Roadtrippin' with Rob and Mike

What makes great sci-fi?Rob and I certainly have our complaints about some of the current sci-fi television shows and films that have been released over the past few years. Sometimes the story is bad, sometimes the effects are bad, and sometimes the science doesn't make any sense. And more often than not, it's a combination of these three factors to varying degrees.So when Robert Meyer Burnett says he's just watched the greatest episode of sci-fi he's seen in years - I want to know more.Rob goes on to explain what the producers, writers, and studios behind 'For All Mankind' (currently streaming on AppleTV) are doing right and why good storytelling like this matters.It's definitely worth a listen ...As always, I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode was recorded on July 1, 2022.

We all know Rob isn't big on nu-Trek. And in today's ROADTRIPPIN' podcast, RMB expresses his concerns and frustrations with the latest episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds's latest episode.But here's the thing about Rob's complaints - and, specifically, his concerns about the quality of writing for the latest generation of live-action, Star Trek shows currently streaming on Paramount+ ...He's not wrong.In fact, many of his complaints about the writing and writers as well as the stewardship of the Star Trek brand by the various showrunners involved have been confirmed by various people who have worked on the same productions. And it was during these conversations that Rob learned an important thing he shares with the ROADTRIPPIN' audience.Things are going to change when Jean-Luc Picard gets back in the command chair in season three of STAR TREK: PICARD.You've gotta hear it to believe it ... Oh, by the way, I apologize in advance for the sound of carpenters working on my roof while recording the first ten minutes of my interview with Rob. I explain this in a bit more detail during the intro to the podcast, but if you want to skip it, the hammering interludes end for good about 10-12 minutes into the interview.As always, I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode was recorded on June 30, 2022.

I saw LIGHTYEAR at the theater this Sunday with my family. Tickets for the four of us were just under $65, so by my figuring, we were just four of around 3 million people who saw that movie during its opening weekend.And while that missed projections, it's still a pretty healthy opener for an animated movie.But should we evaluate it as “just” an animated movie? That may not be fair to the movie, to Pixar, to other animated features or to the legions of Buzz Lightyear fans who felt a little bit cheated by the movie.And if not cheated, that at least confused (or possibly misled).Robert Meyer Burnett and I discussed three letters from Imagination Connoisseurs who expressed their concern and disappointment about LIGHTYEAR – and while we didn't agree entirely, we didn't disagree either. Why is that? Give the podcast a listen to find out.As always, I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode was recorded on June 21, 2022.

Why doesn't Hollywood remake mediocre movies (and make them better)?ROADTRIPPIN' co-hosts Robert Meyer Burnett and Mike Bawden discuss the broader implications of a question posed by an Imagination Connoisseur who asks why Obi-Wan Kenobi is such a boring character in his own series. In fact, one could ask why so many Star Wars series seem to be “running in place” and not really going anywhere with characters who don't seem to be doing all that much. Is there a larger force at work here that no one seems to acknowledge? And where have we heard THAT before?This "Extra" is a segment from the ROADTRIPPIN' with RMB podcast recorded on June 17, 2022 (Episode #45).

Why doesn't Hollywood remake mediocre movies (and make them better)?ROADTRIPPIN' co-hosts Robert Meyer Burnett and Mike Bawden respond to a letter from an Imagination Connoisseur who asks why Hollywood seems content remaking and re-booting successful movies rather than making movies with “great potential” that might have not met expectations when they were first released to the public. As Rob and Mike point out, there's a lot more involved in a successful remake than one might imagine.This "Extra" is a segment from the ROADTRIPPIN' with RMB podcast recorded on June 17, 2022 (Episode #45).

I suppose this was a long time coming.I've noticed that Rob has been on the receiving end of more than one heated Twitter exchange with people his ongoing criticisms of both Star Trek and Star Wars. According to RMB, he receives several tweets a day of people sending him images of Gabe Simpson shaking his fist at the clouds (I've borrowed Gabe for this episode's keyframe).Some people call him an “asshole” or a “bully.” But most often, people just accuse him of being a “gatekeeper.”But is he?We now have an answer. As of the date and time of the recording of this podcast (and then again, later in the day on The John Campea Show), Rob has come out from under the proverbial bridge and publicly proclaimed himself as THE GATEKEEPER OF ALL FANDOM.And, predictably, the Twitterverse had a spaz attack.Apparently, Rob's challenge to Star Trek: Strange New Worlds fans – that they provide a reading list of their favorite sci-fi books to prove they actually read sci-fi and that the books they admire establish some kind of bona fides – was viewed by many as “bullying.” It may be the first time someone was ever accused of bullying people by accusing those people of not reading enough books.Books, people. We're talking about reading books. If you're triggered by being accused of not reading books, you've got bigger problems than the Twitterverse can help you with. You need to see a Librarian, stat.Some folks just can't take a joke, I suppose. Maybe if they read more joke books???As always, I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode was recorded on June 17, 2022.

It was a long day yesterday. Not only is the rise in gas prices and the wild ride the economy is on starting to show its tell-tale signs in So-Cal (there are noticeably fewer cars on the road this week), the overall level of social discourse on platforms like Twitter and Facebook seem to be taking a step back and becoming much more personal and mean-spirited.Especially if you're critical of large, corporate franchises like Star Wars and Star Trek.And when Rob and I started our call on a muggy Tuesday morning (at least it's muggy here in the Midwest), Rob put it all out there on the table. “I'm not happy with my people,” he told me. Rob then went on to relate how fans had been expressing their displeasure with his openness to the idea of the sequel to Todd Phillips's film, THE JOKER, as a musical. To that end, the news broke yesterday that Phillips had signed Lady Gaga to appear in his sequel movie and now rumors are flying that she will play the role of Harley Quinn (which makes sense to me, fwiw).But why all the negativity about what is, admittedly an unexpected direction for a sequel to a comic book movie?It's complicated.As always, I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode was recorded on June 14, 2022.

