“We lost the war.” Join us as we discuss the newest Philip K. Dick science fiction adaptation — Amazon’s The Man in the High Castle! How does Amazon crowdsource its pilot season? Why is streaming media changing the type of content that gets produced? How does this alternate history about the Nazis winning World War II relate to its source material? In the INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER, we debate the post-WWII world building of The Man in the High Castle VS. Agent Carter. We binge review our top 5 made for streaming programming. 

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• 0:00 - 16:48: The Man in the High Castle (no spoilers)
• 16:49 - 38:57: The Man in the High Castle (spoilers)
• 38:58 - 50:18: INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER: The Man in the High Castle VS. Agent Carter
• 50:19 - 1:46:31: Top 5 Made for Streaming Programming

• Amazon's 2015 Pilot Season
• What if? Alternative history’s butterfly moments reach lift-off
• The Man in the High Castle: When a Nazi-Run World Isn't So Dystopian
• The Man in the High Castle never lets us believe its alternate-history nightmare
• The Man in the High Castle Shines in Amazon’s Pilot Season
• Netflix has big plans to produce more original series
• Why Scandinavian Prisons Are Superior

Conrad: 

1. House of Cards
2. Transparent
3. The Guild
4. Misfits
5. Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog

Ali:

1. Orange is the New Black
2. House of Cards
3. Transparent
4. The Square 
5. Daredevil

Honorable Mentions:

• Deadbeat
• Arrested Development: Season 4
• Star Wars: Clone Wars: Season 6
• Salem Rogers: Model of the Year 1998

“I know where I came from — but where did all you zombies come from?” We discuss Ethan Hawke’s new science fiction film — Predestination! How does its time travel premise explore identity? What is the film telling us about sex, gender, and sexual orientation? And who is Sarah Snook and why isn’t she starring in everything?!? In the INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER, we debate Predestination the film versus the original Robert A. Heinlein’s original 1958 short story. We share our favorite film plot twists and recent listener feedback.

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• 0:00 - 13:06: Predestination (no spoilers)
• 13:07 - 38:55: Presdestination (spoilers)
• 38:56 - 1:01:21 Top 5 Film Plot Twists
• 1:01:22 - 1:06:48: Listener Feedback 

• Ethan Hawke must stop murders before they happen in this trippy, time-traveling sci-fi romp
• Predestination gives a famous time-travel story the Chris Nolan treatment
• The ‘Predestination’ Directors Give Us Some Super-Spoilery Insights Into Their Mind-Bending Movie
• Ethan Hawke: ‘Mining your life is the only way to stumble on anything real'
• Nerdist Podcast: Ethan Hawke

Conrad: 

1. The Usual Suspects
2. Fight Club
3. Se7en
4. The Crying Game
5. Dead Again

Ali:

1. Planet of the Apes (1968) 
2. Fight Club
3. Memento
4. Vertigo 
5. Se7en

Honorable Mentions:

• The Sixth Sense
• Donnie Darko
• The Empire Strikes Back

“What if you could take it back? All of it? A reset switch? You'd hit it right?” We review SyFy’s series premiere of 12 Monkeys! How has the story departed from Terry Gilliam’s 1995 film? What’s remained the same? How is it influenced by Back to the Future, Terminator, Walking Dead, and Planet of the Apes? Things get timey wimey in the INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER as James Cole (Aaron Stanford) takes on James Cole (Bruce Willis). We share our top 5 TV adaptations of feature films.

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• 0:00 - 41:31: SyFy’s 12 Monkeys
• 41:32 - 55:00: 12 Monkeys (TV) VS. 12 Monkeys (Film)
• 55:01 - 1:13:50: Top 5 Movies to TV
• 1:13:51 - 1:18:36: Listener Feedback 

• What The 12 Monkeys Showrunner Learned From Writing For Terminator: SCC
• '12 Monkeys' TV series "dumb" and "ridiculous", says Terry Gilliam
• Syfy’s 12 Monkeys is nothing like Terry Gilliam’s film — and that’s why I’m interested
• The Problem With The Pretty Good New '12 Monkeys' Series
• '12 Monkeys' evolves into clever, fast-paced thriller
• Syfy’s 12 Monkeys is a faint copy of a classic movie
• 3 Theories of Time Travel Infographic
• Lost writer admits they just made it up as they went along

Conrad: 

1. Buffy: The Vampire Slayer
2. Fargo
3. Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles
4. Highlander
5. Stargate

Ali:

1. M*A*S*H
2. The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles
3. Stargate
4. Back to the Future: The Animated Series
5. Weird Science

“During the war I had a sense of purpose - now I connect the calls but never get to make them.” Join us as we review the series premiere of Marvel’s Agent Carter! How did this miniseries emerge out of Captain America: The First Avenger? Where does it fit within the Marvel Cinematic Universe? In what ways does Agent Carter connect with real history? In the INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER, Agent Carter takes on the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D! We share our top 5 agents. Listener feedback for Into the Woods and our 50th episode spectacular.

