Discerning Geeks Portal

Folks, you're missing out if you haven't seen "The Fall Guy." The Geeks recently saw the new action/romantic-comedy in the theater (one of them twice), and now they're reviewing & recommending it to you, our discerning stunt team. - This movie is part action movie, part romantic comedy. For the action part, it's a "love letter" for stunt people. What did the Geeks think about the stunts in the movie? - Which scenes, stunts, moments, techniques, and running gags did the Geeks enjoy in the movie? - When Todd went to see this a 2nd time by himself, how successful was his attempt to write notes in a dark theater? - Three of the Geeks saw the movie, but only two Geeks could make it for the review. What was one of the complaints of the Geek who couldn't record? - How convincing was the romantic comedy portion? Were the performances, dialogue, and editing, good enough to fill in any blanks that we didn't see on camera, while Colt & Jody were apart? Did Ryan Gossling & Emily Blunt have good chemistry when their characters were reunited? - How well were the action & romantic comedy aspects blended together? Through the writing, directing, and editing, did the two genres fit together well? - In the spoiler section, what was one Geek's issues with the plot and the movie-within-a-movie, "Metalstorm"? - What comparison did one Geek make between "The Fall Guy" and "Lord of the Rings: Return of the King"? - What surprise twist at the end did one Geek think was one of the best jokes in the movie? - Was "Metalstorm" more "Mad Max," "Rebel Moon," or a little of both? - If Dave Teague were still alive (not to be confused with Dave Shutt, who's still with us; he's fine, folks), what would Dave have thought about this movie, in general, and also about the end credits being refreshingly short? - How would this movie have been received if it had come out in the '90s? - What grade would Dave Teague have given this movie? - And, bringing topics together, what ultra-bloody 1980s action movie, still a Dave Teague pick left on our list, did the Geeks randomly roll for a future review? Listen now for the answers to these and other death-defying, safety-tested questions as we take the plunge with, "The Fall Guy." NOTE: After the SPOILER SECTION starts, you can SKIP AHEAD to 01:08:33 for SPOILER-FREE ratings, the roll for a future topic, salutations, and some trivia about the Fall Guy theme song, "The Unknown Stuntman." You can e-mail us at discerninggeeks@gmail.com or join our Discord server. You can challenge Todd to watch & review any episode of Star Trek by requesting the series, season, and episode title, via e-mail or Discord. Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

We are back with a review of a 2024 movie, "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire." Dave, Preston, and Todd, all saw this in the theater together recently, and - Did the Geeks think this movie was fun? Was the comedy good? - How well did the movie handle its older characters from the original movies? - Were there too many characters? - Were the character interactions & relationships a plus or a minus? - What was the target audience for this movie? Was it clear? Did the movie successfully reach who it meant to? - Were the plot & pacing good in this movie? Were there any flaws in those areas? - Which Geek had a few nitpicks (directed at Sony) with the audio & visuals? - What were the opinions of the teenage Phoebe Spengler character and her interactions with a young humanoid ghost? Was this movie's version of Phoebe true to the character introduced in the previous movie? - Why did more people not see this movie? Did it not connect well enough with audiences? Are chances hurt for another Ghostbusters movie? - What bizarre way does one of the Geeks rank the four Ghostbusters movies? - From the theater concessions, which of the two "Deadpool & Wolverine" themed sodas tasted good or bad to one of our Geeks? - And, which Geek groaned this time at the thing we randomly rolled to review coming soon? Listen now for the answers to these and other haunting questions as we finally thaw out, "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire." You can send us an e-mail at discerninggeeks@gmail.com, or you can join up on our new Discord server. If you'd like to challenge Todd to watch and review a certain Star Trek episode, send him the exact series, season, and episode title, via an e-mail or Discord. Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. At the very beginning, Todd mentions a desire to check out the upcoming movie, "The Fall Guy." Since the recording of this episode, "The Fall Guy" has premiered to good reviews but disappointing box office. Dave, Todd, and Preston, went to see it in its second week, and two of them recorded a review that will be coming soon. In the meantime, here's a spoiler for the review... Two of the Geeks really liked it, and one Geek was less impressed but didn't hate it. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

