TBD - To Be Determined (Bill Williamson, Dan Kamm)

Episode Connections
Authors, stories. Dean Koontz, Star Quest, Odd Thomas series. Harlan Ellison. Dean Koontz, Midnight. Harry Harrison, Soylent Green. Aldous Huxley, Brave New World. John W. Campbell, “Who Goes There?”
Films. Odd Thomas. Logan’s Run. Star Wars.
TV episodes, series. Quantum Leap. Stargate. Star Trek. Dr. Who. 
Ideas. Government by consensus. The soul as the driver for identity. Fear of dissent leads to compliant citizenry. Time travel through mental discipline. Government = control. Mind control and mental discipline.
Whoa - Hmmm - WTF. Bill began all-in on WTF, but softened his read to include a little bit of hmmm upon revisiting the story. Dan agrees, but adds in a whoa factor. 

Previous episode: James Causey, “Inferiority”
Next episode: Stephen King, “The Jaunt”

Music Credit: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (Incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Link: Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Episode Connections
Authors, stories. Cyril Kornbluth, “Little Black Bag.” William Gibson, “Johnny Mnemonic.” Paul Erlich, The Population Bomb and The Population Explosion. Douglas Adams Hitchiker’s Guide series.
Films. Idiocracy. Water World. Mad Max.
Ideas. Social stratification based on intellect and education. Suspended animation. Temporal and cultural displacement. Overpopulation. Evolution v. progress. The idea of meritocracy. The Flynn Effect - connections between intelligence and progress. Propaganda & manipulation.
Whoa - Hmmm - WTF. Combo special here … we need a Venn diagram. A little bit of all three here.

Previous episode: Poul Andersen, “Sam Hall”
Next episode: C.J. Cherryh, “Pots”

Music Credit: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (Incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Link: Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Episode Connections
Authors, stories. Robert Heinlein, Stranger in a Strange Land, The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress, Starship Troopers. Philip K. Dick, “Time Out of Joint.”
Films. Them. Sunshine. The Matrix. The Truman Show. Memento. Shutter Island. 12 Monkeys. Fight Club. Contact. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Universe. Darkstar.
TV episodes, series. Lost. Firefly. Game of Thrones. Daredevil. Veronica Mars. Wayward Pines. Stargate Universe. Wolf Lake. Dollhouse. Defiance. Revolution. Twin Peaks. The X-Files. Terra Nova. Dexter. The 4400. Ascension. Sherlock.
Ideas. Stories with unsatisfactory endings. Constructed universes. The world is illogical … it must be a lie. Virtual realities.
Whoa - Hmmm - WTF.  Dan says WTF. Bill says there was an attempt at Hmmm.

Previous episode: Lewis Padgett, “Mimsy Were the Borogoves”
Next episode:  Philip K. Dick, “War Veteran”

Music Credit: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (Incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Link: Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Theme: I can see my breath. I can scoop mine with a bucket. Now that’s COLD!

Episode Connections
Authors, stories. Fritz Lieber, Newhon series. James M. Ward & Rob Kuntz, Deities & Demigods (TSR, AD&D). Stephen King, “The Jaunt.” Jerome Bixby, The Holes Around Mars. Hal Clement, Mission of Gravity. Tom Godwin, “The Cold Equations.”
Films. Snowpiercer. The Day After Tomorrow. The Colony. Mad Max.
TV episodes, series. None this time.
Ideas. Post-apocalyptic sci fi. Surviving the apocalypse in a blanket fort. Did they have duct tape in 1951? The Earth was pulled away from the Sun. Not all science fiction stands up to scientific scrutiny. Many early sci fi stories are built around pseudoscience. Science feels more like magic in some of those stories. Sci fi inspired fantasy authors to have laws of magic. So, Lieber gets some science wrong. “Fire and pure oxygen don’t play real well together.” Sometimes sci fi just constitutes a good yarn. The “Life is good” postulate in sci fi … there is always hope. Pousse cafe, layered digestif - recipe at <Epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/the-pousse-cafe-no-1-51167400>. This is an early post-apocalyptic sci fi story. Oddly optimistic. Extremely cold realms have come to equate with space. alien landscapes, and post-apocalyptic lit. Nuclear winter. Climate change. Rising temperatures … we need more sci fi stories about blazing heat. Assless leather chaps are never a good fashion choice. TBD is key to surviving an apocalypse.
Whoa - Hmmm - WTF. Dan says … none of these apply well to “A Pail of Air.” It is less science fiction than fictional science. Bill says it is a head scratcher. Worth reading, but not great science.

