Episodes

  • Sci-Fi TV of the 70's & 80's

    Sci-Fi TV of the 70's & 80's
    Jan 14 2026
    Nanu nanu, Slackers!

    This week is all about classic sci-fi and fantasy TV shows from the 1970s and 1980s. There was prime-time epics with space fleets on the run, bionic agents taking down threats, aliens settling into family life, talking cars outsmarting crooks, lizard-like invaders, starship crews solving cosmic problems, mysterious islands granting wishes with a catch, and anthology stories full of wonder.

    The conversation centers on the American series that dominated screens during those decades, in particular in the world of syndicated programming. Plus, there are several BBC productions included - seriously, what the heck is Blake's 7 or Doomwatch!? Admittedly, the British do sci-fi pretty well.

    These shows combined practical effects, ambitious ideas squeezed into weekly episodes, and characters that felt grounded even amid the extraordinary. Many of these were essential viewing at the time, but would they be as engaging and rewatchable today?
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    41 mins
  • Variety Shows - A Lost Form of Entertainment

    Variety Shows - A Lost Form of Entertainment
    Jan 7 2026
    It's 2026, Slackers!

    This episode kicks off with the usual New Year's Eve roundup - flipping between Dick Clark's countdown and the Nashville show, while my daughter belts out every word to today's country hits but shrugs off Dwight Yoakam like he's ancient history. My oldest came home early from Boston's First Night, which is basically a senior-citizen version of Times Square. We toasted anyway with sparkling grape juice and cider, all together before midnight, even if he wasn't home for the Stranger Things finale.

    Quick side note on Stranger Things: those classic 80s kid movies - Goonies, Stand by Me, Lost Boys, even Stephen King's IT—the kids always make it home safe, no matter the adventure. Stranger Things has always been an homage to those stories - something online critics should keep in mind.

    The main part of the show is all about those old-school variety shows from the 60s, 70s, and 80s, the ones that packed everything into one hour: comedy sketches, big musical numbers, dancers, surprise guests, the whole deal. Back then, a major star or family would anchor the night and give you this glorious mix of entertainment. Simpler times.

    The Carol Burnett Show is the gold standard - those wild characters, the way she'd lose it laughing with Tim Conway or Harvey Korman, the bits that still crack me up thinking about them. My personal favorites were the Mandrell Sisters! A little steel guitar, a little fiddle, and plenty of comedy, what's not to love?

    As the years went on, things started to change: music drifted off to MTV, comedy got sharper (meaner?) on SNL, and the talent-search format took over with shows like the original Star Search. It's a fun walk through when television variety meant anything could happen on any given week.
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    34 mins
  • Looking Back At 2025

    Looking Back At 2025
    Dec 31 2025
    Happy (Almost) New Year, Slackers!

    This episode is still about looking back, but much more recent events! 2025 was a year of extremes, surprises, and seismic shifts across the globe and in culture.

    Political headlines dominated with a high-profile return to the White House, sweeping policy changes, ongoing international conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, fragile ceasefires, and Gen Z-fueled protests toppling governments in unexpected places. Natural disasters, historic leadership firsts, and bold geopolitical moves kept the world on edge.

    Entertainment delivered record-breaking moments: a Chinese animated sequel shattered global box office records, Disney sequels and live-action remakes crossed billion-dollar milestones, while viral sensations, creepy-cute collectibles, and chaotic theater experiences lit up social feeds. Music saw Latin urban dominance, major Grammy wins, and streaming milestones, with some epic series finales and new hits.

    Sports brought dynasties, breakthroughs, and drama - back-to-back titles in hockey and baseball, first championships for rising basketball powers, and even some Premier League history with Liverpool claiming the crown in commanding fashion. Gaming thrived too, with critically acclaimed RPGs, metroidvanias (exploration games, who knew?), and massive sales from shooters and remasters.

    From global resets to pop culture moments, 2025 proved anything but predictable. I am really looking forward to 2026!
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    36 mins
  • It's a Christmas Episode!

    It's a Christmas Episode!
    Dec 24 2025
    Merry Christmas, Slackers!

    It’s hard to believe, but this year marks the 35th anniversary of Home Alone, a film that remains one of the most fun (and durable) Christmas flicks. It is made that much more interesting with Macauley Culkin back on a press junket for this season of Fallout, along with the just completed Home Alone tour.

    We also lost several influential figures from film, television, and music in 2025. Legends like Gene Hackman and Ozzy Osbourne, icons like Val Kilmer, and the more recent and tragic passings of Rob Reiner and James Ransone.

    Getting back to the holiday festivities, let’s take a look at the “hot gifts” of 1975, like Pet Rocks, Mood Rings, and the excitement around early Atari systems - and from 1985, with Teddy Ruxpin, Cabbage Patch Kids, and the first wave of Nintendo home gaming dominance.

