THE FANDOM ZONE 211: "The Star-Spangled Man" Is Up!

 
"Doctor Strange..."
"Is a sorcerer."
"A sorcerer is a wizard without a hat.  Think about it, right?  I’m right.  I just came up with that. It’s crazy.  But look, that’s not the point.  These guys aren’t magic, alright?  They use brute force, just like you, the incredibly annoying guy in front of me with the staring problem."
-- Sam Wilson and James "Bucky" Barnes, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier: "The Star-Spangled Man"

Hello again, everyone!  It's time for another new episode of The Fandom Zone Podcast!  This time, my co-host DJ Nik and I discuss "The Star-Spangled Man", the second episode of the Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, featuring Anthony Mackie as The Falcon/Sam Wilson, Sebastian Stan as The Winter Soldier/James "Bucky" Barnes, Wyatt Russell as Captain America/John Walker, and Clé Bennett as Battlestar/Lemar Hoskins!

In this episode, DJ Nik and I talk about things like celebrating Passover and Easter, people not just fighting on the ground anymore, the drumline playing a rendition of "Star Spangled Man" from Captain America: The First Avenger, Americans making showmanship a big deal, some comics background on Battlestar, Dwayne McDuffie pointing out to Captain America comics writer Mark Gruenwald that Bucky is a racist derogatory term for African-American men, some comics background on Isaiah Bradley, the real-life Tuskegee Experiment study that observed untreated syphilis in African-American men after being told they were receiving free health care from the United States government, some comics background on Patriot and more Young Avengers setup for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, ABC's Good Morning America appearing in the episode, the Power Broker, finally seeing Sam and Bucky together as a buddy-cop TV show, why Steve Rogers would've probably read The Hobbit in 1937 instead of Bucky, Bucky calling out Sam for betraying Steve's legacy as Captain America while he actually feels like Sam is betraying him instead, Bucky taking Sam to meet Isaiah Bradley, the Baltimore cops profiling Sam for Walking While Black until they realize he's the Falcon, Dr. Raynor forcing Sam and Bucky to sit down for a therapy, Bucky worrying that Steve was wrong about him, wondering why Bucky would go to see Baron Helmut Zemo again considering Zemo previously mind-controlled him, John Walker's debut as Captain America, the decision to make the MCU version of John Walker more likeable, Sam and Bucky having zero time for the new Captain America and Battlestar, my theory that John will hand over the mantle of Captain America to Sam and John will become the USAgent, the greatness of Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley, wondering who was texting Karli Morgenthal, the Flag-Smashers not being your typical evil terrorists, my plea to Sebastian Stan to send Nik an autographed photo, our favorite quotes of the episode, Batwoman recasting Wallis Day as Kate Kane, new Fandom Zone Fanmail from Holly Mac and Dave Proctor, Dave calling out Jesse Jackson for not writing in, and more!

You can now check out episodes of The Fandom Zone using...

iTunes/Apple Podcasts -- HERE
Direct Download MP3s/Libsyn -- HERE
Spotify -- HERE
Stitcher -- HERE
The Fandom Zone on Facebook -- HERE
The Fandom Zone on Twitter -- @FandomZoneCast
The Fandom Zone on Instagram -- HERE

And if that isn't enough for you, you can also check us out on YouTube, Soundcloud, and the official Southgate Media Group website!  Oh, and if you're interested in an officially official Fandom Zone Podcast t-shirt that all the cool kids are wearing, you can get those on TeePublic HERE as well!  Feel free to post a picture on our Facebook page of you or some other cool person you know wearing the shirt!

Be sure to come back next week for Episode 212 as DJ Nik and I discuss the third episode of the Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, right here on The Fandom Zone Podcast!

THE FLASH Casts Jordan Fisher as Impulse

 
DC Comics' most impulsive speedster is heading to the small screen.

Variety is reporting that The CW series The Flash has cast Jordan Fisher as Bart Allen, better known to DC Comics fans as the superhero Impulse.  According to the article, Fisher will debut as Impulse in the series’ 150th episode, which is also the 17th episode of The Flash Season 7.

The character is described as "the future son of Barry aka the Flash (Grant Gustin) and Iris (Candice Patton) and is said to be 'the fastest teenager on the planet'.  However, due to his penchant for 'wildly impulsive behavior', Barry and Iris will have their hands full trying to teach him patience — which will be a necessity if they want to succeed, not only as a family unit, but also in stopping the biggest threat to the Flash yet."

Fisher, 26, is an actor, singer, dancer, and musician who has previously appeared on the TV series Teen Wolf, Bones, The Secret Life of an American Teenager and Liv and Maddie.  He also voiced the character Sea Hawk on the animated series She-Ra and the Princesses of Power and was the winner of Dancing with the Stars Season 25.

Created in 1994 by Mark Waid and Mike Weiringo, Impulse first appeared in The Flash (vol.2) #92 as Bart Allen, the grandson of Barry Allen, the second Flash, and son of Don Allen (one of the Tornado Twins) and Meloni Thawne (a descendant of Eobard Thawne).  Born with full super-speed and suffering from a hyper-accelerated metabolism, Bart Allen was aging at a faster rate than that of any other human being, causing him to appear to be the age of twelve when he was chronologically only two years old.  To prevent him from developing mental health problems, he was raised in a virtual reality machine which created a simulated world that kept pace with his own scale of time.  When it became clear that this method was not helping, his grandmother, Iris Allen, took him back in time to the present where the third Flash, Wally West, tricked Bart into a race around the world.  By forcing Bart into an extreme burst of speed, Wally managed to shock his hyper metabolism back to normal.

