The Nextlander Watchcast

Latest Episodes:

13: Predator 2 (1990) Oct 03, 2022

Show notes

Dan Ryckert is in town with a few podcasts to kill, so he joins us once again to talk through our mostly uncomplicated feelings about this profoundly stupid sequel, 1990's Predator 2!

CHAPTERS:

(00:00:00) - NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate in versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening.
(00:00:13) - Intro.
(00:03:32) - The Hollywood cultural shift from "New York is a crime-scorched hellscape" to "Los Angeles is a crime-scorched hellscape" and the Morton Downey Jr. digression.
(00:07:23) - How the hell did this movie get made?
(00:16:10) - Bill Paxton, you are giving this movie way more effort than it deserves. Plus, some "do you remember this person?" character actor trivia.
(00:18:48) - Launching into the actual movie. It's chaos on the streets of LA!
(00:22:17) - Musings on Danny Glover, and why the Predator gets fixated on him.
(00:25:40) - The sheer '80s-ness of this movie's vision of near-future LA.
(00:27:14) - Danny Glover giving "the speech" to "the kid".
(00:32:09) - This Predator sprung for the upgrade package.
(00:34:43) - More Predator mimicking, and one of the dumber callback lines in movie history.
(00:37:09) - King Willy and the voodoo gang.
(00:43:03) - Oh Danny Boy...
(00:45:39) - Break!
(00:46:00) - We're back, and talking about that subway scene.
(00:51:12) - Time to trap ourselves a Predator. These government guys will handle this, right?
(00:58:09) - What feels like fifteen riveting minutes of Danny Glover shimmying across rooftops.
(01:01:52) - Gasp! The Predator's ship!
(01:04:29) - Too much Predator in this movie! Especially for how much of a dumbass this Predator is.
(01:09:07) - Gasp! Even more Predators!
(01:14:20) - Final thoughts, and some musings on the sequels.
(01:22:08) - Outro.

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12: Star Trek: The Cage and The Menagerie Parts I & II Sep 26, 2022

Show notes

It's a very special triple-dip episode on this week's Watchcast as we rewind time to check out the original Star Trek pilot episode The Cage, then fast forward to the two-part courtroom drama The Menagerie!

CHAPTERS:

(00:00:00) - NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate in versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening.
(00:00:12) - Intro: Breakfast shaming and Watchcast housekeeping.
(00:03:42) - Time to get into this week's Star Trek Episodes: The Cage, and The Menagerie!
(00:06:21) - Some history of this very expensive pilot episode.
(00:10:06) - A little chat about the career of Jeffrey Hunter, and Pike as a character.
(00:13:37) - The rest of our not-to-be-retained cast.
(00:20:32) - Some final production notes.
(00:23:02) - Vina's backstory throws about as dark as anything in this series.
(00:25:28) - OK, time to actually kick off the episode proper!
(00:28:40) - Brad is missing that Next Generation engine hum.
(00:29:35) - The Enterprise is drawn to a mysterious planet.
(00:32:31) - Pike kind of seems like an asshole in the early goings here.
(00:34:07) - To be fair, Pike is very troubled.
(00:39:34) - Heading on down to Talos IV.
(00:41:21) - The ensnarement of Captain Pike.
(00:45:53) - Pike's starting to figure out just how powerful the Talosian's power of illusion is.
(00:50:42) - Break!
(00:51:08) - We're back, and still talking The Cage.
(00:52:46) - Vinny is absolutely vexed by this recipe for "chicken tuna".
(00:54:11) - Green lady dance sexy!
(00:55:32) - Of course! The solution was hate all along. Plus now Number One and Yeoman Colt get trapped.
(00:59:22) - Now the ensnarer has been ensnared!
(01:02:57) - Turns out humans are too buckwild for what the Talosians need.
(01:08:11) - And now... The Menagerie!
(01:10:08) - How The Menagerie came to be.
(01:12:43) - The set-up.
(01:17:54) - Spock ain't actin' right.
(01:24:30) - It's a court martial, baby!
(01:30:08) - Finally, Spock's ridiculous plan comes into focus.
(01:38:49) - Final thoughts.
(01:41:30) - Outro.

