Superfeed! from The Incomparable

It’s so annoying when someone knocks on your door in the middle of the night. Tony Sindelar with James Thomson, Kathy Campbell, Monty Ashley, Steve Lutz and Tiff Arment.

John fields some important questions about pasta from listeners Connor, Joshua, and Lee, including the definition of Al Dente and noodles versus pasta. John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Our Summer of Submarines floats on with “U-571”, a 21st centry-style action movie that manages to hit most of the squares on the submarine bingo card. McConaughey is a disgruntled XO! Depth charges terrify! A surprising twist if you didn’t think about the title! Turns out, submarine movies aren’t a genre—they’re a format that lets filmmakers explore genres. Jason Snell with Erika Ensign, Casey Liss and Moisés Chiullán.

Cracks are forming in Dana’s dating plan while Dan is recruiting a reluctant Isaac for a special feature on, you guessed it, the Giants winning the pennant back in 1951. Sure, Lex and Brian are wondering how Sorkin continues to pick the strangest titles for his shows, but you, dear listener, need not worry. Just keep Sorkin’ In It. Lex Friedman and Brian Warren.

A season of “Strange New Worlds” comes to an end, and so does this season of our podcast! But before we go, we have thoughts about Pike and Batel, “Doctor Who” plots, ley lines, parallel timelines, and even “Star Trek: Scouts” and “Star Trek: Khan”! Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.

It’s Higgins versus Magnum in a tit-for-tat, Roland for Oliver battle of pranks, hijinks, and accused felonies. There’s a long scene in an elevator. Our characters become as impervious to damage as cartoon characters. And put away your red string and conspiracy board, because there’s a terrible idea in this episode that receives the blanket condemnation and denouncement of the entirety of Magnum, podcast. Jason Snell, Philip Michaels and David J. Loehr.

This episode of Random Pursuit features a quest for CanCon, fours for everyone, and two new editions of Trivial Pursuit! Numbers! Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky with Cicero Holmes, Glenn Fleishman, Monty Ashley, Sarah Murphy and Tom Dickinson.

Erika and Steven reach the mid-point of the last 6-parter structured like this one. Turns out there’s a lot to talk about here in the middle! Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky.

This episode has less chaos, but more dragon. Tony Sindelar with James Thomson, Kathy Campbell, Monty Ashley, Steve Lutz and Tiff Arment.

We dive beneath the sea again with “K-19: The Widowmaker,” in which Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson star as… wait a second… Soviet naval officers? It’s a film about a horrible nuclear accident assembled from pieces of other submarine movies, as well as possibly several “Star Trek” movies, and we can’t decide if the screenplay or the casting is more of a problem. But finally we’ll get to the bottom of the real question: if most of the crewmen aren’t married, can K-19 really be a widowmaker? Jason Snell with Erika Ensign, Philip Michaels, Steven Schapansky, Brian Warren and Tony Sindelar.

Who knew that the opposite of an Arena was an Enemy Mine? Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.

Old cars versus helicopters, karate and seppuku, a helpful anecdote from Higgins, and a kidnapped guy who’s such a jerk that nobody (except maybe his wife?) wants to see him again. We watch a broken-down old episode from a writer who would go on to do better things, because what else can we do? We’re on the executive board of the Anglo-Hawaiian Friendship Society, after all. Jason Snell, Philip Michaels and David J. Loehr.

The chaos continues with a greedy rogue, a breath-holding Tortle carrying a Gnome, a swimming Centaur carrying no one, a generous Tiefling, and a totally ineffective dolphin. Tony Sindelar with James Thomson, Kathy Campbell, Monty Ashley, Steve Lutz and Tiff Arment.

Steven and Erika brave the smoke and heat of Edmonton to bring you discussion of the bunkers and domes of Skaro! Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky.

Listener Eric asks if vehicles are only motorized, and we ponder how small a thing can be before it’s not a vehicle anymore. John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Live on stage at the Ohio Theatre in Madison, Indiana, it’s the Incomparable Radio Theater Live, with part two of the Adventures of Slim Skinner and the Cowhands of the Range! This episode has everything: double entendres (or not), dinosaurs (or not), a little zeppelin (Led…or not), and more singing cowboys than you can shake a temptress at. Yes, she’s Frenchish. David J. Loehr.

