We are back and with another slight detour from "Alien Nation." We cover a review of 2025 with a focus on the following...

Movies

• "Captain America: Brave New World"
• "Thunderbolts*"
• "Fantastic Four: First Steps"
• "Superman"
• Mentions of "Wicked For Good," "Tron: Ares," "Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle," and "Mission Impossible: Final Reckoning"

Television

• "Alien: Earth" season 1
• "Ironheart" (probably only season)
• "Andor" season 2
• "Stranger Things" season 5
• Mentions of "The Pitt" season 1, "High Potential" seasons 1.5 & 2.0, and "Pluribus" season 1

Personal Note From The Editor: I'm sorry for the unintentional hiatus between episodes #012 & #013 in January 2026. I explain why at the very beginning of the episode. Hopefully February 2026 & beyond will go more smoothly.

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Royalty-free music in this episode comes from Pixabay.com.

Happy New Year! We welcome 2026 with a review of the "Alien Nation" episode "Contact," a story about a Kleezantsun intimidating scientists into sending a nefarious signal into outer space. Meanwhile, Matt deals with memories of his uncle, Cathy shares with him aspects of her own childhood, and the Franciscos consider having another child of their own.

- What is Nick's favorite moment in the episode, a line from George that stuck with him the most over three decades?

- How many ways did George encounter racism in this episode?

- What logistical & emotional reasons do the Franciscos have for deciding to have another child, which would be their first one born on Earth?

- What comedic line from George made Todd giggle out loud multiple times?

- Why does Matt get emotional after he receives a trunk full of photos, an old coat, and other items, from his late uncle? Sharing these memories with Cathy, what does she share with him about her own childhood?

- What is the legitimate fear about a Tenctonese-related signal that is being sent out into space?

- What two totally different nitpicks did Nick & Todd separately flag from the first minute or two of the episode?

- What conspicuous guest character accent were both Nick & Todd ready to rip into? What accent was that actor attempting, why did it not work, and considering some of that actor's past acting experiences in other countries, why was the accent not better?

- What is the latest example of Matt's bizarre & inconsistent wardrobe?

- Were the interactions between Matt & Cathy this week enough for one co-host, or was he hoping for more?

- What did Nick feature in this week's installment of his "Yikes, Sikes!" segment?

- What prop from Matt's uncle's trunk did Todd think should have been bigger and more impressive but probably wasn't due to a possibly low episode budget?

- Which guest star was in the obscure foreign horror movie, "Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory"?

- Which guest star has a varied career as an actress, cartoon writer, and TV host?

- Which guest star is transgender and transitioned later in life after this episode?

- And, what great episode do we have to look forward to next week?

Listen now for the answers to these and other questions as Nick & Todd interpret the signals in the episode, "Contact."

Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. You can leave comments on individual episodes via the Spotify & GoodPods apps. Our e-mail address is [email protected].

Royalty-free music in this episode came from Pixabay.

Just in time for Christmas is our review of the "Alien Nation"...Halloween episode. Sorry, I guess we should have started the podcast a couple months earlier. Anyway, you will shriek with delight, uh, I mean, terror, at this week's episode, "Night of the Screams."

- Which co-host has a lot to say about the germy ickiness of bobbing for apples?

- What did the co-hosts feel about this episode's medical examiner gnawing on some beef or pork ribs while giving an autopsy report to cops?

- Which 1980s movie's score did one co-host think this episode's music sounded like?

- How did a simple dialogue scene in Cathy's apartment somehow feel cinematic?

- What questions, theories, and head-canon, did the co-hosts have about an Overseer character & his wife?

- How & why did a few other scenes in this episode feel cinematic?

- What did we learn this week about Tenctonese myths, folk lore, medical conditions, and the Kleezantsun (Overseers)?

- What did the co-hosts feel about the material given to Emily & her friend Jill?

- What did one character completely flip out over in this week's episode?

- And, what's up with Nick's new segment, "Yikes, Sikes"?

Listen now for the answers to these and other horrifying questions, as we we brave the "Night of the Screams."

Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. You can comment on episodes via the Spotify or GoodPods apps. Our e-mail address is [email protected].

Royalty-free music in this episode comes from Pixabay.com.

