Perfect Organism: The Alien Saga Podcast

It's not often we're taken completely by surprise these days. Usually, there's an inkling of something coming. News leaks. A company announces they've acquired rights to use the Alien license on Twitter. Alien's Instagram posts some teasers. You know the drill. But a few months back, a whole ton of what-the-blessed-hell-is-going-on got dropped on fandom when a toy company many of us had never heard of started releasing some super colorful, super crazy designs reminiscent of the Kenner toys so many of us grew up with. In this minisode, frequent contributor Dave Gogel (of Xenomorphing) leads Patrick "Gorilla Alien Is My Spirit Animal" Greene and returning guest Mike Denis on a journey to figure out where these things came from and what they're all about. We didn't end up with many answers, but we did end up laughing a hell of a lot.  Stay tuned for Perfect Organism's fifth anniversary roundtable next week! // For more on this and our other projects, please visit www.perfectorganism.com. // If you’d like to join the conversation, find us on our closed Facebook group: Building Better Worlds // To support the show, please consider visiting www.perfectorganism.com/support. We’ve got some great perks available! // And as always, please consider rating, reviewing, and sharing this show. We can’t tell you how much your support means to us, but we can hopefully show you by continuing to provide better, more ambitious, and more dynamic content for years to come. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this—perhaps the most ambitious episode we've ever attempted—Jaime and Patrick try to do justice to Elliot Goldenthal's towering achievement: his original score for Alien 3. Using original research and analysis, Goldenthal's own cue sheets, the full orchestral score, Patrick's background as a professional composer, and Jaime's encyclopedic knowledge of film soundtracks, the PO team wades deeply into this complicated, powerful musical statement. This is also a long-awaited return to the first extended series we ever attempted: In Defense of Alien 3! We hope to continue to periodically revisit all of our extended series in the years to come. // For more on this and our other projects, please visit www.perfectorganism.com. // If you’d like to join the conversation, find us on our closed Facebook group: Building Better Worlds // To support the show, please consider visiting www.perfectorganism.com/support. We’ve got some great perks available! // And as always, please consider rating, reviewing, and sharing this show. We can’t tell you how much your support means to us, but we can hopefully show you by continuing to provide better, more ambitious, and more dynamic content for years to come.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We're excited to bring our Patreon supporters another all-new, ongoing series—and we'd like to share this first episode with everyone! We're calling this new program Shit Show: The Lighter Side of Perfect Organism. You know those moments in Perfect Organism episodes where Jaime and Patrick just make fun of each other for five minutes? Shit Show is all about those moments. It's about taking ourselves (and our franchise) a little less seriously. Exploring corners of the franchise we might not otherwise touch on, and taking time to explore some hidden gems—or turds—in science fiction and genre filmmaking more broadly. If you'd like so sign up for our Patreon, go to perfectorganism.com/support or search "Perfect Organism" at patreon.com. For just $2 per month, you'll have instant access to every episode of Shit Show and our other ongoing Patreon series, Frame Rate. We'll be back with regular programming in two weeks! In the meantime, consider supporting the show by joining our crew at perfectorganism.com/support. - // For more on this and our other projects, please visit www.perfectorganism.com. // If you’d like to join the conversation, find us on our closed Facebook group: Building Better Worlds // To support the show, please consider visiting www.perfectorganism.com/support. We’ve got some great perks available! // And as always, please consider rating, reviewing, and sharing this show. We can’t tell you how much your support means to us, but we can hopefully show you by continuing to provide better, more ambitious, and more dynamic content for years to come. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this second-to-last entry into our Forbidden Planet series, Patrick and Jaime welcome special guests AndieGeekGirl and Patrick's partner Micah Greene to discuss the character of Ellen Ripley. In this surprisingly sobering and philosophical discussion, we break down Ripley as an iconic character. She defied all expectations and gender norms; there is no one like Ellen Ripley, and there will likely never be again. Join us as we send off this sacred and indelible character in the 40th year of her existence in science fiction. // For more on this and our other projects, please visit www.perfectorganism.com. // If you’d like to join the conversation, find us on our closed Facebook group: Building Better Worlds // To support the show, please consider visiting www.perfectorganism.com/support. We’ve got some great perks available! // And as always, please consider rating, reviewing, and sharing this show. We can’t tell you how much your support means to us, but we can hopefully show you by continuing to provide better, more ambitious, and more dynamic content for years to come. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this special bonus episode, Jaime and his writing partner, film director Eric Wallace, sit down to discuss their vision for what the Alien franchise could be. In this in-depth episode, friends and filmmakers discuss how they met as late-teens/early twenty-somethings, forging a friendship that's resulted in a partnership in what they hope could be a bold new vision for the Alien franchise. // iTunes: bit.ly/shoulderoforionitunes // Google Play: bit.ly/shoulderoforiongoogleplay // For more on this and our other projects, please visit www.perfectorganism.com. // If you’d like to join the conversation, find us on our closed Facebook group: Building Better Worlds // To support the show, please consider visiting www.perfectorganism.com/support. We’ve got some great perks available! // And as always, please consider rating, reviewing, and sharing this show. We can’t tell you how much your support means to us, but we can hopefully show you by continuing to provide better, more ambitious, and more dynamic content for years to come. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this heartfelt, free-ranging episode, Jaime and Patrick discuss one of the most important film characters in their lives: Ellen Ripley. Anchoring the conversation to Ripley's role in Alien, they branch into a larger conversation on gender, class, race, and representation in this classic film—and how Sigourney Weaver's performance broke every mold imaginable.  Join us as we enter the final month of Alien's fortieth anniversary year recognizing the woman who's been with us since the very beginning: our Space Mom, Ellen Ripley. // For more on this and our other projects, please visit www.perfectorganism.com. // If you’d like to join the conversation, find us on our closed Facebook group: Building Better Worlds // To support the show, please consider visiting www.perfectorganism.com/support. We’ve got some great perks available! // And as always, please consider rating, reviewing, and sharing this show. We can’t tell you how much your support means to us, but we can hopefully show you by continuing to provide better, more ambitious, and more dynamic content for years to come. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, our contributor, and lead admin of Building Better Worlds, Conar Murdoch, sits down with Stevie J Douglas, the director of Alien 3: The Unfilmed Script. From his first experiences with the Alien series, to how he reimagined a stage play based off Vincent Ward's unused script, Conar and Stevie host what is a brilliant and hilarious episode, casting light on the base story for what would become the film we know as Alien 3. We hope you enjoy.  // For more on this and our other projects, please visit www.perfectorganism.com. // If you’d like to join the conversation, find us on our closed Facebook group: Building Better Worlds // To support the show, please consider visiting www.perfectorganism.com/support. We’ve got some great perks available! // And as always, please consider rating, reviewing, and sharing this show. We can’t tell you how much your support means to us, but we can hopefully show you by continuing to provide better, more ambitious, and more dynamic content for years to come. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The 1970s was a decade of astounding creative leaps in Hollywood. In this special episode, Jaime and Patrick welcome first-time guest Mike Denis to talk about this unique period in the history of film—and how Alien, that dark masterpiece we love so dearly, might just be the decade's crowning achievement. // For more on this and our other projects, please visit www.perfectorganism.com. // If you’d like to join the conversation, find us on our closed Facebook group: Building Better Worlds // To support the show, please consider visiting www.perfectorganism.com/support. We’ve got some great perks available! // And as always, please consider rating, reviewing, and sharing this show. We can’t tell you how much your support means to us, but we can hopefully show you by continuing to provide better, more ambitious, and more dynamic content for years to come. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this special review episode, Jaime and Patrick review Alexandre O. Philippe's recently released (and long-awaited) documentary on Alien. It's an in-depth discussion, so we recommend you watch the film before listening to this episode. Do you agree with our thoughts? Did you see the film differently? Let us know over on Building Better Worlds! // For more on this and our other projects, please visit www.perfectorganism.com. // If you’d like to join the conversation, find us on our closed Facebook group: Building Better Worlds // To support the show, please consider visiting www.perfectorganism.com/support. We’ve got some great perks available! // And as always, please consider rating, reviewing, and sharing this show. We can’t tell you how much your support means to us, but we can hopefully show you by continuing to provide better, more ambitious, and more dynamic content for years to come. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this wild, hilarious roundtable discussion, Jaime and Patrick are joined by frequent guest Dave (xenomorphing.com) and returning guest Michael (michaelscudieri.com) as the gang discusses unpopular Alien Saga opinions—their own, and some of the dozens (hundreds?) shared on a recent Building Better Worlds thread. // For more on this and our other projects, please visit www.perfectorganism.com. // If you’d like to join the conversation, find us on our closed Facebook group: Building Better Worlds // To support the show, please consider visiting www.perfectorganism.com/support. We’ve got some great perks available! // And as always, please consider rating, reviewing, and sharing this show. We can’t tell you how much your support means to us, but we can hopefully show you by continuing to provide better, more ambitious, and more dynamic content for years to come. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.