Ask him about it! Yes, it’s time to turn the tables again, and for his birthday this year, Antony hands the reins to Tony Sindelar. Together they weave an appreciation for the videogame so good, it made Antony want to write them for a living — the classic 1990 Lucasarts adventure “Loom”.

"Loom"

Tony Sindelar with Antony Johnston

Referenced Works

Loom

[Amazon]

Show Notes & Links

"Loom"

"Loom" creator Brian Moriarty

Antony's custom "Ask me about LOOM" button

"Action Castle" and other Parsely adventures hosted by Tony on the Incomparable Game Show

Steve Jackson's "Sorcery!" Fighting Fantasy gamebook series

Is Ringo the best drummer in the world? Ho ho, he’s not even the best drummer in… no, let’s not go there (Lennon never actually said it anyway). Instead, Andy Ihnatko joins Antony to bang a drum for Ringo Starr’s innovation, charisma, and — yes — talent on the skins.

"Ringo Starr"

Antony Johnston with Andy Ihnatko

Referenced Works

Beatles Studio Recordings Box Set

[Amazon]

Show Notes & Links

"Ringo Starr"

"The Beatles: A 5 Minute Drum Chronology" by Kye Smith

The Incomparable album draft, featuring Andy and Antony, part 1...

...And Part 2

Was making Sherlock Holmes cool really a good idea? Is Robert Downey Jr simply playing himself? And shouldn’t Watson be a bumbling lapdog? Devoted Sherlockian Eddy Webb joins Antony to discuss all this and more in Guy Ritchie’s 2009 “Sherlock Holmes” movie.

"Sherlock Holmes (2009 movie)"

Antony Johnston with Eddy Webb

Referenced Works

Sherlock Holmes (2009 movie)

[Amazon]

Show Notes & Links

"Sherlock Holmes (2009 movie)"

Eddy's work, including the book "Watson Is Not An Idiot"

Fast cars, impossibly skilled drivers, champagne groupies, loud explosions, and a complete disregard for the laws of physics. Sounds like hell? Jessica Sliwinski once thought so, but now she joins Antony to shift her appreciation for the “Fast & Furious” movies up a gear.

"The Fast & The Furious"

Antony Johnston with Jessica Sliwinski

Referenced Works

The Fast and the Furious

[Amazon]

Show Notes & Links

"The Fast & The Furious"

Vulture's calculation of the F&F6 runway length…

…While Jason from Engineering Explained is a little more conservative

When is a planet not a planet? When it gets downgraded after 75 years, apparently. But was Pluto’s fate a mistake by the IAU, or an example of science in action? Marcos Huerta joins Antony to talk Kuiper belt objects, the New Horizons probe, and arbitrary astronomical definitions.

"Pluto"

Antony Johnston with Marcos Huerta

Show Notes & Links

Pluto

"The Pluto Files" with Neil deGrasse Tyson

NASA team and the "not yet explored" stamp

"NASA probe passes Pluto, carrying ashes of man who discovered it"

"To Planet 9 — and Beyond!"

"Neptune All Night" video playlist

After the success of its gung-ho predecessor, “Predator 2” — which expanded the mythology of the alien hunters, like “Aliens” did for its predecessor — felt like a sure thing, not the flop it turned out to be. Ed Brisson joins Antony to explain why second chances are his specialty.

"Predator 2"

Antony Johnston with Ed Brisson

Referenced Works

Predator 2

[Amazon]

Show Notes & Links

"Predator 2"

Was it a “Blues Brothers” for the MTV generation, or just a nonsensical movie strung together with songs and bizarre cameos? Or… both?! Kelly Guimont joins Antony to lay down some tape talking about cult movie “Tapeheads”.

"Tapeheads"

Antony Johnston with Kelly Guimont

Referenced Works

Tapeheads

[Amazon]

Show Notes & Links

"Tapeheads"

It promised the Earth — and an almost-infinite universe to play in — but the videogame “No Man’s Sky” launched to scathing criticism and disappointment. Matt Johnston joins Antony to explain why expectations were misguided, why players who quit early are missing out, and why being a space hobo is so relaxing.

"No Man's Sky"

Antony Johnston with Matt Johnston

Referenced Works

No Man's Sky

[Amazon]

Show Notes & Links

"No Man's Sky"

Game announcement trailer

The initial gameplay trailer from E3 2014

The spirit of Star Trek has seen the franchise reinvented, revisited, and even rebooted, for more than 50 years — but of all its incarnations, perhaps none is so maligned as “Enterprise”. Pete Mele joins Antony to defend Captain Archer from threats on all sides.

"Star Trek: Enterprise"

Antony Johnston with Pete Mele

Referenced Works

Star Trek: Enterprise

[Amazon]

Show Notes & Links

"Star Trek: Enterprise"

Random Trek #50: “Equilibrium†with Antony Johnston

Listen to Antony talk more Trek with Scott McNulty on Random Trek

Unjustly Maligned #1: "Stargate SG-1"

Hear Antony and Jason Snell talk pre- and post-BSG TV sci-fi on the very first episode

The "Mission Log" Star Trek podcast

Sold as an erotic thriller, Stanley Kubrick’s least popular film “Eyes Wide Shut” is neither erotic, nor much of a thriller. But Richard Rouse III joins Antony to argue that it wasn’t just mis-sold, it was misunderstood — and has only gotten better with age.

"Eyes Wide Shut"

Antony Johnston with Richard Rouse III

Referenced Works

Eyes Wide Shut

[Amazon]

Show Notes & Links

"Eyes Wide Shut"

Dust off your sequins, because once again the Eurovision Song Contest is almost upon us! Rachel Donner, David Loehr, and Liz Myles join Antony to marvel at this year’s contenders and catastrophes, and wonder if a post-Brexit UK will be left with nul points…

"Eurovision Song Contest 2017"

Antony Johnston with Rachel Donner, David J. Loehr and Lizbeth Myles

Referenced Works

Eurovision 2017

[Amazon]

Show Notes & Links

Last year's Eurovision episode of Unjustly Maligned

"Eurovision Song Contest 2017"

The official Eurovision website

Including links to videos, lyrics, and information on all the songs and performers

How to watch the show in your country