Part 2 of Todd & Preston's Drive-Time Chat #06 continues with the following topics. - TV shows that only lasted two seasons (at least 19 shows mentioned) - Preston's Wrestling Corner - Todd's Star Trek Challenge - Upcoming topics on the podcast: "The Thomas Crown Affair," Ranking MCU Phase 2, "Army of Darkness," Favorite Multi-Episode TV Stories, and "Real Genius" - A tangent about real-world stuff, particularly the teaching profession - The excellent music teacher movie "Mr. Holland's Opus" and the recent reaction video of it on the "Popcorn In Bed" YouTube channel Please join our new Discord server. You can send us an e-mail at discerninggeeks@gmail.com. Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. If there is an episode of any Star Trek series you would like Todd to watch and review, request the show, season, and episode title via e-mail or our Discord server. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

It's time for another Drive-Time Chat with Todd & Preston. As usual, they packed in more topics (and side tangents) than they expected, so be on the lookout for Part 2. For now, here's what they they cover in Part 1. - "X-Men ’97" first half of season 1 - "Shogun" (up to the penultimate episode for Todd; no spoilers; Preston is still catching up) - "The Rookie" season 6 so far - "9-1-1" season 7 so far - Jerry Stiller - "The Ark" (when is season 2 coming out?!?) - "Invincible" season 2 - "After Midnight With Taylor Tomlinson" - "Garth Marenghi's Darkplace" - Cancellation of "Quantum Leap" revival after two seasons :( - Animated "Justice League" series and other shows that lasted two seasons - "Twin Peaks," "Dune" (1984), and David Lynch - Todd’s Star Trek Challenge Listen now for the discussion on these topics and more. Then, open up Discord and join our new Discerning Geeks Portal server. @@ Todd's Star Trek Challenge @@ Make Todd watch and review any episode of Star Trek (that he has access to, which may not include "Prodigy" at the moment). Pick any series, any season, and any episode. It can even be a fan-made episode or film on YouTube, as Todd really enjoyed "Star Trek Continues" recently. Send the episode request via the Discord server or by e-mail at discerninggeeks@gmail.com. Once Todd watches the episode, he will review it in both podcast form (here and/or on the Fandom Variables podcast) and in written form, on the DGP Discord server and at Medium.com. Please rate or review our podcast wherever you listen to us. Thank you. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

This week, we take a...hopefully discerning...look into the British musical horror comedy web series, "Don't Hug Me, I'm Scared." Technically, this is just season 1, which only takes about 35 minutes to watch six episodes, and somehow this led to our 2nd-longest podcast episode ever. - What were the co-hosts' general feelings about this web series. Which one(s) found it at least entertaining, if not meaningful; and which one(s) found it frustratingly nonsensical & pointless? Can you guess which Geek was which? - What exactly were the motivations behind the makers of this web series? How much do the Geeks agree and/or disagree on those motivations? - One Geek referred to at least part of the project as cohesive & having meaning. Which Geek was the first to grunt at such a notion? - What was the significance of June 19th in the web series? - What was the main redeeming quality that one critical Geek gave the web series? - Did the Geeks feel the series had any successful horror or comedy elements? - What was the explanation behind the title of the series, and did it make any sense to the other Geeks? - What one-time scoring system did one Geek come up with specifically for this web series? - How did this review lead to references to Star Trek, Pink Floyd, urine, Shakespeare, Bluey, N.C. State basketball, Lost, philosophers Plato & Diogenes, a BBC show called "Ghost Watch," the movie "Dead Poets Society," and Elon University's one-month winter terms? Listen now for the answers to these and other cryptic questions as we try...with varied success...to make sense of..."Don't Hug Me, I'm Scared" (season 1). You can now join us on our new Discord channel. Just login to Discord and look for Discerning Geeks Portal. You can send us an e-mail at discerninggeeks@gmail.com. Please rate or review our podcast on your favorite listening apps. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