You know how Brian and Lex hate Dana’s dating plan for Casey? Boy oh boy, does it come to a head this week, in A Girl Named Pixley. On a podcast named Sorkin’ In It, two hosts named Lex and Brian are an emotion called annoyed. Also, Jeremy might win an award. (Spoiler: He doesn’t. Just ask Natalie.) Lex Friedman and Brian Warren.

The Summer of Submarines resurfaces with James Garner going on a secret mission to an enemy island in 1959’s “Up Periscope.” The Skipper is not a skipper, but he’s got some interesting romantic ideas. Some scenes are impressively bad from multiple angles. And we realize that we’re starting to get good at this submarine-movie business, maybe? Jason Snell with Philip Michaels, Shelly Brisbin, David J. Loehr and Erika Ensign.

Never before has Vulcan Hello said hello to so many Vulcans. (And a Romulan, but shh, don’t say Romulan for canonical reasons!) We discuss Trek comedy, the delightful true fan of Humanity known as Doug, the depth of Number One as played by Rebecca Romijn, the action buddy comedy starring Kirk and Scotty, Batel’s jerk Vulcan boss, and Chapel’s inability to make good Plomeek soup. Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.

This final episode of season two is strangely a leftover from season one, so far as we can tell. So many scenes from the opening credits! Julia Nickson is back! We meet Chekhov’s Security Guard, whose name is Ox! The Law of the Economy of Characters and the Fallacy of the Talking Killer are both on display! And, most importantly, we introduce perhaps our biggest bit of Official Magnum Podcast Head Canon yet: Miłosz. Jason Snell, Philip Michaels and David J. Loehr.

Brush up on the Large Object Theory of History. Shaenon K. Garrity returns to discuss Jean Merrill’s The Pushcart War (1964). John McCoy with Shaenon K. Garrity.

Join us for a new experimental game show: Bracket Case. In our inaugural episode, five players try to decide who’s our Zaddy. Annette Wierstra and Kathy Campbell with James Thomson, Brian Hamilton, Kelly Guimont, Erika Ensign and Glenn Fleishman.

A chaotic crew assembles to free a head from a book. Tony Sindelar with James Thomson, Kathy Campbell, Monty Ashley, Steve Lutz and Tiff Arment.

“Strange New Worlds” gets the documentary treatment this week, as the Enterprise is confronted with some difficult choices that call into question some of Starfleet’s most deeply held beliiefs. The documentary has a real character arc, going from deep skepticism to a final understanding in just 40 minutes. Unfortunately, that’s not how documentaries work! Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.

We return to 1995 not to hack into the Net but to wander, Netless, around Vienna with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. Palm readers! Street poets! Plays featuring cows! It’s “Before Sunrise,” a movie in which nothing happens… except maybe the most extraordinary thing in two people’s lives. Jason Snell with Brian Hamilton, Erika Ensign, Annette Wierstra and Steven Schapansky.

The most important supporting character in the show (the Ferrari) is sidelined and, oh yeah, Magnum is hospitalized! But is his amnesia a result of his head injuries, or is it more sinister? What does Thomas have in common with Superman and Batman? Jason focuses on island vibes, Phil gets to talk an awful lot about baseball, and we may or may not have subjected David to ’80s hypnosis. Jason Snell, Philip Michaels and David J. Loehr.

Jasper aggressively chugs a healing potion while making eye contact. K’ronng starts pressing buttons and pulling levers. J’osh pulls a Teddy bear. Revelle has a hot wet lion summer. Tony thinks monks’ robes are like drab toga parties. Tixie Tockworth is air-gapped and did not plan for lions. Tony Sindelar with Aleen Simms, Chip Sudderth, Jason Snell and Monty Ashley.

