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What actually makes a disaster movie?

Is it explosions? CGI destruction? Cities getting wiped off the map?

Or is it something smaller—and a lot more human?

In this episode of Original Geek, we break down what defines a true disaster movie, why the best ones still work decades later, and why so many modern films miss the point entirely.

From the golden age classics like The Poseidon Adventure and The Towering Inferno to modern, grounded survival stories like Greenland, we explore the core formula that makes disaster movies resonate: ordinary people, impossible choices, and society under pressure.

We also debate whether superhero movies, sci-fi epics, and “disaster-adjacent” films really belong in the genre—and why bigger destruction doesn’t always mean better storytelling.

If you love disaster movies, grew up watching them, or just want to understand why some stick with you long after the credits roll, this one’s for you.

Welcome back to the basement.

Welcome to Original Geek—the podcast for anyone who rolled their first d20 on shag carpet, waited hours for a comic book JPEG to load on dial-up, and wore the label “geek” back when it got you mocked, not monetized.

Hosted by stand-up comic Steve Scarfo and Forever DM Jeff Shaw, we dive deep into what it meant to be a geek in the '70s and '80s—and how that underground culture became the mainstream multiverse we live in today.

🎙️ Subscribe for weekly episodes on Dungeons & Dragons, Star Wars, comic book chaos, geek court debates, and critical hits from your childhood basement.

👾 Follow us @OriginalGeekPodcast on socials and visit OriginalGeekPodcast.com for merch, extras, and to send us your own geeky tales.

If you ever hid a Monster Manual like it was porn, you’re not alone. You’re an Original Geek. Welcome home.

Connect with us!

This episode of Original Geek Random Review focuses exclusively on Stranger Things Season 5 Episodes 5, 6, and 7 — and what they’re setting up for the finale.

Using a D20 dice roll, we let fate decide which topics come up for debate, including the biggest questions fans are arguing about after Part 2.

We break down:

• The wormhole vs. time travel debate and why the show avoids a reset
• Why the wormhole functions as a bridge, not a timeline fix
• Mr. Clark’s return and his quiet but crucial role in the endgame
• Dungeons & Dragons shifting from metaphor to shared language
• Why restraint and consequences matter more than spectacle
• Predictions for the finale, including music choices, possible betrayals, and major character deaths

We also dig into fan expectations, red herrings, and why Episodes 5–7 slow the pace on purpose to build emotional weight instead of nonstop action.

This is not a recap of the season.
 This is a focused analysis of Part 2 and what comes next.

🎲 No prep. No safety net.
 🎧 Roll for review.

Welcome to Original Geek—the podcast for anyone who rolled their first d20 on shag carpet, waited hours for a comic book JPEG to load on dial-up, and wore the label “geek” back when it got you mocked, not monetized.

Hosted by stand-up comic Steve Scarfo and Forever DM Jeff Shaw, we dive deep into what it meant to be a geek in the '70s and '80s—and how that underground culture became the mainstream multiverse we live in today.

🎙️ Subscribe for weekly episodes on Dungeons & Dragons, Star Wars, comic book chaos, geek court debates, and critical hits from your childhood basement.

👾 Follow us @OriginalGeekPodcast on socials and visit OriginalGeekPodcast.com for merch, extras, and to send us your own geeky tales.

If you ever hid a Monster Manual like it was porn, you’re not alone. You’re an Original Geek. Welcome home.

Connect with us!

Before he was an action legend, Bruce Willis was a wisecracking TV star from Moonlighting. Then Die Hard happened—and John McClane changed action movies forever.

In this episode of Original Geek, we use Die Hard as the entry point to talk about Bruce Willis’ true legacy: the rise of the vulnerable, everyman action hero. We break down why John McClane worked when muscle-bound, invincible heroes dominated the screen, and how villains like **Alan Rickman’s Hans Gruber elevated the genre. We also look at why modern heroes—from James Bond to John Wick—owe everything to this shift.

Yes, we debate whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie. But this episode is really about how Bruce Willis changed action movies forever—and why Hollywood still hasn’t replaced him.

Original Geek Podcast | Bruce Willis | Die Hard

Welcome to Original Geek—the podcast for anyone who rolled their first d20 on shag carpet, waited hours for a comic book JPEG to load on dial-up, and wore the label “geek” back when it got you mocked, not monetized.

Hosted by stand-up comic Steve Scarfo and Forever DM Jeff Shaw, we dive deep into what it meant to be a geek in the '70s and '80s—and how that underground culture became the mainstream multiverse we live in today.