Previous episode: R.A. Lafferty, “Encased in Ancient Rind”
Next episode: Larry Niven, “Inconstant Moon”

Music Credit: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (Incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Link: Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Episode Connections
Films. Raiders of the Lost Ark. No Way Out. Enemy of the State. Minority Report. Running Man. Gattaca.
TV episodes, series. X-Files.
Music. Johnny Cash, “Sam Hall.” 
Ideas. Authoritarian societies. Data-driven society. Control of data, control of information. Mythology of the centralized information state and the technical priesthood.
Whoa - Hmmm - WTF. Bill says hmmm + whoa. Dan say whoa + hmmm. Sadly, it is too plausible for WTF.

Previous episode: J.G. Ballard, “The Voices of Time”
Next episode:  Cyril Cornbluth, “The Marching Morons”

Music Credit: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (Incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Link: Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Episode Connections
Authors, stories. William Gibson, “Johnny Mnemonic.” Arnold J. Toynbee, A Study of History. Oswald Spengler, The Decline of the West. Murray Leinster, “First Contact.” Sigmund Freud. Carl Jung. Erich von Daniken.
Films. Sphere. Inner Space. Godzilla series. Gamera series. The Creature From the Black Lagoon.
TV episodes, series. na.
Ideas. New Wave sci fi. Silent gene pairs. Could humans be in an evolutionary decline? The final countdown. Perceptions of time. Asks the question … what if things were different?
Whoa - Hmmm - WTF. WTF? no question. Elements of whoa and hmmm. But primarily a mindbender.

Previous episode: Murray Leinster, “First Contact”
Next episode:  Poul Anderson, “Sam Hall”

Music Credit: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (Incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Link: Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Episode Connections
Authors, stories. Arther C. Clarke, “The Sentinel.” Damon Knight, “Time Enough.” Douglas Adams, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Harlan Ellison, “I Have No Mouth, And I Must Scream.” Terry Pratchett. Arthur C. Clarke, Ender’s Game.
Films. Spaceballs. Galaxy Quest. Independence Day.
TV episodes, series. The Twilight Zone. Mork and Mindy. Quark. Star Trek.
Ideas. Humor in science fiction. Aliens among us. The search for intelligent life.  Carbon chauvinism. Alien probes. Beware of aliens bearing gifts. Free-range humans. Humor in sci fi literature.   

Previous episode: Harlan Ellison, “I Have No Mouth, And I Must Scream”
Next episode: Clifford D. Simak, “Desertion”

Music Credit: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (Incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Link: Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Episode Connections
Authors, stories. Asimov, Robot stories.
Films. The Matrix. Jurassic Park.
TV episodes, series. Star Trek, the Next Generation.
Ideas. Jack Williamson's sci-fi legacy. Robotic central intelligence. A life of leisure v. a life of work. What does it mean to be happy? Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics. How do we define harm? Free will and choice. Artificial v. biological life.

Previous episode: Tom Godwin, "The Cold Equations"
Next episode: Harlan Ellison, “I Have No Mouth, And I Must Scream”

Music Credit: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (Incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Link: Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Episode Connections
Authors, stories. Frederic Brown, “Arena.” Flash Gordon series. Edgar Rice Burroughs, John Carter/Barsoom series. Cyril Kornbluth, “The Marching Morons.”
Films. Independence Day. Battlefield Earth. Signs. War of the Worlds.
TV episodes, series. Star Trek.
Ideas. Cultural accomplishment & envy. Militant v. peaceful values - which is greater? Barbarism in sci fi. Boxing is the celebration of brutality. Human ingenuity. Sci fi uses cultural differences to teach us something about ourselves.
Whoa - Hmmm - WTF. Dan starts with hmmm, turns to whoa, and ends in WTF. Bill says hmmm to whoa. 

