The Incomparable Mothership

We dive beneath the sea again with “K-19: The Widowmaker,” in which Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson star as… wait a second… Soviet naval officers? It’s a film about a horrible nuclear accident assembled from pieces of other submarine movies, as well as possibly several “Star Trek” movies, and we can’t decide if the screenplay or the casting is more of a problem. But finally we’ll get to the bottom of the real question: if most of the crewmen aren’t married, can K-19 really be a widowmaker? "K-19: The Widowmaker" Jason Snell with Erika Ensign, Philip Michaels, Steven Schapansky, Brian Warren and Tony Sindelar Referenced Works K-19: The Widowmaker Submarines Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

The Summer of Submarines resurfaces with James Garner going on a secret mission to an enemy island in 1959’s “Up Periscope.” The Skipper is not a skipper, but he’s got some interesting romantic ideas. Some scenes are impressively bad from multiple angles. And we realize that we’re starting to get good at this submarine-movie business, maybe? Up Periscope (1959) Jason Snell with Philip Michaels, Shelly Brisbin, David J. Loehr and Erika Ensign Referenced Works Up Periscope (1959) Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

We return to 1995 not to hack into the Net but to wander, Netless, around Vienna with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. Palm readers! Street poets! Plays featuring cows! It’s “Before Sunrise,” a movie in which nothing happens… except maybe the most extraordinary thing in two people’s lives. "Before Sunrise" (1995) Jason Snell with Brian Hamilton, Erika Ensign, Annette Wierstra and Steven Schapansky Referenced Works Before Sunrise Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

Our Awards Book Club closes up shop for 2025 with a final set of rankings, the presentation of an award we made up, and an overview of all the Hugo-nominated short fiction. Awards Book Club final rankings and Hugo short fiction Jason Snell with Erika Ensign, Scott McNulty, Aleen Simms and Heather Berberet Show Notes & Links What Are We Reading? Scott: How to Solve Your Own Murder Erika: Swordheart, Throne of Glass series specifically Heir of Fire Heather: Dungeon Crawler Carl Aleen: When Women Were Dragons, Lake of Souls Jason: The Fourth Consort by Edward Ashton, Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz The Incomparable Award Service Model (4 first-place votes, 2.0 average placement) The Tainted Cup (3.4) Someone You Can Build a Nest In (1, 4.0) A Sorceress Comes to Call (4.4) Alien Clay (5.0) The Ministry of Time (5.8) Asunder / The Book of Love (tie) (6.4) Rakesfall (8.6) Sleeping Worlds Have No Memory (9) The Short Fiction Novella “The Brides of High Hill” by Nghi Vo (Tordotcom) “The Butcher of the Forest” by Premee Mohamed (Tordotcom) “Navigational Entanglements” by Aliette de Bodard (Tordotcom) “The Practice, the Horizon, and the Chain” by Sofia Samatar (Tordotcom) “The Tusks of Extinction” by Ray Nayler (Tordotcom) “What Feasts at Night” by T. Kingfisher (Nightfire) Novelette “The Brotherhood of Montague St. Video” by Thomas Ha (Clarkesworld) “By Salt, By Sea, By Light of Stars” by Premee Mohamed (Strange Horizons) “The Four Sisters Overlooking the Sea” by Naomi Kritzer (Asimov’s) “Lake of Souls” by Ann Leckie (in Lake of Souls) “Loneliness Universe” by Eugenia Triantafyllou (Uncanny) “Signs of Life” by Sarah Pinsker (Uncanny) Short Story “Five Views of the Planet Tartarus” by Rachael K. Jones (Lightspeed) “Marginalia” by Mary Robinette Kowal (Uncanny) “Stitched to Skin Like Family Is” by Nghi Vo (Uncanny) “Three Faces of a Beheading” by Arkady Martine (Uncanny) “We Will Teach You How to Read | We Will Teach You How to Read” by Caroline M Yoachim (Lightspeed) “Why Don’t We Just Kill the Kid in the Omelas Hole” by Isabel J Kim (Clarkesworld) Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

We celebrate the tenth anniversary of our Summer Superhero Spectacular tournament with something slightly different: A draft of our favorite superhero movies. Superhero Movie Draft Jason Snell with Andy Ihnatko, Chip Sudderth, James Thomson, Annette Wierstra, Tony Sindelar, Moisés Chiullán and David J. Loehr Show Notes & Links Tony - Batman Begins (2005) James - Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn (2020) David - The LEGO Batman Movie (2017) Annette - Wonder Woman (2017) Moises - Superman (2025) Andy - The Incredibles (2004) Chip - Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) Jason - Unbreakable (2000) Tony - Iron Man (2008) James - Dredd (2012) David - The Shadow (1994) Annette - Batman (1989) Moises - Blade (1998) Andy - Watchmen (2009) Chip - Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) Jason - Megamind (2010) Tony - Hellboy (2004) James - Captain Marvel (2019) David - The Rocketeer (1991) Annette - The Marvels (2023) Moises - Roger Corman’s Fantastic Four (1994) Andy - Nine Superman Fleisher Shorts (1941) Chip - Black Panther (2018) Jason - Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