    The episode closes with an overview of what’s driving wish lists this Christmas in 2025 - the Nintendo Switch 2 leading the way, alongside interactive toys, viral collectibles, smart tech, cozy lifestyle items, and other high-demand gifts.

    Thanks for listening, and I wish you a warm, peaceful Christmas.
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    54 mins
  • Gen X is the Greatest Generation - According to the NYT?

    Gen X is the Greatest Generation - According to the NYT?
    Dec 17 2025
    We've made into the New York Times, Slackers!

    In this week’s episode, I start by giving some love to our own John Cena, who wrestled his retirement match this past Saturday. He’s not the only one, since over the past few years, it seems like most of the Attitude/ Ruthless Agression era stars from our generation have hung up their boots for good.

    Next, I debut a new segment called "Weird News Weekly," rounding up some truly odd stories from the past week - including the bizarre fact that MUG root beer now has its own cologne for sale. But it's only available on TikTok?

    The main discussion centers on Amanda Fortini’s December 2025 article in T Magazine, “Is Gen X Actually the Greatest Generation?”. The article digs into how we shaped music, film, television, and cultural attitudes in the pre-digital era - from grunge and hip-hop to indie films and animated series like The Simpsons. It’s a bold claim (made with tongue firmly planted in cheek), and while there’s a lot to be proud of, there are definitely some things from our era we need to own up to as well.
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    54 mins
  • 1985 Kinda Ruled

    1985 Kinda Ruled
    Dec 10 2025
    Great Scott, Slackers!

    Travel back to 1985, the absolute sweet spot of Gen X goodness. Holy cow, 1985 was pretty freaking good when it comes to TV, movies, and music!
    • Television: Who ruled Thursday nights? Which new shows instantly became appointment viewing, and which now-iconic series launched that year?
    • Box Office: The highest-grossing films of 1985 delivered time-traveling DeLoreans, Saturday detention, and one very Italian stallion with not one, but two huge hits.
    • Billboard Hot 100: From synth-pop anthems to power ballads and surprising one-hit wonders, these are songs that I can clearly remember blasting from my transistor radio while mowing the lawn.
    Looking back it was a pretty glorious year. Anyone else have their first "official" date in 1985? I know I did!
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    54 mins
  • Pop Rockers With Chops or Did Ballads Ruin Great Rock Bands?

    Pop Rockers With Chops or Did Ballads Ruin Great Rock Bands?
    Dec 3 2025
    Time to lift your Bic lighters up over your heads, Slackers!

    By 1981 the radio belonged to a handful of bands we still hear almost every day. Most people remember the massive ballads, the ones that cleared the floor at middle school dances or showed up in every movie montage. Because those songs were so huge, the bands got stamped as “soft rock” or “corporate” and that label has stuck for forty years.

    The part that rarely gets mentioned is how good the actual players were. These weren’t studio creations or hired guns. These were working bands who spent years on the road or in the studio before anyone had heard of them. When the hits finally came, the same guys who wrote the three-minute love songs could still stand on stage and deliver hours of tight, inventive rock that most critics pretended wasn’t there.

    This episode looks past the hits everyone knows and focuses on the musicianship that made the hits possible in the first place. I’ll breakdown some of the biggest radio friendly rock bands of the era and lay out why their reputation as musicians never seems to align with their massive fame. If you’ve written this whole corner of the 80s off as lightweight, as I certainly did as a teen, this one's for you.
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    1 hr and 1 min
  • A Gen Xer's Predictions for Stranger Things 5

    A Gen Xer's Predictions for Stranger Things 5
    Nov 26 2025
    What is up, Hellfire Club, I mean, Slackers?

    This week is all about Thanksgiving and Stranger Things 5. I’m giving thanks (even though some days it’s been tough to find my gratitude) and laying out my final predictions for the season. More specifically, who’s who in the ST dead pool. The Duffer Brothers keep saying they channeled the spirit of series finales that actually left us satisfied. And Return of the King. Weird, right?

    I believe them, but with stakes this high, not everyone’s walking out of Hawkins alive. My quick, gut-level, not-exactly-bold picks:
    • Robin? Safe.
    • Dustin? Safe.
    • Steve? Eleven? I’m not so sure.
    • And what about Murray!?
    This show is set right in the years I was in middle school, so it’s always felt lived-in for me and the Mrs. Watching our own kids get just as hooked as we were on Nightmare on Elm Street or any John Hughes movie—that’s the real magic. Truly cross-generational.

    There are only a handful of shows that have ever really made me feel excited and nervous for the fate of fictional characters. Great art can do that to ya.

    Happy Thanksgiving, Slackers. Please, pass the pumpkin pie (the only pie that matters).
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    58 mins