Roadtrippin' with Rob and Mike

What makes great sci-fi?Rob and I certainly have our complaints about some of the current sci-fi television shows and films that have been released over the past few years. Sometimes the story is bad, sometimes the effects are bad, and sometimes the science doesn't make any sense. And more often than not, it's a combination of these three factors to varying degrees.So when Robert Meyer Burnett says he's just watched the greatest episode of sci-fi he's seen in years - I want to know more.Rob goes on to explain what the producers, writers, and studios behind 'For All Mankind' (currently streaming on AppleTV) are doing right and why good storytelling like this matters.It's definitely worth a listen ...As always, I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode was recorded on July 1, 2022.

We all know Rob isn't big on nu-Trek. And in today's ROADTRIPPIN' podcast, RMB expresses his concerns and frustrations with the latest episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds's latest episode.But here's the thing about Rob's complaints - and, specifically, his concerns about the quality of writing for the latest generation of live-action, Star Trek shows currently streaming on Paramount+ ...He's not wrong.In fact, many of his complaints about the writing and writers as well as the stewardship of the Star Trek brand by the various showrunners involved have been confirmed by various people who have worked on the same productions. And it was during these conversations that Rob learned an important thing he shares with the ROADTRIPPIN' audience.Things are going to change when Jean-Luc Picard gets back in the command chair in season three of STAR TREK: PICARD.You've gotta hear it to believe it ... Oh, by the way, I apologize in advance for the sound of carpenters working on my roof while recording the first ten minutes of my interview with Rob. I explain this in a bit more detail during the intro to the podcast, but if you want to skip it, the hammering interludes end for good about 10-12 minutes into the interview.As always, I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode was recorded on June 30, 2022.

I saw LIGHTYEAR at the theater this Sunday with my family. Tickets for the four of us were just under $65, so by my figuring, we were just four of around 3 million people who saw that movie during its opening weekend.And while that missed projections, it’s still a pretty healthy opener for an animated movie.But should we evaluate it as “just” an animated movie? That may not be fair to the movie, to Pixar, to other animated features or to the legions of Buzz Lightyear fans who felt a little bit cheated by the movie.And if not cheated, that at least confused (or possibly misled).Robert Meyer Burnett and I discussed three letters from Imagination Connoisseurs who expressed their concern and disappointment about LIGHTYEAR – and while we didn’t agree entirely, we didn’t disagree either. Why is that? Give the podcast a listen to find out.As always, I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode was recorded on June 21, 2022.

Why doesn’t Hollywood remake mediocre movies (and make them better)?ROADTRIPPIN' co-hosts Robert Meyer Burnett and Mike Bawden discuss the broader implications of a question posed by an Imagination Connoisseur who asks why Obi-Wan Kenobi is such a boring character in his own series. In fact, one could ask why so many Star Wars series seem to be “running in place” and not really going anywhere with characters who don’t seem to be doing all that much. Is there a larger force at work here that no one seems to acknowledge? And where have we heard THAT before?This "Extra" is a segment from the ROADTRIPPIN' with RMB podcast recorded on June 17, 2022 (Episode #45).

Why doesn’t Hollywood remake mediocre movies (and make them better)?ROADTRIPPIN' co-hosts Robert Meyer Burnett and Mike Bawden respond to a letter from an Imagination Connoisseur who asks why Hollywood seems content remaking and re-booting successful movies rather than making movies with “great potential” that might have not met expectations when they were first released to the public. As Rob and Mike point out, there’s a lot more involved in a successful remake than one might imagine.This "Extra" is a segment from the ROADTRIPPIN' with RMB podcast recorded on June 17, 2022 (Episode #45).

