Super Fantastic Nerd Hour!
by Ali Mattu & H.A. Conrad
The Super Fantastic Nerd Hour is a podcast dedicated to all the things that nerds love. We explore science fiction, fantasy, comic books, TV shows, movies, video games, and sometimes action figures. During the INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER we mashup our favorite characters against each other to see who would win (because that’s what nerds do when they get together). Each episode also includes cool recommendations for stuff you might like. Hosted by Ali Mattu and H.A. Conrad.
Episodes
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Episode 73: Mr. Robot, Mr. Robot VS. Fight Club, Top 5 Unreliable Narrators
"The world itself is just one big hoax." We review season 1 of USA's critically acclaimed new series Mr. Robot! What makes Mr. Robot one of the most modern shows on TV? How does it get hackers right? What makes Rami Malek's performance so powerful? In the INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER, it's Mr.…
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Bonus Episode 2: How Much Is Too Much?
"We’ve been charged with telling new stories for a younger generation because they deserve what we all had — a mythology to call their own." Disney's announcement of new Star Wars films, theme parks, TV shows, and other goodies have us wondering — how much is too much? Do we need a new…
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Episode 72: Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation, Rogue Nation VS. Ghost Protocol, Top 5 Rogues
“Hunt is the living manifestation of destiny and he has made you his mission.” We (non-spoiler) review the fifth entry into the Mission: Impossible franchise — Rogue Nation! What makes this film series unique? How does Rogue Nation compare against other summer blockbusters? What makes Tom Cruise…
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Episode 71: Humans, Humans VS. Ex Machina, Top 5 Warnings to the Future
“They are as close to humans as can be, and yet still people insist that forming a relationship with them or treating them with dignity is somehow perverse.” We review Humans, AMC and Channel 4’s new science fiction drama. How does Humans explore the relationship between humanity and technology?...
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Episode 70: Ant-Man, Ant-Man VS. Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, Top 5 Animal Companions
"This is not some cute tech like the Iron Man suit!" We review the newest edition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe — Ant-Man! After over a decade of development, multiple rewrites, and the departure of Edgar Wright, does Peyton Reed's Ant-Man work? We discuss how awesome Paul Rudd, Michael…
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Episode 69: Jurassic World, Jurassic World VS. Godzilla, Top 5 Hubris Stories
“That thing out there…that is no dinosaur.” We review the wildly successful Jurassic World! How does this 4th entry compare against Jurassic Park, The Lost World, and Jurassic Park III? Is it completely reliant on our nostalgic love of the original or does the movie have something new to offer?...
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Episode 68: Tomorrowland, Tomorrowland VS. Pirates of the Caribbean, Top 5 Disney Rides
“I get things are bad, but what are we doing to fix it?” We explore Disney’s Tomorrowland! Does Brad Bird’s film live up to the vision of Walt Disney’s theme park attraction? What’s the film telling us about science and imagination? Is Tomorrowland a refreshing return to Kennedy era NASA optimism...
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Episode 67: Mad Max: Fury Road, Fury Road VS. Road Warrior, Top 5 Crazy Vehicles
“Oh what a day, what a lovely day!” We review George Miller’s long awaited Mad Max sequel — Fury Road! How does Fury Road honor its source material while also charting a new course for action films? Does its treatment of women make it a “feminist film”? And what’s the story behind Doof Warrior…
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Episode 66: Multiversity, Multiversity VS. Watchmen, Top 5 Parallel Universes
“What if these comic books are bleeding through from parallel worlds?” We give a spoiler-free review of Multiversity, the Eisner-nominated series from DC Comics! How is this Grant Morrison project the ultimate exploration of the past, present, and future of the DC multiverse? What is Multiversity...
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Episode 65: Avengers: Age of Ultron, MCU Phase 1 VS. Phase 2, Top 3 Joss Whedon Moments
“There is only one path to peace — your extinction.” We kickoff the summer blockbuster season by reviewing Avengers: Age of Ultron! Does Marvel Studios overcome its villain problem? What's the film saying about teamwork and artificial intelligence? Why is everyone so upset about Black Widow? How...
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Episode 64: Ex Machina, Ex Machina VS. Blade Runner, Top 5 Robots
“What will happen to me if I fail your test?” We review Alex Garland’s new film — Ex Machina! How does it reinterpret the famous Turing Test for Artificial Intelligence? Is the film feminist or sexist? Does Alicia Vikander’s Ava have consciousness? In the INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER, who has more...