On today's podcast, Rob shared some details from his weekend. Turns out there were a fan or two who felt compelled to tell Rob that the original trilogy of Star Wars films were “trash” and the best Star Wars movie was ROGUE ONE. On social media, some people who follow the PGS on Instagram and TikTok felt compelled to call out Rob and his opinions, calling him all kinds of vile things for espousing opinions that were, apparently, different than theirs.So just what in the wide, wide world of sports is going on here?*Well, for starters, we have an example of a fan who doesn't seem to understand the role the original STAR WARS and its two sequels played in building the universe that allowed ROGUE ONE to appear in theaters, nearly forty years later. We're in a period of time where sequels and prequels to established “franchises” are coming out with greater and greater frequency – and for fans who may not have even been alive when those franchise properties first appeared, it gets more and more difficult to understand each entry's relative importance from a historical perspective.Because, you see, if STAR WARS (episode IV) had not been a commercial success, there would be no EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (episode V) or RETURN OF THE JEDI (episode VI). Being able to produce the original trilogy was a long-shot, even as far as George Lucas was concerned. And without that original trilogy's staying power (remember, it took sixteen years before fans saw another Star Wars movie – and that was THE PHANTOM MENACE), the “franchise” we now call Star Wars would never have existed.That includes ROGUE ONE.But while a little historical perspective might help fans develop an appreciation for older films and television shows. In many cases, these same fans tend to conflate criticism of the shows they enjoy with a kind of personal attack and react, sometimes preemptively, and often on a very personal level.Is that really necessary? As always, I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode was recorded on June 13, 2022.(* to paraphrase Slim Pickens in Mel Brooks's BLAZING SADDLES)

I don't think there's any surprise that RMB thinks very highly of Amazon Prime's THE BOYS. But his comparison of the show to Stanley Kubrick's 1964 classic, DR. STRANGELOVE OR: HOW I STOPPED WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB (a/k/a DR. STRANGELOVE) even caught me off guard.Rob loves everything Kubrick. So, for him to make this comparison required a bit more scrutiny. And I have to say, I don't disagree with him on this. And here's the reason why:THE BOYS is a satirical statement on the culture in which we live, disguised as a puerile, hyper-violent, comic book series.But as Rob points out, the series has eclipsed the source material and taken it into new places where the original comic book series went (and it broke barriers when it first appeared, too). The show draws from the comics but uses some amazingly talented writers to come up with what is arguably one of the best-written shows on TV/streaming right now.As always, I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode was recorded on June 10, 2022.

ROADTRIPPIN' co-hosts Robert Meyer Burnett and Mike Bawden discuss how the entertainment business has changed since Jeffrey Katzenberg wrote an internal memo (at Disney) about the future of movie-making. As the economic realities have changed and the budgets have ballooned, studios are finding themselves in a difficult corner – they need to make big-budget, franchise fare that will be sure to generate an audience, but one misstep could spell financial ruin. This makes the going even more difficult for producers and creators wanting to launch new franchises or produce unique, one-off films.This "Extra" is a segment from the ROADTRIPPIN' with RMB podcast recorded on June 9, 2022 (Episode #41).

ROADTRIPPIN' co-hosts Robert Meyer Burnett and Mike Bawden respond to a letter from an Imagination Connoisseur who asks if fans aren't actually nitpicking all of the fun out of our favorite things? How should fans treat each other and how should they handle discussions about shows or movies they don't really like? Can we keep toxicity out of the PGS?This "Extra" is a segment from the ROADTRIPPIN' with RMB podcast recorded on June 9, 2022 (Episode #41).

ROADTRIPPIN' co-hosts Robert Meyer Burnett and Mike Bawden respond to a letter from an Imagination Connoisseur who thinks fans may be getting a little too harsh in their criticisms of long-established, genre franchises.This "Extra" is a segment from the ROADTRIPPIN' with RMB podcast recorded on June 9, 2022 (Episode #41).

Rob was very excited to record today's podcast. He had something he wanted to share.Rob really enjoyed the latest episode of 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' - calling it the best, single episode of Star Trek since 2005. That being said and Rob being who he is, he did have one bone to pick with the show ...The story behind the episode appeared to be a direct copy of a short story by legendary sci-fi author, Ursula K. LeGuin. That story ("The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas")is comparable to Dostoevsky's "The Brothers Karamazov" (not the juggling troupe) - but the similarities between the SNW episode and LeGuin's story (from the late 70s) are far more than just "comparable." The similarities between the SNW episode and LeGuin's story are so close, that it's shocking that LeGuin isn't, at the very least, acknowledged at all in the credits of the episode. Some articles cite SNW's reputation for "deep-cut pop culture references" but Rob and I both feel these cuts are less like a referential nod and more like cribbing plot points and other details in order to take less time to write an episode treatment.As always, I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode was recorded on June 9, 2022.(**NOTE: Due to some audio difficulties while we were recording, Rob and I re-cut the second half of the podcast when he returned home after work and he was able to jump on a Zoom call with me from the Robservatory. You can hear a tremendous difference in the audio quality as a result. We'll continue to work on improving the audio quality of these podcasts - although I doubt we'll get things to work quite so well from Rob's car while he's driving as they do when he's behind the mic in the Robservatory.)

Being the star of your own show might be good for your ego but bad for the country.ROADTRIPPIN' co-hosts Robert Meyer Burnett and Mike Bawden respond to a letter from an Imagination Connoisseur who contends that modern TV shows and movies aren't as memorable as classic shows and movies from years gone by. He goes on to propose that even if those classic TV shows and movies were made today, they wouldn't be as memorable, either. Are we developing a kind of mass, cultural amnesia or is something even worse going on?This "Extra" is a segment from the ROADTRIPPIN' with RMB podcast recorded on June 8, 2022 (Episode #40).

