Alpha Waves Radio

It was a 90-degree day in New York City over the weekend, perfect to get an all-new episode of Alpha Waves Radio. This week, Michael Hinman explores what is expected to be a busy summer with new trailers and sneak peeks of 'Stranger Things,' 'The Umbrella Academy,' 'For All Mankind,' and even the upcoming Hunger Games prequel. Oh, and apparently, you can get all the details you never wanted to know about 'Stranger Things' this season simply by playing a little Monopoly. 

Michael Hinman returns to tackle a couple of big topics — the infamous attack on Chris Rock on the Oscars stage, and the ongoing transphobia of JK Rowling, and decides to poke some imbeciles like Piers Morgan too. Oh, and Paramount+ decided to give Michael an unexpected birthday present by inviting him (and likely many others) to the red carpet premiere of 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' in Manhattan, only to realize that, in a rare move, Michael will actually be out of the city for a weekend. And no, he ain't happy about it. And did we mention the slap? One month later? 

We go back in time — not just to 1980s punk rock, but also to the future as Michael Hinman not only explores the return of the man and his boombox on a bus from Star Trek: The Voyage Home, to actor and director Lea Thompson getting a chance to helm not just one episode of Star Trek: Picard, but two. We also get a trip inside the Trekkie fan closet, while getting the latest on whether Hugh Grant really is coming to Doctor Who, and if the world really needs Avatar 2.

It's like a whole new day in Michael Hinman's world, as he can finally experience genuine surprise watching television again. Or, at least, what we call 'television' in 2022. Find out why he's gushing over the Season 4 finale of 'Star Trek: Discovery,' and how the most recent episode of 'Star Trek: Picard' reminded Michael of a 26-year-old film. And he chats about the third season of 'Umbrella Academy,' Courtney Cox in the next Scream movie, trouble on 'The Boys' spinoff, and 'Back to the Future's' Christopher Lloyd making his way to the Star Wars universe. How do we ever catch our breath?

George Takei says we should all suck it up and pay more for food, because doing that will help the Ukraine. We all want to do our part, but do we all have the same means to take it on the chin like George? What Michael Hinman shares about the man behind Mr. Sulu — and a longtime friend of this very show — might surprise you. Plus, meet the new star of Quantum Leap. And Michael is in love with the new 'Star Trek: Picard' theme song.

Michael Hinman takes a deep dive into the music of Batman — from the original television series theme from Neal Hefti, to the iconic work of Danny Elfman, to Michael Giacchino of today. But who do you think is Michael's favorite Batman theme composer? You'll have to listen to find out, but we'll give you a hint: Her name begins with Shirley and ends with Walker. Also, when are we going to see Babylon 5 return? J. Michael Straczynski has an update. And a tribute to the late, great Sally Kellerman. 

Michael Hinman explores the decision by ViacomCBS to change its corporate name to Paramount — a brand that hasn't exactly been exuding sunshine and rainbows at the box office in recent years. But is this smart? Is the Paramount+ streaming service on the right path? Also, updates on the next — and final — seasons of Stranger Things on Netflix, Quentin Tarantino's Star Trek idea, and why a certain radio show host still hasn't watched Book of Boba Fett.

Michael Hinman goes it alone this week on Alpha Waves Radio, but it doesn't slow him down at all. He tackles the latest claims from fallen Hercules star Kevin Sorbo blaming those of us who actually believe in science on his professional woes. Plus, Universal's Quantum Leap takes a huge leap forward with a pilot director everyone should be excited about. And who is actually surprised that Marvel has removed its original programming from Netflix now that Disney+ is big and bad and not going anywhere. Finally, Michael says goodbye not only once again to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine actor Aron Eisenberg, but to a colleague from his early radio years who passed away last week.

Michael Hinman returns with a third season of Alpha Waves Radio, joined by special guest, former paranormal investigations journalist Christiane Elin, talking about a number of things happening in fandom lately. Is Star Trek: Picard ending at Season 3, or was it a news mistake gone viral? Will Channing Tatum ever get to watch the Marvel Cinematic Universe again? Was Regis Philbin really a regular at the Playboy Club? Why does Michael dislike so-called 'mediums' so much? And 'Supernatural' is coming back, but 'The 4400' reboot is already here? 