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Episode 63: Netflix’s Daredevil, Daredevil vs. Gotham, Top 5 Worst Superhero Movies
“I’m asking for forgiveness for what I’m about to do.” Without spoilers, we review Marvel’s new TV series Daredevil! How did we get from a critically panned Ben Affleck 2003 film to a critically acclaimed 2015 Netflix series? Does this show honor Frank Miller's gritty New York City source…
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Episode 62: Furious 7, Fast and Furious VS. Mission: Impossible, Top 5 Guilty Pleasures
“The most important thing in life will always be the people in this room, right here, right now.” We discuss the latest entry into the Fast and Furiousverse - Furious 7! What elevates this franchise above your average action film? How did it become an accidental cinematic universe? What was the...
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Episode 61: Wonder Women: The Untold Story of American Superheroines, Wonder Woman VS. Jean Grey, Top 5 Female Role Models
“Make a hawk a dove, stop a war with love, make a liar tell the truth!” We discuss Kristy Guevar-Flanagan’s documentary Wonder Women: The Untold Story of American Superheroines! How did Wonder Woman go from being one of most innovative superheroes during World War II to a powerless stereotype in...
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Episode 60: House of Cards, House of Cards VS. The West Wing, Top 5 Anti-Heroes
“Money gives power, well, a run for its money.” We discuss Netflix’s House of Card: Season 3! What happens to Kevin Spacey’s Frank Underwood when the power he craves remains out of his reach? Does House of Cards successfully pivot to character and policy stories? And what’s the deal with Robin...
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Episode 59: Community, Community VS. Arrested Development, Top 5 TV Schools
“My umbrella concern is that you as a character represent the end of what I used to call ‘our show.’“ Community returns and we review the Yahoo! produced sixth season premiere. Does this new Community still have the same mix of meta, self-aware, existential angst of its former NBC self? Is there...
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Episode 58: Black Mirror, Black Mirror VS. The Twilight Zone, Top 5 TV Anthologies
“The faker the fodder is the more you love it.” We explore (without spoilers) Charlie Brooker’s British anthology series Black Mirror. What makes this 2011 speculative fiction series unlike anything else on TV? Why is it gaining popularity now? What is the series saying about our relationship…
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Episode 57: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Oscar Wao VS. Ready Player One, Top 5 Influential Media
“It’s never the changes we want that change everything.” We explore The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz. How does Díaz’s story about a young geek growing up in New Jersey redefine what it means to be American? How it does mash up fiction and history? What makes this pulitzer prize...
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Episode 56: Remembering Leonard Nimoy
“A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory.” We depart from our regularly scheduled programming to remember Leonard Nimoy — the actor, director, poet, singer, and photographer. From Star Trek’s Spock to Transformers and The Full Body Project, we...
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Episode 55: Kingsman: The Secret Service; Kingsman VS. Kick-Ass, Top 5 British Exports
"Manners maketh man!" We discuss all things Kingsman: The Secret Service! Why did director Mathew Vaughn leave X-Men: Days of Future Past to make this Mark Millar comic adaptation? What is this self-referential spy film saying about social class? Does its stylized violence offer more than just...
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Episode 54: The Man in the High Castle, The Man in the High Castle VS. Agent Carter, Top 5 Made for Streaming Programming
“We lost the war.” Join us as we discuss the newest Philip K. Dick science fiction adaptation — Amazon’s The Man in the High Castle! How does Amazon crowdsource its pilot season? Why is streaming media changing the type of content that gets produced? How does this alternate history about the…
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Episode 53: Predestination, Presdestination VS. All You Zombies, Top 5 Film Plot Twists
“I know where I came from — but where did all you zombies come from?” We discuss Ethan Hawke’s new science fiction film — Predestination! How does its time travel premise explore identity? What is the film telling us about sex, gender, and sexual orientation? And who is Sarah Snook and why isn’t...
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Episode 52: SyFy’s 12 Monkeys, 12 Monkeys (TV) VS. 12 Monkeys (Film), Top 5 Movies to TV
“What if you could take it back? All of it? A reset switch? You'd hit it right?” We review SyFy’s series premiere of 12 Monkeys! How has the story departed from Terry Gilliam’s 1995 film? What’s remained the same? How is it influenced by Back to the Future, Terminator, Walking Dead, and Planet of...
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Episode 51: Marvel’s Agent Carter, Agent Carter VS. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Top 5 Agents
“During the war I had a sense of purpose - now I connect the calls but never get to make them.” Join us as we review the series premiere of Marvel’s Agent Carter! How did this miniseries emerge out of Captain America: The First Avenger? Where does it fit within the Marvel Cinematic Universe? In...
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Episode 50: What is a Nerd, Nerds VS. Geeks, Top Nerdy Moments of 2014
It’s our 50th episode spectacular! We bring back your favorite guests to answer the essential question of what is a nerd? How are nerds different from geeks? Has our understanding of these terms changed over time? What is geek culture? How is it liberating and in what ways do the “fake geek...