I suppose this was a long time coming.I’ve noticed that Rob has been on the receiving end of more than one heated Twitter exchange with people his ongoing criticisms of both Star Trek and Star Wars. According to RMB, he receives several tweets a day of people sending him images of Gabe Simpson shaking his fist at the clouds (I’ve borrowed Gabe for this episode's keyframe).Some people call him an “asshole” or a “bully.” But most often, people just accuse him of being a “gatekeeper.”But is he?We now have an answer. As of the date and time of the recording of this podcast (and then again, later in the day on The John Campea Show), Rob has come out from under the proverbial bridge and publicly proclaimed himself as THE GATEKEEPER OF ALL FANDOM.And, predictably, the Twitterverse had a spaz attack.Apparently, Rob’s challenge to Star Trek: Strange New Worlds fans – that they provide a reading list of their favorite sci-fi books to prove they actually read sci-fi and that the books they admire establish some kind of bona fides – was viewed by many as “bullying.” It may be the first time someone was ever accused of bullying people by accusing those people of not reading enough books.Books, people. We’re talking about reading books. If you’re triggered by being accused of not reading books, you’ve got bigger problems than the Twitterverse can help you with. You need to see a Librarian, stat.Some folks just can’t take a joke, I suppose. Maybe if they read more joke books???As always, I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode was recorded on June 17, 2022.

It was a long day yesterday. Not only is the rise in gas prices and the wild ride the economy is on starting to show its tell-tale signs in So-Cal (there are noticeably fewer cars on the road this week), the overall level of social discourse on platforms like Twitter and Facebook seem to be taking a step back and becoming much more personal and mean-spirited.Especially if you’re critical of large, corporate franchises like Star Wars and Star Trek.And when Rob and I started our call on a muggy Tuesday morning (at least it’s muggy here in the Midwest), Rob put it all out there on the table. “I’m not happy with my people,” he told me. Rob then went on to relate how fans had been expressing their displeasure with his openness to the idea of the sequel to Todd Phillips’s film, THE JOKER, as a musical. To that end, the news broke yesterday that Phillips had signed Lady Gaga to appear in his sequel movie and now rumors are flying that she will play the role of Harley Quinn (which makes sense to me, fwiw).But why all the negativity about what is, admittedly an unexpected direction for a sequel to a comic book movie?It’s complicated.As always, I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode was recorded on June 14, 2022.

On today’s podcast, Rob shared some details from his weekend. Turns out there were a fan or two who felt compelled to tell Rob that the original trilogy of Star Wars films were “trash” and the best Star Wars movie was ROGUE ONE. On social media, some people who follow the PGS on Instagram and TikTok felt compelled to call out Rob and his opinions, calling him all kinds of vile things for espousing opinions that were, apparently, different than theirs.So just what in the wide, wide world of sports is going on here?*Well, for starters, we have an example of a fan who doesn’t seem to understand the role the original STAR WARS and its two sequels played in building the universe that allowed ROGUE ONE to appear in theaters, nearly forty years later. We’re in a period of time where sequels and prequels to established “franchises” are coming out with greater and greater frequency – and for fans who may not have even been alive when those franchise properties first appeared, it gets more and more difficult to understand each entry’s relative importance from a historical perspective.Because, you see, if STAR WARS (episode IV) had not been a commercial success, there would be no EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (episode V) or RETURN OF THE JEDI (episode VI). Being able to produce the original trilogy was a long-shot, even as far as George Lucas was concerned. And without that original trilogy’s staying power (remember, it took sixteen years before fans saw another Star Wars movie – and that was THE PHANTOM MENACE), the “franchise” we now call Star Wars would never have existed.That includes ROGUE ONE.But while a little historical perspective might help fans develop an appreciation for older films and television shows. In many cases, these same fans tend to conflate criticism of the shows they enjoy with a kind of personal attack and react, sometimes preemptively, and often on a very personal level.Is that really necessary? As always, I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode was recorded on June 13, 2022.(* to paraphrase Slim Pickens in Mel Brooks’s BLAZING SADDLES)

I don’t think there’s any surprise that RMB thinks very highly of Amazon Prime’s THE BOYS. But his comparison of the show to Stanley Kubrick’s 1964 classic, DR. STRANGELOVE OR: HOW I STOPPED WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB (a/k/a DR. STRANGELOVE) even caught me off guard.Rob loves everything Kubrick. So, for him to make this comparison required a bit more scrutiny. And I have to say, I don’t disagree with him on this. And here’s the reason why:THE BOYS is a satirical statement on the culture in which we live, disguised as a puerile, hyper-violent, comic book series.But as Rob points out, the series has eclipsed the source material and taken it into new places where the original comic book series went (and it broke barriers when it first appeared, too). The show draws from the comics but uses some amazingly talented writers to come up with what is arguably one of the best-written shows on TV/streaming right now.As always, I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode was recorded on June 10, 2022.