Previous episode: Jerome Bixby, “Old Testament”
Next episode: Dean Koontz, “Altar Boy”

Music Credit: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (Incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Link: Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Episode Connections
Authors, stories. Damon Knight. Ray Bradbury. Harlan Ellison, “Repent, Harlequin! Said the Ticktockman.” Dan Simmons, “Eyes I Dare Not Meet in Dreams,” Hyperion Chronicles. Jack Williamson, “With Folded Hands.” Arthur C. Clarke, “The Sentinel.” Douglas Adams, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Fred Saberhagen, Berserker novels. Keith Laumer, Bolo series.
Films. Saw. Alien. Terminator.
TV episodes, series. Star Trek, the Next Generation. Battlestar Galactica series. Flash Gordon.
Ideas. Sci fi & psychological horror. What does it mean to be human? Sentient machines. Military super-computers. Post-apocalyptic futures. Body horror. 

Previous episode: Jack Williamson, “With Folded Hands”
Next episode: Terry Bisson, “They’re Made Out of Meat,” and Damon Knight, “To Serve Man”

Music Credit: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (Incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Link: Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Theme: It’s the end of the world as we know it, and I feel … angst.

Episode Connections
Authors, stories. Larry Niven, Ringworld series. Fritz Lieber, “A Pail of Air.” Arthur C. Clarke, “Rescue Party,” and “The Star.” Jerry Pournelle. Ursula K. LeGuin.
Films. Finch. Castaway. Solar Flare. Sunshine. Sharknado. The World’s End. Knowing. Apollo 19.
TV episodes, series. The Land of the Lost. Star Trek: The Animated Series. The Outer Limits. The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.
Music. Nickel Creek, “The 21st of May.”
Ideas. Apocalyptic, hard sci fi. Solar decay/disaster. Disaster stories. The last night on Earth.
Whoa - Hmmm - WTF. Dan says it falls between Hmmm & Whoa. Bills suggests it is a rising and falling Whoa, like a roller coaster.

Previous episode: Fritz Lieber, “A Pail of Air”
Next episode: James Tiptree Jr., “The Last Flight of Dr. Ain”

Music Credit: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (Incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Link: Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Episode Connections
Authors, stories. Terry Bisson, “They’re Made Out of Meat.” Damon Knight, “To Serve Man.” Harlan Ellison, “I Have No Mouth, And I Must Scream.” Anne McCaffrey,’s Ship series. Spider Man. Fantastic Four. Wes Jackson. Jack Williamson, “With Folded Hands.” Arthur C. Clarke, "The Sentinel.” Iron Man.
Films. The Fly (1986). Avatar.
TV episodes, series. Star Trek. Stargate.
Ideas. Adaptation of or to alien environments ... pantropy. What is the cost of scientific glory? The stakes of space exploration. The burden of leadership. Physical changes alter perception and perspective. How does human reality compare to other realities? Handwavium.
Hmmm - Whoa - WTF. A new feature! High on the Hmmm scale. A little bit of Whoa!

Previous episode: Terry Bisson, “They’re Made Out of Meat,” and Damon Knight, “To Serve Man” 
Next episode: William Gibson, “Johnny Mnemonic”

Music Credit: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (Incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Link: Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Episode Connections
Authors, stories. The Bible, and other spiritual texts. Olaf Stapledon, Star Maker. Erich von Daniken, Chariots of the Gods. Robin Hood stories. King Arthur stories. Jack Williamson. Robert Heinlein, “They.” Arthur C. Clarke, “The Sentinel.” Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
Films. The Last Man on Earth. Stargate. Galaxy Quest. Lost in Space. Men in Black.
TV episodes, series. Star Trek. Twilight Zone. The Incredible Hulk. Stargate series.
Ideas. Family space exploration. Gender equality and sci fi. Nonintervention mandates in sci fi stories. Abuses of power and position. Transformative events & moral evolution. The Prime Directive, aka the Alien Noninterference Directive. Origin tales for myths & legends.
Whoa - Hmmm - WTF. Bill says mostly Hmmmm. Dan presents his case for Whoa.

