Robby The Robot’s Waiting: The Sci-Fi Podcast
By Richard + Dave + Tanavi
Robby The Robot’s Waiting: The Sci-Fi PodcastOct 11, 2020
S02 E06: Arise, Sir Robby! We talk Excalibur with author Joe Abercrombie
Is that the rousing sound of Carl Orff’s O Fortuna assaulting our ears? Yes, it’s time for a genuine “round table” discussion: this episode we look back at Excalibur, John Boorman’s 1981 whirlwind tour of Arthurian legend.
Based on the 15th-century prose work Le Morte d'Arthur by Thomas Malory, which collected together many popular legends about King Arthur and his knights, Boorman’s film takes us from Arthur’s conception through to his death, taking in the rise and fall of Camelot and the quest for the Holy Grail. It stars Nicol Williamson, Helen Mirren, Liam Neeson, Gabriel Byrne, Patrick Stewart and other top Thespians.
We’re joined for this magical mosey into the misty middle ages by Joe Abercrombie, bestselling fantasy author of the First Law series, The Shattered Sea books, the Age Of Madness trilogy and more. His latest novel, The Wisdom Of Crowds, drops on 14 September 2021 from Gollancz (Orbit in the US). Joe is a Locus Award winner, an avid gamer, and a social media master with the moniker Lord Grimdark. You can find out more about him at his official site https://joeabercrombie.com/.
Looking for more recent TV and film recommendations? We’re happy to help there too. First up: The Suicide Squad, and a moment so funny that our Dave laughs the cat off his desk. True story. Yes, we hitch a ride with DC’s worst of the worst – and silliest of the silliest – to see if it trumps 2016’s definite-article-free Suicide Squad. Then it’s a show so good that NBC pulled the plug – only for it to become a big hit on Netflix. We get Lost with mystery drama Manifest.
There’s all this plus Marvel’s What If…?, BBC’s Ghosts and more “requels”, in Robby The Robot’s Waiting, the podcast that is a dream to some – a nightmare to others!
NB There’s no news section this time – we’ve stopped doing that, but we’ll be introducing a monthly news round-up podcast you can hear separately! See our new website www.robbyscifi.com for details.
Episode highlights:
0:01:00 – WHAT WE’VE BEEN WATCHING: The Suicide Squad, Manifest, Ghosts, and Marvel’s What If…?
0:31:19 – Meet guest Joe Abercrombie! What has he been enjoying on his 72 streaming services? Includes Marvel on Disney Plus and Dark on Netflix.
0:38:01 – Joe Abercrombie introduces his new book The Wisdom Of Crowds, the third novel in his Age Of Madness trilogy.
0:47:07 – REWIND! We rewatch John Boorman 1981 swords-and-sorcery epic Excalibur.
Who do we think we are?
Richard Edwards: film and TV journalist and a former editor of SFX https://twitter.com/RichDEdwards
Tanavi Patel: entertainment reporter for SFX magazine and Digital Spy, panel moderator for MCM, FanExpo and more https://twitter.com/tanavip
Dave Bradley: writer, gamer, book reviewer and another former editor of SFX, who reveals here that he studied medieval literature back in the day https://twitter.com/BoxDaveB
SPECIAL GUEST! Joe Abercrombie is an acclaimed fantasy author. His first book, The Blade Itself, was published in 2006 and began the celebrated First Law series. His latest novel, The Wisdom Of Crowds, is published on 14 September 2021 https://twitter.com/LordGrimdark
S02 E05: Find the Minority Report
We’ve received a premonition of the future and we predict that you’re about to listen to an hour and a bit of sci-fi and fantasy chat. Thanks to our pre-cog mates, we’ve also learned that we’ll be talking about Steven Spielberg’s remarkably prescient Philip K Dick adaptation, Minority Report. We’ll be joined this episode by author, futuregazer and games industry expert Kelly Vero.
Join us on a trip back 19 years to Steven Spielberg’s thriller Minority Report, in which a troubled cop played by Tom Cruise goes on the run after his psychic pre-crime division predicts he’ll be the next guy to commit a murder. It’s a juicy conspiracy plot in the tradition of the best noir mysteries, but it also touches upon themes of free will and ethical policing, as well as building a vision of 2054 where personalised advertising and driverless cars are everywhere.
Meanwhile, fabulous secret powers were revealed to us the day we held aloft our magic sword and said “By the power of Grayskull!” Yes, we’ve been watching Kevin Smith’s Masters Of The Universe reboot, as well as Trollhunters, Wellington Paranormal, Old, American Gods and more. Plus: Space Sweepers, Memories Of The Alhambra and more – our guest this week is Kelly Vero, who shares Tanavi’s love of Korean sci-fi. So if you’re in need of recommendations for new sci-fi films and shows to watch, enjoy their dive into the best Korean entertainment you can find on services like Netflix.