With the triumphant return of Andruw, we finally review the Netflix horror trilogy, "Fear Street." Each of the movies in the trilogy are named after the year in which they're based: 1994, 1978, and 1666. - How well did the Geeks think these three movies worked as a collective trilogy? Was there disagreement about this point? - Did one or more co-hosts love these movies, and did one or more co-hosts hate these movies? - Were the characters likable and/or sympathetic? Did that change for the better or worse for any of the co-hosts? - With these three movies gradually going back in time, which other movie trilogy did one Geek compare it to? - Which of the Geeks felt a same-sex relationship between two characters was crucial to the plot & message of the trilogy, and which other Geek felt that wasn't even important until the 3rd movie? - Was there too much focus, good or bad, on a scene involving a bread slicer? - Which co-host repeatedly reminded the others how many hours it took to watch the whole trilogy? - Which of the Geeks was extremely critical of the trilogy's plot, to the point of claiming there was no plot? - Which Geek wondered where all the adults were in the trilogy? - Which cartoon had an episode with convenient similarities to this trilogy? - How did this review lead to tangents about "Avatar" movies, Dave Teague, "Killer Klowns From Outer Space," oldies music, and "Mac & Me"? - What were the Geeks' opinions about the production value, monsters, and music? - Which of the Geeks totally blew his Lightning Round? - One of the Geeks listed 5 witch-related movies better than Fear Street. What were his picks? - And, what confounding thing was randomly rolled to be reviewed in the near future? Note: We actually got to that item before things rolled earlier, so this episode's rolled item will be reviewed in the next episode. Listen now for the answers to these and other frightening questions as we try to demystify..."Fear Street." Please rate or review our podcast. Send us an e-mail at discerninggeeks@gmail.com. @@ AND, search for our new DISCORD SERVER. @@ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

This week is PART 2 of Todd & Preston's Drive-Time #05. Topics discussed include... - "NCIS" franchise - "JAG" - "Magnum P.I." - "Hawaii Five-O" - The movie "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" - The movie "2 Days in the Valley" - Spaghetti Westerns - Who had the better navy, the Empire from Star Wars or the Federation from Star Trek - "Star Trek Adventures" role playing game - "Star Trek Continues" web series Listen now for these and other topics, and check out Part 1 of this Drive-Time Chat #05 if you didn't already. You can contact us at... - E-Mail: discerninggeeks@gmail.com - Facebook: #DiscerningGeeksPortal - Twitter (X): @discerninggeeks Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

With Dave & Andruw incognito this week, Todd & Preston go on another imaginary car ride for their Drive-Time Chat #05. And, once again, the discussion lasted long enough to make a two-parter. This is Part 1. This time, Todd & Preston discuss... - Preston's audio issues (sorry about that, folks) - Super Bowl commercials & trailers - Trailer for "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire" - "The Real Ghostbuster" animated series from the '80s & '90s - Trailer for now-officially-named "Deadpool & Wolverine) - Trailer for "Godzilla x King Kong: The New Empire" - Preston's viewing of the musical prequel film "Wonka" - Preston's viewing of "Fargo" season 5 - Todd's viewing of YouTube channel "Popcorn in Bed," where a Canadian woman living in Utah (sometimes joined by her sister) reacts to movies she's seeing for the first time - Todd's and Preston's different senses of humor - Todd's new..."between jobs"...status - Todd's viewing of "Quantum Leap" (revival) two-part season 2 finale and reminiscing about the original series - Todd's viewing of the "The Rookie" season 6 episodes 1 & 2 (after a strike-extended hiatus and with the season's 2nd episode being the show's 100th episode overall) - And, the Zander Hawley amusing song, "Daddy Cop," from the popular cold opens of episodes 89 & 100 of "The Rookie" Listen now for these and other topics, and stay tuned for Part 2 of this Drive-Time Chat #05. You can contact us at... - E-Mail: discerninggeeks@gmail.com - Facebook: #DiscerningGeeksPortal - Twitter (X): @discerninggeeks Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

This week, we review the 1989 fantasy/sports/road-trip movie, "Field of Dreams," a favorite of one of our co-hosts. - This movie makes a lot of nostalgic connectionss between baseball and Americana. Which Geek is a fan of Japanese baseball? - Which Geek described this as a "Hallmark movie for dudes"? - What did the Geeks think about the relationship between the main character and his wife? - Which Geek(s) really loved the opening monologue? - How much or how little did this movie's stance on baseball as a major American tradition have an affect on the Geeks' opinions about the game? - The supernatural aspect of the movie is barely explained. Which Geek has his own unorthodox theory? - One theme of the movie is a man's relationship with his father. What aspect of this topic got one Geek a little more emotional talking about it, more so than watching that aspect of the movie itself? - What did the Geeks thnk about James Earl Jones' place in the movie? - What is the origin story of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and how is that relevant to this movie? - How many of the Geeks would have preferred at least a little more explanation into the supernatural aspect of the movie? - Which Geek equated this podcast to the Field of Dreams, and how many Geeks got a little sentimental during the lightning round? - And, which ranking-related topic was rolled for a future episode. Listen now for the answers to these and other questions as play for a while on the..."Field of Dreams." You can contact us at... - E-Mail: discerninggeeks@gmail.com - Facebook: #DiscerningGeeksPortal - Twitter (X): @discerninggeeks Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