'Black Widow' has defeated 'F9' for the best box office opening in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, kicking off Phase IV of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But has Marvel found a Black Widow successor to Scarlett Johansson? Paramount Pictures is paying extra special attention to its 1979 classic 'Star Trek: The Motion Picture,' with plans to restore the film for a 4K release. Filming is also nearing completion for 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,' the latest spinoff for Paramount+. November marks the 20th anniversary of the debut of 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone,' but is there a reunion planned? Daniel Radcliffe doesn't think so. Quentin Tarantino has bought another classic movie theater in Los Angeles, just as Hollywood mourns the loss of 'Superman' director Richard Donner. And did Richard Branson finally make it into space?

Week in Geek returns with host Michael Hinman for its second season, just in time for Independence Day. And not just the American holiday — but a special anniversary, too. Plus, could the next Doctor Strange film be the first horror film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Benedict Cumberbatch is rumored to be reuniting with his "Star Trek: Into Darkness" co-star Chris Pine on a geek movie currently filming in England. A popular bad guy is returning to Showtime's revival of "Dexter," and who cares if he's actually dead. The Oscars will keep some rule changes in place, but has set new requirements for others, like Best Picture. And a popular Star Wars MMORPG is celebrating is 10th anniversary with a new expansion.

May the Fourth be with you! Except Lucasfilm seemed to forget this fan-created holiday was even happening. But John de Lancie didn't, and the actor made some big revelations about what's to come for his character of Q in 'Star Trek: Picard.' It seems fans were right about Dr. Strange, and even more right about 'Stranger Things.' And 'Star Trek: Discovery' star Tig Notaro reveals what she has planned next.

What on Earth did we just watch? Was that really the Oscars? Plus Citizen Kane loses its place as the most perfect film of all time, thanks to one bad review unearthed 80 years after it originally published. And a Guardians of the Galaxy holiday special? Say it's not so! Robert Yaniz Jr., from Crooked Table guest hosts for Michael Hinman.

LeVar Burton really can do anything — even if he doesn't have a book. Find out what his newest gig is going to be, and a hint, it's not Star Trek. Plus, the Oscars are this weekend. Screen Fever's Jackson Smith joins Michael Hinman to talk about his predictions for who will go home with gold. And the entire Harry Potter community mourns the passing of Helen McCrory.

What's going to happen to Hollywood's famous Cinerama Dome? This is one story that might not have a happy ending. The live-action Gundam film is moving forward, now that Jordan Vogt-Roberts has signed on to direct. And the same can be said about the upcoming adaptation of Mark Millar's comic, Starlight, with Joe Cornish now attached. Will there be another Star Trek film? Paramount has put a mystery Trek film on its schedule for Summer 2023. And is Marvel worried about how The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is doing on Disney+?

First Contact Day is becoming an annual tradition for Star Trek fans, and it has every right. Especially with so many different television projects in the works, we can't fit all of it into a single episode. Find out what Star Trek: The Next Generation villain is returning to Star Trek: Picard, how Capt. Janeway gets stranded in the Delta Quadrant again in Star Trek: Prodigy, and how Star Trek: Deep Space Nine finally plays a role in all of this. Plus, we have the latest on efforts to redo the final season of Game of Thrones. And Rory the Centurion is back.

San Diego Comic-Con has returned — can it become a Thanksgiving tradition? George R.R. Martin has signed a massive new deal with HBO that should keep him super-rich for the rest of his days. What does that mean about Game of Thrones' chances of coming to Broadway? Starz killed American Gods, but then Neil Gaiman revived it. Maybe Neil really is a god? Chucky is back, and you're going to be in trouble. See who's back with him. And we take a moment to remember Beverly Cleary.

Sony Pictures takes another theatrical crack at "Bewitched" with the writers behind Syfy's "12 Monkeys." Disney+ plans a new "National Treasure" series with the same writers and producer, but a different cast of characters. And the monthly price for Disney+ goes up this weekend. Wayne Che Yip is set to direct a block of episodes of Amazon Prime's new "Lord of the Rings" series. Ron Livingston replaces Billy Crudup on "The Flash" movie. And is Michael Keaton coming back to play the Batman? Maybe.

"Mrs. Doubtfire" takes an adults-only twist. Find out what actor can't stay home alone when it's time for the latest installment of "American Horror Story." And how many spinoffs does HBO have planned for "Game of Thrones"? It's our pilot episode of Week in Geek, so please be kind!

