Post-Apocalyptia

It’s back to Mid-World, in today’s episode of the Post-Apocalyptia Podcast! We’re talking about The Drawing of the Three, book two of Stephen King’s magnum opus, The Dark Tower. We’ll talk about the edge of the world, and lobsters that will eat you if you don’t eat them first. We’ll see three very strange doors, and pay a visit—or several—to New York City, through the eyes—literally—of the most unexpected people. And finally, we’ll gear up for the rest of our quest to find the Dark Tower, and save what’s left of this world, and all worlds. All this and more, in The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three. Join us there, at the end of the world! The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three is available in print, ebook, and audiobook formats from most booksellers. Post-Apocalyptia can be found on most podcast apps, and on our website at https://www.postapocalyptia.com. We can also be found on social media on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Twitter/X, Bluesky, and Reddit. Have a story you'd like to see us feature? Or, want to join us as a guest? Leave us a comment on any of our social media, or email us at postapocalyptiapodcast@gmail.com. Intro/Outro Music: "Achilles" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Interstitial music is taken from "The Hum", by Jordan Winslow, available at https://www.jordanwinslow.me, and is free for commercial use with attribution.  

Max is back, and better than ever! Today Professor David Perlmutter joins us as we talk about the one that really kicked the series into gear: George Miller's 1981 classic, Mad Max 2! Or if, like us, you're in the USA, you may know it better as The Road Warrior. Why is that? Listen and see! We'll talk about leather gear, the real cost of gasoline, and the best villain we've seen yet: the Warrior of the Wastes, the Ayatollah of Rock-and-Rollah, Lord Humungous! We'll put this excellent film in its historical context, and see how it shaped the tropes of the genre for decades to come. All of this and more, in Mad Max 2! Join us there, at the end of the world! Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior can be rented or purchased on many streaming services, and is available on DVD and Blu-Ray. Post-Apocalyptia can be found on most podcast apps, and on our website at https://www.postapocalyptia.com. We can also be found on social media on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Twitter/X, Bluesky, and Reddit. Have a story you'd like to see us feature? Or, want to join us as a guest? Leave us a comment on any of our social media, or email us at postapocalyptiapodcast@gmail.com. Intro/Outro Music: "Achilles" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Interstitial music is taken from "The Hum", by Jordan Winslow, available at https://www.jordanwinslow.me, and is free for commercial use with attribution.  

This week, we continue our series on the Fallout video game series with Fallout 3! We'll make the leap from isometric to 3D, as Bethesda Softworks assumes control of the series. Travel east with me to the Capital Wasteland, where we'll meet new companions, new friends, and some old enemies. As the Lone Wanderer, we'll search for our missing father, and save the wasteland--but at a terrible price. All this and more, in our third Fallout series episode, Fallout 3. Join us there, at the end of the world! Fallout 3 can be purchased for most game platforms, with the exception of Nintendo. Post-Apocalyptia can be found on most podcast apps, and on our website at https://www.postapocalyptia.com. We can also be found on social media on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Twitter/X, Bluesky, and Reddit. Have a story you'd like to see us feature? Or, want to join us as a guest? Leave us a comment on any of our social media, or email us at postapocalyptiapodcast@gmail.com. Intro/Outro Music: "Achilles" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ For today's episode only, interstitial music is sampled from "Main Title", Fallout 3 Official Soundtrack, by Inon Zur. The Fallout Vault-Tec telephone number referenced in this episode remains active at publication time, and can be called at +1 (213) 258-2858. Special Thanks to the following Redditors from the /r/Fallout3 subreddit, who contributed stories for this episode: /u/Crucial_Fun /u/Pearl_Seeker /u/Historical_Main5261 /u/Matthew2827 /u/Rare_Tank622 /u/AlastorCalactus /u/Zestyclose_Current41

In this week's episode, we look at Margaret Atwood's 2003 novel, Oryx and Crake! We'll talk about the evils of capitalism, the horrors of bioengineering, and the historical greed of company towns. And, oh yeah, a man-made disease that is deliberately released. We'll ask ourselves, what happens when an entire society's morals are defined by the ability to make money? Warning: It's not great! Join us there, at the end of the world! CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains discussion of sexual topics, including pornography, sex trafficking/human trafficking, and child sexual abuse material. Discussion is both discreet and direct, and occurs at multiple points in the episode.  Oryx and Crake remains in print, and can be purchased at most booksellers, in print, ebook, and audiobook formats. Post-Apocalyptia can be found on most podcast apps, and on our website at https://www.postapocalyptia.com. We can also be found on social media on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Twitter/X, Bluesky, and Reddit. Have a story you'd like to see us feature? Or, want to join us as a guest? Leave us a comment on any of our social media, or email us at postapocalyptiapodcast@gmail.com. Intro/Outro Music: "Achilles" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Interstitial music is taken from "The Hum", by Jordan Winslow, available at https://www.jordanwinslow.me, and is free for commercial use with attribution.  

