Super Fantastic Nerd Hour!

“What will happen to me if I fail your test?” We review Alex Garland’s new film — Ex Machina! How does it reinterpret the famous Turing Test for Artificial Intelligence? Is the film feminist or sexist? Does Alicia Vikander’s Ava have consciousness? In the INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER, who has more human AI — Ex Machina or Blade Runner? BY YOUR COMMAND, we share our top 5 robots. 

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• 0:00 - 16:54: Ex Machina (non-spoilers)
• 16:55 - 1:03:45: Ex Machina (spoilers)
• 1:03:46 - 1:14:30: INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER: Ex Machina VS. Blade Runner
• 1:14:31 - 1:34:56: Top 5 Robots

• You Need to Get to Know Ex Machina’s Alicia Vikander
• Ex Machina stunt at SXSW has users falling for a robot on Tinder
• That Computer Actually Got an F on the Turing Test
• Ex Machina Has a Serious Fembot Problem
• Martine Rothblatt - SXSW 2015 Interactive Keynote: AI, Immortality and the Future of Selves
• Technology is Turning Everyone into a Celebrity and the Paparazzi
• Boston Dynamics Big Dog
• Super Fantastic Nerd Hour: Her, Samantha VS. HAL 9000, Top 5 Artificial Intelligence Films

Conrad: 

1. BigDog (Boston Dynamics)
2. Ash, Bishop (Alien, Aliens)
3. Data (Star Trek: The Next Generation)
4. Marvin (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy)
5. TARS (Interstellar)

Ali:

1. R2D2 (Star Wars)
2. Data (Star Trek: The Next Generation)
3. Number Six (Battlestar Galactica)
4. HAL 9000 (2001: A Space Odyssey)
5. Adam Link ("I, Robot", The Outer Limits)

“I’m asking for forgiveness for what I’m about to do.” Without spoilers, we review Marvel’s new TV series Daredevil! How did we get from a critically panned Ben Affleck 2003 film to a critically acclaimed 2015 Netflix series? Does this show honor Frank Miller's gritty New York City source material? What’s Daredevil’s relationship with the Marvel Cinematic Universe? In the INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER, what’s the better criminal street drama — Daredevil or Gotham? We share our top 5 worst superhero films.

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Show Notes

• 0:00 - 55:25: Netflix's Daredevil (non-spoilers)
• 55:26 - 1:07:11: INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER: Daredevil VS. Gotham
• 1:07:10 - 1:59:38: Top 5 Worst Superhero Movies

• How Ben Affleck's Daredevil got all the right stuff wrong
• Daredevil: A Longform Approach to Comic-Book Television
• 7 Things We Learned From Binge-Watching Daredevil
• That fight scene in Daredevil was actually done in one shot
• Daredevil Netflix Series: Marvel Universe Easter Eggs and Comic References Guide
• After online pressure, Netflix makes Daredevil and other shows accessible to the blind
• Gotham’s Back! Oh, Wait, That’s Not A Good Thing.

Conrad: 

1. X-Men: The last Stand
2. Spawn
3. The League of Extraordinary Gentleman
4. Catwoman
5. Constantine

Ali:

1. Superman III & Superman IV
2. Ghost Rider
3. Green Lantern
4. Spider-Man 3
5. X-Men Origins: Wolverine

“The most important thing in life will always be the people in this room, right here, right now.” We discuss the latest entry into the Fast and Furiousverse - Furious 7! What elevates this franchise above your average action film? How did it become an accidental cinematic universe? What was the impact of Paul Walker’s passing and how does the film honor his life? Plus all the reasons why Vin Diesel is so awesome. In the INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER, what franchise has better team setpieces — The Fast and Furious or Mission: Impossible? We confess our top 5 guilty pleasures. 0:00 - 31:28: Furious 7 (non-spoilers); 31:29 - 50:58: Furious 7 (spoilers); 50:59 - 1:03:35: INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER: Fast and Furious VS. Mission: Impossible; 1:03:36 - 1:45:41: Top 5 Guilty Pleasures.