Season 4 is the season of variety. So far, we've reviewed two Christmas movies, a western, and a horror TV-movie older than all the co-hosts. This week, we review a different kind of movie. It's the cutscenes of the video game "Arkham City" stitched together in cinematic fashion. It's our first time reviewing something from a video game, outside of Whatcha' Doin'? episodes. - Which voice actors from "Batman: The Animated Series" reprise their respective roles in the "Arkham City" game/movie? - This was Preston's pick, partially because the also liked the game. What did non-gamers Dave & Todd think about this cutscene compilation? - Which relative of Dave & Andruw came close to meeting Mark Hamill at a video game convention? - What did the Geeks think about the portrayal of Batman in this "movie"? Was he just as good, if not better, than Batman in other cinematic presentations? - Was Batman a little too physically strong in this game/movie, considering he's a superhero without actual super powers? - Which Geek wondered how exactly Batman is not killing people in this game/movie considering how hard & how fast he's punching people? - How well does the game/movies portray Batman as DC's best detective? - What did the Geeks thing about the three main villains and the two ticking-clock scenarios? - What did the Geeks about the plethora of support characters (and subsequently many subplots) in the game/movie? - Which of the three main villains did the Geeks find most interesting? - Were these versions of Penguin and Mr. Freeze better than their counterparts from the Tim Burton & Joel Schumacher movies? - What did the Geeks think about the appearance of Gotham Cty? - Which Geek said he doesn't like it when Batman gets too dark. - What did the Geeks think about the ending? Did Batman carry the right person out of Arkham City? - And, ultimately, does this compelation of cut scenes truly work as an actual movie? Find out the answers to these and other caped crusading questions as explore the many buildings, room, villains, and subplots of..."Arkham City." So far, in season 4, we've had the 3rd & 4th of our four Christmas movie reviews, a review of a modern western, a 2023 year-in-review special, our first review of a TV movie, and now a review of a of a video game "movie." Coming...sometimes in 2024, we have the reviews of a mainstream semi-modern fantasy, a sexy heist movie, and streaming channel horror movie trilgoy; plus a ranking of the MCU Phase 2, and much more. Stay tuned, and let us know what you'd like us to cover. You can contact us at... - E-Mail: discerninggeeks@gmail.com - Facebook: #DiscerningGeeksPortal - Twitter (X): @discerninggeeks Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

This week, we delve into classic small-screen macabre with a review of the highly-rated 1972 TV movie, "Kolchak: The Night Stalker." This is the first of two TV movies which led to the single season of a Kolchak TV show, which in turn inspired "The X-Files." - Preston is the big Kolchak fan in the group. How much, if any, were the other Geeks impressed by it? - Which odd comparison did one Geek make between Kolchak and a certain lawyer show character from the '80s & '90s. - Gayle Foster was an intriguing support character with an unclear profession and a surprising relationship with Kolchak. Which Geek(s) liked the mystery around Gayle, and which Geek(s) would have preferred more clarity around who & what she was? - Did we see enough of the vampire in the movie? Did the Geeks agree on this, or were there differing opinions? - Which Geek had a bit of a problem with Kolchak's publisher being so hesitant...to publish a story. - Which Geek(s) appreciated the time period in which this TV movie was made and adjusted their expectations accordingly? - What was the score of this movie's biggest fan? - What unofficial connections does Kolchak have to "The X-Files"? - What excuse did Todd find to mention "Babylon 5" this week? - Which Geek at one time wanted to be a reporter in the field? - And, did the Geeks forget to roll for a future topic in this episode? Listen now for the answers to these and other journalistic questions as we report on "Kolchak: The Night Stalker." So far, in season 4, we've had the 3rd & 4th of our four Christmas movie reviews, a review of a modern western, a 2023 year-in-review special, and now our first review of a TV movie. Coming...sometimes in 2024, we have the reviews of a video game "movie," a mainstream semi-modern fantasy, a sexy heist movie, and streaming channel horror movie trilgoy; plus a ranking of the MCU Phase 2, and much more. Stay tuned, and let us know what you'd like us to cover. You can contact us at... - E-Mail: discerninggeeks@gmail.com - Facebook: #DiscerningGeeksPortal - Twitter (X): @discerninggeeks Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

