Shows
After Lunch365 | After Dinner Lounge – How Could We Make This Podcast Better?Pax, Rob, and Michael talk about autograph collecting, Thunderbolts*, podcast wives, the podcast Heist with Michael Caine, the Goldie Vance graphic novels by Hope Larson and Brittney Williams, and more Sherlock Holmes. And Michael's son David stops by to talk about the One Piece manga and other things.2025-05-263h 44
Grey Matter with Michael KrasnyIlliberal Nationalism, What Trump and Putin Share, and the Russia Reset With Former Ambassador Michael McFaulMichael McFaul, Obama's Ambassador to Russia, tells Michael Krasny a new cold war is shaping up in a kind of three way with China, Russia and the U.S. as main players. While the geopolitical dynamics are familiar, the stand-off between autocratic regimes and the self actualizing west is different.Grey Matter host Dr. Krasny got specific. How does Trump's tilt toward Russia explain what’s going on? What about the Ukrainian mining deal? Is it the key to Ukrainian security?Ambassador McFaul spoke of liberalism and illiberalism and the effect of sanctions on Russia, in...2025-05-1358 minAfter Lunch358 | The Original Atomic Geeks Episode – Monkey, Robot, or Michael CaineFollowing up on our C2E2 conversation about things that could be improved by monkeys, robots, or Michael Caine, please enjoy this special rerun of the first time that topic appeared on the Atomic Geeks podcast. With special thanks to Carlin Trammel for the idea and Christian Nielsen for the audio and permission.2025-04-281h 06After Lunch357 | C2E2 Special – Monkey, Robot, Michael CaineYou don't put Christian Nielsen, Michael DiGiovanni, Carlin Trammel, Shawn Robare, William Bruce West, Rob Graham, Michael May, Jeeg, and Paxton Holley in a room together and not record a podcast. While at C2E2, the group (minus Jeff Somogyi who sadly was not feeling well that evening) gathered in Christian and DiGio's hotel room to revive the classic Atomic Geeks topic: "Monkey, Robot, Michael Caine." Each person suggests a movie, TV show, event, etc. and discuss what would best improve it: a monkey, a robot, or... well, you'll see.2025-04-251h 08After Lunch356 | Podcast Pals C2E2 Meetup DiaryIn 2015, the Nerd Lunch crew met up with most of the Atomic Geeks and assorted members of the Fourth Chair Army at C2E2 in Chicago. Ten years later, it's time to get together again with even more friends. The group this time included Carlin Trammel, William Bruce West, Jeeg, Paxton Holley, Jeff Somogyi, Shawn Robare, Michael May, Rob Graham, Christian Nielsen, and Michael DiGiovanni. In this audio diary, we learn about how the trip came together, check in with the attendees at various points of the weekend, and tease a very special podcast episode that we recorded there and...2025-04-211h 52
Hellbent for LetterboxWestbound (1958)Michael and Pax welcome back Evan Hanson (the Classic Film Jerks podcast) as we get back to Budd Boetticher and Randolph Scott's Ranown Westerns. This time Scott plays a Union officer tasked with transporting gold from California to Washington DC through Confederate-sympathizing territory. Westbound also features Karen Steele, Michael Dante, Andrew Duggan, Michael Pate, and Virginia Mayo.2024-09-041h 05
NGBideasMichael May | Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative MedicineJuly 16th 2024 - From the archives, our guest this week is Michael May, President and CEO of the Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine. Michael is someone I've had the pleasure of meeting on a number of occasions and he's one of those people you just know you're going to like. He's focused, incredibly generous with his time, and one of the true national leaders in Canada's life sciences community. Michael's story is similar to many of the guests we've had on our show in that it's not a linear path nor was it planned. You'll hear that his...2024-07-1655 minAfter Lunch259 | Return to the Planet of the Apes (1975)Michael and Jacob Bean-Watson talk about Fox's final effort to get a Planet of the Apes TV series going, this time with a Saturday morning cartoon on NBC. (Michael probably says CBS in the discussion, but that was the live-action show. Fox partnered with a different network for the cartoon.) Return to the Planet of the Apes featured animation by Jonny Quest creator Doug Wildey and the voices of Austin Stoker (MacDonald in Battle for the Planet of the Apes) and Fred Flintstone himself, Henry Corden. There are plenty of problems with the cartoon, but also lots of fun...2024-02-051h 12After Lunch241 | Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie's Island Adventure (2003)Yesterday, Michael DiGiovanni and Michael May talked about Christmas Vacation and how - during their prep for that conversation - they discovered the existence of a weird sequel called Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie's Island Adventure. Of course they had to come back and talk about it. And they invited Paxton Holley to do that with them.2023-12-111h 13After Lunch240 | National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)We’re re-running a stretch of silly comedies from the Sleigh Bell Cinema podcast, so of course we can’t get too far into that without talking about