Because Bart had spent the majority of his childhood in a simulated world, he had no concept of danger and was prone to leaping before he looked.  The youth proved to be more trouble than Wally could handle, and he was given over to retired superhero speedster Max Mercury, who moved Bart to Manchester, Alabama.  As the teenaged superhero Impulse, Bart joined the Titans early in his career before going on to become one of the founding members of the superhero team Young Justice, alongside Robin (Tim Drake) and Superboy (Conner Kent).

Shortly after Bart joined the Teen Titans, he was shot in the knee by Deathstroke (who at the time was possessed by Jericho) and received a prosthetic replacement.  While recovering, Bart read every single book in the San Francisco Public Library and reinvented himself as the second Kid Flash.  Once healed, the artificial knee did not affect his ability to run at speeds approaching that of light, but reminding him that he needs to think first rather than to act impulsively.

Recently, in the era known as DC Rebirth, Bart returned to the main DC universe after Wally West and Barry Allen broke the Speed Force Barrier. Once again wearing the Impulse costume, he emerged from the Speed Force and raced through a city street triumphantly declaring that he was back.  Shortly afterwards, he reunited with his former Young Justice and Teen Titans teammates Robin and Wonder Girl (Cassandra Sandsmark).  Bart was the main driving force behind the revival of the Young Justice team, and after being transported to Gemworld and reunited with Superboy, the team officially re-formed.

Fisher will be the second actor to portray Impulse in live-action, after Kyle Gallner on the WB/CW series Smallville.  The character has also appeared on the animated series Young Justice and Young Justice: Outsiders, voiced by Jason Marsden.

The Flash airs Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. EST on The CW.

GHOSTWOOD 095: "On the Air: Episode 1.3" Is Up!

"Let's get down on our hands and knees and look for Professor Answer's I.Q."
-- Bud E. Budwaller, On the Air: "Episode 1.3"

It is happening again...My co-host with the most Xan Sprouse and I are back with a new episode of Ghostwood: The Twin Peaks Podcast!  In this episode, we discuss "Episode 1.3", the second transmitted episode of the short-lived ABC sitcom On the Air from 1992, written by Robert Engels and featuring Ian Buchanan as Lester Guy, Miguel Ferrer as Bud E. Budwaller, David L. Lander as Valdja Gochktch, and Tracey Walter as Billy "Blinky" Watts!

LET'S ROCK!

In this episode, Xan and I discuss things like my waiting for my first COVID vaccination shot, paying tribute to the late Jessica Walter from Archer, Xan having the Vision Quest DVD and soundtrack album on vinyl, wrestling being a big deal in Xan's family, Gary Busey playing a version of Robert Blake on Law & Order, ABC not airing the second produced episode of On the Air, Lester suddenly really hating Betty, what happened in the unaired "Episode 1.2", Jack Fisk as the episode's director, Ken Jennings on Jeopardy, Dr. Joyce Brothers winning The $64,000 Question, Valdja butchering "Winner Takes All" as "Winnar Tuckus Ull", Congress and the 1950s Quiz Show scandals, guest star Richard Riehle as Tom Symkowski in Office Space and Principal Ed Rooney on the Ferris Bueller TV show, Blinky intentionally sabotaging Professor Answer with a screeching noise, the Amberjack's automatic pipe connector spitting out chunks of sheared metal, McGonigle acting like a dog, the My Very Elegant Mother Just Served Us Nine Pickles mnemonic to remember the order of planets in our solar system, the episode-long setup for the "Out, damned spot, out" gag at the end, Levar Burton on Roots, Star Trek: The Next Generation and Reading Rainbow, why Xan and I need to do the Judge Judy show, Senator Joseph McCarthy and the Communist witch-hunts of the 1950s, DJ Nik being our consultant on all things Judaic, Xan's praise for EC Comics publisher William Gaines, Al Jaffee's Mad magazine fold-ins, people making it their business to fixate on other people's business, social progress changes taking place in the long term, being appreciative of our listeners who listened to our first On the Air discussion, my pitching Xan six movies for Drunk Cinema that she hasn't watched before, Xan's upcoming appearance on Next Stop Everywhere to discuss "The Three Doctors", our reaction to Tom Baker appearing in "The Day of the Doctor", and more!

If you'd like to check out our latest episode, you can find us on...

Apple Podcasts -- RIGHT HERE
Direct MP3 downloads/Libsyn -- RIGHT HERE
Spotify -- RIGHT HERE

Stitcher -- RIGHT HERE

YouTube -- RIGHT HERE

Ghostwood's Facebook page

Ghostwood's Twitter account

Be sure to come back in two weeks for Episode 096, as Xan and I discuss "Episode 1.5", the third and final transmitted episode of On the Air from 1992, featuring Ian Buchanan as Lester Guy, Miguel Ferrer as Bud Budwaller, David L. Lander as Valdja Gochktch, and Tracey Walter as Billy "Blinky" Watts!

NEXT STOP EVERYWHERE 224: "The Time of Angels" Is Up!

 
"And two hundred years later, the planet was terraformed.  Currently, there are six billion human colonies."
"Whew!  You lot, you're everywhere.  You're like rabbits!  I'll never get done saving you."
-- Father Octavian and the Eleventh Doctor, Doctor Who: "The Time of Angels"

Hello again, everyone!  My partner in time Jesse Jackson and I are back with a new episode of Next Stop Everywhere: The Doctor Who Podcast!  This time, we're joined by comic book artist and writer Thom Zahler to discuss "The Time of Angels" & "Flesh and Stone", the fourth & fifth episodes from Doctor Who Series Five in 2010, featuring Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor, Karen Gillan as Amy Pond, and the return of the Weeping Angels and Alex Kingston as River Song!

