Alienating the Audience

George Orwell died way back in 1950, and his estate has never allowed anyone to canonically (or legally) contribute to the immense worldbuilding of "1984"... Until now. Sandra Newman recently wrote "Julia," the official sequel to 1984, which happens conterminously with its events, but from the perspective of Winston's paramour, Julia. Josh Jennings joins to discuss.

Season Finale! In which we talk about how to use sci-fi robots for helpful psychological thought experiments. Support the show! www.patreon.com/alienating ATA Survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe8FbFXeniKqq4gJNITdQNtbBy4MvUEnZH2m66JteJIJXY-zw/viewform?usp=sf_link  

Star Trek Deep Space Nine's Elim Garak is a simple, unassuming character. But also a spymaster. Why is he so beguiling, and what's his character arc? Andrew Young joins to discuss.

Is 1984 prophetic, or merely a terrifying dystopia? What makes this haunting book so engaging on a literary level? Josh Jennings returns to discuss.

Star Trek: Picard recently wrapped up its third and final season--and the first season Heaton or his guests have enjoyed of it. Scottish sci-fi twins Dickie and Stone rejoin to discuss Star Trek: Picard, and what made its ultimate season likeable.

Adrian Tchaikovsky's "Children of Time" tackles multi-generational sleeper ships, uplifiting species, AI, the nature of intelligence, teleforming and more. Richard Amiro rejoins to discuss.

In this satirical novel by Max Barry, the United States is a corporate wasteland with ruthless businesses and toothless rump state unable to restrain them. John Krikorian of Trekprofiles joins to discuss.  Book at: www.mightyheaton.com/goodscifi  

How does the multiverse shake out in science fiction? What are the tropes, and what are the implications? Scottish scifi twins Dickie and Stone Lynch join to discuss.

In “The Truman Show,” Jim Carey's character is the unwitting star of a global reality television show–until he decides to escape. Director Henrique Cuoto joins to talk about the iconic film, and the evils of false reality. Henrique's dog: www.helpchicano.com Support the show! Mightyheaton.com/alienating Interstellar Vagabonding Clips, with Nick Sperdute: www.mightyheaton.com/vagabonding

Neil Stephenson's "Snowcrash" looked at the embryonic Internet and projected a future of VR and avatar onto it. And a world in which nation states had been eclipsed by successor states of corporate "franchulates."  Is "Snowcrash" a corporate dystopia, a libertarian utopia, or merely prophetic? Brian Brushwood joins to discuss.

In this episode we talk about all the times people get tiny in science fiction, from "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" to "The Fantastic Voyage" to Jonathan Swift.

Comedian John Robertson is a regular performer, panelist, and celebrity at science fiction conventions. He joins to discuss the community element of conventions, how celebrities should comport themselves, and how fans can best interact with them.

Charlton Heston stars in "Soylent Green," a film about the terror of overpopulation, urban ennui, and ultimately cannibalism. Based on the novel "Make Room! Make Room!" by Harry Harrison.   Scottish scifi twins Stone and Dickie Lynch join to discuss.   SUPPORT THE SHOW! www.patreon.com/alienating

At its height, Terry Pratchett's Discworld series accounted for fully 2% of all book sales in the United Kingdom. Over the course of his life he wrote 59 books, achieved knighthood, and created a beloved and hilarious franchise.   What was Pratchett's worldview, and what motivated him to crack jokes about Death and wizards?   Guest Marc Burrows wrote the first authorized biography of Pratchett, and just wrapped up a show about him at the Edinburgh Fringe.   REFERENCED BOOKS AT: www.mightyheaton.com/goodscifi   SUPPORT THE SHOW! www.patreon.com/alienating 

Captain Pike commanded the USS Enterprise prior to Kirk, and the prequel series featuring him, Mr. Spock, Nurse Chapel, and their contemporaries goes back to the roots of Star Trek: exploring weird planets with weird things... but with just the right amount of fun.   Scottish sci-fi twins Dickie and Stone Lynch return to discuss.