🎙️ Subscribe for weekly episodes on Dungeons & Dragons, Star Wars, comic book chaos, geek court debates, and critical hits from your childhood basement.

👾 Follow us @OriginalGeekPodcast on socials and visit OriginalGeekPodcast.com for merch, extras, and to send us your own geeky tales.

If you ever hid a Monster Manual like it was porn, you’re not alone. You’re an Original Geek. Welcome home.

Connect with us!

In Part 2 of our Stranger Things Season 5 Random Review of the first four episodes, the dice take us straight into the emotional and structural heart of the season.

We roll a successful Sense Motive check and land on one of the most debated arcs of the series so far: Max’s coma, Vecna’s memory trap, and whether the show is flirting with a storytelling risk it can’t afford to miss.

We break down:

• Why Max’s storyline is powerful and dangerous if mishandled
• Lucas as the emotional anchor of the arc
• The Wrinkle in Time parallels and why they matter more than people think
• How Episode 4’s spectacle marks the true turning point of the season
• Why the military presence was never real protection to begin with
• Will’s connection, Vecna’s control, and the moment the show flips the table

This isn’t nitpicking.
 It’s a deep-cut, Gen X–grounded conversation about stakes, structure, and payoff.

🎲 This is Part 2 of our Stranger Things Random Review.
If you haven’t listened to Part 1 yet, start there—then roll back in.

Welcome to Original Geek—the podcast for anyone who rolled their first d20 on shag carpet, waited hours for a comic book JPEG to load on dial-up, and wore the label “geek” back when it got you mocked, not monetized.

Hosted by stand-up comic Steve Scarfo and Forever DM Jeff Shaw, we dive deep into what it meant to be a geek in the '70s and '80s—and how that underground culture became the mainstream multiverse we live in today.

🎙️ Subscribe for weekly episodes on Dungeons & Dragons, Star Wars, comic book chaos, geek court debates, and critical hits from your childhood basement.

👾 Follow us @OriginalGeekPodcast on socials and visit OriginalGeekPodcast.com for merch, extras, and to send us your own geeky tales.

If you ever hid a Monster Manual like it was porn, you’re not alone. You’re an Original Geek. Welcome home.

Connect with us!

You don’t hate Stranger Things Season 5…
but something definitely feels off.

In Part 1 of our Stranger Things Season 5 Random Review, we roll the dice and let chaos decide what we talk about—because that’s the only honest way to review a show this big.

We dig into:

• Why the Season 5 timeline is starting to strain credibility
• The Vecna Retcon and does it work
• The difference between bigger stakes and better storytelling

This isn’t a recap.
 It’s not a hate-watch.
 And it’s definitely not blind fandom.

It’s a Gen X–powered, dice-rolled breakdown of what’s working, what’s wobbling, and what Season 5 needs to land the plane.

🎲 This is Part 1 of our Random Review—Part 2 drops next.
Grab your Eggos. Welcome back to the basement.

Welcome to Original Geek—the podcast for anyone who rolled their first d20 on shag carpet, waited hours for a comic book JPEG to load on dial-up, and wore the label “geek” back when it got you mocked, not monetized.

Hosted by stand-up comic Steve Scarfo and Forever DM Jeff Shaw, we dive deep into what it meant to be a geek in the '70s and '80s—and how that underground culture became the mainstream multiverse we live in today.

🎙️ Subscribe for weekly episodes on Dungeons & Dragons, Star Wars, comic book chaos, geek court debates, and critical hits from your childhood basement.

👾 Follow us @OriginalGeekPodcast on socials and visit OriginalGeekPodcast.com for merch, extras, and to send us your own geeky tales.

If you ever hid a Monster Manual like it was porn, you’re not alone. You’re an Original Geek. Welcome home.

Connect with us!

You think you grew up watching claymation Christmas specials.
 You didn’t.

In this episode of Original Geek, we take a deep dive into the classic Rankin & Bass Christmas specials and break down one of the biggest holiday pop-culture myths of all time. From Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman to Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town and The Year Without a Santa Claus, we unpack how these half-hour TV events shaped generations of kids.

We explain why Rankin & Bass animation wasn’t claymation at all — it was a stop-motion process called Animagic — and how many of these specials were produced in Japan on surprisingly small budgets. Despite those limitations, they created some of the most enduring holiday imagery and storytelling ever broadcast.