ROADTRIPPIN' co-hosts Robert Meyer Burnett and Mike Bawden discuss how the entertainment business has changed since Jeffrey Katzenberg wrote an internal memo (at Disney) about the future of movie-making. As the economic realities have changed and the budgets have ballooned, studios are finding themselves in a difficult corner – they need to make big-budget, franchise fare that will be sure to generate an audience, but one misstep could spell financial ruin. This makes the going even more difficult for producers and creators wanting to launch new franchises or produce unique, one-off films.This "Extra" is a segment from the ROADTRIPPIN' with RMB podcast recorded on June 9, 2022 (Episode #41).

ROADTRIPPIN' co-hosts Robert Meyer Burnett and Mike Bawden respond to a letter from an Imagination Connoisseur who asks if fans aren’t actually nitpicking all of the fun out of our favorite things? How should fans treat each other and how should they handle discussions about shows or movies they don’t really like? Can we keep toxicity out of the PGS?This "Extra" is a segment from the ROADTRIPPIN' with RMB podcast recorded on June 9, 2022 (Episode #41).

ROADTRIPPIN' co-hosts Robert Meyer Burnett and Mike Bawden respond to a letter from an Imagination Connoisseur who thinks fans may be getting a little too harsh in their criticisms of long-established, genre franchises.This "Extra" is a segment from the ROADTRIPPIN' with RMB podcast recorded on June 9, 2022 (Episode #41).

Rob was very excited to record today's podcast. He had something he wanted to share.Rob really enjoyed the latest episode of 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' - calling it the best, single episode of Star Trek since 2005. That being said and Rob being who he is, he did have one bone to pick with the show ...The story behind the episode appeared to be a direct copy of a short story by legendary sci-fi author, Ursula K. LeGuin. That story ("The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas")is comparable to Dostoevsky's "The Brothers Karamazov" (not the juggling troupe) - but the similarities between the SNW episode and LeGuin's story (from the late 70s) are far more than just "comparable." The similarities between the SNW episode and LeGuin's story are so close, that it's shocking that LeGuin isn't, at the very least, acknowledged at all in the credits of the episode. Some articles cite SNW's reputation for "deep-cut pop culture references" but Rob and I both feel these cuts are less like a referential nod and more like cribbing plot points and other details in order to take less time to write an episode treatment.As always, I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode was recorded on June 9, 2022.(**NOTE: Due to some audio difficulties while we were recording, Rob and I re-cut the second half of the podcast when he returned home after work and he was able to jump on a Zoom call with me from the Robservatory. You can hear a tremendous difference in the audio quality as a result. We'll continue to work on improving the audio quality of these podcasts - although I doubt we'll get things to work quite so well from Rob's car while he's driving as they do when he's behind the mic in the Robservatory.)

Being the star of your own show might be good for your ego but bad for the country.ROADTRIPPIN' co-hosts Robert Meyer Burnett and Mike Bawden respond to a letter from an Imagination Connoisseur who contends that modern TV shows and movies aren’t as memorable as classic shows and movies from years gone by. He goes on to propose that even if those classic TV shows and movies were made today, they wouldn’t be as memorable, either. Are we developing a kind of mass, cultural amnesia or is something even worse going on?This "Extra" is a segment from the ROADTRIPPIN' with RMB podcast recorded on June 8, 2022 (Episode #40).

