Let’s start the new year off with some New Year’s-themed episodes.  First off, the stars of “Fibber McGee and Molly” are thrilled to be invited to the New Year’s Eve dance at the highfalutin Wistful Vista Country Club.  They’ll be mixing with “society so high your nose will bleed.”  Then jump forward a couple of days to the first episode of “Information Please” from 1939.  The panelists will be quizzed about the previous year’s events, and they’ll have to untangle a very tricky poem.

Episodes

Fibber McGee and Molly

“The New Year’s Dance”

December 30, 1952

1:50

Information Please

“Guests: Cornelia Otis Skinner and Erwin Edgar”

January 3, 1939

30:18

The TARDIS lands on an Earth vessel trapped in orbit about the Sense Sphere.  The inhabitants are hesitant about discussing the Sensorites who are holding them in place and the Doctor and his companions quickly learn about the xenophobic aliens and their strange world.  This is a story that John is of mixed feelings about.  There is much to laud in the first half of the story, but the second half lets the story down.  Take a listen and find out the good and the bad and where it plays out in the rankings.

Current Rankings

1 - Marco Polo

2 - The Daleks

3 - The Aztecs

4 - An Unearthly Child

5 - Edge of Destruction

 6 - The Keys of Marinus

7 - The Sensorites

Everyone's favorite technophobe detective is back in time to solve a crime with a Christmas theme.  A local mall Santa has been murdered.  With a list of naughty enough suspects, Can Justin figure it out in time to ensure that everyone has a Merry Christmas?  Or will he need some help from an unlikely source?  Take a listen and have yourself a very deadly Christmas.

On an brand new double-digest holiday edition of The Weekly Podioplex, the rebels are in charge as Rogue One: A Star Wars Story won the weekend in grand fashion. Disney and Lucasfilm face a Death Star-sized challenge as 2016 comes to a close as four major contenders arrive just in time for one of the top movie holidays. Can the rebels withstand firepower of that magnitude? 

In home entertainment, several late summer and early fall titles make their debut just in time for gift-giving, and they make the majority of the slate. Television takes a break, and horror takes over the high-def titles from the past. We wrap up the show with Denise and the Quick Flicks, and we wrap up the year with this final 2016 edition of The Weekly Podioplex, brought to you on The Chronic Rift Network.

Weekly Podioplex Notes for December 20th, 2016

Introduction

Opening Clip: Sing

Box Office Report

Top Ten

#1 – Rogue One: A Star Wars Story – [New Release]
#2 – Moana – [-1]
#3 – Office Christmas Party – [-1]
#4 – Collateral Beauty – [Even]
#5 – Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them – [-2]
#6 – Manchester by the Sea – [+1]

#7 – La La Land – [+8]
#8 – Arrival – [-4]
#9 – Doctor Strange – [-4]
#10 – Nocturnal Animals – [-2]

Tops From the Past

2011 – Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
2006 – Night at the Museum
1996 – Beavis and Butt-head do America
1986 – The Golden Child
1976 – A Star Is Born
 

Box Office Premieres for the weeks of December 23rd and December 30th, 2016

December 23rd
Wide

Sing – [PG]

Assassin’s Creed – [PG-13]

Why Him? – [R]

Passengers – [PG-13]

Limited

A Monster Calls – [PG-13]
Fences – [PG-13]
Silence – [R]
Dangal – [UR]
Patriots Day – [R]
Julieta – [R]

December 30th 

Wide

None

Limited

Hidden Figures – [PG]

Live by Night – [R]
Fences – [PG-13]
Gold – [R]
20th Century Women – [R]
Paterson – [R]
Toni Erdmann – [R]

Home Entertainment for the weeks of December 20th and 27th, 2016

New Releases on DVD and Blu-Ray (December 20th)

The Magnificent Seven – [PG-13]

Sully – [PG-13]

Storks – [PG]

New Releases on DVD and Blu-Ray (December 27th)

Snowden – [R]

When the Bough Breaks – [PG-13]

New Releases on Digital Video (December 20th)

Deepwater Horizon – [PG-13]

New Releases on Digital Video (December 27th)

The Accountant – [R]

TV on DVD and Blu-Ray (December 20th)

None

TV on DVD and Blu-Ray (December 27th)

None

Blu-Rays From the Past (December 20th)

Hellraiser: The Scarlet Box (1987-1992) – [R]

Blu-Rays From the Past (December 27th)

Underworld (2003) – [R]

Podcast Promos

The Dead Robots Society

The Dead Robots’ Society was created by Justin Macumber in an effort to offer advice and support to other aspiring writers. All the hosts, current and former, have writing experience of some kind. They gather on a weekly basis to share stories of their individual journeys and discuss topics important to the world of writing. Occasional forays into the territories of brown dragons, taco eating cowboy space ninjas, or random discussions involving monkeys are all considered rumor at best and none of the hosts are willing to admit any of that actually happened.