Rob and I respond to a letter from an Imagination Connoisseur asking why modern TV shows and movies aren't as memorable as the classic films and programs from decades gone by. He even goes as far as to say that if some of those legendary filmmakers released their classic films in today's media environment, their work wouldn't be as memorable, either.Interestingly enough, Rob and I agree (at least in principle). Our rationales differ slightly, though.For those of us over a certain age, we recall what it was like growing up in the limited media environment of the 50s, 60s, and 70s. That was back in the day when you only had three networks to choose from (maybe four if you could tune in a UHF frequency or were lucky enough to be within reach of a public TV affiliate), and the closest thing you had to a remote was making your younger sibling run to the console TV on the other side of the room to change channels.The fact is, our media environment then - during that very important, opinion-forming time of our lives - is very different from the media environment that exists today. We grew to know, admire, and, yes, even love the characters portrayed in our favorite shows seen both during prime viewing and during reruns. These were deeper, emotional bonds than anything we experience with characters on TV or in movies today.And that love for the cherished characters we knew during our formative years may be the emotion that gets damaged with half-baked prequels, thoughtless remakes, and sloppy reboots.But there's more to it than just that. We discuss the characters that have stepped into the void since the debut of reality television and viral growth of social media - but you'll need to listen to today's podcast to get all of that.As always, I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode was recorded on June 8, 2022.

Over the past 38 episodes of this podcast, Rob and I have discussed (ad nauseam, some might say) what we don't like about a good bit of the new, genre entertainment being produced by the major studios as continuations (or, more likely, re-boots and prequels) to long-established, franchise properties. To be honest, some of it is pretty bad and we're going to continue talking about it.The problem is, of course, that if we continue to bang on with what is wrong, we'll give the wrong impression. We WANT things to be better and we think it's important to encourage people interested in the field of entertainment to pursue their dreams. But to do so, realistically.This podcast (whichi runs about an hour) is an example of how that conversation can be informative and, we hope, uplifting.As always, I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode was recorded on June 7, 2022.

Sometimes you don't have to change much to resolve a ear-splitting dissonance.ROADTRIPPIN' co-hosts Robert Meyer Burnett and Mike Bawden respond to a letter from an Imagination Connoisseur who works in the music industry and asks a very interesting question about the “artistic dissonances” in the new, Obi-Wan Kenobi series streaming on Disney+. Matt points out that just making some small changes in how certain things are handled could go a long way to fixing the continuity and storytelling problems that seem to undercut the series.This "Extra" is a segment from the ROADTRIPPIN' with RMB podcast recorded on June 6, 2022 (Episode #38).

Is the outlook for the future of storytelling as bleak as it seems to be?ROADTRIPPIN' co-hosts Robert Meyer Burnett and Mike Bawden respond to a letter asking where all of the optimistic stories have gone. Having been raised in the 60s and 70s, the letter-writer recalls that period as a time of optimism and possibility. But now, with the rise of social media (and, more likely, with the coming of middle age), he feels let down by the very media he used to turn to in order to remain hopeful about the future.Can things really be that bad?This "Extra" is a segment from the ROADTRIPPIN' with RMB podcast recorded on June 6, 2022 (Episode #38).

Creativity is in the eye of the beholder, until we invent technology to replace it.ROADTRIPPIN' co-hosts Robert Meyer Burnett and Mike Bawden respond to a letter asking about attempts to objectively determine what work is “creative” the limitations we face when it comes to trying to adopt such a standard. How can we say something is “objectively” creative when creativity seems to be such a matter of taste and personal preference?This "Extra" is a segment from the ROADTRIPPIN' with RMB podcast recorded on June 6, 2022 (Episode #38).

Is “good enough” really good enough?ROADTRIPPIN' co-hosts Robert Meyer Burnett and Mike Bawden respond to a letter from a listener who asks why Star Wars fans aren't more discerning when it comes to the stories written for their favorite franchises and the way they're produced. Should fans just accept stories that are ill-conceived or poorly produced and not ask questions? Rob and Mike chime in with a few thoughts of their own.This "Extra" is a segment from the ROADTRIPPIN' with RMB podcast recorded on June 6, 2022 (Episode #38).

We received a number of letters over the weekend and spent Monday's podcast reading and answering them. As we've come to expect from Imagination Connoisseurs, the letters were interesting and posed some great questions which Rob and I delighted in answering.I'll also be posting each letter (and our response) as a ROADTRIPPIN' EXTRA on both our podcast platform and on the PGS website, so look for that.But one of the main issues brought up in the letters we reviewed had to do with the lack of new, original stories. Rob and I have talked about this before and, I suspect, we'll talk about it many more times in the future. But here's the problem in a nutshell ...For many of us Imagination Connoisseurs who have been around long enough to make more than 30-40 orbits on this little rock we call home, we're seeing many of the captivating sci-fi and fantasy stories that captivated us as kids get purchased by large, corporate interests interested in mining the richness of those stories and the worlds they represent to extract more revenue.As a result, many of the characters, settings, and "lore" we loved for decades are being deconstructed before our eyes to make something that's marketable to the masses. Is that a good thing? Do people really see what's going on?I suppose time will tell.As always, I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode was recorded on June 6, 2022.

Has technology handcuffed the creative teams on the Disney+ streaming series?ROADTRIPPIN' co-hosts Robert Meyer Burnett and Mike Bawden respond to a letter asking why the production values on the new Obi-Wan Kenobi series seem to be so “flat.” Given the history of Disney as an innovator in animation and production, it seems odd that the studio would be okay with mediocre CGI and other visual effects.This "Extra" is a segment from the ROADTRIPPIN' with RMB podcast recorded on June 3, 2022 (Episode #37).

THE BOYS returned with the first three episodes of their third season yesterday and the Viceroy of Verisimilitude binged them all before breakfast this morning. LOL! As you can imagine, he has a few thoughts on both the start of the third season and the series overall.When you take a look at what writers Erik Kripke and Anne Cofell Saunders and the entire production team have done with Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson's source material and you can make the case that THE BOYS we're watching on Amazon Prime is going places where the original comic book series did not tread ... and we're loving it.We discuss the importance of creating compelling characters and making sure that every moment they're on screen, they're doing something (or having something done to them) that advances the story. Compare that to some of the other genre shows we've discussed lately, and I think you can see where we're going with all this.As always, I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode was recorded on June 3, 2022.