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11: Predator (1987) Sep 19, 2022

Show notes

Ruuuuuunnnnn! Get to zah podcaaaahhhhst! Because we've got ourselves a special guest! Giant Bomb's Dan Ryckert joins the Nextlander crew as we introduce Brad to an all-time action classic in 1987's Predator!
NOTE: One of our individual audio tracks got messed up in this recording, so this was edited using the master mix with everyone's tracks. It all sounds just fine, but wanted to give the heads-up in case anyone noticed a difference. Enjoy!
CHAPTERS

(00:00:00) - NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate in versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening.
(00:00:52) - Intro.
(00:02:19) - Our personal histories with this week's film: Predator!
(00:10:42) - Our precious Bradley had his first viewing! What did he think?
(00:15:13) - Holy shit what a meaty cast!
(00:17:31) - We can't resist talking about that damn rebel base assault.
(00:19:48) - So what's the set-up?
(00:26:17) - Some background and history on the film's production.
(00:37:37) - Effects talk.
(00:40:24) - Break!
(00:40:48) - We're back, and it's time to actually talk about the movie (actually we mostly talk about man beef).
(00:45:51) - Time to Run Through the Jungle.
(00:46:52) - Where's our prequel story about Jim Hopper (Hooper? Harper?).
(00:48:12) - Back to the action, and that rebel base assault (and ol' Painless).
(00:51:03) - Goodnight Hawkins. You're telling ribald jokes in hell now.
(00:55:17) - The Predator says You Can't See Me.
(00:56:51) - Bye bye Blain.
(00:59:46) - Mac is coming unglued.
(01:01:13) - Surely setting some ground-based traps will protect us from the thing in the trees, right?
(01:04:37) - Time to bait the trap with some Arnold meat.
(01:06:46) - Pour one out for Mac.
(01:09:26) - Let's give Dillon a hand for his efforts. In fact, let's give him a whole arm.
(01:10:31) - And then there were four. Also, are Predators nerds?
(01:14:16) - It's just about time for Arnold and the Predator to go mano a mano.
(01:19:44) - Ladies and gentlemen, we got him.
(01:23:12) - Love a good curtain call in the credits. Plus some final thoughts and rankings.
(01:28:35) - Outro.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

10: Star Trek: Dagger of the Mind and The Corbomite Maneuver Sep 12, 2022

Show notes

After a couple of rough Star Trek stretches, the Nextlander Watchcasters find a lot more to like in this week's pair of episodes, Dagger of the Mind and The Corbomite Maneuver!

CHAPTERS:

(00:00:00) - NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate in versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening.
(00:00:46) - Intro.
(00:03:00) - Kicking things off with Dagger of the Mind.
(00:06:10) - Some background on the episode.
(00:08:42) - And featuring Dr. Noel as this week's conspicuous romantic interest!
(00:14:15) - Fire your transporter team. The whole staff. These people don't know what they're doing.
(00:17:35) - Seeing some repeated elements in these episodes, especially the Kirk/Bones tension.
(00:20:57) - Time to beam down and definitely not fall victim to anything!
(00:26:17) - Should we try out the mind-wipey-outey machine ourselves? Of course!
(00:28:38) - It's a mind meld, baby!
(00:37:00) - How's ol' Kirky gonna wiggle out of this one?
(00:42:39) - Some final thoughts on the episode.
(00:45:53) - Break!
(00:46:10) - And we're back, and talking The Corbomite Maneuver.
(00:50:09) - Some background on the episode, and why it aired so late in the order.
(00:52:08) - This Bailey guy? He ain't got it.
(00:55:48) - Can you warp backwards?
(00:58:07) - And then they blow up the cube. Oops.
(00:59:41) - Enter Balok, the most homicidal timekeeper in the galaxy.
(01:05:06) - Kirk comes up with the most radical plan in the known universe: lying!
(01:10:56) - These poor extras having to bop back and forth like they're in a pretend earthquake.
(01:12:24) - Time to meet Balok. I'm sure he's very normal.
(01:16:00) - What exactly WAS Balok's motive here?
(01:20:52) - This is really the Star Trek mission statement episode.
(01:26:15) - Outro.