In this episode, Jesse, Thom and I discuss things like Jesse wife Linda learning that Wednesdays is podcast night for Jesse, everybody getting the COVID vaccination shots, Thom's The Long Con card game, Thom's Love and Capes in the Time of COVID, comic book artist Joe Staton, where this story fits on the River Song timeline, "The Time of Angels" being Matt Smith and Karen Gillan's first produced episode, executive producer Piers Wenger thinking that the Delirium Archive needed to be explained, Alex Kingston not expecting to return as River Song, Audrey Niffenegger's novel The Time Traveler's Wife, Matt Smith coming up with the idea that River would land on the Doctor when she flew into the TARDIS, Matt Smith not sticking the "one thing you never put in a trap" cliffhanger, wondering if "The Time of Angels" would've been a David Tennant story had Tennant agreed to stay for a full fourth season, the horrible decision to have Amy try hard to have sex with the Doctor on the night before her wedding to Rory, Teri Hatcher being Jesse's freebie with Linda, the Eleventh Doctor and River Song being like the Fourth Doctor and Romana, River being a more believable romance with the Doctor than Rose, the setup for the "The Big Bang" with a future Eleventh Doctor talking to Amy, wishing Father Octavian had been around a little longer, Father Octavian being a military officer with a spiritual side, the Weeping Angels getting some cool new tricks, the Crack in Time being an elegant solution to Amy having a Weeping Angel inside her eye, our favorite quotes of the episode, my Reverse the Polarity segment, new feedback from Dave Proctor and Holly Mac, Thom designing the original Next Stop Everywhere logo, having a foursome next week, and more!

If you'd like to check out our latest episode, you can find us on...

Apple Podcasts -- RIGHT HERE
Direct MP3 downloads/Libsyn -- RIGHT HERE
Spotify -- RIGHT HERE
Stitcher -- RIGHT HERE

Next Stop Everywhere's Facebook page

Next Stop Everywhere's Twitter account

Next Stop Everywhere's Instagram account

We have a NEW Next Stop Everywhere t-shirt with our current logo, which you can find on TeePublic right HERE!  This spiffy new shirt looks great when you're listening to your favorite Doctor Who podcast and travelling through time and space!  Or your could order all sorts of cool Next Stop Everywhere merch there as well!

And hey, if you'd like to pick up our classic logo Next Stop Everywhere t-shirt, you can also find it on TeePublic right HERE!  Help support the show and feel free to post pictures on our Facebook page of you or some other cool person you know wearing the shirt!

Be sure to come back next, as Jesse and I are joined by special guest companions Xan Sprouse and Holly Mac as we discuss "The Three Doctors", the first serial from Doctor Who Season 10 in 1973, featuring Jon Pertwee as the Third Doctor, Katy Manning as Jo Grant, Patrick Troughton as the Second Doctor, William Hartnell as the First Doctor, and the introduction of Omega!

THE FANDOM ZONE 210: "New World Order" Is Up!

 
"Steve represented the best in all of us. Courageous, righteous, hopeful. And he mastered posing stoically. The world has been forever changed. A few months ago, billions of people reappeared after five years away, sending the world into turmoil. We need new heroes. Ones suited for the times we're in. Symbols are nothing without the women and men that give them meaning. And this thing...I don't know if there's ever been a greater symbol. But it's more about the man who propped it up, and he's gone. So, today we honor Steve's legacy, but also, we look to the future. So thank you, Captain America, but this belongs to you."
-- Sam Wilson, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier: "New World Order"

Hello again, everyone!  It's time for another new episode of The Fandom Zone Podcast!  This time, my co-host DJ Nik and I celebrate The Fandom Zone's 6th anniversary and discuss "New World Order", the first episode of the Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, featuring Anthony Mackie as The Falcon/Sam Wilson, Sebastian Stan as The Winter Soldier/James "Bucky" Barnes, Georges St-Pierre as Batroc the Leaper, and Don Cheadle as James Rhodes!

In this episode, DJ Nik and I talk about things like celebrating the 6th anniversary of The Fandom Zone Podcast, the history of The Fandom Zone, Jesse Jackson not joining us for The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Nik stanning Sebastian Stan, TV being a great playground to develop Marvel superheroes as characters, my argument for the Captain America movies being the best superhero trilogy, Sam and Bucky stepping into the spotlight, Wyatt Russell being the son of Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn, some comics background on John Walker becoming Captain America, Joaquin Torres becoming the second Falcon, and the supervillain Flag-Smasher, the Falcon vs. Batroc in Tunisia, Joaquin fanboying over the Falcon, wondering if Steve Rogers is actually dead, Steve believing in Sam more than Sam does, Sam and his sister Sarah trying to get a loan only to be turned down, Sam refusing to sell his father's ship, wondering how the Avengers are funded, the series being about Sam realizing he's worthy to become Captain America, the three rules Bucky's supposed to follow, wondering if Bucky burned through several therapists before his current one, Bucky being friends with Yori Nakajima because Bucky murdered his son, Bucky and Leah's game of Drunk Battleship, Karli Morgenthau and the Flag-Smashers borrowing from V for Vendetta, wondering if Baron Zemo is the puppet master behind the Flag-Smashers, John Walker being announced as the new Captain America, my calling out Nik for rewatching the credits for clues over and over, the screeching Winter Soldier theme, our favorite quotes of the episode, casting for the CW's Naomi pilot based on the DC Comics series, new Fandom Zone Fanmail from Holly Mac, Rey on Facebook and Dave Proctor, how to get your own Fandom Zone t-shirt, and more!