National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. That’s exactly what Michael May and Michael DiGiovanni did and Michael May's opinion of the movie changed as a result.2023-12-1059 minAfter Lunch235 | Holiday Affair (1949)This Christmas season on After Lunch - like with the last couple of years - we’re going to be re-running a bunch of episodes from Michael's old Sleigh Bell Cinema podcast. This is going to be an especially busy year though, because we’re running discussions of what we call Holiday Spirit movies. Unlike Tangential Christmas movies, these are undeniably about the Holiday Season, but without a lot of fantastical elements like Santa or his elves and reindeer. If there’s magic, it’s going to be subtle or ambiguous. There are a lot of these movies though - i...2023-12-051h 06After Lunch226 | Dungeons & Dragons, Session One - A Drop Inn DrubbingMoby the Bard and his Bunnymen companions check into an inn to clean up after their recent griffin hunt. But their sleep is interrupted by screams and murder, leading the trio to investigate and assist a former pirate accused of the crime as well as his adopted daughter. Dungeon Master Ben Graham leads Rob Graham, Jeff Somogyi, and Michael May in their first full Dungeons & Dragons adventure together. Be sure to check out Episode 183 for the players' discussion of their histories with the game and the introduction to Ben's world. And visit the After Lunch website to see maps...2023-11-153h 31After Lunch189 | After Dinner Lounge – Flintstones CalisthenicsAs Pax recovers from vacation, Evan returns to the Lounge for a bit with Michael, Rob, and guest-lounger Michael DiGiovanni. In this first half of the discussion, the conversation includes butt tattoos, underwear preferences, Joe Hill, nepotism, how horror works in books vs film, jazz trombone, William T Riker, Fourth Chair Carryover Questions, the difference between the book and movie versions of Prisoner of Azkaban, The New Classic Film Jerks, the Off Panel comic book interview podcast, the Purple Stuff podcast, letting your kids introduce you to new music, celebrity podcasts, Action Comics, Dawn of DC, Star Trek: Double Dou...2023-06-262h 28
Rental Return: Tales From the Video StoreMichael MaySeason 3 of Rental Return - Tales From the Video Store continues with an interview of Michael May (@MichaelMayComix) who worked for a "Mom and Pop" store called Adventureland Video (later changed to Aardvark Video) in the late 80s in Tallahassee, Florida. Listen as he shares his early memories of visiting the store and how eventually was hired and became the manager for a time. Michael talks about ordering new movies, the perks of taking posters home, and how Blockbuster essentially led to the store going out of business. Follow @TRNsocial on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook for more...2023-03-2328 minAfter Lunch137 | Shazam! (2019)This Christmas season is all about Tangential Christmas Movies on After Lunch. After our discussion of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang last episode, we're going to spend the next couple of weeks re-running discussions of other Tangential Christmas Movies from Michael's old Sleigh Bell Cinema podcast. Starting with this one about Shazam! with Michael's son, David May.2022-12-0650 minAfter LunchDown the Rabbit Hole: The ReunionRabbit Holers Carlin Trammel, Jeff Somogyi, and Paxton Holley reunite to celebrate the release of Carlin and artist Bill Wiist's fan-made Super Powers Superman mini-comic with an all-new Down the Rabbit Hole episode exploring the Super Friends Wiki. With guest Michael May, the group sets out to get from the mini-comic's wiki page to... Ed McMahon? Find out if they're successful and while you're at it, download both the Superman mini-comic and the newly released second issue featuring Green Lantern.2022-10-1055 minAfter Lunch111 | Bond Novels: On Her Majesty's Secret ServiceMichael continues his solo exploration of Fleming's Bond novels with On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Written after the release of the Dr No film, OHMSS references the movie is some interesting ways while also continuing the Blofeld saga begun in the novel Thunderball. And then there's Tracy Draco, who may or may not be as cool in the book as she is in the later film adaptation. Featuring music by Hugo Montenegro, as well as David Arnold and Iggy Pop.2022-06-1310 minAfter Lunch107 | Avengers Assemble, Season 1Michael and Rob are joined by Michael's son, David May, to talk about the first season of the Avengers Assemble cartoon, how it compares to the MCU, and whether or not they'll ever speak of this again.2022-05-161h 41
Post-Growth Australia PodcastPGAP Christmas Special with Michael's Seasonal ManifestoThe festive season is upon us as we wrap close to another year in the decade of consequence. To ‘celebrate’, PGAP host Michael Bayliss shares his own personal vision for a post-growth future. He looks back nostalgically on his Melbourne years, reflecting on the many successes and challenges from ten years in many various grassroots community initiatives. He also plays a selection of songs, penned by himself or by friends that espouse the Degrowth values of this podcast even if they may not inspire complete festive cheer. Enjoy!