Previous episode: C.J. Cherryh, “Pots”
Next episode: James Causey, “Inferiority”

Music Credit: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (Incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Link: Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Episode Connections
Authors, stories. Isaac Asimov, Foundation series. Upton Sinclair, “I, Candidate for Governor: And How I Got Licked.” Douglas Adams, Hitchhikers’s Guide to the Galaxy series. Lewis Padgett, “Mimsy Were the Borogoves.”
Films. Star Trek: The Motion Picture. 
TV episodes, series. Foundation. 
Ideas. Grand narratives. Cultural identity. The politics of archeology. The veneration of history. Archeological evidence v. accepted narrative. Information is power. 
Whoa - Hmmm - WTF. Bill says mostly Hmmm. Dan says yep. 

Previous episode: Cyril Kornbluth, “Marching Morons”
Next episode: Jerome Bixby, “Old Testament”

Music Credit: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (Incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Link: Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Episode Connections
Authors, stories. Buck Rogers stories. Terry Bisson, “They’re Made Out of Meat.” Douglas Adams, Hitchhiker’s Guide series.
Films. Star Wars films. Stargate. Contact. Star Trek: First Contact.
TV episodes, series. Star Trek. Star Trek: Enterprise. George Carlin, “Seven Dirty Words.”
Ideas. First contact with an alien race. Protocols for diplomacy & war. Male bonding & inappropriate humor. The idea of a universal translator. Humor and culture. 
Whoa - Hmmm - WTF. Dan says FC evokes mostly a hmmm from him. Straight up hmmm, agrees Bill.

Previous episode: John W. Campbell, “Who Goes There?”
Next episode:  J.G. Ballard, “The Voices of Time”

Music Credit: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (Incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Link: Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Episode Connections
Authors, stories. Philip K. Dick “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” Asimov, “The Dead Past.”
Films. Blade Runner. Impostor. Minority Report. The Rocketeer. Starship Trooper.
TV episodes, series. The Man in the High Castle.
Ideas. Classic sci fi visions of Mars and Venus. Billionaires who meddle in politics. Time travel. Interracial prejudice. War, tribalism, nationalism, patriotism. Misinformation steers populations. 
Whoa - Hmmm - WTF. Dan says it begins a whoa and ends a hmmm. Bill agrees it is definitely an in-betweener.

Previous episode: Robert Heinlein , “They”
Next episode:  John Campbell, “Who Goes There?”

Music Credit: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (Incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Link: Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Episode Connections
Authors, stories. Bruce Sterling. Harlan Ellison. J.G. Ballard. Phillip K. Dick. Martin Caiden, Cyborg. Gordon R. Dickson, The Forever Man. Frederick Pohl, Man Plus. William Gibson, “Burning Chrome.” Dick Hebdige, Punk: The Subculture of Style. Clifford D. Symak, “Desertion.”
Films. Johnny Mnemonic. Blade Runner.
TV episodes, series. Star Trek. Battlestar Galactica. 6 Million Dollar Man.
Ideas. Cyberpunk … hyperstimulation & sensory overload. Tech noir. Cyberpunk as sc-fi counterculture. Moving away from sci-fi’s golden age. Atmospheric tech. Corporate espionage. Socio-economic, socio-technical layers of society. Hightechs v. Lowtechs. Cyborgs in cyberpunk v. cyborgs in classic sci-fi. The surveillance society. 
Whoa - Hmmm - WTF. Dan says its a Whoa-Hmmm-WTF tapestry. Bill says we need a Venn diagram.

Previous episode: Clifford D. Simak, “Desertion”
Next episode: Lewis Padgett, “Mimsy Were the Borogoves” 

Music Credit: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (Incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Link: Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Theme: If I had a million robots ...

