Sci Fi Fidelity

When the Sci Fi Fidelity podcast began in the fall of 2016, Den of Geek was just over half its current age and podcasts were experiencing a surge in popularity. As a result we dove into our analysis of science fiction and supernatural television shows with fervor and were able to introduce listeners to the unsung heroes of the genre TV field through thoughtful reviews, insightful interviews, and discussions of our favorite aspects of this corner of the entertainment world. Alas, the journey comes to an end just shy of the podcast’s fourth anniversary as we move the discussion to our video outlets, but we wanted to take some time to look back at the best moments from our hundred-episode run.We immediately found ourselves recalling some of our more memorable interviews, including Dave's solo chat with Christian Kane of The Librarians, the one with William B. Davis during The X-Files revival in January of 2018, and when we spoke with Battlestar Galactica and Lucifer star Tricia Helfer almost exactly a year later. It was difficult to choose our favorite show topics, but we had to go with two of our most downloaded episodes: our reviews of A Discovery of Witches and The Umbrella Academy, both in February of 2019.We end our retrospective with a remembrance for our favorite discussion topic — our very first one called “Spaceship Characters” from the January 2017 episode. We then turn it over to our listeners who took the time to share their own favorite moments from the past four years of Sci Fi Fidelity. Thank you to everyone who listened and participated! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We went into our viewing of Motherland: Fort Salem with some skepticism before choosing it as a topic for the podcast, but the show exceeded our expectations. Far from having the cheesy humor, aggressive feminism, or underdeveloped mythology that the series easily could have fallen prey to, we found the story to be deeply engaging, the premise to be wholly unique, and the characters to be immediately magnetic. With the podcast coming to an end with episode 100 next week, we were happy this was the final show topic of our run. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tales from the Loop is an unusual sort of sci-fi anthology show in that each separate story is united by a common pastoral setting and a dominant central family. This is no doubt in part because the series takes its inspiration from a series of unrelated but commonly themed paintings by Swedish artist Simon Stålenhag, which combine scenes of everyday life with a normalized science fiction sensibility. When we spoke to showrunner Nathaniel Halpern and actor Paul Schneider, they both emphasized this subtle style of storytelling as the hallmark of the show.When we spoke to Halpern, it was well before Tales from the Loop dropped on Amazon on April 3, 2020, so we were still getting a sense for what the show was about and how the paintings inspired him. Schneider joined us later after we had seen a few episodes, and he told us about his character George Willard, the son of the Loop’s founder with whom he has a strained relationship. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Does the Apple TV+ version of Amazing Stories, which still has Steven Spielberg’s name attached to it, live up to the more optimistic vision of the stories we’ve come to expect from the 80s original? As we break down the first two episode of the series, “The Cellar” and “The Heat,” the answer becomes clear that the positive messaging is intact even if the intended audience might skew a bit younger. Both stories have minor narrative flaws that wouldn’t have bothered us in the least back when the original Amazing Stories aired. Remember, this is the show that had a World War II cartoonist draw landing gear on a crippled bomber!We approached Amazing Stories the same way we would any other show that’s outside our normal wheelhouse by judging it by what it intends to be rather than what we want it to be. The episodes we watched were enjoyable from start to finish despite their shortcomings, and they were both fit with the feel of the original series, which should be counted as a success. Plus the great thing about an anthology series is that each episode can be a fresh story with its own merits. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It’s not surprising that Alex Garland, who is known for films like Ex Machina and Annihilation, is the creator behind Devs, a series on Hulu that features his trademark obsessed tech guru that has let his own invention become way too powerful. In this case, the world is one in which predictive algorithms have become so sophisticated in their ability to anticipate future actions that free will is disproven and fate is set. This is perfect fodder for the podcast, which loves to explore the nature of time and the ability to change the future or glimpse the past.As usual with the podcast, we take a look at the first two episodes of Devs to discuss the premise and characters that make up the cast of the show. We note that the premiere really sets up the overall mystery through the eyes of Sergei, a new recruit to the Research and Development division (known as Devs) of the tech corporation called Amaya who vanishes under mysterious circumstances. But really Devs is about Lily, Sergei’s girlfriend who is understandably suspicious about the disappearance of the man she loves.The spoiler zone of the podcast goes deeper into other episodes of Devs that have aired so far, specifically exploring the bombshell advancements inside Devs, but we also share our admiration for Lily’s daring plan to gather evidence. We admit that we were fooled by her subterfuge just as much as those at Amaya, and although there's evidence her life is in danger, we’re hoping that the introduction of the multiverse theory will allow her to change her fate. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In these days of coronavirus quarantine, one day can feel exactly like the next, and it reminded us of the many repeating days that appear in time loop episodes of some current and classic TV shows. Bill Murray in Groundhog Day may have set the standard for this formula in cinema, but imitators on the small screen have taken the idea to new creative levels even as they emulate certain familiar aspects that have become the norm for episodes of this type.For example, usually only one or two characters notice that a specific period of time is repeating, and they typically have a very difficult time convincing those around them that this has all happened before if they even try. Assuming there is a scientific or magical cause for the loop, there usually is a singular solution that the aware characters must find to break out of the cycle. Often, the show in question is able to use the Groundhog Day scenario to force growth on the trapped characters that they would not have otherwise been able to achieve.As usual with our discussion topics, the listeners contribute their own favorites including examples from several spin-offs of the Star Trek franchise, magical loops in fantasy series like Supernatural and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and many more. The Groundhog Day episode has become a genre television standard that usually produces more enjoyment than the average bottle episode. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Cosmos has been around since 1980, and the optimistic tone of both the late Carl Sagan’s show and the current iteration hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson has been the hallmark of the series. In its effort to make science more accessible and more inspirational to the average viewer, Cosmos: Possible Worlds has taken us on powerful visual journeys through space and time, and much of the credit for the impact of the show’s message must go to writer and executive producer Ann Druyan and the always relatable host Neil deGrasse Tyson, who spoke to us before the March 9th premiere on Nat Geo.In the podcast, Druyan and Tyson share some of the topics the new season of Cosmos: Possible Worlds will explore and appreciate along with our hosts the attention to detail that goes into the design of this science show. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Outlander is long overdue for a discussion on Sci Fi Fidelity even though some might argue it’s more of a historical drama than a science fiction offering. However, we couldn’t resist sparing the time to admire the time travel implications of the first few episodes of season 5 which has main character Claire increasingly dismissive of any consequences her life-saving measures might have on history as we know it. For that reason alone, it deserves an episode of the podcast, but we also acknowledge the success of the show given how long it has lasted and found a sizable fandom on Starz.Before we dive deep into the first two episodes, as is our wont, we take some time to look back at the story that has led Outlander across two decades and as many continents. Claire Randall’s time as a World War II surgical nurse has served her well over the seasons, and her relationship with highlander Jamie Fraser has stood the test of time and periods of separation. In fact, it’s the passage of time that led to their daughter Brianna being born, which has been a key part of their relationship and a central part of season 5 thus far.There’s not much of a spoiler zone in this edition of the podcast since only three episodes of Outlander had aired at the time of recording, and the third one was a bottle episode that wasn’t all that enjoyable. Nevertheless, we have high hopes for more intrigue and adventure to come for the series, which has become fan phenomenon from one of our favorite showrunners, Battlestar Galactica’s Ronald D. Moore. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

There was much anticipation for the arrival of Locke & Key on Netflix once the trailer hit the scene, and although the adaptation was not without its flaws, we enjoyed the magical, gothic feel of the spooky Key House and the similarly creepy powers the keys bestowed upon the Locke family. The young protagonists were immediately charming, and the complexity of their evolution throughout the series made for an enjoyable narrative even without the fantastical elements.As always, we discuss the first two episodes at the start of the podcast, covering both the premise and our thoughts on the main characters we’re introduced to. We also acknowledge the graphic novel origins of Locke & Key and how Joe Hill’s story differs between page and screen. The discussion takes note of the balance between the central mystery of the keys, their origins, and those who seek them out and the social lives of the Locke family.Of course, part of the conversation has to be centered on the keys themselves and what they do,and once we dive into the spoiler zone, a more in-depth breakdown of the various keys is undertaken. There is undoubtedly plenty to parse about the twist ending as well, and we take the time to speculate about where season 2 might be headed given some background we uncovered from the comic. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Although vampires have been using powers of seduction to wile their way into their victims’ hearts for more than a century in literature, it’s only been a few decades since the creatures of the night became the beautiful, brooding immortals in television and film that fought against their bloodthirsty urges to seek human companionship. Despite the occasional misstep, many of these monsters became the misunderstood heroes of our favorite shows, and this week’s podcast seeks to identify the most likable of the lot. As always, the listeners add their own favorite vampires to the discussion in the feedback segment. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

For those wondering if Altered Carbon season 2 will have the same flavor as the dark and violent cyberpunk adaptation that was season one, the answer is yes and no. The new showrunner for the series, Alison Schapker, previewed the season on the podcast, talking about how the story will not only build on the same consciousness transferring foundation of the first run; it will also bring a new kind of energy both in Anthony Mackie’s portrayal of Takeshi Kovacs, played last season by Joel Kinnaman, and in the more hopeful quest to find his long lost love, Quellcrist Falconer. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Star Trek: Picard brings back all the feelings of watching Star Trek: The Next Generation and builds off of many familiar elements from other sci-fi properties, including bits of plot from Star Trek: Nemesis and the 2009 film reboot. We discuss the brilliance of the show's premise and immediately appreciate the cast of characters that we're introduced to.The body of our podcast is dedicated to talking about the first two episodes, including the nature of Dahj and Soji and the history that has brought Jean-Luc Picard, Starfleet, and the Federation to the present state. The spoiler zone then digs a bit into the ragtag crew Picard assembles in episode three and specuates about the nature of what's going on with "The Artifact." See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We've enjoyed plenty of Netflix's international fare on the podcast, but nothing quite like The Gift, a supernatural series known as Atiye in its native Turkey. With the same family history dynamic as Dark and with similar crazy visions to Siempre Bruja, this series delves even deeper into the nature of life and death while maintaining its archaeological mystery, fantasy adventure feel. It's a truly unique show that we couldn't wait to review!The Gift tells the story of Atiye, a successful artist whose works center around a mysterious symbol she's been painting since she was a small child. When the same symbol shows up in a thousand-year-old archaeological dig site, she is compelled to investigate what it means, even when it causes others in her life to question her sanity. As the discoveries start to uncover the involvement of others in her own family, the real puzzle starts to reveal itself.As is our wont, we discuss the first two episodes of The Gift in detail, laying out the story premise and character development for review. We share our appreciation for the use of a real historical site for the main setting and note the added benefits of watching a show that originates from a culture that Americans could learn a lot from, artistically and otherwise.In the spoiler zone, the family connections are explored further, and we try to get to the bottom of what Atiye's visions mean, and the reality of her very existence comes into question. We're reminded of our previous podcast discussions of Undone and The OA, both of which also pleasantly tied our brain in knots trying to figure out what was really going on. With plenty of speculation left over for more storytelling, we wonder about a possible The Gift season 2. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The director of photography is the unsung hero of any set, making the lighting and framing of a scene as important as what the characters are saying or doing, but in television, where episode directors rotate in and out, a consistent vision is particularly crucial. Science fiction shows have the extra challenge of creating a sense of realism in speculative environments, and to find out how it’s done, our Sci Fi Fidelity podcast hosts spoke to Sarah Cawley, DP of NBC’ Manifest, and Sam McCurdy, DP of Lost in Space on Netflix, who shed some light on the process. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

There are certain theme songs from genre television that are immediately recognizable after just a few notes have been played, but what shows have the best opening credits music of them all? The discussion topic each month has the daunting task of narrowing the choices down to three for each of us, and that was quite difficult here in January of 2020. Even the hosts themselves interpreted the topic at hand differently. In some cases, the iconic nature of the theme was at play. At other times, the instrumentation or the inclusion of hauntin vocals was more important for the theme’s standout status. And then, of course, there’s the sheer catchiness of a theme's tune or an essential singalong quality that lyrics bring. Luckily, we had plenty of help from our listeners, who contributed their own favorites to the conversation in our feedback segment, submitted via our Facebook group. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

There’s no denying that Lost in Space is an edge-of-your-seat space adventure for the whole family, and much of the audience enjoyment comes from seeing how the Robinson family will escape from their latest life-or-death situation. On this week’s Sci Fi Fidelity podcast, we talk about the importance of viewing this series through the right lens, checking any nitpicks about scientific accuracy at the door and just enjoying the ride.We explore some new details that Lost in Space season 2 introduced about the robot race and talk about the Netflix series’ choice to focus so much of its mythology on the Robot. We break down the first few episodes as usual, including specific praise for the rounding out of the Dr. Smith character and some background context for Judy’s parentage, but by far the most significant success of the season is discussed in the spoiler zone, where we can’t help but be excited that the setup for season 3 indicates a completely new direction for the series with plenty of mysteries to speculate on during the hiatus. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Witcher quickly became a favorite here on the podcast as we delved deeper into the three central characters of the show: Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri. The show may be based on a series of novels and short stories from Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski and a popular video game, but we were able to enjoy the story of the monster hunter and the sorceress and princess whose fate became wrapped up in his on its own merits.As we are wont to do, we begin with an analysis of the first two episodes of The Witcher, the first of which introduces Princess Cirilla just as her kingdom falls to an invader's attack and she must flee with only one command from her grandmother, the Queen: "Find Geralt of Rivia; he is your destiny!" We also see the witcher himself, as he defeats a fearsome beast on behalf of ungrateful townspeople and a conniving mage. The second episode presents a skillful introduction of a captive sorceress-in-training, Yennefer of Vengerberg, who quickly became our favorite character.In the "spoiler zone" of the podcast, we share our overall impressions of The Witcher and pay specific attention to two story arcs: that of the genie and the three wishes and final battle of the season, which introduces plenty of questions about where season 2 might be headed since a renewal has already been secured. There is particular praise for the thematic ideas of destiny and legacy, especially as it applies to Yennefer and the many choices that lie before her in the finale and beyond.We're betting that much of our audience also enjoyed The Witcher and will hopefully appreciate our take on the critically maligned show — all opinions are welcome here! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jonathan Lloyd Walker took over duties as showrunner of Syfy's Van Helsing in season 4, his first head writing and producing gig in a career that includes the sci-fi hit, Continuum, which helped launch our podcasting career. In fact, although The Expanse's Dominique Tipper was the first interview subject on this podcast, Jonathan was our first interviewee ever back in 2012! Here in the wake of last week's season 4 finale, he talks to Dave about the broadening of the Van Helsing legacy, the larger scope of the vampire scourge, and a possible direction for season five, which will be there series' final run. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ever since we began our two-episode rule, which keeps our show discussion to the first couple of episodes of the season, we knew we'd have to be flexible. Maybe we'd add a third or fourth episode for a half-hour comedy or if a shift in the story warranted it, and anything else would be in the spoiler-zone if we were able to squeeze in a few more in our own viewing before recording the podcast. But certain shows were just too irresistible for us to stick with just two installments, and others we binged after the discussion even if we didn't necessarily have time.We each share three shows that we got sucked into this year including Russian Doll, The Umbrella Academy, and more. We even have one or two that drew us in because of an interview or by other means. Then, of course, our listeners get in on the action and tell us which shows they specifically binged because of our two-episode discussion on the podcast. It's nice to know we've been able to draw attention to some new science fiction and supernatural programs since that's exactly why we started Sci Fi Fidelity! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Dominique Tipper, who plays Naomi Nagata on The Expanse, was the very first interviewee we ever had on the podcast back when we began in September of 2016, just when the Syfy show was getting started, and showrunner Naren Shankar visited with us in February of 2017 during season 2. Now, the two key players in the success of this space science fiction TV show join us once more from the set of season 5, which is currently filming in Toronto, to preview season 4. We asked them to tell us more about the storyline to come taking place on Ilus, the first planet encountered by humans beyond the Ring gates.The first thing Tipper had to mention was the challenge for Naomi, with her brittle Belter bones, to be planetside for the first time. “We very much get to see this season what it takes for a Belter to change themselves and show what they need to do to their body to step foot on a planet or be in atmosphere,” she tells us. “And so I think there’s a lot of things riding on Naomi going to Ilus… She’s the only Belter perspective in the group, and also her own curiosity and for her and Holden as an option. So there’s a lot riding on it for her personally.”Not that Ilus is all that hospitable! Tipper told us how cold it was on location on the Ilus set, while Shankar appreciated its sparse beauty. “When you see even the first episode of season 4, it’s a beautiful location,” he says. “We were looking for a desolate frontier, and we shot in an active quarry. We used a lot of drone photography to get the vistas, and it’s really quite striking. And what you’re seeing in there is actually — we did virtually nothing in terms of visual effects cleanup or changing it. That’s the way it looks; it looks alien as hell.”For more insightful moments, fans will have to wait until The Expanse season 4 returns on Amazon Prime Video on December 13, 2019. In the meantime, enjoy the podcast, in which we announce the winners of our giveaway of The Art and Making of The Expanse from Titan Books. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As alt-history science fiction stories go, For All Mankind on Apple TV+ is right up there with The Man in the High Castle and Watchmen, both of which we discussed on the podcast as well. Speculating on what the world would be like if the Soviet Union landed a man on the moon first, this series starts out as a sort of historical drama inside 1970’s NASA but begins to show the larger effects on society of a continuing space race during the Cold War, taking things in a much more sci-fi direction as time goes by.As is usual for the show topics on Sci Fi Fidelity, we discuss the first two episodes of the series and share what we think of the established characters and the central conflict. The spoiler zone includes broad discussion of the later episodes in the series that have aired so far and predictions about where things might be headed. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

HBO has done a much better job of adapting Philip Pullman’s fantasy adventure series His Dark Materials than Hollywood did for 2007’s The Golden Compass, and we’ve been enjoying watching Lyra Belacqua work through the mystery of the missing children in an alternate world ruled by a restrictive theocracy. It’s hard not to be charmed by the concept of each human having their own familiar-like daemon as their animal companion, and the world-building is rich with witches, Gyptians, and armored bears.As is usual for the show topics on Sci Fi Fidelity, we discuss the first two episodes of the series and share what we think of the established character and central conflict. At first, there were some reservations that His Dark Materials was more oriented towards children with its young protagonist and “chosen one prophecy” premise, but we quickly gained appreciation for the thematic depth and attention to detail with the various culutures in this parallel world.Then we dive into the spoiler zone for some real talk about passages between worlds, the nature of Asriel’s investigation of Dust, and the fight that surely lies ahead for the Gyptians. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Daybreak is one of those shows that makes everyone think that it falls into a specific genre (zombie apocalypse comedy) with a particular audience demographic (Gen-Z young adults), but it actually has much broader appeal and may not be about zombies at all. So says showrunner Aron Eli Coleite in our interview with him in which he talked about how Matthew Broderick joined the cast, why Josh is not necessarily the central character, and why we should be worried about the change of leadership in the season finale. WARNING: spoilers within for Daybreak season 1! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

With the launch of the Apple TV+ streaming service on November 1st and the Disney+ debut right around the corner on November 12th, a question arises for us to discuss on the podcast: what is worth watching on these new subscription channels, and does the content justify the additional monthly fee? HBO Max also announced part of its lineup for its May 2020 premiere, and it's becoming clear that tough decisions will have to be made very soon.This first part of the podcast tackles the price breakdown of each service and compares their various chances for survival in the coming "streaming service wars," as we're calling them. Apple, for example, is trying to lure customers in with their low price point and with free trials and a year's subscription for those who purchase new iPhones or computers. Disney has less of a battle ahead with the built-in draw of their massive Star Wars, Disney, and Marvel libraries, but with so many players in the game, who can tell?Our list of genre content we're looking forward to includes one choice from each of the three services in question. Plus our listeners get in on the action, too, via our Facebook group! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

When we decided to take on Watchmen for the podcast, we had no idea how different the series would be from its graphic novel source material. The show has proven to be exactly the “remix” that showrunner Damon Lindelof said it would be, but a central question of our podcast discussion is this: Do you have to be familiar with the 1986 Alan Moore/Dave Gibbons comic in order to understand what’s happening in the HBO series?Other points of analysis include why this version of Watchmen decided to make race a central factor, whether or not police chief Judd Crawford is a good guy, why the costumed vigilantes like Red Scare and Looking Glass have such simplistic costumes, and what the heck is going on with Will and Adrian Veidt: two equally mysterious characters. We also break down nods to the original comic such as the squid storms, the Minutemen biopic, the Rorschach masks, and the many references to Dr. Manhattan.As with most of our show discussions, we focus on the events in the first two episodes of the season, and because that’s all that has aired on HBO so far (until tonight anyway), there is no “spoiler zone” in this edition of the podcast. However, the opening story gave us plenty of fodder for discussion and debate even as far as analyzing the delightfully cumbersome episode titles: “It’s Summer and We’re Running Out of Ice” and “Martial Feats of Comanche Horsemanship.” See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Impulse snuck up on us. Having aired on YouTube's premium service, it wasn't until the entire first season of this series was made available for free that it drew our attention, especially since the fact that it was loosely based on the Stephen Gould Jumper novels wasn't necessarily a strong draw. However, Doug Liman, who directed the 2008 film and also executive produces on Impulse, may have finally found the correct formula in this iteration of the teleportation story.Impulse is a show that not enough people are watching, but everyone should. Centering around Henry Coles (Maddie Hasson), a sullen, rebellious young woman who has followed her drifter mother to yet another sleepy town, the show sees her teleportation powers awaken after a sexual assault triggers a deep-seeded sense of self-preservation and a hidden anger that activates her ability.Because of the "hidden gem" nature of Impulse, the podcast critiques the premise and the characters of the show before discussing the first two episodes of season 2 in the spoiler zone. YouTube is airing episodes of Impulse season 2 one at a time each Wednesday for non-susbscribers even though the entirety of season 2 is available to those who pay for YouTube Premium, so anyone can access the show to enjoy along with us. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

With The Good Place season 4 being the show’s final run, the story, which often had paradigm shifting twists each season, should provide an satisfying ending for fans of the unique, metaphysical, philosophical series. On this episode of the podcast, we analyze the four episodes that have aired thus far to determine whether things are on track to give a sense of closure to its audience, and the good news is: they very much are.It’s interesting to explore the possibilities for improving the behavior of all four of the new experiment’s subjects, particularly gossipy John and the truly horrible Brent, but with the continuing sabotage and the differing missions that present themselves, it seems an almost impossible task. However, the true strength of the season, as is discussed in the podcast, lies in the powerful dialogue taking place in the many heartfelt conversations between our main characters. On that alone, The Good Place season 4 is deserving of praise.To leave room for those who have not fully caught up on The Good Place season 4, we begin by discussing the first three episodes without referencing the big reveal that happened in the latest in installment, “Tinker, Tailor, Demon, Spy.” That episode instead is broken down and appreciated in the Spoiler Zone See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It's never pleasant to learn a favorite TV series is ending, but if the writers are able to bring the narrative to a satisfying conclusion, it can go a long way towards giving a sense of closure to fans. This is especially true for science fiction and supernatural shows that have super-dedicated viewers. On this week's podcast, we discuss some of our favorite examples of shows that were able to end well. Paradoxically, we found that some of the best finales provided closure by leaving the story open-ended enough to allow the audience to decide what happened next. To avoid spoilers, skip ahead approximately 4 minutes for shows you haven't completed. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Undone on Amazon is a genre-defying, literary, artistically animated masterpiece, and we're not just saying that because it involves time travel (although that could only help). In this podcast, we discuss the premise of the show and how it came to be, and then we dive into the first three episodes in more detail. The spoiler zone shares overall impressions of season 1 for those who have seen all eight episodes. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The premise for Raising Dion may seem simple: a single mother struggles to raise her seven-year-old son when suddenly he begins to manifest superpowers. But this family drama from creator Dennis Liu and executive producer Michael B. Jordan is anything but a typical superhero tale. When the show premieres on October 4, 2019, audiences will certainly see a boy with powers, but they will also experience the community that surrounds him, including family members like his “Auntie Kat,” played by Jazmyn Simon.Simon spoke to us about her role in the show as well as her own experience with motherhood, having just had a son with her actor husband Dulé Hill, whom she met on the set of Ballers. Simon also played a doctor on the HBO show, but this time around she's in a more active hospital role, also acting as the family skeptic when it comes to Dion's powers. Simon covers everything from the show's setting in Atlanta to Michael B. Jordan's involvement in this interview, giving us a quite complete picture of what we can expect when Raising Dion comes to Netflix on October 4th. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We have nothing but respect for actors who choose to continue in their profession into their 70s and beyond, and there are many who have graced science fiction and supernatural television with their proven talents. In many cases, these actors have long and illustrious careers in film and on stage as well, but we always appreciate when they show up as wise mentors or grizzled villains or other similar roles in the genre shows that we love. The latest Sci Fi Fidelity discussion topic podcast entitled “Elder Elite” covers six of our favorite examples and shares listener contributions as well.The criteria we used for qualification was that the actor in question must be 70 or older in 2019 and must have worked on a science fiction, fantasy, horror, or supernatural television series in the recent past or be currently working on or about to work on a show. To participate in our discussion topics, be sure to join the Sci Fi Fidelity Facebook group where the listener participation aspect of the podcast unfolds the week before the episode releases. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Even though we’ve covered plenty of science fiction, fantasy, supernatural, and horror shows on Sci Fi Fidelity, we’ve never reviewed anything quite like The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Billed as a prequel to Jim Henson’s 1982 film of the same name, the Netflix series wowed us with its artistry, its worldbuilding, and its impressive slate of voice talent. Although there is some debate in the podcast about the appeal of puppet-based storytelling, there was no doubt about its compelling mythology and enjoyable characters.As usual, the podcast centers around the first two episodes of The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance with a “spoiler zone” towards the end of the discussion for those who have seen the whole thing. This allows for plenty of critiquing of the premise of the show and of the effectiveness of having three protagonists while also setting aside time to speculate on what the ending means and where the series might be headed in season 2. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Carnival Row takes Amazon Prime Video to new territory as the tale of an oppressed race of faeries living among disdainful humans in a world reminiscent of Victorian England explores a mashup of steampunk, fantasy, and allegory. The series stars Orlando Bloom as the Burghish detective Rycroft “Philo” Philostrate and Cara Delevingne as the headstrong pixie Vignette Stonemoss. Several mysteries unfold as a series of murders and the supposed kidnapping of the Chancellor’s son intertwine in unexpected ways.Mike and Dave tackle the first two episodes of this series in a spoiler-free fashion, but if you’ve watched the entire eight-episode run, the Spoiler Zone towards the end of the podcast has some overall impressions to share with you. Since Carnival Row season 2 has already been assured, there are plenty of things to speculate about given how open-ended the finale episode was.Related:Carnival Row Review (Spoiler-Free) by Sci Fi Fidelity host, MikeCarnival Row Executive Producer InterviewCarnival Row Season 2 Confirmed See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Michael Emerson is known to most sci-fi fans as Ben Linus of Lost or more recently as Harold Finch of Person of Interest, but now he returns to CBS as a decidedly creepy antagonist known as Townsend on the CBS supernatural law drama, Evil. Emerson talked to us about his role in the new show and revisited some favorite aspects of his roles in Lost and Person of Interest. Evil arrives on CBS at 10/9c on September 26, 2019. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In our final hiatus episode, we revisit a topic that highlights some of our favorite post-apocalyptic science fiction and supernatural television. After breaking down "apocalypse" into categories like environmental, technological, viral, nuclear, and others, we talk about why certain disaster areas would be more enjoyable than others to live in if we had to. Usually it ends up being a question of who would help us survive or be enjoyable to go have a beer with (if beer still exists). We'll be back next week with the start of season 5! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Our very first interview in Sci Fi Fidelity episode 1 was with Dominique Tipper just as we were getting to know her character Naomi Nagata on The Expanse. We revisit our chat with her as well as our season 2 conversation with The Expanse showrunner Naren Shankar. Plus, as a treat during this hiatus episode, we have ALL NEW audio to share with Shoreh Aghdashloo (Avasarala) and Frankie Adams (Bobbie) about the direction The Expanse will take as it moves its season 4 to Amazon Prime Video starting December 13, 2019. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

How would Star Trek have been different if Majel Barrett-Roddeberry had been the voice of the U.S.S. Enterprise itself rather than just its computer? As it turns out many space science fiction shows have ships that are themselves characters in the show. In this rebroadcast of our very first "super six" discussion topic back in January of 2017, both hosts pick three shows that feature spaceship characters, some of which are currently airing and others which come from the sci-fi vault. This episode continues are season 4 hiatus; the podcast will return in September with new content! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Killjoys season 5, the last of the series on Syfy, is in full swing, and we thought it would be a great idea for the first hiatus episode (before our own season 5 begins on Sci Fi Fidelity) to revisit some of the best parts of our Killjoys interviews with showrunner Michelle Lovretta, female lead Hannah John-Kamen (Dutch/Aneela), and male lead Luke Macfarlane (D'avin). These clips are shared in a montage style, concentrating on details that are still relevant and not season-specific, effectively acting as a reflection on the five-season run of Killjoys and the characters we've come to love. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Thanks to listeners Mo and Richard for this discussion topic idea! The concept is we looked into the earlier acting history of stars of our favorite sci-fi and supernatural shows to see if they had ever been in genre television content before they were famous. For example, did you know that before Peter Dinklage was in Game of Thrones, he was in a science fiction one-season wonder called Threshold? We each share three examples as usual, and our listeners join in the game, and for the first time ever, none of our choices overlap, giving our audience their own unique contributions to the discussion. NOTE: This episode marks the end of season 4 - we'll be back in September! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Stranger Things clearly has no intention of resting on its laurels as season 3 has not only improved on its Halloween-themed predecessor; it has also returned to the horror elements that made the original run such a creepy 80's romp while refusing to back off on its nostalgic notes. It would have been a crime had our genre television podcast hosts not taken on this Netflix juggernaut once again.This time around we're focusing on the first two episodes and the premise of the season as we've been doing in the past, mostly for those who either haven't started on Stranger Things 3 yet or are just a few episodes in. Don't worry, though! For those who have binged the whole thing, we're sharing our overall impressions and some of our favorite season 3 hightlights in our spoiler zone at the end. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Given what's been going on with Sarge in Agents of SHIELD season 6, we had to find out from Clark Gregg what he thinks of his new character after playing fan favorite Agent Phillip J. Coulson for ten years, both on TV and in the MCU. When did he know that his beloved role would be coming to an end? What would Coulson think of what's been going on in his absence? These questions and more are answered in this interview, coming on the heels of Agents of SHIELD's presence at San Diego Comic Con this weekend. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It's like we never left the town of Winden! Dark season 2 builds on the remarkably complex, intricately woven story of the first season in which four families' lives are wrapped up in the twists and turns of time travel and a disaster that has befallen their town and will likely visit it again. Our podcast discussion tackles the first two episodes only, but spoiler-free impressions of the overall season are also shared. Dark season 2 returned to Netflix on June 21, 2019, which for those who have seen the series is no coincidental premiere date. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Black Mirror season 5 has been available on Netflix for awhile now, and opinions have certainly been mixed. With anthology shows, there are always going to be some episodes that are better than others, but we make the argument on this edition of the Sci Fi Fidelity podcast that all three episodes of this latest offering were better, and specifically more thematically rich, than most critics give them credit for. We each picked our own representative episode to discuss, talking about the many philosophical questions about love, cheating, and personal identity posed by the central conflict of "Striking Vipers and honing in on the teenage perspective in "Rachel, Jack, and Ashely Too" and how the story must be seen through younger eyes to appreciate. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Although we wouldn't necessarily want to live in some of the worlds imagined by some of our favorite science fiction, fantasy, and supernatural television shows, there are certain settings that amaze us with how deeply cultural they are. On the latest Sci Fi Fidelity podcast, we bring up six exemplary worlds, three from Mike and three from Dave, that contain details such as language, religion, and history that really make watching an immersive experience. We also share the listener contributions from our Facebook group. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Good Omens will go down in history as one of the most faithful novel adaptations ever to grace the small screen (in some cases, maybe a little TOO faithful). David Tennant and Michael Sheen are brilliant as the demon Crowley and the angel Aziraphale respectively, and the two characters anchor the show even more than they did the story in the book. We break down the first two episodes in the spoiler-free first half of the podcast, and then we do a deep dive with overall impressions in the spoiler zone. Good Omens is a one-and-done six-episode miniseries that dropped on Amazon Prime Video on May 31, 2019. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Before we knew about the cancellation of Happy!, we had a chance to talk to executive producer of the madcap Syfy series, Patrick Macmanus. Although we mourn the loss of this unique series, which was adapted from a Grant Morrison comic in the same humorous-but-violent style as Preacher, we're happy to report that Macmanus has signed an overall deal with UCP to produce more shows to shop around. He spoke to us about two upcoming adaptations he has in the works: one for Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five and another for the true crime podcast, Dr. Death. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Lucifer is one of those rare shows that saw itself resurrected from cancellation as it made the move from FOX to Netflix for season 4. We talk a little bit about the changes we noticed resulting from its new home, and then we break down the major storylines of the recently concluded season. With plenty of story left surrounding the prophecy, the angel baby, and Chloe's new knowledge, we're left wondering -- will there be a season 5? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Just before the Agents of SHIELD season 6 premiere, we spoke with executive producers Maurissa Tancharoen, Jed Whedon, and Jeff Bell about the story to come. By now, a few episodes have aired, so we know that the show, like much of Marvel TV, has severed its ties with the MCU. The showrunners explain why that's the case and also foreshadow some of the storylines to come, including Mack's stint as director of SHIELD, Clark Gregg's new character, and the adventures in deep space. We also spend some time discussing Agents of SHIELD outside of the interview. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

When we decided to discuss Game of Thrones before season 8 began, we thought we would be talking about its grand exit, but as it turns out, we find ourselves having to defend the series against an onslaught of fan backlash. Where does the controversy come from, which aspects do we agree with, and which do we feel are unjustified? Join us as we parse the highs and the lows of the epic final season of HBO's juggernaut flagship fantasy series, Game of Thrones. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We are absolutely loving the vampire comedy What We Do in the Shadows on FX based on the award-winning New Zealand film of the same name, and we couldn't wait to break down the different characters and story arcs at the start of the season. With four vampires living in a Staten Island home together trying to navigate the modern world with a new mandate to conquer America, there is a wealth of episodic content as well as underlying mythology to discuss. And yes, the show has been renewed for season 2, which is welcome news that hadn't broken when we recorded this episode. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Deborah Ann Woll actually came on the podcast at Sony's behest to promote the home entertainment release of her horror movie, Escape Room, but this is a genre television podcast! So we snuck in a few questions about her time as Karen Page in Marvel's Daredevil and about the topic we really wanted to discuss with her: her D&D campaign show for Geek & Sundry, Relics and Rarities. We think that, like us, you'll find her enthusiasm for tabletop gaming infectious, and since it ties in nicely with the cooperative gaming aspect of an escape room, it works as a cohesive discussion. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.