The Incomparable AAC Feed

The Incomparable 80: Khan Film Festival

Jason Snell — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 04:15:00 GMT

Continuing our assembly of the Incomparable Film Festival! We fill out our list of 35 classic films for imaginary display to imaginary crowds. Find out our final 21 (or is it 22?) choices! Then vote for your favorites. (Part 2 of 2.)

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This episode is sponsored by AppsFire and MailChimp.

The Incomparable 79: Everything Sounds Beautiful in German

Jason Snell — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 18:00:00 GMT

We’re creating the Incomparable Film Festival! Each day for a week, one of us will introduce five films (to be screened at an imaginary location not to be determined). To prevent duplication of selections, our seven participants will choose favorite films in a draft format. When all is said and done, 35 classic movies will be chosen by our panel of geeks. (Part 1 of 2.)

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This episode is sponsored by Sponsor 5by5.

The Incomparable 78: Clones and Telepaths vs. Love

Jason Snell — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 19:30:00 GMT

Our Comic Book Club gets in a romantic mood with a discussion of comic-book romances—the (very) few that have stood the test of time and the (very) many that have been thwarted by clones, telepaths, cloned telepaths, and—worst of all—Satan’s Annulment. Also, what are we reading?

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This episode is sponsored by Smile, Sourcebits, and Shopify.

The Incomparable 77: Women's Libber

Jason Snell — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 02:00:00 GMT

Step through your time portal, buy some cheap 1950s hamburger, and prepare for our discussion of Stephen King’s new novel 11/22/63. How does a 21st century man react to the racism and sexism of the south in the mid-20th century? Would the world have been a better place if Kennedy hadn’t been assassinated? Is Canada really eyeing the state of Maine anxiously? Like the book, we have some—but not all—of the answers.

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This episode is sponsored by FreshBooks and MailChimp.

The Incomparable 76: Robert Redford's Foot

Jason Snell — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 05:45:00 GMT

Live from the Macworld |iWorld Live Stage, it’s a discussion of our favorite (and least favorite) uses of technology in movies, TV shows, books, and more.

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Video version on YouTube courtesy Macworld

This episode is sponsored by Sponsor 5by5.

The Incomparable 75: My Gazebox is Full of Menhirs

Jason Snell — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 20:00:00 GMT

Go north, get lamp, and check your inventory, as guest host Greg Knauss takes you on a journey into the world of interactive fiction, also known as “text adventures.” Did families in the ’80s really sit around the Apple II playing “Mystery House?” Will saving a game really erase your floppy disc? Listen if you dare, but watch out for grues!

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This episode is sponsored by Vidmeup and Stripe.

The Incomparable 74: I'm Definitely Not a Girl

Jason Snell — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 22:30:00 GMT

It’s fun for the whole family, as we discuss some of our favorite movies for kids (and their parents). Did we really recommend an animated movie from Dreamworks? And a movie with Melanie Griffith? And a German fantasy film? Well, yes, but you’ll have to listen to find out which ones.

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This episode is sponsored by Harvest and Rackspace.

The Incomparable 73: Ugh - A 2011 Clip Show

Jason Snell — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 00:30:00 GMT

We bid farewell to 2011 by listing the favorite things we inhaled into our brains during the past year. We also recall our favorite podcast moments, read a whole bunch of listener comments, and more. (Although this is a clip show, two-thirds of the running time is actually original material!)

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This episode is sponsored by MailChimp and Shopify.

The Incomparable 72: The Screams of Trees

Jason Snell — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 06:00:00 GMT

All hail the power of motherhood! We discuss this year’s “Doctor Who” Christmas special, “The Doctor, the Widow, and the Wardrobe.” Plus, why Christmas episodes make us feel warm inside, and the amazing scanner-blocking powers of wool!

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The Incomparable #18: Christmas with the Doctor

This episode is sponsored by Shopify.