Because of the December timing, Nick & Todd make one more slight detour from "Alien Nation" to talk about the 2014 "Doctor Who" Christmas special, "Last Christmas."

- What are each co-host's respective journeys with "Doctor Who"? Do they both love it, or do one or both co-hosts have mixed feelings? How much has each one seen of the show? Who are their favorite Doctor(s)?

- How many gaps in viewing does Todd have during the new era of DW? Which Doctors has he seen all of? Which episode -- or more accurately, which half-episode from Matt Smith's era -- does Todd love & defend? Which two episodes from Jodie Whitaker's first season does Todd appreciate?

- What did Nick like most about classic DW? Which family member recommended to him the Jodie Whitaker era?

- What were the co-hosts' opinions of "Last Christmas"? Did Todd think it was better than most DW Christmas specials he's seen? How often does Nick watch this episode? Is it a part of his Christmas viewing rotation?

- How did Nick compare this special to other Christmas-themed movies & TV episodes? Does he feel this special is suffiently "Christmas-y" enough?

- What did the co-hosts feel about Nick Frost's portrayal of Santa Claus?

- Was Peter Capaldi's more curmudgeon & less affectionate portrayal considered a good thing or bad?

- Did Nick & Todd like Clara as a companion?

- What musical moment in the episode did Nick appreciate?

- What good (even if slightly somber/sobering) message did Todd feel was the main point of the episode?

- How did Todd compare this episode to some things he doesn't like in certain episodes of "Star Trek: The Next Generation"?

- Is this special an homage or a rip-off of "Alien," and does "hanging a lantern" on the similarities make it all okay?

- How did Nick compare this special to things from "Rick & Morty," "Inception," "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," and typical sitcoms?

- What were Todd's two nitpicks about the old-Clara scene?

- How did Todd compare this special to something bad from season 3 of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds"?

- What bit of trivia did Todd have about how close Faye Marsay was to continuing her role of Shona McCullough in more DW?

- What did the co-hosts enjoy about this special's take on Santa Claus & elves?

- Which quotes & comedic moments did Todd appreciate?

- Who is Todd's favorite version of The Doctor, and what are all his reasons for this odd choice? Which scene for that one Doctor does Todd think is so cool that he doesn't care how or why it happened?

- What are Nick's choices for favorite Doctor overall and his favorite specifically from the new era?

Listen now for the answers to these and other festive questions as we explore space, time, and the realm of the mind, in the 2014 "Doctor Who" Christmas special, "Last Christmas."

Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. You can leave comments on episodes via the Spotify or GoodPods apps. Our e-mail address is [email protected].

Royalty-free music in this episode comes from Pixabay.com.

- "twelve-days-of-chaos-443478" - Music by Alexander Nakarada / https://www.creatorchords.com

- "jingle-roll-262183" - Music by BFCMusic

After a two-week "Star Trek" detour, we're back to "Alien Nation" with an episode about taxes, bribes, scams, and gangs. This week's episode, called "The First Cigar" involves a Tenctonese business owner who may have a surprise hidden up her sleeve...literally. Meanwhile, Buck sells real estate, George deals with the IRS, and Matt & George give each other guilt trips over morally-ambiguous gifts & favors.

- What purpose was served by having Cathy back but only for two quick scenes?

- What bit of camera work impressed both Todd & Nick?

- What would an ideal Tenctonese community look like?

- What good lessons were both learned & taught by 10-year-old Emily Francisco this week?

- What guest star in this week's episode has a full movie & TV filmography and unfortunately passed away a couple days before this episode is being published?

- Is Matt any less frustrating this week, and is there much hope that he'll get better before the end of the season?

- Was the subplot involving the IRS interesting at all?

- Was the real estate subplot any better than the tax subplot?

- What strange oddities occurred in this week's episode with certain actors getting quick minor scenes, non-speaking moments, blink-and-you-miss-it cameos, and mentions in the credits even if not actually appearing in the episode? What theories does one co-host have about how & why actors should have appeared more but didn't?

- In what new ways does Matt act like a caveman with poor communication skills this week?

- What do Matt & Cathy see in each other (or not see in each other)?

- Are there any noticeable trends yet between writers & episode quality?

- What factoids about cold opens did Todd learn & teach this week?

- Which scene might have been "queer-coded"?

