Alienating the Audience
Episodes
This is How the World Ends: Apocalypse in Science Fiction
04 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Science fiction tackles the end of the world again and again, sometimes hopefully and sometimes utterly devoid of it. Josh Jennings joins in this expe...
"Scream" meets "The Truman Show": The Cabin in the Woods
14 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the film "Cabin in the Woods" the grizzly deaths of several archetypical characters are stage-managed by office workers in order to quench the bloo...
Let's Argue About the Prime Directive
15 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Prime Directive orders Starfleet officers to refrain from interfering in pre-warprdrive civilizations. It is a doctrine of cultural non-interferen...
The Last Starfighter
08 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In "The Last Starfighter" (1984) a young man has his sword-in-the-stone moment playing an arcade game which propels him into heroic intergalactic adve...
Women Can Electrocute You
16 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In Naomi Alderman's "The Power" women all over the planet suddenly develop the ability to shoot electrical shocks, to the point of lethality. The natu...
Time Loops
20 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Getting thrown back to the same place in time, repeatedly, with little you can do about it has become an awesome sub genre in scifi. From Groundhog Da...
Holy Space Capitalism of the Feringi
01 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Star Trek's Feringi are intergalactic traders, merchants, entrepreneurs, and feckless shysters. How did they get to be space capitalists when the Fede...
Cheating with a Sexbot
05 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In "Subservience" Megan Fox plays a robot servant who goes off the rails, seduces her owner, and tries to kill his wife. Henrique Couto joins to discu...
"Alien" is Dudes Afraid of Getting Knocked Up
07 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Fresh after seeing "Alien: Romulus," Dickie Lynch and Heaton discuss Ripley Scott's "Alien" franchise: the creepy aesthetics of H. R. Geiger, the deep...
A Canticle for Leibowitz
16 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's three centuries after the apocalypse, and a small Catholic monastery in the desert is collecting and safeguarding whatever pre-calamite artifacts...
A. I. As Monkeypaw Slaves
16 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How has A. I. been portrayed through history in science fiction, and what's it going to look like as it keeps getting better? Stone Lynch and J. C. Ca...
A Clockwork Orange's Secret Extra Chapter
14 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Anthony Burgess wrote his dystopian novel "A Clockwork Orange" in 1962, but two different versions appeared on either side of the Atlantic. The Americ...
Faster Than Light Travel in Sci-Fi
07 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The universe is really, really big. Like huge. Really really really huge. Prompting science fiction to come up with workarounds so everyone isn't stuc...
Stay Your Age Right Now Forever
03 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Drew Magary's book "The Postmortal" explores a scenario in which a vaccine is made for aging. Whatever age you take it at, you are paused there indefi...
All The Gods Suck, Except "Circe"
05 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Madeline Miller's "Circe" novelizes the mysterious character from the Odyssey who turns men into swine, but also helps Odysseus get home. The book sho...
"1984" According to Julia
15 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
George Orwell died way back in 1950, and his estate has never allowed anyone to canonically (or legally) contribute to the immense worldbuilding of "1...
The Zen of Robots
04 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Season Finale! In which we talk about how to use sci-fi robots for helpful psychological thought experiments. Support the show! www.patreon.com/aliena...
Much Ado About Garak
04 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Star Trek Deep Space Nine's Elim Garak is a simple, unassuming character. But also a spymaster. Why is he so beguiling, and what's his character arc? ...
Doublethinking George Orwell's 1984
16 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Is 1984 prophetic, or merely a terrifying dystopia? What makes this haunting book so engaging on a literary level? Josh Jennings returns to discuss.
Why Picard's Last Season Is So Much Better Than The Others
09 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Star Trek: Picard recently wrapped up its third and final season--and the first season Heaton or his guests have enjoyed of it. Scottish sci-fi twins ...
Super-Intelligent Spiders And A Sleeper Ship: Children of Time
02 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Adrian Tchaikovsky's "Children of Time" tackles multi-generational sleeper ships, uplifiting species, AI, the nature of intelligence, teleforming and ...
The Corporate Dystopia of Jennifer Government
27 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this satirical novel by Max Barry, the United States is a corporate wasteland with ruthless businesses and toothless rump state unable to restrain ...
There Are Infinite You's in the Multiverse
19 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How does the multiverse shake out in science fiction? What are the tropes, and what are the implications? Scottish scifi twins Dickie and Stone Lynch ...
Escaping the Truman Show
12 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In "The Truman Show," Jim Carey's character is the unwitting star of a global reality television show–until he decides to escape. Director Henrique ...
Snowcrash Created the Metaverse
03 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Neil Stephenson's "Snowcrash" looked at the embryonic Internet and projected a future of VR and avatar onto it. And a world in which nation states had...
