Just in time for DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE, it’s our episode all about X2! Marvel at the increased scope from Part 1, revel in the pulpy performance from Brian Cox, and be astounded at the in-costume fight the cast had with director Bryan Singer. Be a god among insects and listen along with us!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians are seeing red! We dive back into the filmography of Guillermo del Toro and break down 2004’s HELLBOY! We discuss how well Ron Perlman’s first round in the horns holds up after two decades. We also, somehow, discuss Star Trek: Nemesis and Arrested Development. Listen along with us as we march forth through our chronological look at the superhero film genre!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians get booksmart with 2003’s THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN! Also known as LXG, this 2003 Sean Connery vehicle raises an interesting question: what happens when a movie is less interesting than the chaos that created it? Topics include: the feud between Connery and director Stephen Norrington, the horrible Dorian Gray one-liners and the filmography of Sam Mendes.
This week, we dive right into one of the more divisive superhero flicks of the 21st century. Ang Lee’s 2003 HULK movie is of the wildest swings the genre has ever offered, but is Eric Bana’s lone turn in the purple pants a boom or a bust? Listen and find out what we thought! Hint: we’re split!
This week, we cook in Hell’s Kitchen. It’s time to dive into 2003’s DAREDEVIL! Marvel as we compare the theatrical and director’s cut! Awe at the multiple Evanescence needle drops! Be mystified at the chemistry between Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner!
This week, we reach new heights with Sam Raimi’s 2002 SPIDER-MAN! It broke box-office records in 2002 and set the stage for superhero cultural dominance for decades to come, but how does Tobey Maguire’s first run in the suit stack up in 2024? Spoilers: SPIDER-MAN is still spectacular. Listen along as we break down the winding production history as well as explore the question: has anybody done it better since?
This week, our favorite half-vampire returns in BLADE II and he’s brought Ron Perlman and Guillermo del Toro with him! Topics in this episode include: del Toro’s approach to guiding this sequel, the pros and cons of the action-first ethos, and the Crystal Method.
This week, we begin our next season by diving into the superhero movies of the 2000’s. We start with M. Night Shyamalan’s UNBREAKABLE, a movie that seemed like a relatively big deal in 2000, and somewhat forgotten now. Topics include: the weird peaks and valleys of Shyamalan’s career, the legacy of Bruce Willis and the weird power of the twist ending.
It’s award season over on the Pop Culture Historians this week! Let’s take a look back at Classic Doctor Who Season Five and determine the best and worst it had to offer. Best Guest Star, Worst Special Effect, Best Villain, Season MVP…they’re all up for grabs. Who will win? Listen and find out!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians watch as Classic Doctor Who Season Five ends not with a bang, but with a whimper. Is THE WHEEL IN SPACE as bad as its reputation? Why do the Cybermen hatch from eggs now? Why don’t people just drop-kick those Cybermats? All these questions and more will be explored in this episode!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians find themselves underwater with FURY FROM THE DEEP! Topics include: the relatively recent animation and how the serial loses something in the translation, the departure of a companion and Jimmy’s 2012 Halloween costume.
This week, the Yeti return in THE WEB OF FEAR! Topics include: the awful animation of the missing Episode 3, the joy of seeing Deborah Watling reunite with her father, and the emotionally complicated resolution. Plus…Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart enters the chat!
This week…no, you’re not seeing double. That’s TWO Patrick Troughtons in the six-part THE ENEMY OF THE WORLD. Topics discussed include: Troughton’s double role as the Doctor and the villainous Ramon Salamander, the chilling ending, and the serial’s overall re-evaluation since its episode recovery.
This week, the Pop Culture Historians keep their snow suits on to review THE ICE WARRIORS! Topics include: Peter Barkworth’s incredible guest role, the thematic pull between man and machine, and the serial’s weird cliffhangers.
This week, bundle up because we’re breaking down THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMEN! Is this mostly-missing six-part story better or worse in animation form? How many ways can we mispronounce the name Padmasambhava? Also, can some great stuff at the end mask the fact that much of this serial is…kind of boring? Listen along and find out!
It’s been a bit, but finally the Patrick Troughton Era continues on Pop Culture Historians! We’ve finally reached Season Five, which begins with a classic: the Cybermen have returned! What did we think of this well-regarded four part serial? What makes a Cybermen story different from the Daleks? Did Frazer Hines hit on the producer’s wife? Listen along and find out the answers!
We’re back! Before we dive into Classic Doctor Who Season Five, let’s take a look back at one of the most unique stories of Season Four, THE UNDERWATER MENACE! Topics include: the pros and cons of the new animation, what we can glean from a second watch, the campy brilliance of Joseph Furst, and which version of the story we would recommend to a first time viewer.
Happy Halloween, boos and ghouls. Tonight, in our special bonus episode, we take this All Hallows’ Eve to take a look back at the season that was. We reflect on the higher-than-expected quality of the twelve movies we reviewed this season, we rank them, then decide…should any of them be Essentials?
It’s werewolf week here on Pop Culture Historians as we wrap up our look back at the Classic Universal Monster Sequels! First up, Henry Hull is the WEREWOLF OF LONDON. Does the first werewolf movie of note hold up after all these years? Then, the main event, the crossover event of the 20th century: FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLF MAN. Lon Chaney. Bela Lugosi. Who will win? Listen and find out! In between, we stick to the theme in our Intermission Special and rank our favorite vampires.
This week, we welcome Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi back to the Universal Monster party in our Frankenstein Sequel Series! First up, SON OF FRANKENSTEIN must live up to the lofty expectations of the previous BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN and must do it without James Whale. Bela Lugosi shines as Ygor but does the rest of the movie live up? Next, we rank our favorite Halloween commercials during our Intermission Special! Finally, THE GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN brings us Lon Chaney’s first try in the neck bolts. Can he possibly live up to Karloff’s iconic performance? Listen along and find out!