2025 Awards Book Club nears the end with award nominees “Asunder,” “The Ministry of Time,” and “The Tainted Cup.” Plus: What else are we reading? 2025 Awards Book Club, part 3 Jason Snell with Scott McNulty, Erika Ensign, Aleen Simms and Heather Berberet Referenced Works Asunder [Amazon] [Apple] The Ministry of Time [Amazon] [Apple] The Tainted Cup [Amazon] [Apple] Show Notes & Links What are we reading? Aleen: Sounds Like Love and Saint Death’s Daughter Erika: The Assassin’s Blade and Moonstorm Heather: When Women Were Dragons and Atmosphere Scott: Shroud Jason: Shroud, and also the Barker & Llewellyn series Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

We went to the theater to see James Gunn’s “Superman” (2025) and are back to report about the pleasant experience. Gunn sets a new direction for DC superheroes, and fans of Zack Snyder may want to look elsewhere. From Krypto the Superdog to a surprising squirrel save, from The Marvelous Miss Lane to that Elemento guy, we’ll break the whole thing down. "Superman" (2025) Jason Snell with Tony Sindelar, Dan Moren, Shannon Sudderth, Chip Sudderth and Brian Warren Referenced Works Superman (2025) Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

We remain submerged for a very long time to watch a very long film, 1981’s “Das Boot.” This certifiable classic is certainly long and German, encompassing almost everything you might expect in the genre. There’s action, suspense, a lot of character moments, and long periods of tedium spent listening for bad sounds, punctuated by moments of terror as the boat goes to eleven (and beyond). "Das Boot" (1981) Jason Snell with Erika Ensign, Brian Warren, Casey Liss, Dan Moren and Philip Michaels Referenced Works Das Boot Submarines Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

The Summer of Submarines joins forces with Old Movie Club to take on 1958’s “Run Silent, Run Deep,” starring Clark Gable and Burt Lancaster. It’s a tense thriller that has inspired sub and sci-fi movies for many decades. Erika’s gleeful reaction to the film’s abrupt ending may surprise you! "Run Silent, Run Deep" (1958) Jason Snell with Erika Ensign, Philip Michaels, Shelly Brisbin, Dan Moren and Casey Liss Referenced Works Run Silent, Run Deep Submarines Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

The summer of submarines kicks off with 1995’s “Crimson Tide,” a taut character drama that pits a captain (Gene Hackman) against his XO (Denzel Washington) in a conflict that escalates as global tensions rise outside their nuclear submarine. "Crimson Tide" Jason Snell with Philip Michaels, Lisa Schmeiser, Dan Moren, Casey Liss and Erika Ensign Sponsors Jiiiii: All your anime stream schedules in one place. Free to download, unlock your anime-watching-superpowers today! Referenced Works Crimson Tide Submarines Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

With the guiding hand of Prof. Siracusa choosing the curriculum, we watch select animated shorts from the Netflix series “Love, Death + Robots.” John’s quest to find the perfect photorealistic CGI animation continues. Tony does his companions a solid if he’s ever killed on a moon. The others debate if they represent love, death, or robots. We try to reconnect with our inner pool-polishing robots. It’s a real team effort. "Love, Death + Robots" Jason Snell with John Siracusa, Annette Wierstra, Brian Hamilton and Tony Sindelar Referenced Works Love, Death and Robots Show Notes & Links Here’s the viewing list for the Love, Death & Robots episode of The Incomparable. “Sonnie’s Edge” (Season 1, Episode 1) 17m “Lucky 13” (Season 1, Episode 13) 15m “Zima Blue” (Season 1, Episode 14) 11m “Bad Travelling” (Season 3, Episode 2) 22m “The Very Pulse of the Machine” (Season 3, Episode 3) 17m “Swarm” (Season 3, Episode 6) 17m “Golgotha” (Season 4, Episode 6) 10m Plus one (optional) upsetting bonus episode: “Jibaro” (Season 3, Episode 9) 17m Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

The second (and final?) season of the BBC/Disney+ collaboration era of “Doctor Who” is at an end, and so our crew of fans is here to pick up the pieces and ponder what went right and (unfortunately) what went wrong. Where does this franchise go from here? "Doctor Who" season 2 wrap-up Jason Snell with Steven Schapansky, Erika Ensign, Chip Sudderth, Annette Wierstra and Heather Berberet Referenced Works Doctor Who [Amazon] Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