Happy New Year, Discerning Listeners, and welcome to our special Year In Review episode for 2023. In this episode we talk about some of the best -- and...not so best -- movies, TV shows, and other entertainment that we enjoyed in 2023. For movies, we cover the following: - Blue Beetle - Super Mario Bros. Movie - Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves - Evil Dead Rise - Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse - No Hard Feelings - Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania - The Marvels - Oppenheimer - Godzilla Minus One - Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3 - Crater (TV movie formerly on Disney+) - The Creator - John Wick: Chapter 4 - Barbie ...But, which ones did we think were good, bad, or somewhere in between? You may be surprised by our opinions, but as usual, we do our best to back up our reasons. For TV shows, we cover...probably too many to list. But, it's the usual wide variety of Marvel, Star Trek, Star Wars, and other sci-fi, fantasy, superhero, and horror shows. But, we also sneak in at least one example each of cop, medical, heist/hijack, kids show, political drama, and royalty docudrama type shows. We also talk a little bit about shows that we binge-watched in 2023 even if those shows didn't originate in 2023. Taking longer than we thought on movies & TV, we had to save a few topics for a future episode, but we still squeezed in at least one example each of books, games, YouTube channels, and podcasts. Listen now for our epic wrap up of a year that was...maybe a little less than epic but...still worth reviewing. 2023 is behind us. Best wishes to everyone for an excellent 2024. :) One of the topics we had to skip was the big question... Was 2023 truly a lackluster year, or are we becoming too picky? What do you think? Let us know by sending us a message. You can contact us at... - E-Mail: discerninggeeks@gmail.com - Facebook: #DiscerningGeeksPortal - Twitter (X): @discerninggeeks Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

Happy New Year! We welcome in 2024 with a slight departure from sci-fi and fantasy with the 1993 western, "Tombstone." - How many of the Geeks have a love for westerns, and how many of them were turned on to westerns by their dads? - What did the Geeks think about the huge, all-star cast? - Which deep or emotional aspects of the movie appeal to at least one of the Geeks? - Which line of dialogue from the movie inspired this week's obligatory "Babylon 5" reference? - Which Geek knows the trivia about the real-life versions of the characters in the movie? - How accurate is this movie's depiction of the shootout at the O.K. Corral? - What did the Geeks think about the portrayal of women in the old west? - And, what were some of the Geeks' favorite quotes from the movie? Listen now for the answers to these and other gunslinging questions, as the Geeks travel to the infamous town with the unfortunate name, "Tombstone." Are there movies, TV shows, or other topics you'd like us to explore in season 4? Let us know. You can contact us at... - E-Mail: discerninggeeks@gmail.com - Facebook: #DiscerningGeeksPortal - Twitter (X): @discerninggeeks Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