You can now check out episodes of The Fandom Zone using...

iTunes/Apple Podcasts -- HERE
Direct Download MP3s/Libsyn -- HERE
Spotify -- HERE
Stitcher -- HERE
The Fandom Zone on Facebook -- HERE
The Fandom Zone on Twitter -- @FandomZoneCast
The Fandom Zone on Instagram -- HERE

And if that isn't enough for you, you can also check us out on YouTube, Soundcloud, and the official Southgate Media Group website!  Oh, and if you're interested in an officially official Fandom Zone Podcast t-shirt that all the cool kids are wearing, you can get those on TeePublic HERE as well!  Feel free to post a picture on our Facebook page of you or some other cool person you know wearing the shirt!

Be sure to come back next week for Episode 211 as DJ Nik and I discuss the second episode of the Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, right here on The Fandom Zone Podcast!

BATWOMAN Recasts Wallis Day as Kate Kane

 
The Scarlet Knight returns?

Deadline is reporting some details regarding "Survived Much Worse", last night's episode of The CW series Batwoman, which introduced Wallis Day as the new actress playing Kate Kane in the series.

In the episode, a bandaged and unrecognizable (but very much alive) Kate Kane turned up in the aftermath of what the show previously had teased could have been a fatal plane crash.  Now a hostage, Kate’s return didn’t reveal her face by the episode’s end.

Previously, Ruby Rose played Kate Kane/Batwoman until the end of Season One, after the season was cut short in May 2020 due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.  Rose and the show mutually agreed to part ways, with Batwoman showrunner Caroline Dries deciding against recasting and opting to replace the show's lead character with a brand-new Batwoman, Ryan Wilder, played by Javicia Leslie for the show's second season.

According to the article, Leslie's Ryan Wilder will continue to be Batwoman for Season 2, with the second half of the season "to reveal where Kate has been and what that means for her character going forward."

Day, 26, is a British actress best known as Nyssa-Vex on the Syfy series Krypton.  She's also appeared in the TV series The Royals, Jekyll & Hyde, and Hollyoaks.

Created in 1956 by Edmond Hamilton and Sheldon Moldoff, Batwoman first appeared in Detective Comics (vol.1) #233 as Kathy Kane, a wealthy heiress who gained great acrobatic skills during her career as a circus trapeze artist and stunt cyclist.  Becoming infatuated with the Batman, she fashioned herself a costume and secret hideout and started operating as Batwoman.  She upstaged Batman and his sidekick Robin in capturing crooks, but Batman eventually learned her true identity and tracked her to her secret cave hideout.  Showing her how easily it was for him to learn her identity, Batman pointed out that criminals could probably do it just as easily and tried to convince her to drop out of crime fighting.  Disobeying Batman's advice, she tried to capture mobster Curt Briggs.  During this caper, Batman went missing and Briggs, struck with amnesia, left thinking he was Batman. Ultimately the real Batman reappeared, and Biggs was turned over to the police.

Batwoman came out of retirement to aid Batgirl against Killer Moth and the Cavalier, but her return was never intended to be permanent.  Kathy Kane was then present at a surprise party for Bruce Wayne at Wayne Manor.  When Batwoman was later disintegrated into nothingness on Barbara Gordon's doorstep, Batgirl and Robin teamed-up to find the cure and restore Batwoman to her normal form.  Shortly after this, Batwoman met the Huntress from Earth-Two and aided her and Batwoman in capturing Catwoman, Poison Ivy and Madame Zodiac.  When the Freedom Fighters of Earth-X searched for a group of criminals known as the Warmakers, their search led them to the carnival owned by Kathy Kane. Kathy, as Batwoman, aided the Freedom Fighters and Batgirl in defeating the Warmakers.  In her last recorded adventure, Kathy Kane was murdered by the League of Assassins, who were being manipulated by Ra's al Ghul.  Her death was eventually avenged by Batman.

In 2006, the character was reinvented by Greg Rucka, Grant Morrison, Geoff Johns, Mark Waid, and Keith Giffen, making her debut in 52 #7 as Kate Kane.  In their early childhood, Katherine Rebecca "Kate" Kane and her sister Elizabeth "Beth" Kane were identical twins and were very close to each other.  On their twelfth birthday their military father couldn't come home so Kate and Beth were taken by their mother, Gabrielle "Gabi" Kane, to an expensive restaurant for chocolate and waffles, their favorite dish.  On the way to the restaurant, a group of gunmen attacked the family and took them hostage, killing their bodyguard in the process.  After learning of her family's kidnapping, Kate's father, Colonel Jacob "Jake" Kane, led a rescue mission to save his captured family, which ended with Kate's mother executed and Beth apparently killed after being caught in the crossfire between the kidnappers and soldiers.

