Fiction

The STARLOG Podcast

From the team behind STARLOG, a weekly podcast at the intersection of science fiction, science, and the stories shaping what comes next.

Host Jordan Hoffman talks to the writers, filmmakers, scientists, and creators imagining tomorrow.

Each week, expect:

Archival deep-dives that unearth what made science fiction matter in the first place

Exclusive interviews with the people building the future for real

Conversations with the storytellers using genre to ask the questions our culture is afraid to ask out loud

If you grew up with the original STARLOG magazine, you know the territory: space-time, alternate worlds, the unknown. If you didn’t, welcome. The podcast is part of STARLOG’s 2026 relaunch as a modern media platform, the audio counterpart to STARLOG Magazine (returning fall 2026) and The Lodestar (the weekly newsletter from STARLOG’s editorial team). STARLOG is the sister publication to horror magazine FANGORIA.

Produced by Dave Gonzales. New episodes every week.

Subscribe to The Lodestar at starlog.com.

Latest Episodes:

010 - Lanterns and Strange Documentaries with Rodney Ascher Aug 26, 2026

Show notes

Welcome back to The STARLOG Podcast!

In this episode, Jordan and Dave discuss the new series on HBO based on a DC Studios property: it’s Lanterns! Jordan’s love of Green Lantern lore meets Dave’s penchant for Damon Lindelof produced television mysteries. In science fact, virtual reality appears to help people think they have wings instead of arms, allowing them to ... learn to fly? Then, into the STARLOG Archive to hear about a film adaptation of Arthur C. Clarke’s Childhood’s End that was never meant to be.

This week’s guest is Rodney Ascher, a filmmaker and documentarian who has made films that might be found in the documentary section of your streaming service. He joins the podcast to discuss his movies Room 237 (a deep dive on Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining), A Glitch in the Matrix (an investigation into if we live in a simulation), and his newest film Ghost Boy.

Next week the podcast welcomes Dean Devlin, the writer and producer of sci-fi hits like Stargate and ID4: Independence Day, to answer some questions about the films of his past and newest seasons of his shows The Ark and The Librarians: The Next Chapter.

RELEASE NOTICES:

New Episodes of Lanterns air Sundays on HBO and HBO Max through October 4th.

25 people learned to fly with virtual wings. Here’s how the brain changed [Science News]

You can stream Room 237 for free with ads on PlutoTV. Glitch in the Matrix can be rented or purchased on VOD platforms.

Ghost Boy at RodneyAscher.com

FORMAT:

00:00 - Welcome to Episode 10!

02:13 - What’s New in Science Fiction?

16:24 - What’s Happening in Science Fact?

22:20 - The STARLOG Archive - Issue 42 January 1981

29:42 - Rodney Ascher!

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009 - The End of Oak Street and Dog Walking Through Dimensions with Andrea Hairston Aug 19, 2026

Show notes

Welcome back to The STARLOG Podcast!

In this episode, Jordan and Dave discuss the new film The End of Oak Street, an Amblin-style dinosaur sci-fi movie that has a wild twist. Then, Jordan and Dave try to understand how a wave can, in certain conditions, move faster than light. For this week’s Starlog Archive, the letters section of yore has beef with Richard Donner’s 1978’s Superman

This week’s guest is a novelist, poet, playwright, and L. Wolff Kahn 1931 Professor Emerita of Theatre and Africana Studies at Smith College: Andrea Hairston! Jordan wants to pick her brain about her new novel The Redemption Center is Closed on Sundays. There’s a podcaster, a budding relationship between a woman and her employee, oh and there’s an interdimensional St. Berdoodle that’s going to help solve a local murder mystery in a small college town.

Next week on the podcast, we’re joined by Rodney Ascher, a filmmaker and documentarian who has made wild rides like Room 237 (2012), The Nightmare (2015), A Glitch in the Matrix (2021), and Ghost Boy (2025).

LINKS/RELEASE NOTICES:

The End of Oak Street is in theaters now.

Energy Can Move Faster Than The Speed of Light Thanks to Weird 'Loophole'

Physicists Found Something That Can Move Faster Than Light: The Darkness Inside It

AndreaHairston.com

Order The Redemption Center is Closed on Sundays here!

FORMAT:

00:00 - The End of Oak Street

09:15 - Brief SPOILERS for The End of Oak Street

11:30 - What’s Happening in Science Fact?

20:44 - The STARLOG Archive

30:34 - Andrea Hairston!

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008 - One Night Only and The Last House with Louis Leterrier Aug 12, 2026

Show notes

Welcome back to The STARLOG Podcast!