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9: Das Boot (1981) Sep 05, 2022

Show notes

We're joined one more time by special guest Drew Scanlon to close out sub month with the mother of all submarine movies in the director's cut of Wolfgang Petersen's Das Boot!
CHAPTERS:

(00:00:00) - NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate in versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening.
(00:00:13) - Intro.
(00:00:44) - Our film for this week: DAS BOOT (pronounced boat).
(00:05:22) - But just what IS Das Boot all about?
(00:11:29) - Talking cinematic depictions of Nazis in German cinema and German censorship laws.
(00:16:17) - Some history on the film's production and the book it's based on.
(00:24:47) - When you watch a movie in a foreign language, do you remember it in that language? Or in yours with an accent?
(00:25:38) - We, as a society, were not ready for submarines.
(00:27:08) - How anti-war is Das Boot?
(00:28:40) - The captain's respect for his adversaries, and open disrespect for German command.
(00:38:37) - Food, food, glorious rotting food. And boy howdy what a stink.
(00:45:15) - Break!
(00:45:34) - And we're back, and talking about the long stretches of tension and terror.
(00:52:14) - Brad talks sound design.
(00:56:34) - Is the captain good? (At his job, we mean.)
(01:01:05) - One of Alex's favorite scenes, the scene on the German supply ship.
(01:08:17) - The Gibraltar suicide mission, and some of the movie's model work.
(01:15:17) - We're going down, down, DOWN!
(01:22:42) - Wow! They made it! Everything's gonna be alright now, right? Right?!?
(01:31:45) - Final impressions.
(01:39:35) - Our sub mission has come to a close.
(01:44:13) - Outro.

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8: Star Trek: What Are Little Girls Made Of and Miri Aug 29, 2022

Show notes

We're back to our Star Trek watching ways, and this week we've got a pair of episodes replete with big time guest stars, incredible set choices, and some all-timer Shatner lines in What Are Little Girls Made Of, and Miri!

CHAPTERS

(00:00:00) - NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate in versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening.
(00:00:25) - Intro.
(00:02:13) - If you watched the correct things for this week, you watched some Star Trek.
(00:04:27) - Kicking things off with What Are Little Girls Made Of.
(00:07:08) - Some production history, and boy, talk about a big time guest star!
(00:12:21) - Talkin' Ted Cassidy.
(00:16:37) - Getting back on track with the plot.
(00:18:41) - Vinny gets his electronics nerd moment.
(00:19:57) - Surprise! Robots! And some more costume talk.
(00:25:03) - Sabotaging robot Kirk by getting hella racist.
(00:28:04) - Can robots love? Is that even what Kirk's trying to figure out? Help us out here.
(00:29:02) - Kirk's spackled inflatable dick, and Ruk's big moment.
(00:33:38) - Meanwhile, back on Andrea, and whatever the heck robot Kirk is up to.
(00:36:01) - Bringing us to the climax of the episode.
(00:40:14) - The Big Question(s).
(00:45:34) - We can't help but go back to Kirk's frosted dingus one more time.
(00:47:51) - Break!
(00:48:11) - We're back, and it's time to Blah Blah Blah about Miri! EARTH 2!!!
(00:49:40) - Our first straight up Hollywood backlot episode! Plus some other fun facts.
(00:54:55) - This crazy planet is a mess!
(01:00:12) - Countdown to rapid, horrible death!
(01:08:00) - We were so close with Rand! So close!
(01:10:51) - Time for Kirk to convince these children that they need their help.
(01:17:50) - Vinny poses the big question.
(01:20:14) - They sail off into space, never to acknowledge that there's an EARTH TWO.
(01:22:49) - The episode so controversial, it was banned by the BBC (for a while)!
(01:24:42) - Outro.

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7: Crimson Tide (1995) Aug 22, 2022

Show notes

It's all gone to hell on a nuclear submarine, and only the crew of Alex, Vinny, Brad, and special guest Drew Scanlon can restore order as we work our way through Tony Scott's 1995 thriller Crimson Tide!

