Put your feet up, rest your weary limbs, grab a mince pie and pour yourself a drink. It's time for the Three Wise Geeks to give you the TWBG take on Christmas. We talk about our favourite pop-culture traditions for festive periods past, and then give you our review of all that was good, middling and questionable from this year.

Plus our thimble of Win, which tackles soundtracks, youtube, and ethics in games journalism. No - seriously...

Happy Christmas, and a shenanigan filled new year to you all. We'll be back in 2017.

https://www.patreon.com/dannyodwyer

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOl4b517qn8hr_5QTAaGdGJhxU-zMka-9

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/westworld-season-1-music-from/id1182133569

Cav and Mike bring you speculation and then reaction to the midnight screening of Rogue One.

No spoilers this time - we'll be talking about the film in more depth another time. For now, we give our thoughts on one of 2016's most anticipated releases, and decide whether it lives up to the hype.

A long time ago (Saturday), in a country far, far away (let's face it - Australia is a long way from everywhere)...

This week, our disreputable gang of rebellious ne'er-do-wells and rag-tag adventurers bring you their thoughts on the impending release of Rogue One, and discuss the sometimes confusing and often perplexing topic of the Star Wars Extended Universe - what worked, what didn't, and what left us baffled.

Plus our thimble of win covers the Game awards and The Man In The High Castle. And Cav confuses us with teacherspeak.

Don't say you weren't warned.

http://thegameawards.com/

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1740299/

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page

https://www.amazon.com/Heir-Empire-Star-Wars-Trilogy/dp/0553296124

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sC9abcLLQpI

This week, in the first of an occasional series on Auteurs, we present an episode based around the Horror work of John Carpenter, a director who's a firm favourite here at TWBG towers.

We discuss his work in the genre, looking into his recurring themes, hit, misses and everything in between. Plus, as ever there's out Thimble of Win, where Cav gets Metallic, Chani's all Ghosty, and Mike waffles about a French comic.

I can see you salivating at the prospect.

http://www.theofficialjohncarpenter.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5o2XWgjCTjc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4VmJcZR0Yg

https://metallica.com/blog/news/429181/hardwired-to-self-destruct-available-november-18-2

This week, our dashing and daring geekaliers sally forth onto the filed of entertainment, chasing down all things geek TV. We duel with Hitchikers, Red Dwarves, Pop-culture Popping Pegg (and Stephenson), Ricks and Mortys, purple haired Cypclopettes, crowds of I.T.  folk, and give thos Big Bang fells a damned good thrashing!

Plus, out thimble of win takes in Doctor Who, Civilisation and Pokemon.

Tally ho!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fjy4WGoL1s

https://www.civilization.com/

http://www.pokemon-sunmoon.com/en-us/

http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/news/index.cfm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hitchhiker's_Guide_to_the_Galaxy

http://www.cc.com/shows/futurama

http://www.adultswim.com/videos/rick-and-morty/

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0187664/

http://the-big-bang-theory.com/

This week, our crack investigative team of Cav and Chani brave the wilds of PAX Aus to bring you news of games, geekery and all things good. We talk about the highs, the lows, the slightly odd bits in between, and get to grips with all of the things we found exciting. You want queue action? You got it. Glue? On point? Cosplay reviews? All of the purple sideboob you can shake a LARP sword at.

Plus in our Thimble of Win, we talk about T2, Doctor Who and Buddy System.

All the joy you can eat. That's what we give you!

http://www.extra-life.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.participant&participantID=227510

http://www.fishpond.com.au/c/Movies/q/power+of+the+daleks?rid=195057592

https://www.youtube.com/user/rhettandlink2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsozpEE543w

http://aus.paxsite.com/

http://www.gamespot.com/pax-aus/

http://www.abigame.co/

http://store.explosm.net/collections/games/products/joking-hazard-1?variant=32427746180

https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/products/android-netrunner-the-card-game/

https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/products/eldritch-horror/

https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2015/11/3/star-wars-rebellion/

Pop Culture and Halloween have always had an interesting relationship. Whether it be the drawing in of the northern hemisphere nights, the telling of ghost stories, the delicious feelings of dread or the tingle of the fear that runs down your spine, there is something to be said for allowing the unknown and uncanny to thrill, delight and spook.

In this episode, we look at the roots of the festival, and talk about some notable films and TV specials built around this time of year. We look at why there is so much love for Halloween, and we delve into its impact and cultural footprint in Australia.

Plus there's our usual Thimble of Win. And absolutely no filth this time. Promise.

http://people.com/movies/inside-the-real-story-that-inspired-the-conjuring-2/

https://www.amazon.com/Ghostwatch-Michael-Parkinson/dp/B005OJCPZU

http://www.boysinthetrees.com.au/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween_(1978_film)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Class_(2016_TV_series)

*****WARNING: CONTAINS EXPLICIT MATERIAL*****

*****SERIOUSLY - DON"T SAY WE DIDN'T WARN YOU*****

Right, now that's out of the way, we present our take on Tetris. We explore its early origins in 80's Russia, the convoluted mess of rights ownership surrounding it, its cultural impact and other things; not least more proof, if it were needed, that Rule 34 exists (ask your mum - go on, it'll be fun). We also review "Tetris: The Games People Play" by Box Brown - well worth a look, unlike some of the links below...

Plus there's out regular Thimble of Win. As if you weren't already filled to the brim with entertaining goodness.

You lucky sods!

Content links:

https://www.amazon.com/Tetris-Games-People-Box-Brown/dp/162672315X

https://ecstasyoforder.vhx.tv/products/ecstasy_of_order

http://vadim.oversigma.com/Tetris.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetris

and, because we kinda have to,

https://www.amazon.com.au/Taken-Tetris-Blocks-Digital-Desires-ebook/dp/B00QZJWD0U

Ahoy there, geekowarriors!

After our winter break, we decided to tickle your ear canals with a subject for debate. Wherever you fit in geek and nerd culture, there are always some areas that people are shocked and surprised at you for not being across. Those moments where you confess to never having played/seen/drawn/fondled/enjoyed a particular geek experience that would otherwise appear to be right up your (diagon)alley.

This week, we hear what happened when Chani tried Terry Pratchett, Cav tried Doctor Who, and Mike tried Civilisation (the game, not the concept)

Plus as ever, there's our Thimble of Win. you lucky sods.

Links:

http://www.harpercollins.com.au/9780007585595/

https://www.amazon.com/Official-BioShock-Soundtrack-Am-Rapture/dp/B003MOJAGQ

http://www.theverge.com/2016/9/30/13123878/duncan-jones-mute-netflix-alexander-skarsgard

http://collider.com/mascots-review-netflix/

Greetings fellow geeketarians!

In this, our most latest of episodes, we go deep into the world of Magic: The Gathering. We poke around the musty cellar of history to look at the rise of this, the Übermensch of trading card games. We look to see who has tried to muscle in on its action through the years, we rake over its family tree with a fine toothed comb, and almost certainly that we have driven the metaphor fairy to hard liquor in search of descriptions for this blurb.

Plus, we all get to give you our Thimble of Win.

Are you not entertained?