We are BACK, with Season Two! Today we're opening our season with our most requested story so far, the 2009 comedy film, Zombieland! Marley joins me as we talk about the rules for surviving the apocalypse; why you shouldn't use your real name; and of course, the last Twinkies in the world! We'll talk about the value of comedic stories, even in a typically dark genre, and why it's okay to not take everything so seriously. Except the zombies. Take those seriously. All this and more, as Post-Apocalyptia takes on Zombieland! Join us there, at the end of the world. Zombieland is now streaming on Peacock and YouTube TV, and is available for rent and purchase from most vendors.  Post-Apocalyptia can be found on most podcast apps, and on our website at https://www.postapocalyptia.com. We can also be found on social media on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Twitter/X, Bluesky, and Reddit. Have a story you'd like to see us feature? Or, want to join us as a guest? Leave us a comment on any of our social media, or email us at postapocalyptiapodcast@gmail.com. Correction: The email address was listed incorrectly in the audio for this episode. The version posted here is correct. The pilot episode of Zombieland: The Series is available on YouTube, here. Intro/Outro Music: "Achilles" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Interstitial music is taken from "The Hum", by Jordan Winslow, available at https://www.jordanwinslow.me, and is free for commercial use with attribution.

Welcome back to Post-Apocalyptia! In this bonus episode, we talk about our first short story from The End of the World as We Know It. We'll look at "Room 24" by Caroline Kepnes, in which a man named Abel doesn't need the Superflu as an excuse to do evil--but he'll welcome it as an opportunity. Join us here, at the end of the world...as we know it! Content Warning: Graphic discussion of sexual topics; death of a child. The End of the World as We Know It: New Tales of Stephen King's The Stand, Edited by Christopher Golden and Brian Keene, is available in print, ebook, and audiobook formats, from most booksellers. Disclaimer: Episode art is AI generated. AI was not used in any other capacity.

Welcome to the offseason of the Post-Apocalyptia Podcast! Between seasons one and two, we'll be posting bonus episodes, looking at the short stories in the new collection, The End of the World as We Know It: New Tales of Stephen King's The Stand. Today we're introducing the collection, and we'll talk about our plans for the rest of the offseason, and the upcoming season two! Join us there, at the end of the world...as we know it.   The End of the World as We Know It: New Tales of Stephen King's The Stand can be purchased in print, ebook, and audiobook formats at most booksellers.

Welcome back to the season one finale of the Post-Apocalyptia Podcast! Today, we’re continuing our look at the big one, the story that started it all for me: Stephen King’s 1978 novel, The Stand! In part two, we’ll dig into the realities of this apocalypse. We’ll talk about what it would take to survive the post-apocalypse (assuming you survived the superflu!), and what’s realistic vs. unrealistic. We’ll talk about modern conveniences, human needs, and whether it’s possible to get society back on its feet. And, in this special episode, we’ll hear from you! We’ll read the stories you contributed about your own experiences with The Stand, and we’ll talk about mine. Plus, the future of Post-Apocalyptia: What are we doing in the offseason, and what can you look forward to in season two? All this and more…so, as always, join me there, at the end of the world! The Stand is available from booksellers everywhere. The audiobook may be purchased from Audible and other vendors. The 1994 miniseries adaptation is not available via streaming services, but may be purchased in digital form or on DVD; the 2020 miniseries adaptation is available on Paramount+. The End of the World as We Know It, published by Gallery Books and edited by Christopher Golden and Brian Keene, is available from major booksellers everywhere. The audiobook is available from Audible and other vendors. “Baby, Can You Dig Your Man?” by Larry Underwood, as featured in the 1994 miniseries, can be heard here. The song as featured in the 2020 miniseries can be heard here. A big thank you to the Redditors who contributed their stories for this episode! All contributors are listed below, by username or preferred name: /u/queenbeepdx /u/EdRegis1 Nat /u/vonkasten50000 /u/DoubleDenimDaredevil /u/GingerBelvoir /u/f4ttyKathy /u/Wordwench /u/jmma20 /u/Disaster-Bee /u/ShawnShev /u/Silly-Mountain-6702 /u/heatherm70 /u/Top-Community-9600 /u/ShirleyAnn66 /u/Stupefactionist /u/DefiantRaspberry2510

