Geek's Guide to the Galaxy - A Science Fiction Podcast
David Barr Kirtley
** Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks ** Host David Barr Kirtley, author of the book Save Me Plz and Other Stories, talks geek culture with guests such as Neil Gaiman, George R. R. Martin, Richard Dawkins, Simon Pegg, Bill Nye, Margaret Atwood, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and Ursula K. Le Guin. Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy has appeared on recommended podcast lists from NPR, The Guardian, Wired, The A.V. Club, BBC America, CBC Radio, WVXU, io9, Omni, The Strand, Library Journal, and Popular Mechanics. CBC Radio writes, "You may not think a podcast about science fiction and fantasy would be the place to go for political insight, but -- it is. Geek's Guide to the Galaxy manages to be more insightful about politics than many pundits." View a complete list of guests and topics at geeksguideshow.com/episodes/. Listen to the show on YouTube at youtube.com/@geeksguidetothegalaxy to easily skip ahead to our discussion of a particular movie or story.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Dec 23, 2025 • 2h 5min
609. Stephen King Movies: The Running Man, The Long Walk, The Dead Zone, The Mist (with Andrea Kail, Matthew Kressel, Tom Gerencer)
Andrea Kail, Matthew Kressel, and Tom Gerencer join us to discuss the Stephen King movie adaptations The Running Man, The Long Walk, The Dead Zone, and The Mist. Time stamps: The Running Man (17:44), The Long Walk (47:14), The Dead Zone (1:10:45), The Mist (1:30:20). Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 15, 2025 • 1h 41min
608. The Best of Larry Niven Part 3 Review (with Mercurio D. Rivera)
Mercurio D. Rivera joins us to discuss the last nine stories from the book The Best of Larry Niven. Stories discussed: “Flatlander” (2:06), “The Borderland of Sol” (17:15), “The Magic Goes Away” (31:40), “A Teardrop Falls” (44:00), “The Return of William Proxmire” (49:43), “Limits” (57:45), “Smut Talk” (1:07:21), “The Missing Mass” (1:12:35), “Cautionary Tales” (1:21:30). Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 25, 2025 • 2h 2min
607. Jean-Claude Van Damme Movies: Timecop, Universal Soldier, Cyborg, Replicant (with Andrea Kail, Matthew Kressel, Tom Gerencer)
Andrea Kail, Matthew Kressel, and Tom Gerencer join us to discuss the Jean-Claude Van Damme movies Timecop, Universal Soldier, Cyborg, and Replicant. Time stamps: Timecop (15:21), Universal Soldier (41:27), Cyborg (1:01:35), Replicant (1:19:53). Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 12, 2025 • 1h 52min
606. Alien: Earth Season 1 Review (with Andrea Kail, Matthew Kressel, Anthony Ha)
Andrea Kail, Matthew Kressel, and Anthony Ha join us to discuss Season 1 of the FX series Alien: Earth, a prequel to the classic films Alien and Aliens. Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 27, 2025 • 1h 54min
605. The Best of Greg Egan Part 3 Review (with Anthony Ha)
Anthony Ha joins us to discuss the last six stories from the book The Best of Greg Egan. Stories discussed: "Crystal Nights" (1:27), "Zero for Conduct" (19:18), "Uncanny Valley" (37:31), "Bit Players" (52:11), "3-adica" (1:05:17), "Instantiation" (1:19:51). Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 8, 2025 • 1h 44min
604. The Best of Greg Egan Part 2 Review (with Anthony Ha)
Anthony Ha joins us to discuss six more stories from the book The Best of Greg Egan. Stories discussed: “Silver Fire” (1:30), “Reasons to be Cheerful” (16:42), “Oceanic” (28:10), “Oracle” (44:19), “Singleton” (1:04:54), “Dark Integers” (1:16:32). Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 26, 2025 • 1h 31min
603. The History of Sword & Sorcery (with Philip Gelatt, Morgan Galen King)
Philip Gelatt and Morgan Galen King, creators of The Spine of Night, join us to discuss the book Flame and Crimson: A History of Sword and Sorcery by Brian Murphy. Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 10, 2025 • 1h 42min
602. The Best of Larry Niven Part 2 Review (with Mercurio D. Rivera)
Mercurio D. Rivera joins us to discuss nine more stories from the book The Best of Larry Niven. Stories discussed: “Inconstant Moon” (1:34), “Rammer” (18:42), “Cloak of Anarchy” (27:42), “The Fourth Profession” (38:22), “Flash Crowd” (47:59), “The Defenseless Dead” (59:37), “Flight of the Horse” (1:15:55), “The Hole Man” (1:22:29), “Night on Mispec Moor” (1:28:32). Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 28, 2025 • 1h 43min
601. Fantastic Fiction at KGB (with Matthew Kressel)
Matthew Kressel joins us to discuss Fantastic Fiction at KGB, a monthly science fiction reading series in New York City. Support the Fantastic Fiction at KGB fundraiser over at www.gofundme.com/f/fantastic-fiction-reading-series-at-the-kgb-bar. Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 20, 2025 • 1h 39min
600. Steph Grossman, co-host of The Basement Girls
In this special 600th episode David Barr Kirtley interviews his wife Steph Grossman, short story writer and co-host of the Basement Girls horror podcast. Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
