PODCAST · tv
Stephen Talks
by Stephen Monteith
My purpose is to offer my perspective on sci-fi and fantasy topics in such a way as to promote positive interactions, entertainment, and criticism.
Episodes
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...About Adaptations
There's nothing wrong with making an adaptation, as long as you get certain things right about it. In this podcast, I discuss the essential elements to get right with any adaptation.
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...About Politics (Week of March 10, 2024 - Part Two)
News about Russia's continual oppression of Ukraine and its own people, as well as what it will *really* take to gain peace in the Middle East.
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...About Politics (Week of March 10, 2024 - Part One)
Several lessons in giving credit where credit is due and *not* giving blame where it isn't, as well as news about TikTok, Republicans in Congress, and LGBTQ+ news across the country.
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...About Abortion and IVF
Abortion and IVF both exist for the same reason, the same purpose: to let a woman choose when to have a child.
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...About Politics (Week of March 3, 2024)
Between Super Tuesday and the State of the Union address, a lot has happened in American politics this last week.
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...About Politics (Week of February 18, 2024)
New sanctions on Russia on the two-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine could lead to higher prices in the U.S. Also, some troubling news from CPAC and the presidential primaries.
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...About the WGA and SAG-AFTRA Strikes
Proper compensation and regulating the use of A.I.-generated content were major points of concern in last year's Writers Guild and Screen Actors Guild strikes; and they're major points of concern for *all* artists.
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...About Politics (Week of February 11, 2024)
The House of Representatives finally got their impeachment, and they may just get their shutdown. But judgment was meted out to Donald Trump this week, too. Also, some words about the Super Bowl and gun control in this week's episode.
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...About Mike Flanagan
Mike Flanagan is at the top of his game when it comes to storytelling and horror. In this episode, I talk about what he's done and what I'd like to see him do next.
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...About Politics (Week of February 4, 2024)
All three branches of the federal government saw some heated action this week, including an impeachment vote and an important case before the Supreme Court.
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...About the Rocky Franchise
Even if your opponent would fight as hard as they can to get their way instead of you getting your way, you don't have to be enemies. That's what I learned from the Rocky movies. That's what I learned from Carl Weathers.
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...About 2023
It's been close to a year since my last podcast, and what a year it's been. I'm not good at keeping things brief, but I'll do my best in this "lightning round" of 2023 highlights (and some lowlights). Here's the link to my homepage, where you can find links to each of my self-published ebooks on...
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...About Donald Trump on Meta
Meta, the company that owns Facebook and Instagram, has lifted their ban on Donald Trump's accounts. We'll see how they handle his inevitable lies and incitements in the future.
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...About Writing Mysteries
Are you writing the kind of mystery you like to solve? Can you solve it the way it's written? If you can't, then I guarantee your readers won't be able to. In this episode, I talk about how to write good mysteries.
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...About James Cameron's Avatar Franchise
James Cameron has taken us to a new world, with new life and new civilizations. A lot of people around the world love the Avatar movies, but a lot of people have concerns about them. In this podcast, I talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly about Avatar.
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...About the Role of Thanksgiving
The more we learn about the true history of our nation and how it was formed, the more injustices we'll notice in the world today, and the more motivated we'll be to correct them. That's what I think the purpose of Thanksgiving should be.
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...About Leaving Twitter
Elon Musk's ostensible purpose in buying Twitter was to make it a "platform for free speech around the globe". It already was that. Now, it's just another free-for-all hellscape, and I want no part in it. You can find my other social media accounts at this link:...
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...About Voter Turnout
You may not think your vote makes much of a difference; but you're not alone. Voter turnout *always* makes a difference, and the 2020 and 2022 elections prove it.
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...About Elaine Luria versus Jen Kiggans
Whatever your politics or whatever issue is most important to you, Elaine Luria is objectively a better choice than Jen Kiggans for Virginia's 2nd Congressional District, and I explain why in this podcast.
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...About the Attack on Paul Pelosi
This episode is not so much about the attack on Paul Pelosi, but rather the responses to the attack and what they tell us about the people responding.
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...About the January 6th Committee's Final Hearing (Part 2)
The House Select Committee investigating the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol held its tenth and potentially final hearing last week. Here is my recap and my thoughts on their findings and conclusions, and on its bearing on the upcoming midterm elections.
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...About the January 6th Committee's Final Hearing (Part 1)
The House Select Committee investigating the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol held its tenth and potentially final hearing last week. Here is my recap and my thoughts on their findings and conclusions.
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...About the 2022 Midterm Elections
Even when there isn't a president or a governor or a member of Congress on the ballot, every election matters, as does every vote.
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...About House of the Dragon Episode 1x04
This episode of the "Game of Thrones" spin-off "House of the Dragon" has made a lot of people uncomfortable (even though, as GOT fans, they *really* should be used to this kind of stuff by now). Content warning: I will be discussing sex, incest, and matters of consent in this episode.