Rob and I talk about today's article in Variety laying out the troubles facing the DC Cinematic Universe - a management shake-up at Warner Bros. and bad behavior by the lead actor in their upcoming FLASH movie (scheduled release: June 23, 2023).You can read the article here: https://thepgs.co/3PQY8I9It looks like the next twelve to fourteen months will be critical to the future of DC in movie theaters and a good deal of its fate rests on how Ezra Miller behaves in public and, more importantly, how fans react to his behavior between now and the premiere of the FLASH movie next year.As always, I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode was recorded on June 2, 2022.

ROADTRIPPIN' co-hosts Robert Meyer Burnett and Mike Bawden respond to a letter from a listener who asks why when it comes to making films or TV, genre franchises don't use the best stories available – even if those stories were created for other media like comics, novelizations, etc.? And when it comes to the Star Wars franchise in particular, why aren't stories like the Republic Commando series included in the mix?This "Extra" is a segment from the ROADTRIPPIN' with RMB podcast recorded on June 1, 2022 (Episode #35).

ROADTRIPPIN' co-hosts Robert Meyer Burnett and Mike Bawden respond to a letter from a listener who asks why fans seem to get more belligerent about their likes and dislikes when it comes to appreciating art and storytelling as they age. Is it all because of bad storytelling or are there other factors at play here, too?This "Extra" is a segment from the ROADTRIPPIN' with RMB podcast recorded on June 1, 2022 (Episode #35).

ROADTRIPPIN' co-hosts Robert Meyer Burnett and Mike Bawden respond to a letter from a listener who asks why producers spend the money necessary to purchase established, science fiction intellectual property and then develop projects that have very little in common with that IP. Two examples include the recent FOUNDATION series (based on Isaac Asimov's Foundation Trilogy) and THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH (developed by Alex Kurtzman's Secret Hideout production company).This "Extra" is a segment from the ROADTRIPPIN' with RMB podcast recorded on June 1, 2022 (Episode #35).

Is it okay to send messages to public figures via social media and "give them a piece of your mind"? What about criticizing their performance?Is it still okay to contact them and tell them they should be fired, canceled, or killed ... or that the only reason they were selected for the role they play is that they filled some kind of quota (existent or not)?Of course not. And when Disney pushed back against a vocal minority of racist Star Wars fans, even more fans piled on Disney, calling the company hypocritical. It seems a beloved franchise (in this case, Star Wars) is once again embroiled in a conflict with fans that continues to suck the joy out of the one thing everyone claims to love.That's not healthy - for neither the franchise or its fans.At what point does fan outrage go too far? Can it? In our discussion today, I think Rob made some very good points about this topic and we had a deep discussion as to why there seems to be so much incivility around these legacy franchises today (more than we can ever remember).As I said during the podcast, in any fight, there is often blood on both parties' hands. And that's certainly the case here, too. But there are limits as to how far people should go in voicing their dissatisfaction with their favorite franchise.Give the podcast a listen and let us know if you think we made our point. Or not.As always, I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode was recorded on June 1, 2022.

It's the last day of May and this summer's season of blockbusters is already off to a flying start with the release of (and reception to) TOP GUN: MAVERICK.Make no mistake, this film's opening weekend was terrific by any measure and the industry trade press is lavishing praise on Tom Cruise's latest action-masterpiece and congratulating the studio for having the foresight to put something back into theaters other than a comic book movie that will bring in the crowds.But are the days of a vibrant (and dominant) movie business on the wane? If the twentieth century taught audiences how to give themselves up to a story on-screen, the twenty-first century seems to be teaching us how to interact with our stories via much smaller ones (either desktop, laptop or mobile games, predominantly). So, what does that mean for the movie business?Rob and I take a look at that question and ask if the movie business is entering a "mature" state (from a business cycle perspective) that will result in smaller audiences and less demand. What does that mean for our favorite genre franchises?I'm still puzzling that one out.I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode recorded on May 31, 2022.

Here's our special Memorial Day edition of ROADTRIPPIN' ...Today, Rob and I got into a rather lengthy discussion as to why Disney doesn't seem to be able to capitalize on the LucasFilms acquisition and the Star Wars franchise, in particular. This, in large part, was due to a question asked by a letter-writer who asked us how we thought the Star Wars franchise would have been handled if HBO had acquired it instead of Disney.Our conclusion: The Star Wars saga - and the underlying tragedy and horrors of war that drive all of the dramatic elements - is just not a good fit with the long-established DNA of the Disney Brand.There's no better example of this than the decision-making that went into re-writing the Obi-Wan Kenobi mini-series and making the show more "family-friendly."Where did things go so wrong? Rob and talk about that (and more) in today's show.I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode was recorded on May 30, 2022.

The new Obi-Wan Kenobi series dropped its first two episodes on Disney+ today and RMB had some thoughts.Writing genre entertainment is proving harder for this generation of screenwriters than in previous years. There's still hope for this series (and the franchise), but there's still a lot of work to do.So plug in your earbuds, Padawan, and check out Rob's take on the new Obi-Wan series while I continue working on writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode recorded on May 27, 2022.

The new Obi-Wan streaming series starts tomorrow with two episodes dropping on Disney+ ... and expectations are high. And with good reason.As Rob points out in today's podcast, this Obi-Wan project first started out as a Star Wars Story film project, like Solo and Rogue One. But eventually it transitioned into a limited series. I think everyone was fine with that because people want this character to have a worthy adventure and for the story to be more than just an extended chase or series of action set-pieces. We're all hoping for some character development.And while we thought it was realistic to assume we'd get that following two, highly entertaining seasons of ‘The Mandalorian', the problematic spinoff, ‘The Book of Boba Fett' showed that streaming shows could be just as ill-conceived and half-assed as the sequel trilogy of films in the Skywalker Saga.Yikes. Suddenly, this Obi-Wan series, which seemed like a kind of “afterthought” to the grander Star Wars slate announced in August of 2019. There was no name for the show and information was very hard to come by. It was just the beginning of a perceived back-and-forth between a studio having greater-than-expected troubles getting a third Star Wars trilogy successfully produced, exhibited and accepted by fans and a series lead who, at times, seemed more interested in the project than Disney.Ewan McGregor's odyssey on this project may make for an interesting book of its own someday.I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode recorded on May 26, 2022.

