The Incomparable Mothership

Is this the end of Miyazaki Club? Probably not, but we’ve reached the end of our survey of all the feature films he’s directed with “Porco Rosso,” the story of a pig man, the airplane he loves, the woman he doesn’t feel worthy to love, and the seaplane pirates who terrorize the Adriatic after World War I. There are lots of clouds and planes and boats, as you might expect. "Porco Rosso" Jason Snell with Jean MacDonald, Moisés Chiullán, Steve Lutz and John Siracusa Sponsors ExpressVPN: High-Speed, Secure & Anonymous VPN Service. Get an extra three months free. Impending: The team behind Head’s Up. Now hiring. Referenced Works Hayao Miyazaki Porco Rosso Studio Ghibli 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 sixth season of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” features dark and unpleasant themes, a painful magic-as-heroin allegory, and creative decisions that manage to be cruel to both the show’s characters and its audience. But there’s also a musical! "Buffy" season 6 Jason Snell with Steve Lutz, Quinn Rose, Aleen Simms and Jean MacDonald Referenced Works Buffy the Vampire Slayer [Amazon] 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 discuss the latest season of Amazon’s “The Expanse,” which separates its main characters for storylines all across the solar system. How well does that approach work? How do Amos and Peaches differ? Why should Alex never be a detective? And do we hate Marco Inaros the appropriate amount? "The Expanse" season 5 Jason Snell with Dan Moren, Aleen Simms, Chip Sudderth, Jen Burt and Will Wagner Referenced Works The Expanse (TV series) 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’re using our powers over space and time to capriciously right wrongs throughout movie history. That’s right, it’s the Bad Best Picture Draft, in which our panelists will select a Best Picture Oscar winner, take its statuette away, and hand it to a more deserving winner. Bad Best Pictures Draft Jason Snell with Moisés Chiullán, Lisa Schmeiser, David J. Loehr, Shelly Brisbin, Steven Schapansky, Philip Michaels, Monty Ashley and Brian Hamilton Sponsors Inside the Breakthrough: How science comes to life. Listen now. Show Notes & Links Moises: 1939 - “Gone with the Wind” / “The Wizard of Oz” Monty: 1988 - “Rain Man” / “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” Shelly: 1958 - “Gigi” / “The Defiant Ones” David: 1994 - “Forrest Gump” / “Pulp Fiction” Lisa: 1968 - “Oliver” / “2001: A Space Odyssey” or “The Lion in Winter” Steven: 1975 - “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” / “Dog Day Afternoon” Brian: 2010 - “The King’s Speech” / “The Social Network” Phil: 1952 - “The Greatest Show on Earth” / “Singin in the Rain” Jason: 2000 - “Gladiator” / “Erin Brockovich” Moises: 1977 - “Annie Hall” / “Star Wars” Monty: 2003 - “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” / “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World” Shelly: 1944 - “Going My Way” / “Double Indemnity” David: 1976 - “Rocky” / “Network”-“All the President’s Men” (tie) Lisa: 1999 - “American Beauty” / “The Matrix” Steven: 2002 - “Chicago” / “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” Brian: 2017 - “The Shape of Water” / “Get Out” Phil: 1997 - “Titanic” / “L.A. Confidential” Jason: 1981 - “Chariots of Fire” / “Raiders of the Lost Ark” 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.

Miyazaki Club gets weird with “Ponyo,” a story of a fish who gets the taste of human blood, lives in a bucket, can cure all diseases with a lick, and just wants to be human. Also there’s a plot for the sea to sweep away humanity, and the Moon comes perilously close to Earth. But cute! "Ponyo" Jason Snell with John Siracusa, Steve Lutz, Aleen Simms and Jean MacDonald Sponsors ExpressVPN: High-Speed, Secure & Anonymous VPN Service. Get an extra three months free. Referenced Works Hayao Miyazaki Ponyo Studio Ghibli 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.

After a long gap, our Book Club reconvenes, and if they can remember Micaiah Johnson’s “The Space Between Worlds,” they’ll recommend it to you. It’s a story about identity and society set across parallel worlds that are even more similar than they initially appear to be. Also, what else have we read lately? Curl up with a good book and keep an eye out for parallel-universe warlords! "The Space Between Worlds" Jason Snell with Aleen Simms, Erika Ensign, Scott McNulty and David J. Loehr Referenced Works The Space Between Worlds [Amazon] Show Notes & Links Aleen Solutions and Other Problems 11/22/63 Star Daughter Hollow Kingdom Erika Broken Blade Last Stand in Lychford David Conan Doyle for the Defense The End of Everything Forever and a Death Thursday Murder Club Fortune Favors the Dead Scott Dead Wake Command and Control Jason Ministry for the Future Harrow the Ninth 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.

From Canada comes “Letterkenny,” an unlikely comedy series about rural hicks, burnouts, and hockey players that’s hyper-verbal, charmingly prone to a donnybrook, and one of the funniest things we’ve watched recently. "Letterkenny" Jason Snell with Philip Michaels, Lisa Schmeiser, Casey Liss and Don Schaffner Referenced Works Letterkenny 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.

Let’s fly! Our panel discusses the just-completed third season of “Star Trek: Discovery,” including new characters, future technologies, turbolifts that are bigger on the inside, and how Saru is very much like Poochie. "Star Trek: Discovery" season 3 Jason Snell with Jean MacDonald, Anže Tomić, Erika Ensign, David J. Loehr and James Thomson Referenced Works Star Trek (franchise) Star Trek: Discovery 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 week we’re discussing Pixar’s “Soul,” a film about the meaning of life, but also occasionally a wacky comedy about a talking cat or a dream pirate! But mostly the meaning of life. Watch out for the great Bug Zapper in the sky! Pixar's "Soul" Jason Snell with Moisés Chiullán, Chip Sudderth and Jean MacDonald Referenced Works Pixar Animation Studio Soul 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 time for our annual look back at the year gone by, and what a year it was! Still, we managed to watch, read, and listen to some great stuff this year. As is our custom, our panelists and listeners pick favorite Incomparable episodes and moments. This year, a panelist gets stuck inside a clip, and then Jason has to explain the Skeletor Clip Loop to a first-time Clip Show panelist who is not sure it really exists. It does—and 2021 is the year we fight back. 2020 favorites and clip show Jason Snell with John Siracusa, Erika Ensign, Dan Moren, David J. Loehr, Steve Lutz, Monty Ashley, Moisés Chiullán and Kelly Guimont Sponsors ExpressVPN: High-Speed, Secure & Anonymous VPN Service. Get an extra three months free. Show Notes & Links Favorite Episodes Dan: The Incomparable 537 - Roast Me, Amigo! Moises: The Incomparable 535 - Muppet Draft Monty: The Incomparable 512 - 90s Album Draft Kelly: The Incomparable 541 - Life Day Special David: The Incomparable 540 - Too Good to Live Steve: Game Show 133 - Did You Play Music, Dr. Boogie? Erika: The Incomparable 528 - To Quantity! John: The Incomparable 514 - You Can’t Pants a Heist Jason: The Incomparable 515 - Guitar Riff for Grandma Favorite Stuff Kelly: “Ted Lasso” Monty: “Birds of Prey” Dan: “Stargirl” Steve: Reaction Videos Erika: Agents of SMOOCH holiday movie bingo card Moises: Racer Trash Mashups David: “Sherman’s Showcase” John: “The Queen’s Gambit” Jason: “A Memory Called Empire” by Arkady Martine 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.