- How strange was Dobbs Watch this week?

- And, what caveat did Todd learn about the episode count for the Moodri recurring character, who apparently should have been in this episode but wasn't?

Listen now for the answer to these and other taxing questions as Nick & Todd audit "The First Cigar."

Note: Due to a last-minute decision to work in a holiday episode, there will be another detour next week, when Nick & Todd review the "Doctor Who" Christmas special, "Last Christmas."

Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. You can leave comments on episodes via the Spotify or GoodPods apps. Our e-mail address is [email protected].

Royalty-free music used in this episode comes from Pixabay.com

Nick & Todd continue their discussion of the "Star Trek" franchise.

- What was Nick's hot take about "TNG" season 2, teased at the end of Part 1?

- What "TNG" season 2 improvements did Nick point out?

- Which "TNG" episodes from each season did Nick highlight?

- Nick & Todd agree that "TNG" season 7 is a bit of a decline, but which redeeming episodes did Todd point out?

- What were Todd's hot takes about episodes "The Measure of a Man" and "All Good Things..."?

- What were Todd's grades for the four "TNG" theatrical movies, and how did he compare "Generations" to "Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace"?

- What were some obvious flaws pointed out about three of the four "TNG" movies? Which one did Todd say Brannon Braga, writer of at least one of the movies, admitted on a podcast that he was guilty of, but he didn't realize it until he saw someone else commit the sin in another movie or TV franchise.

- What were some of Todd's main reasons for loving "Deep Space Nine" so much, and was one of those reasons hyperbole or accurate?

- What were Nick's main criticisms of "Deep Space Nine"?

- How much does Todd love the "DS9" list of recurring characters? Which recurring character does he feel might have the best character development arc of the whole franchise?

- Why were there mentions of the TV show "Spenser for Hire" and the first "Batman" movie?

- What disagreements did Nick & Todd have about "In the Pale Moonlight," one of the most popular episodes of "DS9"?

- What did Nick have to say about the "DS9" characters of Gul Damar and Kai Winn Adami?

- Why did Nick & Todd not have much to say about "Voyager," "Enterprise," the Kelvin Universe movies, and the new era of the franchise (sometimes referred to as NuTrek)?

- Which parts of the "Star Trek" (2009) movie did Todd love & hate, leading to very mixed feelings. What experience related to that movie and "Star Trek Beyond" were related to one of Todd's trips to London?

- Which season(s) of "Discovery" were so bad that Todd skipped one or more seasons of "Discovery," and which season was actually pretty redeeming?

- What drastic things did Todd have to say about "Star Trek: Picard"? Note: Some of his most detailed -- and spoilery -- opinions about "Picard" are saved for a post-show section he recorded on his own, which is tacked on the end of this episode.

- What is Todd's main criticism of "Lower Decks," which might be unfair since he's only seen one episode (at the time of recording; he's seen one more since then)?

- Does Todd feel any better about "Strange New Worlds," the preview for "Starfleet Academy," or some people's wishful thinking about the theoretical show "Legacy"?

- What frustration did Todd express about background bridge officers in "Discovery"?

- What were Nick & Todd's opinions about Tilly from "Discovery"?

- What is next week's return to the "Alien Nation" rewatch all about?

- In the post-show segment Todd recorded on his own, what grades did he give each season of "Deep Space Nine"? Which clarifications did Todd give about "wokeness" in Star Trek, women in Star Trek, and things that drive Todd bananas about newer Trek shows, especially "Picard"? What character arc from one show in the franchise was stolen from a movie in the franchise?

Listen now to discover the answers to these and other deep, enterprising questions, as Nick & Todd continue their voyage through the strange world of the "Star Trek" franchise.

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Royalty-free music used in this episode came from Pixabay.com.

The "Alien Nation" rewatch will definitely continue, but this week (and next), Nick & Todd take a detour to talk about one of the biggest sci-fi franchises of all..."Star Trek." We're calling it a primer because we discuss the whole franchise in broad strokes, comparing notes on what we've seen, haven't seen, loved, liked, disliked, hated, and still want to see. It ended up being such a big topic, we had to split it into a two-parter.

- What opening advice did Todd & Nick give regarding "Star Trek" and "Toy Story" action figures?

