Discerning Geeks Portal

This week, we review the 2017 DCEU blockbuster, "Wonder Woman."

- How tall is Gal Gadot? Is she undersized for playing an Amazonian? Does she fill out the costume well enough?

- How did the Geeks feel about the casting of Gal Gadot, beyond the physical?

- What did the Geeks feel about the adaptation of Wonder Woman, her costume & equipment, other characters, and the island of Themyscira, from the comics? Which Geek missed the invisible jet?

- Was there any logic in Hippolyta wanting Diana trained not at all or wanting her trained harder than anyone else, but not anything in between?

- Was there any logic in the Amazons being a race of warriors but not willing to intervene in a war? Did the Amazons lose sight of their purpose?

- Did the Geeks like the casting & performance of Chris Pine as Steve Trevor?

- What were the Geeks' favorite moments & quotes from the movie? Which Geek said this movie contains the best moment in all the DCEU? Which line of dialogue almost gets one Geek choked up?

- What did the Geeks think about the 3rd act, which is often criticized by people? Which Geek felt the 3rd act should have involved more hand-to-hand combat between Diana and an enemy, rather than the telekinesis, lasso work, and energy exchanges that we got instead?

- Dave is usually the pickiest about villains. Were this movie's villains acceptable to him? Which Geek felt the villains were a little weak? Which Wonder Woman adversary from the comics did one Geek say he would have preferred seeing?

- Which horror movie trilogy was randomly rolled for a future review?

- Just how different is Andruw's voice between his first episode (over three years ago) and today?

- And, which movie about the creator of the Wonder Woman character did three of the Geeks recommend?

Listen now for the answers to these and wonder-ful questions, as we enter the trenches with..."Wonder Woman."

We're approaching the end of season 3. Are there movies, TV shows, or other topics you'd like us to explore in season 4? Let us know.

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We return to the DCEU, for our 2nd review in that franchise, the 2019 moderate hit, "Shazam!"

- Which support character received the earliest accolades in the review?

- Which Geek had a semi-cryptic and half-hearted compliment as his first positive of the review?

- Which Geek said this movie was on par with "Guardians of the Galaxy"?

- Which Geek said he could relate to the Freddie Freeman character?

- Which Geek reminisced about going with his dad to comic book stores every Friday after school?

- What did the Geeks have to say about the family aspect of this movie, mostly about orphans on the good side plus a villain that's resentful of his family?

- Which Geek questioned whether the villain in this movie was actually...too villainous?

- How did a discussion about rough childhood experiences lead one Geek to the inevitable "Babylon 5" reference (technically more about the show's creator than about the show itself)?

- Which had some intellectual things to say about psychopaths and sociopaths?

- How many of the Geeks considerd the movie...boring?

- Which Geek reminisced about seeing this movie with his dad?

- And, what DCEU movie was rolled randomly for a future installment?

Listen now the answers to these and other electrifying questions as we cast lightnigh from our hands toward... "Shazam!"

We're approaching the end of season 3. Are there movies, TV shows, or other topics you'd like us to explore in season 4? Let us know.

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This week, we review the horror-comedy classic, "Ghostbusters," starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones, Kate--... Just kidding, it's the 1984 version, with Bill Murray, Dan Akroyd, Harold Ramis, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, Rick Moranis, and Annie Potts.

- How did Todd work in Babylon 5, London, and Dragon Con references into the first six minutes, and how annoying is that getting?

- Which of the Geeks had several items of trivia about the movie?

- For a movie that's part comedy, part horror, part fantasy, part sci-fi, and part disaster movie, what interesting perspective did our late friend & co-host Dave Teague have about a more grounded. mundane aspect of the story?

- When a friend of Preston's built an Ecto-1 replica, what lengths did he have to go to imitate the Ecto-1's unique siren sound?

- Why was the cartoon based on the movie called, "The Real Ghostbusters" rather than just "Ghostbusters"?

- Which Geek pointed out the Ecto-1 as one of the best ideas in the movie?

