Episode 43—They Aren’t What We Thought They Were

Science fiction writer Scott Pearson and his daughter, Ella, try to make sense of Ridley Scott’s retcons Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, as they begin an epic review of the entire Alien movie series. Plus, Scott can’t stop saying “muddled” and Ella dives into Alan Dean Foster’s Covenant novelization, comparing and contrasting with the film. Double-length episode!

Segments

Intro :28

Waiter, There’s DNA in My Soup 1:03

On Seeing Prometheus Twice 4:00

Ancient Astronauts? Seriously? 4:38

Answering Questions No One Asked 8:00

Christmas and Prometheus 8:45

Creepy David 11:15

We’re Here! 13:00

Are There Other Aliens in the Alien Movies? 14:32

Stupid Scientists 17:20

Here’s the Thing About Ridley 20:30

Space Suit? No, Those Were Skeletons! 21:25

Hey, We Found an Alien Head! 22:55

Waiter, There’s Black Goo in My Drink 24:50

Snake Monster Just Wants to Snuggle 25:47

Vickers Taking Care of Business 30:15

It’s a Squid! 32:02

Sexist Medical Pod 32:55

What is This Movie About? 34:35

Shaw Taking Care of Business 35:20

Engineer Wakes Up on the Wrong Side of the Pod 38:58

Getting That Old-Time Religion 39:32

Just Run to the Side! 42:02

David’s Head and the Squid Baby 43:35

Prometheus: Final Thoughts 45:38

Alien TED Talk 49:37

Covenant: First Thoughts 52:03

Answering Questions No One Asked, Part Deux 54:45

Engineering Xenomorphs 56:12

What is This Movie About? Part Deux 59:12

“The Crossing”: Shaw and David’s Head 1:00:55

“The Last Supper”: That’s a Franco 1:04:32

Who Loves Walter? We Do 1:07:10

Weyland and David 1:08:00

Arriving at the Engineer’s Planet 1:09:00

Xenomorph Spores? Seriously? 1:11:07

Ash, David, and the Company 1:13:06

The Creator and the Created 1:14:45 

Prequels vs. Alien/Aliens 1:15:43

David: Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs 1:16:38

Quarantine: Like That’s Going to Happen 1:17:52

Uh, What About Those Corpses? 1:20:49

Hey, Look in This Slimy Egg! 1:21:36

Colonists, Shmolonists 1:24:45

David and Walter and Daniels 1:25:55

Xenomorphs and Neomorphs 1:30:13

Back on the Ship 1:31:42

And We Thought Hairballs Were Gross 1:32:41

Covenant: Final Thoughts 1:33:40

Book Report: The Covenant Novelization 1:37:04

Changes in the Book 1:41:50

Let’s Talk More About Walter and Daniels 1:45:40

The Captain and David and Xenomorphs 1:59:35

The Weekly Podioplex returns to find good performers and a disappointment. Dunkirk is the victor, Girls Trip is a winner, but Valerian disappointed while looking pretty. All three of them face challenges from thrilling Atomic Blonde and poop... er, I mean, The Emoji Movie. Or maybe just poop.

The home entertainment slate brings Ghost in the Shell, Emerald City, Pretty Little Liars, and Silkwood, all of which lead into the Quick Flicks where Denise talks remakes, revivals, Squirrel Girl (!), and why, oh why, sweet Christmas why is Confederate a thing? This and more on a new edition of The Weekly Podioplex, brought to you on The Chronic Rift Network.

Weekly Podioplex Notes for July 25th, 2017

Introduction

Opening Clip: Atomic Blonde

Box Office Report

Top Ten

#1 – Dunkirk – [New Release]
#2 – Girls Trip – [New Release]
#3 – Spider-Man: Homecoming – [-1]
#4 – War for the Planet of the Apes – [-3]
#5 – Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets – [New Release]
#6 – Despicable Me 3 – [-3]

#7 – Baby Driver – [-3]
#8 – The Big Sick – [-3]
#9 – Wonder Woman – [-3]
#10 – Wish Upon – [-3]

Tops From the Past

2012 – The Dark Knight Rises
2007 – The Simpsons Movie
1997 – Air Force One
1987 – RoboCop
1977 – Star Wars
 