During our break between seasons, PGAP has been...2021-12-2451 minAfter Lunch74: The Stingiest Man in Town (1956)A Christmas Carol Week continues with another re-run from Michael's old Sleigh Bell Cinema show. This time Michael and his wife Diane talk about the TV musical The Stingiest Man in Town starring Basil Rathbone as Scrooge. And if you'd like to hear Michael talk about the '70s Rankin-Bass animated remake starring Walter Matthau and Tom Bosley, be sure to check out his guest appearance on Mike Westfall's Advent Calendar House podcast.2021-12-2257 minAfter Lunch40: Iron Man and The Incredible HulkThe plan was for Lizzie Twachtman, Paxton Holley, Rob Graham, and Michael May to briefly discuss each of the films in Phase One of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But in a shocking turn of events, the panel had a lot to say and only got through the first two films (plus some opinions about Ang Lee's Hulk from 2003). Clearly we're not going to get through this project as quickly as we originally imagined, but please enjoy this in-depth discussion of the first two films in the MCU and we'll be back soon to talk about a couple more.2021-06-072h 14After Lunch39: Trendy Movies – 2 Laff 2 LympicsSue London, Jeff Somogyi, Rob Graham, and Michael May make another movie out of whatever's trending on Twitter at the time. 2021-05-3154 minAfter Lunch37: Mystery Movie Night – Monoliths, Mansions, and MakeoversWhat secret connection do 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Being There (1979), and Clueless (1995) have in common? Erik Johnson asks Evan Hanson, Michael May, Dave Roof, and David May to find out. As always with Mystery Movie Night discussions, opinions and spoilers abound, so if you haven't seen a film and prefer not to listen to that part of the episode, here are the time stamps to help you skip to the parts you want to listen to: 00:02:38 - Review of 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) 00:23:25 - Review of Being There (1979) 00:46:20 - Review of Clueless (1995) 01:06:51 - Guessing the...2021-05-171h 17After Lunch33: Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)Michael and Rob welcome some new AfterLUNCH voices to talk about Legendary Entertainment's MonsterVerse in general, while drilling deep into the Hollow Earth and the current Godzilla vs. Kong film. Joining the panel are a trio of giant monster super-fans: Sophie (a long-time friend of Michael who lives in the UK), Corinna Bechko (who not only writes cool comics like The Expanse and Smithsonian Dig It: Dinosaurs & Other Prehistoric Creatures, but also has a background in zoology and has worked professionally with both giant lizards and primates), and David May (Michael's son and frequent podcast partner).2021-04-192h 12After Lunch24: Star Trek Trek 1 - First ContactMichael May, Rob Graham, Delaney Graham, and Evan Hanson begin their journey through the various movies and TV shows of Star Trek, in chronological order. In this first episode, they discuss humanity's introduction to the larger galaxy in 1996's First Contact. It's a controversial place to start since it's neither the first adventure of the time travelers who are trying to protect the historic meeting, nor is it the earliest time period that these travelers have visited. So our panel also discusses other Star Trek movies and TV episodes in which Starfleet crews (and the occasional Ferengi) go back in...2021-02-151h 51After Lunch22: After Dinner Lounge, Jan 2021Paxton Holley joins Michael May, Rob Graham, and Evan Hanson in the lounge for another meandering talk about what they've been reading, watching, and thinking about. Topics start from: Books of fairy tales and the works of Ray Bradbury and Italo Calvino Comics about Spider-Man and the third Green Goblin, Red Hood and the Outlaws, and The Shadow TV shows like Dickensian, The Expanse, The Great, Queen’s Gambit, and the eighth season of Mad About You Movies like Overlord and the Marvel films leading into WandaVision And real talk on Boat Names, Book Formats, Family, and Spheres of...2021-01-252h 01After Lunch20: Nerdstradamus 2021After Michael May and Robert Zerbe check in on their resolutions and predictions from last year's Nerdstradamus episode, Rob Graham, Evan Hanson, Kay, and Paxton Holley join the fun to look back on the books, movies, and TV shows of 2020 and forward to what's potentially coming in 2021. This episode is full of resolutions, recommendations, and reckonings. And a little bonus something we like to call "Tea Talk." Opening song by Andrew Bird.2021-01-042h 34After Lunch19: After Dinner Lounge - December 2020Michael May, Rob Graham, and Evan Hanson reconvene for another informal conversation about what they’ve been reading, watching, and thinking about lately. Topics meander merrily, but start from: Books like Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, Charles Dickens' Christmas Books, The Devil’s Due by Bonnie MacBird, The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, and Becoming by Michelle Obama. Comics like Silver Spoon by Hiromu Arakawa Movies like the original Black Christmas, this year's Fatman, and the documentary Pilgrims. TV shows like Dicktown and Truth Seekers And real talk on Holiday Traditions, Movie Theaters, and This Podcas2020-12-301h 44After Lunch16: Lost Christmas SpecialsMike Westfall and Michael DiGiovanni join Michael May and Rob Graham to create Rankin-Bass stop-motion Christmas specials that never existed, but should have. Lots of holiday spirit AND SINGING in this episode, so gather the family, get some hot chocolate, and enjoy!2020-12-071h 10After LunchAfterLUNCH 15: After Dinner Lounge, Part 1In the first of hopefully many such discussions, Michael May, Rob Graham, and Evan Hanson have a very informal conversation about what they've been reading, watching, and thinking about lately. Topics lead to unpredictable places, but include: Comics like X of Swords, Batman: Three Jokers, and The Orville. Novels like The