In this episode, Jordan and Dave discuss the new film One Night Only which is a rom-com on its face but might have a not-sexy sci-fi twist. Then, Jordan tells Dave about naked mole rat society scents before returning to the STARLOG Archives of the early 1980s letters pages to discuss if Jedi get Revenge (and continuing last week’s Jackboot Fandom discussion).

This week’s guest is director of such films as The Transporter, The Incredible Hulk, Now You See Me, Fast X, and The Last House: Louis Leterrier! His newest film, currently streaming on Netflix, stars Wagner Moura and Greta Lee as the parents of two children trapped in a house…by the rain? Stream The Last House before listening to this interview!

Next week, Andrea Hairston is a science fiction and fantasy playwright and novelist who will tell us about her newest novel The Redemption Center Is Closed On Sundays. There will be multiple dimensions, the gossip of college towns, a murder mystery, and a very special dog.

LINKS/RELEASE NOTICES:

One Night Only: An Honest Attempt to Understand the Ridiculous World of Callum Turner and Monica Barbaro’s New Rom-Com [Vanity Fair]

Naked mole-rat queens rule their colonies with a potent odor [Science News]

The Last House is currently streaming on Netflix!

FORMAT:

00:00 - Welcome!

02:24 - What’s Happening in Science Fiction?

10:33 - What’s Happening in Science Fact?

15:15 - The STARLOG Archive

28:27 - Louis Leterrier

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007 - Spidey’s Brand New Day and Star Trek Horror with Axelle Carolyn Aug 05, 2026

Show notes

Welcome back to The STARLOG Podcast!

In this episode, Jordan and Dave have also seen Spider-Man: Brand New Day like a lot of you, since it has recorded the largest domestic box-office take ever since we recorded this episode. After some Spidey-Talk, Jordan horrifies Dave with the true story of zombie sea cucumbers. Then, in the STARLOG Archive, a passionate essay against jackboot fandom cosplay from the early 1980s.

This week’s guest is Axelle Carolyn, the director of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4, Episode 2 “The Griffin Incident.” Carolyn tells Jordan and Dave about the nitty gritty details of bringing the horror genre to Star Trek and where to look for spooky phantoms in the background of her episode. Make sure to have watched “The Griffin Incident,” as this conversation covers the shocking moments in the episode.

Next week, Director Louis Letterrier beams aboard the STARLOG podcast to talk about his newest Netflix movie The Last House starring Greta Lee and Wagner Moura as the parents of a family trapped inside.

Want More?

MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios by Joanna Robinson, Dave Gonzales, and Gavin Edwards.

‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ 2nd Fastest Pic To Cross $1B At Global Box Office.

Scientists Say They’ve Discovered ‘Little Lab Zombies’—Seemingly Immortal Tissue Taken From Sea Cucumbers

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is streaming on Paramount Plus!

The STARLOG Podcast is hosted by Jordan Hoffman, edited and produced by Dave Gonzales. The STARLOG Podcast Theme was composed and performed by Michael Tritter.

FORMAT:

00:00 - Welcome!

03:58 - Spider-Man: Brand New Day

19:21 - What’s Happening in Science Fact?

24:52 - The STARLOG Archive

36:21 - Ariel Waldman!

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006 - Star Trek’s New Season and Life Unearthed with Ariel Waldman Jul 29, 2026

Show notes

Welcome back to The STARLOG Podcast!

In this episode, Jordan and Dave are excited to finally talk about Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4, which has begun releasing week-to-week on Paramount Plus. The two give a review of the first wild episode of the season that involves time-travel paradoxes and Starfleet punching dinosaurs. Then, Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is available in a premium IMAX 70mm format, but there (somehow) are not enough projectors to fill demand. Then, Jordan delves deep into the 1982 STARLOG Archive to unearth some remake beef started by John Carpenter’s The Thing.

Explorer, researcher, and filmmaker Ariel Waldman is the host of PBS’ Life Unearthed with Ariel Waldman and joins the podcast to tell us about life that exists in some of the most extreme environments on the planet. From the unending sunshine of Antarctica to the disappearing plains of North America, Ariel Waldman is dedicated to showing you life you have never seen before.

Next week, Axelle Carolyn, the director of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4, Episode 2 “The Griffin Incident” joins the podcast to have a full-spoilers discussion about her episode!

Want More?

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4 is streaming on Paramount Plus

The Odyssey is still in about 25 IMAX 70mm theaters in North America.

