Nuke the Stars

With the shipwide system failure fixed, Nuke dusts off the recording equipment to recap a month's worth of events. This episode features the PC repair saga, a robust review of Bioshock Infinite, three Listener Mail letters, Jupiter memories, Radiant Historia, and newsroom nerdery with a twist.

The journey continues deeper into the Studio Ghibli catalogue. Special guest Mr. Work returns to help analyze the eclectic quintet of Only Yesterday, Porco Rosso, Ocean Waves, Pom Poko, and Whisper of the Heart. Ghibli's "school days" set draws vibrant discussion, thoughtful reflection, and, of course, ball jokes.

It's time to feel pretty! Episode 13 explores the topic of playing as a female character in video games while trying to keep some semblance of one's masculinity intact. Rounding out the show are a chess triumph, helpful listener mail, and newsroom nerdery.

A chemical mishap without a stimpack in sight. This precautionary episode explores what not to do with sleeping pills, newsroom nerdery, the death of 1up.com, memories of a religious gaming marathon, listener mail, a bit of Dishonored, Ghost Trick and Naruto, and how some people really, really suck at chess. For example - the host.

Wow! This awestruck episode explores old cassette recordings, listener mail, brief reminiscences of Germany, Dishonored's teleporty goodness, the magic of generational leaps for games, and a little newsroom nerdery (complete with George heads!)

A wormhole briefly consumes the Nukelahoma, transporting the show to times gone by. The mystical trip includes a silly opening song, Calvin and Hobbes, church memories, Naruto, the triumphant final edition of the Half-Life Game Club, and some newsroom nerdery.

It's a raspy-voiced, after-hours show this time. Awwwwwww yeah. A sickly Nuke responds to a lot of feedback (destroying an attempt at brevity), nears the alien homeworld in the Half-Life Game Club, and rattles off a tiny bit of Newsroom Nerdery before ending the "frogcast" with an appropriate clip from a different show entirely.

Nuke hops a frigate back to Earth to visit family for the holidays. This episode features a Stevesmas account, some festive newsroom nerdery, an action-packed Half-Life Game Club, Jodie Foster, and an in-depth discussion (rant) about game endings. Mass Effect 3's ending brought Nuke to tears... though an infected tearduct probably had something to do with that. We may never know.

A dreamy, dancey, opposite-speaky episode sees lazy host Nuke talking about more feedback, recording an impossible Nintendo rave, playing the role of Tim Robbins in the Half-Life Game Club, pondering the allure of farming with Rune Factory 3, and dabbling in a little newsroom nerdery.

It's one humdinger of an anime show this week as special guest Mr. Work helps Nuke analyze the first five movies from the beloved Studio Ghibli - Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Castle in the Sky, Grave of the Fireflies, My Neighbor Totoro, and Kiki's Delivery Service. Get ready for some fun!.. and death and horror. Mostly fun, though!