Years later, Kate attended the United States Military Academy, West Point, where she received excellent grades and ranked at the top of her class.  However, when it was alleged that she was in a lesbian relationship with another student, Kate's commanding officer asked her to disavow the allegation.  Telling the officer that she refused to lie and violate the code of the Academy, Kate admitted to being lesbian and was forced to leave the school.  When she confronted her father with the news, he supported her and affirmed that she upheld her honor and integrity.  She then moved back to Gotham City, where she attended college and pursued a wild social lifestyle, consisting of parties and tattoos.  Kate was eventually pulled over for speeding by a young Renee Montoya, who was just a traffic cop at this point.  The two dated for several months but broke up following a fight where Kate berated Renee for keeping her sexuality hidden from her colleagues and family.  While attempting to call Renee and apologize for her behavior, Kate was attacked by a mugger who wanted her wallet and cell phone.  Using her military training, Kate easily defeated the criminal just as Batman arrived and helped her off the ground.  She was fixated by the Bat Signal as Batman departed the scene.

Inspired by her encounter with Batman, Kate began fighting crime using military body armor and weaponry stolen from her father's military base.  After being confronted by Jake, Kate accepted his offer for assistance and began an intense two years of training across the globe with her father's military friends.  Upon returning to Gotham, Kate discovered that her father has created a Batsuit for her, along with an arsenal of experimental weaponry based on Batman's known gadgetry and a bunker hidden in the Kane home.  She soon adopted the identity of Batwoman and was soon accepted as a member of the Batman family.

Batwoman airs Sunday nights on The CW.

NEXT STOP EVERYWHERE 223: "Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D." Is Up!

 
"See, with everything else, Susie, there's always an answer to be found, if only you dig deep enough."
-- Dr. Who, Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D.

Hello again, everyone!  I'm back with a new episode of Next Stop Everywhere: The Doctor Who Podcast!  In this episode, my Partner in Time Jesse Jackson and I are joined by special guest companion DJ Nik from The Fandom Zone Podcast to discuss Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D., the second Dr. Who feature film from 1966 directed by Gordon Flemyng, featuring Peter Cushing as Dr. Who, Bernard Cribbins as Tom Campbell, Roberta Tovey as Susan, and Jill Curzon as Louise!

In this episode, Jesse, Nik and I discuss things like recording on St. Patrick's Day, discussing Dr. Who and the Daleks way back in our 27th episode, Nik being a huge fan of Peter Cushing, Jesse seeing the movie for the first time, how the movie looks on Blu-Ray, Peter Cushing's Dr. Who having a Jon Pertwee's Third Doctor vibe, the movie being very loosely based on the Hartnell Era story "The Dalek Invasion of Earth", wondering why Dr. Who's niece Louise replaced Barbara from the first film, the movie being DWINO (Doctor Who In Name Only), the movie being a late-night popcorn flick, Peter Cushing's autobiography, Bernard Cribbins as Wilfred Mott, Doctor Who veteran guest star Philip Madoc, Amicus Productions buying the option to make three Dalek-related movies from Terry Nation and the BBC for just £500, the scrapped plans to adapt "The Chase" into a third Dr. Who movie, the first use of "rels" as a Dalek time measurement, the need to eliminate the romance between David and Susan from "The Dalek Invasion of Earth", Amicus Productions trying to capitalize on the Dalekmania fad, needing to not pay attention that Dr. Who is from Earth and isn't a Time Lord, Nik being in the mood for cheese, Louise having zero contribution to the plot, Tom's introduction as a new companion, Tom pretending to be one of the Robomen, Andrew Weir as Wyler, Brockley the smug opportunist inevitably getting betrayed by the Daleks, British actors taking acting more seriously than American actors, my not being impressed with the Daleks' plan to destroy the Earths' core and pilot the Earth around like a giant spacecraft, the flying saucer's destruction resembling an Ed Wood movie, waiting for Susan to steal the loaf of bread, my Reverse the Polarity segment, new feedback from Holly Mac, my support for Special K and Froot Loops breakfast cereals, and more!

If you'd like to check out our latest episode, you can find us on...

Apple Podcasts -- RIGHT HERE
Direct MP3 downloads/Libsyn -- RIGHT HERE
Spotify -- RIGHT HERE
Stitcher -- RIGHT HERE

Next Stop Everywhere's Facebook page

Next Stop Everywhere's Twitter account

Next Stop Everywhere's Instagram account

We have a NEW Next Stop Everywhere t-shirt with our current logo, which you can find on TeePublic right HERE!  This spiffy new shirt looks great when you're listening to your favorite Doctor Who podcast and travelling through time and space!  Or your could order all sorts of cool Next Stop Everywhere merch there as well!

And hey, if you'd like to pick up our classic logo Next Stop Everywhere t-shirt, you can also find it on TeePublic right HERE!  Help support the show and feel free to post pictures on our Facebook page of you or some other cool person you know wearing the shirt!

Be sure to come back next week, as Jesse and I are joined by returning special guest companion Thom Zahler to discuss "The Time of Angels" & "Flesh and Stone", the fourth and fifth episodes of Doctor Who Series Five from 2010, featuring Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor, Karen Gillan as Amy Pond, and the return of the Weeping Angels and Alex Kingston as River Song!

THE FANDOM ZONE 209: "Superman & Lois" Is Up!

 
"Cool costume."
"Thanks.  My mom made it for me."
-- Young Boy and Superman, Superman & Lois: "Pilot"

Hello again, everyone!  It's time for another new episode of The Fandom Zone Podcast!  This time, my co-hosts Jesse Jackson, DJ Nik and I discuss "Pilot", "Heritage" and "The Perks of Not Being a Wallflower", the first three episodes of the CW series Superman & Lois, featuring Tyler Hoechlin as Superman/Clark Kent, Elizabeth Tulloch as Lois Lane, Jordan Elsass as Jonathan Kent, and Alex Garfin as Jordan Kent!

