The Pod Universe with Dylan & Dalton

PLOT TWIST! Dylan promised that Phase Two would include a sequel to his space sci-fi satire, Last Flight of the Stone Hammer. He's decided to fulfill the promise by giving you both more and less than you asked for. Instead of another feature film script, Dylan has plotted out an entire season of television called Tales of the Lost Shepherd, and written a complete script for the first episode. This week, Dylan, Dalton, and Sarah read through the script in our usual fashion. Next week, D&D will talk through Dylan's detailed plans for the rest of the season!

This episode features original art by Andie Newman, who designed and rendered a character model for the famous, insidious AI assistant Beepo! We've also put some merch on sale over at shop.thepoduniverse.com so check that out!

We're sponsored this week by Real Hero Shit: Harder Than It Looks, the new original graphic novel from Kendra Wells and Iron Circus Comics. Go check it out, it is so much fun!

CHAPTERS
00:00:00 - Cold Open
00:09:49 - Discussion, and How Plans Changed
00:19:46 - Fan Predictions and Expectations
00:36:06 - Back to Tales of the Lost Shepherd
00:53:52 - Discussion
00:56:57 - More Tales of the Lost Shepherd
01:07:09 - Let's talk about Real Hero Shit!
01:11:40 - The rest of Episode 1
01:21:24 - Discussion and Acknowledgements

Kasey Heisler and Patrick Porter of Brooklyn's punk sensation A Very Special Episode commit cinematic heresy when they pitch us an expanded shared universe of film and television spinning out of David Lynch's experimental masterpiece Eraserhead! Our first question? Why?! But, if we must, then how? The answers may shock, amaze, or gross you out!

By the way the Disney Channel movie we refer to is called The Stepsister from Planet Weird.

Check out their music at https://averyspecialepisode.bandcamp.com/

As always you can support our show and enjoy bonus materials when you join Patreon.com/DylanAndDalton, and buy cool show merch at shop.thepoduniverse.com

CHAPTERS
00:00:00 - Opening
00:02:48 - Introducing our guests
00:05:51 - Why Eraserhead? Dear God, why?
00:09:35 - Try summarizing Eraserhead
00:34:56 - Breaking down the original
00:44:02 - Expanding the EhCU
00:46:41 - Radiator Lady Monster's Inc
00:50:33 - Eraserhead High
00:56:40 - X Family Sitcom
01:01:43 - The Pencil Factory
01:03:56 - Eraserhead 2
01:08:58 - Fire Walk with Us
01:20:12 - Plugs and acknowledgements

Dalton's kickass space horror "Metroidvania" concludes! Will Linija regain her lost armor? Will we learn the fate of her surrogate father? And what's about [REDACTED]? What's her deal? These answers and a few new questions on this spectacular episode of The Pod Universe!

Don't forget to check out our cameos on Public Domain Cinematic Universe!

CHAPTERS
00:00:00 - Discussion
00:09:31 - Act Two, Part Two
00:38:57 - Discussion
00:47:08 - Act Three
01:12:57 - Mid-Credits Scene
01:15:17 - Discussion

In the deep reaches of outer space, Private Linija Tov of the planet Enoxua lands on an abandoned world with whose power plant is in a perpetual state of meltdown. Her mission: to shut down the generator before it erupts and turns her into a pool of blood and pus. Standing in her way is a hoard of violently insane scientists, and the vicious alien creature who drove them to madness.

Welcome to PHASE TWO of the Pod Universe, which begins with this standalone sci-fi horror tale inspired by the grim tone and unsettling body horror of Alien and the structure of one of its most treasured spiritual offspring — Metroid. How exactly can a movie be a "Metroidvania?" We'll show you.

This episode is brought to you by REAL HERO SHIT: HARDER THAN IT LOOKS, the new original graphic novel from Kendra Wells and Iron Circus Comics. Find it wherever books or ebooks are sold, and find Kendra's work via KendraWCanDraw.com.

Kendra is also the artist behind this episode's character designs! Check out our instagram @the_pod_universe or the YouTube version of this episode to check them out!

CHAPTERS
00:00:00 - Cold Open
00:06:37 - Discussion
00:27:10 - Act One
00:41:32 - Discussion
00:50:32 - Act Two, Part One
01:30:29 - Discussion

Writer, artist, and voice of Hunter Marin themselves Kendra Wells joins the Pod Universe to try and salvage a movie that Dylan hates with a fury we've never seen before! Can the author of Real Hero Shit: Harder Than It Looks make writing Insidious look easy? Let's find out!

PLUS: The trailer for the first script of Phase 2: Vestigial!

As a special note, thank you everyone for supporting us through 100 episodes! Here's to many more.

You can find Kendra's new book and all their other work at your local bookseller, or support them directly at Patreon.com/KendraWCanDraw.

CHAPTERS
00:00:00 - Opening
00:04:34 - Let's talk about Insidious
00:34:40 - The Insidious Franchise as it exists today
00:44:36 - Real Hero Shit: Harder Than It Looks
00:57:24 - Kendra's pitch
01:13:58 - Expanding the universe
01:42:24 - Vestigial trailer

Did Marvel's Hall H panel leave you disappointed? Are you still itching to learn about installments in an ongoing high concept sci-fi universe? Well buddy we've got some great news for you, because it's time for the POD UNIVERSE IMAGINARY COMIC-CON PANEL! Just like our movies, it's not real. But it's pretty close! Join us as we answer fan-submitted questions about Phase 1 of the Pod Universe and reveal our full slate of NINE scripts for the coming season!