Quick Flicks

Cruella
The National Film Registry’s 2016 additions
Gotham City Sirens
Star Trek Discovery

Links

Visit the Chronic Rift site
Send us an e-mail
Tweet on Twitter:  The Chronic Rift, The Weekly Podioplex, Denise, and Michael
Listen on Stitcher Radio

Leave a review on iTunes:  The Chronic Rift

Shop the Rift’s Best Bets or search our Amazon Store. 

Michael’s blog at Creative Criticality

Denise’s blog at Accessories Not Included

After almost a year, John returns with his brief looks at the "classic" Doctor Who series.  We pick things up with "The Aztecs", a fantastic first season story that asks the question most time travelers wonder, what would you change about the past if you could and would you be able?  Barbara is given the opportunity when she is mistaken for an Aztec god.  For her, it's the perfect opportunity to end some of the barbaric behavior of the Aztecs, but for others, it's an opportunity to jockey for power and in doing so, endangers the lives of the time travelers.  Take a listen and let John know what you think.

Current Rankings

For our second Christmas-themed episode this year, we move from Christmas into New Year’s.  We start off with Eve Arden in “Our Miss Brooks.”  It’s Christmas Eve, and Connie seems destined to spend it alone (if you don’t count her pathetic little Christmas tree), but what would a Christmas comedy be without a little miracle?  Then it’s time to “Meet Me at Parky’s,” where that congenial Greek restaurateur, Parky himself, will spend the end of December looking for tickets to the New Year’s Day Rose Bowl game in Pasadena.  If he can get any, that will be a miracle as well.

Episodes

Our Miss Brooks

"The Magic Christmas Tree"

December 19, 1948

2:34

Meet Me at Parky’s

“Rose Bowl Tickets”

December 7, 1947

34:34

On an brand new edition of The Weekly Podioplex, the box office picked up a December turkey as not even an Office Christmas Party could unseat Moana as the box office champ. This may be the last week on top for our animated heroine, but Disney's doing pretty well as they debut Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. 

In home entertainment, it's super-villains working off prison sentences, peculiar children with super powers, and a biblical epic to start things off. TV on DVD brings Star Trek, Korra, Dirk Gently, andt he slate belongs to the movies as six titles from 2016 make their premiere. Add them to a baby for Bridget Jones, a House of Lies, and another dose of the Walking Dead. Finally, Denise wraps things up with the Quick Flicks and we present you with a shiny new edition of The Weekly Podioplex, brought to you on The Chronic Rift Network.

Weekly Podioplex Notes for December 13th, 2016

Introduction

Opening Clip: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Box Office Report

Top Ten

#1 – Moana – [Third Week]
#2 – Office Christmas Party – [New Release]
#3 – Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them – [-1]
#4 – Arrival – [-1]
#5 – Doctor Strange – [Even]
#6 – Allied – [-2]

#7 – Nocturnal Animals – [+9]
#8 – Manchester by the Sea – [+3]
#9 – Trolls – [-3]
#10 – Hacksaw Ridge – [-3]

Tops From the Past

2011 – Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
2006 – The Pursuit of Happyness
1996 – Jerry Maguire
1986 – The Golden Child
1976 – Silver Streak
 

Box Office Premieres for the week of December 16th, 2016

Wide

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story – [PG-13]

Collateral Beauty – [PG-13]

Limited

A Kind of Murder – [R]
Neruda – [R]
Solace – [R]
Fences – [PG-13]
 

Home Entertainment for the week of December 13th, 2016

New Releases on DVD and Blu-Ray

Suicide Squad – [PG-13]

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children – [PG-13]

Ben-Hur – [PG-13]

Florence Foster Jenkins – [PG-13]

Bridget Jones’s Baby – [R]

New Releases on Digital Video

Snowden – [R]

TV on DVD and Blu-Ray

Star Trek: The Roddenberry Vault (1966-1969)
The Legend of Korra: The Complete Series (2012-2014)
Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency: Season One (2016)
Fear the Walking Dead: Season Two (2016)

Blu-Rays From the Past

The Asphalt Jungle (1950) – [NR]

Podcast Promos

Full of Sith

The Full of Sith Podcast is a show dedicated to bringing the most interesting Star Wars conversations in the galaxy with hosts Bryan Young, Tha Mike Pilot, and Amy Ratcliffe.

Quick Flicks

A Child’s Night Dream
Tomb Raider
Iron Fist: Danny Rand is NOT a “white savior”
Pixar ramps up Coco
Blade Runner 2049 and Deckard’s humanity

Links

Visit the Chronic Rift site
Send us an e-mail
Tweet on Twitter:  The Chronic Rift, The Weekly Podioplex, Denise, and Michael
Listen on Stitcher Radio

Leave a review on iTunes:  The Chronic Rift

Shop the Rift’s Best Bets or search our Amazon Store. 

Michael’s blog at Creative Criticality

Denise’s blog at Accessories Not Included

On an brand new edition of The Weekly Podioplex, it was a terrible week to be a new release. Moana and Fantastic Beasts ruled the roost once again, and they have one more week to keep audiences entertained before the Death Star comes back to town. In the meantime, Miss Sloane and the Office Christmas Party will try their hardest to win hearts, minds, and cold hard cash. Do they have a chance against wizards, teenage heroes, and demigods?

