Geektown Radio - TV News, Interviews & UK TV Premiere Dates

Season 2 of Geekstorians begins with one of the great near-disasters in modern geek history.This episode tells the story of how Toy Story 2 nearly disappeared during production, not because of a studio fight or some dramatic Hollywood scandal, but because of a routine command, a failing backup system, and the sort of technical catastrophe that still makes creative people wince.But this is not just a story about Pixar nearly losing a film.It is also the perfect starting point for a season about how geek culture survives when everything goes wrong. The glitches, collapses, bad calls, money problems and moments of blind panic behind the films, games and franchises that now feel untouchable.If Season 1 was about how fandom built itself, Season 2 is about how geek culture kept going when it should probably have fallen apart.If you'd like to support Geekstorians in the Webby People’s Voice Awards, you can vote here:https://wbby.co/57464NGeekstorians is a documentary-style podcast from Dave Elliott of Geektown, exploring the hidden history of geek culture, fandom, film, television, comics and gaming.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/geektown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dave is joined by Domingos for Geektown Radio Episode 492, and this week’s show is led by reviews of Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, Prime Video comedy Bait, Netflix horror series Something Very Bad Is Going To Happen, and thriller Pretty Lethal.Domingos kicks things off with Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, the follow-up to the cult horror hit, which brings back Samara Weaving and adds Sarah Michelle Gellar, David Cronenberg, Elijah Wood and Catherine Newton to the chaos. He also dives into Something Very Bad Is Going To Happen, a creepy, psychological Netflix limited series set around a wedding that slowly spirals into something much darker and bloodier than it first appears.There is also chat about Pretty Lethal, a stylish thriller involving elite ballerinas, criminals, Uma Thurman, and a whole lot of trouble, even if the film does not quite land every part of its story as well as it might have hoped.On Dave’s side, he reviews Bait, the smart new Prime Video comedy from Riz Ahmed, built around a struggling actor who becomes the centre of a media circus after auditioning for James Bond. He also checks in with more thoughts on The Pitt and Harley Quinn Season 5.In the news section, they cover cancellations for The Runarounds, Wizards Beyond Waverly Place and 007: Road to a Million, plus renewals for Grey’s Anatomy, Taskmaster, Lynley and Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord. There is also discussion around the new Peaky Blinders series starring Jamie Bell, Brian Cox joining Dexter: Resurrection Season 2, and the live-action Masters of the Universe trailer.They also run through the week’s upcoming TV highlights, including The Boys final season, The Copenhagen Test, The Testaments, Taskmaster, The Miniature Wife, Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair and Euphoria Season 3.Listen now for horror, comedy, TV news, film chat and the usual Geektown mix of enthusiasm, side tangents and geeky chaos.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/geektown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What do ‘Adventure’, the Konami Code, Pixar’s A113, hidden DVD extras, ‘The Beast’, ‘I Love Bees’ and Marvel post-credit scenes all have in common?They are all part of the long, strange history of the Easter egg.In this special Easter episode of ‘Geekstorians’, Dave digs into how hidden messages, secret rooms, buried jokes and coded nods evolved from acts of quiet rebellion into a full-blown language between creators and audiences.The story begins with Warren Robinett’s famous hidden room in ‘Adventure’ on the Atari 2600, before moving through the rise of the Konami Code, Microsoft’s increasingly odd software secrets, Pixar’s long-running A113 tradition, the golden age of hidden DVD extras, and the giant Alternate Reality Games that turned the hunt itself into the story.It also looks at how modern blockbuster culture transformed Easter egg hunting into an industry of its own, with fans racing to spot, decode and catalogue every hidden reference packed into films, games and TV shows.At heart, though, this is a story about something much simpler: somebody put something there, and somebody else found it.The episode also arrives just ahead of ‘Geekstorians’ Season 2, which is coming very soon.Geekstorians is the documentary-style podcast from Geektown, exploring the hidden histories, creative accidents and industrial chaos that shaped geek culture.You can find more on Geekstorians, plus