In this episode, Jesse, DJ Nik and I talk about things like praising Rao that Superman & Lois didn't suck, Nik being able to talk Superman with his rabbi, my identifying with Superman, getting the same hopeful vibe watching the Superman & Lois pilot in 2021 like watching the Smallville pilot after the events of September 11th, Jesse being old enough to remember Superboy in Silver Age comics, J. Michael Straczynski talking about how much Superman influenced him, my writing as Clark Kent and Lois Lane for a DC Comics insert with the Smallville: The Complete Series DVD set, my having a Superman logo license plate, Nik's mum telling him to be less like Clark Kent and more like Superman, Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch returning as Superman and Lois Lane, some comics background on Jon Kent, the pilot's homage to the cover of Action Comics (vol.1) #1 and the Fleischer Studios animated Superman costume, the decision to kill off Ma and Pa Kent, the son becoming the father and the father becoming the son, Ma Kent being the savior of Smallville, Clark admitting to his sons that he's Superman, the introduction of Captain Luthor, the Kents adjusting to life in Smallville, the new Fortress of Solitude desktop theme, Jor-El as Hologramps, Lois calling out Morgan Edge at the city council meeting, Captain Luthor seeing himself as the hero to stop Superman from becoming Evil Injustice Superman, Jordan discovering he has superpowers, Subjekt-11 vs. Subjekt-17 from the comics, Jesse bailing on us for another podcast, Michelle Gomez being cast as Madame Rouge on Doom Patrol, Batman (1966)'s stunt casting, new Fandom Zone Fanmail from Holly Mac, our upcoming reviews of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and more!

You can now check out episodes of The Fandom Zone using...

iTunes/Apple Podcasts -- HERE
Direct Download MP3s/Libsyn -- HERE
Spotify -- HERE
Stitcher -- HERE
The Fandom Zone on Facebook -- HERE
The Fandom Zone on Twitter -- @FandomZoneCast
The Fandom Zone on Instagram -- HERE

And if that isn't enough for you, you can also check us out on YouTube, Soundcloud, and the official Southgate Media Group website!  Oh, and if you're interested in an officially official Fandom Zone Podcast t-shirt that all the cool kids are wearing, you can get those on TeePublic HERE as well!  Feel free to post a picture on our Facebook page of you or some other cool person you know wearing the shirt!

Be sure to come back next week for Episode 210 as DJ Nik and I discuss the first episode of the Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, right here on The Fandom Zone Podcast!

GHOSTWOOD 094: "On the Air: The Lester Guy Show" Is Up!

 
"She's not a dim bulb, she's a blown-out fuse."
-- Bud E. Budwaller, On the Air: "The Lester Guy Show"

It is happening again...My co-host with the most Xan Sprouse and I are back with a new episode of Ghostwood: The Twin Peaks Podcast!  In this episode, we discuss "The Lester Guy Show", the pilot episode of the short-lived ABC sitcom On the Air from 1992, directed by David Lynch and introducing Ian Buchanan as Lester Guy, Miguel Ferrer as Bud E. Budwaller, David L. Lander as Valdja Gochktch, and Tracey Walter as Billy "Blinky" Watts!

LET'S ROCK!

In this episode, Xan and I discuss things like Xan challenging me to come up with a good movie she hasn't seen, my not having seen On the Air for almost 30 years, how Xan and I recorded and labelled VHS tapes back in the day, networks not airing sitcoms at 10 o'clock, the old comedy trope of making fun of foreigners who can't speak English properly, America not cornering the market on xenophobia, Lester Guy drinking a low-rent Screwdriver, Marvin Kaplan as Uncle Pooch in Wild at Heart, the Six Degrees of Jack Nance, Teri Copley in the '80s sitcom We Got It Made, Xan identifying with Ruth Trueworthy, conjoined twins The Hurry-Up Twins, Snaps the dog being dragged against will to eat Wellbee Snaps dog food, the Zoblotnick Hotline Phone, Betty singing "The Bird in the Tree", Mark Frost and David Lynch essentially dropping Dick Tremayne and Albert Rosenfield into On the Air, whether On the Air is in the same fictional TV universe as Twin Peaks, physical comedy being a lost art, television changing with the M*A*S*H chicken episode, the Robert Redford film Quiz Show, Night Court bringing in oddballs of the week, why On the Air probably wouldn't have lasted long even if it wasn't buried by ABC, David Lynch being willing to step out of his comfort zone, everyone hating Chad, my being jealous of Xan's memory, and more!

If you'd like to check out our latest episode, you can find us on...

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Be sure to come back in two weeks for Episode 095, as Xan and I discuss "Episode 1.3", the second aired episode of On the Air from 1992, featuring Ian Buchanan as Lester Guy, Miguel Ferrer as Bud Budwaller, David L. Lander as Valdja Gochktch, and Tracey Walter as Billy "Blinky" Watts!

NEXT STOP EVERYWHERE 222: "The Impossible Planet" Is Up!

"Gravity schmavity, my people practically invented the black hole.  Well, in fact, they did."
-- The Tenth Doctor, Doctor Who: "The Impossible Planet"

Hello again, everyone!  I'm back with a new episode of Next Stop Everywhere: The Doctor Who Podcast!  In this episode, my Partner in Time Jesse Jackson and I are joined by special guest companion Hannah Skorapa to discuss "The Impossible Planet" & "The Satan Pit", the eighth & ninth episodes from Doctor Who Series Two in 2006, featuring David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor, Billie Piper as Rose Tyler, Gabriel Woolf as the voice of The Beast, and the first appearance of the Ood!