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Show Notes

• 0:00 - 31:28: Furious 7 (non-spoilers)
• 31:29 - 50:58: Furious 7 (spoilers)
• 50:59 - 1:03:35: INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER: Fast and Furious VS. Mission: Impossible
• 1:03:36 - 1:45:41: Top 5 Guilty Pleasures

• The Overstuffed, Overdone, Overlong, Cheerfully Absurd 'Furious 7'
• The Simple Joy and Sincere Wonder of “Furious 7”
• Global Box Office: 'Furious 7' Soars to Staggering $800.5M
• 'Furious 7' and How Peter Jackson's Weta Created Digital Paul Walker
• How Paul Walker's Death Turned 'Furious 7' Into A Blockbuster
• Could Furious 7’s Double-Skyscraper Jump Really Happen? We Asked a Physicist.
• Fact-checking Furious 7: Can you really break out of a cast by flexing your muscles?

Bill: 

1. Gilmore GIrls
2. National Treasure
3. American Pickers
4. Meat Loaf's "Bat Out Of Hell"
5. Tasty Jacks

Conrad: 

1. She-Wolf of London
2. Underworld
3. Haven
4. Britney Spears' "Hit Me Baby One More Time"
5. McDonald's cheeseburgers

Ali:

1. Love Actually 
2. Mortal Kombat
3. The Bachelor
4. ★NSYNC
5. Sour Patch Kids

“Make a hawk a dove, stop a war with love, make a liar tell the truth!” We discuss Kristy Guevar-Flanagan’s documentary Wonder Women: The Untold Story of American Superheroines! How did Wonder Woman go from being one of most innovative superheroes during World War II to a powerless stereotype in the 1950s? What role did she play in the feminist movement? How did Wonder Woman influence the modern age of female superheroes and why has it taken so long to give her a feature film? Wonder Woman takes on Jean Grey in the INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER! We share our top 5 female role models.

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Show Notes

• 0:00 - 44:28: Wonder Women: The Untold Story of American Superheroines
• 44:29 - 56:50: INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER: Wonder Woman VS. Jean Grey
• 56:51 - 1:36:54: Top 5 Female Role Models

• Wonder Women: The Untold Story of American Superheroines
• Female Superheroes Were Not Created to Excite Men
• 5 Cool Facts That You Probably Didn’t Know About ‘Wonder Woman’
• 5 Super Women That Deserve Their Own SOLO Film
• A Little Girl Writes A Letter To DC Comics They Should Keep On Every Wall
• An illustrated guide to superhero movies that pass the Bechdel Test
• Marvel Announces New All-Female Avengers Team!
• Study Finds Fewer Female Protagonists in Hollywood’s Top Films
• Representation of Female Characters in Movies Is Improving
• Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel: 5 Rules to Make Super-Heroines Work
• 12 Women Who Have Helped Transform the Comic Book Industry
• Scandal Over Sexually Violent Batgirl Cover Reveals Changing Comics Landscape
• Wonder Woman’s Invisible Jet Now on Display
• Ellen Pao and the Sexism You Can’t Quite Prove

Conrad: 

1. Sally Ride
2. Aerin (The Hero and the Crown)
3. Ripley (Aliens)
4. Buffy Summers (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
5. Kamala Khan (Ms. Marvel)

Ali:

1. Mary Cover Jones
2. Ellen Pao
3. Malala Yousifazi
4. Oprah Winfrey
5. D.C. Fontana

“Money gives power, well, a run for its money.” We discuss Netflix’s House of Card: Season 3! What happens to Kevin Spacey’s Frank Underwood when the power he craves remains out of his reach? Does House of Cards successfully pivot to character and policy stories? And what’s the deal with Robin Wright’s Claire Underwood this season? We caucus for our favorite Washingtonian political drama as House of Cards and The West Wing enter the INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER. It's a deliciously evil top 5 as we share our favorite anti-heroes. Special guest, policy wonk Lowen Baumgarten. 

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Show Notes

• 0:00 - 12:12: House of Cards: Season 3 (non-spoilers)
• 12:13 - 42:00: House of Cards: Season 3 (spoilers) 
• 42:01 - 1:10:29 INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER: House of Cards VS. The West Wing
• 1:10:30 - 1:51:19: Top 5 Anti-Heroes

• AV Club reviews House of Cards: Season 3
• House of Zzzzs: The Netflix thriller makes itself over as a plodding relationship drama.
• House of Cards Season 3 Finale Recap: Good-bye to All That
• NY Times: ‘House of Cards’ Season 3 Finale Recap: This Office Has One Chair
• The Atlantic: House of Cards Season 3: The Binge Review
• 'House of Cards' Should Stop Trying to Be 'The West Wing'
• House of Cards/The West Wing Mashup
• Washington Noir
• House of Cards, West Wing and the Millennial Generation

Lowen:

