Generations Geek

Science fiction writer Scott Pearson and cohost Ella Pearson discuss what they’ve been up to in 2022—spoilers: conventions and moving—and why this is the first time they’ve gotten around to recording an episode all year! Segments 01:55 We’ve Been Remiss 02:50 Star Trek: Mission Chicago 04:33 The Famous Tom Paris Plate 05:55 Meeting Trek People 09:15 Ella Moves House 09:44 San Francisco 10:53 Thrillerfest 14:38 Hello, COVID 15:25 Scott Moves House 18:27 Shore Leave featuring John Billingsley...

Science fiction writer and editor Scott Pearson and cohost Ella Pearson welcome author Jim Johnson, lifelong Star Trek fan, three-time Star Trek: Strange New Worlds winner, and project manager of the Star Trek Adventures role-playing game to talk about—you guessed it—Star Trek (and plenty of other geeky things)!

Science fiction writer Scott Pearson and cohost Ella Pearson welcome author Christopher D. Abbott to discuss Sherlock Holmes on screen and in books not by Arthur Conan Doyle, including Abbott's own Watson Chronicles series of novellas. The game's afoot!

Science fiction writer Scott Pearson and cohost Ella Pearson welcome astrophysicist, teacher, writer, and, last but not least, science consultant for the Star Trek Universe Erin Macdonald to talk about gravity waves, Star Trek tattoos, science consulting, and, for our older listeners, her favorite Scotch whisky.

Science fiction writer Scott Pearson and cohost Ella Pearson welcome actor Noah Averbach-Katz, Star Trek: Discovery’s Ryn the Andorian, who regales us with stories of growing up with a Trekkie mom, his (mis)adventures with Grudge the cat, working with his wife Mary “Tilly” Wiseman, and more geeky goodness.

Science fiction writer and editor Scott Pearson and cohost Ella Pearson return to the dystopian world of Katniss, discussing the second film in the four-film adaptation of the Suzanne Collins book trilogy. Hunger Games fan Ella guides her newbie dad through his first viewing of the movie, doing her best to remind him of the character names he forgets.

Ella introduces her dad to the dystopian world of Katniss through the first film adaptation of the Suzanne Collins trilogy. Although Ella has read all the books and seen all the movies multiple times, Dad-half has neither read nor watched any of them. We discuss the film and Ella fills in details from the books.

Ella puts the “geek” in “theatre geek” as she tells us about multiple visits to the Harold Pinter Theatre in London for a variety of plays by, well, Harold Pinter. Among the cavalcade of British actors of stage and screen she saw performing were Charlie “Daredevil” Cox, Martin “Watson/Bilbo” Freeman, Rupert “Lestrade” Graves, and Tom “Loki” Hiddleston! But wait, there’s more! At theatres other than the Pinter, she had a chance to see Arthur “Rory” Darvill and Hayley “Agent Carter” Atwell!...

Ella walks us through Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of the War of the Worlds: The Immersive Experience, an interactive, virtual-reality version of the classic rock opera! Can an American college student survive the Martian invasion with the help of some new British friends? Tune in and find out. And look up episode 23, wherein we discussed the 1938 radio version of The War of the Worlds, the 1953 movie, the 2005 movie remake, and more, including the musical version.

Ella Skypes in from London to tell us about geeky adventures in Scotland visiting places that inspired J. K. Rowling while she was beginning the Harry Potter series. Then we get an in-depth report on the Making of Harry Potter exhibit at the Warner Bros. Studio in Watford. Finally, Ella regales us with her rather surprise trip to the theatre to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child live on stage at the historic Palace Theatre in London!

Screenwriter and producer Zack Stentz Skypes in from California while Ella Skypes in from England for the longest distance ever between two people on our podcast! We talk about his new Netflix film Rim of the World, a sci-fi action movie about a group of thirteen-year-olds during an extraterrestrial invasion of Earth, as well as touching upon his other work, including Thor and The Sarah Connor Chronicles! —June 2019

AKA "Hidden in the Shadows": We (Ella’s Skyping in from London for the whole episode!) welcome BSFA award-winning author Jaine Fenn (also Skyping in from England!) to talk about her short stories, novel series—Hidden Empire and Shadowlands—and more. Not to mention her fabulously geeky university studies of astronomy and linguistics! —May 2019

AKA "Return to Ragnarok": A lost episode! Recorded in the middle of the night after the premiere of Thor: Ragnarok, we meant to record our final thoughts after catching up on our sleep . . . but instead we returned to our Alien retrospective for our next show and then, well, kind of forgot about this recording. So we’ve finally returned to Ragnarok after rewatching it many times. —April 2019

AKA "Into the Trek Zone": Science fiction writer William Leisner returns for the second part of his visit as we chat about his books, including his original works, Star Trek stories and novels, upcoming projects, and other geeky things. Plus, Ella Skypes in with an update from across the pond in London. —February 2019

AKA "An American Geek in London": Ella Skypes in from London to tell us about her geeky adventures across the UK! First, a day trip to Oxford to see the Tolkien: Maker of Middle-Earth exhibit of original J.R.R. Tolkien artwork, then a weekend in Birmingham for Destination Star Trek, with tales of various Trek actors, including the Shat himself, William Shatner. Plus, Ella interviews Mo, aka @soundofcosplay, who does an amazing cosplay of Star Trek: Discovery’s Paul Stamets. —December 2018

AKA "Man on the Moon": Science fiction writer William Leisner stops by and we review the Neil Armstrong biopic First Man and compare it with a couple of classic space-program movies: The Right Stuff and Apollo 13. Part one of a two-part visit. Plus, Ella Skypes in to chat about a Doctor Who season premiere party in London! —November 2018

AKA "Old World, New Vampires": Urban fantasy author Melissa F. Olson returns for part two of a two-part interview to discuss her writings, especially her Nightshades trilogy. Because after talking about Frankenstein, you simply have to move on to vampires, the one-two punch of classic monsters! Plus, Ella tells us about her summer con adventures. —September 2018

AKA "The Doctor is the Monster": For part one of a two-part interview, urban fantasy author Melissa F. Olson drops by to discuss Mary Shelley’s classic novel Frankenstein during its 200th anniversary year. Plus, Ella and I talk about visiting the Star Trek Original Series Set Tour and then do a mini review of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. —July 2018

AKA "Part of the Family": Our multipart review of the Alien series continues with David Fincher’s 1992 sequel Alien 3, where, guys, come on: Always listen to Ripley! —May 2018

AKA "Treknology ": We welcome astrophysicist Ethan Siegel, author of Treknology, which which compares various Star Trek gadgets with the technology we have right now, or may be able to achieve in the future. On his blog Starts With a Bang, Ethan explains the mysteries of the universe via astronomy and physics. —February 2018