Entertainment Geekly

Summer television round-up! Jeff and Darren investigate the popularity of 'Stranger Things,' close the book on 'Preacher' season 1, and explore alternate realities in 'Mr Robot.' Then, Jeff convinces Darren to watch 'BrainDead,' and Darren fails to convince Jeff to watch 'Real Housewives of New York City.'

Jeff and Darren take a close look at the 'classic' Batman graphic novel and the (terrible) new movie it inspired. Plus: A moderate defense of 'Mr Robot' season 2!

Jeff and Darren talk the new season of 'Mr. Robot' and their hopes for this year's Comic-Con in San Diego.

It's Netflix week! Jeff and Darren talk about 'Stranger Things,' the new Spielberg-homaging Winona Ryder supernatural drama. Then Darren tries to convince Jeff that a Hollywood satire about a talking horse is the next 'Sopranos.'

Darren played the new 'Legend of Zelda' and saw 'God of War 4,' 'Mass Effect: Andromeda' and 'Death Stranding' at E3. But will Jeff ever get around to playing any of these highly-anticipated video games? Find out in this special E3 roundup!

Jeff and Darren have both read Devin Faraci's controversial essay 'Is Fandom Broken?' Jeff and Darren have also both been fans of things – and they've both run afoul of the rage-cage that is internet fandom. On this week's episode, they try to sort through the big questions about how the internet has changed the world of geekery. Have things gotten better? (Yes.) Have they gotten worse? (Also yes.) Please rate us on iTunes and leave us a review! We’d love to hear from you. Thanks for listening, and don’t forget to come back each week for a new episode. Credits: Hosts: Darren Franich (@DarrenFranich) and Jeff Jensen (@EWDocJensen) Editor: Cristina Everett (@cristinaeverett)

Jeff and Darren talk about AMC's new supernatural existential thriller-horror-comedy 'Preacher' and how it relates to the brilliant (but problematic?) comic book series. Please rate us on iTunes and leave a review! We’d love to hear from you. Thanks for listening, and don’t forget to come back each week for a new episode. Credits: Hosts: Darren Franich (@DarrenFranich) and Jeff Jensen (@EWDocJensen) Editor: Cristina Everett (@cristinaeverett)

Jeff has seen 'Batman v Superman' and has theories about the DC Extended Universe. Darren has seen 'Batman v Superman' and doesn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Jeff Jensen has seen half of 'Daredevil' season 2! Darren Franich has thoughts on '10 Cloverfield Lane'! What does 'Beneath the Planet of the Apes' have to do with all this? Listen and find out!

Just in time for EW's 'Batman v Superman' cover story, Jeff and Darren look back on their favorite Batman and Superman movies. 'Batman Returns' or 'The Dark Knight'? Goofy Superman or Emo Superman?

Jeff and Darren attack each other with questions. It's the first ever Hyperdrive Exchange!

Jeff and Darren talk about Frank Miller's classic Batman story, with special guest Alex Pappademas.

Jeff and Darren talk Ryan Reynolds' anti-superhero movie, with some help from Entertainment Weekly TV reporter Natalie Abrams.

Part 2 of a two-part episode on superhero TV history! Jeff and Darren talk about the new time-traveling superteam show from the maker of 'Arrow,' 'The Flash,' and 'Supergirl'

Part one of a two-parter about 'Legends of Tomorrow,' the Berlanti universe, and the whole history of superheroes on television!

Jeff and Darren are back to talk about the return of 'The X-Files.' First, though, let's talk about our favorite episodes from the original run.

Jeff and Darren decide to feel optimistic and talk about how NBC's 2015 'Heroes' reboot might not be the worst idea ever. Then they dive deep into the crazy and wondrous 'True Detective,' putting forward some possible and impossible theories for the HBO anthology-mystery's first season finale.

Jeff and Darren talk about the frustrating conclusion to the latest season of the British series 'Sherlock,' with extended comparisons to last summer's 'Man of Steel.' Then it's time for a look ahead at the movies (like Christopher Nolan's 'Interstellar') and TV shows (like Guilermo Del Toro's 'The Strain') that they're excited to see this year.

Darren and guest-host Keith Staskiewicz talk about the new hit Adult Swim show 'Rick and Morty' and the very-well-established hit Cartoon Network show 'Adventure Time.' There is a brief but important tangent into the history of Adult Swim, during which they discuss the best show you've never heard of: 'Moral Orel.'

Jeff and Darren take a look at the surprisingly not-terrible, actually-quite-good Fox show about the Headless Horseman and Ichabod Crane, which just finished its first season. Then it's a deep dive into the rebooted 'Community,' complete with a list of their favorite episodes!

In the first show of 2014, Jeff and Darren talk about HBO's new detective series and the latest installment of the Ryan Murphy Acid Camp Horror Fest.

Jeff and Darren dig deep the series finale of AMC's meth opera. They liked some things. Other things -- hello, Schwartzes! -- they're not so sure about. Other topics include: A new theory about what makes a good series finale, how the idea of the 'Bad Fan' affected the collective perspective of the final season, and why nobody (not even Hank) was a hero on Breaking Bad.