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• 0:00 - 35:34: Agent Carter
• 35:35 - 51:26: Agent Carter VS. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
• 51:27 - 1:18:17: Top 5 Agents
• 1:18:18 - 1:30:23: Listener Feedback 

• Agent Carter TV - History in COMICS
• Who Is Agent Carter? A Brief History of the Marvel Heroine
• Agent Carter is the hero I've been waiting for
• Here’s How ‘Agent Carter’ Links To ‘Iron Man 2′
• Agent Carter's Toughest Mission is Sexism
• Agent Carter, Super-Riveter
• 5 reasons why ‘Agent Carter’ is better than ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’

Conrad: 

1. Margaretha Geertruida "Margreet" Zelle MacLeod
2. Violette Szabo
3. Josephine Baker
4. Julia Child
5. Diana Prince (Wonder Woman)

Ali:

1. Sydney Bristow (Alias) 
2. MacGyver
3. Garak (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)
4. Agent 99 (Get Smart)
5. Agent Smith (The Matrix)

It’s our 50th episode spectacular! We bring back your favorite guests to answer the essential question of what is a nerd? How are nerds different from geeks? Has our understanding of these terms changed over time? What is geek culture? How is it liberating and in what ways do the “fake geek girl/boy” backlash limit fans? What does the mainstreaming of science fiction, fantasy, and comic books mean for the future of nerdery and geekdom? We share our favorite nerdy moments from 2014. Special guests: Diana Chang (host of Without a License), Derek Bishop (speculative fiction writer), Bill Wadman (photographer, cohost of On Taking Pictures), Nhu-An (lover of learning).

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• 0:00 - 1:03:17: What is a Nerd? Nerds versus geeks. 
• 1:03:18 - 1:23:52: Top Nerdy Moments of 2014. 

• Simon Pegg's thoughts on his Geek Quote
• Wil Wheaton: Why it's awesome to be a nerd
• Nerds versus geeks infographic
• The secret origins of nerd, dork, and other things you've been called
• The Psych Show launches on YouTube!
• Wikipedia's list of most unusual Wikipedia articles
• Nerd Poker Podcast
• Our Geeky New York City Bookstore Wedding

• Diana: Playing Dungeons and Dragons for the first time.
• Derek: Revisiting LOST.
• Bill: Playing with 8x10" negative cameras.
• Nhu-An: Reading American Prometheus.
• Conrad: Starting Super Fantastic Nerd Hour
• Ali: Seeing the next generation of nerd

“Anything can happen in the woods.” We review Disney’s film adaptation of Into the Woods! Is this a fitting adaptation of Stephen Sondheim’s classic Broadway musical? Does it suffer from “Disneyfication”? What’s the story saying about fairytales? Why are our hosts so upset about the film's casting? In the INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER, it’s a sing off between Into the Woods and Les Misérables! We journey into our top 5 fairytale retellings.

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• 0:00 – 21:23: Into the Woods (non-spoilers).
• 21:24 - 33:10: Into the Woods (spoilers)
• 33:11 – 46:56: INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER: Into the Woods VS. Les Misérables.
• 46:57 – 1:13:48: Top 5 Fairytale Retellings.

• How Hollywood drains the subversion out of Into the Woods
• Into The Woods is a Rob Marshall musical that’s not ashamed to be a musical
• Into The Woods Should Have Killed This Character
• The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales
• Honest Trailers - Les Miserables
• 4 Bizarrely Specific Rules Fairy Tale Adaptations All Follow

Conrad: 

1. Shrek
2. Enchanted
3. Sleepy Hollow
4. Wicked
5. Ever After

Ali:

1. Enchanted
2. Shrek
3. The Princess and the Frog
4. Maleficent
5. Aladdin

• A.I.
• Hook
• Pretty Woman
• Pan’s Labyrinth
• Alice in Wonderland
• The Brothers Grimm

“In the 60s your father was convinced that the U.S. could launch an interstellar spaceship — I think he did it." We review SyFy Channel’s Ascension! How does the miniseries link to real history and what does it mean for the future of SyFy’s programming? Does the story's social commentary about space travel, the evolution of culture, eugenics, and technology hold up to nerd scrutiny? In the INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER, Ascension faces off against REDACTED! We share our top 5 TV miniseries. 

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• 0:00 – 16:45: Ascension: Non-spoiler discussion.
• 16:46 – 40:05: Ascension: Spoiler discussion.
• 40:06 – 56:24: INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER: Ascension VS. REDACTED.
• 56:25 – 1:28:23: Top 5 TV Miniseries.

• Syfy plans to lure you back with these 5 shows
• Project Orion (nuclear propulsion)
• 'Ascension' finale review: Lost in space, or 'Lost' in space?
• 'Ascension' Is Not The Space Drama We Need, But The Space Drama We Deserve
• 'Ascension' and Sci-Fi's Fiction Problem
• ‘Ascension’: What Syfy Did Better Than Most TV Networks
• Ascension Ends With A Final Supreme Moment Of WTF
• 'Ascension' Creator on the Big Reveal and More
• U.S. Syphilis Study at Tuskegee

Conrad: 

1. Band of Brothers
2. The War
3. In the Flesh
4. The Returned (Les Revenants)
5. V (1983)

Ali:

1. Roots
2. Band of Brothers
3. The Stand
4. Dune (1984)
5. Moby Dick

• Anne of Green Gables
• North and South

“There should be no boundaries to human endeavor.” Your favorite nerds review the Stephen and Jane Hawking biopic The Theory of Everything! Are the portrayals of the leads worthy of all the early Oscar buzz? How does the film depict Stephen Hawking’s scientific contributions? What about all the other messy details that got left out of the script? In the INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER, it’s The Theory of Everything versus A Beautiful Mind. We share our top 5 biopics. 