This episode is brought to you by author Andrew Kass and his novel A Woman of Agency, available in print and ebook. You can watch a 20-minute conversation between Dylan and the author on our YouTube channel!

CHAPTERS
00:00:00 - Opening
00:04:14 - Reflecting back on War of the Worlds
00:13:08 - What we're NOT doing in Phase Two
00:18:08 - Fan questions!
00:42:13 - Sponsor: A Woman of Agency by Andrew Kass
00:45:23 - More fan questions!
01:00:35 - Slate reveal
01:22:26 - Patreon, the shop, etcetera

Get a closer look at Dylan & Dalton's writing process and listen to them work out the story of the first Pod Universe crossover. Be a fly on the wall as they break down characters, hash out a plot, and then throw all of that away and start over! Learn about the imaginary movie that we almost pretended to make!

As always, you can find more episodes as well as our lovely Discord community via our Patreon at Patreon.com/DylanAndDalton. Thanks for your support, and see you soon for the kickoff to Phase 2!

CHAPTERS
00:00:00 - Intro
00:05:53 - Who are our leads?
00:12:58 - Character relationship charts
00:17:53 - Differentiating our geniuses
00:30:18 - Getting the characters together
00:34:07 - The Beepo of it all
00:41:53 - Lost and found families
00:45:29 - Alano Bright and the Two Liams
00:54:55 - Let's write a plot!
01:02:29 - The threat and our villains
01:08:48 - Lasting impact on our world
01:14:36 - Plot beat ideas
01:31:27 - TAKE TWO, weeks later
01:35:43 - Rebuilding the story around Xaria
01:48:16 - The ensemble's new role

Phase One of the Pod Universe comes to its thrilling conclusion as misfit hacker Xaria (Vera Drew) joins a crew of geeks-turned-guerillas to prevent their Earth from being enslaved by another dimension!

We want to extend our warmest thanks to our cast!

Vera Drew as Xaria
Chris Myers as Vincent
Lianah Sta. Ana as Stephanie
Anique Evans as Cora
Julian Fadullon as Liam & Willy
Sarah Norcross as Caitlyn
Roberto Williams as Alano Bright
with Dalton Deschain as Arthur & Dolly
Abe Goldfarb as Bill & Kinny
Dylan Roth as Mr. D
Joe Stando as Ervin Pope
and Frankie Starker as Hela

CHAPTERS
00:00:00 - Discussion
00:11:31 - Act Two Part Two
00:52:10 - Discussion
01:03:07 - Act Three
01:46:36 - Mid-Credits Scene
01:49:26 - Credits
01:50:25 - Post-Credits Scene
01:51:41 - Discussion

Worlds collide in The Pod Universe: War of the Worlds, the culmination of Phase One of a cinematic universe of imaginary sci-fi films! We've got a full-length script, a professional cast, an original score -- everything but an actual movie. Listen and read along to the table reading of the Pod Universe's first crossover, a perfect jumping-on point for new listeners!

Xaria (Vera Drew, The People's Joker) is a college dropout whose dream of building a true artificial intelligence has never come to fruition. But in a parallel universe, she's a folk hero fighting a desperate war against the corporate oligarchy whose greed burned their Earth to ash. Now, she's being drawn into the fight alongside a team of multiversal misfits to determine the fate of both universes!

You've never seen a War of the Worlds like this... and you still won't. It's a podcast.

PLUS: Enjoy the writers' discussion of the laborious process behind writing this script, and ponder along with our passionate audience about what's ahead in our story. Then come back next week for the thrilling conclusion!

STARRING
Vera Drew as Xaria
Chris Myers as Vincent Estrella
Lianah Sta. Ana as Stephanie Lee
Julian Fadullon as Liam / Willy Flores
Anique Evans as Cora Winters
Frankie Starker as Hela
with
Dalton Deschain as Arthur Toucet & Dolly Abrams
Abe Goldfarb as Bill Malton & Kinny Clausen
Dylan Roth as Mr. D
Roberto Williams as Alano Bright
and Sarah Norcross as Caitlyn Wheeler

CHAPTERS
00:00:00 - Cold Open
00:08:14 - Discussion
00:21:09 - Fan Predictions
00:25:32 - Act One
00:58:13 - Discussion
01:10:08 - Act Two, Part One
01:49:50 - Discussion

As War of the Worlds production continues through some unfortunate delays, we're pulling a recent bonus episode out from behind the paywall to help tide you over. Enjoy Studio Mandate pitches based on Phantom of the Paradise (featuring Carol and Jenny from the Dark Universe!) and Killer Klowns from Outer Space (featuring the star-crossed warriors from Last Flight of the Stone Hammer). Plus, reviews of a few spring movie releases and a look back at Billy Wilder's 1960 classic, The Apartment.

CHAPTERS
00:00:00 - War of the Worlds progress update
00:01:11 - Intro and Bev Check
00:05:13 - Dalton's bachelor trip
00:12:57 - At Da Movies: They Will Kill You
00:13:54 - At Da Movies: Faces of Death
00:23:08 - At Da Movies: The Drama
00:27:20 - At Da Movies: Project Hail Mary
00:37:49 - Studio Mandate: Phantom of the Paradise
00:48:20 - The Pitch
01:07:07 - The Dylterion Collection: The Apartment
01:18:19 - Studio Mandate: Killer Klowns from Outer Space
01:37:07 - Nominations are open!