Box Office Premieres for the week of July 28th, 2017

Wide

Atomic Blonde – [R]

The Emoji Movie – [PG]

Limited

An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power – [NR]
Menashe – [PG]
From the Land of the Moon – [R]
The Midwife – [UR]

Home Entertainment for the week of July 25th, 2017

New Releases on DVD and Blu-Ray

Ghost in the Shell – [PG-13]

The Boss Baby – [PG]

Unforgettable – [R]

New Releases on Digital Video

King Arthur – [PG-13]

TV on DVD and Blu-Ray

Emerald City: Season One (2017)

Girls: Season Six (2017)

Pretty Little Liars: Season Seven (2016)
Pretty Little Liars: Complete Series (2010-2017)

Blu-Rays From the Past 

Silkwood (1983) – [R]

Podcast Promos

Techno Retro Dads

TechnoRetro Dads share the fandom and fun of their youth with their families as they build a bridge from the past to the future through the time spent with their kids in the present. Join JediShua and shazbazzar as they reminisce about the past while exploring the future of some of their favorite science fiction and fantasy properties of their youth. Listen in to discussions about the movies, music, games, and comics of the 70s and 80s as they share the days of their youth with their own kids in a positive, family-friendly atmosphere. If you’re a TechnoRetro Dad, the child of one, or just fondly remember the sci-fi/fantasy properties of the 70s and 80s, then this podcast is for you!

Quick Flicks

Invasion of the Body Snatchers remade… again
Skinner returns to The X-Files
Confederate
Squirrel Girl!

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

Sports, poetry, music, and military campaigns are all topics for clever questions and clever answers on “Information Please.”  Then we present the first episode of a little-known but hilarious (and surprisingly timeless) radio comedy, “The Magnificent Montague.”  Starring writer and actor Monty Woolley (you may know him as the star of “The Man Who Came to Dinner”), Woolley plays a former Broadway star forced to take a role on a cheesy afternoon radio melodrama.  The character of Edwin Montague is the precursor to Frasier Crane ands Charles Emerson Winchester III -- loveable in his pomposity.

 

Episodes

 

Information Please

April 19,1943

“Guests:  Ford Frick and Grantland Rice”

1:42

 

The Magnificent Montague

November 10, 1950

“A Starring Role in Radio”

34:15

The Weekly Podioplex returns to find war. This week belongs to Caesar and the apes as they dominate the box office, but still have considerable ground to make up in their own franchise. Meanwhile, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, Christopher Nolan's take on Dunkirk, and a Girls Trip will challenge the apes for the throne. Can they hold the line?

The home entertainment slate also stars an ape as Kong: Skull Island invades store shelves. Joining the king are a Promise, The 100, The Expanse, and the car-leaping antics of T.J. Hooker. After that, Denise wraps things up in the Quick Flicks with comic book news and a celebration of the Thirteenth Doctor. This and more comprise a new edition of The Weekly Podioplex, brought to you on The Chronic Rift Network.

Weekly Podioplex Notes for July 18th, 2017

Introduction

Opening Clip: Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

Box Office Report

Top Ten

#1 – War for the Planet of the Apes – [New Release]
#2 – Spider-Man: Homecoming – [-1]
#3 – Despicable Me 3 – [-1]
#4 – Baby Driver – [-1]
#5 – The Big Sick – [+3]
#6 – Wonder Woman – [-2]

#7 – Wish Upon – [New Release]
#8 – Cars 3 – [-2]
#9 – Transformers: The Last Knight – [-4]
#10 – The House – [-3]

Tops From the Past

2012 – The Dark Knight Rises
2007 – I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry
1997 – Men in Black
1987 – RoboCop
1977 – The Island of Dr. Moreau
 

Box Office Premieres for the week of July 21st, 2017

Wide

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets – [PG-13]

Dunkirk – [PG-13]

Girls Trip – [R]

Limited

Landline – [R]
The Midwife – [UR]

Home Entertainment for the week of July 18th, 2017

New Releases on DVD and Blu-Ray

Kong: Skull Island – [PG-13]

The Promise – [PG-13]

New Releases on Digital Video

The Circle – [PG-13]

With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story (2010) – [UR]

TV on DVD and Blu-Ray

The 100: Season Four (2017)