Can a drinking glass be made out of plastic? Or is it just a cup? John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Our Awards Book Club closes up shop for 2025 with a final set of rankings, the presentation of an award we made up, and an overview of all the Hugo-nominated short fiction. Jason Snell with Erika Ensign, Scott McNulty, Aleen Simms and Heather Berberet.

Captain Kirk takes control of the USS… Farragut! While he’s facing his first crucial command decisions in an emergency situation with the help of a few familiar faces, Pike and company are repelling a monstrous boarding party. (The monsters are, in hindsight, exactly who you should have expected.) Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.

Fresh off his drug scandal, Dana’s brother is coming to visit. Casey tells her to be nice. Dan is TOO nice when reviewing Natalie’s audition tape — until he veers unnecessarily hard the other way. Casey is failing his audition for “best friend ever” with Brian and Lex, but no matter. We’re still Sorkin’ in it together. Lex Friedman and Brian Warren.

Candy Clark returns as an ex-hooker who is a deeply unreliable partner. We get caught in the Island Breeze, which services a lot of local men who need their carpets cleaned on a regular basis, sometimes by an unlikely pair of janitors? Jason Snell, Philip Michaels and David J. Loehr.

The last of the recent trilogy of Doctor Who episodes of Feuding Families is ready for your ears! Do we still love our listeners? Of course we do! Do they know a lot about Doctor Who? Of course they d…checks notes…Of course some of them do! Jason Snell with Annette Wierstra, Chip Sudderth, Erika Ensign, Evan Teng, Glenn Fleishman, Mikayla Micomonaco, Riley Silverman and Steven Schapansky.

J’osh is still alive…ish. K’ronng is poetry in motion. Revelle shifts the wind. Jasper tried. Tony is mean to the people he actually likes. Tony Sindelar with Aleen Simms, Chip Sudderth, Jason Snell and Monty Ashley.

Forth time’s a charm? The Fantastic Four are back on the big screen and they’re better than ever! We’re off to the lovely universe of Earth-828. A place just brimming with Silver Age charm where you’ll find Moleman, intelligent super-apes, our family of heroes and a hungry Galactus. Pop this episode into your face-tape-player and join us for a cosmic ride full of heart. Dan Moren, John Moltz and Guy English.

We celebrate the tenth anniversary of our Summer Superhero Spectacular tournament with something slightly different: A draft of our favorite superhero movies. Jason Snell with Andy Ihnatko, Chip Sudderth, James Thomson, Annette Wierstra, Tony Sindelar, Moisés Chiullán and David J. Loehr.

Presented by Famous Big Hi-Rise Hotel on Waikiki, it’s “The Hotel Dick!” Magnum quits his job (?) to become a hotel detective (??) and foil a thief called the Cat Man of Kauai (???) with the help of a hooker with a heart of gold (???!) and no help from his boss, a mean man who might be up to no good. This is a “Magnum” like no other. Jason Snell, Philip Michaels and David J. Loehr.

Not all red shirts wear red! (But some do!) This episode has a lot of death, an alien mystery, some questionable archaeology, a reversal of cause and effect, and multi-dimensional layering. In other words: It’s Star Trek! Also, Jason passes on a wild theory about Batel’s new Gorn-chimera lifestyle. Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.

J’osh is in the jaws of defeat. Jasper finds a new favourite bell. K’ronng is doing all the work. Revelle is a Triton again. Tony likes to use robot dogs to hurt his friends. Tony Sindelar with Aleen Simms, Chip Sudderth, Jason Snell and Monty Ashley.

Summer is in full swing, so Listener Ken has asked us to differentiate between umbrellas and parasols. John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

2025 Awards Book Club nears the end with award nominees “Asunder,” “The Ministry of Time,” and “The Tainted Cup.” Plus: What else are we reading? Jason Snell with Scott McNulty, Erika Ensign, Aleen Simms and Heather Berberet.

This week’s “Strange New Worlds” is an homage to 1960s Star Trek, 1970s murder mysteries, and all murderous holodeck stories throughout Trek history. Also, Paul Wesley gets to do his best Shatner. It’s called acting! Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.