We also look at why nearly every Rankin & Bass story centers on misfits, redemption, and learning not to be a jerk — themes that hit harder than most modern holiday movies. Along the way, we revisit the characters that secretly terrified us as kids (yes, the Miser Brothers and the Winter Warlock absolutely count) and why those unsettling moments stuck with us.

More than nostalgia, this episode is about why shared, scheduled television mattered — planning your night around the TV, watching as a family, and having cultural touchstones everyone understood.

If you grew up planning your evening around network TV…
 If the Miser Brothers still live rent-free in your head…
 If your kids think this stuff is “old” and you’re ready to prove them wrong…

Welcome back to the basement.

Topics include: Rankin & Bass Christmas specials, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Animagic animation, stop-motion history, Gen X holiday nostalgia, classic television specials.

Welcome to Original Geek—the podcast for anyone who rolled their first d20 on shag carpet, waited hours for a comic book JPEG to load on dial-up, and wore the label “geek” back when it got you mocked, not monetized.

Hosted by stand-up comic Steve Scarfo and Forever DM Jeff Shaw, we dive deep into what it meant to be a geek in the '70s and '80s—and how that underground culture became the mainstream multiverse we live in today.

🎙️ Subscribe for weekly episodes on Dungeons & Dragons, Star Wars, comic book chaos, geek court debates, and critical hits from your childhood basement.

👾 Follow us @OriginalGeekPodcast on socials and visit OriginalGeekPodcast.com for merch, extras, and to send us your own geeky tales.

If you ever hid a Monster Manual like it was porn, you’re not alone. You’re an Original Geek. Welcome home.

Connect with us!

The Karate Kid is one of the most iconic Gen X movies ever made — and somehow, it’s still starting fights 40 years later.

In this episode of Original Geek, we break down why The Karate Kid refuses to stay a simple underdog story. From the now-viral “Daniel LaRusso is the real bully” theory to the infamous crane kick controversy, we follow the chain of events that keeps fans arguing decades after the credits rolled.

We take a hard look at the moments that fuel the debate: the first encounter on the beach, the bathroom prank, the escalation of every major fight, and whether Daniel actually throws the first punch more often than people remember. We also unpack the so-called “15-Minute Movie Theory” — the idea that a single competent adult could have ended the entire conflict before it ever became a tournament.

We dig into whether the crane kick was actually illegal (spoiler: the tournament rules are a mess), how Cobra Kai reframed the franchise, and why characters like Johnny Lawrence feel very different when you rewatch the story as an adult. Along the way, we also ask the uncomfortable question: how many adults in this movie completely failed at their jobs?

This episode is packed with Geek Court energy, 80s nostalgia, training montages, and just enough sarcasm to keep things honest — without gatekeeping or hero worship.

If you grew up quoting Mr. Miyagi, practicing crane kicks in your driveway, or binge-watching Cobra Kai and suddenly questioning everything you thought you knew — this one’s for you.

Topics include: The Karate Kid, Daniel LaRusso, Johnny Lawrence, Cobra Kai, 1980s movies, pop-culture fan theories, nostalgia rewatch debates.

Welcome to Original Geek—the podcast for anyone who rolled their first d20 on shag carpet, waited hours for a comic book JPEG to load on dial-up, and wore the label “geek” back when it got you mocked, not monetized.

Hosted by stand-up comic Steve Scarfo and Forever DM Jeff Shaw, we dive deep into what it meant to be a geek in the '70s and '80s—and how that underground culture became the mainstream multiverse we live in today.

🎙️ Subscribe for weekly episodes on Dungeons & Dragons, Star Wars, comic book chaos, geek court debates, and critical hits from your childhood basement.

👾 Follow us @OriginalGeekPodcast on socials and visit OriginalGeekPodcast.com for merch, extras, and to send us your own geeky tales.

If you ever hid a Monster Manual like it was porn, you’re not alone. You’re an Original Geek. Welcome home.

Connect with us!

Stranger Things isn’t just nostalgic — it’s accurate. And that’s why it hits Gen X differently than any other generation.

In this episode of Original Geek, we break down why Stranger Things feels less like a retro throwback and more like lived memory for anyone who grew up in the 1970s and 1980s. From riding bikes until dark and killing time in basements, to facing real fear without adults hovering nearby, the show captures the emotional reality of Gen X childhood in a way most nostalgia-driven projects completely miss.

We talk about what the series gets exactly right — friendships forged under pressure, kids solving problems adults can’t, and a world where independence wasn’t optional — and where it starts to strain credibility as the seasons go on. We also unpack the role of Dungeons & Dragons in the show, not as a gimmick, but as cultural shorthand for how Gen X kids understood danger, morality, and imagination.