Optimist's Daughter by Eudora Welty, The Lock Artist by Steve Hamilton, and Bonnie MacBird's Sherlock Holmes series. TV shows like The Good Wife, Dark Shadows, and Police Squad!. Movies like the Omen series, Tremors: Shrieker Island, and The Gumball Rally. And real talk on Getting...2020-11-271h 29After LunchAfterLUNCH 12: '80s Laff-a-LympicsRemember Scooby's All Star Laff-A-Lympics where various Hanna Barbera characters crossed over to compete against each other in Olympics-style events? Even if you don't, it was really fun, so Amanda VanHiel, Shawn Robare, Rob Graham, and Michael May imagine what that would be like with characters from '80s TV shows and movies.2020-11-0257 minAfter LunchAfterLUNCH 10: Expendables of Horror (Undead Edition)Last October, we created an Expendables of Horror movie featuring only living actors. This year, Joanna from Bloody Popcorn, Evan Hanson, Rob Graham, and Michael May resurrect their favorite dead actors to create an all-star cast. They pick the actors, discuss the types of roles they'd play, and Evan writes a plot. Listen and imagine The Evil Hunters... IF YOU DARE!2020-10-051h 03Hellbent for LetterboxPale Rider (1985)Michael and Pax follow Pale Rider into town, directed by and starring Clint Eastwood. Also starring Sydney Penny, Michael Moriarty, Chris Penn, and Richard Kiel. Pax also shares insights from the Pale Rider novelization by Alan Dean Foster. And Michael watches another mountain man movie (Richard Harris and John Huston in Man in the Wilderness) and some Doctor Who.2020-09-281h 20
Seriously Felicity0: IntroductionsCollege friends Michael May and Kristi Long introduce themselves and talk about why they love the TV show Felicity and why they want to revisit it twenty years later.2020-09-2719 minAfter LunchAfterLUNCH 9: Joel Schumacher's BatmanMichael May, Rob Graham, Paxton Holley, and Jay Ryan have bats on the brain. Three months after the death of director Joel Schumacher, AfterLUNCH tries to solve the riddle of Batman Forever and Batman & Robin. What do they do well, what do they do poorly, and how do they compare to other versions of the character?2020-09-212h 46After LunchAfterLUNCH 8: Ultimate Triple Features 3Michael May and Rob Graham welcome Michael DiGiovanni and Kay to revisit a classic Nerd Lunch topic. We put together movie triple-features around the themes of witches, soundtracks, walking away from explosions, and movies that make us feel alive.2020-09-071h 31After LunchAfterLUNCH 5: Who Would Win?Michael May, Rob Graham, Jeff Somogyi, and Chad Young hit the playground to argue about who would win in four legendary match-ups between various characters. Gandalf vs Sasquatch is just the first competition (and not even the weirdest) in this hilarious discussion.2020-08-031h 30After LunchAfterLUNCH 4: magnum pi, season 2The Magnum PI panel reconvenes to discuss Season 2. It's Evan Hanson, Jeeg, Michael May, Rob Graham, and William Bruce West talking about their favorite episodes, who they ship, TC's photography skills, and of course Higgins' half-brother from Texas.2020-07-201h 51After LunchAfterLUNCH 3: Police Cop Super SquadAdam Pope pitched the idea and Michael May dug it, so they invited Chris Bailey, Rob Graham, Evan Hanson, and Christian Nielsen to help create teams of fictional police characters. Each team has a leader, a detective, a ballistics expert, a wild card, a scientist, an undercover expert, a dispatcher, and a beat officer. And as an added bonus, we had to record late at night for logistical reasons, so the panelists are extra loopy.2020-07-061h 19After LunchAfterLUNCH 1: Elevator Pitches and Studio NotesPaxton Holley pitched the idea for this episode in which he, Adam Pope, Michael May, and Shawn Robare each try to sell an idea for a movie, TV show, or product, then modify that idea based on notes from the other panelists. It's a weird and funny episode; the perfect way to kick off the new, but familiar AfterLUNCH podcast. And very special thank you to the legendary Mike Westfall for creating the AfterLUNCH logo.2020-06-0148 minAfter LunchThe Nerd Lunch Feed: Don't Unsubscribe (Here's Why)CT and Michael May make an announcement about the schedule for the remaining Nerd Lunch episode and why you should continue subscribing to the Nerd Lunch feed even after you've listened to it.2020-04-1703 minAfter LunchFCA Invasion 19: Turning Movies into TV Shows 3Mike Westfall, Michael DiGiovanni, Annaliese Trammel, and Paxton Holley join Michael May for another round of the classic Nerd Lunch feature: "Turning Movies into TV Shows." After a discussion of what movie-based TV shows have worked (and which haven't), the panel pitches TV shows based on A League of Their Own, Gremlins, Xanadu, Tomorrowland, and Pretty in Pink.2020-04-141h 24After LunchFCA Invasion 18: The Expendables of Spy MoviesIf you're bummed about No Time to Die getting pushed back to November, have no fear. William Bruce West, Doug Frye, Evan Hanson, Rob Graham, and Michael May have created the best spy movie in the world and you can enjoy it right this very second in your imagination.2020-03-1046 minAfter LunchFCA Invasion 16: Nerd Year ResolutionsJeeg, Robert Zerbe, and Michael May look back on some of their favorite movies, TV shows, and books from 2019 while also predicting what their favorites of 2020 might be. They also make some pop culture resolutions and maybe even a Nerdstradamus prediction or three.2020-01-141h 08After LunchFCA Invasion 15: DC Superheroes Live Action Holiday SpecialYou know those DC Superhero Holiday Special comics? Wouldn't it be cool if they were a live action TV special? That's exactly what Evan Hanson, Lizzie Twachtman, Rob Graham, and Michael May imagine on this episode of the Fourth Chair Army Invasion.2019-12-101h 09After LunchFCA Invasion 14: I Can't Quit YouChristian Nielsen and Kay join Michael May to talk about a phenomenon that's plagued nerds since the beginning of time (or at least, nerd time). Why do we latch on to some series or characters