Science Fiction University

By Driftglass and Blue Gal

What's Science Fiction University about?

Each episode Driftglass and Blue Gal discuss one work of classic science fiction plus one science fiction movie. The two pieces share a theme, whether it be time travel, unreliable narrators, dystopias, etc. Join the adventure at sciencefictionuniversity.com

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Science Fiction University episodes:

04.30.2024
The Day The Earth Stood Still
We talk about "The Day the Earth Stood Still" and the 1940 short story that inspired it, sort of. More at https://www.sciencefictionuniversity.com. Support the show: PayPal | https://paypal.me/proleftpodcast Patreon | https://patreon.com/ proleftpod Support the Show.
04.02.2024
Episode 25 | 3 Body Problem
We talk about the new Apple TV series "3 Body Problem," which we highly recommend. We also relate it to lots of other science fiction works. Looking for political content? We were on The Brad Cast on Monday https://bradblog.com/?p=14989 More at sciencefictionuniversity.com. Our...
03.06.2024
Ep 24 We drop everything to talk about Dune 2
What the title says! Support the show at proleftpod.com and thanks! Support the Show.
02.27.2024
Ep 23 The Maltese Falcon (Is Not Science Fiction)
We take a short break from Science Fiction to dive into the 1941 film noir masterpiece The Maltese Falcon, comparing and contrasting that Humphrey Bogart classic with two earlier versions, one made in 1931, and a Bette Davis comedy (?)...
01.30.2024
Ep 22: How Did You Fall In Love With Science Fiction?
Driftglass and Blue Gal share their stories of falling in love with SF. More at sciencefictionuniversity.com. Support the Show.
11.29.2023
Ep 21: Labor Relations and 'The Icicle Works'
We discuss the very political "The Day the Icicle Works Closed" by Frederick Pohl, and also why science fiction stories often don't stand the test of time. More at sciencefictionuniversity.com. Support the Show.
10.31.2023
Ep 20 Time Travel and Netflix's 'Bodies'
The Netflix series "Bodies" brings up all kinds of connections to time travel in science fiction. We watched the 8 part series in three days -- it's good! Support the Show.
09.26.2023
Ep 19 Too Much of a Good Thing / Whither Dune?
We discuss tragic heroes and utopias in science fiction, then we turn to the possiblity of future Dune movies. More at sciencefictionuniversity.com. Support the Show.
08.29.2023
Ep 18: Fish Stories
Alternate title: 'Mother Nature, USMC'. A subgenre of science fiction in which humans try to bend nature to their will, sometimes with disastrous results. Also, an ocean creature theme. Movies discussed include 1973's 'The Day of the Dolphin'Star Trek IV: The...
07.18.2023
Ep 17: Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One and Neuromancer
Driftglass took Blue Gal to see Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1 for her birthday. During the movie, Driftglass noticed many plot points that connect this blockbuster to William Gibson's 1984 novel, "Neuromancer." So we did a podcast about it. ...
07.10.2023
Ep 16 Multiverses
Multiversal success and failure. Success? Star Trek TOS episode "Mirror, Mirror," and the 2017 Starz series, "Counterpart." Failure? It pains Driftglass to say it, but Robert Heinlein's "The Number of the Beast" is well-known as a massive fail in...
05.29.2023
Ep 15 When Genres Collide!
Science Fiction "versus" Fantasy – When Genres Collide Robert Heinlein’s “Glory Road” Babylon 5: The Technomages. Star Wars John Varley’s Wizard/Demon Trilogy The Dragonriders of Pern Arthur Clarke’s Third Law More at sciencefictionuniversity.com. Support the Show.
04.24.2023
Ep 14 Gene Roddenberry and the Good Robot
We look at a 1970's pilot, "The Questor Tapes," which was a scratchpad for the invention of the TNG character known as Data. More at sciencefictionuniversity.com. Support the Show.
03.28.2023
Ep 13 The Forbin Project and A.I.
The 1970 film, "Colossus: The Forbin Project" and the "uh oh, we shouldn't have done that" genre of science fiction. More at sciencefictionuniversity.com . Support the Show.
02.28.2023
Ep 12: The Prisoner
We discuss our re-watching of Patrick McGoohan in "The Prisoner," perhaps the most influential science fiction single-season show ever. More at sciencefictionuniversity.com Support the Show.
01.31.2023
Ep 11 Adapting Stories to the Screen: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
We discuss what can go wrong, and right, when adapting a much-loved science fiction story to the big or big-ish screen. Examples include Foundation, Dune, and the more recent Kindred. More at ScienceFictionUniversity.com. Support the show at patreon.com/scifiu. Support the...
08.16.2022
Ep 10: When Aliens Are Truly Alien
We discuss Stanley Kubrick's 1968 film, "2001: A Space Odyssey," Andrei Tarkovsky’s 1972 film, “Solaris,” and Denis Villeneuve’s 2016 film, “Arrival.” More at ScienceFictionUniversity.com. Support our ad-free show at our Patreon! Patreon.com/scifiu Support the Show.
02.17.2022
Ep 9: Attack of the '60's
We discuss three modern productions with roots in the 1960's: Apple TV's Foundation, Denis Villeneuve's Dune, and For All Mankind (also Apple TV). More at Sciencefictionuniversity.com. And you can support the show at https://www.patreon.com/scifiu Support the Show.
09.25.2021
Ep 8 Save The Timeline, Destroy the Timeline
We discuss timelines using examples from Loki, Travelers, Star Trek TOS "The City on the Edge of Forever," and 11.22.63 (Honorable mention to “All You Zombies”/”By His Bootstraps”, The End of Eternity) Support the show at sciencefictionuniversity.com or go straight...
03.04.2021
Ep 7: While You Were Sleeping: Planet of the Apes, Idiocracy, Groundhog Day
Looking at time travel stories generated by a main character waking from sleep. More at sciencefictionuniversity.com. (Episode contains spoilers and occasional swear words.) Support the Show.
01.22.2021
Ep 6 System Failure -- The Outsider, The Night Stalker and The Blob
HBO's 2020 series "The Outsider" meets the cult classics the 1972 made-for-TV movie/pilot for "The Night Stalker" and the 1958 Steve McQueen debut "The Blob." These science fiction stories are connected by a truth-knower untrusted by the authorities. Those authorities...
03.26.2020
Ep 5 How Westworld Went South
(Spoiler Alert, and we swear a little in this episode.) We've watched the first two episodes of Season 3 of HBO's Westworld and are ready to call it a #fail as narrative science fiction. But it provides a perfect...
03.21.2020
Ep 4 Neuromancer and 2001: A Space Odyssey
Artificial Intelligences: Driftglass and Blue Gal talk about William Gibson's 1984 novel "Neuromancer," and Stanley Kubrick's 1968 film "2001: A Space Odyssey." SPOILERS as always. Support the show at our Patreon and thanks! Support the Show.
01.01.2020
Ep 3 Special Stranger in a Strange Land and HBO's The Watchmen
Gods Among Us! Driftglass and Blue Gal talk about Valentine Michael Smith in Robert Heinlein's 1961 novel "Stranger in a Strange Land" and Doctor Manhattan in HBO's 2019 series "The Watchmen." Support the show on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/scifiu Support the Show.
12.07.2019
Ep 2 The End of Eternity and Looper
Driftglass and Blue Gal compare and contrast Isaac Asimov's 1955 book "The End of Eternity" with Rian Johnson's 2012 film, "Looper." Support the Show.
11.30.2019
Episode 1: UBIK and Inception
Welcome to Science Fiction University! Our premiere episode concerns Philip K. Dick's 1969 novel UBIK, and Christopher Nolan's 2010 film "Inception." We'd love your feedback at sciencefictionuniversity.com or email the show at [email protected]. Support the Show.