Concluding our run of Christmas movies, we review the 1992 superhero sequel, "Batman Returns," which maybe should be renamed "The Penguin & Catwoman: Featuring Batman." - Did two of the Geeks possibly see this movie together during its 1992 theatrical run? - Which Geek, as a teenager, was on the local news for his out-of-the-theater reaction to the movie, and did he give hard-hitting, discerning commentary, or did he boil his review down to how Michelle Pfeiffer looked in the catsuit? - Was there a consensus on this movie, or were opinions split? - More specifically, did anyone like this movie's version of the Penguin character? - How much influence, if any, did this version of the Penguin have on the character in other mediums? - What impressive physical feat did Michelle Pfeiffer achieve during the shooting of one Catwoman scene? - Which comparison was made between the Catwoman and Seven-Of-Nine from "Star Trek: Voyager"? - Did the Penguin, Catwoman, or both together, overshadow Batman in his own movie? - Which Geek had significant complaints about the movie not making sense? - What comment about comic book logic led to a bit of trivia about the "Deadpool Meat Dimension" from Marvel Comics? - How much did the Penguin and Catwoman in this movie both deviate from their comic book origins? - Which Geek had...quite a bit...to say about the sequence in which the Penguin gains control over the Batmobile? - What nitpicks & logic flaws were brought up involving the Batsuit? - What were the Geeks' various opinions about this movie's depiction of Gotham City, the relationship between Bruce and Selina, and Max Shreck as the movie's 3rd (but possibly best) villain? - How did discussion about the Bruce/Selina relationship lead one Geek to reminisce about dating life in high school? - What subplot in this movie reminded one or two, maybe all three, Geeks about real-life politics and not in a good way? - Which Geek particularly liked the last moment of the movie? - In what way is a prehistoric caveman superhero an important precursor to all of DC's heroes & villains with special powers or optimal human traits? - Was there consensus on whether this movie truly qualifies as a Christmas movie? - Was there consensus on whether "Batman Returns" is better or worse than "Black Adam"? - And, what three season 4 topics were randomly rolled (two offline) for future episodes? Did Preston finally get one of his selections picked? Listen now for the answers to these and other vigilant questions as the Geeks review, "Batman Returns." Check out our previous Christmas-themed episodes... #026 - Gremlins #028 - Muppet Christmas Carol #034 to #036 - Christmas-Themed Dungeons & Dragons One-Shot Radio Play, Parts 1 to 3 #080 - The Man That Invented Christmas #081 - Klaus #082 - Home Alone #083 - Children of Men #115 - Whatcha' Doin' December 2022 Catch-Up #149 - National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation #150 - Violent Night #151 - The Santa Clause And, check out our other reviews of movies based on DC Comics characters... #003 - Batman #089 - Batman Begins #116 - Black Adam #145 - Shazam #146 - Wonder Woman Are there movies, TV shows, or other topics you'd like us to explore in season 4? Let us know. You can contact us at... - E-Mail: discerninggeeks@gmail.com - Facebook: #DiscerningGeeksPortal - Twitter (X): @discerninggeeks Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

This week, technically our season 4 premiere though awkwardly timed right in the middle of our Christmas run, we reviewed "The Santa Clause" the first of the movie & TV franchise that stars Tim Allen as the next Father Christmas. And, we had special guests: Dave's daughters, Evangalyne and Josephine. - Which reindeer was oddly missing from both this movie and the previous review movie, "Violent Night"? - What geeky things did the co-host do to light and/or decorate their Christmas trees this year? - What "battle" regarding Christmas lights does Dave's family have every year? - How many Advent calendars do Dave's wife & kids have? - What do Dave's daughters want for Christmas? - What traditional Moravian Christmas event did one Geek attend this year (and, he's not the one who's Moravian)? - What things about Moravian Lovefeast coffee and Moravian brass bands got mentions? - Was the apparent death of Santa Claus in the movie dark or disturbing, and how well did Dave's kids handle it? - What was one Geek's conspiracy theory about the reason Disney made this movie? - What did Dave's daughters think about this movie? - How did Dave's daughters rank this movie compared with other Christmas movies they've seen? - What were one Geek's very specific pieces of advice for making the best hot chocolate drink? - Which Geek appreciated the way the movie navigated the main character being a divorced father trying to reconnect with his child? - Which Geek had trouble tracking the passage of time in the movie -- making it seem to him, the first time around, like the two Christmases in this movie were one long Christmas? - Which Geeks had a nitpick about the movie not explaining what powered Santa Claus's time traveling? - And, what score did each Geek give this movie? Listen now for the answers to these and other legally & supernaturally binding questions as we read the fine print of..."The Santa Clause." Check out our previous Christmas-themed episodes... #026 - Gremlins #028 - Muppet Christmas Carol #034 to #036 - Christmas-Themed Dungeons & Dragons One-Shot Radio Play, Parts 1 to 3 #080 - The Man That Invented Christmas #081 - Klaus #082 - Home Alone #083 - Children of Men #115 - Whatcha' Doin' December 2022 Catch-Up #149 - National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation #150 - Violent Night Accidentally & awkwardly timed right in the middle of our Christmas movie run, this is technically our season 4 premiere. Are there movies, TV shows, or other topics you'd like us to explore in season 4? Let us know. You can contact us at... - E-Mail: discerninggeeks@gmail.com - Facebook: #DiscerningGeeksPortal - Twitter (X): @discerninggeeks Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

