YASP!

What do the guy from Sam Raimi's "Spider-Man" series (not the main guy, the other guy), the teenage girl from "Gravity Falls", the guy from "How I Met Your Mother" (not Ted or Barney), the weed dude from a lot of late 2000's comedies, Spider-Man's teacher from not Sami Raimi's "Spider-Man" series and the creator behind "Ghostbusters" (2016, so, yeah) have in common? A little show called "Freaks and Geeks". A coming-of-age tale as old as time (so 1980's), and filled with good music, good acting, and a general feel of high school (Americanized of course); but what else is to this show? Why did this show become the name that it is nowadays? Is Linda Cardellini beautiful (yes, the answer is yes)? These equally important questions are part of our newest episode with our brand new guest, Foad (from the show's theme song), amongst other stuff like tales of our high schools, and sex. There's always sex involved.

In a world dominated by cash-grab, minimum-risk, soul-less, run-of-the-mill, board-of-directors-satisfying, hackneyed, repetitive, loot-box-laden, share-holder-pleasing, item-selling, micro-transaction-loving, DLC-shoving video game titles; it’s always a very pleasing, refreshing and quite honestly, surprising moment when you are presented with a sweet sweet anomaly, an exception to that somber reality: A passion project done by some of the best people in the business. You might wonder just how such project would’ve been greenlit in the current zeitgeist, and the answer would be, probably just because Xbox was extremely desperate back then, and also, possibly out of spite, you know, to Sony.  Whatever the reason, we’re just happy that we got “Sunset Overdrive”, one of the most underrated titles of the last generation which pulled us out of that clichéd formula of: let’s-not-change-it-if-it-sells.  Gotta pay respect where it’s due, and it was a bold move by Insomniac to develop such an outrageous game, which was, unfortunately, ultimately a commercial failure; though through no fault of its own. However, perhaps this failure paved the way for their next title, “Marvel’s Spider-Man”, which took off like a rocket.So  join us with a returning guest, Mohammad (from "S02E11 - Saints Row"), in this episode as we discuss and pay the aforementioned respect to Insomniac with a focus on "Sunset Overdrive".

Gather around for the tale of Gary Goodspeed and his arsenal of friends as they drift through the vast silence and indifference of Space, meet new and exciting worlds and get to play with all kinds of cool concepts... for the first season of their journey. The journey that gets them to uncharted parts of space, where there's no more space, a sort of finality to the space, let's call it "Final Space". But what makes "Final Space" the show it is? In the world filled with comedy sci-fi animated shows, why would a show like "Final Space" get made and get any attention? And what happened to make that exciting show into a mercy-killing by the network? Join us and our returning guest, Soheil (from "S02E09 - Grand Theft Auto, Part 2"), as we comb through the tale of Gary Goodspeed and try to see what is behind his creation and his obsession with round sweet pastry, also known as cookies.

Have you ever wondered why a guy like Todd Howard can stand on a stage and tell millions of people that "it just works", while everyone just accepts it on his behalf? The reason is certainly a high amount of good will, and that good will comes from Howard and his studio's involvement in a series of Western RPGs that have brought joy (and frustration) to many generations. That series is "The Elder Scrolls". So we thought it'd be a good idea to see what this series entails, what makes each entry as famous or infamous as they are, and or maybe asking more fundamental questions, like are we truly righteous Imperials or blindsided and obviously-wrong Stormcloaks? The answer will not shock you, though it still might be a good idea to look at them in depth. So join us and our brand new guest, JD from Ireland, as we dissect the series that brought Shouts to fame, and brought Horse Armors to infamy. JD's suggested Mod List for Skyrim: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/60888 https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/671/ https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/39414 https://openmw.org/en/ https://modding-openmw.com https://www.wabbajack.org

With over 200 hundred movies under his belt, a life that could easily feel like fantasy with the amount of fantastical elements to it, and a voice that could easily be mistaken as the archangel of heaven; Christopher Lee was born on May 27th, 1922. On this day, the day of his birth a century later, it's time to take a look at him and see what effects the man, the legend and the unstoppable force had on our lives.

It's time to go back to the 90's! So let us throw away our brand new PS5 for a cool slick PS1, put on our latest hits on our Walkmans, and tune in to the TV to watch some of the golden age of sitcoms. Maybe you want to see Sam Malone, or Chandler Bing, or more likely you'll tune in to take a look at the latest stuff that happened to Jerry Seinfeld and his friends on a little show called "Seinfeld". But what did this show do that garnered its over-the-top praise from everyone who were watching it? What's the right stuff (or wrong stuff) that Seinfeld did? Why is George Costanza the best character in the show (objectively) and everyone who disagrees is just purely wrong on all basis of fact and logic? These are the questions we set out to answer, and we took alongside us our brand new guest, Ghazal. Let's break open this nut, and see what falls out!