What's Science Fiction University about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Science Fiction University episodes:

The Day The Earth Stood Still

Episode 25 | 3 Body Problem

Ep 24 We drop everything to talk about Dune 2

Ep 23 The Maltese Falcon (Is Not Science Fiction)

Ep 22: How Did You Fall In Love With Science Fiction?

Ep 21: Labor Relations and 'The Icicle Works'

Ep 20 Time Travel and Netflix's 'Bodies'

Ep 19 Too Much of a Good Thing / Whither Dune?

Ep 18: Fish Stories

Ep 17: Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One and Neuromancer

Ep 16 Multiverses

Ep 15 When Genres Collide!

Ep 14 Gene Roddenberry and the Good Robot

Ep 13 The Forbin Project and A.I.

Ep 12: The Prisoner

Ep 11 Adapting Stories to the Screen: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

Ep 10: When Aliens Are Truly Alien

Ep 9: Attack of the '60's

Ep 8 Save The Timeline, Destroy the Timeline

Ep 7: While You Were Sleeping: Planet of the Apes, Idiocracy, Groundhog Day

Ep 6 System Failure -- The Outsider, The Night Stalker and The Blob

Ep 5 How Westworld Went South

Ep 4 Neuromancer and 2001: A Space Odyssey

Ep 3 Special Stranger in a Strange Land and HBO's The Watchmen

Ep 2 The End of Eternity and Looper

Episode 1: UBIK and Inception