Gobbledygeek

Our favorite Britisher, Wesley "Wezzo" Mead, makes his return to Gobbledygeek, appearing twice in one year for the first time. What does he have to say in his alluring hick accent? Lots about politics (they have elections over there too!), the cinema (he watched four whole movies the day we recorded this, including Paper Towns and Vacation!), and the sorry state of TV on DVD (it is ceasing to exist!). Paul and AJ once again have their knickers charmed off by everyone's favorite Trowbridge-ian, even if he is telling them about something called Pinky Malinky.

Next: Greg Sahadachny is back for more of Jeff Smith's Bone, this time discussing Vol. VI: Old Man's Cave.

Comin' straight from the underground, this week Paul and AJ discuss the N.W.A. biopic Straight Outta Compton. Yes, the two whitest podcasters you know deliver their take on the film's authenticity, its sad relevance, where it falls on the biopic spectrum, and yes, the bizarre fact that Ice Cube offspring O'Shea Jackson Jr. is playing Ice Cube. Here's hoping it's less awkward than that time they jammed to "Accidental Racist."

Next: that charming Brit, Wesley "Wezzo" Mead, is back for another round of charming Brit-ness.

Stop me if you've heard this one before: a near-autistic supergenius, a Portishead-loving invisible girl, a man on fire, and a big ol' pile of rocks walk into another dimension... Oh wait, you have heard this one before? You didn't like it then, either? Huh. Hollywood has now ruined the Fantastic Four three times, and Paul and AJ are on hand to detail all the ways this one goes wrong. What makes it worse is that it starts with Josh Trank's good intentions to give Marvel's first family a fresh update with a strong cast featuring Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan, and Jaime Bell. Re-edits, reshoots, and one incomprehensible finale later, those good intentions have been nullified. What happened? DOOM.

Next: who knows? It’s a mystery episode.

The Geek Challenge once more rears its ugly head, this time to a dark and somber tune. That's right, Paul and AJ have decided to talk about music again, a subject which they famously lack the words to discuss. But that won't stop 'em! AJ has challenged Paul to John Lennon's debut solo album, 1970's John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, known for its direct and confessional lyrics; while Paul has challenged AJ to the middle album in The Sisters of Mercy catalogue, 1987's Floodland, a dark and alluring set of songs which may make no sense whatsoever. How much will Paul and AJ embarrass themselves? Tune in and find out!

Next: Fantastic Four? Don't get ahead of yourself.

Power is the only thing of substance in this world. Well, that and Jeff Smith's Bone, which Greg Sahadachny of The Debatable Podcast joins Paul and AJ to discuss once more. This time, the gang scales the cliffs of Vol. V: Rock Jaw - Master of the Eastern Border. It's an imposing title for such a straightforward volume, not to mention the shortest of the series thus far. Yet the boys find plenty to talk about, including the introduction of new character Roque Ja, a smooth-talking feline whose name no one can pronounce; the moving tale of Smiley and Bartleby the rat creature cub; and whether or not Smith gets away with the dreamlike narrative. Next: Paul and AJ face the music with a new Geek Challenge. AJ must listen to Floodland by Sisters of Mercy, while Paul has to give John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band a spin.

For the twelfth entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the House of Ideas goes microscopic with Ant-Man, bringing Paul Rudd into the fold and attempting to shrink from their recent overstuffed epics. Is there still room for a small-scale, one-and-done movie in the MCU? On their way to finding out, Paul and AJ discuss the film's inventive use of perspective, what it thinks of women, how Rudd stacks up as a superhero, and yes, Peyton Reed taking over the director's chair from an unhappy Edgar Wright.

Next: Greg Sahadachny is back for another Four-Color Flashback installment exploring Jeff Smith's Bone. This time, we're taking a look at Vol. V: Rock Jaw - Master of the Eastern Border.

I'm sure you've missed Paul and AJ in their extended absence. (Are those crickets I hear?) Well, if you'd like to find out what they were up to, the lowdown's here, as the boys--along with original Gobbler Joseph Lewis--subject anyone who dares listen to the 21st century equivalent of vacation slideshows. These three heathens made their way down to Austin, TX, where they enjoyed the sights, the sounds, the movies, the food. Oh, did they enjoy the food. On their surprisingly Confederate flag-free tour of the South, they also hit Memphis, Nashville, and New Orleans, all of which they discuss in detail. The gang talks about the many movies they saw at the Alamo Drafthouse (including Terminator Genisys and Magic Mike XXL), what they wrote on the wall outside Graceland, and their surprise celebrity encounter at Third Man Records. Next: Marvel's biggest little hero gets his turn in the spotlight with Ant-Man.

During Miyazaki Month earlier this year, Paul and AJ (along with a number of their friends) discussed every feature film of Hayao Miyazaki's career...except two. Which is why they've revived the concept for a "lost" Miyazaki Month analyzing 1979's The Castle of Cagliostro, Miyazaki's first movie; and 2008's Ponyo, his penultimate film. Well, "analyze" might be the wrong word...for different reasons, these are two movies which don't necessarily require a lot of thought. But the boys give it their all anyway, going over Cagliostro's heist picture wackiness and Ponyo's dreamlike simplicity, not to mention Hitler and nightmare fish Muppets. Next: we're on vacation...so who knows! But we'll be back!

We got th' gitchy feelin', which can only mean one thing...it's time for another Four-Color Flashback installment exploring the world of Jeff Smith's Bone. Once again, Greg Sahadachny of The Debatable Podcast and All the Pieces Matter joins Paul and AJ to discuss Bone: Vol IV - The Dragonslayer. The series now has both feet in the "epic fantasy realm," so the gang discusses how the expository infodumps work, how Smith maintains his sense of humor amid the darkness, Phoney's major heel turn, and whether or not you should be reading this thing in color or black-and-white. Next: while Paul and AJ are gone fishin', they've discovered a "lost" Miyazaki Month episode! They'll discuss the only two Miyazaki features they didn't get to in April, 1979's The Castle of Cagliostro and 2008's Ponyo.

If you ever feel like you've got more than one voice in your head...you just might. That's what the eight leads of Netflix's new series Sense8 discover. What Paul and AJ discover, along with their The Deli Counter of Justice co-editor Eric Sipple, is that the show, from the minds of the Wachowski siblings and J. Michael Straczynski, is a fascinating intersection of race, class, sexuality, and geography. As the characters experience the world through each others' eyes--and beyond--the show delves into a topic unfamiliar to much pop culture: empathy. The gang digs into Sense8's metaphysical kick, its brilliantly layered characters, its binge-watching model, and more. Next: Greg Sahadachny of The Debatable Podcast drops in for another Four-Color Flashback episode examining Jeff Smith's Bone. This time, we'll be reading Bone: Vol IV - The Dragonslayer.