The Expanse: Season Two (2017)

T.J. Hooker: Complete Series (1982-1986)

Blu-Rays From the Past 

State Fair (1962) – [NR]

Podcast Promos

British Invaders

The British Invaders podcast features a lively two-person exchange about different television series, tele-films and mini-series. These discussions serve as both an introduction and an entertaining conversation, catering to both those who have seen and those who have yet to see these British science fiction and fantasy shows. Each show is presented in two parts, with new episodes appearing every two weeks. British Invaders covers everything from story-lines to production details to spinoff material. Past topics have included Doctor Who, Sapphire and Steel, Red Dwarf, Day of the Triffids, Jekyll, Robin of Sherwood, and many more.

Quick Flicks

Martin Landau and George Romero
Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor
Wonder Woman’s strong box office performance
Ben Affleck’s script is out for Batman
The Joker is cured?

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

"BEAUTIFUL DREAMER"

AIRED: OCTOBER 22 and 29, 1966

This story has a lot of things that make it stand out from the others in the series.  First, it's the first two-part episode for the series.  Second, it's co-written by Lorenzo Semple.  But the real question is - is there enough story here to warrant two parts?  John and Jim discuss this as well as Britt's "type" of woman in the series.  Plus, we have an audio treat thanks to listener David Maska.  Listen to talk show host Mike Douglas interview Van Williams on the premiere of The Green Hornet back in 1966.

Take a listen and then let us know what you think of the episode by writing us here or at thebatcavepodcast@gmail.com.

After a brief break, The Weekly Podioplex has returned to news of an infestation at the box office. This week's winner is Spider-Man: Homecoming, which made a pretty big splash for a superhero whose only reward is supposedly action. The wallcrawler faces a new challenge as war comes to the Planet of the Apes. Simian or spider: Who will win?

The home entertainment slate goes high octane with The Fate of the Furious, a lost city, the Smurfs, and the unexplained between magic and time travelers on TV. After Leeloo Dallas Multipass goes 4K for a 20th anniversary, Denise returns with news of Netflix, gender and race conflicts in popular TV, and word that James Bond may expand to a whole shared universe of stories. This and more come together on a new edition of The Weekly Podioplex, brought to you on The Chronic Rift Network.

Weekly Podioplex Notes for July 11th, 2017

Introduction

Opening Clip: War for the Planet of the Apes

Box Office Report

Top Ten

#1 – Spider-Man: Homecoming – [New Release]
#2 – Despicable Me 3 – [-1]
#3 – Baby Driver – [-1]
#4 – Wonder Woman – [Even]
#5 – Transformers: The Last Knight – [-2]
#6 – Cars 3 – [-1]

#7 – The House – [-1]
#8 – The Big Sick – [+4]
#9 – 47 Meters Down – [-2]
#10 – The Beguiled – [-2]

Tops From the Past

2012 – Ice Age: Continental Drift
2007 – Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
1997 – Men in Black
1987 – Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise
1977 – The Deep
 

Box Office Premieres for the week of July 14th, 2017

Wide

War for the Planet of the Apes – [PG-13]

Wish Upon – [PG-13]

The Big Sick – [R]

Limited

Lady Macbeth – [R]
Chasing Coral – [NR]
Blind – [R]

Home Entertainment for the week of July 11th, 2017

New Releases on DVD and Blu-Ray

The Fate of the Furious – [PG-13]

The Lost City of Z – [PG-13]

Smurfs: The Lost Village – [PG]

Big Miracle – [PG]

New Releases on Digital Video

Going in Style – [PG-13]

TV on DVD and Blu-Ray

The Magicians: Season Two (2017)

Class: Series One (2016)

Blu-Rays From the Past 

The Fifth Element (1997) – [PG]

Podcast Promos

11.22.63: A Look Back
Join your hosts, Troy Heinritz and Wayne Henderson, for in-depth theories, discussion, fun, and your thoughts on Hulu's TV series 11.22.63.