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Episode 49: Into the Woods, Into the Woods VS. Les Misérables, Top 5 Fairytale Retellings
“Anything can happen in the woods.” We review Disney’s film adaptation of Into the Woods! Is this a fitting adaptation of Stephen Sondheim’s classic Broadway musical? Does it suffer from “Disneyfication”? What’s the story saying about fairytales? Why are our hosts so upset about the film's…
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Episode 48: SyFy’s Ascension, Ascension VS. REDACTED, Top 5 TV Miniseries
“In the 60s your father was convinced that the U.S. could launch an interstellar spaceship — I think he did it." We review SyFy Channel’s Ascension! How does the miniseries link to real history and what does it mean for the future of SyFy’s programming? Does the show's social commentary about…
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Episode 47: The Theory of Everything, The Theory of Everything VS. A Beautiful Mind, Top 5 Biopics
“There should be no boundaries to human endeavor.” Your favorite nerds review the Stephen and Jane Hawking biopic The Theory of Everything! Are the portrayals of the leads worthy of all the early Oscar buzz? How does the film depict Stephen Hawking’s scientific contributions? What about all the...
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Episode 46: The Martian, The Martian VS. MOON, Top 5 Survival Stories
“As with most of life's problems, this one can be solved by a box of pure radiation.” We discuss Andy Weir’s breakout scifi novel The Martian! How did this self-published story become a bestselling novel? What’s unique about its blend of science and fiction? If you take out The Martian’s...
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Episode 45: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1, Katniss Everdeen vs. Sarah Connor, Top 5 Things to Watch on Thanksgiving
“Fire Is Catching!” We review The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1! Can Suzanne Collins’s slim novel be adapted into two films? What’s Mockingjay saying about reality TV and war propaganda? Looking back, what's The Hunger Games's contribution to the scifi genre? In the INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER,...
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Episode 44: Big Hero 6, Disney vs. Pixar, Top 5 Animated Films
“Flying makes me a better care provider!” Your favorite nerds review Big Hero 6! How did this Disney film about Marvel superheroes come to be? Is this a story just for kids or does it offer something adults will enjoy as well? How does Big Hero 6 explore science, technology, diversity, and...
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Episode 43: Interstellar, Interstellar VS. Contact, Top 5 Space Epics
“Mankind was born on Earth. It was never meant to die here.” Join us as we explore Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar! What makes the film a spectacular sensory experience? Does its story hold up to its epic scale? Do Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway convey the relativistic dangers of space...
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Episode 42: Birdman, Birdman VS. Fight Club, Top 5 Celebrity Comebacks
“You mistake love for admiration." We review Birdman, the new film from director Alejandro González Iñárritu! How does the film parallel Michael Keaton and Edward Norton's careers? What is Birdman saying about the superhero genre? Is there a deeper message behind its theme of art versus...
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Episode 41: Constantine, Constantine Vs. Ripley, Top 5 Monster Hunters
“I'm a nasty piece of work!” We review “Non Est Asylum”, the pilot episode of NBC’s Constantine! What makes this DC comic book antihero unique and what's been lost in the transition to the TV screen? In the INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER, what power would you choose to fight off monsters -...
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Episode 40: The Walking Dead Season 5, Rick Season 1 VS. Rick Season 5, Top 5 Walking Dead Characters
“We were trying to do something good. We were being human beings.” We discuss the return of AMC’s The Walking Dead! What makes this show unique in the zombie genre? How do the events of “No Sanctuary” impact season 5? Will the comic and TV show continue to intersect in continuity? In the INFINITE...
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Episode 39: New York Comic Con, Harley Quinn VS. Captain America, Top 5 Ways to Improve NYCC
We recap our journey to what just became the largest fan gathering in the country — New York Comic Con 2014! Did the ambitious NYCC Super Week experiment work? What’s the coolest news to come out of the con? How did NYCC manage its massive crowds? What role did New York City play in the…
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Episode 38: Star Wars: Rebels, Star Wars: Rebels VS. Star Wars: Clone Wars, Top 5 Animated TV Shows
“If all you do is fight for your own life than your life is worth nothing.” We review Spark of the Rebellion, the pilot episode of Star Wars: Rebels! Why is Rebels the most important new Star Wars project since Episode I: The Phantom Menace? How does it fit in with next year's Episode VII? And...
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Episode 37: Pulp Fiction’s 20th Anniversary, Pulp Fiction VS. Sin City, Top 5 Non-Linear Movies
"Just because you are a character doesn't mean that you have character." We celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction! How did the film change cinema, what was so innovative about its non-linear style, and what’s its nerdy legacy? In the INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER, what’s...