Shrinkage!
26 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we talk about all the times people get tiny in science fiction, from "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" to "The Fantastic Voyage" to Jonathan S...
Meeting Celebrities at Sci-Fi Conventions
20 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Comedian John Robertson is a regular performer, panelist, and celebrity at science fiction conventions. He joins to discuss the community element of c...
Soylent Green is People!
12 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Charlton Heston stars in "Soylent Green," a film about the terror of overpopulation, urban ennui, and ultimately cannibalism. Based on the novel "Mak...
The Hilarious Fantasy of Terry Pratchett
05 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
At its height, Terry Pratchett's Discworld series accounted for fully 2% of all book sales in the United Kingdom. Over the course of his life he wrot...
Strange New Worlds is the Star Trek We Deserve!
29 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Captain Pike commanded the USS Enterprise prior to Kirk, and the prequel series featuring him, Mr. Spock, Nurse Chapel, and their contemporaries goes...
Trapped In John Malkovich
22 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In Charlie Kaufman's weirdest film (and that's saying something) John Cusack discovers a portal that delivers you into John Malkovich's head for a fe...
Reproduction in the Final Frontier
15 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Vulcans, humans, Klingons, Romulans--everybody in the Star Trek universe can easily interbreed! Stone and Dickie Lynch rejoin the show to discuss repr...
Intergalactic Politics in "The Expanse"
08 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Expanse explores the political and military tension between decadent Earth, militant Mars, and the Belters stuck in between. War corresponde...
Nixon Selling Pizza on the Moon
01 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What if JFK survived the assassination attempt, and instead of Vietnam, America invested in a moon base? Bill Oakley is a former writer and showrunne...
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
25 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Characters can selectively wipe memories in Charlie Kaufman's "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," but in doing so they lose part of themselves. ...
If You Leave the Holodeck On Too Long...
18 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Are holograms on Star Trek NPC's, sentient, or in some hellish state of limerence in between? Star Trek aficionados Dickie and Stone Lynch return t...
Peacemaker is the Ultimate Loserhero
11 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
James Gunn's "Peacemaker" chronicles a toxic meathead character as he comes to terms with his past, his racist father, and an alien takeover of the p...
Send in the Clones
06 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How do clones manifest in science fiction? When are they evil, good, or a portent of science gone too far? Scottish scifi twins Dickie and Stone...
The Ineffable Planet of Sentient Goo
20 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"Solaris" by Stanislaw Lem follows a crew of scientists trying to understand an utterly alien intelligence--a planet covered by an ocean of (apparent...
Rick And Morty is Hilarious Nihilism
13 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"Rick and Morty" is the funniest science fiction to grace the world sense "Futurama"--if not the best comedy in general. What is it about, and what di...
The Fifth Element Is Teenage Scifi
08 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"The Fifth Element" starring Bruce Willis and Mila Jovovich is a cult classic. But... does it hold up? Did it ever? To answer that question, we ...
Irritating Vulcans in "Enterprise"
31 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"Enterprise" is the prequel of Star Trek, exploring the foundation of the Federation of Planets, and the bump, suspicious period when Vulcans and hum...
Lady Terror in "Don't Worry, Darling"
18 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There's a subgenre of science fiction we might call "femme fear," exemplified by writers like Margaret Atwood. Olivia Wilde's "Don't Worry Darling" ...
Jesuits in Space!
12 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In "The Sparrow" by Mary Doria Russell, life is discovered on an alien planet, and the first humans to arrive are... Jesuits. The book explores the t...
The Sith are Emo Fascists
04 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Sith are the dark lords of Star Wars. But what do they want? Are they logically consistent antagonists, with clear rationales for their goals and...
"They Live" is fear of Reagonomics
13 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
John Carpenter's "They Live" is a cult classic about seeing through societal mirage to glimpse the strings of the puppet masters. It's also a specific...
If Sociopaths Had Super Powers: The Boys
11 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In "The Boys" super heroes superficially fight crime, but are really corporate pawns and predators, ranging from ladder-climbing reality show scumbags...
But What if We Swapped Brains?
05 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Brain swaps are a beloved sci-fi trope, but how feasible are they? Dr. John-Paul Kolsun is a brain doctor, and host of "The Neurosurgery Podcast" He...
Only You Can Save JFK - Stephen King's "11/22/63"
28 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In Stephen King's finest work, protagonist Jake Epping discovers a time portal which allows him to go back to the late 50s and then stick around long ...
How Time Travel Works in "Interstellar"
20 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jay Mutzafi rejoins the show to discuss the many elements of "Interstellar," from gravity to parenting to gut feelings. Jay's notes on the vario...
