Fuel Your Fandom

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There's just nothing quite like a good concert, is there? From catching an up-and-coming local act, to seeing a huge household name at the EnormoDome, to everything in-between — letting the power of live music wash over you can be an almost religious experience. In this edition of the FYF podcast, Saint and Jim do their best to break down the incomparable feeling of having your favorite music played 10 feet from your face while surrounded by 20,000 of your closest friends. And also, a little bit about what it feels like to be the ones onstage doing the playing.

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LEGO. Even just saying the name conjures up images of endless childhood hours spent creating epic structures from the ever-popular colorful plastic bricks. But of course, much like video games and coloring books, LEGO has evolved right along with the kids that used to — and still do — love playing around. Today, incredibly complex licensed LEGO sets can run enthusiasts hundreds of dollars, involve dozens of build hours, and fetch exorbitant prices on the resale market. So in this episode, Saint and Jim take a closer look at what makes LEGO such a persistently compelling fandom.

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We're truly in a golden age of video gaming. Near-photorealistic visuals, expansive worlds to explore, and incredible stories that unfold in satisfying ways are the norm. But it wasn't always that way. During the NES era, many developers assumed that the best way to add time (and therefore the perception of value) to a video game was the make it HARDER THAN DIAMOND-CRUSTED COLLEGE ALGEBRA. Games like "Ghosts N' Goblins, "Ninja Gaiden" and the infamous "Battletoads" absolutely HATED you, and wanted you dead in a frustrated fit of controller-snapping rage-quittery. Here, Saint and Jim dig into some of the best of the worst examples of classic "Nintendo Hard."

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In the wake of the disappointing news about the summary (and seemingly arbitrary) cancellation of Warner Brothers' "Batgirl" film, Saint and Jim break down the intersectionally problematic reasons why the whole thing stinks like last week's leftovers, as well as throwing a spotlight on some other shelved projects that will likely never see the light of day, or the light of a screen. Plus, since we forgot to cover some post-hiatus catch-up news, fans of our rambly tangents will also get to hear us meander off in some random pop-culture directions. Earhole time.

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We're Back! After an eventful summer break, Saint and Jim recap their summer vacations, cover some serious geek goings-on, and delve into the divisive world of directors' cuts. Are they always better? Why do fans feel entitled to them? Why do DIRECTORS sometimes feel entitled to them? We have our thoughts, but — as always — we'd love to hear from you.

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From the dawn of digital entertainment, music has always been a massive part of the gaming experience. Beginning with the looping 8-bit Zelda and Mario-style chiptunes we can all still hum from memory, and culminating in the dozens-of-tracks-deep licensed soundtracks of the Grand Theft Auto and Tony Hawk Pro Skater games, it's next to impossible to imagine some experiences without the accompanying music. On this edition of FYF, Saint and Jim do a deep dive into some of the best.

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We've all heard the fable of the Ship of Theseus, wherein we ask ourselves how many parts of an original thing can be replaced before it can no longer be considered the same overall whole. The same thought experiment applies to bands. How many members can a musical act replace before the band itself can't really be considered the same band anymore? Saint and Jim wondered the same thing. So hop on-board this episode where the sometimes contentious, often weird and occasionally even incestuous topic of replacement band members is kicked around to see what leaks out.

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The internet landscape is a strange, fascinating and ever-changing place. From the early days of Geocities and web counters, to the modern era of social media and curated communities, web culture has always been an ever-changing, mercurial realm. But one of the ways netizens have always communicated their takes on the singular online experience? Memes. But what is a meme? Why do some things go viral and not others? What makes this seemingly-silly medium so potent? On this episode, Saint and Jim dig into the internet's most relatable art form in a wide-ranging discussion with historian and folklorist Tamlin Iverson. Earhole this!

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You'd be forgiven for thinking it when you first heard about it: "Oh, Seth MacFarlane is doing a riff on 'Star Trek'? So, it'll be like if there were dick jokes on the Enterprise?" And honestly, he probably could've gotten away with that. But as anyone who's seen "The Orville" knows, it's so much more than what it seems at first glance. As equal parts inspired hómage, affectionate parody, and in-its-own-right masterpiece, the show has carved out its own place in an ever more crowded sci-fi multiverse...and it's done so on its own terms. So join Saint and Jim as they break open this particular jar of tasty galactic pickles and take a big, juicy bite.

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For as long as they can remember, Saint and Jim have been enamored with stand-up comedy. Something about a fearless funny person standing in front of a brick wall — just them and a microphone, trying to make us all laugh — seems funny in and of itself. But when some humormonger is truly at the top of their craft, stand-up takes on the undeniable patina of art. On today's episode, your intrepid co-hosts chat with one such comic, the funny-for-a-living Kermet Apio. In doing so, a multitude of subjects are covered: the writing process, what touring is REALLY like, and how "cancel culture" has affected comedy among them (as a bonus, get ready for a crash course on Hawai'ian slack-key guitar!).