Star Wars turns 45 today.And in today's podcast, Rob and I both road trip down "Memory Lane" as we relate our experiences watching the film when it premiered in theaters - Rob in Seattle and me in the little, midwestern town of Milan, Illinois. Rob and I both stumbled across Star Wars in advance of its release and wanted to see it first-hand. Rob had seen television commercials (thanks to living in a major media market), but I had only read about it in a dog-eared copy of TIME Magazine in my school's library.Little did we know how much that movie would change our lives.We've got some idea now, and that's what we spend a good deal of the hour discussing. My interest, like usual, is in the commercial aspects of the production and the franchise. How did Star Wars change the industry's attitude about sci-fi and its mindset about creating summertime blockbusters (for good or bad, I suppose, is still somewhat debatable)?But Rob was romanced by what he saw on the screen.It was a new way to show sci-fi. And as an Imagination Connoisseur - even at the age of ten - Rob was hooked and wanted to see more. He was not disappointed.Like all good things, there are some days that are better than others. The original movie and its first sequel, THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK were great, glorious days for Star Wars. The Holiday Special, the prequel trilogy and, for me, RETURN OF THE JEDI, represented a kind of corporate sell-out that sacrificed story and characters for action figures and merchandising.And then came Disney.Rob and I talk a bit about that as well. And we dive into the most pressing question now facing the Star Wars franchise and its fandom: Will Ewan McGregor and the upcoming 'Obi-Wan' series (which premiers on Friday) succeed and save Star Wars - proving 'The Mandalorian' was not a fluke? Or will it land with a thud much like 'The Book of Boba Fett" did?Sure, there are more Star Wars shows in production - both movies and series for Disney+. But it's quite possible this next show (Obi-Wan) will tell us whether Star Wars has reached middle age and needs a rest and some time in the whirlpool before it goes out and plays again, or it's just getting re-started. Again.C'mon Obi-Wan. You're our only hope.I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode recorded on May 25, 2022.

As you know, last Monday, Rob tested positive for COVID and we were only able to record two sessions last week. The first session is streaming pas Par 1 of our SPECIAL COVID EDITION Podcasts and takes a deep dive into why fans seem to be so upset and cranky about genre entertainment and the franchises they once loved. This podcast explores that subject in a bit more detail and explains how people are rewarded for being dissatisfied, mistrust is reinforced and outrage (whether actual or fake) is rewarded.It's a very real problem that extends beyond the bounds of entertainment and into almost every aspect of our lives.I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode recorded on May 20, 2022.

This is the first part of a special, two-part podcast we're calling our SPECIAL COVID EDITION podcasts. It was originally recorded last Monday, but I held onto it and didn't release it until after Rob had recovered from COVID (which he contracted over his birthday weekend).In this episode, we talk about why some fans root for failure instead of celebrating success. We see it everywhere with fans expressing a “doom and gloom” attitude about newly announced films or series before anything is actually known about them. Most recently, we've seen it in the way some folks are reacting to the new Daredevil series planned for Disney+, reactions to trailers for Ms. Marvel and shockingly misogynistic posts about the first trailer for She-Hulk.Why do we do this to ourselves and why can't we be nicer toward one another?Some of the answer might be found in the way the movie industry has failed to pivot and manage the expectations of fans when it comes to feature films. In this second “golden age” of television, it seems movies are having to rely on formula more than ever ... and that formula often includes lots of cameo appearances of actors and/or characters who serve no purpose other than to entice fans to the theater the first weekend the film is in release.That, I'm afraid, is a recipe for failure because it does nothing but set fans up to be, ultimately, disappointed in how a favorite actor or character is underutilized in the feature.I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode recorded on May 16, 2022.

(NOTE: Due to delays in production, this podcast was not streamed until the Tuesday following its recording. My apologies. - Mike)I suppose it's no surprise that when Rob and I took some time to look at the world around us on a particularly ominous Friday the 13th, we spent very little time talking about genre entertainment and, instead, focused on all the other things in the world around us that gave us concern.Sure the conversation started with the passing of actor Fred Ward and the cancellation of shows on various networks ... but things went darker from there. Yikes.Between the economy and geopolitics, it's easy to get depressed and anxious about the world. Those kinds of feelings make people re-examine who they are, what they're doing, and their success (or lack-thereof) to-date. And while I'm all for introspection, I'm also a firm believer that a little self-reflection can go a long way.That's why I look at life with a hopeful eye. I take heart in scientific discovery, the random acts of kindness I see celebrated online and the friendly banter of my fellow Imagination Connoisseurs in the Post-Geek Singularity, every day. For me, optimism comes from a better, more nuanced understanding of the big issues that lie under all the little ones that drive us crazy day-in and day-out.I'm an optimist because I believe if we can fully understand a problem we face, there isn't anything we can't overcome.I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode recorded on May 13, 2022.

Rob and I talk economics today - with so much uncertainty and volatility in the markets this week, it's top-of-mind. What do collapsing market valuations mean to the future of streaming and the viability of so many of the programs we love and care about?Those are valid questions. And while 45 minutes isn't enough time to even begin an in-depth conversation that could lead to some interesting debates about business, finance, filmmaking and monetary policy - it is enough time for us to touch on some of the fundamental drivers behind the collapse of Netflix's stock price over the last few weeks.As you can imagine, some of the rationale behind the decline in share price is warranted due to economic, geopolitical and practical concerns. But a good bit of it is old-fashioned "piling on" by other players in the entertainment business.It makes for an entertaining discussion, at the very least.I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode streamed on May 12, 2022.