When French gaming company Ubisoft brings their unmatchable wit... Well, their unmatchable intellect? Storytelling? Gameplay? When French gaming company Ubisoft brings their unmatchable re-using of an intellectual property to the world of revolutions around the world, the result turned out to be a number of fantast- pretty good games by the name of "Far Cry". With the newest entry in the series, "Far Cry 6", it's good to look at what this game does in regards to storytelling, political analysis, a little bit of gameplay and its place in the gaming world; while also trying to decipher what is happening with the series as a whole. So, in our most political episode (to date), join us and our newest guest, JB (https://vm.tiktok.com/ZTdVPQAC9/) as we go through "Far Cry", and we cry, farly!

The new season of YASP! is coming to a podcast platform near you! This time with more guests, and more crazy adventures, and more silliness! Stay tuned for more to come very soon...

This is the end, hold your breath and count to ten... Wait, eleven! All good things must come to an end, and season 2 of YASP! is no exception. We started our escapade in the start of 2021 and with 2022 approaching, it's time to sit down and ponder what has passed. It's time to take a look at what came before and take a look back. But what has happened to the video games and tv shows that we talked about since we first discussed them? What happened to the show itself in the year that passed and what changed in comparison to the first season? And what originally happened to our Artificial Intelligence episode? All of this and more in the season wrap-up for Season 2! Thank you for listening and we hope to see you again when we (inevitably) try to return! Email us at yaspcast@gmail.com

Talking about inappropriate things and chuckling under our breath has never been so fun! When it comes to open world sandbox games, there's usually a standard in the form of GTA-clones, but sometimes those clones manage to escape from the lab, put on absolutely no clothes, grab a large purple "weapon" and start railing on people who look at them wrong. Yes, sometimes those clones are "Saints Row". But how has this game garnered a reputation as this incredibly bizarre and uniquely fun experience? If it began life as a GTA clone, where did it transition into becoming something more? And where is it heading in its future? Are clothes optional? Join us and our guest, Mohammad (from "S02E05 - The Legend of Zelda") as we try to comb through this series and answer all of these question and more!

Stephen Sondheim, the man behind "Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street", "Into the Woods", "Company", and a number of other amazing Musicals, passed away on 26th of November, 2021. For a life as rich as his, he have touched many fans of Musicals all around the world, including one that couldn't help but to need to talk about it.

Led through the mist, by the milk light of moon, all that was lost is revealed; and that revelation is a 2014 Cartoon Network miniseries that managed to tackle many themes, both in music and storytelling, in a timespan that would mean only the opening act for many other shows. Compiled of top notch voice acting, clever storytelling, compelling atmosphere and unforgettable music, that miniseries was called "Over the Garden Wall". But what makes this miniseries work so well in so many different areas? What does the creepy imagery and the mystical characters represent? And what did this seemingly unknown entity do to people of all ages who confronted it in different times of their lives? Join us, and our brand new guest Mehrab, as we discuss a show that needs a lot more love and a lot more hype than it is given. Email us at: yaspcast@gmail.com

The trek through the vast and the open world of "Grand Theft Auto" continue. The franchise that had revolutionized the world through its pioneering of 3D graphics and open world mechanics, now has to journey on to do greater things and maybe some missteps along the way, whether they were the results of a risk worth taking, or a file forgotten to be deleted. But how did the journey continue? How did the Grand Theft Auto franchise go along creating games? What was the mistakes and what was the risks? What new things they added? And what other games they inspired? Join us, and our guest for part two Soheil (from "S0208 - South Park") as we get to the peaks and valleys of the franchise that shaped what many people consider to be their entryway into gaming.  If you want to be up to date with what we're doing, our most immediate way of communication is our Telegram Channel: https://t.me/yyaasspp Don't forget to also check our Discord Server for the occasional streams: https://discord.gg/b55E8dE