CHAPTERS
(00:00:00) - NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate in versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening.
(00:00:12) - Intro
(00:02:31) - Where were we in life when we first saw Crimson Tide, and some early impressions.
(00:07:47) - The Bruckheimer thing, and also some historical info on the making of the film.
(00:13:21) - Whole lotta Hollywood youngsters here.
(00:16:11) - Launching into the plot.
(00:19:17) - Talking the differences in personality between Ramsey and Hunter.
(00:27:27) - The command schism, and going by the book.
(00:29:58) - The goddamn buoy. Also, how many times has Hideo Kojima seen this movie?
(00:33:27) - Vinny's been reading the IMDB goofs section.
(00:37:32) - Break!
(00:37:52) - We're back, and things are going bad on this submarine!
(00:41:50) - Hunter has to make the tough call. RIP Steve Zahn's character.
(00:44:28) - They do a pretty good job of keeping Ramsey from being a one-dimensional villain.
(00:47:42) - It's time for some Game Theory! Also commending Tony Scott's direction.
(00:50:18) - And heeeeerrrreeee coooooooome the mutinies!
(00:53:08) - Is Hunter a Picard Type? And discussion of where the crew's loyalties lie.
(00:59:59) - Drew's got sub opinions.
(01:00:36) - More love for Denzel.
(01:01:53) - The most intense radio repair sequence maybe in film history, and the big staredown between Hunter and Ramsey.
(01:11:31) - The (maybe too) neat little denouement at the end.
(01:18:00) - Some last tidbits before we wrap up.
(01:29:05) - Outro.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

6: Star Trek: The Enemy Within and Mudd's Women Aug 15, 2022

Show notes

As we return to the world of Star Trek, we tackle a pair of episodes that truly represent the highs and lows of this series, as we experience some top flight Shatner-brand hambone acting, meet a swarthy Irish pimp, and take note of more than a few red flags about how early ST treated its women characters.

CHAPTERS:

(00:00:00) - NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate in versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening.
(00:00:19) - Intro.
(00:01:48) - R.I.P. Nichelle Nichols.
(00:03:36) - Kicking things off with The Enemy Within.
(00:04:03) - Vinny thought this was a Mirror Universe episode.
(00:06:19) - This ain't mirror Kirk. It's just plain Evil Kirk. Thanks, transporter!
(00:10:14) - Some background on the episode.
(00:12:10) - Vinny senses some recurring themes in these early episodes.
(00:13:51) - That sure is a clean good/evil split.
(00:16:40) - Poor Sulu.
(00:18:34) - Evil Kirk is up to no good. Poor Yeoman Rand.
(00:22:13) - I'M CAPTAIN KIRK. Also, some more tech talk.
(00:24:19) - The McCoy death stare.
(00:25:03) - It's all going wrong and Kirk can't figure out what to do.
(00:28:23) - A really bad Spock line, and the human-centric writing of the series.
(00:30:07) - Well, we figured out how to put Kirk back together, but it might kill him!
(00:32:45) - All's well that ends well, right?
(00:36:08) - Break!
(00:36:30) - We are back, and talkin' Mudd's Women.
(00:37:18) - Some background on the episode.
(00:39:15) - Time to meet Harcourt Fenton Mudd.
(00:40:02) - Vinny has one note from the last episode he forgot to mention.
(00:40:45) - Back to Mudd.
(00:43:15) - He's a hustler, baby. And he's gotta get these women some husbands!
(00:47:01) - The prevalence of the Rigel system.
(00:48:06) - Just three lonely guys on a planet mining crystals.
(00:54:31) - Let's talk about VENUS DRUGS.
(00:58:26) - Things are getting buckwild on this mining planet.
(01:01:22) - Ah, marital bliss.
(01:02:34) - Remember ladies, you've just gotta believe in yourself.
(01:05:39) - Vinny ain't so sure about these episodes. None of us are, really.
(01:13:19) - Outro

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5: The Hunt for Red October (1990) Aug 08, 2022

Show notes

Our patrons voted, and for the month of August they wanted to see us tackle some classics of the submarine genre. We're joined by noted sub expert Drew Scanlon as we kick things off with one that's been on Brad's cinematic bucket list for decades in The Hunt for Red October!