Our 2nd Christmas movie review of 2023 is for the action-fantasy-heist film, "Violent Night," starring David Harbor, from "Stranger Things," as holiday legend and former warrior, Santa Claus. - How much were supporting cast members of this movie previously in Lifetime and Hallmark movies? - This is the type of movie that would normally be a tough sell for Todd and Dave. Did they find redeeming qualities in this movie? How much? Would they go so far as to say they even liked it? - How and to what extent was this movie an homage to "Home Alone" and/or "Die Hard"? - How well did it work giving Santa Claus a backstory of being an ancient Viking warrior? - Should the magic of Santa Claus have had more explanation, or did it work leaving it as a mystery, even to him? - How effective were the main villain, henchmen, and henchwomen in the movie? - How good, sympathetic, and important of a character was young Trudy? Did her casting & portrayal match the age she was implied to be? - What did the Geeks think about Trudy's estranged parents? How good, interesting, sympathetic, well written, and/or well performed were those characters? Did the Geeks care whether the parents got back together? - What were some of the Geeks' least favorite parts? - How was one character based on Mark Walberg? - What did one Geek think was this movie's main target audience? - How did a mention of Biltmore House -- America's largest private home and a popular Asheville, North Carolina, tourist destination -- lead to an unexpected soapbox rant by one Geek? - Was there agreement that this movie was at least better than "Black Adam," the movie the Geeks watched on New Years Eve last year and which led to Preston joining the podcast? - And, what musical way did one Geek choose to work in a "Babylon 5" reference, and did it come from whom you would have expected it? Listen now for the answers to these and other bashing, smashing, and trashing questions as we journey with the legendary Santa Claus through a very..."Violent Night." Check out our previous Christmas-themed episodes... #026 - Gremlins #028 - Muppet Christmas Carol #034 to #036 - Christmas-Themed Dungeons & Dragons One-Shot Radio Play, Parts 1 to 3 #080 - The Man That Invented Christmas #081 - Klaus #082 - Home Alone #083 - Children of Men #115 - Whatcha' Doin' December 2022 Catch-Up #149 - National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation Accidentally & awkwardly timed right in the middle of our Christmas movie run, this is technically our season 3 finale. Are there movies, TV shows, or other topics you'd like us to explore in season 4? Let us know. You can contact us at... - E-Mail: discerninggeeks@gmail.com - Facebook: #DiscerningGeeksPortal - Twitter (X): @discerninggeeks Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

Merry Christmas, everyone! And, welcome to the Discerning Geeks Portal's first Christmas movie review since 2021! This week, we are reviewing the 1989 Christmas classic, "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation." - How many National Lampoon's vacation movies are there, and did everyone know that number? - Which Geek said his review of this movie could pretty much be a rerun of his review for another comedy the Geeks examined in a recent episode? - Which Geek was the first to praise John Hughes for his filmography and style of storytelling? - What were the various opinions about the character of cousin Eddie? - What were the various opinions about the style of humor in the movie, including the Christmas light issues, the sh***er jokes, the jelly-of-the-month surprise, the cat incident, etc.? - Which Geeks had memories of Christmas stunts and lost lasagnas to share? - What Geek felt the movie was like a live-action cartoon, and did he mean that in a good way or a bad way? - Which Geek had turkey cooking advice? - Which Geek felt like mindset might factor in to the likability of the movie? - Which annoying Christmas song is sung in the shower every morning during the Christmas season by the relative of two of the Geeks? - And, which Geek had to make slight adjustments to a lot of his lower-grade movies in his spreadsheet in order to get this movie and a few forthcoming movies into a more proper ranking (the spreadsheet part should be huge hint)? Listen now for the answers to these and other festive holiday questions as the Geeks shine too many lights on..."National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation." Check out our previous Christmas-themed episodes... #026 - Gremlins #028 - Muppet Christmas Carol #034 to #036 - Christmas-Themed Dungeons & Dragons One-Shot Radio Play, Parts 1 to 3 #080 - The Man That Invented Christmas #081 - Klaus #082 - Home Alone #083 - Children of Men #115 - Whatcha' Doin' December 2022 Catch-Up We're approaching the end of season 3. Are there movies, TV shows, or other topics you'd like us to explore in season 4? Let us know. You can contact us at... - E-Mail: discerninggeeks@gmail.com - Facebook: #DiscerningGeeksPortal - Twitter (X): @discerninggeeks Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

