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In episode 5 of the Implausipod we'll start our exploration of Appendix W, with a timely look at one of the inspirations for the space hulks within the Warhammer 40000 universe, and a surprise visit from a monster originally introduced in the pages of Rogue Trader: the enigmatic Enslavers! These both appeared in S01E08 of British sci-fi series Space:1999, and it ended up being an influence on other films like Alien (and Aliens) as well.  Join us on a trip 47 years into the past to explore the source of some iconic science fiction tropes. Enjoy!

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Welcome to episode 4 of the Implausipod, introducing the Appendix W. Originally introduced on our blog last year (find it here: https://implausi.blog/?cat=17 ),  the Appendix W is a collection of the titles that defined the Warhammer 40000 universe and it early development, drawing on titles from science fiction, comics, movies, tv, anime, and heavy metal album covers.

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Welcome to Episode 3 of the Implausipod.  In this episode, we're taking a quick look at the subgenre of science fiction called cyberpunk.  It's been mentioned a few times in the first few episodes, so I thought it warranted a closer look.  So we'll draw a through line between Bladerunner and the Matrix, and from Neuromancer to the Diamond Age, and touching on the intervening points.  As cyberpunk is a transmedia genre (existing in various versions in film, television, fiction, rpgs, video games, comic books, etc.), we'll cover some of the main tropes and conventions of the genre, and key titles.  This isn't an exhaustive guide, but I hope it's enough to get your feet wet. 

This episode will also help align our episode numbering with the remainder of Season 4 of Westworld, which will help us stay on topic.  Well, help me at least.

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Welcome to Episode 2 of the Implausipod! In this episode we'll look at the use of genre in Westworld, centred around Season 4 Episode 3 Annees Folles.  The show has had an deep and ongoing relation with genre since it's beginning, and has grown since Season 2.  Westworld asks us if genre is an aesthetic, which can be transposed upon the structure of the media that we participate with?  We look at the larger genres that Westworld is situated in and tries to break out of, including cyberpunk, the western, and others, and look at how genre is employed in KW Jeter's novel Noir and in the TTRPG Shadowrun.

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Welcome to the Implausipod!  I'm your host Dr Implausible.  In this episode, we offer a brief introduction, and then discuss some of the broader themes of arising out of Season 4, Episode 2 of HBO's "Westworld" series, originally airing on 2022-07-03.  We offer a quick comparison with Jonathan Nolan's earlier work and cyberpunk science fiction, before looking at the some basic concepts of emergence that are appearing in, and may have had an influence on, the show.  

Finally, in the interest of brevity and maintaining momentum, we'll lay out a quick guide to the future of this podcast.  We're aiming for the first "arc" to run parallel to season 4 of the show, after which we will turn to some related materials that are linked to our larger project.

Thanks for joining us, we're glad to have you with us.

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