Michael and Rob welcome back Chad Young and Jeff Somogyi for another few rounds of throwing improbable contestants into battles and arguing about who would emerge victorious. If our panel can stay on topic, that is.

In the first of a series of James Bond episodes, Michael and Rob are joined by Karen Flieger to talk about Bond's first screen appearance in 1954's Climax! TV adaptation of Casino Royale. How watchable is "Card Sense" Jimmy Bond's team up with Clarence Leiter to take down Peter Lorre? Grab a seat at the table and we'll be glad to deal you in.

Michael, Rob, Evan, and Pax convene for another meandering conversation about what they've been listening to, reading, watching, and thinking about. As always, recommendations abound and lead into other discussions, this time about perfect albums, anticipation for Shang Chi, method acting, and V’Ger's eternal question.

September 9, 2021 is the 10th anniversary of the very first episode of the Nerd Lunch Podcast.  The original Nerds get back together to talk about it.  And maybe make a quick Movie Menu.

The AfterLunch MCU panel wraps up Phase 1 with an in-depth discussion of the improbably excellent Marvel mash-up film, The Avengers. Among the many important topics are Iron Man's hubris, Black Widow's agency, Hawkeye's archery technique, and Captain America's costume. 

AfterLUNCH's 50th episode coincided with Michael's road trip south to see a bunch of friends he hasn't seen in a long time (and one he's never met face-to-face before). Some of them grew up in the South, some transplanted there, and some transplanted away from there, so Michael talks to them about Southern living and what movies, TV shows, and books best represent it. 

Following up on some discussions in the After Dinner Lounge episodes, Michael and Evan welcome Evan's daughter Sarah to talk about favorite manga and anime. Some of the manga discussed are:

• Black Butler
• Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun
• Moriarty the Patriot
• Bungo Stray Dogs
• Silver Spoon
• Akira
• Samurai 7
• Anne Freaks
• Children of the Sea
• A Silent Voice

And anime like:

• Jujutsu Kaisen
• Death Parade
• Yuri on Ice
• Cowboy Bebop
• Grave of the Fireflies
• The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
• Mary and the Witch’s Flower
• Your Name
• And of course, the films of Hayao Miyazaki

Back on Episode 35, we sexified some stories for the CW. On this episode, we do the opposite as Michael and Rob welcome Karen Flieger and Adam Pope to turn material for grown-ups into kid-friendly fare.

On the second episode of AfterLUNCH, we reran a discussion of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl from an old podcast that Michael and his son David used to have. In addition to Michael and David, the panel featured Lizzie Twatchman, Mike Westfall, and Ron Marz. Now, the panel finally reconvenes (and with 100% more Rob Graham) to take a critical, but fond look at the second Pirates movie, Dead Man's Chest. 

Lizzie, Pax, Rob, and Michael drill into the first Captain America movie like a SHIELD laser drills into ice.