Each of us have that show that we look back to as that one defining moment where our lives changed forever. Maybe it was the show that touched you emotionally into feeling something new, maybe it was the show that let you explore some of your deepest dreams and desires, or maybe it was the show that featured a singing piece of poop that represented Christmas! Maybe it was "South Park". But a show with such a long history, with a feature length Oscar nominated movie and two very interesting RPG video games under its belt; can it really bring to its fans and viewers what is needed to make it be that one defining show? What effects did it have on its audience? Well, join us and our guests, Soheil (from "S02E04 - The Mandalorian") and Babak (from "S02E01 - The Console Wars") as we embark on our longest journey so far to discuss this show in length, in very big and uncut length. Also check out YARR! on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC09a0-qjMC8ZA9d_L_jThpg

When the subject of games are brought up, there are few people who at some point in their lives haven't been touched by the magnificence of what is perhaps the best example of an open world game: "Grand Theft Auto". Starting as the evolution of what was basically a big game of cops and robbers, and becoming a pinnacle of world building and innovation in the 3D era, and bringing heaps and heaps of memory to many gamers, old and young.  So what made these games into what they are? What created them? What influenced them? And what got them into the hall of fame of gaming history for years and years to come? The curiosity led us, and our new guest Mohammad Amin, into a labyrinth of historical moments and some personal memories to grasp at what makes "Grand Theft Auto" such a recognizable name; a journey so extensive that we were forced to split it and give birth to our first two-parter; the next part coming soon as our next Video Game episode.

In the constellation of comedy, there are stars that can shine somewhat brighter than others. Some have shone and are now dim, some are starting to shine and might one day get to the blinding light, and some have been shining for a long time. But it's rare that in this constellation, there's a star so big that the light can be seen from any corner of the universe; and even though it's rare, it's much more rare for it to keep shining for so long as much as "Monty Python's Flying Circus" has. But, as famous as the show is, sometimes it's good to look back at it. What made Monty Python what it is? What went into creating it? What did it do for the world of comedy that would come after it? Join us as we discuss the illustrious life of five Englishmen, and one American, who changed the world of comedy forever and created something beautiful and magnificent.

When it comes to talking about "influence", the answer in many areas is so muddled with technicalities that it might appear non-existent; so it's kind of refreshing that when it comes to influential video games, most gamers can come together and put aside their differences and discuss the crazy world of Shigeru Miyamoto's grand rpg franchise: "The Legend of Zelda". But what is this franchise? It's been around for over three decades and it has seen renditions and stories beyond almost any other franchise; so there is a lot of discuss. Where did it come from? What highs and lows did it go through in order to make it to it's 35th anniversary? Join us and our guest, Mohammad (from "S01E03 - Rick and Morty & Borderlands") as we dive deep into the Nintendo pool and grab ourselves a handful of rupees to discuss.

How can one revive a franchise that is both empty in its creative endeavors and yet so far ahead in its own meta-universe that salvation seems impossible? One way seems to be going to the root and changing it from there, and that is the exact route Disney and creator Jon Favrou took in order to make their latest buzzworthy entry into the world of "Star Wars": "The Mandalorian". So how does this show differ from others like it? And what does it do to the foundation of the universe of "Star Wars", with its setting, characters, and storytelling? These questions drove us into devoting a whole episode to this mad show, and bringing along Soheil (from "S02E01 - The Console Wars") to discuss all of these and more within our little show.

In this episode of YASP! we team up with our guest Moeen and get on a new path and try something new; instead of talking about a TV show or a video game, we instead dedicate the whole episode to an ever increasingly interesting topic: Artificial Intelligence. We tried to squeeze as much info as it was humanly possible in the short time we had (one and a half hour) by going over subjects ranging from AI in video games, ethics and morality in AI, content creation and storytelling by AI, recreating human beings by AI to AI in AR and VR and also different application of AI in different fields. Generally we tried to paint a picture of what possibilities we have in this area, how far we've come, and what the future holds.

What happens when mankind, finally takes that final step into the final frontier and goes up where the stars are? What is its fate? What happens to the morality of human, when the matters go beyond humanity? These questions are just a few examples of what a franchise by the name of "Star Trek" set out to ask and answer, since almost 6 decades ago. A number of tv shows, over a dozen movies, and many more tales told through audio and text bring out the universe of Star Trek and transform it into a shining beacon of lore and exploration; but where does it reside now? That is the primary question we're faced with when we are talking about our subject of discussion: "Star Trek: Lower Decks". For a franchise with such a rich history, and such a unique world, where does this animated show with a comical twist fit? Join us as we delve deep into the world of Star Trek, and ask questions like what is the mission of Lower Decks and what does it tell us about the current fate of one of the oldest space franchises of all time?