Every Single Star Trek Android, in Erratic, Sloppy Order
16 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Dickie and Stone Lynch rejoin the show to discuss the entire panoply of androids in Star Trek, from Ruk, to Lore, to Automated Personnel Unit 3947. W...
Dark Side of "Moon"
06 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The film "Moon," starring Sam Rockwell, follows the lonely exploits of a solo worker on a moon base, and the unfolding mystery and terror of what his ...
Why the Jedi Order Failed
27 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What ultimately brought down the Jedi Order, and was it actually worth saving? Kevin Delano and Mike TV join to discuss SUPPORT THE SHOW! www.mightyhe...
Maoists and Space Aliens
20 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"The Three Body Problem", by Chinese author Liu Cixin, explores Maoism, how mankind reacts to imminent alien invasion, and asks the big question: is h...
The Mirror Universe in Star Trek
13 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
From Kirk and Spock through Deep Space Nine, the world of Star Trek has a shadowy alternate universe where mankind is alternately evil or oppressed. ...
"Her" is the Ultimate Breakup Film
06 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Spike Jonze's "Her", starring Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson, follows the story of a lonely man who falls in love with a sentient operating sy...
Dilbert Meets Orwell in "Severance"
31 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In "Severance" employees of the Lumen corporation undergo a surgery which separates their mind into two distinct personalities--one who works inside t...
Only Watch "Flash Gordon" on Acid
23 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Dickie and Stone join to discuss the overwhelming camp and pulp of "Flash Gordon," a big costume budget and excellent soundtrack which also sorta has ...
Hollywood Sermonizing vs. Good Storytelling
19 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When does science fiction get "too political"? What separates a film with a strong point of view from stale publum or Woke pulpitry? Josh Jennings joi...
Andor Loves Public Choice Theory
09 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Andor is one of the best Star Wars properties ever devised; a television program explicitly for adults! Beyond excellent storytelling, Andor highlight...
Moriarty on a Starship
14 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
James Moriarty is the best villain in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Or is he a villain at all? In "Elementary, My Dear Data" and "Ship in a Bottle" ...
"The Prisoner" is Deliciously Campy
24 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Patrick McGoohan's 1967 series "The Prisoner" is an avante-garde science fiction series about a secret agent abducted by nefarious forces and subject ...
How to Write Kickass Science Fiction
03 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Josh Jennings temporarily hosts the show in order to interview Andrew Heaton about what all goes into writing science fiction, a la his new book, "Ina...
"The Whistler"
02 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
From "Inappropriately Human: 21 Short Stories" by Andrew Heaton. Now available as an audio book! Get your copy at https://www.amazon.com/Inappropriate...
Of Goblins and Autism
24 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In "Vivarium," starring Jesse Eisenberg and Imogen Poots, a young couple find themselves trapped in some kind of suburban pocket universe. Their capto...
Scottish Starfleet Draft Picks
17 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Stone and Dickie Lynch return to play Starfleet Draft Picks--which captains and officers do you recruit to build your own starship and crew?
Animatronic Humans of the Apocalypse
28 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Please enjoy "Simulucrum," one of the stories from my new book, "Inappropriately Human: 21 Short Stories"! Get a copy at: www.mightyheaton.com/books...
"The Singularity Comes For Home Office Equipment"
12 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Enjoy this scifi piece from my new book "Inappropriately Human: 21 Short Stories." Like it? Trust me to provide some solid scifi content? Then check i...
Franchise Fatigue
09 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When does a science fiction go on too long, add too many new characters and odd plots, or just exhaust it's fans in general? Scottish scifi enthusia...
The Forever War
02 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Joe Haldeman's novel "The Forever War" is great science fiction in and of itself, involving aliens, time dilation, and how conflicts stretch out for c...
Humanity is Underrated: the Deathworld Series
18 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Earth is a Class 12 Deathworld--we just didn't know it! To the rest of the universe it is violent and uninhabitable, and our amazing species grew up o...
Keeping up with the Cardassians
04 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Cardassians include some of Star Trek's best characters and plot, from Elim Garak (the best character ever) to Dukat (single greatest villain) to Orwe...
Waterworld is an Aquatic Western
21 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
"Waterworld" depicts a post-flood dystopia of psychos on jet skis and Kevin Costner with gills. John DeVore, celebrated writer for "Humungus" joins ...
What Makes a Terrible Sidekick
11 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What qualities define a sidekick? What makes a good one or a cringey one? Tom Brennan and Jeremiah Johnson join to discuss.
Plot Holes!
22 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What's the difference between a gaping plot hole, vs mere shoddy writing or poor character decisions? Scottish science fiction enthusiasts Stone and D...
It's Time to Watch Babylon 5
09 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Babylon 5 has a magnificent plot arch, solid writing, and vibrant characters. If it weren't for the low budget and 90s CGI, it would have been massive...
