In this week’s episode we fire up the spore drive to arrive at Star Trek Discovery season 4. In this episode we delve deep into the storytelling, discussing the advantages and disadvantages of season length, using writers unfamiliar with Trek, and telling a narrative across multiple seasons. We also talk about how much we want to see more of the bridge crew, interspecies romance, and how all the teases to former Trek plots can be so frustrating. We also opine on communication issues, season resolutions, celebrity cameos, and what we want from a fifth season.
This week’s five-minute controversy asks if there is any merit to Roger Corman’s claims that the MCU is just effects driven.
Show Notes:
Roger Corman’s comments about the MCU
This week Stephanie is cohost and Ryan joins the cast.
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The 42cast has reached 200 episodes! We’d like to thank our audience for making this possible. As a treat for this episode we’ve invited back our most prolific guests. We discuss what has been going on in the geeskisphere since Episode 100, and we give our opinions on what has been the good; the bad; and the ugly. We also talk a little about what goes on behind the scenes on The 42cast. Watch out as Nathan goes on not 1, not, but 3 rants in this episode. It is not to be missed!
In the entire history of anime only two characters were considered to have had sufficient cultural impact outside of Japan to adorn the welcome materials given to international Olympic athletes during the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. Those were Son Goku from Dragonball/Z/GT/Super and Sailor Moon. In this episode we talk about the phenomenon that is Sailor Moon. We discuss the manga, anime, and live action versions. We talk about our favorite Sailor Soldiers (yes we know that Toei calls them Sailor Guardians now), and we debate why the franchise endures. We also talk about favorite aspects of the various media and even compare the two different animes. We also get into what dubs and subs each bring to the table. 
The Flash film was announced back in 2014. Originally slated to release early in 2018 many were impressed at DC’s confidence in announcing so many films so far in the future. Over the the intervening decade, The Flash production would be placed on hold multiple times as the script faced an almost infinite amount of rewrites, directors came and went, and various reshoots occurred. Eventually, the film finally saw the light of day in June of 2023. In this episode we take a deep dive on the Flash film. We discuss the plot, the adaptation of Flashpoint, and how it uses the established DCEU mythology and the Batman ’89 legacy. We also talk about the controversies around Ezra Miller and how that was juxtaposed against hype for Michael Keaton. We also get into how all this stacked against the upcoming DCU and why we think this movie flopped as greatly as it did. 
>Babylon 5 created a revolution in television in the mid-90’s. Series creator J. Michael Stracynski was told that science fiction would never succeed on television if it wasn’t Star Trek. Yet, the man had a dream and he fulfilled that dream. Conceiving of a series that would last for five years with a defined beginning, middle, and ending Babylon 5 succeeded in its mission by providing complex, interwoven story arcs in an era when television was almost completely full of stand alone episodes. In this episode we do a deep dive on Babylon 5. We discuss what made the series both revolutionary and successful. We also talk about the characters, what we think worked and what we think didn’t, and whether we think the series should be rebooted. 
Hot on the heels of Disney’s announcement of Moon Knight blu-ray and 4K UHD sets, The 42cast brings you it’s review of the titular Marvel hero. In this episode we delve into Moon Knight’s comic origins, the changes made in later years, and the various changes made for the Disney+ series. We’ll discuss the use of Disassocative Identity Disorder and how well the series handled that and the broader conversation around mental health. We also talk about the characters, plot, and how well we think the performances worked. Along the way we’ll also debate the merits of the CGI, when you can use the unreliable narrator trope, and whether this series segues into a broader storyline within the MCU. We also give our opinion on what we’d want from another season of the show. 
Month’s ago, Seth Rogen made waves in the entertainment industry with his comments on criticism while guesting on The Diary of a CEO podcast. His comments spoke to the emotional pain suffered by entertainers who are the objects of negative reviews. His words called into question whether critics understand the impact of what they’re writing and implied that reviews shouldn’t include negative material because of its impact on others. In this episode our panel of actors and reviewers examine these comments and ask ourselves “Is there a place for criticism?” “What should or shouldn’t be allowed?” “Should only the professionals be allowed to do it?” We also discuss the role of the critic in society, understanding your audience, and how to use tact. Don’t forget to stay after the closing song to listen to our outtakes. 
From the beginning the Guardians franchise has proven to be a surprise hit for Marvel. Many anticipated that the first Guardians film would be a failure, but it garnered a surprising following and has been lauded by many as their favorite MCU films. In this episode we discuss the third installment of the Guardians franchise. We talk about the developments for the various characters. We debate the various elements of the plot. We also discuss whether we think that the Guardians franchise will move on beyond James Gunn or if we’ll see Marvel focus on different cosmic characters. 
Fringe was a series ahead of its time. Tapping into the multiverse concept, the show brought a story about parallel worlds into a procedural paranormal investigation series. The series boasted a stellar cast necessary to juggle the hardcore scientific concepts explored throughout the series five seasons. In this episode we delve deep into Fringe. We discuss what we liked about the series. We talk about what didn’t work. We also opine on the controversial fifth season and whether it should be counted as a separate series or not. 
Hawkeye was the last in the first wave of Disney+ Marvel series. The show introduced Hawkeye successor, Kate Bishop, played by Hailee Steinfeld. It also debuted new character, Echo, as well as saw the return of Vince D’Onofrio as the Kingpin and Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova. In this episode we discuss the plot of the Hawkeye series. We talk about it’s place in the MCU and how well it meshes with the various characters and references that it makes. We also give our opinions on the performances and how we feel the various characters are utilize. We also get into some of the deeper cuts and talk about a very unexpected character that makes an appearance. 
