The Incomparable Mothership

It’s time to reconvene our Book Club, not to talk about an awards shortlist but to recommend books from arbitrarily selected categories. So many books! And not many rocks, we promise. Antony's book list Antony Johnston with Erika Ensign, James Thomson and Jason Snell Show Notes & Links Our picks for each category: An SFF book you’d recommend to a non-SFF Fan: Erika: Lock In by John Scalzi James: Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree Jason: A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers, Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr Antony: Among Others by Jo Walton, Borderline by Mishell Baker A classic (pre-1990) that still holds up: James: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Omnibus by Douglas Adams, The Warlock of Firetop Mountain by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone Jason: Marooned in Realtime by Vernor Vinge, Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut Erika: Tombs of Atuan by Ursula K. LeGuin Antony: The Spy Who Came In From the Cold by John Le Carre, The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson A book you didn’t expect to like, but really enjoyed: Jason: Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan Maguire, The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik Erika: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer James: The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon Antony: Country by Michael Hughes The best book you read in the past year: Erika: The Nova Incident by Dan Moren (Galaxy and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers, A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine) James: The Galaxy and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers (A Memory Called Empire and A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine) Jason: Elder Race by Adrian Tchaikovsky, City of Blades by Robert Jackson Bennett, The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik Antony: Paint My Name In Black and Gold: The Rise of the Sisters of Mercy by Mark Andrews (The Galaxy and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers) What are you reading? James: Gideon the Ninth & Harrow the Ninth by Tasmin Muir, A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe by Alex White Erika: Terminal Peace by Jim C. Hines, Three Little Wishes by Paul Cornell, Steve Yeowell, Pippa Bowland & Simon Bowland, “Bramblewilde” by Jordan Taylor, “The Night Dance” by Leah Cypess, “The Path of Water” by Emma Törzs, “Two Hands, Wrapped in Gold” by S.B. Divya, “The Portal Keeper” by Lavie Tidhar Jason: The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik, Mickey7 by Edward Ashton, Shards of Earth & Eyes of the Void by Adrian Tchaikovsky Antony: The Cruel Stars by John Birmingham, Moonraker by Ian Fleming, The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

Grab your helm, pouch, and ruby and watch out for dream vortexes! The classic Vertigo comic “The Sandman” has been adapted to a new Netflix show. What do we love about this modern retelling of the story—and what are we unsure about? Netflix's "The Sandman" Tony Sindelar with Dan Moren, Glenn Fleishman, Sarah Hendrica Bickerton, Chip Sudderth and Shannon Sudderth Referenced Works The Sandman Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

Russell Crowe! Christian Bale! Natalie Portman! Are they starring in a prestige film that we’re sure to hear about when Oscar time comes around? No, it’s “Thor: Love and Thunder!” But while this movie might not be able to live up to “Thor: Ragnarok,” there are a lot of things we appreciated about it. And also some things we didn’t. It’s all about tone. "Thor: Love & Thunder" Jason Snell with Kathy Campbell, Tony Sindelar and Chip Sudderth Referenced Works Thor: Love and Thunder Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

Mum, Dad, it’s evil, don’t touch it! The Summer of Time Travel reaches its end—or is it the beginning?—with 1981’s “Time Bandits,” a children’s fantasy written and directed and even featuring some Monty Pythons. Does it work for adults? Does the tone still work? We fall through a time hole and give our verdict. "Time Bandits" Jason Snell with Annette Wierstra, David J. Loehr, Monty Ashley and Shelly Brisbin Referenced Works Time Bandits Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

What if H.G. Wells used a time machine to chase Jack the Ripper into the present day (of 1979)? It would look an awful lot like 1979’s “Time After Time,” we’re guessing. David Warner and Malcolm McDowell match wits! Mary Steenburgen is a modern lady looking for an old-fashioned man! Also Jason observes the film’s (pretty good) depiction of San Francisco geography and Jean confronts her young moviegoing trauma. "Time After Time" Jason Snell with Jean MacDonald, Moisés Chiullán, Monty Ashley and David J. Loehr Referenced Works Time After Time Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

The Summer of Time Travel meets Rocket Surgery as we watch the very 90s, good-bad film “Timecop,” the movie that answers the question, “What would happen if you tried to kick time itself?” "Timecop" Jason Snell with Joe Rosensteel, Annette Wierstra and Monty Ashley Referenced Works Timecop Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

We take a sideways break from the Summer of Time Travel by verse-jumping across realities to Everything Everywhere All At Once, the multiverse movie directed by The Daniels and starring Michelle Yeoh. Is empathy the superpower Doctor Strange needed all along? Too bad, because he isn’t in this movie! "Everything Everywhere All At Once" Moisés Chiullán with Brian Hamilton, Jean MacDonald and Sandra Wong Referenced Works Everything Everywhere All At Once Show Notes & Links Become an Incomparable member and you can listen to a WHOLE EXTRA EPISODE about “Everything Everywhere All At Once.” Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

The Summer of Time Travel begins/ends/continues (pick one) with 1989’s “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure,” in which two dumb guys collect some of history’s greatest figures and take them to the mall. Party on, dudes! "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure" Jason Snell with Steve Lutz, Lisa Schmeiser, Kelly Guimont and Moisés Chiullán Referenced Works Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

The days of appointment television are long gone, but what if you could create a streaming service broadcasting the best that TV had to offer in the 21st century? What shows would be on your marquee? We’ve got you covered, with our very first Peak TV draft (patent pending)! Will your favorite shows get drafted? Tune in to find out! 21st Century TV Draft Cicero Holmes with David J. Loehr, Jean MacDonald, Monty Ashley, Shareef Jackson and Moisés Chiullán Show Notes & Links David - “David” Parks & Recreation Stumptown Only Murders in the Building Ted Lasso Left over: For All Mankind, Slow Horses Jean - “Work is Hell” Succession Mad Men The Office (Franchise) The Boys Left over: Six Feet Under Monty - “The Monty Network” Taskmaster (All Regions) RuPaul’s Drag Race Franchise Work of Art: The Next Great Artist What We Do in the Shadows Left over: Home Movies, Clerks:TAS, Over The Garden Wall Shareef - “Laugh & Cry” The Wire Breaking Bad Avatar (Franchise) Whose Line is it Anyway? Left over: Supernatural, Fringe, House, 24, Lost Moises - “Science Fiction” P+ Star Trek + Enterprise Doctor Who Almost Human The Expanse Left over: “BerryVision” (all Matt Berry shows like Darkplace, Toast of London), “DLC aka Doctors Lawyers & Cops” Counterpart, Travelers, Threshold (2005) Cicero - “CCN+ (Comfy Couch Network Plus)” Futurama The Good Place Big Brother (Franchise) Game Of Thrones Left over: BSG, Insecure, The Americans Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

The release of the super-meta “Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers” with John Mulaney and Andy Samberg on Disney+ put us in mind of a movie from which it borrowed a hunk of its DNA: “Who Framed Roger Rabbit”. We first toon, er, tune our dial to that classic, groundbreaking 1988 Robert Zemeckis-directed film, then look at its 2022 chip off the old block. Forget it, Dale, it’s Toontown. "Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers" and "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" Glenn Fleishman with David J. Loehr, Shelly Brisbin and Moisés Chiullán Referenced Works Who Framed Roger Rabbit Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.