Wednesday is National TWILIGHT ZONE DAY ... which is a little odd, because the show debuted on October 1, 1959. But then again, it IS the Twilight Zone, so ...Rob and I spend a good deal of time talking about how important Rod Serling's breakthrough show was in shaping the face of science fiction for the 1960s and beyond. Serling's four-season run (consisting of nearly 150 episodes) broke a lot of new ground and maintained a staggeringly high percentage of top-quality stories.Rob reviews some of his favorites and I throw in some additional observations about the challenges of telling a completely fresh and different, half-hour story - complete with new characters, new situations, and new realities - every week.Serling said he worked seven days a week, at all hours, nearly every week of the four-year run. That's a lot of work and the quality of the production (and teams who made it) are testaments to Serling's talent and energy.I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode streamed on May 11, 2022.

(NOTE: This is one of our more philosophical ROADTRIPPIN' podcasts ... and if you're not into discussing "existential" issues, we apologize. But as we've said before, we have no idea where or how these conversations will go when we start them and I make minimal edits to the recordings to preserve the conceit of a live phone call with Rob while he's on the road.)This conversation started off innocently enough. All I did was ask about reports in the trades today that the summer looked good for movie theaters.But, of course, Rob wasn't so sure.He's got a point. There need to be more movies made and distributed in order for theaters to actually get (and keep) their heads above water. The exhibition business cannot survive if it has to pin its future on the hopes that there will be enough "tentpole" films to carry it over the down periods.But how can that be accomplished? There are a few filmmakers who are managing to make interesting films, get them into theaters and generate positive buzz - but it's tough. Especially given the cost of tickets, the requirements set by studios for exhibition periods, guarantees, etc.As Rob is wont to do, however, he pointed out a much larger issue that almost no one in the industry is talking about. Audiences have changed and they've become less inclined to invest time (and money) into seeing films they aren't certain will entertain them.People just aren't curious anymore. They're too busy being outraged. Or bored.And that's a big problem.I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode streamed on May 10, 2022.

Is it time to let some of our favorite entertainment franchises come to an end rather than constantly resurrecting them with poorly-written re-boots, re-imaginings or remakes?Rob and I discuss this in greater detail during today's ROADTRIPPIN' Podcast as we speculate on the long-term fate of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and what lies ahead for Star Trek and Indiana Jones.I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode streamed on May 9, 2022.

Rob gives us a quick run-down of what he liked about DR. STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS and we continue to discuss how managing fan expectations appears to be the single largest obstacle to continued MCU success. But why is that?We also talk about fan expectations and biases on the AVATAR sequels, how tastes in horror films have changed over the years, and what's to love about comic strips that aren't necessarily what people love about comic books.I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode streamed on May 6, 2022.

ROADTRIPPIN' co-hosts, Robert Meyer Burnett and Mike Bawden talk about the end of Season 2 for ‘Star Trek: Picard' and the start of Season 1 for ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' which – to put it mildly – were a bit underwhelming. Hopes for the MCU's latest chapter (the thirtieth) are high, but caution flags are raised for how this franchise will be managed over the next ten years of films and streaming shows. Just how long can Marvel keep pulling from the same well before they come up dry? At some point, will audiences become confused by all the heroes (and their variants) and numbed by all the action to care? And most important of all ... where's the next big action franchise coming from?I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode streamed on May 5, 2022.

Happy Fake Star Wars Day, everybody. Star Wars holds a particularly dear spot in the hearts of Imagination Connoisseurs of my age because we were the perfect age for viewing the original trilogy of films (Episodes 4-5-6, for those of you who are counting) when they first appeared in theaters. And there was no bigger surprise in 1980 than when it was revealed by Darth Vader that he was, in fact, Luke Skywalker's father.We all had to search our feelings (and countless magazine interviews with George Lucas) to make sure it was true. But the secret was safe - at least for a while - so those not attending the show on opening night would be surprised by the big reveal, as well. It was a common courtesy, really. We all knew a big twist when we saw it and who in their right mind would intentionally want to ruin that kind of delightful surprise?Welcome to the 21st Century.There is general disdain in polite society for those who intentionally try to spoil surprises. A-holes who tell someone about a surprise party or read an article over a friend's shoulder only to tell them how things end before the reader is able to get there on his own ... these people are, I'm sure, given some sort of extra punishment in the afterlife when they die.But who counted on polite society dying first? Welcome to the age of the Internet spoiler where the rude rule and try to intentionally ruin experiences for people from the comfort of their own keyboard ... and where others decide that every little tidbit of information about a long-awaited film or television show is a license to complain and play the victim.It's almost enough to make a guy pick up recreational reading again. Alone, thank you.I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode streamed on May 4, 2022.

Every now and then, Rob and I have an opportunity to talk politics. We're not members of the same political party, but there's a healthy level of respect and a shared interest in finding solutions and working together, so we tend to work through the nuanced differences of opinion we have and arrive at shared (and I think better) solutions to problems.Not so when it comes to political leadership in this country.And there isn't a better demonstration of that fact than yesterday's leak of the coming ruling on Roe v Wade. It's a new political crisis in a decade that seems to have been nothing but one political crisis after another.Rob and I take a break from talking just about genre entertainment and discuss the concerns we have (some shared, some not) for our country.If you're expecting a light, fluffy talk about comic book movies, you might want to skip this podcast today. If you'd rather learn something about the hosts and where we're coming from and, I think, how we're able to disagree occasionally without being disagreeable and find points in common rather than points in conflict, then, by all means, give this a listen.I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode streamed on May 2, 2022.

We catch up with writer-producer-director Robert Meyer Burnett while he was on the road to do The John Campea Show today.It's going to be a "strange" week in the world of genre entertainment: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds debuts on Thursday and the sequel to Dr. Strange appears in theaters (in all dimensions as far as we know) on Friday.Rob and I have a fairly robust conversation about the obstacles ST:SNW must overcome to be viewed as a true Trek-success by long-time fans and, I have to admit, I'm a bit more optimistic about the show's chances than Rob. But the discussion is fair and, I think, insightful.I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today. You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode streamed on May 2, 2022.