all the latest TV, film and gaming news, at Geektown.co.ukAlso, a quick but important plug, Geekstorians is currently nominated for a Webby Award in the Podcasts – History category, and voting for the People’s Voice Award closes on Thursday, 16th April.Vote for Geekstorians here: https://wbby.co/57464NSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/geektown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dave is joined by Matt for Geektown Radio Episode 491, with this week’s show led by chat about The Pitt, horror film They Will Kill You, indie survival game The Last Caretaker, and the first trailer for the new Harry Potter TV series.Matt also talks through his huge The Last of Us Part II chronological mode deep dive, plus the latest casting news for The Last of Us Season 3. There is also a review of Resident Evil: Requiem, which lands as a mixed but still worthwhile entry.On Dave’s side, there is plenty to discuss with Harley Quinn Season 5, For All Mankind Season 5, the UK launch of HBO Max, and The Pitt, which is already shaping up to be one of the standout TV dramas of the year.In the news section, they cover Watson being cancelled, For All Mankind renewed for a sixth and final season, Wonder Man landing a surprise second season, The Punisher: One Last Kill getting a May premiere date, Sonya Walger joining God of War, Himesh Patel boarding Ryan Coogler’s X-Files reboot, and Mr Benn potentially heading to the big screen.They also round up what is coming to TV next week, including The ‘Burbs, Race Across the World, Have I Got News For You, Your Friends & Neighbors, Harry Wild and Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord.Also, a quick but important plug, Geekstorians is currently nominated for a Webby Award in the Podcasts – History category, and voting for the People’s Voice Award closes on Thursday, 16th April.Vote for Geekstorians here:https://wbby.co/57464NListen now for TV reviews, film chat, gaming talk, industry news and the usual Geektown mix of enthusiasm, tangents and geeky chaos.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/geektown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dave is joined by Darryl for Geektown Radio Episode 490, and this week’s show is led by reviews of War Machine, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, and the launch of Saturday Night Live UK, alongside a big chat about the new Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer.On the review side, Darryl covers 96 Minutes, War Machine, Furies and Cross Season 2, while Dave dives into Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, Saturday Night Live UK and Invincible Season 4. So there’s everything from military action and crime thrillers to sketch comedy, superheroes and Tommy Shelby stomping back into view.The news section is packed too, with discussion around Spider-Man: Brand New Day and what the trailer reveals about Tom Holland’s next outing as Peter Parker, including Punisher, Scorpion, Bruce Banner, and a more isolated, comic-book-style version of Spidey than we’ve seen before.There’s also an update on the Firefly animated series, which is set between the original show and Serenity, meaning it lands in the very specific and very welcome “Wash is still alive” period of the timeline. Plus there’s chat about HBO Max launching in the UK, Netflix’s live-action Assassin’s Creed series being set in Ancient Rome, Sky’s newly acquired slate, and the latest renewals, cancellations and endings.They also look ahead to the next week on TV, including Bait, Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, The Pitt, For All Mankind Season 5, Beyond Paradise Season 4, Harley Quinn Season 5 and more.Listen now for TV reviews, film chat, superhero news, streaming updates and the usual Geektown mix of enthusiasm, side tangents and entertainment industry chaos.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/geektown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dave and Gray are back for Geektown Radio Episode 489 with a packed week of TV, film and entertainment news, including the Oscars 2026 winners, Firefly returning as an animated series, two lost Doctor Who episodes recovered, Buffy’s reboot stalling at Hulu, and Michael Sheen taking over House of Games.They also review a pile of shows this week, including Young Sherlock, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, The Capture, Solar Opposites, Gone, The Secret Genius, Vanished, The Floor, Hijack, Down Cemetery Road, How To Get To Heaven From Belfast, Scrubs, Ted and 9-1-1: Nashville.On the film side, they break down the biggest Oscars 2026 talking points, including One Battle After Another leading the winners, Sinners making a huge impact, Jessie Buckley winning Best Actress, Michael B. Jordan taking Best Actor, the first ever Casting Oscar, the first female cinematography winner, and a rare tie in Best Live Action Short.There is also plenty of TV news, including the stalled Buffy reboot, a possible Fallout 3 remaster, Riz Ahmed’s new Prime Video comedy Bait, a Stewie-focused Family Guy spin-off, and the latest renewals, cancellations and pick-ups.Plus, they look ahead to next week’s TV highlights, including Invincible Season 4, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, Saturday Night Live UK, Crookhaven and more.Listen now for Oscars reactions, TV reviews, sci-fi news, British telly chat and the usual Geektown mix of geeky chaos.