In this episode, Jesse, Hannah and I discuss things like Series Two being underrated, the Sanctuary Base being based on the Nostromo from the movie Alien, Hannah being sabotaged by her DVD player, the Tenth Doctor geeking out over humans, Gabriel Woolf as Sutekh the Destroyer in "Pyramids of Mars", the early draft of the script featuring Raxacoricofallapatorians instead of the Ood, the Ood being similiar to the Sensorites, Billie Piper's final scene playing Rose as a regular companion, the Doctor wanting deep, deep down to be a human instead of a Time Lord, Rose wanting an open concept floor plan, wondering why the Doctor didn't just drop something into the pit and listen for how much farther it was to reach the bottom, Jesse not buying that the Doctor would fall in love with a human, not knowing anything about the Doctor's partner or Susan's parents, Jesse needing to listen to a Sixth Doctor Big Finish audio with Evelyn Smythe, the Doctor being science-based and not subscribing any particular reason, the ambiguity over whether The Beast is actually The Devil, why Rose should've been comfortable being separated from the Doctor, Scooti being a total Redshirt, the greatness of Toby grinning evilly as he kills Scooti, the introduction of the Ood, the Sanctuary Base crew being totally cool with the idea of the Ood being their slaves, the TARDIS not being cool with The Beast's presence and/or the black hole, our Grinning Toby Zed impressions, Hannah being really creeped out by Grinning Toby Zed, our favorite quotes of the episode, my Reverse the Polarity segment, new feedback from Holly Mac and Dave Proctor, an update of Hannah's continuing education, Bernard Cribbins appearing in the movie Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D., and more!

If you'd like to check out our latest episode, you can find us on...

Apple Podcasts -- RIGHT HERE
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We have a NEW Next Stop Everywhere t-shirt with our current logo, which you can find on TeePublic right HERE!  This spiffy new shirt looks great when you're listening to your favorite Doctor Who podcast and travelling through time and space!  Or your could order all sorts of cool Next Stop Everywhere merch there as well!

And hey, if you'd like to pick up our classic logo Next Stop Everywhere t-shirt, you can also find it on TeePublic right HERE!  Help support the show and feel free to post pictures on our Facebook page of you or some other cool person you know wearing the shirt!

Be sure to come back next week, as Jesse and I are joined by returning special guest companion DJ Nik to discuss Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D., the second Dr. Who feature film from 1966, starring Peter Cushing as Dr. Who, Roberta Tovey as Susan, Bernard Cribbins as Tom Campbell, and Jill Curzon as Louise!

DOOM PATROL Casts Michelle Gomez as Madame Rouge

 
Hopefully, the Doom Patrol remembers to say something nice.

Deadline is reporting that the HBO Max series Doom Patrol, based on the DC Comics superteam, has cast Michelle Gomez as the supervillain Madame Rouge.

According to the article, Gomez will be a series regular for the show's upcoming third season, with Madame Rouge described as "the DC Universe’s complicated and electrifying eccentric, who arrives at Doom Manor with a very specific mission…if only she could remember it."

Madame Rouge's introduction also hints at the appearance of the Doom Patrol's archenemies the Brotherhood of Evil, which included Madame Rouge as a member.  Previously, the Season 1 episode "Penultimate Patrol", featured a flashback to the 1940s with Eric Morden, the future Mr. Nobody, telling his girlfriend Milly that he was fired from the Brotherhood of Evil by The Brain and replaced with an intelligent, French gorilla (Monsieur Mallah).

Gomez, 54, is best known as Missy, the first female incarnation of The Master, on the BBC series Doctor Who, and as Lilith/Madam Satan on the Netflix series Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.  She's also appeared in episodes of Gotham, The Flight Attendant, DuckTales (2020), Bad Education, and Highlander: The Raven.

Created in 1964 by Arnold Drake and Bruno Premiani, Madame Rouge first appeared in Doom Patrol (vol.1) #86 as Laura De Mille, a French stage actress.  After an automobile accident, she developed a dual good/evil split personality.  At this point, she attracted the notice of The Brain and his associate Monsieur Mallah.  With Mallah's help, the Brain performed surgery on De Mille that was, from his perspective, successful, sublimating her good personality and allowing her evil personality to remain dominant.  As Madame Rouge, De Mille became the only female member of the Brotherhood of Evil, and assisted the Brotherhood in its continuing conflicts against the Doom Patrol.  At first, Madame Rouge was simply a master of disguise; subsequent surgery by the Brain eventually gave her the ability to alter her appearance and stretch her limbs.

Later, Rouge's split personality manifested again, with her good personality occasionally appearing.  Rouge was romantically linked to the Doom Patrol's leader, Niles Caulder, The Chief, who was able to help Rouge overcome her evil side and ally with the Doom Patrol.  Ultimately, Rouge's mind reverted to its evil state, causing her to seek vengeance against both the Brotherhood of Evil and the Doom Patrol for their previous interference.  She was apparently successful in murdering both groups.

Years later, surviving Doom Patrol member Robotman and the Teen Titans tracked down Rouge and her ally, General Zahl.  Beast Boy (then known as Changeling) killed Rouge, although at the moment of her death, her good side apparently manifested.  She forgave Changeling and called to Niles, her apparent true love.

Gomez will be the first actress to portray Madame Rouge in live-action, although the character has appeared in the animated series Teen Titans and Teen Titans Go! (voiced by Hynden Walch), and the DC Nation Doom Patrol animated short "The Spy Within the Doom Patrol" (voiced by Debra Wilson).

Doom Patrol is expected to return to HBO Max for Season 3 sometime in late 2021.

THE FANDOM ZONE 208: "The Series Finale" Is Up!

 
"Wanda, I know we can't stay like this, but before I go, I feel I must know -- What am I?"
"You, Vision, are the piece of the Mind Stone that lives in me.  You are a body of wires and blood and bone that I created.  You are my sadness and my hope.  But mostly, you're my love."
"I have been a voice with no body.  A body, but not human.  And now a memory made real. Who knows what I might be next?  We have said goodbye before, so it stands to reason..."
"We'll say hello again."
-- The Vision and Wanda Maximoff, WandaVision: "The Series Finale"

Hello again, everyone!  It's time for another new episode of The Fandom Zone Podcast!  This time, my co-hosts Jesse Jackson, DJ Nik and I discuss "The Series Finale", the final episode of the Disney+ series WandaVision, featuring Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff, Paul Bettany as The Vision, Kathryn Hahn as Agatha Harkness, and Teyonah Parris as Captain Monica Rambeau!

In this episode, Jesse, DJ Nik and I talk about things like Jesse watching the finale before work, wondering if the ending would've been better as a standalone series without the bonus scenes, fans setting themselves up for disappointment with their own theories and fan expectations, wondering why fans go after actors when they don't like an episode instead of writers and directors, some comics background on The Darkhold, the 1968 story "Even an Android Can Cry" from The Avengers (vol.1) #58, The Incredibles, Wanda and Agatha's witch battle, Wanda's punishment for Agatha, Wanda becoming the Scarlet Witch and getting a new costume, the nod to the Wicked Witch of the East's boots, Kathryn Hahn needing an Emmy as well, Vision and White Vision discussing the Ship of Theseus, the great dramatic tension of the Red Wave, Wanda hitting the Acceptance stage in the Five Stages of Grief, the important final scene between Wanda and Monica, the letdown of Fake Pietro being revealed as Ralph Bohner, my frustration with the lack of accountability for Wanda destroying the lives of the Westview citizens, wondering why Jesse pays attention to miserable people, our favorite quotes of the episode, new Fandom Zone Fanmail from Rey Gesmundo, Holly Mac, David K. Proctor and Chris from Colorado, our plans to discuss the first three episodes of Superman & Lois, and more!

You can now check out episodes of The Fandom Zone using...

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And if that isn't enough for you, you can also check us out on YouTube, Soundcloud, and the official Southgate Media Group website!  Oh, and if you're interested in an officially official Fandom Zone Podcast t-shirt that all the cool kids are wearing, you can get those on TeePublic HERE as well!  Feel free to post a picture on our Facebook page of you or some other cool person you know wearing the shirt!

Be sure to come back next week for Episode 209 as Jesse, DJ Nik and I discuss the first three episodes of the new CW series Superman & Lois, right here on The Fandom Zone Podcast!

DRUNK CINEMA 007: "Goldfinger" Is Up!

 
"Do you expect me to talk?"
"No, Mr. Bond...I expect you to die!"
-- James Bond and Auric Goldfinger, Goldfinger

Hey there, movie fans!  My wonderful co-host Xan Sprouse and I are back with a new episode of Drunk Cinema!  This time, we reopen the Drunk Cinema Theater to watch Goldfinger, the 1964 James Bond series espionage film, directed by Guy Hamilton and featuring Sean Connery as James Bond, Honor Blackman as Pussy Galore, Gert Fröbe as Auric Goldfinger, and Harold Sakata as Oddjob!

In this seventh episode, Xan and I discuss things like Xan mindmelding with her toilet bowl after our last episode, the Swedish Chef making Xan laugh so hard she can't breathe, Honor Blackman appearing in the Doctor Who story "Terror of the Vervoids", Gert Fröbe as Baron Bomburst in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, our favorite James Bond themes, Burt Kwouk as Cato Fong in the Pink Panther movies, Goldfinger's popularity creating the 1960s spy movie phenomenon, Bond's black humor puns, Goldfinger cheating at cards, Shirley Eaton as Jill Masterson, wondering how Jill's corpse was placed on the bed without dripping golden paint on the sheets, the first time Xan saw Ralph Fiennes, Pinky and the Brain being thwarted by the atomic weight of gold, the Aston Martin DB5, the Get Smart shoe gag, Goldfinger's Rolls-Royce Phantom III made of gold, the importance of seat belts, Tilly looking for revenge for her dead sister Jill, Toonces the Driving Cat, Pussy Galore being a good name for a lesbian, wondering how Bond's suit stays perfectly pressed after being in a suitcase, Goldfinger paying $10 million tomorrow for crime today, Goldfinger's plan to make the United States gold reserve radioactive to drive up the price of his gold, my Dad being stationed at Fort Knox army base in the '50s, the convenient atomic bomb loading cart, Harold Sakata getting badly burned during Oddjob's electrocution scene, Goldfinger getting a reverse enema, our tenative plan to discuss Forbidden Planet, circulating the links, and more!

If you'd like to check out our podcast and subscribe to us, you can find us on...

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Be sure to come back in two weeks for Episode 008, as Xan and I watch Forbidden Planet, the 1956 science fiction film directed by Fred M. Wilcox and featuring Walter Pidgeon as Dr. Edward Morbius, Anne Francis as Altaira "Alta" Morbius, Leslie Nielsen as Commander John J. Adams, and Frankie Darro as Robby the Robot!