so hard that we feel compelled to watch or read even iterations that don't look that appealing to us? Looking at specific examples like The Addams Family, Batman, Robin Hood, and Star Wars, the panel attempts to figure this out.2019-11-121h 18After LunchFCA Invasion 13: The Expendables of HorrorFor the spoooky 13th episode of the Fourth Chair Army Invasion, Chad Young, Evan Hanson, and Rob Graham join Michael May to assemble a super team of iconic horror movie actors. Who stars in this all-star screamfest? Who appears in cameos? What characters are they playing, what are they doing, and who directs this amazing piece of cinema history. Tune in and find out... if you DARE!2019-10-081h 28After LunchFCA Invasion 12: RamboTalk to me, Johnny! Adam from SequelQuest and William Bruce West join Michael May to rap about Lt. John J Rambo's adventures in Washington, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Myanmar, and maybe even a little with the Force of Freedom. What are the high and low points of the series? Does it deserve the attention it's received? And what expectations does it create for the upcoming Rambo: Last Blood? 2019-09-101h 40After LunchFCA Invasion 11: Walt Disney WorldMichael May welcomes Walt Disney World superfans Corey Chapman, Lizzie Twachtman, and Mike Westfall to talk about their favorite parks, rides, resorts, and food at The Most Magical Place on Earth. They also create some attractions, lands, and even a movie or two that they'd love to see. 2019-08-131h 40After LunchFourth Chair Army Invasion 10: Magnum PI, Season 1Fourth Chair Army members Evan Hanson, Rob Graham, and Michael May are joined by Nerd Lunch's Jeeg to talk about the original Thomas Magnum, TC, Rick, and of course Higgie Baby. They noodle over noir influences, gab about guest stars, and figure out favorite episodes. Does the show hold up? How does it compare to the new reboot? Finding out won't even cost you your tennis court privileges. 2019-07-091h 30After Lunch332 - Tim Burton Batman DrivebyOn this episode of Nerd Lunch we are joined again by the Batman 75 rhyme team of Jay and Michael May to discuss the two Tim Burton Batman movies for the 30th anniversary of the 1989 Batman.2019-06-181h 54After LunchFourth Chair Army Invasion 9: The Men in Black TrilogyAre they excellent scifi comedies, disposable popcorn flicks, or a threat to all life on this planet? Annaliese Trammel, Chris Bailey (aka Charlton Hero), and Michael May drill deep into the first three Men in Black movies as well as the comics (thanks to Chris!). They talk about what works, what doesn't, and what it all could mean for Men in Black: International.2019-06-111h 50After LunchExtra Helping - Gambit Overs and UndersJoin Jeeg, CT, Pax, and Michael May for some predictions about everyone's favorite Cajun superhero, Gambit, and his standalone movie that will never be made.2019-06-0815 minHellbent for LetterboxFive Bold Women (1960)Michael and Pax welcome their wives, Stephanie Holley and Diane May to weigh in on the women-focused Western, Five Bold Women starring Irish McCalla and Jeff Morrow. Pax also shares a couple of Western comics he's been reading: the first volume of Stern from Europe comics and the first couple of issues in Dynamite's Man With No Name series. Meanwhile, Michael's been watching the contemporary Western, The Rider (2017) by director Chloe Zhao.2019-05-2258 minAfter LunchFourth Chair Army Invasion 8: Give That Kaiju Some Work!Inspired by the upcoming Godzilla movie, Michael May invites Chad Young, Jeff Somogyi, and Evan Hanson to recast giant monsters and giant robots in other genres. The conversation occasionally runs off-topic like a giant lizard in downtown Tokyo, rampaging through eBay, stadium seating, summer camp counseling, and Blue Apron chase variants, but ultimately our fearless team is able to create a kaiju musical, film noir, roller coaster, and a season of Real Housewives: Terror Tooth.2019-05-071h 11After LunchFourth Chair Army Invasion 7: Adventures of Captain Marvel (1941)With the new Shazam! movie fresh in theaters, Michael May, Evan Hanson, and Paxton Holley go back to 1941 to talk about the Big Red Cheese's first movie appearance. It's a deep dive into the classic movie serial as well as discussions of comics, the '70s TV show, and expectations for the new film.2019-04-091h 05After LunchFourth Chair Army Invasion 6: Live-Action Disney RemakesDisney loves making live-action versions of its cartoon library, but how many of them are actually good? Geek Kay and Christian Nielsen join Michael May to talk about the phenomenon and also figure out how they'd approach remaking Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Hercules, The Three Caballeros, and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.2019-03-121h 17After LunchFourth Chair Army Invasion 5: M Night Shyamalan's Shattered TrilogyShawn Robare, Evan Hanson, and Michael May unpack Unbreakable, sift through Split, and get into Glass. They also converse on the career of M Night Shyamalan, wondering if one of us has made a gross error and wasted the other person's valuable time. 2019-02-121h 47After LunchFourth Chair Army Invasion 4: Batman ’43Evan Hanson, Jay Ryan, Paxton Holley, and Michael May hang out in the sinister Bats Cave, talking about the first screen appearance of the Dark Knight in the 1943 serial, Batman. There are thrills and there are shudders, but mostly there’s a lot of laughter as the panel spelunks deep into the Caped Crusader’s history.2019-01-151h 31After LunchFourth Chair Army Invasion 3: Mike DropIt's an all-Mike episode when Michael DiGiovanni, Mike Downs, Mike Westfall, and Michael May discuss their favorite pop culture Mikes, then drop said characters onto a Battle-Royale-style island to fight to the death. Who is the ultimate Mike? Only one way to find out!2018-10-3056 minAfter Lunch316 - Movie Monster Sweet 16Jeeg and Pax are joined by Sexy Armpit Jay and Michael May for the 2018 Halloween episode. In this episode