In Charlie Kaufman's weirdest film (and that's saying something) John Cusack discovers a portal that delivers you into John Malkovich's head for a few minutes... so he charges admission.   Henrique Couto and Matt Sienkiewicz join to discuss

Vulcans, humans, Klingons, Romulans--everybody in the Star Trek universe can easily interbreed! Stone and Dickie Lynch rejoin the show to discuss reproduction in the final frontier 

The Expanse explores the political and military tension between decadent Earth, militant Mars, and the Belters stuck in between.   War correspondent Kristaps Andrejsons joins to discuss

What if JFK survived the assassination attempt, and instead of Vietnam, America invested in a moon base? Bill Oakley is a former writer and showrunner on The Simpsons, and award-winning comedy writer, and the author of “Space: 1969” an Audible Original.   He joins, along with Brian Brushwood, to discuss his retro-scifi comedy, and the nature of humor writing.   BOOK AT: www.mightyheaton.com/goodscifi Support the show! www.patreon.com/alienating

Characters can selectively wipe memories in Charlie Kaufman's "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," but in doing so they lose part of themselves.   Chloe Effron and Nick Sperdute join to discuss this trippy... romcom?   SUPPORT THE SHOW! www.patreon.com/alienating

Are holograms on Star Trek NPC's, sentient, or in some hellish state of limerence in between? Star Trek aficionados Dickie and Stone Lynch return to discuss

James Gunn's “Peacemaker” chronicles a toxic meathead character as he comes to terms with his past, his racist father, and an alien takeover of the planet. He is neither a hero nor antihero.   He's something new, and hilarious: a “loserhero”   Nick Sperdute and Justin Robert Young join to discuss.  

How do clones manifest in science fiction? When are they evil, good, or a portent of science gone too far?   Scottish scifi twins Dickie and Stone rejoin to discuss.   SUPPORT THE SHOW! www.patreon.com/alienating

"Solaris" by Stanislaw Lem follows a crew of scientists trying to understand an utterly alien intelligence--a planet covered by an ocean of (apparently?) conscious goop. How can we communicate with something truly, truly foreign to our evolution and understanding? How can we even confirm it's "intelligent"?   John Krikorian returns to discuss.

"Rick and Morty" is the funniest science fiction to grace the world sense "Futurama"--if not the best comedy in general. What is it about, and what distinguishes it from other, lesser comedies? Jeff Maurer joins to discuss.  (Note: this episode was recorded before the fall of Justin Roiland)

"The Fifth Element" starring Bruce Willis and Mila Jovovich is a cult classic. But... does it hold up? Did it ever?   To answer that question, we turn to Scottish scifi twins Dickie and Stone Lynch.

"Enterprise" is the prequel of Star Trek, exploring the foundation of the Federation of Planets, and the bump, suspicious period when Vulcans and humans get to know one another. Scottish science fiction twins Dickie & Stone Lynch return to discuss.

There's a subgenre of science fiction we might call "femme fear," exemplified by writers like Margaret Atwood.  Olivia Wilde's "Don't Worry Darling" is the latest example. And while it was mostly panned by critics, Heaton enjoyed it.  Ashland Viscosi joins to discuss. SUPPORT THE SHOW! www.patreon.com/alienating

In "The Sparrow" by Mary Doria Russell, life is discovered on an alien planet, and the first humans to arrive are... Jesuits. The book explores the terrifying consequences of missionaries on a new world, who are there for good reasons--with good intentions--but don't know what they've got themselves into. Richard Amiro joins to discuss.   SUPPORT THE SHOW! www.patreon.com/alienating   BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS: www.mightyheaton.com/goodscifi

The Sith are the dark lords of Star Wars. But what do they want? Are they logically consistent antagonists, with clear rationales for their goals and methods, or just mustache-twirling villains with no depth?   Stephen Kent and Mike TV join to discuss

John Carpenter's “They Live” is a cult classic about seeing through societal mirage to glimpse the strings of the puppet masters. It's also a specific and intentional “primal scream” against Reagonomics. Ron Hayden joins to discuss.

In "The Boys" super heroes superficially fight crime, but are really corporate pawns and predators, ranging from ladder-climbing reality show scumbags to full-blown Nietzschean demigods. What happens when super powers are not always entrusted in the super moral? Andrew Young joins to discuss.

Brain swaps are a beloved sci-fi trope, but how feasible are they? Dr. John-Paul Kolsun is a brain doctor, and host of "The Neurosurgery Podcast"  He joins to discuss the feasibility of brain transplants.