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/geektown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Young Sherlock, Outlander Season 8, Life Is Strange casting, and a very suspicious set of Firefly reunions lead the news in Geektown Radio Episode 488.Dave and this week’s co-host run through what they’ve been watching recently, including horror chatter, social media film discoveries, and a chronological deep dive into The Last of Us Part II. Dave also checks in with Young Sherlock, the ITV drama Gone, the final season of Outlander, and the new game Aethus.In the TV news this week:• The Bear will end with Season 5• ITV detective drama Ridley has been cancelled after two series• Miss Scarlet will conclude with Season 7• Apple TV has cancelled Palm Royale• Channel 4 has axed The InheritanceOn the renewal side:• High Potential renewed for Season 3• Doc renewed with another rare 22-episode order• The Night Agent renewed for Season 4• 9-1-1 renewed for Season 10• 9-1-1: Nashville renewed for Season 2• Little House On The Prairie renewed for Season 2• The Dyers’ Caravan Park returning for Season 2Elsewhere in TV news:• Richard Osman will step down as host of House of Games• The BBC has picked up I, Jack Wright Season 2• The Devil’s Hour Season 1 premieres on ITVX this April• HBO Max’s UK launch will include Adult Swim hits like Rick & Morty, Robot Chicken, Primal, and DC’s Harley QuinnCasting and development news includes:Treasure IslandParamount+ and MGM+ are developing a new TV adaptation starring David Oyelowo as Long John Silver and Hayley Atwell as Bess Hawkins.Life Is StrangePrime Video’s adaptation of the hit Square Enix game has cast Maisy Stella as Chloe and Tatum Grace Hopkins as Max.LovejoySee-Saw Films is developing a new TV adaptation of the classic antiques detective novels.And finally… the Firefly mystery.Nathan Fillion has been posting videos reuniting with original cast members including Gina Torres, Morena Baccarin, Sean Maher, Summer Glau, Jewel Staite and Adam Baldwin, teasing that “something is happening.”It’s not a convention, podcast, or crossover appearance… so the speculation is officially running wild.What We’ve Been WatchingCo-HostTogetherGood BoyHoppersTalk To MeThe BarbarianThe Last of Us Part II (chronological playthrough)DaveYoung SherlockGone (ITV)Outlander – Season 8Aethus (Game)Highlights For Next Week On TVA Woman of Substance – Channel 4Scarpetta – Prime VideoSolar Opposites Season 6 (Final) – Disney+This Close – ITVXVirgin River Season 7 – NetflixMadison (Yellowstone) – Paramount+Find UsVisit geektown.co.uk for daily TV news and UK premiere dates.Email: podcast@geektown.co.ukX/Twitter: @geektownFacebook: facebook.com/geektownInstagram / Threads / TikTok: @geektownukYouTube: youtube.com/geektownSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/geektown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Geektown Radio, Dave is joined by Domingos for a packed episode covering returning favourites, intense new dramas, and a huge industry shake-up.What We’ve Been WatchingThe Dutchman (2026) – A modern adaptation of the 1964 play starring André Holland, Kate Mara, Zazie Beetz and Aldis Hodge.Paradise – Season 2 (Hulu) – The conspiracy thriller expands beyond the bunker.Only in the Land – Arsenal Women’s Champions League documentary.Unveil: Jadewind (Netflix) – Lavish Tang Dynasty historical drama.Gone (ITV) – Psychological thriller starring Eve Myles and David Morrissey.Scrubs – Revival Season – Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke and Donald Faison return.Vanished (Prime Video) – Kaley Cuoco stars in a tense disappearance mystery.Plus catch-ups on Red Eye S2, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy and more.TV NewsRenewals for Industry, Doctor Foster and Robin HoodNBC renewal bubble breakdownParamount moves to acquire Warner Bros after Netflix bows outRyan Coogler’s X-Files reboot lands a Hulu pilotRockford Files casting updateGhosts UK heading to the big screenNathan Fillion teases something Firefly-relatedListen now for all the latest TV news, reviews and industry updates.If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and leave a review. You can also support us via the Acast supporter link.