The summer movie season is over, and while it was still pretty strong, it's not the same as it used to be. Something that's not a surprise? Nine of the top 10 biggest movies so far this year are sequels or remakes. And just as many seem to be owned by Disney. So what is this Hollywood monopoly? What will the future of films be like? Crooked Table podcast host Robert Yaniz Jr. joins Michael Hinman to talk all about it.

They both were regular visitors of San Diego Comic-Con at different times, yet both have come to the same conclusion: Comic-Con is great, but it can certainly be better. Screen Fever co-host Jackson Smith joins Michael Hinman to share Comic-Con experiences — what they like, what they don't like, and what can be better. Their answers might surprise you.

Former Syfy publicity guy Gary Morgenstein joins Michael Hinman in the second season premiere of Alpha Waves Radio to talk about what it was like behind the scenes of the infamous name change of the cable channel, and the role both men played in the whole thing. Also, Gary talks about his latest book, "A Mound Over Hell."

Axamonitor.com editor Carlos Pedraza joins Michael Hinman to talk about libel and accuracy in the media. It all comes on the heels of the primary subject of Axamonitor stories — Star Trek: Axanar producer Alec Peters — threatening Pedraza with a cease and desist.

Michael Hinman celebrates the first season finale of Alpha Waves Radio by bringing in the voice of Alpha Waves (and ODYSY) Dan Taylor. Who is the man behind the voice? You might be surprised — he's actually quite amazing.

Michael Hinman winds down the first season of Alpha Waves Radio with the fascinating Leslie Hoffman, a former stunt double for many shows — including "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" and "Star Trek: Voyager" — who hosts Stunt Trek on ODYSY. Leslie shares what got her into stunt work, where she found her big break, and what life is like now that she's retired.

Ratings. And no, we're not talking about how well received that new app is on iTunes, or what restaurant has a good Yelp review. We're talking about what remains the primary way television networks make money in the world of entertainment, and how that plays a major role — albeit not the only role — in whether a television show will continue or not. Michael Hinman was known for quite some time about his extensive knowledge of how ratings work, especially when it came to his old television site, Inside Blip. Now he'll resurrect some of that knowledge in this episode, which you don't want to miss.

Michael Hinman welcomes to Alpha Waves Radio the new co-host for a "Game of Thrones" companion show — OverThrones — the two will host on ODYSY, Jackson Smith. He's an up and coming filmmaker, whose short "The Chocolate Soldier" won some acclaim at various film festivals around North America, and he also spends time as co-host of Screen Fever on ODYSY. Michael and Jackson talk about OverThrones and how it will tie into the whole world of HBO's hit series (and its upcoming prequels).

Michael Hinman welcomes back Robert Yaniz Jr., host of ODYSY's popular The Crooked Table, to talk about the good and the bad (but mostly the bad) of the Oscars. This used to be one of Michael's favorite events, but now it's nothing more than something he'll DVR and then skim through looking for any highlights. Who deserved to win? Who didn't deserve to win? Who should've won? Michael and Robert talk about all that an more.

Michael Hinman welcomes back Axamonitor editor Carlos Pedraza this week to talk about the latest developments in the wold of the failed fan-film "Star Trek: Axanar." This time, the project's producer, Alec Peters, has filed a lawsuit against his one-time director, Robert Meyer Burnett, claiming he's owed more than $40,000, plus damages for defamation. What is this suit all about, and why does it seem both Michael and Carlos don't believe there isn't much holding this lawsuit together, at least not in Georgia.

Michael Kmet might not be a name you instantly recognize, but he has done more for Star Trek as a well-organized master-researching historian than really anyone else. With the UCLA Star Trek archives at his fingertips, plus his vast knowledge of television past, Kmet has been able to bolster and even debunk some of the biggest legends of classic Star Trek on his website, Star Trek Fact Check (StarTrekFactCheck.Blogspot.com). Now he joins Michael Hinman to share what goes into each and every post, and why he even does what he does. Kmet also shares some exciting news about what's next.

He's known as Dr. Trek, literally the man who can be found everywhere Star Trek fandom is. Larry Nemecek visits with Alpha Waves Radio host Michael Hinman to talk about where Star Trek has been and where it's going, plus some of his great ongoing projects like Trekland (LarryNemecek.com) and Portal 47 (Portal47.net). And let's not forget that long-in-the-making documentary, "The Con of Wrath."