Welcome to the season one finale of the Post-Apocalyptia Podcast! Today, we're looking at the big one, the story that started it all for me: Stephen King's 1978 novel, The Stand! In the first part of this two-part episode, we'll talk about the Superflu, also known as Captain Trips, and the devastation it brings to the world. We'll meet our cast of characters, and learn what happens to them as they assemble into the forces of good and evil. We'll visit places all across the USA, and meet the oldest woman in the world--and maybe the avatar of the devil himself. Plus, we'll talk about the road that led me to this podcast. Join me there, at the end of the world! The Stand is available from booksellers everywhere. The audiobook may be purchased from Audible and other vendors. The 1994 miniseries adaptation is not available via streaming services, but may be purchased in digital form or on DVD; the 2020 miniseries adaptation is available on Paramount+.  "Baby, Can You Dig Your Man?" by Larry Underwood, as featured in the 1994 miniseries, can be heard here.

This week, we take a look at another video game, and another fully fictional world, in Nintendo's 2017 smash hit video game, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild! We'll talk heroes and villains; princesses and powers; magic and (the) Master Sword, as we save the kingdom of Hyrule from Calamity Ganon! We'll talk about what it's like when your apocalypse is both war and supernatural. Plus, we'll look at ten thousand years and more of history, and we'll ask ourselves the most important question: Just how many copies can one game sell? This and more, so, as always--join us there, at the end of the world! The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is available on the Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, and Wii U consoles.  Our season finale is coming! Starting next week, we'll be talking about Stephen King's longest and possibly most famous novel, 1978's (and 1990's!) The Stand. And we want your thoughts! Share your experiences and opinions regarding this book--or its adaptations to television or comics--and we'll include them in our episodes. You can find posts on Reddit requesting your stories here in the /r/StephenKing subreddit and here in /r/The Stand subreddit. Or you can comment at any of the social media and email links below--we'll get notifications at any of those locations! Questions, requests, suggestions, and comments can be emailed to us at postapocalyptiapodcast@gmail.com. You can find us on social media at Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Instagram, and Reddit. Website.  

This week, we look at a "near miss" apocalypse, and add aliens to our list, with a famous science-fiction novel by Russian authors Arkady and Boris Strugatsky: 1972's Roadside Picnic! We'll talk about stalkers, empties, and a golden sphere--not to mention corruption at all levels of society. And we'll ask ourselves: Would the aliens even notice us? And just what are our lives worth, anyway? This and more, in this week's episode. Join me there, at the end of the world! Roadside Picnic is available in two English translations. Quotations in this episode are from the 2012 translation. Roadside Picnic has been in print continuously since publication, and is available wherever books are sold, in all formats. Audio may be purchased from Audible and other vendors.  Our season finale is coming! We'll be talking about Stephen King's longest and possibly most famous novel, 1978's (and 1990's!) The Stand. And we want your thoughts! Share your experiences and opinions regarding this book--or its adaptations to television or comics--and we'll include them in our episodes. You can comment at any of the social media and email links below! Questions, requests, suggestions, and comments can be emailed to us at postapocalyptiapodcast@gmail.com. You can find us on social media at Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Instagram, and Reddit. Website.  

This week, join me as I talk about 1975's film by L.Q. Jones, starring Don Johnson, A Boy and His Dog! We'll talk about impossible distances, loose morals, and a telepathic pet; "Over the Hill" vs. "Downunder"; and possibly the most heinous pun in movie history. Plus, what's up with the Committee, anyway? Join me there, at the end of the world! This film is Rated R, and is not appropriate for children. This episode is also explicit. Content warning: This episode includes mention of rape and other sexual topics. Mark Hamill's take on Harrison Ford's "It ain't that kind of movie" quote can be found here. As of this episode's release, A Boy and His Dog is streaming on Amazon Prime Video and the Roku Channel, and available for rent or purchase via Amazon and Apple TV. Questions, requests, suggestions, and comments can be emailed to us at postapocalyptiapodcast@gmail.com. You can find us on social media at Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Instagram, and Reddit. Website.

This week, we take a look at the 2022 video game by BlueTwelve Studio and Annapurna Interactive, Stray! We'll talk about cats with personality, robots with even more, and that most rare of post-apocalypses: the post-human world. We'll ponder the logic of a domed city, and wonder where this game might go if a sequel were to happen. And did I mention cats?? (For the cat lovers in the crowd, of course.) Join me there, at the end of the world!  First musical clip from "Ballad of the Lonely Robot", by Masters of Sound, featured in the game. Second musical clip from "Daybreak", by Yann Van Der Cruyssen, featured in the game. All tracks available on Spotify. Stray is available on PC via Steam; on Playstation 4 and Playstation 5; on XBox Series X/S; and on Nintendo Switch. Questions, requests, suggestions, and comments can be emailed to us at postapocalyptiapodcast@gmail.com. You can find us on social media at Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Instagram, and Reddit. Website.

