After Lunch

Having discussed humanity's first contact with the Vulcans, our Star Trek Trek panel reconvenes to talk about the souring of that relationship and how it affects Earth's first human-populated mission into deep space. Delaney, Evan, Michael, and Rob talk about how the first season of Enterprise fits into continuity while also getting around to what they think of the various characters and episodes.

Michael and Rob are joined by Joanna from Bloody Popcorn and new-to-AfterLUNCH Dan Taylor to create a science-fiction-themed amusement park with lands devoted to Twilight Zone, Firefly, the works of Philip K Dick, and Planet of the Apes.

Michael and Rob talk with one of their favorite writers. Kelly Thompson has written novels like Storykiller and The Girl Who Would Be King, but she's most known for great, funny, character-driven comics like Marvel's A-Force, Hawkeye, Black Widow, and Captain Marvel as well as series featuring popular characters like Jem and the Holograms, the Pink Power Ranger, Nancy Drew, and Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Kelly shares huge aspects of her writing process, but also geeks out about other things that she's enjoying watching and reading.

Evan, Michael, Pax, and Rob reconvene to talk about what they've been reading, watching, and thinking about. As always with the After Dinner Lounge, the conversation meanders, but topics begin with:

• Books like Carthage Must be Destroyed: The Rise and Fall of an Ancient Mediterranean Civilization by Richard Miles, Redwall by Brian Jacques, the Horatio Hornblower series by CS Forester, The Tournament by Matthew Reilly, and Storykiller by Kelly Thompson.
• Comics like The Eternals by Jack Kirby and Marvel's Killraven series.
• Movies like Mank, the Schwarzenegger Conan series, and Legendary Pictures' Godzilla and Kong MonsterVerse.
• TV shows like Ted Lasso.
• And real talk about Heist Stories, Separating Art from Artist, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Truffles.

Michael May, Rob Graham, Delaney Graham, and Evan Hanson begin their journey through the various movies and TV shows of Star Trek, in chronological order. In this first episode, they discuss humanity's introduction to the larger galaxy in 1996's First Contact. It's a controversial place to start since it's neither the first adventure of the time travelers who are trying to protect the historic meeting, nor is it the earliest time period that these travelers have visited. So our panel also discusses other Star Trek movies and TV episodes in which Starfleet crews (and the occasional Ferengi) go back in time.

Lizzie Twachtman, John Vanover, and Jeeg join Rob and Michael to create an historical period film with an all-star cast of actors known for their historical period films. And if that's not enough for ya, stay tuned to the end for Real Talk about New Math and Arrested Development.

Paxton Holley joins Michael May, Rob Graham, and Evan Hanson in the lounge for another meandering talk about what they've been reading, watching, and thinking about. Topics start from:

• Books of fairy tales and the works of Ray Bradbury and Italo Calvino
• Comics about Spider-Man and the third Green Goblin, Red Hood and the Outlaws, and The Shadow
• TV shows like Dickensian, The Expanse, The Great, Queen's Gambit, and the eighth season of Mad About You
• Movies like Overlord and the Marvel films leading into WandaVision
• And real talk on Boat Names, Book Formats, Family, and Spheres of Influence

Annaliese Trammel, Paxton Holley, and Jeeg join Michael and Rob to hunt down Mandalorians and Jedi and -- ooh! side quest! -- on this in-depth, episode-by-episode symposium on the second season of The Mandalorian.

After Michael May and Robert Zerbe check in on their resolutions and predictions from last year's Nerdstradamus episode, Rob Graham, Evan Hanson, Kay, and Paxton Holley join the fun to look back on the books, movies, and TV shows of 2020 and forward to what's potentially coming in 2021. This episode is full of resolutions, recommendations, and reckonings. And a little bonus something we like to call "Tea Talk."

Opening song by Andrew Bird.

Michael May, Rob Graham, and Evan Hanson reconvene for another informal conversation about what they've been reading, watching, and thinking about lately.

Topics meander merrily, but start from:

• Books like Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, Charles Dickens' Christmas Books, The Devil's Due by Bonnie MacBird, The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, and Becoming by Michelle Obama.
• Comics like Silver Spoon by Hiromu Arakawa
• Movies like the original Black Christmas, this year's Fatman, and the documentary Pilgrims.
• TV shows like Dicktown and Truth Seekers
• And real talk on Holiday Traditions, Movie Theaters, and This Podcast.