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Episode 36: Gotham, Gotham VS. Smallville, Top 5 Batman Villains
"Fear doesn't need conquering. Fear tells you where the edge is." We start the nerdiest season ever on TV with our review of Fox’s Gotham! What were we hoping to see in the Batman prequel and does the show live up to our expectations? What are the standout performances? Has the show already...
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Episode 35: LOST's 10th Anniversary, LOST VS. Battlestar Galactica, Top 5 LOST Characters
“Live together, die alone.” 10 years after its television premiere, we revisit LOST! How did the show get its start? What made it a success among critics and audiences alike? Why did so many people stop watching LOST? Why all the fan outrage over the series finale? After all these years, have we...
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Episode 34: Seconds by Bryan Lee O'Malley, Seconds VS. Back to the Future, Top 5 Stories About Regret
“Write your mistake. Ingest one mushroom. Go to sleep. Wake anew.” It's the Super Fantastic Nerd Hour review of Seconds, the new graphic novel from Scott Pilgrim author Bryan Lee O'Malley! We debate if Seconds’s premise about a restaurant chef altering the space-time continuum charts new…
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Episode 33: Summer 2014 Recap, Summer 2013 VS. 2014, Top 5 Films and TV Shows of the Fall Season
The summer is TERMINATED! We look back at the 2014 summer blockbuster season, see how our predictions panned out, and share our winners and losers. In the INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER, which summer season was better for nerds – 2013 or 2014? Things get autumnal as we share the top 5 films and TV...
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Episode 32: Doctor Who Series 8 Premiere, Eleventh Doctor VS. Twelfth Doctor, Top 5 Regeneration Moments
"I don't think I know who The Doctor is anymore." We explore the wibbly wobbly world of Doctor Who! What's the impact of the 50th anniversary on the series 8 premiere? Is the Twelfth Doctor really as dark as everyone claims? How has Clara's relationship with The Doctor changed? And what's up with...
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Episode 31: Remembering Robin Williams
"Oh captain, my captain!" We depart from our regularly scheduled programming to remember Robin Williams. From the first time we saw him act to his most recent films and TV shows, we explore all the wonderful things that made Robin Williams such a unique actor and a huge nerd. 0:00 – 37:54…
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Episode 30: Snowpiercer, Snowpiercer VS. Hunger Games, Top 5 Movies with Trains
"Know your place. Accept your place. Be a shoe!" We take a ride on Snowpiercer! Why was Bong Joon-ho's new film held up in distribution for almost a year? Is its experimental video on demand and theatrical release working? How does Snowpiercer mashup horror and science fiction? What's the film's...
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Episode 29: Guardians of the Galaxy, Guardians VS. Firefly, Top 5 Awesome Mix Songs
"I am Groot!" We go on a cosmic voyage with the Guardians of the Galaxy! How did this obscure Marvel comic become one of the most anticipated films of the summer? Does it live up to its hype? How does the film's massive nostalgia explosions and its Awesome Mix Vol. 1 impact audiences? Is this the...
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Bonus Episode 1: Best of San Diego Comic Con Panels
We continue our San Diego Comic Con 2014 coverage with clips and recaps of our favorite panels! Does TV have the power to heal? Why did Atari secretly bury thousands of E.T. video game cartridges? What does Max Brooks think of the WWZ film adaptation? How did the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles get...
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Episode 28: San Diego Comic Con Recap, Marvel Entertainment VS. Warner Bros., Top 5 SDCC Moments
The best of San Diego Comic Con 2014! We discuss everything that makes Comic Con the best convention in the country, share the biggest film, TV, and comic book news, and debate if the con bubble is about to burst. In the INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER, who won Comic Con – Marvel Entertainment or…
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Episode 27: The State of Nintendo, Nintendo VS. Sony PlayStation, Top 5 Nintendo Products
"It's me, Mario!" From its humble origins as a playing card company to its decades of innovation, we discuss the history and future of Nintendo! How did Nintendo defeat Atari? Who is Shigeru Miyamoto and how did he influence the video game industry? Will the 3DS survive competition from Apple and...
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Episode 26: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Apes VS. Na'vi, Top 5 Post-Human Stories
"Apes together strong!" Your favorite nerds explore the Planet of the Apes franchise! What are the ingredients of a great Apes film and why did Tim Burton's remake fail? Is Dawn of the Planet of the Apes a worthy successor to the surprisingly good Rise of the Planet of the Apes? What does the new...
About this show
The Super Fantastic Nerd Hour is a podcast dedicated to all the things that nerds love. We explore science fiction, fantasy, comic books, TV shows, movies, video games, and sometimes action figures. During the INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER we mashup our favorite characters against each other to see who would win (because that’s what nerds do when they get together). Each episode also includes cool recommendations for stuff you might like. Hosted by Ali Mattu and H.A. Conrad.
Hosted by
Ali Mattu & H.A. Conrad