NOP finally tackles one of the largest media franchises of all time, along with it's very controversial author. Of course, we are talking about Harry Potter. Joining me for all things Hogwarts are Thom Brown, Nick Toussaint, and Victoria Montalbano. We travel back to 1997, and discuss the humble beginnings of the Potter franchise. We examine not the just heroic trio of Harry, Ron, and Hermione, but also our favorite adults in the Wizarding World (we're looking at you, Snape.) We discuss why Potter caught on, and all address some harsh criticisms the books have received over the years. 

Then we take a turn and discuss J.K. Rowling, and the future appeal of the Potter franchise in light of her recent comments. There's a lot of emotion in this one, so give it a listen!

Music Selections from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Order of the Phoenix, and The Death Hallows, composed by John Williams and Nicholas Hopper, owned by Warner Bros. Records and is included under fair use protection.

We gather around the Bonfire and discuss the Darkness that is Dark Souls! Joining me for our discussion of Hallowed and Ashen are T Scott Ross and Mason Kale. This time around, I have special guest Matt Young (Usidore) from the Hello From the Magic Tavern Podcast step in as our Outcast. Matt is an accomplished gamer, but is on the fence about this renowned series of games. Is Dark Souls appropriately hard, or is it unfair? Which game in the series is the best, and which is the worst? How do other Souls-like games compare to the Dark Souls Trilogy? And what do we want from the future of this notoriously difficult franchise? We chat all this and more on this fatalistic episode.

Music Selections from Dark Souls and Dark Souls 3, composed by Motoi Sakuraba, owned by Namco Bandai/From Software and is included under fair use protection.

It's time to GET TO THE CHOPPER as we discuss all things Predator! Joining NOP for this fantastic film series discussion are the minds behind the License to Watch Podcast (Matt McGregor, Colin Shaw, and Harris McCabe.) In Chicago we have the host of Body Counts and Beer Podcast (Mark Rosenthal) along with guest Robert Shumate. Rounding out our discussion is friend Peter Foos....who is definitely the outcast for our chat and has fallen out of love with the creature feature.

We spend time discussing the origins of the first film, and whether the franchise needed Arnold to stick around or not. We chat about the sequels, and where they succeed and fail. Finally, we make our predictions for where the series should go, and who would be the best director for our favorite space faring hunter. It's a lot of sci-fi discussion on this epic episode. Enjoy! (But seriously, get to that chopper...)

Music Selections from The Predator, composed by Alan Silvestri, owned by Varese Sarabande and is included under fair use protection.

It's been a few months since the ending of Season 2, so now it's time for our Mandalorian deep dive! Joining me to discuss all things Star Wars are experts Chris Lloyd, Kitten McCreary, DJ Fink, and Ryan Bond. My outcast for this episode is the wonderful Smyra Rady...a deeply knowledgeable Star Trek fan whom hasn't dabbled much in Star Wars. We spend some time trying to identify what it means to be a Dave Filoni show. Then we examine the various characters and episodes, and whether there might be too much fan service. We discuss Star Wars lore, and make our best guesses about the future of Mando and the expanding Star Wars universe. We also examine how Star Wars is different on TV vs the Big Screen! As with all things Star Wars, we have a lot to say, so sit down, and give us a listen. This is the way.

Music Selections from The Mandalorian, composed by Ludwig Goransson, owned by Disney and is included under fair use protection.

Late last year, Nintendo decided it was time to pull the plug on it's stalwart gaming handheld...the Nintendo 3DS. Therefore, we decided it was a great time to look back and do a deep dive on all things Nintendo DS and 3DS. Joining me for this retro discussion are Mason Kale, Christian Missonak, Dan Schiffmacher, and Bill Nielson. Mark Soloff returns as our outcast, having never really given the system a proper chance. We discuss the humble origins of the handheld as a "Third Pillar" to Nintendo's then current hardware divisions. We chart the evolution over time, and our reactions to dual screen technology...followed by glasses free 3D. We chat about the games we loved, and the games we never got to play. And then we end it all with the current state of the industry...and whether we will ever see another dedicated gaming handheld in the future. It's a lot of love, speculation, and nostalgia on this deep dive episode!

Music Selections from New Super Mario Bros and Mario Kart 7, composed by Koji Kondo, owned by Nintendo and are included under fair use protection.