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• 0:00 – 34:22: The Theory of Everything.
• 34:23 – 48:40: INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER: The Theory of Everything VS. A Beautiful Mind. 
• 48:41 – 1:23:03: Top 5 Biopics.

• How Accurate Is The Theory of Everything?
• AV Club: Eddie Redmayne plays Stephen Hawking in the neutered biopic The Theory Of Everything
• Stephen Hawking reviews The Theory of Everything
• A Beautiful Mind's John Nash is nowhere near as complicated as the real one.

Conrad: 

1. Ed Wood
2. An Angel at My Table
3. Goodfellas
4. Malcolm X
5. Amadeus

Ali:

1. Malcolm X
2. The Aviator
3. Walk the Line
4. Milk
5. The Last King of Scotland

• Erin Brockovich
• All the President's Men
• Rudy
• American Splendor
• Jinnah
• Sid and Nancy
• My Left Foot

“As with most of life's problems, this one can be solved by a box of pure radiation.” We discuss Andy Weir’s breakout scifi novel The Martian! How did this self-published story become a bestselling novel? What’s unique about its blend of science and fiction? If you take out The Martian’s technobabble, is it still a compelling story? Will Matt Damon be a convincing astronaut in the 2015 Ridley Scott film adaptation? In the INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER, who would you want to live with in a space station — The Martian’s Mark Watney or MOON’s Sam Bell? We share our top 5 survival stories and review the Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Jurassic World trailers. Special guest, bibliophile Zainab Chaudary of The Memorist.

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• 0:00 – 19:45: The Martian - non-spoiler discussion.
• 19:46 – 49:00: The Martian - spoiler review.
• 49:01 – 58:35: INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER: The Martian VS. MOON.
• 58:36 - 1:36:35: Top 5 Survival Stories.
• 1:36:35 - 1:48:32: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens & Jurassic World trailer review.

• Andy Weir: ‘The Martian’ (Science Friday)
• A Survival Guide to Mars (Wall Street Journal review)
• The App That Helped Write a Breakout Sci-Fi Novel
• The audacious rescue plan that might have saved space shuttle Columbia
• Ridley Scott in Talks to Direct Matt Damon in 'The Martian'
• Play Oregon Trail online
• Jerri FitzGerald, Who Treated Herself at South Pole, Dies at 57
• Star Wars: The Force Awakens Official Teaser
• Jurassic World - Official Trailer
• The Star Wars: The Force Awakens Trailer Awakens Parodies

Zainab:

1. Battlestar Galactica
2. I am Legend by Richard Matheson
3. The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury
4. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed
5. Children of Men

Conrad: 

1. Europa, Europa by Solomon Perel
2. Life of Pi by Yann Martel
3. Dr. Jerri Nielsen FitzGerald
4. Aron Ralston (Between a Rock and a Hard Place & 127 Hours)
5. Cast Away

Ali:

1. Battlestar Galactica
2. Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
3. 127 Hours
4. World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks
5. The Oregon Trail

• Alive (1993 film)
• The Ninth Doctor (Doctor Who)
• Marina Chapman

“Fire Is Catching!” We review The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1! Can Suzanne Collins’s slim novel be adapted into two films? What’s Mockingjay saying about reality TV and war propaganda? Looking back, what's The Hunger Games's contribution to the scifi genre? In the INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER, who’s the better instigator of rebellion — Katniss Everdeen or Terminator's Sarah Connor? We gobble down our top 5 things to watch on Thanksgiving.

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• 0:00 – 43:32: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1.
• 43:33 – 58:16: INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER: Katniss Everdeen vs. Sarah Connor.
• 58:17 – 1:29:18: Top 5 Things to Watch on Thanksgiving. 

• 'Mockingjay' Can't Catch 'Fire'
• Bangkok Won't Show Mockingjay After Protestors Use Katniss' Salute
• As its clunky title suggests, Mockingjay—Part 1 is half a Hunger Games film
• The Real Science in the HUNGER GAMES (Because Science w/ Kyle Hill)
• Science Fiction and the Search for Gratitude on Thanksgiving
• Ali's Upcoming NYC Nerd Nite Talk: Why Nerds Rage!

Conrad: 

1. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
2. Pleasantville
3. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
4. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
5. 28 Days Later

Ali:

1. Star Trek The Next Generation — "Family"
2. The Twilight Zone — "Time Enough at Last"
3. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
4. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
5. Home Alone

• Star Wars
• Harry Potter
• Doctor Who
• Raiders of the Lost Ark
• Any Thanksgiving day episode of Friends