Episode Connections
Authors, stories. Dean Koontz. Monteleone, The Time Swept City. Fritz Lieber, “A Pail of Air.” Roger Zelazny, “For a Breath I Tarry.” Tom Godwin, “The Cold Equations.” Ray Bradbury, “There Will Come Soft Rains.” Cyril Kornbluth, “Marching Morons.” Harlan Ellison, “I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream.” Jack Williamson, “With Folded Hands.”
Films. Colossus. The Planet of the Apes film series. Finch. I, Robot. Wall-E. Star Wars.
TV episodes, series. Car Talk. Star Trek (the original series).
Ideas. Automated, smart cities. Robots. Post-apocalyptic Earth. Human devolution. What does it mean to be human?
Whoa - Hmmm - WTF. Dan says … hmmm at best. Maybe we need to add Meh to the scale? Bill says yep. 

Previous episode: Roger Zelazny, “For a Breath I Tarry”
Next episode: Alexander Malec, “10:01 AM”

Music Credit: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (Incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Link: Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Episode Connections
Authors, stories. Poul Anderson, High Crusade. Star Trek series. Isaac Asimov, Foundation series. C.S. Lewis Perelandra, Out of a Silent Planet, That Hideous Strength. H.G. Wells. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes stories. Arthur C. Clarke, Rendezvous with Rama, Rama 2. Claire Winger Harris, “The 16 Possible Science Fiction Plots.” H.G. Wells, The War of the Worlds. Carl Sagan, Contact. Robert E. Heinlein, Starship Troopers.
Films. Star Wars. 2001 A Space Odyssey. The Planet of the Apes. The Blob. The War of the Worlds. Independence Day. Battlefield Earth. Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Contact. The Arrival. Starship Troopers. Space Jam. Return to the Planet of the Apes. Battle for the Planet of the Apes.
TV episodes, series. Star Trek. Battlestar Galactica. Buck Rogers. Space 1999. MST3K. V.
Ideas. Welcome to the podcast, where classic sci fi short stories are the topic of conversation. Space opera. Sci fi B-movies. The series will focus on the roots of modern sci fi. Characteristics of early sci fi. Sci fi plots. Lunar exploration. Epic time scales in sci fi. The aura of awe around atomic power. Might aliens be jealous of humans?

Next episode: Isaac Asimov, “The Dead Past”

Music Credit: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (Incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Link: Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Theme: Our house … is a very, very, very smart house

Episode Connections
Authors, stories. Sara Teasdale, “There Will Come Soft Rains.”  Dean Koontz, The Demon Seed. Alan Weisman, The World Without Us. James Tiptree Jr., “The Last Flight of Dr. Ain.” McSweeney’s.com. Fritz Lieber, “A Pale of Air.” Larry Niven, “Inconstant Moon.”
Films. The Demon Seed. I, Robot. Back to the Future. Mad Max. Planet of the Apes. Winnie the Pooh.
TV episodes, series. Ray Bradbury Theater. The Jetsons. The Jeffersons. Life After People. Little House on the Prairie.
Ideas. Nuclear holocaust. Automated houses. "Life" after the apocalypse.
Whoa - Hmmm - WTF. Dan says it is definitely a Hmmm story to begin with, but maybe a little bit a Hmmm - wtf. As in WTF did you humans do? Bill says it is a bit of Whoa because there are no humans.

Previous episode: James Tiptree Jr., “The Last Flight of Dr. Ain”
Next episode: Roger Zelazny, “For a Breath I Tarry”

Music Credit: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (Incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Link: Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Theme: What does it mean to be human?

Episode Connections
Authors, stories. Roger Zelanzny, Chronicles of Amber. Neil Gaiman, Sandman. The Bible. Isaac Asimov, Bicentennial Man. Jack Williamson, “With Folded Hands.”
Films. Bicentennial Man. AI. Blade Runner. I, Robot. Finch.
TV episodes, series. Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Ideas. Literary sci fi. Mythological connections. Logic is once again the defining characteristic of humankind, even in a post-human world. In that context, the story asks … what does it mean to be human? What role does emotion play in defining humanity?
Whoa - Hmmm - WTF. Bill says it is designed to be a Hmmm tale. Dan agrees.