We end 2020 the way it began...with an obsession over the fantasy series, The Witcher. Joining me for all things Geralt are Pete Navis, Jake Ynzunza, Mark Soloff, and Sean Okerberg. We discuss the origins of the hit series, with an examination of the books and how they stack against other major franchises.  Then we discuss the games, with great focus on the groundbreaking third entry. Finally, we dovetail into the Netflix show...and Henry Cavill. It's a massive discussion, which seems quite appropriate for this massive world.  Enjoy, happy holidays, and we'll see ya in 2021!

Music Selections from The Witcher 3 composed by Marcin Przybylowicz, owned by CD Project Red and are included under fair use protection.

After a bit of a hiatus, we are back and chatting perhaps one of the nerdiest inventions in a long time...Magic The Gathering. A pastime SO nerdy, it was intended to be played between DnD Sessions.  Joining me to discuss all things about this magical card game are T Scott Ross, Pete Navis, and Bill Nielsen (of So Many Bits). We review the history of Magic The Gathering, and it's interactions with DnD. We chat about how the game has changed over the years, and it's growth in popularity. More importantly, we touch on the competitive nature of the game...and it's strange stock and trade business. It's been described as "The Greatest form of Strategy Competition after Chess." Listen and see if that's true!

This year marks Super Mario's 35th anniversary, and Christian Missonak, T Scott Ross, Dan Schiffmacher, and myself do a deep dive into the OG gaming mascot that saved an industry and forged a path ahead. We take a look back at the original Super Mario Bros, and discuss whether the plucky plumber mascot was truly needed. We discuss his most influential games, his hardest levels, and his best power ups. We examine his jaunts into other types of gaming, from kart racing to tactical shooters. And eventually, we discuss his future.  It's a massive episode, covering a lot of ground between Super Mario Brothers and the most recent Odyssey, so sit back and enjoy!

Music Selections from Super Mario Odyssey, Super Mario 64, Super Mario Brothers 2, and Super Mario 3D World composed by Koji Kondo, owned by Nintendo and are included under fair use protection.

It's a big discussion on NOP today as we discuss George Lucas's much maligned Star Wars Prequels.  For this discussion, we change things up a bit and attempt to discuss what the Prequels do well.  And surprisingly enough, Ricky Galore, David Hernandez, Mark Rosenthal, and myself talk for an hour and a half about all things Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Midichlorians.  Which movie has the best story? Is Dexter Jettster the best new character? Which lightsaber is the coolest? And what, if anything, would we change about these movies?  Some of these questions are quickly answered...others turn into a deep dive.  But you know what, it's always a fun time discussing Star Wars! So give us a listen and enjoy.

Music Selections from The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith, composed by John Williams, owned by 20th Century Fox and are included under fair use protection.

We tackle the entirety of the Legend of Zelda franchise in this deep dive episode! Zelda is a mainstay of the gaming industry, and joining me for the discussion on all things Hyrule are John Loos, Dan Schiffmacher, Jeremy Kanne, and Christian Missonak. We answer the big questions...who's the best character NOT named Link, Ganon, or Zelda? What weapon is the best? (NOT counting the Master Sword) Does the series work better in 2D or 3D? Which dungeons are the best...and which are the worst? And what's our top 5 games in the franchise?  We chat all this and more on this epic episode!

Music Selections from A Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time, Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, Skyward Sword, and Breath of the Wild, composed by Koji Kondo, owned by Nintendo and is included under fair use protection.

In this time of pandemic, we take a break and fly away to a relaxing discussion about all things Animal Crossing. Joining me for this discussion are Christian Missonak and Justin Harner. I serve double duty as both Host and Outcast since I've never played this series before. We chat about Animal Crossing's humble beginnings, and compare it to other "Living Life" games like the Sims, Harvest Moon, and Rune Factory. Which game in the series is the best? What was so special about the 3DS entry, New Leaf? If someone hasn't every play Animal Crossing before...where should they start? And finally...what expectations do we have about New Horizons?  We chat all this and more on this mini-vacation of an episode...so join us on an island far...far away!

Music Selections from Animal Crossing and Animal Crossings: New Horizons, composed by Kazumi Tokata and Yasuaki Iwata, owned by Nintendo and is included under fair use protection.