- Which Geek sited the conversation between Ray and Winston about the Bible as one of the best scenes?

- Which characters did Preston say were the unsung heroes of the movie?

- Which Geek had the most nitpicks? (If this takes you more than two guesses, you must be new to the podcast.)

- Which Geek tried to dig deeper into another Geek's nitpicks, and how many times did it take for one Geek to understand the question being asked?

- How did one Geek compare movie structure to music?

- How good were the ratings for this movie, and did any of the Geeks say that "Ghostbuster 2" or "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" is just as good -- if not better -- than the original?

- When asked if they believe in ghosts or have had any actual ghost encounters, what did each Geek say?

- Which DC movie was rolled randomly to be reviewed soon?

- And, how frustrating is it that Todd finally finished editing & releasing the review of a ghost-related movie really late in the day on November 1 instead of October 30 or 31 -- in time for Halloween -- which would have been more thematically appropriate?

Listen now for the answers to these and other stream-crossing questions as the Geeks examine, explicate, exalt, extol, exorcise, and exterminate..."Ghostbusters."

We're approaching the end of season 3. Are there movies, TV shows, or other topics you'd like us to explore in season 4? Let us know.

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Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts.

This week, we rank the movies of Phase 1 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

- Was there consensus among the Geeks on which MCU Phase 1 movie is at the bottom, or was the vote more split than expected?

- Which Geek had a surprising & controversial pick for his #5 rank?

- Which Geek had a surprising & controversial pick for his #3 rank?

- Out of the six movies, how often did 3 out of 4 Geeks agree on the same rank?

- Which Geek(s) thought more highly, than you might expect, of "The Incredible Hulk" and "Thor"?

- Which Geek(s) thought a little lower, than you might expect, of "Captain America: The First Avenger" and "The Avengers"?

- And, what was the overall MCU Phase 1 ranking after combining all four Geeks' separate scores?

Listen now for the answers to these and other flying, smashing, hammering, throwing, punching, shooting questions, as we tackle the ranking of the Marvel Cinematic Universe - Phase 1 movies.

For the full reviews of all six MCU Phase 1 movies, listen to some of our past episodes.

#011 - Iron Man

#052 - The Incredible Hulk

#099 - Iron Man 2

#097 - Thor

#055 - Captain America: The First Avenger (the review where Joanna got drunk)

#057 - The Avengers

We also reviewed a few more movies & TV shows from the MCU. Check those out as well.

#108 - Thor: The Dark World

#118 - Ant-Man

#047 - Captain Marvel

#059 - Black Widow

#094 - Spider-Man: No Way Home

#038 - WandaVision 1.01 to 1.06

#042 - WandaVision 1.07 to 1.09

#056 - Loki 1.01 to 1.04

#060 - Loki 1.05 to 1.06

We're approaching the end of season 3. Are there movies, TV shows, or other topics you'd like us to explore in season 4? Let us know.

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- E-Mail:  [email protected]

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Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts.

Public Domain music used in this episode include:

- Intro & Outro: "Defenders of the Truth" by Zakhar Valaha ("Daddy_s_Music") via Pixabay

- "Make It Work" Interlude: "The Star Spangled Banner" by The United States Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps via Free Music Archive

Todd & Preston's Drive-Time Chat #04 picks up where it left off with Part 2.

In this continuation, the Geeks discuss...

- The Star Wars "Ahsoka" series

- Spooky season, something one Geek loves, the other maybe not as much

- Dave Teague's Halloween parties

- Preston's favorite rewatches around Halloween

- Preston's love of the "The Last Drive-In With Joe-Bob Briggs"

- Predicting everyone's picks for the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase 1 ranking episode

Listen now for these topics and plenty of tangents in between. Check out Part 1 of this discussion if you haven't already.

The Geeks' ranking of the MCU Phase 1 movies is coming soon along with reviews of the movies "Ghostbusters (1984)" and "Shazam." Other topics ahead that still need to be recorded are reviews of the movies "Wonder Woman" and "Tombstone" and the remaining TV topics, Favorite Multi-Episode Stories and Favorite TV Seasons.