Home entertainment gets busy as pets, super secret agents, cowboys, airline heroes, and storks make waves. Among these big name titles, however, is a touching documentary from a son to his late father, an idol from a science fiction legend. Television titles include irreverent animation, romance, a spinoff from a galaxy far away, and a high fantasy MTV project. It all rounds out with octane as Mad Max hits shelves in Black and Chrome fashion.

Finally, Denise brings it all to a close with a fitting and thematic review of a deeply inspirational film in the Quick Flicks. What better way to stay warm as December debuts than with your friends at The Weekly Podioplex, brought to you on The Chronic Rift Network.

Weekly Podioplex Notes for December 6th, 2016

Introduction

Opening Clip: Miss Sloane

Box Office Report

Top Ten

#1 – Moana – [Second Week]
#2 – Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them – [Even]
#3 – Arrival – [+2]
#4 – Allied – [Even]
#5 – Doctor Strange – [-2]
#6 – Trolls – [Even]

#7 – Hacksaw Ridge – [+2]
#8 – Bad Santa 2 – [-1]
#9 – Incarnate – [New Release]
#10 – Almost Christmas – [-2]

Tops From the Past

2011 – New Year’s Eve
2006 – Apocalypto
1996 – 101 Dalmatians
1986 – Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
1976 – Rocky

 

Box Office Premieres for the week of December 9th, 2016

Wide

Miss Sloane – [R]

Office Christmas Party – [R]

Limited

La La Land – [PG-13]
Befikre – [UR]
Harry Benson: Shoot First – [UR]

Home Entertainment for the weeks of December 6th, 2016

New Releases on DVD and Blu-Ray

The Secret Life of Pets – [PG]

Jason Bourne – [PG-13]

For the Love of Spock – [NR]

New Releases on Digital Video

The Magnificent Seven – [PG-13]

Sully – [PG-13]

Storks – [PG]

TV on DVD and Blu-Ray

Family Guy: Season Fourteen (2015)
Beauty and the Beast: Season Four (2016)
LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures: Season One (2016)
The Shannara Chronicles: Season One (2016)

Blu-Rays From the Past

Mad Max: High Octane Collection (1979-2015) – [PG-13, R]

Podcast Promos

Skywalking Through Neverland

Skywalking Through Neverland is a Star Wars/Disney, fan-focused Podcast. We cover Star Wars, Disney, Superheroes and pop culture fandom. You know, that stuff that binds us all together as instantaneous friends! We showcase either what people have done with their fandom or talked to those who are involved first-hand in the universes that we LOVE.

Quick Flicks

Review: Moana

Links

Visit the Chronic Rift site
Send us an e-mail
Tweet on Twitter:  The Chronic Rift, The Weekly Podioplex, Denise, and Michael
Listen on Stitcher Radio

Leave a review on iTunes:  The Chronic Rift

Shop the Rift’s Best Bets or search our Amazon Store. 

Michael’s blog at Creative Criticality

Denise’s blog at Accessories Not Included

For our first Christmas-themed episode this year, we present the LUX RADIO THEATER adaptation of the Judy Garland classic, “Meet Me in St. Louis.”  This one-hour version drops the character of Agnes, but retains, in the roles they originated in the 1944 film, Judy Garland and Margaret O’Brien as sisters Esther and Tootie Smith, as well as Tom Drake as The Boy Next Door, John Truett.  And you get to hear Garland perform a few songs that have since become standards, “The Boy Next Door,” “The Trolley Song,” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”

Episodes

The Lux Radio Theater

“Meet Me in St. Louis”

December 2, 1946

3:35

A couple get lost in the fog, have a car accident, and look for help in a small town called Whistle Stop.  And that's only the beginning of the story.  It's another story for the blind from WCRS Radiostage.

Shazam!

"Double Trouble"

September 27, 1975

Billy and Mentor are shocked to learn that Captain Marvel is accused of robbing a gas station.  Billy's first instinct is to investigate the matter, but he turns himself in as Captain Marvel in order to prove a point to a young boy about the idea that no one is above the law.  But if Captain Marvel is in jail, who is going to prove his innocence? 

John and Richard are both in agreement that this is one of the best episodes in the entire series.  We learn though it's one that Jackson Bostwick suggested as an idea for the show and it allows Captain Marvel a lot more dialogue and screen time.  The two discuss the potential of the episode, the importance of the moral today in a world where many feel they are above the law, and the number of known actors who appeared in this episode.

 It's all here and we want to hear from you on what you think of the episode.  Write us as ShazamIsisPodcast@gmail.com.

Moral: “Respecting the law is just another way of saying that we respect each other. Laws have been made for the good of everyone, and when someone breaks the law, they're saying "I don't care about you." When you respect the law, you respect yourself."

Guest Cast

Ben Andrews as Pierce Young

William Bassett as Bill Ritzi

Ross Elliot as Sheriff Martin

Jack Garner as Phil Schartoff

Jimmy McNichol as Kelly Martin

Bill Quinn as Larry Frank