Rob and I respond to a letter from an Imagination Connoisseur asking why modern TV shows and movies aren't as memorable as the classic films and programs from decades gone by. He even goes as far as to say that if some of those legendary filmmakers released their classic films in today's media environment, their work wouldn't be as memorable, either.Interestingly enough, Rob and I agree (at least in principle). Our rationales differ slightly, though.For those of us over a certain age, we recall what it was like growing up in the limited media environment of the 50s, 60s, and 70s. That was back in the day when you only had three networks to choose from (maybe four if you could tune in a UHF frequency or were lucky enough to be within reach of a public TV affiliate), and the closest thing you had to a remote was making your younger sibling run to the console TV on the other side of the room to change channels.The fact is, our media environment then - during that very important, opinion-forming time of our lives - is very different from the media environment that exists today. We grew to know, admire, and, yes, even love the characters portrayed in our favorite shows seen both during prime viewing and during reruns. These were deeper, emotional bonds than anything we experience with characters on TV or in movies today.And that love for the cherished characters we knew during our formative years may be the emotion that gets damaged with half-baked prequels, thoughtless remakes, and sloppy reboots.But there's more to it than just that. We discuss the characters that have stepped into the void since the debut of reality television and viral growth of social media - but you'll need to listen to today's podcast to get all of that.As always, I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode was recorded on June 8, 2022.

Over the past 38 episodes of this podcast, Rob and I have discussed (ad nauseam, some might say) what we don't like about a good bit of the new, genre entertainment being produced by the major studios as continuations (or, more likely, re-boots and prequels) to long-established, franchise properties. To be honest, some of it is pretty bad and we're going to continue talking about it.The problem is, of course, that if we continue to bang on with what is wrong, we'll give the wrong impression. We WANT things to be better and we think it's important to encourage people interested in the field of entertainment to pursue their dreams. But to do so, realistically.This podcast (whichi runs about an hour) is an example of how that conversation can be informative and, we hope, uplifting.As always, I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.We look forward to hearing from you.I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.This episode was recorded on June 7, 2022.

Sometimes you don’t have to change much to resolve a ear-splitting dissonance.ROADTRIPPIN' co-hosts Robert Meyer Burnett and Mike Bawden respond to a letter from an Imagination Connoisseur who works in the music industry and asks a very interesting question about the “artistic dissonances” in the new, Obi-Wan Kenobi series streaming on Disney+. Matt points out that just making some small changes in how certain things are handled could go a long way to fixing the continuity and storytelling problems that seem to undercut the series.This "Extra" is a segment from the ROADTRIPPIN' with RMB podcast recorded on June 6, 2022 (Episode #38).

Is the outlook for the future of storytelling as bleak as it seems to be?ROADTRIPPIN' co-hosts Robert Meyer Burnett and Mike Bawden respond to a letter asking where all of the optimistic stories have gone. Having been raised in the 60s and 70s, the letter-writer recalls that period as a time of optimism and possibility. But now, with the rise of social media (and, more likely, with the coming of middle age), he feels let down by the very media he used to turn to in order to remain hopeful about the future.Can things really be that bad?This "Extra" is a segment from the ROADTRIPPIN' with RMB podcast recorded on June 6, 2022 (Episode #38).

Creativity is in the eye of the beholder, until we invent technology to replace it.ROADTRIPPIN' co-hosts Robert Meyer Burnett and Mike Bawden respond to a letter asking about attempts to objectively determine what work is “creative” the limitations we face when it comes to trying to adopt such a standard. How can we say something is “objectively” creative when creativity seems to be such a matter of taste and personal preference?This "Extra" is a segment from the ROADTRIPPIN' with RMB podcast recorded on June 6, 2022 (Episode #38).

Is “good enough” really good enough?ROADTRIPPIN' co-hosts Robert Meyer Burnett and Mike Bawden respond to a letter from a listener who asks why Star Wars fans aren't more discerning when it comes to the stories written for their favorite franchises and the way they’re produced. Should fans just accept stories that are ill-conceived or poorly produced and not ask questions? Rob and Mike chime in with a few thoughts of their own.This "Extra" is a segment from the ROADTRIPPIN' with RMB podcast recorded on June 6, 2022 (Episode #38).