Jeff and Darren look ahead at the geekiest movies of the fall and rate their excitement, using a system based around the X-Men movie franchise. Said rating system is brilliant, highly accurate, and utterly confusing. (Put it this way: 'The Hobbit' isn't quite 'X2' but it also isn't 'X3,' which makes it just about 'The Wolverine.' See? Accurate!) They also dig into the current season of 'Big Brother' and try to parse out the good (Helen!) from the bad (Andy!) and the ugly (Aryan Aaryn!)

On a very special episode of 'Entertainment Geekly,' Jeff and Darren dig deep into their annual summer obsession. Is this the most evil cast of contestants ever in 'Big Brother'? Can the show actually launch a serious conversation about racism? What is the nature of power? Who has the worst hair? Also discussed: 'Under the Dome,' a show that started good and has gotten very bad very quickly.

Jeff and Darren talk about the end of the sixth season of 'Mad Men' and read the tea leaves to figure out whether CBS' 'Under the Dome' will pull a 'Lost' or a 'FlashForward.'

Jeff and Darren have seen the new Superman movie, and they have a profound debate in one of the feistiest 'Entertainment Geekly' episodes ever. Topics include: Whether the filmmakers betrayed the legacy of Superman, why you should never use the word 'should' when you're critiquing a movie, the state of superhero movies, an inquisition into the nature of Nolanism, and more!

Jeff and Darren take a look at the geekiest movies of summer and measure their excitement on a scale of 'Wrath of Khan' to 'Final Frontier.' Topics discussed include: Post-apocalypse fatigue; the possible redemption of Zack Snyder; the probably non-redemption of M. Night Shyamalan; Hugh Jackman; Edgar Wright; and the crucial importance of 'Fast & Furious 6.'

A couple days ago, Jeff broke the news that 'Veronica Mars' was staging a comeback from the TV graveyard, with creator Rob Thomas and star Kristen Bell raising 2 million on Kickstarter for a movie. They reached that fundraising goal in about three seconds. Jeff is excited; Darren is skeptical. In the new episode, they talk about the positives and negatives of bringing dead shows back to life. They also continue a feud they started on Twitter about franchise movies, as Jeff tries to stage an intervention to halt Darren's onrushing cynicism.

In the last week, two wacked-out genre fantasies came to an end. 'Fringe' aired its two-hour series finale, a bipolar (and low-budget) episode that ended with a heart-tugging sacrifice and questions left hanging. Meanwhile, the 13-episode saga that was 'American Horror Story: Asylum' ended with a decade-spanning bang. We dig deep into both endings. We compare the 'Fringe' finale to 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica' -- is ambiguity better than specificity? And we really dive into 'Asylum'. Comparisons to Stanley Kubrick and Alan Moore are openly insinuated, and feminism is discussed.

After five seasons of hopping between alternate universes, various timelines, and assorted states of drug-assisted transcendence, 'Fringe' comes to an end this Friday with a two-hour finale. This week on the show, Jeff and Darren look back at the long, curious, regularly-rebooted history of the show. Topics include: The curious fact that 'Fringe' was built out of cliches to be a hit, but wound up being an eccentric low-rated oddball; a sneak peek at Jeff's list of the Top 19 Fringe episodes; and an critical examination of how 'Fringe' straddled the line between procedural and serialized.

Jeff and Darren talk about what left the biggest impact on them in 2012, and what they're looking forward to in 2013. Topics discussed include a state of the union about the Superhero Movie genre, the surprising similarities between Brian K. Vaughan's 'Saga' and NBC's 'Community,' why everyone should be excited about 'Pacific Rim.' Also: The Entertainment Geekly Book Club has its first meeting!

Jeff and Darren very carefully tiptoe into the world of 'Twilight,' before discussing the new season of 'American Horror Story.' Topics discussed include: The youth of America, the fall of the white male patriarchy, and the possibility that Satan is going to have an epic showdown with aliens and Nazis.

Darren is joined by special guest star Adam B. Vary for a debate about 'Looper,' the time-traveling drama. They both enjoyed the movie...right up until a twist at the one-hour mark that radically alters the course of the movie. Adam liked that twist; Darren isn't so sure. You know what that means: NERDFIGHT!!!

Jeff and Darren are joined by author Sean Howe, whose new book 'Marvel Comics: The Untold Story' covers the complete history of the company that invented Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, the Avengers, and all the other superheroes currently tearing up multiplexes. Topics include: The Stan Lee/Jack Kirby debate; the underrated brilliance of '70s comic books, and the influence of LSD on same; an attempt to figure out just what the heck was happening to comics in the '90s; and Jim Shooter. Comic book fans, this is the episode for you!

Jeff and Darren are reeling from the 'Big Brother' finale, the betrayal-soaked epic climax to one of the best seasons in reality TV history. But first, they take a good hard look at the upcoming season of videogames, and try to figure out just what the kids will say about Nintendo's Wii U. Then they look at the pilot of 'Last Resort,' ABC's new Tony Scott-does-Lord-of-the-Flies serialized drama. Speedman is invoked!