We're approaching the end of season 3. Are there movies, TV shows, or other topics you'd like us to explore in season 4? Let us know.

You can contact us at...

- E-Mail:  [email protected]

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Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts.

Welcome to Part 1 of Todd & Preston's Drive-Time Chat #04, where the car ride is imaginary, but the conversation is real.

In this episode, Todd & Preston chat about...

- Todd's trip to Dragon Con 2023

- Todd's first viewing of the cheesy 1980s movie, "Mac & Me," while at Dragon Con

- Preston's review of the Agatha Christie-based Hercule Poirot film, “A Haunting in Venice”

- Preston's review of the Venture Bros. TV movie, "Radiant Is the Blood of the Baboon Heart”

- Todd's review of the movie "Oppenheimer" and a discussion about pacing in movies

Listen now for these topics and plenty of tangents in between.

Stay tuned Part 2 of this Drive-Time Chat #04, when Todd & Preston talk about the Star Wars "Ahsoka" series, spooky season, and predictions about the Geeks' upcoming ranking of MCU Phase 1 movies.

The Geeks' ranking of the MCU Phase 1 movies is coming soon along with reviews of the movies "Ghostbusters (1984)" and "Shazam."

You can contact us at...

- E-Mail:  [email protected]

- Facebook:  #DiscerningGeeksPortal

- Twitter (X):  @discerninggeeks

Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts.

This week, we review the Mel Brooks horror comedy classic, "Young Frankenstein." It's been a while, but all four co-hosts, Dave, Todd, Andruw, and Preston, are here, and they have a wide range of opinions on this movie.

- It might be called "Young Frankenstein," but is the movie older than all four co-hosts?

- Which of the Geeks feels so strongly about this movie that he gives it a score early, in first impressions.

- Which Geek is the grump this episode (maybe not a hard guess)?

- Which Geek has at least one song from the movie, if not the whole soundtrack, downloaded on his phone?

- Which Geek thinks this movie is just *old*?

- Which Geek once again thought this movie would be a slam dunk, like he did with one of his other previous picks -- and was once again wrong?

- What lesson does one Geek have about the origin stories of Dracula and Frankenstein's monster?

- Which Geek compared this Frankenstein spoof to the original, more serious source material?

- Which Geek(s) have possible explanations for why the humor doesn't work for him/them?

- Which Geek explains the connection between one of this movie's early jokes and an Aerosmith song?

- Which Geek explains the motivation of Gene Wilder for accepting the lead role in this movie?

- Which Geek referenced some classic science-fiction literature and unintentionally walked Todd right into an obligatory "Babylon 5" reference?

- Does the one parent in the group feel this movie is kid-friendly?

- What redeeming qualities did Mr. Grumpypants scrounge up for this movie?

- Which Geek lost his internet connection during the recording (maybe not a hard guess if you're a long-time listener)?

- Did one or more Geeks think some level of knowledge of the original Frankenstein source material is necessary, or at least helpful, in the enjoyment of this movie?

- Which Geek cracked himself up just quoting the movie (frequently)?

- Which Geek compared this movie to a Looney Tunes cartoon, and did he mean that in a good way or bad way?

- After 100+ episodes, which Geek can't remember how long the Lightning Round is?

- Which Geek has a personal reason for being bothered by Elon Musk's first name?

- Which Geek said he liked the font used in part of the opening credits?

- Which Geek is reminded, in a good way, of a recently deceased relative when thinking of this movie?

- Which Geek pointed out that this movie reminded him of our late friend & co-host, Dave Teague.

- Which joke from this movie was Dave Teague's last words on this podcast (in episode #092) before he passed away?

- With the wide range of opinions on this movie, were there 0, 1, or 2 perfect scores for this movie, and how low were the not-great scores?

- Which DC superhero movie was randomly chosen for a future episode?