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/geektown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dave is joined this week by Darryl from Hollywood North News for a packed episode covering the February BAFTAs, a tribute to the late Eric Dane, fresh show impressions, a report from the London Anime & Gaming Con, and a full run of UK and US TV news.Darryl brings early thoughts on Talamasca: The Secret Order, the new Netflix entry in the Anne Rice universe, and whether it works if you haven't seen the other shows. He's also been into Cross Season 2 on Prime Video and reports back on whether it lives up to the first. There are impressions from The Night Agent Season 3, and some thoughts on Ryan Murphy's The Beauty that may save you some time.Dave breaks down the February BAFTAs in full, including the biggest upset of the night in Best Leading Actor, why Marty Supreme's 0-from-11 night made history for the wrong reasons, and the moment involving Tourette's campaigner John Davidson that dominated post-show coverage — and why the BBC's handling of it was the real story.There's also a heartfelt tribute to Eric Dane, who passed away on 19th February 2026 at the age of 54 following his battle with ALS. Netflix has released his episode of Famous Last Words, and it's well worth your time.On the TV news front: UK cancellations, renewals including Can You Keep a Secret? and The Floor, an ABC renewal status update, Peter Krause eyeing a new NBC pilot, first-look photos for S.W.A.T. Exiles, Robert Carlyle joining Line of Duty Series 7, and the first original cast member confirmed for the Fox Baywatch reboot.For more information on motor neurone disease, visit mndassociation.org and myname5doddie.co.uk in the UK, and targetals.org in the US.⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 – Intro and welcome back 00:18 – Talamasca: The Secret Order (Netflix) 04:37 – Cross Season 2 (Prime Video) 09:41 – London Anime & Gaming Con report 14:45 – The Night Agent Season 3 (Netflix) 17:28 – The Beauty (Disney+) 19:53 – BAFTAs 2026: winners, upsets and the John Davidson moment 28:20 – Tribute to Eric Dane 33:53 – Dave's weekly catch-up: Starfleet Academy, The Rookie S8, Watson, Matlock S2, The Lincoln Lawyer S4 38:29 – Cancellations: You Bet, Jeopardy! UK, Virdee, No Strings Attached 40:06 – Renewals: Can You Keep a Secret?, The Floor, The Mistletoe Murders, The Night Agent S4 writers room 42:10 – ABC renewal status round-up 45:03 – Peter Krause and the Protection pilot for NBC 48:17 – S.W.A.T. Exiles: photos released, still no broadcaster 51:18 – Robert Carlyle joins Line of Duty Series 7 53:05 – David Chokachi joins the Fox Baywatch reboot 56:02 – Highlights for next week on TV 59:00 – Outro and where to find everyoneSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/geektown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Language doesn’t just describe culture. Sometimes, it creates it.In the Season One finale of Geekstorians, Dave explores the hidden history of geek language — how fans invented their own slang, references, in-jokes, and shorthand, and how that language quietly shaped modern geek culture and the internet itself.From handwritten letters in the back pages of early science-fiction magazines, to fanzines, conventions, badges, and costumes… from Monty Python quotes and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, to arcade slang, tabletop role-playing games, online gaming, text-message shorthand, memes, and chat rooms. This episode traces how fandom learned to communicate long before social media existed.Along the way, we explore how shared language helped fandom survive moral panics, cancelled shows, shifting technology, and changing formats, not through manifestos or rules, but through jokes, references, and community shorthand.Geek culture didn’t just grow around stories. It grew around conversations.This episode marks the end of Season One of Geekstorians. All ten episodes, plus the Christmas special, are now available.If you’ve enjoyed the series, please consider rating, reviewing, or subscribing. It really helps the show find new listeners. You can also share your thoughts on Season One over at Geektown.co.uk or on social media.