Jeff and Darren look ahead to the shows they're most excited about in the new season. They're intrigued by 'Last Resort' and 'Revolution.' They're hopeful that 'Walking Dead' can maintain its season finale momentum. And they're utterly perplexed by (yet fascinated with) 'American Horror Story: Asylum.' Also: Religion is discussed!

On this week's preview episode, Jeff and Darren take a long look at the films coming out between now and Christmas. Topics discussed include: The possibility that the new 'Judge Dredd' will be really good, the hope that 'Frankenweenie' will mark a return to form for Tim Burton, the curious backstory of 'Argo,' the social implications of 'Wreck-It Ralph,' and the suspiciously expanding 'Hobbit' mini-franchise.

On a far-reaching episode, Jeff and Darren talk about the burgeoning romance between Superman and Wonder Woman, which leads to a discussion about the potential 'Justice League' movie. Other topics include: Jim Starlin, the Marvel/DC arms race, the strange names in the new 'Mad Max' movie, the possibility of James Gunn directing 'Guardians of the Galaxy,' and more!

The big movies have all been released. The big TV shows are still a month away. What better time to take a look back at the stuff we were obsessed with this summer? Jeff's been rereading 'The Sandman,' Neil Gaiman's comic book masterpiece. Darren's been watching 'Big Brother,' which is some sort of masterpiece, maybe.

This month, Entertainment Weekly is hosting a March Madness-style bracket game, letting readers vote to decide the identity of the greatest superhero ever. On today's show, Jeff and Darren offer their personal picks in all the Round One showdowns. Daredevil or Spider-Man? Wonder Woman or Black Panther? Can anyone beat Batman? Prepare yourself: This is, by a wide margin, the nerdiest podcast yet.

When Darren invited his colleague Keith Staskiewicz onto the show, he was expecting a spirited discussion about Paul Verhoeven, the underrated director of the original 'Total Recall.' He wasn't expecting a 'Network'-worthy rant about Comic-Con culture. It's an extra special, extra cantankerous episode of 'Entertainment Geekly'!

Christopher Nolan's third Batman movie is the biggest, messiest, weirdest, and most flat-out ambitious blockbuster movie this summer. Jeff and Darren don't hold back in this lengthy episode, which includes a SPOILER-y conversation about the ending, an attempt to grapple with the movie's politics, and a few theories about where the Bat-franchise can possibly go from here.

Superman, Bilbo Baggins, Guillermo Del Toro, and a Three-Breasted Mutant Prostitute all came to Comic-Con 2012. On this week's episode, Jeff and Darren are joined by EW movie reporter Adam B. Vary for a deep dive into the geekiest films at Comic-Con. Then, Jeff and Darren talk about what they enjoyed about Christopher Nolan's final Batman film...and what they didn't like. (Spoiler Alert!)

This week saw the release of 'Amazing Spider-Man,' Sony's reboot of the web-swinging franchise. Jeff and Darren talk about the new movie, but they also take look back at the original Sam Raimi trilogy, and come to some interesting conclusions. (Could it be that 'Spider-Man 3' is better than you remember?) They also talk about Comic-Con, where Jeff will be hosting a 'Firefly' reunion panel. Browncoats unite!

Everybody has their own angry opinion about 'Before Watchmen,' DC's series of spin-off prequels which dive into the mythology of one of the best comic books ever written. Jeff and Darren have their most vicious debate ever about 'Before Watchmen,' but things take a turn for the philosophical as they remember their first time reading 'Watchmen.' Also discussed: 'Watchmen' writer Alan Moore, who recently made headlines when it was revealed that the ultimate villain of his upcoming graphic novel is none other than Harry Potter.

In our longest and most theory-tastic podcast yet, Jeff and Darren take a deep dive into 'Prometheus,' the sorta-prequel to 'Alien' which has fascinated and infuriated audiences in equal measure. We try to get to the bottom of some of the film's unanswered mysteries, while pondering what a potential 'Prometheus' sequel would look like. We also talk a little bit about our favorite videogames from E3. Hint: One of them involves the Revolutionary War.

Next week, the annual videogame mega-convention will show off the industry's most exciting and disappointing sequels. Jeff and Darren talk E3...but only after decompressing from the sad (or happy?) news that the 'G.I. Joe' sequel has been delayed into 2013.

Two years ago this week, 'Lost' ended six seasons of mystery, thrills, and emotionally-distant fathers with a controversial series finale. Jeff and Darren talk about their memories of 'Lost' and how their perspectives on the show have changed. Then, just to shake things up, they offer their respective Top Three Serialized Dramas That Aren't Named 'Lost.' Expect the unexpected!

Perpetually low-rated cult series 'Fringe' just finished its penultimate season with a finale that was action-packed (Leonard Nimoy! Resurrection! Pregnancy) but also disappointing. Jeff and Darren talk about the noble ambitions of the show's Reboot Season, analyze what makes 'Fringe' great, and try to imagine what's in store in the fifth and final season.

Prepare yourself for a geeky deep-dive into the world's highest-grossing superteam, as Jeff and Darren explore what made the movie so much fun (Hint: Joss Whedon). They also explore their favorite 'Avengers' comics (Korvac shout-out!) and theorize about the future of the franchise.