

Alienating the Audience
Andrew Heaton
Andrew Heaton and an army of nerds plunge deep, deep into films, books, and TV shows to ask: what's science fiction really about? What is The Twilight Zone really exploring? What are the underlying themes of Star Trek? What is the worldview of Star Wars? Also sometimes Heaton performs comedy on other planets.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 2, 2022 • 46min
"The Whistler"
From "Inappropriately Human: 21 Short Stories" by Andrew Heaton. Now available as an audio book! Get your copy at https://www.amazon.com/Inappropriately-Human-21-Short-Stories/dp/B09S3WYDSJ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=5UO16ZY0DADV&keywords=andrew+heaton+inappropriately+human&qid=1646195709&sprefix=men%27s+modal+shirt%2Caps%2C148&sr=8-1

Feb 24, 2022 • 1h 33min
Of Goblins and Autism
In "Vivarium," starring Jesse Eisenberg and Imogen Poots, a young couple find themselves trapped in some kind of suburban pocket universe. Their captors leave an alien infant on with the instructions "Raise the child and you will be released." Josh Jennings joins to discuss the various concepts the film plays with, including: autism, millennial adulting terror, fey folk, and suburban ennui. Find this film and others discussed on the show at www.mightyheaton.com/goodscifi

Feb 17, 2022 • 1h 28min
Scottish Starfleet Draft Picks
Stone and Dickie Lynch return to play Starfleet Draft Picks--which captains and officers do you recruit to build your own starship and crew?

Jan 28, 2022 • 54min
Animatronic Humans of the Apocalypse
Please enjoy "Simulucrum," one of the stories from my new book, "Inappropriately Human: 21 Short Stories"! Get a copy at: www.mightyheaton.com/books

Jan 12, 2022 • 11min
"The Singularity Comes For Home Office Equipment"
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 it out! Go to: www.mightyheaton.com/books Or look for "Inappropriately Human" or "Andrew Heaton" on Amazon. Thanks!

Dec 9, 2021 • 56min
Franchise Fatigue
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 enthusiasts Stone and Dickie Lynch return to discuss

Dec 2, 2021 • 55min
The Forever War
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 centuries thanks to relativity. It's also a great exploration of the nature and hopelessness of war, a la Vietnam. Tom Merritt joins to discuss Get the book at: https://mightyheaton.com/goodscifi

Nov 18, 2021 • 45min
Humanity is Underrated: the Deathworld Series
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 on this badass planet, and thought it was perfectly normal. Such is the premise of the Deathworld series. Michael "Macca" Cameron joins to discuss Deathworld, anthropology, and whether religion is an accident or intrinsic to the human condition. Source text: "Humans Don't Make Good Pets" https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/2ftcpy/text_the_kevin_jenkins_experience_chapter_1_part_i/

Nov 4, 2021 • 1h 9min
Keeping up with the Cardassians
Cardassians include some of Star Trek's best characters and plot, from Elim Garak (the best character ever) to Dukat (single greatest villain) to Orwellian illusions and Holocaust analogies. Scottish scifi aficionados Dickie and Stone Lynch return to discuss the Cardassian oeuvre.

Oct 21, 2021 • 44min
Waterworld is an Aquatic Western
"Waterworld" depicts a post-flood dystopia of psychos on jet skis and Kevin Costner with gills. John DeVore, celebrated writer for "Humungus" joins to discuss its deeper meaning, and how it's ultimately a Western--only wetter.