The Incomparable 71: The Holiday Movie Vault

Jason Snell — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 17:30:00 GMT

Grab some eggnog and hitch up your reindeer! It’s time to put six holiday films in the Incomparable Film Vault! We discuss some beloved classics and offer a few surprise choices that redefine what “holiday” and “film” actually mean. What is a realistic depiction of Santa? Is Bill Murray’s best Scrooge not actually in “Scrooged”? Has Clarence the angel left a trail of dead bodies behind him? Is Kris Kringle the original Apple Genius? Happy holidays, everyone!

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This episode is sponsored by Sponsor 5by5.

The Incomparable 70: At the Time, They Were Just Average Height

Jason Snell — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 18:00:00 GMT

It turns out we all like They Might Be Giants! So we did an entire episode about geeky music. We pick favorite TMBG songs, and then bring up some other geeky tracks we love by Fountains of Wayne, Moxy Früvous, and “Weird Al” Yankovic.

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This episode is sponsored by Squarespace and Smile.

The Incomparable 69: Love Conquers All, But So Do Guns

Jason Snell — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:00:00 GMT

Break out your gaming laptop and pass the ammunition: It’s time to discuss Neal Stephenson’s “REAMDE.” Why does the book’s plot take a hard left turn halfway through? Why does Stephenson struggle to write endings—and does he succeed this time? Is this book about family, the victory of the outsider, or blowing things up? (Can’t it be all three?)

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This episode is sponsored by Squarespace and Smile.

The Incomparable 68: Jedi Weekend

Jason Snell — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 19:45:00 GMT

Gather some bounty hunters and warm up the carbon freezer! It’s time for the conclusion of our epic discussion of “The Empire Strikes Back.” We dissect the evolution of the Han-Leia relationship, the truly playful nature of Yoda and the importance of Dagobah, Vader’s agenda and his crunchy gloves, and Luke’s continuing adventures with garbage.

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This episode is sponsored by United Pixelworkers and MailChimp.

The Incomparable 67: Darth Vader's Office is Really Weird

Jason Snell — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 16:00:00 GMT

Launch your probe droids and cut open your tauntaun! It’s time for part one of our two-part discussion of “The Empire Strikes Back.” Does Han Solo just want to be loved? Is Chewie sabotaging the Falcon on purpose? Why is snowy Hoth the setting? Why is Ben Kenobi a man of few words? Who’s scruffy-lookin’? And what is the purpose for Darth Vader’s clamshell office, anyway?

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This episode is sponsored by United Pixelworkers and MailChimp.

The Incomparable 66: Regular People Like Us

Jason Snell — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 17:15:00 GMT

Ernest Cline’s “Ready Player One” is a sci-fi novel that’s chock full of references to 1980s culture. But is it a good book, or are the references all that it’s got going for it? What will John Hughes movies be like in the future? And what do Cline, P.G. Wodehouse, and Umberto Eco have in common?

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Discuss the episode and buy the book on theincomparable.com

This episode is sponsored by Shopify and Squarespace.

The Incomparable 65: Maine is Purgatory

Jason Snell — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 18:30:00 GMT

A new TV season is here! We analyze the new shows, plus some returning favorites. Among our targets: Revenge, Homeland, Terra Nova, Once Upon a Time, Grimm, Person of Interest, American Horror Story, Ringer, A Gifted Man, Boss, and returning shows The Walking Dead, Fringe, Community, Supernatural, Haven, and Dexter. Also: Why does Scott McNulty think every show is Prime Suspect?

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Discuss on theincomparable.com

This episode is sponsored by Bare Bones and MailChimp.

The Incomparable 64: Ghosts Cause Cancer

Jason Snell — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 19:00:00 GMT

When you want to get in the Halloween spirit, who you gonna call? Join us in celebrating 1984’s supernatural comedy classic, “Ghostbusters.” Are ghosts a serious environmental hazard requiring the intervention of the EPA? Why do the Ghostbusters transform from college professors into blue-collar plumbers when they put on their jump suits? Is Roasted Terror Dog with Human Nougat the worst candy ever devised? And which one of our panelists attended a cat-themed bat mitzvah in the same ballroom destroyed by the Ghostbusters?