In Stephen King's finest work, protagonist Jake Epping discovers a time portal which allows him to go back to the late 50s and then stick around long enough to stop Lee Harvey Oswald from killing President Kennedy. . . But should he interfere with the timeline, however good his intentions?  Josh Jennings and Tim Silfies join to discuss

Jay Mutzafi rejoins the show to discuss the many elements of "Interstellar," from gravity to parenting to gut feelings.   Jay's notes on the various forms of time travel here: https://jaymutzafi.com/time-travel-movies-tv-shows/

Dickie and Stone Lynch rejoin the show to discuss the entire panoply of androids in Star Trek, from Ruk, to Lore, to Automated Personnel Unit 3947. With special attention paid to "Requiem for Methuselah." Warning: slightly raunchy episode

The film "Moon," starring Sam Rockwell, follows the lonely exploits of a solo worker on a moon base, and the unfolding mystery and terror of what his life actually entails.  Scottish scifi twins Stone and Dickie Lynch join to discuss SUPPORT THE SHOW! www.mightyheaton.com/ata

What ultimately brought down the Jedi Order, and was it actually worth saving? Kevin Delano and Mike TV join to discuss SUPPORT THE SHOW! www.mightyheaton.com/ata

“The Three Body Problem”, by Chinese author Liu Cixin, explores Maoism, how mankind reacts to imminent alien invasion, and asks the big question: is humanity worth saving? Andrea Jones-Rooy jones to discuss. Support the show! www.mightyheaton.com/ata Books mentioned on the show at: www.mightyheaton.com/goodscifi  

From Kirk and Spock through Deep Space Nine, the world of Star Trek has a shadowy alternate universe where mankind is alternately evil or oppressed. Andrew Young joins to discuss. SUPPORT THE SHOW! www.mightyheaton.com/ata

Spike Jonze's “Her”, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson, follows the story of a lonely man who falls in love with a sentient operating system. The film explores AI and romance in the not-too-distant-future, isolation and alienation, and the emotional resolution of relationships ending. Henrique Couto joins to discuss. SUPPORT THE SHOW! www.mightyheaton.com/ata

In "Severance" employees of the Lumen corporation undergo a surgery which separates their mind into two distinct personalities--one who works inside the company, and one on the outside oblivious to it.  Brian Brushwood and Andrew Young join to discuss.

Dickie and Stone join to discuss the overwhelming camp and pulp of "Flash Gordon," a big costume budget and excellent soundtrack which also sorta has a plot.

When does science fiction get "too political"? What separates a film with a strong point of view from stale publum or Woke pulpitry? Josh Jennings joins to discuss how political messaging can derail or suffocate scifi. 

Andor is one of the best Star Wars properties ever devised; a television program explicitly for adults! Beyond excellent storytelling, Andor highlights the problems which bedevil any organization: pettiness, career aspirations, incompetency, and zealotry. David Bizarro and Brian Brushwood join to discuss.

James Moriarty is the best villain in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Or is he a villain at all? In "Elementary, My Dear Data" and "Ship in a Bottle" the holographic character gains sentience--and wants freedom.  Josh Jennings and Andrew Young rejoin the show to discuss the character. 

Patrick McGoohan's 1967 series "The Prisoner" is an avante-garde science fiction series about a secret agent abducted by nefarious forces and subject to psychological torment in an atavistic village.  Jim Swift and Ron Hayden join to discuss the deeper meaning of the series.

Josh Jennings temporarily hosts the show in order to interview Andrew Heaton about what all goes into writing science fiction, a la his new book, "Inappropriately Human: 21 Short Stories."  Get your copy at:  https://www.amazon.com/Inappropriately-Human-21-Short-Stories/dp/B09S3WYDSJ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=5UO16ZY0DADV&keywords=andrew+heaton+inappropriately+human&qid=1646195709&sprefix=men%27s+modal+shirt%2Caps%2C148&sr=8-1

From "Inappropriately Human: 21 Short Stories" by Andrew Heaton. Now available as an audio book! Get your copy at https://www.amazon.com/Inappropriately-Human-21-Short-Stories/dp/B09S3WYDSJ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=5UO16ZY0DADV&keywords=andrew+heaton+inappropriately+human&qid=1646195709&sprefix=men%27s+modal+shirt%2Caps%2C148&sr=8-1

In "Vivarium," starring Jesse Eisenberg and Imogen Poots, a young couple find themselves trapped in some kind of suburban pocket universe. Their captors leave an alien infant on with the instructions "Raise the child and you will be released."  Josh Jennings joins to discuss the various concepts the film plays with, including: autism, millennial adulting terror, fey folk, and suburban ennui. Find this film and others discussed on the show at www.mightyheaton.com/goodscifi

Please enjoy "Simulucrum," one of the stories from my new book, "Inappropriately Human: 21 Short Stories"! Get a copy at:  www.mightyheaton.com/books