The Incomparable Mothership

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767: On a Farm Planet Upstate May 23, 2025

Show notes

From the skyscrapers of Coruscant to the pyramids of Yavin and with numerous stops in between, season two of “Andor” covers the rise of the rebellion and leads to the doorstep of “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” What makes it special among Star Wars series? Did season two improve on the groundbreaking first season? It’s Star Wars, so we break it down in detail.

"Andor" season 2

Host Jason Snell with John Siracusa, Dan Moren, Tony Sindelar, and Steven Schapansky.

Referenced Works

Andor

Star Wars (franchise)

Show Notes & Links

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766: That's 2K! May 16, 2025

Show notes

We return once more to 1995, this time for a movie set at the turn of the century! It’s “Strange Days,” a cyberpunk movie with only a little bit of cyber but a lot of punk, along with grease and stink.

"Strange Days"

Host Jason Snell with Erika Ensign, Tony Sindelar, and Monty Ashley.

Referenced Works

Strange Days

Show Notes & Links

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765: Precognitive Moon May 09, 2025

Show notes

The highest-grossing film of all time is straight-up sci-fi and yet in 15 years at this place we’ve never talked about it. That ends now, as we put on our oxygen masks and venture out into the moon of Pandora to meet the local Na’vi and the interloper Sky People and discuss why James Cameron’s “Avatar” became an enormous hit and then disappeared entirely (other than the theme-park attactions) until re-emerging with a sequel that was also an enormous hit.

"Avatar"

Host Jason Snell with Erika Ensign, Brian Warren, Brian Hamilton, and Chip Sudderth.

Referenced Works

Avatar

Show Notes & Links

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764: Books About Towers May 02, 2025

Show notes

Our walk through the 10 different novels nominated for the Hugo and Nebula awards in 2025 begins! In this episode we discuss “Sleeping Worlds Have No Memory” by Yaroslav Barsukov, “A Sorceress Comes to Call” by T. Kingfisher, and “Someone You Can Build a Nest In” by John Wiswell.

2025 Awards Book Club Part 1

Host Jason Snell with Erika Ensign, Aleen Simms, Scott McNulty, and Heather Berberet.

Referenced Works

Sleeping Worlds Have No Memory

[Amazon] [Apple]

A Sorceress Comes to Call

[Amazon] [Apple]

Someone You Can Build a Nest In

[Amazon] [Apple]

Show Notes & Links

What are we reading?

Heather: “Mr. Penumbra’s 24-hour Bookstore” by Robin Sloan
Erika: World of the Five Gods series by Lois McMaster Bujold
Aleen: Mark Lawrence’s Library Trilogy
Scott: Jack Taylor series by Ken Bruen
Jason: “When Women Were Dragons” by Kerry Barnhill

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763: You're in the Gibson Area Now Apr 25, 2025

Show notes

The year is 1995. The films: “Hackers” and “The Net,” in which computers are proven to be dangerous for society. One is a ridiculous movie about teen hackers that knows it’s silly, and the other is a ludicrous thriller about adult hackers that doesn’t.

"Hackers" and "The Net"

Host Jason Snell with Monty Ashley, Shelly Brisbin, Erika Ensign, Joe Rosensteel, Moisés Chiullán, and Tony Sindelar.

Referenced Works

Hackers

The Net

Show Notes & Links

Hackers: Costumes from the Motion Picture Exhibition Tour Video

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762: Wolf in Goat's Clothing Apr 18, 2025

Show notes

Huff some ether, dress for an ORTBO, and always keep an eye out for a private place beneath a tarp—we’re here to discuss the second season of “Severance,” a story that goes beyond the first season with some twists and turns that might be Kafkaesque, but are definitely Kafka-ish.

"Severance" season 2

Host Jason Snell with Brian Hamilton, Brian Warren, Dan Moren, Glenn Fleishman, and Heather Berberet.

Referenced Works

Severance

Show Notes & Links

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761: Exposition Ant Farm Apr 11, 2025

Show notes

Spray on some insect repellant and don your hazmat suit, because Del Toro Club has re-formed to discuss a gigantic layer cake of infinite bugs, 1997’s “Mimic.” Parts of it are very Del Toro indeed, while other parts leave us scratching our heads about why something that had a whole lot of potential ended up playing as a pretty good B (not bee!) Movie instead. Are the Weinsteins to blame? (Yes.)

"Mimic"

Host Jason Snell with Moisés Chiullán, Steve Lutz, and Tony Sindelar.