Quick Flicks

Top Gun 2 in 2019
Netflix Class of 2018
Gillian Anderson takes on The X-Files writer’s room
A James Bond Universe of films?
Gemini Man gets a release date
Hawaii Five-O shakeups
The Umbrella Academy
Wonder Woman
John Carpenter on the small screen: Tales for a Halloween Night

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

Greek restaurateurs have their say on this episode of “Presenting the Transcription Feature.”  We start off with a fictional one, the loveable Parky of “Meet Me at Parky’s.”  A famous food critic is coming to his restaurant, and Parky is desperate for a good write-up.  So desperate that he looks for help from con-man Orville Sharpe, the only person of Parky’s acquaintance with more of a talent for malapropisms than he.  Then, on “You Bet Your Life,” Groucho Marx welcomes an actual Greek restaurateur.   Other contestants include a Las Vegas masseur and a real-life “Rosie the Riveter.”

Episodes

Meet Me at Parky’s

March 3, 1946

“Visit from a Gourmet”

2:19

You Bet Your Life

April 21, 1954

“The Secret Word is People”

32:33

On an all-new double digest edition of The Weekly Podioplex, the Transformers won the weekend, but it was a hollow victory based on sales. Meanwhile, Wonder Woman and Cars 3 picked up the slack. The next two weeks will be a test for the numbers two and three as Gru, the Minions, and Spider-Man make their debuts. It's kids and comics against kids and comics, and the winners are us.

On the home entertainment slate, Power Rangers, The Boss Baby, The Zookeeper's Wife, Prison Break, and Homicide make their way to your shelves alongside others. The Lodger celebrates 90 years and Fievel Goes West, then Denise tells us all about replicants, Han Solo's director issues, and an assembling of Avengers. Put it all together like a LEGO Death Star and you have another edition of The Weekly Podioplex, brought to you on The Chronic Rift Network.

Weekly Podioplex Notes for June 27th, 2017

Introduction

Opening Clip: Spider-Man: Homecoming

Box Office Report

Top Ten

#1 – Transformers: The Last Knight – [New Release]
#2 – Wonder Woman – [Even]
#3 – Cars 3 – [-2]
#4 – 47 Meters Down – [+1]
#5 – The Mummy – [-1]
#6 – All Eyez on Me – [-3]

#7 – Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales – [-1]
#8 – Rough Night – [-1]
#9 – Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie – [-1]
#10 – Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 – [-1]

Tops From the Past

2012 – Ted
2007 – Ratatouille
1997 – Face/Off
1987 – Dragnet
1977 – The Rescuers
 

Box Office Premieres for the week of June 30th, 2017

Wide

Despicable Me 3 – [PG]

The House – [R]

Baby Driver – [R]

Limited

13 Minutes – [R]
The Little Hours – [R]
The B-Side: Elsa Dorfman’s Portrait Photography – [R]

Box Office Premieres for the week of July 7th, 2017

Wide

Spider-Man: Homecoming – [PG-13]

Limited

A Ghost Story – [R]
City of Ghosts – [R]
Patti Cake$ – [R]
Santoalla – [NR]

Home Entertainment for the weeks of June 27th and July 4th, 2017

New Releases on DVD and Blu-Ray for June 27th

Power Rangers – [PG-13]

CHIPS – [R]

T2: Trainspotting – [R]

New Releases on DVD and Blu-Ray for July 4th

The Zookeeper’s Wife – [PG-13]

New Releases on Digital Video for June 27th

The Lost City of Z – [PG-13]

New Releases on Digital Video for July 4th

The Boss Baby – [PG]

TV on DVD and Blu-Ray for June 27th

Prison Break: The Complete Series (2005-2017)
Prison Break: Resurrection (2017)

The Strain: Season Three (2016)

TV on DVD and Blu-Ray for July 4th

Homicide: Life on the Street: The Complete Series (1993-1999)

Blu-Rays From the Past for June 27th 

The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog (1927) – [UR]

Blu-Rays From the Past for July 4th 

An American Tale: Fievel Goes West (1991) – [G]

Podcast Promos

The Shared Desk

From the writing desk of award-nominated and award-winning authors and podcasters Philippa Ballantine and Tee Morris comes The Shared Desk, a writer's show that explores collaboration, science fiction, fantasy, and just about anything that catches their fleeting attention spans.

Quick Flicks

Han Solo divorces from Lord and Miller
Blade Runner 2049 and Deckard’s replicant status
World War Z 2
Jurassic World: Falling Kingdom
The Infinity War roll call

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