Previous episode: Ray Bradbury, “There Will Come Soft Rains”
Next episode: Thomas F. Monteleone, “Chicago”

Music Credit: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (Incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Link: Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Episode Connections
Authors, stories. Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland, Alice Through the Looking Glass. Clifford D. Simak, “Desertion.” Stephen King. Ray Bradbury. CS Lewis, Chronicles of Narnia, That Hideous Strength, Out of a Silent Planet, Perelandra. Madeline L’Engle, A Wrinkle In Time, The Wind in the Door. Arthur C. Clarke, Childhood’s End.
Films. Back to the Future. The Last Mimsy.
TV episodes, series. None today.
Ideas. Lewis Padgett is a pseudonym for Henry Kuttner and Catherine L. Moore. One of the top 15 sci-fi short stories of all time. Time travel. Exploratory learning. Adult disconnection. Child psychology … “All children are mad, you know.” Developmental psychology. What do we mean by alien? Pantropy v. evolution. Intellectual evolution v. physical evolution. Different ways of knowing alter our perspective. Children in sci-fi. Educational psychology. Gamification. Evolution in real time.
Whoa - Hmmm - WTF. Dan says Whoa. Bill adds a generous smidge of Hmmm.

Previous episode: William Gibson, “Johnny Mnemonic”
Next episode: Robert Heinlein , “They”

Music Credit: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (Incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Link: Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Theme: A plague of humans.

Episode Connections
Authors, stories. Lynn Margulis, the Gaia Hypothesis. Stephen King, The Stand. Richard Matheson, I Am Legend. Richard Preston, The Hot Zone. Albert Robina, The War in the Twentieth Century. Aldo’s Huxley, Brave New World. H.G. Wells, “The Stolen Bacillus.” Nicholas Christakis, Apollo’s Arrow. 
Films. The Matrix. Resident Evil films. The Omega Man. The Last Man On Earth. I Am Legend. 12 Monkeys. The Andromeda Strain. Outbreak.
Games. Plague Incorporated. The Goliath Virus.
Ideas. Post-apocalyptic sci fi. Environmental degradation. The Gaia Hypothesis. Biological warfare.
Whoa - Hmmm - WTF. Dan says Hmmm. A very plausible hmmm. Bill wishes that it could be a WTF story, but it is just too real.

Previous episode: Larry Niven, “Inconstant Moon”
Next episode: Ray Bradbury, “There Will Come Soft Rains”

Music Credit: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (Incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Link: Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Episode Connections
Authors, stories. Astounding Science Fiction. Kenneth Robeson, Doc Savage series. Clarke, “The Sentinel.” H.P. Lovecraft, “At the Mountains of Madness.” William Golding, Lord of the Flies.
Films. The Thing from Another World. The Thing (1982). The Thing (2011). MovieTone news reels. Alien series. Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Alien v. Predator. Rare Exports. Horror Express. It. Revenge of the Nerds. The World’s End. Signs.
TV episodes, series. Big Brother.
Ideas. Antarctic expeditions and aliens. What dangers do alien lifeforms pose to humans? How do people contend with scientific conundrums when they are isolated from peers? Pop culture & alien invasion.
Whoa - Hmmm - WTF. Bill says WTF. Dan says yes! but adds in a little bit of whoa to go with it.

Previous episode: Philip K. Dick, “War Veteran”
Next episode:  Murray Leinster, “First Contact”

Music Credit: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (Incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Link: Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Episode Connections

Films. 28 Days Later. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. The Fellowship of the Ring. Star Wars films. Stowaway. 

TV episodes, series. Star Trek (the original series). 

Ideas. Math-driven decision making & resource management. Artificially intelligent capitalism. Space stowaways. Challenges of life on the interstellar frontier. Forces of nature & laws of physics are equally ruthless. 