This episode is sponsored by Sponsor 5by5.

The Incomparable 63: Like a Good Book Exploded

Jason Snell — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 16:45:00 GMT

Is “The Wise Man’s Fear” a rich fantasy novel about storytelling and myth-making, or is it a collection of good story elements scattered across an overlong plot? Could it be both? Ninjas! Off-camera shipwrecks! Board games! Sexism! Off-camera courtroom drama! Discursions within digressions within framing sequences! Join us as we discuss yet another 1000-page fantasy novel, the sequel to “The Name of the Wind.”

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This episode is sponsored by Squarespace and TinyLetter.

The Incomparable 62: The Pig is Chekhov's Gun

Jason Snell — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 19:15:00 GMT

We discuss “A Dance With Dragons,” the latest 1000-page installment in George R.R. Martin’s bestselling “Song of Ice and Fire” fantasy series. Is this series going to end well? Which parts of this book were good, and which just treaded water? Would adding Klingons have helped? Why are trees the Westeros equivalent of security cameras? These are the sorts of questions you ask deep in the middle of a long fantasy series.

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This episode is sponsored by Sourcebits, Handelabra Studio, and Shopify.

The Incomparable 59: Flitting is in (TV Fantasy Pitches)

Jason Snell — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 23:45:00 GMT

We conclude our TV Fantasy Draft with the unveiling of our series pitches. Vampire and ghost detectives! Star Trek meets the West Wing! A sitcom starring a robot and an omnipotent being! A gritty techno-drama. A psychedelic drama set on a Zeppelin! And John Siracusa’s pitch seems awfully familiar somehow.

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Leave your comments about this episode at theincomparable.com.

This episode is sponsored by Sponsor 5by5.

The Incomparable 54: Put on this Mask and Strut for Mama

Jason Snell — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 19:00:00 GMT

Strap on your jet pack and locate your pet monkey! Our Comic Book Club reconvenes to discuss works by writer Brian K. Vaughan, who excels at the high-concept premise. In the spotlight: “Runaways,” “Y: The Last Man,” and “Ex Machina.” With plenty of digressions along the way, about feminism, parenting, sexism, and (once again) how hard it is to write an ending.

This episode is sponsored by Field Notes, Audible, and thoughtbot.

The Incomparable 51: Zombie Marmaduke (Hugo Awards 2011)

Jason Snell — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

We read the 2011 Hugo nominees for Best Novel. Sit back and enjoy our reviews of “Blackout/All Clear,” “Cryoburn,” “The Dervish House,” “Feed,” and “The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms.” Plus, we recommend a few of the nominated short stories.

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This episode is sponsored by easyDNS and Campaign Monitor .

The Incomparable 43: Mulder and Pacey in "The F-Files"

Jason Snell — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 18:00:00 GMT

Everybody’s got an adorable parallel-universe nickname — The Walternate! Flauxlivia! Pacey! — on the always unpredictable Fox sci-fi show Fringe. Sure, it’s no Lost (nor X-Files, nor “Enemy Within”) but it’s got its charms, including high-speed pregnancy, Leonard Nimoy impressions and cast members from “The Wire” not being given enough interesting things to do.

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Show notes at theincomparable.com

This episode is sponsored by Rackspace and Shopify.

The Incomparable 37: Shadow War of the Night Dragons

Jason Snell — Mon, 09 May 2011 18:00:00 GMT

Our Book Club discusses the works of sci-fi writer John Scalzi, including “Old Man’s War.” We also talk about “The Forever War” and many other books. We play the “new author remakes classic novel” game we just invented. Find out why Dan says “Ce Podcast est Fini!” And stay after the end to learn Jason’s secret plan to create a terrible sci-fi trilogy.