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/geektown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Amell leads a Baywatch reboot. David Boreanaz headlines a Rockford Files revival. Apple takes full control of Severance. Marvel drops Wonder Man.Welcome to Geektown Radio Episode 485.Gray joins Dave this week to break down the biggest TV and streaming news, including Fox’s new Baywatch series with Stephen Amell as Hobie Buchannon, NBC rebooting The Rockford Files with David Boreanaz, and ITV picking up Stephen Amell and Minnie Driver crime drama The Murder Line.We also cover:• HBO Max launching in the UK and Ireland • Sky bundling Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max and Hayu • Apple Studios acquiring Severance in-house • The final 90-minute chapter of Good Omens • Renewals for The Assassin, Off Campus, and FOX favourites including Doc and Animal Control • Netflix cancelling Terminator ZeroOn the reviews side, we talk Marvel’s Wonder Man, Star Trek: Academy, 9-1-1, Watson, and the new game Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown, which lets you rewrite Voyager history.Plus ITV dramas, Netflix thrillers, The Traitors Ireland, and what to download for a long-haul honeymoon flight.—What We’ve Been WatchingGray:BetrayalLootDinosaurHijackFBIDeath in ParadiseMock The WeekHis & HersBlack OpsHeated RivalryEnglish TeacherThe Traitors IrelandSecret GeniusSchitt’s CreekDave:Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown (Game)Wonder ManStar Trek: Academy9-1-1Watson—TV Renewals, Cancellations & Pick-UpsCancelled:Terminator Zero (Netflix)The Fortune Hotel (ITV)Renewed:The Real Housewives Of London (Hayu)Off Campus (Amazon)The Assassin (Prime Video)FOX Update:DocMurder In A Small TownBest MedicineMemory Of A KillerAnimal ControlGoing Dutch (on the bubble)—Coming Next WeekThe Night Agent Season 3 – NetflixThe Last Thing He Told Me Season 2 – Apple TVWalsh Sisters – BBC OneParadise Season 2 – Disney+The Lady – ITVX—Subscribe for weekly UK TV news, streaming updates, premiere dates, renewals, cancellations and geek culture discussion.Visit geektown.co.uk for daily TV updates and UK air dates.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/geektown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Toys were never just toys.In this episode of Geekstorians, Dave traces the rise of the Plastic Empire — the moment when action figures, model kits, bricks, and collectibles stopped being side products and started becoming entire universes.From the Star Wars Early Bird box that accidentally rewrote the rules of merchandising, to the 1980s cartoon-toy industrial complex, moral panics, and the birth of gender-segmented aisles, this is the story of how plastic shaped imagination, identity, and fandom itself.Along the way, we explore LEGO’s uneasy relationship with licensed worlds, Gunpla’s transformation of fandom into craftsmanship, Warhammer’s hobbyist ecosystems, the rise of collector culture and shrine shelves, the collapse of toy superstores like Toys “R” Us, and how blind bags, loot-box logic, and digital skins quietly gamified collecting.Finally, we look at the strangest evolution yet — a future where fans no longer wait for companies to make their toys at all, but design and print their own.Because the Plastic Empire didn’t disappear. It decentralised.If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you’re subscribed or following Geekstorians wherever you listen, so you don’t miss future deep dives into the hidden history of geek culture.You can find every episode at https://www.geektown.co.uk, along with Geektown Radio, our weekly show covering the latest TV, film, and gaming news.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/geektown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Geektown Radio returns after its longest break, with Dave and Matt back for Episode 484 to catch up on months of TV, film, gaming, and industry news.Matt talks about revisiting The Last of Us Part II using the new chronological mode and how it reshapes the story, alongside reviews of films including Honey, Don’t! and Hamnet.Dave runs through what he has been watching, including Fallout Season 2, Hijack, The Night Manager’s long-awaited return, The Witcher Season 4, The Lincoln Lawyer, early impressions of Star Trek: Academy, and the new Muppet Show anniversary special on Disney Plus.The episode features a major TV news round-up, with renewals and cancellations across Netflix, CBS, Apple TV, and HBO, including Black Mirror being renewed again and The Pitt racing ahead to Season 3.There’s also discussion of HBO Max launching in the UK, Prime Video developing a Fallout Shelter reality series, casting news for Amazon’s God of War adaptation, HBO developing a Baldur’s Gate TV series with Craig Mazin, and why a Blake’s 7 reboot could be one of the most intriguing genre projects in development.Plus upcoming TV highlights for the week ahead and what’s coming next for Geektown Radio and Geekstorians.