- What did Todd say the "Star Trek" franchise means to him, and what annoying way did he still find for comparing it to "Babylon 5"?

- How young was Nick when he first started watching "The Original Series" before "The Next Generation" even came out, and how did Nick compare "Star Trek" to "Star Wars"?

- What were some of Nick's favorite episodes of "The Original Series"?

- What are the merits of "Star Trek: The Animated Series," and despite low-budget animation, does it deserve to be canon?

- Why did Todd insist on including a fan-funded web series called "Star Trek Continues" into this discussion? How authentic was the web series to the original look & feel of "Star Trek;" and what are the merits of its storytelling, including something it did similar to "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story"?

- Are spoofs & stereotypes about Captain Kirk, especially his mannerisms, vocal cadence, and reputation with women, all completely deserved; or is Kirk usually portrayed as a fully professional yet possibly lonely military officer?

- How surprising is it which "Star Trek" movie is Nick's favorite?

- What continuity errors does Todd (via Joanna) point out about the rocketboot scene in the turbolift shaft in "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier"?

- When trying to narrow down "The Next Generation" for key episodes to show his son, what number did Nick get down to?

- What hot take did Nick have about TNG season 1?

- What do Nick & Todd feel about the infamous "Sub Rosa" episode, where Dr. Crusher has sex with an alleged ghost?

- Which TNG episodes does Nick hate?

- What letter grade does Todd give each TNG season?

Listen now for the answers to these and other enterprising questions, as Nick & Todd explore sci-fi's greatest universe in their Star Trek Primer.

And, stay tuned for Part 2, as Nick & Todd will continue discussing "The Next Generation" as well as more Trek movies, "Deep Space Nine," and beyond...

Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. You can comment on individual episodes using the Spotify or GoodPods apps. Our e-mail is [email protected].

Royalty-free music in this episode comes from Pixabay.com and FreePD.com.

This week, Nick & Todd review the 5th "Alien Nation" episode, "The Takeover," a story about a police station siege during a city riot, with the themes of control and...smells(???). Along the way, we get to see a remnant of the controlling ship gas, from the Tenctonese slave ship, in action.

- Why does one co-host think command and...smells...are the two main themes of the episode?

- How many ways does Albert save the day in the episode?

- How many ways are George's frustrations & harsh words in this episode interesting or add variety to his demeanor?

- What do we learn about Tenctonese language, gestures, and culture, in this episode?

- How well can Nick imitate the clicking noise that Tenctonese use in their language?

- In what way does one guest character actually say the title of the show out loud?

- Which moment of slow motion did Nick & Todd both note as being awkward?

- Just how annoying was the Matt Sikes character in the first half of the episode?

- Did this episode include more instances of bad police work, or just Humans being bad people in general?

- Were Todd or Nick impressed at all by the subplot where Captain Bryon Grazer suggests an end to the riots using a thesis he wrote in school about ancient city strategies?

- What did Nick & Todd find strange and/or silly about a subplot in which Matt is helping to catch an old girlfriend's stalker?

- Does the episode do enough...or nothing at all...to explain where the canister of ship gas came from?

- Which guest star played a female Klingon in several installments of the "Star Trek" franchise, including episodes in two series and one of the movies?

- What other connections did Nick make between guest stars in this episode and other TV series & movies?

- Which guest star did Todd recognize from the movie "Erin Brockovich" just because of how the character put his hand over his mouth. And, which character did Nick say that actor played in a "Batman" movie?

- How much is Dobbs given to do in this episode, and how many main & support characters are missing from this episode?

- In what way does a Tenctonese character win this week's Albert Einstein Award...on a technicality?

- When Todd listed things he would do if he had a gas that could control people, like the one in the episode, what eight TV-related things did he choose, what one totally random thing did he choose, and was a reboot of "Firefly" one of the choices? Improvising some ideas of his own, what did Nick come up with, related to Star Wars & movie theaters?

- And, what were Nick & Todd's final grades and feelings about whether this could be skipped or not?

Listen now for the answers to these and other...commanding...questions, as Nick & Todd try to survive..."The Takeover."

Note: The next two weeks will be a two-parter about Nick & Todd's loves, likes, dislikes, and gaps in viewing, of the "Star Trek" franchise. Reviews of "Alien Nation" will resume after the two-week Star Trek "primer."

Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. You can post comments directly on episodes in Spotify & GoodPods apps. Our e-mail is [email protected].

Royalty-free music used in this episode comes from Pixabay.com.

Nick & Todd are really enjoying rewatching & podcasting about "Alien Nation." But, even the best things in life aren't always perfect. Join Nick & Todd as they critique the first disappointing episode of the show, "Fifteen With Wanda," while still talking about redeeming qualities and the usual guest cast connections to other shows.

- What was Nick's first really insightful point, and what was Todd's first really bizarre point?

- What observations about Tenctonese culture, language, or religion, did Nick & Todd point out this time?

- What was Todd's favorite funny line from the episode?

- What Tenctonese love potion featured in this episode will we see & hear more about in the future?

- What did Todd ponder about Tenctonese raw meat cuisine?

- Which real human name and fictional alien name did George get mixed up?

- What kind of shout out did Todd give the Susan character this week?

- What did Nick like about the final showdown in the adult store scene?

- In what good ways & bad ways did this episode explore parenthood, and how were Tenctonese not completely allowed to be parents while on the ship (leading to great frustration by George)?

- Did this episode continue the trend of bad police work, and if so, how?

- What did Nick not like about Matt's scenes with his ex-wife?

- What questionable teen fashion statement was dinged by Nick with agreement from Todd?

- What strange tropes did Todd & Nick notice in the episode?

- Nick & Todd both missed a Tenctonese main character absent from this episode. Which "Babylon 5" character did Todd compare her to?

- Todd was frustrated by the character of Matt's daughter in the episode. Which character from the movie "Volcano" did he compare her to?

- How many guest actors this week also had guest roles in the "Star Trek" franchise or other notable properties?

- What did Todd learn about some of the actors in the opening credits by sneaking a peak at episode 14?

- Is this now the 3rd episode to have a strange voiceover at or near the end of the episode?

- Which actor on the show did Todd point out as the saving grace of the whole show so far?

- Did Nick feel this episode is still important to watch or skippable? How low did Todd's score go?

Listen now for the answers to these and other questions as Nick & Todd put "Fifteen With Wanda" into protective custody.

Our e-mail address is [email protected]. Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also leave us comments on individual episodes via the Spotify and Goodpods apps.

Royalty-free music from this episode came from Pixabay.com and FreePD.com.

Nick & Todd return to talk about the 3rd episode of "Alien Nation" in which Detective Matt Sikes tries to protect a teenage Tenctonese girl who's life has taken a bad direction. When the situation takes an unexpected turn, Matt & George go undercover to take down a dangerous Tenctonese prostitution ring.

- How did discussion of this episode start off about goats?

- How much did Todd & Nick enjoy the return of Uncle Moodri and the exploration of Moodri's religion, philosophy, and special abilities?

- What was Todd's favorite part of the episode, and how did dialogue from that scene remind him of something from "Babylon 5" (as so many things do, apparently)?

- The character of Matt Sikes is often hyper and/or annoying, but what good aspects of Matt were pointed out in this episode?

- What weird Matt Sikes fashion statements in this episode did Todd & Nick both flag?

- What nitpicks did Nick & Todd have, including Buck's story line, an alien makeup issue, an overly-convenient voiceover, and inconsistencies in Tenctonese attitudes about attraction & sexuality?

- How did this episode revisit the concept of the Kleezantsun (a.k.a. Overseers), and was it totally consistent with things suggested in previous episodes?

- What connections did Nick & Todd note between support actors in this episode and other TV shows & movies, and which guest actor is a prolific stuntman?

- How many Tenctonese names in this episode were references to authors, actors, famous characters, city names, a line of a Billy Joel song, and even a former presidential press secretary?

- What additional things about Tenctonese biology, culture, religion, and language, get mentioned in this review?

- Which Moodri & Buck moment got Nick emotional?

- What does Todd continue to ponder about whether Tenctonese travel the planet or move to other parts of the U.S.?

Listen now for the answers to these and other dramatic & heart-felt questions, as Nick & Todd protect & serve "Little Lost Lamb."

Our e-mail address is [email protected]. Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. You can comment on individual episodes via the Spotify & GoodPods apps.

Royalty-free music in this episode comes from Pixabay.com.