1. Walter White (Breaking Bad)
2. Raskolnikov (Crime and Punishment)
3. Tony Soprano (The Sopranos)
4. Rorschach (Watchmen)
5. Salieri (Amadeus)

Conrad: 

1. Rorschach (Watchmen)
2. Beatrix Kiddo ("The Bride") (Kill Bill)
3. Don Draper (Mad Men)
4. Raymond 'Red' Reddington (The Blacklist)
5. Nancy Botwin (Weeds)

Ali:

1. Walter White (Breaking Bad)
2. Q (Star Trek: The Next Generation)
3. Catwoman (Batman: The Animated Series)
4. Don Draper (Mad Men)
5. Severus Snape (Harry Potter)

“My umbrella concern is that you as a character represent the end of what I used to call ‘our show.’“ Community returns and we review the Yahoo! produced sixth season premiere. Does this new Community still have the same mix of meta, self-aware, existential angst of its former NBC self? Is there enough of the original cast to keep the show going? And what’s the deal with those tech problems behind Yahoo!’s launch? In the INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER, it’s a streaming showdown between Yahoo!’s Community and Netflix’s Arrested Development. Class is in session as we rank our top 5 TV schools. 

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Show Notes

• 0:00 - 35:40: Community Season 6 Premiere. 
• 35:41 - 55:20: INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER: Community (Yahoo!) VS. Arrested Development (Netflix)
• 55:21 - 1:20:04: Top 5 TV Schools

• Yahoo won't let Community die, no matter how hard Dan Harmon tries to kill it
• 'Community' Season 6: What the Critics Are Saying About the Yahoo Revival
• Does Community Really Need to Exist Anymore?
• ‘Community’ Movie? Dan Harmon Responds to Rumors at SXSW Yahoo Panel
• Super Fantastic Nerd Hour Episode 16: Reboots, Relaunches, and Revisits
• Jimmy Fallon Went to Bayside High with "Saved By The Bell" Cast
• What if Wes Anderson Directed X-Men?

Conrad: 

1. Sunnydale High (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) 
2. Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters (X-Men: The Animated Series)
3. McKinley High (The Wonder Years, Freaks and Geeks, Glee) 
4. Degrassi High (Degrassi High)
5. Neptune High (Veronica Mars)

Ali:

1. Starfleet Academy (Star Trek: The Next Generation)
2. Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters (X-Men: The Animated Series)
3. Springfield Elementary School (The Simpsons)
4. Smallville High (Smallville)
5. Bayside High (Saved by the Bell)

“The faker the fodder is the more you love it.” We explore (without spoilers) Charlie Brooker’s British anthology series Black Mirror. What makes this 2011 speculative fiction series unlike anything else on TV? Why is it gaining popularity now? What is the series saying about our relationship with 21st century technology? In the INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER, who has the more piercing social commentary — Black Mirror or The Twilight Zone? We share our top 5 TV anthologies.

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• 0:00 - 49:35: Black Mirror (non-spoilers)
• 49:36 - 1:05:31: INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER: Black Mirror VS. The Twilight Zone
• 1:05:32 - 1:28:25 : Top 5 TV Anthologies

• ‘Black Mirror’ and the Horrors and Delights of Technology
• The Shock Value of Netflix’s Black Mirror
• Wired's binge-watching guide to Black Mirror
• Black Mirror: ‘provocative and unsettling short stories’
• Black Mirror Reflects the Psychology of 21st Century Technology
• Falsifying memories
• Infinite Memories at the Edge of Tomorrow
• How Close Are We to Creating a Real-Life Chappie?

Conrad: 

1. Amazing Stories
2. Alfred Hitchcock Presents
3. Mystery! 
4. Tales from the Crypt
5. Tales from the Darkside

Ali:

1. The Outer Limits
2. Tales from the Crypt
3. Alfred Hitchcock Presents
4. Are You Afraid of the Dark?
5. The Wonderful World of Disney

“It’s never the changes we want that change everything.” We explore The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz. How does Díaz’s story about a young geek growing up in New Jersey redefine what it means to be American? How it does mash up fiction and history? What makes this pulitzer prize winning narrative so timey wimey and why are readers calling it the best novel of the 21st century? In the INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER, what novel makes better use of its nerdy references — Oscar Wao or Ready Player One? We share the top 5 media that influenced our lives. 