CHAPTERS

(00:00:00) - NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate in versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening.
(00:00:32) - Intro.
(00:04:17) - Our familiarity with the novel and the larger Clancy-verse.
(00:11:16) - Some historical info on the novel and the film.
(00:19:33) - Launching into the film itself with some talk about the caterpillar drive.
(00:23:05) - What a cast!
(00:26:45) - The Russian-to-English pivot.
(00:29:39) - Talking a little about Ramius' conspiracy.
(00:36:06) - Some other great guys in this story.
(00:38:23) - Jonesy is the secret hero of the movie.
(00:40:41) - How to make sub chases thrilling, and the visual language of the film.
(00:45:09) - Break!
(00:45:25) - Meanwhile, Jack Ryan!
(00:47:32) - A brief aside to remember some Star Trek folks.
(00:48:49) - Out of control!
(00:49:42) - Time to drop ol' Jack out of a helicopter.
(00:52:06) - Jack is Marko Ramius' number one fanboy.
(00:54:38) - Vinny wishes we got more Stellan Skarsgård.
(00:56:20) - Our man Vasily.
(01:01:03) - Time to get these chuckleheads off the boat. Also, sabotage!
(01:05:59) - A meeting of the cultures.
(01:08:23) - Are sub movies just Star Trek (and vice versa)?
(01:09:39) - Back to the sub combat.
(01:14:05) - This may be a Jack Ryan Movie, but it's not Jack Ryan's movie.
(01:15:16) - A happy ending and some very questionable green screen compositing.
(01:17:50) - Shoutouts to the soundtrack.
(01:18:54) - Final impressions.
(01:21:51) - Drew's submarine story, and one last bit of trivia.
(01:26:45) - Outro.

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4: Star Trek: Where No Man Has Gone Before and The Naked Time Aug 01, 2022

Show notes

It's time to return to our Star Trek watching ways to check out the wildly dramatic pilot episode Where No Man Has Gone Before, and the just plain wild episode (and Vinny's current favorite) The Naked Time!

CHAPTERS

(00:00:00) - NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate in versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening.
(00:00:33) - Intro.
(00:02:46) - Launching into Where No Man Has Gone Before.
(00:05:46) - Some historical info about the episode.
(00:12:47) - Locating this series in the larger Star Trek timeline.
(00:14:33) - This week's guest stars!
(00:16:39) - Kicking off the plot for realsies.
(00:17:58) - Flying into the magical space barrier causes some complications! Who'da thunk?
(00:19:35) - Freaky eye stuff.
(00:21:06) - Espers? Espers!
(00:22:04) - Gary's becoming a god.
(00:24:08) - A little about the Enterprise sound design.
(00:25:27) - Some differences in cinematography in this pilot compared with the rest of the series.
(00:25:53) - Back to Gary's increasing godliness.
(00:27:20) - What do you do when you've got a god on your spaceship? Plus some Spock notes.
(00:30:36) - Some less-than-futuristic objects hanging around the ol' Enterprise.
(00:32:22) - Time to check out Gary's new home planet. It sucks there! Also check out this cool gun. And even more Spock talk.
(00:36:52) - Gary going full Magneto.
(00:39:47) - Gary gets got.
(00:44:51) - Final thoughts on the episode.
(00:47:07) - Break!
(00:47:26) - We're back, and talking The Naked Time.
(00:54:16) - Some history for the episode, and the spotty history of time travel in Star Trek.
(00:57:57) - This is a pretty good lookin' episode!
(01:00:13) - Bluntly stating the One Thing this disease does to each person.
(01:03:05) - It's a race against time not to crash the ship into the damn planet.
(01:06:37) - Kirk and Spock start going haywire.
(01:14:02) - Time to implode some engines.
(01:18:52) - Vinny has some questions about time travel.
(01:21:25) - There is a growing "admiration" for James Kirk among our co-watchers.
(01:24:42) - Outro

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