. Wanna Cook? co-author (and Cap superfan) Ensley F. Guffey drops by.   THE BREAKDOWN Intro / Banter (00:00 - 24:30) A

For the (belated) inaugural installment of Four-Color Flashback 2018, wherein Paul and Arlo will be discussing a different classic superhero story each month, they've recruited their old pal Kenn Edwards to help them discuss Batman: A Death in the Family by writer Jim Starlin and artist Jim Aparo. Kenn knows a thing or two about the Caped Crusader, having been part of the Batman Immortal fan film project. However, he's never read this particular story, in which the Joker savagely beats Robin to death. That puts him on equal footing with our hosts: it's one of Arlo's blind spots and Paul hasn't read it since it was published in 1988. They're all a little shocked by how anachronistic its goofy plotting and dialogue seem given its release in a post-Dark Knight Returns landscape. Superhero comics were starting to mature, and this one feels like it may have gotten left behind. The gang discusses the impact of Robin's death; whether Bruce’s hypocrisy is a bug or a feature; the ludicrous political implications of th

This week, Wesley “Wezzo” Mead stops by for more abuse. He joins Paul and Arlo to once again discuss Chris Carter’s seminal sci-fi series The X-Files; this time, the gang talks season 8, the last pre-revival season to feature David Duchovny as a (semi-)regular. They discuss how frustrating it is the show can’t let go of Duchovny when it clearly needs to; why the introduction of Robert Patrick as John Doggett is so strong; how, despite some real stinkers, this is the most consistent the show has been in years; and how Carter & Co. continue to put Scully in boxes that conform to gender stereotypes. Plus, Wezzo has more obscure Netflix recommendations, Paul is obsessed with the forthcoming Spider-Man game for PS4, and--guess what--Arlo ropes Wezzo into discussing politics again. Next: this year’s Four-Color Flashback gets off to a belated start as Kenn Edwards drops by to discuss Batman: A Death in the Family.   THE BREAKDOWN Intro / Banter (00:00 - 36:35) Political Banter (36:35 - 1:09:05) Main Topic (1:09