we select 16 movie monsters, put them in tournament brackets, and debate until we get a winner. And there are some good discussions in this one. Download and find out for yourself!2018-10-161h 19After LunchFourth Chair Army Invasion 2: DukescussionWhile CT, Pax, and Jeeg are off saving the world, the Fourth Chair Army steps in to fill your podcast feed. This time, Evan Hanson, William Bruce West, Rob Graham, and Michael May take a good, long look at the first season of The Dukes of Hazzard, trying to figure out what holds up and what doesn't have the sense the good Lord promised a turkey.2018-07-311h 28After Lunch307 - Solo Drill DownThe Internet has been buzzing and nerds everywhere have an opinion, but the wait for the definitive take is now over. This week we welcome back Michael May to break down the tent pole film Solo. Enjoy the type of analysis that only the Nerd Lunch crew can provide.2018-06-051h 09After LunchFourth Chair Army Invasion, Episode 1: Convince Me!While CT, Pax, and Jeeg are off saving the world, the Fourth Chair Army steps in to fill your podcast feed. In this episode, FCA members Michael May, Liz Twachtman, Mike Westfall, and Evan Hanson each introduce another panelist to something they've never tried before. Listen and see if the newbies are convinced about The Americans, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Attack the Block, and Meet the Robinsons.2018-05-2955 min
GreystokedEpisode 15: 1930s RecapMichael, Noel, and guest David May review the decade that changed Tarzan forever in the public eye. We discuss not just the wild success of MGM and Johnny Weissmuller's interpretation, but the Burroughs novels from the decade as well as imitators from Bomba to Ka-Zar. Opening music from "Echoes of the Jungle" by Duke Ellington Closing music from "The Moon of Manakoora" by Dorothy Lamour2018-03-211h 43After LunchExtra Helping - Black PantherJeeg, Michael May, William Bruce West, and Liz Twachtman break down Marvel's latest home run, Black Panther. Spoiler alert: we reveal things about the plot. Spoiler alert: we like this movie A LOT.2018-03-131h 22GreystokedEpisode 13: Tarzan's Revenge (1938)Michael and Noel are joined again by David May to discuss Sol Lesser's second Tarzan movie, the much maligned Tarzan's Revenge starring Glenn Morris. Is it as bad as its reputation or is it worth watching? 2018-01-241h 13After LunchExtra Helping - The Orville Season 1Jeeg, CT, and Michael May discuss the first season of Seth MacFarlane's sci-fi love letter, The Orville. The nerds discuss what drew them to the show, their favorite characters, episode highlights, and what they're hoping to see in season 2. 2017-12-281h 00After Lunch291 - Nerd Lunch WorldMichael May returns to the show and the podcasters create "Nerd Lunch World" a new amusement park funded with an infinitely huge grant. Each of the podcasters gets to create one land in the park. What does Oz Land, Rock and Wrestling Land, Star Trek Land or Thundarr Land look like? Well, we'll show you by telling you so look with your ears at our latest episode now!2017-11-141h 45GreystokedEpisode 11: Tarzan Escapes (1936)David May returns as guest when Michael and Noel jump back to MGM for the third movie in the Johnny Weissmuller series: Tarzan's Return. Or was it Tarzan and the Vampires? No, wait, The Capture of Tarzan. Oh, that's right: Tarzan Escapes! Featuring studio meddling, killer iguanas, the Hayes Code, and what happens when you let the monkey cook the roast.2017-10-221h 27After Lunch273 - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 DrilldownThis week on Nerd Lunch we are discussing Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 with Evan Hanson and Michael May. Expect to hear lots of talk about Baby Groot, Ego, Ego's planet face and The Hoff!2017-06-121h 22
After LunchDown the Rabbit Hole with Dr. Andrea Letamendi (DC Comics Edition)It's "Hole Time" again! And this time the Rabbit Hole crew tackles the DC Wikia with guest Dr. Andrea Letamendi of the Arkham Sessions podcast. Throughout the discussion they answer (or don't) such questions as how do you pronounce "Mxyzptlk," has Dick Grayson ever been Batman and what's a "Ma Hunkel"? Special thanks to our friend Michael May for filling in for Pax this episode!2017-05-091h 10GreystokedEpisode 5: Tarzan the Tiger (1929)Michael and Noel wrap up the 1920s with guest David May and another 15-chapter serial. This time it's director Henry McRae's Tarzan the Tiger, starring Frank Merrill as Tarzan, Natalie Kingston as Jane, and Kithnou as Queen La of Opar. There's treasure, amnesia, and (thanks to this being a transitional film into the sound era) our first listen at a Tarzan yell.2017-04-081h 33GreystokedEpisode 3: The Adventures of Tarzan (1921)Michael and Noel are joined once again by David May to discuss Elmo Lincoln's return to the role of Tarzan in the 1921 serial The Adventures of Tarzan. Parts of it are lost, but The Serial Squadron has edited the remaining footage together, so we talk about how that worked, whether our opinions of Lincoln have changed since Tarzan of the Apes, and the introduction of some important elements of Tarzan lore.2017-01-201h 13
After LunchDown the Rabbit Hole with Michael DiGiovanni (Christmas Edition)Nerd Lunch presents Down the Rabbit Hole. Carlin Trammel and Jeff Somogyi welcome guests Evan Hanson and Michael DiGiovanni (Classic Film Jerks Podcast) to dive into Wikipedia. This time, Jeff, Evan and Michael each came with a mystery link. Can any of them work the conversation from Wikipedia's "nutmeg" page to their link? Only one way to find out! Listen now!2016-12-201h 08After Lunch253 - Give That Dead Guy Some WorkMichael May and Andrew Bloom join Jeeg and CT to go back to their "Give That Guy Some Work" topic. This time, they're focusing in on folks who have passed away that should have gotten more work while they were alive. Grace Lee Whitney, Kevin Smith (the other one) and Don Knotts are among those we employ in the great casting couch in the sky.2016-11-291h 09