Previous episode: Isaac Asimov, "The Dead Past"

Next episode: Jack Williamson, "With Folded Hands" 

Music Credit: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (Incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Link: Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Episode Connections
Authors, stories. Ayn Rand. Despair.com.
Films. The Terminator. Timeline. Mr. Peabody & Sherman. Easy A. 1984. The Truman Show.
TV episodes, series. Dr Who. Continuum. Travelers. The Jetsons. Mr. Peabody & Sherman. Black Mirror.
Ideas. Implications of time peeking. Asimov the world builder. Tech writers as free agents. Bureaucracy, government deception. Obsession with memories, the past. Time, tech, and human motive. Government oppression v. intellectual anarchy. When does the past begin? Privacy and surveillance.  

Previous episode: Arthur C. Clarke, "The Sentinel"

Next episode: Tom Godwin, "The Cold Equations"

Music Credit: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (Incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Link: Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Episode Connections
Authors, stories. Alfred Bester, The Stars My Destination. Clive Barker, “Hellraiser.” Dan Simmons, Hyperion. Robert Jordan, The Wheel of Time series. Fred T. Jane, To Venus in Five Seconds.
Films. The Langoliers. Back to the Future. Galaxy Quest. Stargate. Contact. The Fly (both versions).
TV episodes, series. Star Trek.
Ideas. Teleportation v. matter transportation. Scientists / inventors in sci fi. Physical v. psychological trauma.  Psychological effects of travel through time & space.
Whoa - Hmmm - WTF. Bill - A smidge of hmmm, and a bit of whoa, and a bit of wtf. But it does not register big on any of them. Dan says … the little flaws take a bit away

Previous episode: Dean Koontz, “Altarboy”
Next episode: Alice Glaser, “The Tunnel Ahead,” Kurt Vonnegut, “2BR02B”

Music Credit: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (Incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Link: Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Episode Connections
Authors, stories. Kurt Vonnegut, Cat’s Cradle, Slaughterhouse 5. Paul Ehrlich, Population Bomb, Population Explosion. Stephen Emmott, Ten Billion. Dr. Danny Dorling, Population 10 Billion. Harry Harrison, Make Room, Make Room. John Brunner, Stand On Zanzibar. Isaac Asimov, Caves of Steel.
Films. The Tunnel. 2BR02B. What Happened to Monday? Soylent Green. Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: End Game. Inferno. Logan’s Run.
TV episodes, series. Star Trek, “The Mark of Gideon.” Love, Death, & Robots, “The Swarm.” “The Parasite.”
Ideas. Over/population & post/apocalyptic sci fi. Social consequences of population explosion. Government strategies for population control.
Whoa - Hmmm - WTF. The scale is less applicable … a little hmmm, a little wtf.

Previous episode: Stephen King, “The Jaunt”
Next episode: R.A. Lafferty, “Encased in Ancient Rind”

Music Credit: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (Incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Link: Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Theme: Does more life bring greater wisdom?

Episode Connections
Authors, stories. Neil Gaiman, Sandman series. Phillip K. Dick. Samuel R. Delaney & Marilyn Hacker, Quark series. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings. Stephen R. Donaldson, The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. Jerome Bixby, “Old Testament.” Clifford Simak, “Desertion.” J.G. Ballard, “Voices of Time.” Jason Key. R.A. Lafferty, Not to Mention Camels. Jonathan Strahan, The Best of R.A. Lafferty.
Films. The Day After Tomorrow.
TV episodes, series. None this time.
Ideas. Post-apocalyptic sci fi. Evolution & adaptation of species. Free speech, knowledge, and oppression. Social & intellectual regression.
Whoa - Hmmm - WTF. Bill says he began in a state of WTF, but that fades to Hmmm on further reading. Lafferty hits you between the ears. “Ancient Rind” is strategically weird. Dan followed a similar path. 

Previous episode: Alice Glaser, “The Tunnel Ahead,” Kurt Vonnegut, “2BR02B”
Next episode: Fritz Lieber, “A Pail of Air”

Music Credit: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (Incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Link: Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/