We conclude (for now?) our coverage of the TV adaptation of The Wheel of Time, which was just canceled by Amazon. Three seasons in, we cover whether we think it is still worth watching despite cancellation (we do) and how well the show’s third (and final?) season fulfills the promise of it coming into its power. "The Wheel of Time" season 3 Moisés Chiullán with Sarah Hendrica Bickerton, Heather Berberet, Bryan Guffey and Kathy Campbell Referenced Works The Wheel of Time Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

Our Awards Book Club continues its run through the roses with a tougher than expected review of Vajra Chandrasekera’s “Rakesfall,” Adrian Tchaikovsky’s “Alien Clay,” and Kelly Link’s “The Book of Love.” 2025 Awards Book Club, part 2 Jason Snell with Scott McNulty, Aleen Simms and Erika Ensign Referenced Works Rakesfall [Amazon] Alien Clay [Amazon] The Book of Love [Amazon] Show Notes & Links What are we reading? Scott: Strong Female Character by Fern Brady, The Melancholy of Untold History by Minsu Kang, Making History by KJ Parker Aleen: Dauntless Path series by Intisar Khanani Erika: Clockwork Boys by T. Kingfisher Jason: The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman, Termination Shock by Neal Stephenson Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

Guillermo del Toro’s career started small, with the small-scale vampire (sort of) horror (sort of?) movie “Cronos,” in which an old man finds a mechanical object containing a magical bug that gives him eternal life in the bad way. Meanwhile, young Ron Perlman hates his evil uncle but continues to do his bidding! It’s a fun 1992 throwback that is still recognizeably del Toro. "Cronos" (1992) Jason Snell with Steve Lutz, Moisés Chiullán and Tony Sindelar Referenced Works Cronos Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

From the skyscrapers of Coruscant to the pyramids of Yavin and with numerous stops in between, season two of “Andor” covers the rise of the rebellion and leads to the doorstep of “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” What makes it special among Star Wars series? Did season two improve on the groundbreaking first season? It’s Star Wars, so we break it down in detail. "Andor" season 2 Jason Snell with John Siracusa, Dan Moren, Tony Sindelar and Steven Schapansky Sponsors TRMNL: Clarity, at a glance. Get $15 off for 1 week only. Referenced Works Andor Star Wars (franchise) Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

We return once more to 1995, this time for a movie set at the turn of the century! It’s “Strange Days,” a cyberpunk movie with only a little bit of cyber but a lot of punk, along with grease and stink. "Strange Days" Jason Snell with Erika Ensign, Tony Sindelar and Monty Ashley Referenced Works Strange Days Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

The highest-grossing film of all time is straight-up sci-fi and yet in 15 years at this place we’ve never talked about it. That ends now, as we put on our oxygen masks and venture out into the moon of Pandora to meet the local Na’vi and the interloper Sky People and discuss why James Cameron’s “Avatar” became an enormous hit and then disappeared entirely (other than the theme-park attactions) until re-emerging with a sequel that was also an enormous hit. "Avatar" Jason Snell with Erika Ensign, Brian Warren, Brian Hamilton and Chip Sudderth Referenced Works Avatar Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

Our walk through the 10 different novels nominated for the Hugo and Nebula awards in 2025 begins! In this episode we discuss “Sleeping Worlds Have No Memory” by Yaroslav Barsukov, “A Sorceress Comes to Call” by T. Kingfisher, and “Someone You Can Build a Nest In” by John Wiswell. 2025 Awards Book Club Part 1 Jason Snell with Erika Ensign, Aleen Simms, Scott McNulty and Heather Berberet Referenced Works Sleeping Worlds Have No Memory [Amazon] [Apple] A Sorceress Comes to Call [Amazon] [Apple] Someone You Can Build a Nest In [Amazon] [Apple] Show Notes & Links What are we reading? Heather: “Mr. Penumbra’s 24-hour Bookstore” by Robin Sloan Erika: World of the Five Gods series by Lois McMaster Bujold Aleen: Mark Lawrence’s Library Trilogy Scott: Jack Taylor series by Ken Bruen Jason: “When Women Were Dragons” by Kerry Barnhill Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

The year is 1995. The films: “Hackers” and “The Net,” in which computers are proven to be dangerous for society. One is a ridiculous movie about teen hackers that knows it’s silly, and the other is a ludicrous thriller about adult hackers that doesn’t. "Hackers" and "The Net" Jason Snell with Monty Ashley, Shelly Brisbin, Erika Ensign, Joe Rosensteel, Moisés Chiullán and Tony Sindelar Referenced Works Hackers The Net Show Notes & Links Hackers: Costumes from the Motion Picture Exhibition Tour Video Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.