After Lunch248 - Celebrating 75 Years of Wonder WomanCT and Pax welcome Michael May and Stacey Rader to have a discussion about Wonder Woman in order to celebrate her 75th birthday. Talking through the first encounters with this monumental character to how the crew continued to follow her adventures. Favorite stories, villains, artists and more are covered, plus a look at the complexity of the character and why that's made her so challenging to translate into other media over the years. Put on your satin tights and listen now!2016-10-181h 34After LunchSummer 2016 Re-run: Episode 16 - The Trial of Michael BayThe Nerd Lunch crew is taking a little hiatus but instead of leaving you without our fabulous voices for four weeks, we're dipping into the old archives and sharing some of our favorite shows with you again...or for the first time! After being kicked off with new bonus content, we present to you the time we put Michael Bay on trial. Enjoy!2016-08-161h 07After Lunch240 - Q Are Cordially Invited to a DrilldownContinuing Star Trek Month, the nerds sit down with Michael May to discuss the character Q. We discuss our first exposure to him, our thoughts on him as a plot device and what our favorite episodes are. We even talk about whether we feel Q should be brought back for the new Trek show.2016-07-261h 25
After Lunch233 - Down the Rabbit Hole 4 (Star Wars Edition)Jeff Somogyi returns for a new episode of Down the Rabbit Hole. This time, we set our course for Wookieepedia instead of Wikipedia and our Star Wars panel of Geek Kay and Michael May tag along. Can we get from the page for Jessa Vandangante to Pilk Mukmuk in the span of our show? There's only one way to find out!2016-06-071h 34Hellbent for LetterboxThe Big Country (1958)Michael and Pax discuss the 1958 epic starring Gregory Peck, Charlton Heston, Jean Simmons, Chuck Connors, and Sam the Snowman. Also: Pax talks about the TV shows Gunsmoke, Have Gun Will Travel, and The Wild Wild West, while Michael mentions Tumbleweeds (1925) and Jesse James (1939). Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck may come up as well.2016-04-0946 minHellbent for LetterboxSetting Up CampWelcome to the very first episode of Hellbent for Letterbox. This is a new monthly podcast hosted by Michael May and Paxton Holley talking about Westerns. In this episode Michael and Pax introduce themselves and start setting up camp, talking about their love of the Western genre including movies, TV shows and books. They also talk about what to expect from this show each month and Michael reveals what movie we'll be reviewing in our next episode.2016-02-1126 minAfter LunchEpisode 214 - Undeserving TV RevivalsMichael May completes his four week Nerd Lunch tour of duty and we make his dream of guesting with William Bruce West come true. Then, in the spirit of Fuller House, Girl Meets World and Coach, we get into an exercise of coming up with ideas for TV show revivals, some more deserving than others. We bring back Magnum, PI, Blacke's Magic, Small Wonder, Amen, and Murphy Brown. Nerd To-Dos feature some comic book reading, TV watching and taking a kid to go see that new Star Wars movie.2016-01-261h 13After LunchEpisode 213 - Nerdstradamus 2016It wouldn't be the start of a new year without our yearly crop of predictions. After recapping some stellar (?) 2015 prognostications and the results of The Force Awakens Overs and Unders, the crew and Michael May predict the year to come in the realms of TV, fast food, and more. Plus, we tee up a new set of Overs and Unders for Star Trek Beyond! This week's Nerd To Dos include #fitness, Straight Outta Compton, scifi/comic convention plans, and Orphan Black.2016-01-191h 26After Lunch206 - Star Wars Episode III DrilldownThis week we are again joined by Michael May and Kay to discuss the final installment in the Star Wars prequels, Revenge of the Sith. We discuss watching it for the first time, what we liked, what we didn't like, we even have a short discussion on the Clone Wars micro series that debuted before the movie. Lots of fun discussion had within!2015-11-241h 36
After LunchEpisode 200 - Nerd Lunch Roast & ToastThey said it shouldn't be done, but we did it anyway. With just over four years behind us, the Nerd Lunch crew hit a milestone episode number of 200 shows. With no idea what to do, we were rescued by Fourth Chair Army generals Jay from The Sexy Armpit and Shawn from Branded in the 80s and they put together a special "Roast & Toast" of CT, Pax and Jeeg. You don't want to miss this one as it is chock full of questions, memories and special guests:
Michael May
Kay
Evan Hanson
Howie Decker
Plus hear from:
...2015-10-131h 25After Lunch194 - Star Wars Episode I DrilldownThe Nerds are once again joined by Michael May and Kay to discuss the Star Wars prequels, starting with Episode I: The Phantom Menace. We talk about the first trailer in Nov 1998, the build up to the movie in May 1999, we talk about Celebration I in Denver and then we start digging into what we liked and didn't like. Lots of talk about Jake Lloyd, George Lucas' writing and of course, Jar Jar Binks. 2015-09-011h 41After LunchEpisode 186 - Star Wars Return of the Jedi DrilldownMichael May and Kay return to discuss the last of the original Star Wars movies, Return of the Jedi. We talk about the first time we saw the movie, our favorite scenes, our least favorite scenes, the Special Edition changes and more.2015-07-071h 49After Lunch182 - Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back DrilldownMichael May and Geek Kay drop back by Nerd Lunch Studios for our second Star Wars drilldown, this time on 1980's Empire Strikes Back. We talk about when we watched it first, some of our favorite characters and scenes, and who did Yoda mean was their "other hope"?2015-06-091h 34After Lunch178 - Star Wars A New Hope DrilldownThis week we are joined by Geek Kay and Michael May to talk all about the first Star Wars movie. We discuss the first time we watched it, our favorite characters and all of our favorite scenes. We even discuss things we don't like and all the changes made for the Special Editions and later for the Blu-Ray.2015-05-111h 25After LunchEpisode 177 - Chicago Comics and Entertainment Expo (C2E2) 2015 Special