The Odyssey Can’t Be Screened in 70mm IMAX Without Huge, Ancient Projectors. Here’s What It Takes to Keep Them Running [GQ]

All current episodes of Life Unearthed with Ariel Waldman can be streamed for free at PBS!

The first Antarctica episode is also on Youtube

The STARLOG Podcast is hosted by Jordan Hoffman, edited and produced by Dave Gonzales. The STARLOG Podcast Theme was composed and performed by Michael Tritter.

FORMAT:

00:00 - Welcome!

01:40 - What's happening in Science Fiction?

10:06 - What’s Happening in Science Fact?

20:17 - The STARLOG Archive

30:51 - Ariel Waldman!

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005 - The Odyssey and High Strangeness with Daniel Noah Jul 22, 2026

Show notes

Welcome back to The STARLOG Podcast!

This episode, Jordan and Dave have to check up on the Buzz Aldrin life-saving pen auction before jumping into a review of Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, which is currently in theaters. This bombastic film has a new interpretation on Homeric myth and some fascinating developments in IMAX camera rigs that went into its production. For this week’s STARLOG Archive we dive back to issue #104 from 1986 to unearth some exclusive news about Peter Meyhew and revisit why shooting Return of the Jedi in the California Redwood Forest was particularly dangerous for his character.

Founding partner and head of production for SpectreVision, Daniel Noah joins the podcast as this week’s guest. After recounting his STARLOG magazine memories and how he and Elijah Wood formed SpectreVision, Noah explains his conversion from skeptic to experiencer and how that inspired him in life and for his newest project, the graphic novel project High Strangeness.

Next week, filmmaker, scientist, and explorer Ariel Waldman talks about filming Antarctic portions of her PBS documentary series Life Unearthed on one of the least hospitable places on the planet, and how diverse life finds a way.

The STARLOG Podcast is hosted by Jordan Hoffman, edited and produced by Dave Gonzales. The STARLOG Podcast Theme was composed and performed by Michael Tritter.

FORMAT:

00:00 - Welcome!

02:16 - What's happening in Science Fact?

04:51 - Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey

17:13 - The STARLOG Archive

26:02 - Daniel Noah!

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004 - Black Holes and Prog Rock with Prof. Scott A. Hughes Jul 15, 2026

Show notes

Welcome back to The STARLOG Podcast!

This episode, Jordan has heard The WOW! Signal , the new album by the band Muse, and reports back on its science-fiction themes. Then, we recount the story of the pen that saved Neil Armstong and Buzz Aldrin from being stranded on the moon (and was included in an auction of Buzz Aldrin memorabilia). In the STARLOG Archive, your hosts dig into STARLOG #31 where a notice about "four-letter-words" in Disney’s first PG rated film The Black Hole (1979) suggests a boycott.

Professor and Associate Department Head of M.I.T.'s Department of Physics, Professor Scott A. Hughes is this week's interview. Prof. Hughes tells us about the newest discoveries in our understanding of Black Holes and explains how shifts in gravitational waves can be measured using extremely precise tools like L.I.G.O. and his current project L.I.S.A.. Then, he lets us in on how he was inspired by the band Rush.

Next week, Daniel Noah, producer of films like A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night (2014) and Mandy (2018), appears on the podcast to discuss experiencing paranormal phenomena and his new graphic novel series High Strangeness.

Want More?

The WOW! Signal by Muse is currently available wherever music is streamed and/or bought.

The Sotheby’s listing for the Apollo 11 pen and broken circuit breaker switch.

Disney’s The Black Hole (1979) is available to stream on Disney Plus.

Hear more LIGO and LISA sounds at:Astrophysical general relativity @ MIT - Research in the group of Professor Scott A. Hughes

FORMAT:

00:00 - Welcome!

03:42 - What's happening in Science Fiction?

08:57 - What's happening in Science Fact?

18:02 - The STARLOG Archive

29:37 - Professor Scott A. Hughes!

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003 - Science, Storytelling, and Star Trek with Dr. Erin Macdonald Jul 08, 2026

Show notes

Welcome back to The STARLOG Podcast!

This episode, Jordan encourages you to check out an independent sci-fi film releasing this weekend on Video On Demand: The Outer Threat. An astrophysicist's alien discovery forces him and his family to flee their home, chased by a mysterious pursuer. In science fact, there's a new top government alien guy, and we drill back into the STARLOG Archive to unearth a very special interview with William Shatner from STARLOG #9.

Astrophysicist, aerospace engineer, and science consultant for the Star Trek franchise - Dr. Erin Macdonald of Starfleet Academy is this week's special guest. Dr. Erin schools your hosts on what gravity actually is, before diving into the most difficult science explanation she had to concoct for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and her appearances (as herself!) on Star Trek: Prodigy.