We resume our Favorite Genre TV Seasons topic with our respective top 6s. If you missed our #10 through #07 picks and honorable mentions, listen to episode #147 first. The seasons discussed in this episode are from the following shows: - Babylon 5 - Batman: The Animated Series - Cowboy Bebop - Dark Matter - Doctor Who - Fargo - Fooly Cooly - Firefly - Fringe - Game of Thrones - Invincible - Kolchak: The Night Stalker - Star Trek: The Original Series - Stargate Universe - Stranger Things - The Boys - The Orville - The Umbrella Academy - Twilight Zone But, which seasons were picked, which Geeks picked which seasons, how many shows were picked for more than one season and/or by more than one Geek, and which shows from this list are here due to one Geek listing two more honorable mentions he forgot in Part 1? Listen now for the answers to these and other cliffhanging questions as bring a finale to our lists for Favorite Genre TV Seasons. We're approaching the end of season 3. Are there movies, TV shows, or other topics you'd like us to explore in season 4? Let us know. You can contact us at... - E-Mail: discerninggeeks@gmail.com - Facebook: #DiscerningGeeksPortal - Twitter (X): @discerninggeeks Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

This week, we begin a two-part discussion about our Favorite Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror/Superhero TV Seasons. Here in PART 1, we list our honorable mentions and the first 4 seasons in our ranked top 10 lists. Those honorable mentions and #10 to #07 ranks are represented by the following TV shows. - Adult Swim Infomercial Series - Alien Nation - Babylon 5 - Battlestar Galactica (original) - Buck Rogers - Dark Matter - Doctor Who - Eureka - Futurama - Grimm - Metalocalypse - Helsing - Paranoid Agent - Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Star Trek: The Next Generation - Stargate SG-1 - Stargate Universe - The Flash - The Incredible Hulk - The Mandalorian - The Orville - The Venture Bros. - The X-Files - Travelers - True Detective But among these shows, which seasons were picked? Which ones are honorable mentions, and which ones are in at least one Geek's top 10? - Which five shows were mentioned or ranked by two of the Geeks so far? - Which two additional shows were represented by two seasons but by the same Geek? - Which was the one show mentioned or ranked by three different Geeks? - Which of these shows officially sneaked into the list during editing? - Which other show was mentioned during the editing process but so unofficially that it's not even in the list above? Listen now for the answers to these and other questions as we break down our favorite genre TV seasons up to 7th place. Stay tuned for PART 2, coming soon, which will include our respective top 6 lists. We're approaching the end of season 3. Are there movies, TV shows, or other topics you'd like us to explore in season 4? Let us know. You can contact us at... - E-Mail: discerninggeeks@gmail.com - Facebook: #DiscerningGeeksPortal - Twitter (X): @discerninggeeks Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

This week, we review the 2017 DCEU blockbuster, "Wonder Woman." - How tall is Gal Gadot? Is she undersized for playing an Amazonian? Does she fill out the costume well enough? - How did the Geeks feel about the casting of Gal Gadot, beyond the physical? - What did the Geeks feel about the adaptation of Wonder Woman, her costume & equipment, other characters, and the island of Themyscira, from the comics? Which Geek missed the invisible jet? - Was there any logic in Hippolyta wanting Diana trained not at all or wanting her trained harder than anyone else, but not anything in between? - Was there any logic in the Amazons being a race of warriors but not willing to intervene in a war? Did the Amazons lose sight of their purpose? - Did the Geeks like the casting & performance of Chris Pine as Steve Trevor? - What were the Geeks' favorite moments & quotes from the movie? Which Geek said this movie contains the best moment in all the DCEU? Which line of dialogue almost gets one Geek choked up? - What did the Geeks think about the 3rd act, which is often criticized by people? Which Geek felt the 3rd act should have involved more hand-to-hand combat between Diana and an enemy, rather than the telekinesis, lasso work, and energy exchanges that we got instead? - Dave is usually the pickiest about villains. Were this movie's villains acceptable to him? Which Geek felt the villains were a little weak? Which Wonder Woman adversary from the comics did one Geek say he would have preferred seeing? - Which horror movie trilogy was randomly rolled for a future review? - Just how different is Andruw's voice between his first episode (over three years ago) and today? - And, which movie about the creator of the Wonder Woman character did three of the Geeks recommend? Listen now for the answers to these and wonder-ful questions, as we enter the trenches with..."Wonder Woman." We're approaching the end of season 3. Are there movies, TV shows, or other topics you'd like us to explore in season 4? Let us know. You can contact us at... - E-Mail: discerninggeeks@gmail.com - Facebook: #DiscerningGeeksPortal - Twitter (X): @discerninggeeks Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message