This episode is sponsored by FreshBooks and OmniGroup: OmniFocus.

The Incomparable 35: The Only Way to Win the Game of Thrones is Not to Play

Jason Snell — Sun, 01 May 2011 18:00:00 GMT

Everybody wants to rule the world, er, kingdom of Westeros. As the “Game of Thrones” series continues on HBO, we discuss the source material: George R.R. Martin’s bestselling “Song of Ice and Fire” books. If you haven’t read the books, you will be spoiled! We’ll post the climactic resolution of this podcast in about five years, so invest your time wisely.

This episode is sponsored by Sponsor 5by5.

The Incomparable 34: The Wrath of James Caan

Jason Snell — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 18:00:00 GMT

Based on the best-selling novel! Inspired by HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” in this episode we discuss the translation of books to the screen. Should movies be faithful to the book? Is it better if filmmmakers take liberties? And what books do we wish would be made into movies? If you don’t want to listen to this episode, just buy the novelization.

This episode is sponsored by Audible and MailChimp.

The Incomparable 33: "I Drank What?"

Jason Snell — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 18:00:00 GMT

The lesson learned? Never share anything you love with John Siracusa. Like, for example, “Real Genius.” Or any ’80s movie. Or any ’80s anything. Or from-any-other-time anything. Fear John Siracusa, for he is the destroyer of dreams.

This episode is sponsored by Audible and MailChimp.

The Incomparable 24: My Word as Vorkosigan

Jason Snell — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 19:00:00 GMT

Dive through a wormhole to defend the honor of the Imperium! We discuss Lois McMaster Bujold’s Vorkosigan series of novels, which we really can’t recommend highly enough. It’s swashbuckling Sci-Fi adventure with some great characters and a big canvas. And you can read most of them for free!

This episode is sponsored by MailChimp and Sourcebits.

The Incomparable 19: This Podcast Never Existed

Jason Snell — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 19:00:00 GMT

Hop in your time machine and listen to our latest Book Club installment—and then be sure to travel back and prevent the podcast from having ever been recorded, because time travel is tricky like that. We discuss “How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe” and other time travel books we have liked.

This episode is sponsored by Sponsor 5by5.

The Incomparable 12: He Who Controls Mr. Peanut Controls the World

Jason Snell — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 02:00:00 GMT

Discussing Joss Whedon, from Buffy to Firefly (to the Avengers?) and everything in between. What’s the appeal? What are our favorite episodes? Why did Firefly die young and leave a great-looking corpse?

This episode is sponsored by Sponsor 5by5.

The Incomparable 11: To Be Continued?

Jason Snell — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 19:00:00 GMT

Three Hugo winners enter our Book Club. “Spin” by Robert Charles Wilson, “Hyperion” by Dan Simmons, and “The Yiddish Policeman’s Union” by Michael Chabon. Also: Why sequels suck.

This episode is sponsored by Sponsor 5by5.

The Incomparable 9: Get the Bone Saw!

Jason Snell — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 18:00:00 GMT

Get ready for halloween with this discussion of horror and scary movies. Plus, a neglected horror classic.

This episode is sponsored by Sponsor 5by5.

The Incomparable 8: Top Men

Jason Snell — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 18:00:00 GMT

“Raiders of the Lost Ark,” and why it’s so great. Also, “Star Wars” comes up a few times.

This episode is sponsored by Sponsor 5by5.

The Incomparable 6: Go Ahead, Lisa, Destroy My Childhood

Jason Snell — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 18:00:00 GMT

Comic Book Club returns! This week we talk about TV adaptations of comic books, TV shows inspired by comic books, comic books that would make good TV shows, and more. Plus, random discussion of X-Men Annuals, the Micronauts, and why Reed Richards is a douche (in X-Men Annual #5, anyway).

This episode is sponsored by Sponsor 5by5.