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/geektown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anime is everywhere now. Streaming platforms, cinema screens, fashion, music, TikTok, gaming. But it didn’t arrive in the West through studios, marketing campaigns, or corporate strategy.It arrived through fans.In this bumper-length episode of Geekstorians, Dave uncovers the real, messy, rebellious story of how anime travelled from post-war Japan to British living rooms and American college basements. It’s a journey that begins with lone animators and wartime propaganda films, explodes into giant-robot fever, and eventually spreads across the globe through mail networks, tape-trading rings, fan-subtitling groups, Channel 4’s late-night experiments, the chaos of SMTV: Live… and one film that hit like a cinematic meteor: Akira.This is the tale of the people who carried anime by hand, copying tapes at 3am, mailing fanzines in brown envelopes, hosting screenings in overheated hotel rooms, building early websites on dial-up, and refusing to let shows like Gundam, Yamato and Macross slip into obscurity.It’s the hidden history of how a scattered, passionate, wildly inventive fandom reshaped global pop culture, long before the industry realised the world was watching.If you enjoy the episode, don’t forget to follow, rate, and share Geekstorians. It genuinely helps the series grow and reach more listeners. And for more geek culture deep-dives, visit Geektown.co.uk.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/geektown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the 1980s, Dungeons & Dragons became the focus of one of the most unusual moral panics in modern history.A tabletop role-playing game built around imagination, storytelling, and collaboration was suddenly accused of promoting occultism, psychological harm, and even violence. Dice were framed as sinister objects. Rulebooks were treated like dangerous texts. And ordinary teenagers playing fantasy games found themselves caught in a storm of fear and misinformation.In this episode of Geekstorians, Dave from Geektown unpacks how D&D was pulled into the wider Satanic Panic, and why it became such a powerful symbol of adult anxiety about youth culture, imagination, and control.The story begins with a missing student and a media myth that refused to go away, then follows the rise of anti-D&D campaigners, sensationalist talk shows, and made-for-TV dramas that blurred fiction and fact. Along the way, we explore how moral crusades spread, how “experts” were created for television, and how a game about fantasy became a real-world scapegoat.But this is also the story of what actually happened around the gaming table, and why Dungeons & Dragons endured attempts to ban it, blame it, or brand it dangerous. Long after the panic faded, the game went on to influence video games, television, film, and modern fandom itself.A deep dive into the Satanic Panic, moral hysteria, and the unlikely survival of one of the most influential games ever made.I’m Dave from Geektown.And this is Geekstorians.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/geektown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gaming didn’t just grow up... it took over.In this episode of Geekstorians, Dave dives into the chaotic, brilliant rise of gaming fandom: from the arcades of the late ’70s and the night Space Invaders caused Tokyo to mint extra coins, to the Atari 2600 bringing pixelated magic into the living room, to the bedroom coders who unknowingly kick-started a creative revolution across the UK and US.We trace the console culture wars - Nintendo vs Sega, Mario vs Sonic, identity vs identity - and how gaming magazines, tip lines and school-yard myths became the pre-internet backbone of fan knowledge. Then it’s onto LAN parties, MMOs that became entire eras of people’s lives, the WoW meteor strike that reshaped the genre overnight, and the moment consoles finally connected the world through Xbox Live, PlayStation Network and Halo 2’s multiplayer explosion.Finally, we reach the age of Twitch, YouTube, esports arenas, indie devs, Discord servers and sprawling online communities. A culture that is messy, generous, chaotic, creative, and very much alive.This is the story of how gamers built one of the most influential fandoms on the planet... one joystick, one cartridge, one guild, one livestream at a time.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/geektown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

