The Incomparable Mothership

From deep down in the lower levels to high up near the surface, we’re traveling through the post-apocalypic society of “Silo” on Apple TV+. Do eggs exist? What’s in daddy’s secret closet of mystery? Why are Pez dispensers outlawed? We begin with non-spoiler thoughts and then after the spoiler horn, we break down season one and two. (There are no spoilers for the Hugh Howey stories the show is based on!) "Silo" Jason Snell with Heather Berberet, Glenn Fleishman, John Siracusa and Aleen Simms Sponsors Pika: Start your happy blog. Get 20% off Pika Pro with code SNELL20 Referenced Works Silo 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.

Live, from The Incomparable, it’s Jason Reitman’s “Saturday Night,” a film that purports to capture the 88 minutes before “Saturday Night Live’s” first live broadcast 50 years ago. All of our panelists agree it’s a well-made movie. There are many actors and comedians playing actors and comedians. But does it all hold together? "Saturday Night" Lex Friedman with Monty Ashley, David J. Loehr and Kelly Guimont Referenced Works Saturday Night 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.

Blending classic Disney animals with a mysterious Miayazki forest, “The Wild Robot” is a story of overcoming your programming and not allowing yourself to become trapped in loops of behavior—whether you’re a robot or maybe even a human being. "The Wild Robot" Jason Snell with Brian Warren, Brian Hamilton, Annette Wierstra and Katie Mack Referenced Works The Wild Robot 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.

It’s the end of the world and a robot apocalypse has happened, so what are the robots up to now? One robot butler takes an unusual journey through the darkly absurd world of Adrian Tchaikovsky’s “Service Model.” All bytes will be sorted and preserved, Uncharles. Book Club: "Service Model" Jason Snell with Joe Rosensteel, Erika Ensign, Aleen Simms, Scott McNulty and Katie Mack Referenced Works Service Model [Amazon] [Apple] 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.

Are fairy tales real, or are they mental refuges from the horrors of real life? Guillermo Del Toro’s “Pan’s Labyrinth” toggles effortless between bizarre, Miyazaki-like fantasy (inverted toads!) and an all-too-real tale of violence and treachery in fascist Spain. It’s dark, beautiful, full of disgusting bugs, and manages to use Del Toro muse Doug Jones as not one but two separate monsters! "Pan's Labyrinth" Jason Snell with Moisés Chiullán, Steve Lutz, Tony Sindelar and Monty Ashley Referenced Works Pan's Labyrinth 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 send off the crew of the USS Cerritos and salue the completion of the five-year mission of “Star Trek: Lower Decks.” This show expanded what “Star Trek” could be—in several dimensions. And yet it was also utterly, completely a “Star Trek” series. We try to find the special alchemy that brought it all together. "Star Trek: Lower Decks" Jason Snell with David J. Loehr, Moisés Chiullán, Scott McNulty and Joe Rosensteel Referenced Works Star Trek (franchise) Star Trek: Lower Decks 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 writers of “The Expanse” are back with a new series, and “The Mercy of Gods” is an alien invasion story that goes to some extremely dark places. But sometimes, dark is good… right? Right?! Plus: What are we reading? "The Mercy of Gods" Jason Snell with Scott McNulty, Heather Berberet and Aleen Simms Referenced Works The Mercy of Gods [Amazon] [Apple] Show Notes & Links Next book: “Service Model” by Adrian Tchaikovsky. What are we reading? Heather: The Pandominion series, Infinity Gate and Echo of Worlds by M.R. Carey Aleen: An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir Scott: Jack Taylor series by Ken Bruen, Playground by Richard Powers Jason: Inverted Frontier series by Linda Nagata (Start with Edges) 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.

Another year in the books, and there was a lot to appreciate about the stuff we consumed—movies, TV, books, video games, and more—in 2024. Our most prolific panelists collaborate on a massive list of the stuff we enjoyed over the past 12 months. Best of 2024 Jason Snell with Erika Ensign, Annette Wierstra, Brian Warren, Kelly Guimont, Moisés Chiullán, David J. Loehr, John Siracusa, Dan Moren and Chip Sudderth Show Notes & Links Erika: Consortium Rebellion Series by Jessie Mihalik, specifically Polaris Rising Annette: “The Fall Guy” Brian: “The Wild Robot” Kelly: Star Trek (“Strange New Worlds” and “Lower Decks”) Moisés: “Made In England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger” David: “Agatha Christie’s Hjerson” John: “Rebuilding Tally Ho - from the beginning.” Dan: Baldur’s Gate 3 Chip: “Believe: The Untold Story Behind Ted Lasso, the Show That Kicked Its Way Into Our Hearts” by Jeremy Egner Jason: Shōgun (Hulu/Disney+) Erika: Alan Wake 2 Annette: Constancy by Tilly Wallace Brian: Dark Matter Kelly: Sitcoms! “Acapulco” and “The Muppets Mayhem” Moisés: Helldivers 2 David: Bill Lawrence: “Shrinking” and “Bad Monkey” John: Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Dan: “The Outlaws” Chip: Mobile Suit Gundam Jason: The Rest is History Erika: “Rescuing Christmas” and SMOOCH bingo cards Annette: Season of the Witch: “Agatha All Along” and “Wicked” Brian: Half-Life 2 Kelly: Live Music! Moises: Animated Comic Book Adaptations for Home Viewing (X-Men ‘97, Watchmen, My Adventures with Superman, Crisis on Infinite Earths, What If…?) David: “Ludwig” John: Holes @ the End of the World: “Fallout” and “Silo” Dan: Grave Expectations by Alice Bell Chip: Time is the Playground by Carbon Leaf Jason: Penric & Desdemona by Lois McMaster Bujold Blurts: Hundreds of Beavers, The Art of Darkness, Sugar, Stereophonic, The Gilded Age, Finding Mr. Christmas, The Incomparable Game Show, Short n’ Sweet. 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.

For Kilmas this year we travel to 19th century Arizona for “Tombstone,” where Wyatt Earp, his brothers, and their shady pal Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer!) confront a bunch of rotten outlaw thugs and their own mortality. Will our noted hater of westerns, Erika, accept the possibility of a Kilmas miracle? Listen to find out! "Tombstone" Jason Snell with Monty Ashley, Brian Warren, Erika Ensign, Annette Wierstra and Tony Sindelar Referenced Works Val Kilmer Tombstone 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.

This year’s Ape Club holiday party is 1972’s “Conquest of the Planet of the Apes,” in which the people of Future 1991 use apes as slaves until there’s an uprising led by a talking ape with a familiar name: Caesar. Were the 1970s ape sequels all as bad as we were led to believe, or is “Conquest”… actually kind of good? Join us and find out! "Conquest of the Planet of the Apes" Jason Snell with John Moltz, Annette Wierstra, Brian Warren and David J. Loehr Referenced Works Conquest of the Planet of the Apes Planet of the Apes (franchise) 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.