Children of Men
26 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What happens to society when everyone on Earth goes sterile, and there's no future generation to hand things off to or better the world for? Andrew Yo...
We Are Legion, We Are Bob
12 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Dennis Taylor's "Bobiverse" comedically follows the exploits of an engineer whose mind is uploaded into a self-replicating probe, which becomes its ow...
The Giant Universe of Doctor Who
29 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Justin Robert Young comes on to discuss "Doctor Who," arguably the most successful science fiction program (along with Star Trek) in history, and the ...
Jordan Morris on Satire in a Dome
27 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Jordan Morris is the author of "Bubble" and the co-host of "Jordan, Jesse Go!" on Maximum Fun. He joins the show to discuss culture and economic satir...
Los Angeles is Hideous
13 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
I have a new book out! Los Angeles is Hideous: Poems About An Ugly City. Arguably the funniest book ever written about the horribleness which is LA....
False Memories in Science Fiction
08 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In a world where you can download memories directly into your brain, how can you determine what's reality and what's artifice? Jay Mutzafi returns t...
Logan's Run is Afraid of Baby Boomers
24 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
"Logan's Run" (1976) explores a society where everyone dies aged 30. In the most campy, over-the-top 70s scifi romp imaginable, it explores fear of ag...
M. R. Carey on Hopeful Dystopias
10 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
M. R. Carey is the author of "The Girl with All the Gifts" (previously discussed on this program) as well as the Koli Trilogy. He joins the show, alon...
The Bioethics of "Gattaca"
27 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
"Gattaca" (1997) explores a dystopian future where inequality is staggering--and genetic. Andrew Mayne joins the show to discuss the implications of g...
Andy Weir on "Project Hail Mary"
13 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Andy Weir, author of "The Martian," joins the program to talk about science fiction, technology, and his new book "Project Hail Mary" You can find h...
Jedi Warriors and Islamic Mysticism
29 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. H. A. Hellyer gained international attention (and flak) when he compared Jedi monks to Sufi Islamic warriors in an article for CNN. He joins the s...
Kurt Vonnegut Hated War
12 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The science fiction of Kurt Vonnegut was permeated by ethics and politics, not the least of which included socialism, opposition to war, secularism, a...
Galaxy Quest is the Greatest Sci-fi Comedy, Ever
01 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
"Galaxy Quest" is the greatest parody of Star Trek imaginable… without technically being Star Trek. Nick Sperdute and Erin Macdonald join the show t...
The Time-Backwards Robot Monster
18 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
"Hyperion" by Dan Simmons projects Chaucer's Canterbury Tales onto a distant scifi future. Katherine Mangu-Ward joins to discuss the multiple characte...
Darth Vader is a 19th Century Supervillain
04 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Michael Weiss, editor-at-large at The Daily Beast, joins the show to discuss Darth Vader: why he's such a compelling malefactor, the deep inner confli...
Watchmen Part 2: The Greenwood Massacre
25 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
"Watchmen" kicks off with the Tulsa Race Massacre, which defines the central theme of the rest of the series: race. Hannibal Johnson is the author of ...
Watchmen's Fake Psychic Squid Attack
18 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Brushwood joins the show to discuss "Watchmen," the televised sequel to the film and book, "The Watchmen." Topics include: underlying tensions i...
Are We Living in "Demolition Man"?
11 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
"Demolition Man" is a cult classic, wherein Sylvester Stallone gets thawed out in the near future to stop Wesley Snipes from destroying Los Angeles. S...
If An Insane Asylum Was an Entire Planet
04 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In "Clans of the Alphane Moon" by Philip K. Dick, a planet is colonized as an insane asylum, then abandoned, so that its inmates develop their own soc...
Mad Max Has the Best Barbarians
28 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
"Mad Max: Fury Road" is the height of post-apocalyptic wasteland glam--everyone is really getting into skulls, cars, and neo-Viking lore. Not to menti...
Why "The Mandalorian" Works
07 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Why is "The Mandalorian" so popular with Star Wars fans, yet the latest films are so divisive? Where does it veer from the traditional beats and theme...
Deadly Sex Objects in The Stepford Wives
31 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"The Stepford Wives" (1975) is a satirical horror film about spunky urban wives getting replaced by their husbands with submissive, ornamental robots....
Vagabonding: Two Santas for Life Day
28 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Nick and Heaton visit Kashyyyk to work as mall santas for Life Day on the Wooki homeworld. "Silent Night" care of "How it Should have Ended" on YouTub...
The Villainess from "Ex Machina"
17 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Is the robot in "Ex Machina" a self-aware entity or just a stack of cold, complex algorithms which appear such? If we knew super intelligent A.I. coul...