Rob is back from Cinemacon in Las Vegas and he gives us a full report on today's ROADTRIPPIN' podcast (while he's driving down the 10 and then taking the exit to the 15 and then ...).Of all the studio presentations made during the convention, Disney seemed to be the most impressive. They understood the assignment (as the meme goes) and made sure to provide enough, in-depth looks at their major projects without grinding everyone down with the sheer weight of all the movies planned for release in the next 12-18 months.But the one thing that stood out most for Rob was the presentation of the second Avatar movie. AVATAR: THE WAY OF THE WATER was shown on an IMAX screen in an HFR (high frame rate) format that allows for excruciating image detail. Everything about the presentation was perfect, according to Rob, and the effect was as planned.But there are unintended consequences that come with these AVATAR movies, I think. While people like to complain that the first film was just DANCES WITH WOLVES or FERNGULLY in space, it seems they're missing a few, key points.First off, if a movie-goer thinks that every story shown on the silver screen needs to be truly unique in order to be worthy of their time - they're over-estimating both the value of their time and the number of story archetypes that exist in the world.That number would be seven.Yes. Only seven.Sure, there are twists and turns and other ways to disguise an archetype so it feels different or unique. But it's just a disguise, folks. And that's okay. There's plenty of room for innovation - and, in reality, it's those innovations we fall in love with. Characters, setting, dialog, romance. It's the seasoning on the steak that makes us eat it up.Here's a link to a great article on the seven classic story archetypes: https://www.masterclass.com/articles/a-guide-to-story-archetypes#what-is-an-archetypeThe other point that people - especially critics - miss with movies like AVATAR (and, I presume, its sequel) is that they often can't tell the difference between a movie with a message and a message disguised as a movie.AVATAR is a movie with a message. Some people call it "woke" and, in the true sense of "wokeness," it is. But the term "woke" has been appropriated and given a negative connotation now. The term actually refers to becoming aware of a greater, more important situation that has always existed but ignored or unacknowledged for a long time.Today, the term is used almost exclusively in the context of racial relations. But in the case of AVATAR (and, I presume, AVATAR 2), the "woke" messaging is not just about the biases the humans express toward the Na'vi, but more importantly, the way humans seem to be unaware of the deep damage they do to the planet Pandora.The movie sets up the situation and then demonstrates the problem, allowing the viewer to arrive (or awaken) to the conclusion. The story definitely delivers a message (as stories are wont to do) and that message is woke.But that's a far different approach than what we see with movies and television shows that start with the message first and then try to construct a contrived series of events, loosely connected with a narrative, and then try to pass that off as a story. It's not. It's a lecture.Rob can probably point to dozens of examples of this in nu-Trek, and he's not wrong. In fact, Patrick Steward admitted in an interview on NPR's Fresh Air a couple of years ago, that this was what interested him about Star Trek: Picard in the first place. That may explain how story development is done on ST:PICARD and why we're getting what we're getting in nu-Trek, altogether.I've written more about the importance of the AVATAR franchise and James Cameron, in general, on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog today. You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode streamed on April 29, 2022.

Since the dawn of mankind and the use of language and art to convey meaning through story, there has been a tension between the intent of the creator to tell the story they long to tell, the desire of the audience to hear more about the characters with whom they fall in love, and the corporate interest to continue meeting the fans' desires for fun and profit. Sometimes, everybody wins. But when creators are gone or exhausted and the fans demand more, the temptation for corporate interests to just “fill in the blanks” and not worry about the consequences is just too great.And it kills the very things we love.This podcast is a unique entry in the short life of ROADTRIPPIN'. Rob is busy at CinemaCon and so I have been left to my own devices to construct 40-50 minutes of what I hope is mildly entertaining and fairly informing audioscape. There's more of me here than any of us probably desire, and for that, I apologize. But Rob assures me he'll have some time to record an episode for Thursday and then will be back in so-Cal on Friday, so I ask for your indulgence.I've written a bit more on this subject on our website: postgeeksingularity.com ... just look for Jar Jar's picture and the ROADTRIPPIN' highway sign and you'll know you're at the right place. Come on by and read some more, if this subject interests you.And if it doesn't (and I can't really blame you), feel free to shoot us a suggestion of a different topic by sending us an email.Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode streamed on April 27, 2022.

The sweetness at CinemaCon 2022 isn't only on the screen.Rob isn't on the road today ... at least, not in his car.Today through Thursday, Rob is in Las Vegas with John Campea and the rest of the crew from The John Campea Show as they provide live coverage of CinemaCon 2022, the annual trade show and expo for theater owners and operators from throughout North America.Rob told us that this morning, he had an opportunity to sit in on the presentation from NEON films, the distributors behind David Cronenberg's new film: CRIMES OF THE FUTURE. If you're an Imagination Connoisseur who happens to listen to Rob's ROBSERVATIONS show, you know how stoked Rob is for this film. (He covers it pretty extensively in episode #797.)We already knew CRIMES OF THE FUTURE was a bonkers concept film, the type of thing that only David Cronenberg can make. But according to Rob, the preview shown to exhibitors today was nuts. You'll have to listen to Rob's impressions of how the crowd reacted to get the full effect (of course, Rob isn't about to spill any spoiler-y details).The film opens at Cannes next month, but pre-screenings reported people feinting during the third act of the film and others walking out, they were so disturbed by what they saw on the screen.It's been a while since we've seen a film evoke such a reaction.Rob also discussed the new David Bowie documentary project in the pipeline at NEON as well as some other insights about the convention and state of the industry, in general. It sounds like everyone is pretty excited by the opportunities this summer brings at the box office (and that's a good thing)!Then, for good measure, our conversation took a typical, ROADTRIPPIN' turn and we headed down a rabbit hole in our conversation that's probably more appropriate for Willy Wonka than an actual rabbit. You see, Rob and I started talking about movie candy.Cinemacon isn't just about movies. It's about a movie exhibition. And that means they have vendors exhibiting who cover every aspect of the business. That includes concessions.And that includes candy.Rob and I debated the best cherry licorice-maker (Rob is wrong, by the way), our favorite sweet-n-salty snacks (we're both big on Peanut M&Ms), and our mutual admiration for the products manufactured by Ferrara Candy Company: Lemonheads, Atomic Fireballs, and especially Red Hots (Rob's fave).That leads us to today's question: What is your favorite movie treat? We want to know what you think. You can do that by sending us a letter.Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode streamed on April 26, 2022.