Concerning a brief delay in the recording and release of our next episode. Thanks for listening! Questions, requests, suggestions, and comments can be emailed to us at postapocalyptiapodcast@gmail.com. You can find us on social media at Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Instagram, and Reddit. Website.

This week, we look at one of the bleakest stories we'll ever cover: Cormac McCarthy's famous 2006 novel, The Road! We'll talk about nuclear winter, the flame of civilization, and the love of a parent. Plus, I'll confess to something truly shocking: How much I hate this book--even while I still respect it. And yes, that scene will get a mention (you know the one, and if you don't, we're going to ruin your day today!). Join us for one of our roughest stories yet, at the end of the world. The Road can be purchased at Amazon and most booksellers. Or you can check out the film adaptation, currently available on Plex and other streaming services. Questions, requests, suggestions, and comments can be emailed to us at postapocalyptiapodcast@gmail.com. You can find us on social media at Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, and Reddit. Other contacts still to come. Website.

This week, join me for a look at an obscure but fascinating dystopian action film: 1981's The Last Chase, starring Lee Majors and Burgess Meredith! Windy joins me again to talk about the 1970s energy crisis, mobility as freedom, and authoritarianism. Plus, we'll look at that most unusual of artifacts: an '80s action film with no romance?! We'll also get nostalgic as we talk about our late father, who introduced us to this and many other great stories, and to whom we're dedicating this episode on his birthday. Join us there, at the end of the world! The Last Chase is not available for streaming, but can be purchased on DVD from Amazon and other distributors.  For a special twist: Watch Mystery Science Theater 3000 take on this film, here on YouTube! Questions, requests, suggestions, and comments can be emailed to us at postapocalyptiapodcast@gmail.com. You can find us on social media at Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, and Reddit. Other contacts still to come. Website.

This week, Windy returns to join me and talk about Sam Esmail's 2023 film, Leave the World Behind! We'll talk about misanthropy, infrastructure collapse, and the Friends season finale (yes, really). We'll meet our first true doomsday prepper, and learn about Havana Syndrome; and we'll ask ourselves, what's the cheapest way to take down a country? Join us there, at the end of the world! Stranger Things, genre, and story structure, as considered by Tumblr, here. President Obama's involvement in Leave the World Behind, as reported by Forbes, here. Havana Syndrome, as explained on History Channel's History's Greatest Mysteries, here. Leave the World Behind can be viewed on Netflix. Questions, requests, suggestions, and comments can be emailed to us at postapocalyptiapodcast@gmail.com. You can find us on social media at Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, and Reddit. Other contacts still to come. Website.  

This week, we return to the post-nuclear world of Fallout, with the 1998 video game sequel by Interplay Entertainment and Black Isle Studios, Fallout 2! Say goodbye to our old friend the Vault Dweller, and say hello to his grandchild, the Chosen One. We'll discover a new antagonist and a new nation, and learn about the source of entirely too many mutations: The Forced Evolutionary Virus, or FEV. Plus, we'll talk about the legacy of the series' earliest entries, and the handover to this upstart new company called Bethesda Softworks. Join me there, at the end of the world! Fallout 2 may be purchased for PC on the Steam and GOG platforms. Don't want to invest the time to play? You can watch a very entertaining playthrough on Youtube here, courtesy of Many a True Nerd! Or you can check out the game's Wikipedia page here. Questions, requests, suggestions, and comments can be emailed to us at postapocalyptiapodcast@gmail.com. You can find us on social media at Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, and Reddit. Other contacts still to come. Website.

This week, we look at what may be the bleakest post-apocalypse we'll ever cover: Harlan Ellison's famous 1967 short story, I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream! We'll talk about godlike machines, internet thought experiments, and some serious body horror. And, we'll ask the one question we all know better than to ask: What's the worst that could happen? Walk in the shoes of the last survivors of humanity, and consider why MAAAAYBE artificial general intelligence might not be the boon it seems to be, in this classic story. Join me there, at the end of the world! Read the story here. Video overview of Roko's Basilisk can be viewed here. Questions, requests, suggestions, and comments can be emailed to us at postapocalyptiapodcast@gmail.com. You can find us on social media at Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, and Reddit. Other contacts still to come. Website.

This week, we look at another fully fictional world, in one of my lifelong favorite stories: Stephen King's 1982 novel, The Gunslinger! We'll talk about determination, dying worlds, and the desert to end all deserts. Plus, one of the most famous first lines in modern literature! Join us there, at the end of the world. List of changes to the 2003 revision of The Gunslinger. Questions, requests, suggestions, and comments can be emailed to us at postapocalyptiapodcast@gmail.com. You can find us on social media at Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, and Reddit. Other contacts still to come. Website.