Referenced Works

Mimic

Guillermo del Toro

Show Notes & Links

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760: Send Them to the Sea Apr 04, 2025

Show notes

In a world full of creative projects turned into intellectual property, our panelists join together to choose remakes and reboots that please us, those that displease us, and those items that are out there, waiting to be remade.

Remake/Reboot Draft

Host Jason Snell with Brian Hamilton, David J. Loehr, Erika Ensign, Lisa Schmeiser, Moisés Chiullán, Monty Ashley, Philip Michaels, Shannon Sudderth, and Chip Sudderth.

Show Notes & Links

Remake/Reboot I love

Brian: “Speak No Evil” (2024)
Lisa: “Dune” (2021)
Monty: “His Girl Friday”
David: “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds”
Erika: “An Affair to Remember”
Chip: “Star Blazers 2199”
Shannon: “Voltron: Legendary Defender”
Phil: “Star Wars” (a remake of “Hidden Fortress”)
Moisés: “The Wizard of Oz” (a remake of silent films from 1910 and 1924)
Jason: Ultimate Spider-Man

Remake/Reboot I hate

Brian: “The Wicker Man” (2006)
Lisa: “The Women” (2008)
Monty: “The Twilight Zone” (1985, 2002, 2019)
David: “The Muppets” (TV series)
Erika: “Love Affair” (1994)
Chip: Hawkman Vol. 3 series by Jon Ostrander
Shannon: “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (TV series)
Phil: “Get Carter” (2000)
Moisés: “Oz the Great and Powerful” (2013)
Jason: “Planet of the Apes” (2001)

Deserving a remake

Brian: “Cats” (2019) (like “Cats: The Jellicle Ball”)
Lisa: “The Hunt for Red October” but today
Monty: “The Simpsons Two”
David: “Have Gun - Will Travel”
Erika: “An Affair to Remember”
Chip: RoboTech
Shannon: Science Ninja Team Gatchaman (Battle of the Planets/G Force)
Phil: “Shadow of a Doubt”
Moisés: “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” (as prestige TV series)
Jason: “The X Files”

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759: The Rapture, but Also for Birds Mar 28, 2025

Show notes

Our Ghibli Club gets together to discuss 2016’s “The Red Turtle,” an unusual Ghibli coproduction, as well as this year’s Oscar winner for Best Animated Feature, “Flow.”

"Flow" and "The Red Turtle"

Host Jason Snell with Steve Lutz, John Siracusa, and Aleen Simms.

Referenced Works

The Red Turtle

Flow

Studio Ghibli

Show Notes & Links

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758: I'm Glad You Have This Sketch to Enjoy Mar 21, 2025

Show notes

In honor of the 50th anniversary of “Saturday Night Live,” six of us create custom-built episodes of SNL by participating in a fantasy draft of sketches, hosts, musical guests, commercial parodies, digital shorts, and more.

SNL Draft II

Host Jason Snell with Kelly Guimont, David J. Loehr, Lisa Schmeiser, and Shelly Brisbin.

Referenced Works

Saturday Night Live

Show Notes & Links

Kelly: The Wolverines, Robin Williams (1988), Hans and Franz, What’s Up With That?, Mr. Bill Goes to Los Angeles, Happy Fun Ball, Kevin Nealon, Elvis Costello “Radio Radio.”

Lex: The Tonight Song, Norm MacDonald (1999), Tom Brokaw Pre-Tapes, SuperFeud, “My Testicles”, The Love Toilet, Norm MacDonald, Nirvana.

David: Blues Brothers “Soul Man”, Steve Martin & Martin Short, Anthony Coleman Takes Another Puppetry Class, Theodoric of York: Medieval Barber, Don’t Look Back In Anger, First CityWide Change Bank, Seth Meyers, “King Tut” (Steve Martin).

Lisa: Alan Dershowitz argues for Trump, Donald Glover, Former Porn Star Commercials, Adam Driver in Aladdin, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Laughs”, Macy’s Children’s Clothing, Poehler/Meyers, Chappell Roan.

Shelly: Clinton/Palin on sexism, Paul Simon & Turkey, Sprockets, The Pepsi Syndrome, Back Home Ballers, Taco Town, Jane Curtin, Patty Smith “Gloria.”

Jason: NFL Video Countdown (1987), The Five-Timers Club, More Cowbell, Haunted Elevator, Synchronized Swimming, Schmitt’s Gay, Dennis Miller, Mr. Mister.

Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.