n this episode of Geekstorians, Dave dives into one of the most heated and strangely human conflicts in modern fandom: the battle for canon.From the moment Star Wars quietly shifted a blaster bolt in 1997, the ground beneath our favourite universes began to move. Suddenly, creators weren’t the only ones shaping continuity. Fans were scrutinising every frame, showrunners were building puzzles inside their storylines, and entire franchises were juggling multiple timelines at once.We explore the rise of forensic fandom, the chaos of competing continuities, the fury of finales that don’t land, the strange elegance of narrative retcons that do, and why video games blew the old idea of a single canon to pieces. Along the way we revisit Lost, Sherlock, Game of Thrones, Star Wars, The Witcher, Fallout, Baldur’s Gate 3, and more — all to uncover how canon became an ecosystem rather than a single authoritative truth.And ultimately, we ask:Why do we care so deeply about what “really happened” in worlds that only exist because we love them?For more episodes and everything else we do, visit Geektown.co.uk.For weekly TV news, reviews and release dates, check out Geektown Radio, wherever you get your podcasts.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/geektown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Television didn’t always remember. For decades, episodes reset like clockwork, characters lived in cheerful time loops, and anything resembling continuity was considered a liability. Then came a wave of rebellious creators, strange experiments, and a generation of fans armed with VCRs — and everything changed.In this episode of Geekstorians, Dave rewinds to the era when TV grew up. From Hill Street Blues quietly teaching networks how to tell long-form stories, to Star Trek: The Next Generation bending the rules, to Twin Peaks turning mystery into obsession, and The X-Files training audiences to become detectives, this was the decade television learned to think in arcs.We dive into J. Michael Straczynski’s audacious five-year blueprint for Babylon 5, and how it helped invent the modern showrunner/fandom feedback loop. Then it’s on to Buffy the Vampire Slayer — the series that rewrote the emotional architecture of genre TV and launched a writer’s room that would shape the next twenty years of storytelling.After that comes the rise of cable: Angel, Stargate SG-1, Carnivàle, and the 2005 Doctor Who revival becoming proof that genre could be ambitious, sincere, and mainstream. And finally, the 2000s network scramble — the adrenaline of 24, the puzzle-box frenzy of Lost, the heartbreak of Firefly, the ambition of Battlestar Galactica, and the improbable triumph of Fringe.All of it leads to the blueprint that streaming would later inherit — and occasionally break — as binge culture transformed how we watched, talked, and obsessed.This is the story of how geek TV conquered the schedule, reshaped fandom, and taught the world that continuity isn’t a burden… it’s a promise.Geekstorians is written and hosted by Dave from Geektown. For more TV, film and gaming news, visit Geektown.co.uk, or listen to our sister show Geektown Radio.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/geektown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s time for the Geektown Awards results podcast.Dave is joined by Matt for a spoiler-free rundown of how the Geektown audience voted in the 2025 awards, covering TV, film, games, sci-fi, comedy, animation, procedurals, British TV, and the most anticipated releases of the year ahead.With thousands of votes cast, the results sparked plenty of discussion, from nail-biting category races to unexpected shake-ups and a few outcomes that genuinely caught us off guard. We talk through the voting trends, what they say about viewing and gaming habits right now, and why some long-running franchises still dominate while newer titles continue to break through.All winners and full rankings are revealed and discussed inside the episode itself, so consider this your spoiler-free invitation to dive in and see how your favourites fared.Thanks to everyone who voted, and happy awards season listening.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/geektown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On 17th November 1978, CBS aired the first ever Star Wars spin-off — a chaotic, disco-tinged Christmas variety show featuring Wookiee domestic life, baffling guest stars, and the on-screen debut of Boba Fett. It aired once… and then disappeared.But Star Wars has fans.And fans do not let things disappear.In this Geekstorians Christmas Special, we unwrap the unbelievable true story of the Star Wars Holiday Special: its overnight vanishing act, the bootleg trail that kept it alive, the obsessive hunt for surviving recordings, the rise of fan archivists determined to clean up every frame, and the moment this forgotten piece of TV slowly drifted back into the galaxy — in ways no one in 1978 could ever have predicted.Featuring Wookiees, VHS tapes, Boba Fett’s origins, questionable musical numbers, and the fandom that refused to let the strangest artefact in Star Wars history fade away.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/geektown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.