Batman: Caped Crusader instantly generated buzz when it was announced, because Bruce Timm was going to be involved with the series. Famously, Timm had been one of the principle creators behind the popular Batman: The Animated Series of the 90’s. Although much of the design aesthetic of the 90’s animated show is on display here, the series takes a much harder stance on time period being firmly set in a late-1940’s/early 1950’s Gotham city and with a Batman with far less techno-gadgetry than we are used to seeing. In this episode we take a look at the first season of this series. We discuss the visual style of the series. We debate the merits of showing a more socially forward Gotham than would have been accurate for the time period. We delve into the various re-imaginings of Batman, his supporting cast, and his various rogues. We also talk about the vocal performances for the characters and what that tells us about the series.
This week’s five-minute controversy asks if we want to see Finn Jones as Iron Fist again.
In thhis episode Beth, Keith, and Mike join the cast.
Show Notes:
The Earth Station Trek Guide to Star Trek (Book Keith co-wrote)
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The concept of the hero is an important part of how we see the world. Whether it’s real life do-gooders or the protagonists of our favorite stories we enjoy learning about and honoring heroes. In this episode we examine the concept of the hero. We discuss the core traits of the hero. We delve into our pasts and talk about the heroes that were important to our development. We also debate the place of the anti-hero and whether we’ve taken the concept too far. We also get into the heroes of the real world as well discussions of how sometimes even mundane acts of bravery can be heroic.
Galaxy Quest was an homage to Star Trek that released in 1999. Featuring some present and future big names in Hollywood the film told the story of the actors who had formerly played in a popular sci-fi TV series and how their series had inspired others in a way beyond their wildest imagination. In this episode we discuss Galaxy Quest. We talk about the reasons for its enduring appeal. We question whether it should be referred to as a “parody of Star Trek”. We discuss the characters and performances. Along the way we talk about effects, music, legacies of sci-fi, celebrating fandom and so much more.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds returned for it’s third season last year. The season wrapped up the cliffhanger from season 2 and catapulted the cast into scenarios both farcical and horrific. In this episode we take a look at the season as a whole. We discuss whether the shenanigans have gone too far. We debate whether the Gorn resolution felt satisfactory. We talk about the horrific elements and how well they integrated into the story as a whole. We also get into what we’d like to see from season 4.
Silo is a post-apocalyptic series on Apple TV starring Rebecca Ferguson and based on the Silo book series by Hugh Howey. Ferguson plays Juliette Nichols an engineer turned sheriff who’s pursuit of the truth in criminal investigations leads her to search for the truth about the history and world that she lives in. In this episode we review the first two seasons of the series. We discuss the setting of the Silo and why it’s different from similar series that we’ve seen. We talk about the characters and performances and how we feel about Ferguson in the main role. We also get into the plot and ask questions that we want to see answers to and mention some things that we don’t think makes sense.
This week The 42cast talks about Avatar. It’s not the M. Night Shyamalan film, the animated show from Nickelodeon, or the film series by James Cameron. This is the live action series on Netflix based on the animated Avatar: The Last Airbender. In this episode we discuss the first season. We talk about the cast and what we think of the portrayal of their characters. We discuss the production values and evaluate it on the basis of music, sets, and effects. We also debate whether we feel that the changes made from the animated series were effective or not.
The world was stunned in 2021 when Disney announced that it would continue the popular series of X-Men: The Animated Series with X-Men ’97. The decision came in the aftermath of huge streaming numbers for the original animated show on Disney+. Realizing that there was a market for a continuation, Disney decided to create a series as if it were being made in 1997 and was the next season for the original X-Men show. In this episode we discuss the first season of X-Men ’97. We discuss the various aspects of the plot and how that feels as a continuation of the original series and how it works to develop themes that resonate today. We talk about the vocal performances, music, and art style and whether or not those live up to our expectations of the original animated show. We also debate MCU tie-ins, Captain America’s position, Rogue’s relationships, and the depictions of various characters.
You can’t escape it, A.I. is everywhere. Whether it’s visual images, formulaic essays, or videos depicting dead actors in new scenes you see the influence of A.I. all over. In this episode we discuss A.I. We talk about potential uses for the technology , how it’s being utilized currently, and where we’d like to see it go in the future. We examine the unintended perils as well as the unethical practices that can be used to develop the technology. We also get into our personal usage of these tools and what we think can help to utilize it more effectively.
Section 31 was originally meant to be a new Star Trek TV series on Paramount Plus. The Covid-19 pandemic put those plans on hold. By the time that the pandemic was over, Michelle Yeoh’s career had been catapulted into the stratosphere by Everything, Everywhere, All at Once. Wanting to continue working with Yeoh Paramount re-tooled the series as a stand-alone movie and had the script rewritten 11 times. In this episode we take a look at the Section 31 movie. We discuss its placement within the Star Trek canon. We talk about whether it’s a good vehicle for the Georgiou character. We also debate how this would have held up a series. We also examine the plot and characters and get into how each element worked within the film.
The Mandalorian has been one of the most successful Star Wars series under the Disney era of Star Wars. Telling smaller stories than the Skywalker saga, The Mandalorian is a more character focused story that plays into fan-loyalty to the Mandalorian mythos as well as a devotion to the baby Yoda character, Grogu, created for this series. In this episode we examine The Mandalorian season 3. We discuss the characters and plot for the season and how the overall storyline compares with the prior seasons. We’ll examine how the changes made in The Book of Boba Fett alters this series and whether we think that was was warranted. We’ll also get into the broader Star Wars universe and how this season tries to tie up some loose ends from other media.