In today's podcast, Rob and I talk about what he expects to see (and hopes to see) at Cinemacon 2022 when he's there tomorrow through Thursday with John Campea and the Campea Crew. Rob, of course, is excited to see the exclusive footage and star power each studio rolls out for the event - but he's also interested in spending time with theater operators to learn more about how the movie-going experience is changing to deal with the variety of social and economic challenges that have been thrown at them over the past 5-10 years.A good bit of time in this podcast is also spent talking about the importance and power of storytelling and why stories need to be told in groups as well as on a one-to-one basis in order for societies to develop shared understandings and a shared framework for civil behavior. But all that seems to be under threat right now.Why?In general, when it comes to stories, people seem to be too ready to be satisfied with spectacle whether it has meaning or not. As I mention in the podcast, I think it's the responsibility of the people in charge of our stories - author, director, producer, show runner - to set the standard (and enforce it) for good storytelling. But all too often, either there's an inability to establish and maintain a high level of quality in our storytelling or there isn't the will to even try.What does that mean for society at-large? We want to know what you think. You can do that by sending us a letter. Just go to our website: www.postgeeksingularity.com, click on the "Contact Us" link in the menu and then send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.- Mike Bawden, co-host of the ROADTRIPPIN' PodcastThis is an original show produced for the PGS podcast network and was recorded on April 25, 2022.

In today's podcast, we talk about how culture in this country (and others) seems to be trending more and more toward quantity over quality. Are we sacrificing the qualities that "stuff" interesting in favor of accumulating and having more stuff?That approach just seems to make all the stuff people have seem the same.We talk about being judgmental about people based on our observations of their interests. Is that fair? Is it okay to make assumptions about people based on their interests or the care they take in curating collections of stuff that interests them?It's an over-stuffed episode about RMB and me pondering whether we've just become grumpy old farts or if we're "cultural connoisseurs" and just don't know it.Let us know what you think.You can do that by sending us a letter. Just go to our website: www.postgeeksingularity.com, click on the "Contact Us" link in the menu and then send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.- Mike Bawden, co-host of the ROADTRIPPIN' PodcastThis is an original show produced for the PGS podcast network and was recorded on April 22, 2022.

News broke yesterday that Netflix reported a $50B loss in stock valuation due to subscriber base shrinkage over the past quarter. The service lost 200,000 subscribers during the first quarter of 2022 (January – March). Blame for the loss was placed on the cancellation of 700,000 Russian accounts when Netflix pulled out of Russia over the war in Ukraine. Outside of Russia, the service had managed to add 500,000 new subscribers during the first quarter.Along with the news of the subscriber loss in JFM, the service said it expected to lose another 2 million subscribers during this quarter (April – June). Added to the loss of subscribers in the first quarter, this would mean a loss of about the service has lost about 1% of its subscription base in the first six months of 2022. As a result, Netflix's management team had to lower their revenue projections for the year.Significantly.Wall Street doesn't react favorably to that kind of news and they blew up Netflix's stock price. Or, more accurately, they put a pin in it and the “value” of a share of stock in Netflix fell significantly in one day of trading.So, did Netflix lose all that money in one day? No. What happened was that investors who were already down on the streamer (Netflix had already lost about 40% of its value this year) piled on and drove the share price down another 35%. Since the start of the year, Netflix has lost over 60% of its value.Share price on the first day of trading (Jan 3) = $597.37Share price as of the end of the day (April 21) = $218.22Streaming services had already been having a hard time. And it looks as if it may be a while before they figure out how their business model has changed/is changing and make the appropriate course corrections. But the go-go economic model they had been using: spend more than you take in to produce content that will continue to attract new subscribers and then make it up on the back end, is showing its fundamental flaw. You can't sustain it and, eventually, the rug will get pulled out from underneath you.Netflix has taken its tumble and already started to act in a way that is intended to show investors “they mean business” when it comes to turning things around. They've taken the axe to their animation slate and put the word out that every department will have to consider its personnel profile with an eye toward cutting overhead (meaning, primarily, jobs).The service is now, reportedly, eyeing multiple tiers of subscription, some of which may be ad-supported, in an effort to provide a more affordable alternative.But look at the facts, there are still over 220 million Netflix subscribers paying their subscriptions. Responding within 48 hours to a huge loss of stock valuation with plans for clamping down on password sharing, adding ad-supported subscription tier(s), and trimming overhead tells me that Netflix saw this coming. And as bruising as the bad press and panic of the uninformed might be, they'll get through this and be more efficient (and probably profitable) as a result.The real issue that all streamers will have to address in the future relates to the cost of producing fresh content for their sites and building portfolios of subscribers who are served the kind of content they want to see. Accomplishing this will require a significant cultural change inside companies like Netflix and, even more so, a realization by the creator community that they'll need to re-think their business model, too.Let us know what you think streaming services are going to have to do to stay profitable - is it just raising subscription fees or are there alternatives? How will the creator community have to change its mode of operating to deliver fresh content streamers can afford? What will creators have to give up and what will they get in return?Something's gotta give and we're looking for insights from you, Imagination Connoisseurs, to help us divine what the future holds.You can do that by sending us a letter. Just go to our website: www.postgeeksingularity.com, click on the "Contact Us" link in the menu and then send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.- Mike Bawden, co-host of the ROADTRIPPIN' PodcastThis is an original show produced for the PGS podcast network and was recorded on April 21, 2022.