Next week, Professor and Associate Department Head of M.I.T.'s Department of Physics, Professor Scott Hughes will join the podcast to talk about the sounds of black holes and the band Rush.

WANT MORE?

The Outer Threat is available on digital VOD Friday July 10th

Harvard professor with polarizing alien theories is picked to lead Trump administration UFO council

William Shatner Live Side 3: The Movie [YouTube]

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Star Trek: Lower Decks, Star Trek: Discovery, and Star Trek: Prodigy are all streaming on Paramount Plus.

FORMAT
00:00 - Welcome to Episode 003!
03:21 - What's Happening in Science Fiction
08:37 - What's Happening in Science Fact
17:09 - The STARLOG Archive - STARLOG #9
29:45 - Dr. Erin MacDonald!

The STARLOG Podcast is hosted by Jordan Hoffman, edited and produced by Dave Gonzales. The STARLOG Podcast Theme was composed and performed by Michael Tritter.

Follow STARLOG!

Starlog.com

@STARLOGmedia on Instagram

starlogmedia.bsky.social

@STARLOGmedia on YouTube

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002 - ID4 Anniversary and Disclosure Day with David Koepp Jul 01, 2026

Show notes

Welcome back to The STARLOG Podcast!
This week, ALIENS and DINOSAURS. It's been 30 years since the Summer of ID4: Independence Day, years since SETI at Home, and mere weeks since we all got to see Steven Spielberg's newest alien movie Disclosure Day. Since Spielberg is in the air, Jordan opens up the STARLOG archive to see how the magazine covered Jurassic Park.
Producer, writer, and director David Koepp joins the podcast to talk about his relationship to STARLOG Magazine, Godzilla, and how he adapted Spielberg's treatment PDF into the movie we know as Disclosure Day.
Next week, Dr, Erin MacDonald, scientist and consultant for the Star Trek franchise will tell us that we can't warp through debris.
WANT MORE?
ID4: Independence Day is currently available to stream on Hulu and Disney Plus.

Why SETI Might Have Been Missing Alien Signals at seti.org
How They Made Jurassic Park's T-Rex - Sculpting a Full-Size Dinosaur by Stan Winston School on YouTube

Disclosure Day is in theaters now!
FORMAT
00:00 - STARLOG is Back!
04:05 - What's Happening in Science Fiction
10:45 - What's Happening in Science Fact
16:55 - The STARLOG Archive - STARLOG #191
27:19 - David Koepp!
The STARLOG Podcast is hosted by Jordan Hoffman, edited and produced by Dave Gonzales. The STARLOG Podcast Theme was composed and performed by Michael Tritter.

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001 - STARLOG is Back! with Annalee Newitz Jun 24, 2026

Show notes

Welcome to The STARLOG Podcast!

This week, your host Jordan Hoffman is proud to introduce himself and podcasting XO Dave Gonzales, reintroduce STARLOG and begin The STARLOG Podcast.

In celebration of STARLOG's 50th Anniversary in 2026, the team behind FANGORIA is bringing STARLOG through a portal to our future. Later this year, STARLOG will be available as a print magazine in bookstores, on newsstands, and at the supermarket checkout.

This week, STARLOG Editor-in-Chief Annalee Newitz joins the podcast to talk about the contents of the upcoming STARLOG Magazine and how it's changed from the original publication. They also discuss founding the Gawker Media futurist blog io9, their non-fiction book Scatter, Adapt, and Remember: How Humans Will Survive a Mass Extinction, and how a train can love a cat in their fiction novel The Terraformers.

Next week, Disclosure Day's screenwriter David Koepp joins us to talk about aliens and Steven Spielberg.

WANT MORE?

Project Hail Mary is still in theaters!

There Is No Antimemetics Division by qntm

Sci-Fi Short Film "There Is No Antimemetics Division" | DUST | Starring Jasika Nicole

Robots with fingernails can grasp thin edges

The Republic of Memory: A Novel By Mahmud El Sayed

Buy Annalee Newitz Books including The Terraformers and the new Automatic Noodle

FORMAT

00:00 - STARLOG is Back!

07:37 - What's Happening in Science Fiction

13:25 - What's Happening in Science Fact

18:01 - The STARLOG Archive

26:34 - Annalee Newitz!

The STARLOG Podcast is hosted by Jordan Hoffman, edited and produced by Dave Gonzales. The STARLOG Podcast Theme was composed and performed by Michael Tritter.

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