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...About Star Trek The Motion Picture
The first Star Trek movie, released in 1979, has garnered a lot of criticism for its slow pacing and lack of action, especially compared to the next movie in the franchise, The Wrath of Khan. But does it deserve a reputation for being one of the "worst" movies in the franchise? I talk about why I...
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...About the January 6th Committee Hearings, Part Two
The Select Committee investigating the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol held two more public hearings in July. This is my summary of their findings.
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...About the January 6th Committee Hearings
The House Committee investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 has begun to release its findings to the American people and to the world. Here is a brief recap of what we've learned so far. I don't care what political party you are. I don't care who you voted for. You have to...
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...About the 2nd Amendment
If the Founders could see all the people, especially the children, who have died by gun violence, would they still have written the 2nd Amendment? My thoughts on the school shooting in Robb Elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, on why we need gun control, and why the 2nd Amendment is not an…
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...About Worldbuilding
Worldbuilding is one of a writer's most important tasks. Whatever you write, whether it's regular fiction or science fiction, whether it's for books, movies, comics, television, or even video games, you need to build a strong foundation for it. You need to build a world for it.
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...About Abortion
The United States Supreme Court is about to rule (again) on whether or not women have the right to an abortion. I talk here about who should have a say in that decision.
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...About Maps, Prologues, and Epilogues
Many writers debate the use and necessity of maps, prologues, and epilogues in fiction. These are just some of my thoughts on the subjects.
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...About Autism Acceptance
April is Autism Acceptance Month. What's the difference between "acceptance" and "awareness", and why is it so important to people who are actually autistic?
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...About Will Smith Slapping Chris Rock
Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars. Is that really all there is to it? I talk about why I think there's a lot more.
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...About "Wokeness" in Star Trek
Star Trek as a franchise has always been "woke"; and with all the new series and episodes coming out (so to speak), it has the opportunity to boldly go where no series has gone before.
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...About Taxes
I've always been a writer, and a few years ago, I decided it was time to start acting like a professional one; and that meant paying taxes like one. You can find links to my ebooks on my website, http://stephens.website/, and you can contact me for inquiries about reviews at...
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...About the January 6th Attack
So long as the people who planned and perpetrated this attack go free, and so long as there are those who seek to distort the facts about it, we'll never heal, and we'll never be united. That is why we can never forget January 6th.
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...About Star Trek Discovery Season 4
Star Trek Discovery just began its 4th season, and the demand for it is higher than ever. Unfortunately, the haters are louder than ever.
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...About Gun Control
Thousands of people are murdered with guns every year in the United States, including hundreds of mass shootings. We need meaningful gun control legislation at every level.
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...About Getting the Vaccine
I got the first shot of the Moderna vaccine today, and I talk here a little about that experience.
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...About Restoring the SnyderVerse
They've released the Snyder Cut. "Zack Snyder's Justice League" is now a bona fide worldwide phenomenon. What now?
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...About How Zack Snyder's Justice League Is Different
"Zack Snyder's Justice League" has finally been released, and it is a brand-new movie. I'm here to talk about what makes it different from the 2017 theatrical version.
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...About WandaVision (Spoilers)
WandaVision is being hailed as a bold and experimental miniseries. But is it really that different from the rest of the MCU? I talk about the show itself and what I feel were its missed opportunities.
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...About Cancel Culture
When racism and bigotry find their way into our entertainment, the least we can do is acknowledge and remove it.
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...About Awards Shows
Can you ever really call a movie the "best"? More importantly, *should* you?
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...About My Podcast In 2021
A lot of things have happened since my last podcast episode. Here, I talk about why I won't be talking about them, and what I *will* be talking about in the future.
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...About Amy Coney Barrett
I don't think Amy Coney Barrett should be on the Supreme Court, and here I talk about why.
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...About Fear
What's so great about being scared that we'll actually pay other people to scare us, that we'll build a holiday around it?
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...About Trump Having COVID-19
Nothing about Trump having COVID-19 makes sense.
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...About the Future of Star Trek
We could have as many as five Star Trek series at the same time, not to mention the movies. Here's what I know about them and what I'd like to see.
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...About Music and Pop Culture in Star Trek
It's always important to pick the right music for your show or movie. The task is a bit harder when it's Star Trek.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Stephen Talks have?
Stephen Talks currently has 145 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Stephen Talks about?
My purpose is to offer my perspective on sci-fi and fantasy topics in such a way as to promote positive interactions, entertainment, and criticism.
How often does Stephen Talks release new episodes?
Stephen Talks publishes regularly with 145 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Stephen Talks?
You can listen to Stephen Talks on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Stephen Talks?
Stephen Talks is created and hosted by Stephen Monteith.
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