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• 0:00 - 13:30: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (non-spoilers)
• 13:31 - 43:00: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (spoilers)
• 43:01 - 58:19: INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER: Oscar Wao VS. Ready Player One
• 58:20 - 1:44:32 : Top 5 Influential Media

• Singularity & Co.'s Save the SciFi: The Next Generation
• The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao declared 21st century’s best novel so far
• Cataloguing Cultural References in 'Oscar Wao'
• Junot Diaz Discusses his 'Wondrous' Debut Novel
• How Yunior's Narrative In 'The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao' Acts As An Archival History
• Questions for Junot Díaz
• Junot Díaz aims to fulfill his dream of publishing a sci-fi novel with Monstro
• Super Fantastic Nerd Hour Episode 3: Ready Player One, Wade "Parzival" Watts VS. Scott Pilgrim, Top 5 Nostalgia Media

Conrad: 

1. The Chronicles of Narnia & The Lord of the Rings
2. The Original Star Wars Trilogy 
3. The Clash - London Calling
4. X-Men comics
5. PBS

Ali:

1. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
2. IBM PC compatible computers
3. Green Day - Dookie
4. Street Fighter II: The World Warrior
5. Flowers for Algernon

“A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory.” We depart from our regularly scheduled programming to remember Leonard Nimoy — the actor, director, poet, singer, and photographer. From Star Trek’s Spock to Transformers and The Full Body Project, we explore all the wonderful things that made Leonard Nimoy such a unique person and the elder nerd.

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• 0:00 - 40:00: Remembering Leonard Nimoy
• 40:00 - 1:13:09: Top 5 Leonard Nimoy Moments

• Leonard Nimoy, Spock of ‘Star Trek,’ Dies at 83
• Leonard Nimoy's final tweet is beautiful, and it broke my heart
• The Psychology of Spock: Past, Present, and Future
• Spock’s Advice To A Teenage Girl Will Make You Cry
• Mr. Spock: The 'Mystery of Masculinity' Embodied
• Leonard Nimoy Showed Us What It Truly Means To Be Human
• How The Universe Is Saying Goodbye To Leonard Nimoy
• Listen to Leonard Nimoy Explain the Jewish Origins of His Famous Vulcan Hand Greeting
• 13 Reasons Leonard Nimoy Was Even More Amazing Than You Knew
• The 15 Greatest Spock Quotes As Motivational Posters
• NASA Remembers Leonard Nimoy
• Statement by the President on the Passing of Leonard Nimoy
• The 5 greatest moments of Leonard Nimoy's career that didn't include Spock
• Zachary Quinto vs. Leonard Nimoy: Audi "The Challenge"
• Leonard Nimoy: 2012 Boston University College of Fine Arts Convocation Address
• Leonard Nimoy, photographer
• How Leonard Nimoy Left Us With the Best Scene in Star Trek
• Bruno Mars's 2011 music video for The Lazy Song
• Simpsons: Monorail
• The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins

Conrad: 

1. Boston University commencement address 
2. Leonard Nimoy's other artistic endeavors 
3. Leonard Nimoy & Zachary Quinto's friendship
4. William Bell (Fringe)
5. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

Ali:

1. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
2. Star Trek (2009)
3. I am not Spock & I am Spock
4. Leonard Nimoy behind the camera
5. Galvatron (Transformers: The Movie) 

"Manners maketh man!" We discuss all things Kingsman: The Secret Service! Why did director Mathew Vaughn leave X-Men: Days of Future Past to make this Mark Millar comic adaptation? What is this self-referential spy film saying about social class? Does its stylized violence offer more than just beautiful choreography? In the INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER, it's a fight to the death between Kingsman and Kick-Ass! We share a pot of tea and discuss our top 5 British exports.

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• 0:00 - 14:33: Kingsman (non-spoilers)
• 14:34 - 53:00: Kingsman (spoilers)
• 53:01 - 1:01:26: INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER: Kingsman VS. Kick-Ass
• 1:01:27 - 1:32:25 : Top 5 British Exports

• Singularity & Co.'s Save the SciFi: The Next Generation
• The biggest changes in the Kingsman: The Secret Service film adaptation
• Colin Firth gets his suits splattered
• Kingsman is a slick, gory spy pastiche—just don’t think about it too hard
• Kingsman has some of the most beautiful violence in movie history

Conrad: 

1. Alan Turing 
2. Alan Moore 
3. Sherlock
4. David Bowie 
5. Cadbury

Ali:

1. Rowan Atkinson’s Mr. Bean
2. The Beatles
3. Cadbury
4. The English language
5. Literature