Every Fan for Himself

You asked for it (you didn't), so we're back with another edition of Ultimate Duels! This time we each came up with personalized duels and let our co-hosts duke it out. Sky High? The Krusty Krab? Gwen Stefani?! You better believe it.

...meaning your hosts are rank (foul or offensive), and in this episode they are doing blind rankings (like from TikTok!). What do nameless Jedi, Mountain Dew, and Studio Ghibli have in common? They're all getting ranked, baby!

Arcade games were the progenitors of modern video games (we owe a lot of our bad habits to those big boxes). Unlike most outdated tech, somehow they've managed to stay relevant. We try to see why. Also, you ever just sit and think about etymology? No way you can guess where "arcade" originated from.

Stars, they're just like us! With nerd-dom entering the mainstream in the last few years, we've also seen an increase of openly nerdy celebrities. They wargame, they roleplay, they give off "previous incel that got hot and popular and doesn't really know what to do with it" vibes, and we'e here to talk about them. Join us!

We know, the title of this episode could be the title of every episode of every podcast ever. In this instance, however, we're specifically discussing things within nerdom and media, and whether or not we think they're overrated, underrated, or just plain rated. Give it a listen and reflect on how underrated these hosts are, and how cool and cute they must be in real life.

You know that feeling where you're playing a video game and you think, "This should be a movie or a TV show"? So do we! We're talking about the video game franchises we'd like to see made into movie/TV franchises. Preferably by a studio that will push too much content, establish new lore that takes away from the feeling and intent of the original, and bleed it for every last cent in every imaginable market. What could go wrong?

The reading kind, to be clear. Like with graphic novels and manga. Did you think we meant comedians? Is there an audience for that? Are you turned off to the episode now that it's about Batman instead of Seinfeld? Honestly if it gets us a few extra listens we'll pivot and become a comedy podcast—we're that insecure.

Spielberg. Kubrick. Scorsese. These are the last names of thousands of people in America. They also happen to be the last names of some really good directors. But which director is the best ever? We're tackling this unanswerable question with unconventional methods and unconsistent criteria. Lights (just pretend), camera (we know, it's an audio format), action (its already recorded and edited)!

That's right, we're drafting things! Some nerdy, some commonplace, all subjective. We've never argued more than this episode, and we're still arguing about it a week after recording. Our friendship has been shaken to its core, all for your entertainment. Enjoy!

2023 came and went, and we tried/saw/read/played/consumed lots of new things (new to us, at least). Hear about which movie, TV show, video game, and book we each enjoyed the most this year. If you're lucky, you may even hear about what we're looking forward to in 2024 (luck has nothing to do with it, it's all there, just listen).

It's crazy that television got the nickname "boob tube" before the advent of the internet and before more unsavory industries had the chance to apply it elsewhere. Despite our parents' best efforts, TV played a big role in our childhoods and has maintained some status ever since. Tackling the topic is a tough task, but we three hosts are just delusional enough to think people may want to hear about the shows we've watched. Come along for the ride!

Remember books? They're those things a happier version of yourself used to read. With so many options and opinions, getting into the hobby can be daunting, so let us be your bumbling, ignorant, well-meaning guides. No matter how you read—and yes, listening counts as reading—books are probably better for your eyes, brain, and soul than whatever else you usually waste your time with. Unless you like model trains or something similar. That seems like a wholesome pastime.

or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Play to Relax. Cozy games have been trending, and with falling leaves, dropping temperatures, and perpetual darkness, you deserve some hearty, wholesome escapism. Find out what makes a game cozy, which ones you should know about, and why they might be just the thing to soothe your digital delinquency. Bundle up. Kick back. Settle in. Power on.

Close out this scary season with freaky fun facts and figures for frightening friends, family, fans, and foes. We're offering an expansive spread of knowledge, including nuggets from scary movies, AI cannibalism, real cannibalism, and the scariest topic of all: etymology. Happy Halloween from EFFH!

If you're the type of person who actively seeks out opportunities to trick their amygdala into a fear response to generate adrenaline and other fun hormones, you probably have enjoyed or would enjoy a horror video game. Join us as we talk about what we love, what we hate, and what we in-between feel about this distinct genre.

Bigfoot. Yetis. The Loch Ness Monster. What do these things have in common? You guessed it: they're all featured in the romantic fanfiction we're writing (you won't believe who Bigfoot ends up with). Other than that, they also happen to be cryptids. Tune in to hear about some lesser-known cryptids from North America, or to find out what the heck a cryptid is.

There's hardly anything more appropriate for Halloween season than a scary movie, and whether you're a bright-eyed beginner to the genre or a jaded, weathered, desensitized veteran, there's always going to be more to enjoy. We'll let you know what to watch based on how numb you are to external stimuli. Happy haunting!

"Let's watch, a Disney Channel Movie!" You're invited to the first (and possibly only) EFFH DCOM Film Festival. We're bringing our curated lists of movies to the table and telling you why you should care. Opinions will be heard, nostalgia will be stirred, genre lines will be blurred. So pop that corn and cling to the vestiges of a childhood that was gone before you knew how good you had it.

Prepare for trouble, and make it... triple? We're tackling the question that Pokémon fans have been wrestling with for decades: Which generation of Pokémon is the best? Thanks to our sophisticated rating criteria, we're able to definitively answer that question (none of us actually have the same answer).

Yeah, we're thinking we're back! Come re-get to know us for the first time again, now through the lens of our favorite movies—our Rushmores, if you will (the big rock in South Dakota, not the Wes Anderson movie, which didn't make our lists). We also discuss the most overrated movies, with takes ranging all the way from hot to tepid. Enjoy, and make sure to come to our panel at FanX! September 23rd, 5:00.