Nerd Lunch

Michael and Rob are joined by Joanna from Bloody Popcorn and new-to-AfterLUNCH Dan Taylor to create a science-fiction-themed amusement park with lands devoted to Twilight Zone, Firefly, the works of Philip K Dick, and Planet of the Apes. 

Michael and Rob talk with one of their favorite writers. Kelly Thompson has written novels like Storykiller and The Girl Who Would Be King, but she's most known for great, funny, character-driven comics like Marvel's A-Force, Hawkeye, Black Widow, and Captain Marvel as well as series featuring popular characters like Jem and the Holograms, the Pink Power Ranger, Nancy Drew, and Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Kelly shares huge aspects of her writing process, but also geeks out about other things that she's enjoying watching and reading.

Evan, Michael, Pax, and Rob reconvene to talk about what they've been reading, watching, and thinking about. As always with the After Dinner Lounge, the conversation meanders, but topics begin with: Books like Carthage Must be Destroyed: The Rise and Fall of an Ancient Mediterranean Civilization by Richard Miles, Redwall by Brian Jacques, the Horatio Hornblower series by CS Forester, The Tournament by Matthew Reilly, and Storykiller by Kelly Thompson. Comics like The Eternals by Jack Kirby and Marvel's Killraven series. Movies like Mank, the Schwarzenegger Conan series, and Legendary Pictures' Godzilla and Kong MonsterVerse. TV shows like Ted Lasso. And real talk about Heist Stories, Separating Art from Artist, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Truffles.

Michael May, Rob Graham, Delaney Graham, and Evan Hanson begin their journey through the various movies and TV shows of Star Trek, in chronological order. In this first episode, they discuss humanity's introduction to the larger galaxy in 1996's First Contact. It's a controversial place to start since it's neither the first adventure of the time travelers who are trying to protect the historic meeting, nor is it the earliest time period that these travelers have visited. So our panel also discusses other Star Trek movies and TV episodes in which Starfleet crews (and the occasional Ferengi) go back in time.

Lizzie Twachtman, John Vanover, and Jeeg join Rob and Michael to create an historical period film with an all-star cast of actors known for their historical period films. And if that's not enough for ya, stay tuned to the end for Real Talk about New Math and Arrested Development.

Paxton Holley joins Michael May, Rob Graham, and Evan Hanson in the lounge for another meandering talk about what they've been reading, watching, and thinking about. Topics start from: Books of fairy tales and the works of Ray Bradbury and Italo Calvino Comics about Spider-Man and the third Green Goblin, Red Hood and the Outlaws, and The Shadow TV shows like Dickensian, The Expanse, The Great, Queen’s Gambit, and the eighth season of Mad About You Movies like Overlord and the Marvel films leading into WandaVision And real talk on Boat Names, Book Formats, Family, and Spheres of Influence

Annaliese Trammel, Paxton Holley, and Jeeg join Michael and Rob to hunt down Mandalorians and Jedi and -- ooh! side quest! -- on this in-depth, episode-by-episode symposium on the second season of The Mandalorian.

After Michael May and Robert Zerbe check in on their resolutions and predictions from last year's Nerdstradamus episode, Rob Graham, Evan Hanson, Kay, and Paxton Holley join the fun to look back on the books, movies, and TV shows of 2020 and forward to what's potentially coming in 2021. This episode is full of resolutions, recommendations, and reckonings. And a little bonus something we like to call "Tea Talk." Opening song by Andrew Bird.

Michael May, Rob Graham, and Evan Hanson reconvene for another informal conversation about what they’ve been reading, watching, and thinking about lately. Topics meander merrily, but start from: Books like Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, Charles Dickens' Christmas Books, The Devil’s Due by Bonnie MacBird, The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, and Becoming by Michelle Obama. Comics like Silver Spoon by Hiromu Arakawa Movies like the original Black Christmas, this year's Fatman, and the documentary Pilgrims. TV shows like Dicktown and Truth Seekers And real talk on Holiday Traditions, Movie Theaters, and This Podcast.

Christian Nielsen and new guest Karen Flieger join Rob and Michael to talk about their favorite Christmas episodes of TV shows. In discussions of The Beverly Hillbillies, Bewitched, Friends, and Justice League, the Clampetts learn about the politics of gift-giving, the Stephens' help an orphan boy discover the spirit of the season, Ross tries to teach his son about Hanukkah after a lifetime of Santa, and Superman invites Martian Manhunter home for the holidays. Featuring music by Straight No Chaser.

With Disney's recent announcement that there's a new Fantastic Four movie coming that will be part of the MCU, it's a great time to discover a lost podcast episode about the four FF films so far. From the no-longer-with-us Geek Fallout: The Comic Book Episodes, host Erik Johnson leads a discussion with Nerd Lunch/AfterLUNCH regulars Paxton Holley and Evan Hanson about Fantastic Four (2015), Fantastic Four (2005), Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007), and The Fantastic Four (1994).

Mike Westfall and Michael DiGiovanni join Michael May and Rob Graham to create Rankin-Bass stop-motion Christmas specials that never existed, but should have. Lots of holiday spirit AND SINGING in this episode, so gather the family, get some hot chocolate, and enjoy!

In the first of hopefully many such discussions, Michael May, Rob Graham, and Evan Hanson have a very informal conversation about what they've been reading, watching, and thinking about lately. Topics lead to unpredictable places, but include: Comics like X of Swords, Batman: Three Jokers, and The Orville. Novels like The Optimist's Daughter by Eudora Welty, The Lock Artist by Steve Hamilton, and Bonnie MacBird's Sherlock Holmes series. TV shows like The Good Wife, Dark Shadows, and Police Squad!. Movies like the Omen series, Tremors: Shrieker Island, and The Gumball Rally. And real talk on Getting Old, Biblical Apocrypha, and COVID and Thanksgiving.

On this very special episode, Rob talks with Vivian Lee, writer and executive story editor on Lost in Space (2018) about her behind-the-scene experiences helping to create the show.

Evan Hanson joins Rob and Michael to talk about the first season of the 2018 Lost in Space series streaming on Netflix. We don't all agree about the show, but we do love talking about it and we talk about everything. If you'd like to be unspoiled, be sure to watch the season before listening to this conversation. We bury ourselves in it like a Robinson buried in ice.

Remember Scooby's All Star Laff-A-Lympics where various Hanna Barbera characters crossed over to compete against each other in Olympics-style events? Even if you don't, it was really fun, so Amanda VanHiel, Shawn Robare, Rob Graham, and Michael May imagine what that would be like with characters from '80s TV shows and movies.

Kay returns to introduce Rob and Michael to the '90s cult classic Hocus Pocus starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, and Thora Birch.

Last October, we created an Expendables of Horror movie featuring only living actors. This year, Joanna from Bloody Popcorn, Evan Hanson, Rob Graham, and Michael May resurrect their favorite dead actors to create an all-star cast. They pick the actors, discuss the types of roles they'd play, and Evan writes a plot. Listen and imagine The Evil Hunters... IF YOU DARE!

Michael May, Rob Graham, Paxton Holley, and Jay Ryan have bats on the brain. Three months after the death of director Joel Schumacher, AfterLUNCH tries to solve the riddle of Batman Forever and Batman & Robin. What do they do well, what do they do poorly, and how do they compare to other versions of the character?

Michael May and Rob Graham welcome Michael DiGiovanni and Kay to revisit a classic Nerd Lunch topic. We put together movie triple-features around the themes of witches, soundtracks, walking away from explosions, and movies that make us feel alive.