- Which DC character would two of the Geeks love to see on screen (they might get it on TV, eventually)?

- Which Geek is prejudging the "Barbie" movie and lamenting its success?

- And, what did Dave & Todd think about the "Oppenheimer" movie?

Listen now for the answers to these and other monstrous questions, as the Geeks experiment with..."Young Frankenstein"?

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Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts.

Public domain music used in this episode include:

- Intro: "Night in the Castle" by Kevin MacLeod via FreePD.com

- Rundown: "halloween-spooky-horror-scary-creepy-funny-monsters-and-zombie-116009" by SoundGalleryByDmitryTaras via Pixabay.com

- Preston's Classics Creation Corner: "the-rockpool-162588" by Geoff Harvey via Pixabay.com

- Technical Difficulty Transition: "Wakka Wakka" by Bryan Teoh via FreePD.com

- Lightning Round Clock & Outro: "spooky-halloween-152254" by The_Mountain via Pixabay.com

- "Oppenheimer" Mini-Review: "this-is-war-version-b-95408" by Solbox via Pixabay.com

Picking up where the previous episode left off, Dave joined Preston and Todd in time to share Top 5 Single-Episode TV Stories.

The Geeks' top choices came from the following shows.

- Babylon 5

- Batman: The Animated Series

- Dark Matter

- Firefly

- Fringe

- Game of Thrones

- Kolchak: The Night Stalker

- Lost In Space (Netflix reboot)

- The Orville

- Star Trek: The Next Generation

- Stranger Things

- True Detective

- The Twilight Zone

But, what were the exact episodes? How many of Preston's top 5 picks did he already list in Part 1 (along with Todd's honorable mentions)? Were there any surprises? Did any of the Geeks pick episodes from the same shows...or the exact same episodes? Listen now for the answers to these and other top-notch questions.

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Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts.

We're finally covering our TV topics. First up, is Part 1 of our lists of Favorite Single-Episode TV Stories. In Part 1, we cover our honorable mentions, broken out by categories. Stay tuned for Part 2, which is all about our Top 5 lists.

In this installment, our official (and unofficial) honorable mentions include episodes from the following TV shows:

- Alien Nation

- Are You Afraid of the Dark?

- Babylon 5

- Batman: The Animated Series

- Battlestar Galactica

- Dark Matter

- Doctor Who

- Game of Thrones

- Goosebumps

- Lost

- The Simpsons

- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

- Star Trek: The Next Generation

- Stargate: SG-1

- Travelers

- True Detective

- Twilight Zone

But, those are just the shows. Listen now to find out which episodes we picked.

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Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts.

Welcome back to Part 2 of Todd & Preston's Drive-Time #03, the imaginary car ride so long, we had to split it up.

Here's what covered this time...

 - Todd’s complete binge watch of Nathan Fillion cop show “The Rookie”

 - Videos on TikTok and YouTube

 - The premise of “House, M.D.” being, “What if Sherlock Holmes were a doctor”

 - Babylon 5 animated movie “The Road Home” coming August 15 and B5 blu-rays coming December 5

 - Inspired by the success of the “Barbie” movie, Preston asked if there was a toy or board game that could be made into a movie or TV show.  Todd & Preston each have a top choice, and Todd had a top 10 list for the subject, left over from the “Clue” movie review in episdoe #109.

 - Todd’s explanation of “Risk 2210”

 - Todd reminiscing about a version of Risk that he, Dave, and Dave, created when they were younger — not long before Risk 2210 and Samurai Swords came out (with similar game mechanics)

 - SeaQuest DSV (known as SeaQuest 2032 in its 3rd season)

 - Genius teenagers in sci-fi TV & movies

 - The movies “Flight of the Navigator” and “Mac & Me”

Listen now for these topics and more. Check out episode #136 for Part 1 of the conversation.

You can contact us at...

- E-Mail:  [email protected]

- Facebook:  #DiscerningGeeksPortal

- Twitter:  @discerninggeeks

Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts.