Second Star to the Left

In the series finale of The Galley, Matt and Katie talk about the season finale of The Expanse's sixth season: the difference between antagonists and villains, where the show is going, and the departure of a beloved character.

Matt and Katie are back in the penultimate discussion of THE EXPANSE's sixth season. This week we talk about the balancing act this season has had to walk and the impact that Flowbees have had on Belter culture.

"THERE'S NO CRYING IN SPACE!" In this week's critical episode, Matt and Katie dig into the problem with crying, the Earther version of the War on Terror, and conclude with Belter profanity and terms of endearment.

This week on the cast, Matt and Katie catch up on TWO episodes (with another recording coming out this week!). They talk Melba's Muppet frenzy, future spoilers, and mechanical maternity.

This week Matt and Katie talk about episode 5 of season 5 of The Expanse, "Down and Out"! We lament the plight of Naomi Nagata. WARNING: We talk about book spoilers that MAY be TV show spoilers almost immediately.

This week on THE GALLEY, an #TheExpanse fancast, Matt and Katie commiserate over the things lost in translating the books for television, discover what Belter Laura Dern would be like, and begin to conquer their fear of X's in Belter Creole.

Matt welcomes Katie back to the cast as they do a special side project in THE GALLEY, a fancast where they talk about THE EXPANSE's fifth season. Note that we talk about book spoilers starting at 36:30, but you can come back for our Belter Creole of the Day at 52:30.

This week the cast dives into sharksploitation with THE MEG! Matt does his best Dwight, Mer questions the physics of Ruby Rose's hair, and Burt updates everyone on Rudy Giuliani's various failures.

On this week's Case Files episode "Ghost in the Machine", Mer, Burt and Matt check in on Mulder and Scully to find out which sick Doom wads they're downloading from angelfire. Just kidding, they're mostly getting stuck in elevators and air ducts! That's technology for you.

This week the gang wraps up Better Red month with 1977's cult Japanese horror film HAUSU! Matt pits Whedon against Snyder in the thunderdome, Burt nerds out on his film studies and Meredith taps into her inner librarian.

On this week's episode of Second Star's Case Files, the cast digs into X-Files Season 1 Episode 6 "Shadows". Will Mulder think ghosts are as cool as aliens? Probably not, but what about Mer, Burt and Matt?

This week the Second Star cast kicks off BETTER RED THAN DEAD month with 2016's THE LOVE WITCH! Matt dreams of Jeannie, Burt takes a trip to the Everglades, Mer has a flashback to her school days, and Katie "bastes the chicken".

This week, the cast explores the dark and spooky world of the Jersey Devil, as illustrated by a pubescent teenage boy. We rated this episode "T", for "Tatas".

On this week's CASE FILE, Mer, Burt and Matt open up "Conduit". Burt still doesn't believe in UFOs, but Matt wants to believe. They also break down the unique topography of Iowa as presented in this episode.

This week the cast dives in to the midnight movie WILD ZERO (2000)! Thrill as the cast tries to identify archetypal himbos (himboes?) and analyze the gender and sexual politics of a film that features a man chopping a UFO in half with a katana pulled from the neck of his guitar.

This week on our X-Files recap project, Mer, Burt and Matt identify: is LA Beast a cryptid? What computer capabilities did they have in the 90s MSPaint? And how truthful are lie detectors?

This (late) podcast features the cast talking about the Robert Rodriguez anime adaptation ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL (2019) - a film that was so nonsensical they timed it down to the minute when it goes bad and makes them long for Scarlett Johansson.

The watchthrough of the X-FILES continues, this week with "Deep Throat" and a spirited debate about the existence of extraterrestrial life. Matt doesn't believe in ghosts though.

This week on the cast we dive into the film INNERSPACE (1987), a film that frankly lacks adequate description for how surreal a comedy scifi film it is. Also features a guest appearance by none other than critical and film theorist Slavoj Zizek. Apologies for the audio quality; there were some challenges in recording but we had such incredible fun on this episode and wanted to share that with you.

In a new side project from the cast, we're rewatching the classic 90s sci-fi TV show, THE X-FILES. Matt has dropped out of watching this show half a dozen times, so the rest of the group is going to help him get through by breaking down whether Mulder is a bratty sub, President Kanye's latest edicts, and if the truth is out there (spoiler alert it is and Matt believes aliens are real).

This week, the cast tries to determine which is worse: white suburbia, or this movie? It's THE PURGE (2013).

This week on the cast, the gang eats a plate or two full of spaghetti in discussing Dragonslayer. Bonus questions for the listener: what spell explodes a dragon? And why does Galen hate the old man so much? We get close to finding out the truth this week!

We're on the way back! The gang emerges from the rubbled ruins of the COVID pandemic to discover that they're all anime now.

This week the Second Star cast hacks in to the incredible JOHNNY MNEMONIC, featuring Keanu Reeves and @FINALLEVEL himself Ice T! Matt works out his cyber feelings, Katie discusses dolphin abuse, Burt tries to piece together the ending and Meredith recommends you all of the books.

This week the Second Star cast get all glittered up for Ridley Scott's fantasy fiasco LEGEND! Matt goes to sPaCe, Katie pines for more unicorns, Burt feels the Klobucharge and Meredith imitates every character. It's a sick episode! (We're all sick)

The cast covers Guillermo Del Toro's best picture winner THE SHAPE OF WATER for a special Oscars/Valentine's Day treat! Katie discusses her love for Mitski, Meredith is touched, Matt gives a Bible lesson, and Burt makes a special apology.

This week, the cast welcomes guest and friend of the show Anthony Travis to discuss the fantasy epic KRULL (1983). Listen to the cast explore deep yonic set-pieces, studded t-shirts, and the psychosexual implications of intergalactic villains.

This week for the first time, it's a full crew as they explore the queer theme and incredible teenaged homophobia of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003). Meredith uses a noise machine in her review, but Burt comes to defend this film's honor.

This week Matt and Burt welcome Meredith back as a permanent cast member for a bonus episode on the new Star Trek: PICARD show. They express their love for Patrick Stewart and Brent Spiner's hairpieces.

This week, Burt, Matt and Katie get into the Wilford Brimley classic COCOON (1985), and discover their own mortality. As well as extremely horny dolphins.

This week Matt lectures the cast on the proper way to configure long-distance subspace sensors while the rest of the cast politely nods attentively. We're talking about Galaxy Quest (1999)!

This week on the cast, listen to terrible impressions of Martians, Tim Allen, Johnny Depp, and more! Stay for our thrilling takes on a movie with an exclamation point in the title.

We're back from our hiatus with an episode on the 2017 Boots Riley film, SORRY TO BOTHER YOU. Listen for our discussion of cheesecake, earrings, and the day after eating hot peppers.

In this special bonus episode, Matt and Katie are launching a side project: a renegade broadcast from the Rocinante Galley where they talk the sci-fi series THE EXPANSE, coming to you with recaps every week.

This week the cast shares what moments they cried the most in YOUR NAME (Kimi no Na wa.). Matt reminisces about his emo years while Burt decries pop punk montages. Katie got unbanned from Twitter!

This week the cast is falling... into a discussion on the Wachowskis' 2015 film JUPITER ASCENDING. Burt learns to Google. Katie is depressed. Matt is a hedonist.

This week the cast concludes their BETTER DEAD FEST with discussing Jordan Peele's GET OUT (2015), and delve into discussing their own relations to race. We welcome feedback, especially on episodes like this, so please let us know at secondstarcast AT gmail dot com.

This week, Burt and Matt take time to reflect on Marvel movies, Martin Scorcese, and capitalism. We'll be back next with Katie's return to the podcast for GET OUT.

DEADFEST continues this week while the cast talks UZUMAKI (2000). Matt breaks down while talking about having a plantar wart. Katie is sick. Burt loves David Lynch.

This week, the cast gets into John Carpenter's THE THING (1982). Burt's "I don't enjoy hentai" shirt has the cast asking a lot of questions already answered by the shirt.

This week on the cast, the gang digs into the B-movie TAMMY AND THE T-REX. Find out how each person dealt with their own personal atrocity of this film, and get ready for a very special Second Star to the Left series in the month of October!

This week on the podcast, Burt, Katie and Matt get inside Ridley Scott's 1979 sci-fi classic, ALIEN. Spoiler alert: the movie is really good and they only have good things to say about it. The end.

This week the cast finishes their (unofficial) late 90s retrospective with THE MUMMY (1999). We talked about which order the body parts of the Mummy came back first in our group chat and not at all in the episode, sorry. Article on Zahi Hawass: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-rise-and-fall-and-rise-of-zahi-hawass-72874123/

This week the Second Star crew encounters the Wesley Snipes vehicle Blade. Matt and Chris quibble about 9/11. Katie fondly reminisces about Jncos.

This week the cast explores their shadowy sides with the Alex Proyas film DARK CITY. Matt gets trapped in a metaphor. Chris eats some food.

This week on the podcast, the Second Star cast encounters the 2018 Alex Garland film ANNIHILATION. Matt regrets air-horns. Chris finds a new favorite movie. Sound quality is a little questionable on this one - our apologies.

This week, the gang welcomes writer and Keanu Reeves super-fan Andrew Curran to the cast to get lost in the circuits of time and Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure. Burt gets lost in the mall. Matt dreams about Beethoven in the 21st century.

This week, the Second Star cast revisits the Guillermo del Toro HELLBOY (2004). Burt doesn't hate the movie. Matt almost discusses his father issues.

The Second Star guest time travels to 2000 for the butt-rock powered space opera Don Bluth animated film TITAN A.E. With special guest Meredith Russo! Matt shares his teenage fashion choices, Burt confesses his love for the Barenaked Ladies, and Katie breaks down over sexual dimorphism.

This week, the Second Star cast unloads on one of their all-time favorite films: George Miller's MAD MAX: FURY ROAD. Burt is left speechless at times. Power & Disability in MAD MAX: FURY ROAD by Brent Walter Cline: https://www.popmatters.com/194573-power-and-disability-in-mad-max-fury-road1-2495517489.html Lindsey Ellis thread: https://twitter.com/thelindsayellis/status/1146474524486950912

This week, the Second Star cast take a deep dive into the 1989 James Cameron film THE ABYSS. Katie gets so thirsty she learns to breath fluorocarbons.