If there's something Michael Hinman likes to spend a lot of time talking about, it's the business of television. Why do some shows get renewed while others get canceled? Why do some shows get series orders while others end up on the cutting room floor? And why are some companies — especially those that own a major television network — choosing to stream some of their expensive high-profile shows like "Star Trek: Discovery," instead of simply airing them on their already-owned network?

Michael Hinman welcomes Jayson Peters, the man behind the online entertainment and gaming resource Nerdvana Media. Yes, that opens the doors to a lot of geekdom (and boy, do they discuss it), but it also allowed Alpha Waves Radio to spend a little more time in the universe of "Doctor Who," including some of the classic series. 

You knew him as that amazing Ferengi Nog (among a bunch of amazing Ferengi) on "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," and now Aron Eisenberg is the co-host of The 7th Rule, a brand new show he hosts with former DS9 co-star Cirroc Lofton on ODYSY. Aron talks with host Michael Hinman about the new show, what fans should expect, and what he hopes is the future of his interaction with not only Star Trek fans, but fans of his new podcast as well. From January 2019.

We guess Paramount Pictures forgot to put out a press release, but in the news that director SJ Clarkson was going to direct the pilot for the new "Game of Thrones" sequel, we all learned something new — "Star Trek 4" has been cancelled.  What does that mean? Michael Hinman turned to the experts to find out — and by experts, he means some great film journalists like Adam Barnard from Screen Fever and Gateworld, as well as Crooked Table host Robert Yaniz Jr.

There are not a lot of people who can claim to have watched every single minute of Star Trek ever produced. John Champion not only can say that, but he's probably done a podcast about it, too! John joins host Michael Hinman to talk Star Trek, fandom and so much more. From January 2019.

An independent game developer in the Middle East, Anas Abdin has sued CBS and Netflix, claiming that "Star Trek: Discovery" was lifted from his unreleased game "Tardigrades." The case is still in the early-going. But what is copyright? Who can claim it? What exactly can be copyrighted? Michael Hinman shares his thoughts as a non-lawyer (not even one by training), but as someone who has dealt quite a bit with copyright, both as a creator and as a journalist. From December 2018.

Do you think you've got what it takes to be a good novelist? Try doing it with not only a very demanding full-time job, but also a wife and three kids. Brian Bandell does it a lot, and has released his latest novel, "Silence the Living," which is now available pretty much everywhere books are sold. This is part of his Mute series, where a woman saves the planet from an alien invasion by, well, swallowing it. It's actually a very fascinating approach to these kinds of stories, and is quite human as well. From December 2018.

If you thought "Warehouse 13" was fantastic, then you need to thank the man Michael Hinman welcomes this week on Alpha Waves Radio, Jack Kenny. He was the showrunner for "Warehouse 13," and joins Michael to talk about "The Birds Sing Too Loud," a fantastic short that stars Kate Mulgrew ("Star Trek: Voyager," "Orange is the New Black"), Jane Lynch ("Glee," "The Good Fight"), and Braxton Molinaro ("Oklahoma!"), which you can find right now on FunnyOrDie. From December 2018.

What is fake news? How do we find it? How do we weed it out? Alpha Waves Radio host Michael Hinman, steps back from his usual interview format to break it all down, using one outlet that has become popular almost overnight through its YouTube channel. 

From November 2018, "A Mound Over Hell" author Gary Morgenstein joins host Michael Hinman to talk about — wait for it — his new book. A former marketing guy for Syfy, Gary and Michael know each other from the days when Gary had to constantly apologize to Bonnie Hammer on Michael's behalf for whatever antics he was up to. Also popping in is GateWorld.net contributor Adam Barnard.

From November 2018, AxaMonitor editor-in-chief joins host Michael Hinman to talk about where the infamous fan-film project-turned-massive-copyright-lawsuit Star Trek: Axanar is today. Also popping in is Russ Haslage, the man behind a new streaming service, Odyssey.

From November 2018, Alpha Waves Radio returns from a decade-long hiatus as host Michael Hinman chats in-depth with Erik Jendresen, the Emmy-winning writer who is one of the few people on the planet to have been commissioned to write a Star Trek movie, and then the movie not ever being used.