From Eddie Munson’s impact to monsters viewed through a D&D lens, to the 80s soundtrack revival that spilled onto TikTok, we examine how Stranger Things became a cultural bridge between generations — and why some later story choices feel less authentic to the grounded world the show originally built.

We also get honest about the cracks: plot holes, the Russian lab storyline, and whether Season 5 can actually stick the landing without losing what made the show resonate in the first place.

If you’re Gen X, this episode will feel uncomfortably familiar.
 If you’re younger, it explains why this show means so much to the people who lived it.

Topics include: Stranger Things, Gen X nostalgia, 1980s culture, pop culture analysis, geek history.

Welcome to Original Geek—the podcast for anyone who rolled their first d20 on shag carpet, waited hours for a comic book JPEG to load on dial-up, and wore the label “geek” back when it got you mocked, not monetized.

Hosted by stand-up comic Steve Scarfo and Forever DM Jeff Shaw, we dive deep into what it meant to be a geek in the '70s and '80s—and how that underground culture became the mainstream multiverse we live in today.

🎙️ Subscribe for weekly episodes on Dungeons & Dragons, Star Wars, comic book chaos, geek court debates, and critical hits from your childhood basement.

👾 Follow us @OriginalGeekPodcast on socials and visit OriginalGeekPodcast.com for merch, extras, and to send us your own geeky tales.

If you ever hid a Monster Manual like it was porn, you’re not alone. You’re an Original Geek. Welcome home.

Connect with us!

How the Master of Horror became the ultimate Geek King

Stephen King didn’t just write horror — he defined it. From Carrie to It, The Shining to Shawshank, King’s stories built an entire universe of fear, magic, and monsters that shaped every geek kid who ever stayed up too late with a flashlight and a paperback.

In this episode, Steve Scarfo and Jeff Shaw — your resident Gen X geeks — dive headfirst into the Stephen King multiverse: the books, the movies, the flops, and the freaky brilliance that made him the undisputed King of Nightmares.

Featuring Joey Quartuccio for the GEEK FLASHBACK!

“If you survived Derry, hit follow.”

Welcome to Original Geek—the podcast for anyone who rolled their first d20 on shag carpet, waited hours for a comic book JPEG to load on dial-up, and wore the label “geek” back when it got you mocked, not monetized.

Hosted by stand-up comic Steve Scarfo and Forever DM Jeff Shaw, we dive deep into what it meant to be a geek in the '70s and '80s—and how that underground culture became the mainstream multiverse we live in today.

🎙️ Subscribe for weekly episodes on Dungeons & Dragons, Star Wars, comic book chaos, geek court debates, and critical hits from your childhood basement.

👾 Follow us @OriginalGeekPodcast on socials and visit OriginalGeekPodcast.com for merch, extras, and to send us your own geeky tales.

If you ever hid a Monster Manual like it was porn, you’re not alone. You’re an Original Geek. Welcome home.

Connect with us!

Grab your popcorn and dim the lights — this week on Original Geek, we’re firing up the old TV set for a trip back to Creature Double Feature! 👾

Steve and Jeff dig into the evolution of the movie monster — from the campy rubber suits of the 70s to the CGI behemoths that crush cities (and box offices) today. We’re talking Godzilla, Gill-Man, Dracula, Demogorgons, and the glorious weirdness that made monster flicks a geek rite of passage.

Rubber suits beat pixels.

In this episode, we revisit creature features, practical effects, and the monsters that shaped generations of geeks. From camp to cool, we explore why physical monsters still hit harder.

Topics include: monster movies, practical effects, CGI, horror history, pop culture nostalgia.

Welcome to Original Geek—the podcast for anyone who rolled their first d20 on shag carpet, waited hours for a comic book JPEG to load on dial-up, and wore the label “geek” back when it got you mocked, not monetized.

Hosted by stand-up comic Steve Scarfo and Forever DM Jeff Shaw, we dive deep into what it meant to be a geek in the '70s and '80s—and how that underground culture became the mainstream multiverse we live in today.

🎙️ Subscribe for weekly episodes on Dungeons & Dragons, Star Wars, comic book chaos, geek court debates, and critical hits from your childhood basement.

👾 Follow us @OriginalGeekPodcast on socials and visit OriginalGeekPodcast.com for merch, extras, and to send us your own geeky tales.

If you ever hid a Monster Manual like it was porn, you’re not alone. You’re an Original Geek. Welcome home.