Nerd Lunch invaded the Chicago Comics and Entertainment Expo (C2E2) and while there, they met up with several Fourth Chair guests who have been on the show. Questions were asked, projects were promoted, laughs were had. Thanks to the following guests on this show:
Michael May
Geek Kay
Todd from JunkFed
Elliott Serrano
Andrew Bloom
Sean Kelly
Jen Usellis Mackay
Christopher Rathjen
Stacey Rader
Christian Nielsen
Michael DiGiovanni
Also, read more about Dan Cooney's Tommy Gun Dolls Kickstarter project.2015-05-0555 minAfter LunchEpisode 157 - Drill Down: Wrath of KhanThe nerds are joined this time around by Michael May for a drill down on Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. As the crown jewel of the Trek movies, you might expect this episode to be a full-on love fest. And you'd be mostly right, but listen anyway to find out exactly why Wrath of Khan is so great. Our Nerd To Dos feature some Muppets, analyzing A Christmas Carol, hardcore legend Mick Foley, and lots of podcast editing.2014-12-021h 21
After LunchEpisode 153 - Setting the Table on Star WarsDespite having delved into Star Wars topics during the previous three years on the show, the Nerd Lunch crew have never really "set the table" on Star Wars as a whole. CT and Pax welcome back returning guest Michael May and new guest Kay (from FANgirl Blog and Hyperspace Theories) to do just that. We talk about our favorite and least favorites of the movies, characters, ships, aliens and more. Nerd To-Dos this week features Snowpiercer, Supernatural, Doctor Who and Halloween wrap up.2014-11-041h 34After LunchEpisode 134 - Batman 75 RetrospectiveThis year Batman turns 75 years old. So, like we did for episode 90 in which we talked about Superman on his 75th birthday, we spend this episode talking all about Batman. And joining us for this celebration is Jay from Sexy Armpit and Michael May from Michael May's Adventureblog and the comic Kill All Monsters! We discuss Batman across all media, starting with comics and moving to movies and then TV. We cover so much ground that this episode clocks in over 2 hours! So enjoy all the awesome Batman talk. So much content within that I have to say just down...2014-06-032h 12
After LunchEpisode 108 - The Trial of M. Night ShyamalanThe Nerd Lunch crew return to their arrogant franchise topic of putting a polarizing director on trial. But since Jeeg and Pax were called away, CT shown the signal in the air and the Legion of Substitute Nerd Lunchers answered to fill in. Aaron Nix of Movie Hodge Podge and the Pod, James Pod Podcast takes on the challenging role of defending M. Night Shyamalan. Aaron faces off against his mortal enemy, CT, who brings the case against the the much maligned director. Together, they both call on the expert witness of Michael May (of Kill All Monsters and...2013-11-191h 25
After LunchEpisode 100 - Fourth Chair Carryover Question ReviewBreak out the Doritos and Mountain Dew, the Nerd Lunch Podcast had reached triple digits! It's episode 100 and to celebrate, CT, Jeeg and Pax welcome the two other members of the Nerd Lunch Family. Joining as guests are Nerd Lunch blog co-founder PLee and Nerd Lunch: The Web Series co-host Savannah Staverosky. However, the show honors many of our past guests by including a look back at several Fourth Chair Carryover Questions from the past year. Find out who never watched Saturday Morning cartoons, who doesn't like Seth Rogen, who (sort of) ran a 5K to save the Clock...2013-08-271h 20
After LunchEpisode 90 - Superman CelebrationThis week on the podcast, we celebrate a 75th birthday and the release of Man of Steel with a discussion about this long-enduring granddaddy of all super hero characters, Superman. CT and Pax are joined by Michael May and Thom Holbrook for a look back at what the character means to all of us from all media. We talk comics, radio, television, movies, and even get a chance to finally play "Superman: Dead or Alive." Nerd To-Dos this week feature talk about Downton Abbey, Creepshow, Battlestar Galactica, and Burn Notice. Also, if you want to win a...2013-06-181h 31After LunchEpisode 80 - Test of Time: The Transformers CartoonFollowing on our analysis of G.I. Joe back in Episode 39, this week we give the test of time to Marvel Sunbow's other iconic 80s cartoon series, The Transformers. Riding along in the fourth chair with CT, Pax, and Jeeg is Geek Fallout co-host and self confessed Transformers fanatic, Jeff Brown. Are giant transforming robots as badass as they were in 1985? Does the voice acting live up to the names on the IMDB page? Can an episode about a female robot ninja possibly be bad? Will we talk about Michael Bay? As the Earthlings say, "Maybe". In our Nerd To-Dos...2013-04-091h 38After LunchEpisode 70 - Non Super Hero ComicsMichael May from Michael May's Adventure Blog joins us for a discussion of non-Super Hero Comic Books. We talk about some of our favorites, why they are our favorites, what ones we read and what ones we think suck. Nerd to Dos involve two separate Star Trek TV shows, Pirates of the Caribbean, James Bond and The Bionic Woman.2013-01-291h 20After LunchEpisode 16 - The Trial of Michael BayDirector Michael Bay stands accused of crimes against movie going audiences everywhere. Arguing the case for the prosecution is Jeeg, leading Bay's defense is CT, acting as star witness is Jeremy of Geekchunks.com, and presiding over our podcast courtroom is the honorable Judge Paxton Holley. Find out if Transformers, Bad Boys, Pearl Harbor, and the rest warrant keeping Bay off the streets and out of the director's chair. To paraphrase the late Johnnie Cochran (well, not really), "if the earbuds fit, you must listen to this."2011-12-201h 05