In Kelly’s company, we also speculate about the next Doctor Who, watch the new Ghostbusters Afterlife trailer, consider the Battle Of The Planets reboot and loads more. There’s all this plus the Exorcist and fond memories of Ulysses 31 in Robby The Robot’s Waiting, the podcast that knows what you’ve done before you’ve done it.
NB. Please forgive the variable audio quality in the first five minutes, we had a recording issue.
Episode highlights:
0:01:00: WHAT WE'VE BEEN WATCHING! Featuring Masters Of The Universe, Old and more
0:23:05: Meet our special guest Kelly Vero – and listen in on our introduction to Korean sci-fi!
0:36:42: REWIND! We discuss the 2002 hit Minority Report.
1:05:51: THE NEWS! In which we discuss Doctor Who, Ghostbusters, Superman, Battle Of The Planets, The Exorcist and loads more. You may be interested to know this is the last time we'll cover the news in this format - we're running things slightly more efficiently from next episode.
The voices in your ears:
Richard Edwards: film and TV journalist and a former editor of SFX https://twitter.com/RichDEdwards
Tanavi Patel: entertainment reporter for SFX magazine and Digital Spy, panel moderator for MCM, FanExpo and more https://twitter.com/tanavip
Dave Bradley: writer, gamer, book reviewer and another former editor of SFX https://twitter.com/BoxDaveB
SPECIAL GUEST! Kelly Vero is an author, game maker, podcaster, lecturer, investor, mentor, futuregazer and general “creative badass”. https://twitter.com/electricgeisha
Have you visited our sci-fi podcast website?
Please visit www.robbyscifi.com and leave us feedback and suggestions.
S02 E04: Hasta la vista, Robby. It’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Join us on a trip back 30 years, as we rewatch Terminator 2: Judgment Day.
Rightly regarded as a landmark in movie special effects, James Cameron’s 1991 classic remains a much-loved action film and a high point in the Terminator franchise. The film follows Sarah and John Connor (Linda Hamilton and Edward Furlong) as they are targetted by an advanced, shape-shifting Terminator from the future (Robert Patrick). They are accompanied by a version of the original Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger), sent back in time to protect them. Are we still fans, after all this time? Which of us saw it at the cinema first time around? How does it compare to other action films? We don our shades, dust off our leather jackets and discuss.
Meanwhile, we’ve watched The Watch. But would we watch it again? We give our verdict on TV’s Discworld adaptation, now streaming on BBC iPlayer. We’ve also seen Black Widow at the cinema and The Tomorrow War on Amazon Prime.
This week your podcast pals are joined by Matt Maytum, a journalist, editor and movie reviewer, famous from the pages of Total Film magazine. You can hear Matt regularly on the official Inside Total Film podcast. He shares his recent Disney+ finds (Monsters At Work and Loki).
In his company we also commemorate the passing of Richard Donner, consider what Good Omens 2 might bring, pore over the latest trailers, and lament the cancellation of Lovecraft Country and Cursed.
There’s all this plus Asimov confessions, Lucasfilm’s lawyers, and Chekhov’s father-in-law, in Robby The Robot’s Waiting, the podcast constructed from a prototype mimetic polyalloy.
Episode highlights:
0:00:51: WHAT WE'VE BEEN WATCHING! Black Widow, The Watch, The Tomorrow War
0:26:48: Meet Matt Maytum, from Total Film in London, who’s been watching Monsters At Work and Loki
0:32:24: REWIND! We discuss the time travelling terrors of Terminator 2
1:00:00: THE NEWS! Featuring Richard Donner RIP, Foundation, Good Omens 2, Star Wars Visions, Zack Snyder’s Star Wars-inspired movie, Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings, Old Guard 2, Lovecraft Country, Cursed, and Simon Pegg’s Galaxy Quest TV show
They absolutely will not stop:
Richard Edwards: a film and TV journalist and a former editor of SFX https://twitter.com/RichDEdwards
Tanavi Patel: entertainment reporter for SFX magazine and Digital Spy, panel moderator for MCM, FanExpo and more https://twitter.com/tanavip
Dave Bradley: writer, gamer, book reviewer and another former editor of SFX https://twitter.com/BoxDaveB
SPECIAL GUEST! Matt Maytum is a writer, movie critic and deputy editor of Total Film magazine https://twitter.com/mattmaytum
Have you bookmarked our website?
Please visit www.robbyscifi.com and leave us feedback and suggestions
S02 E03: Everything's relative in Christopher Nolan's Interstellar
Black holes. Warped time. The end of the world! It’s all relativity as we look back – and forward – at Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar.
We're joined by Andrew Glester, acclaimed science writer, award-winning radio presenter and podcast host, film producer and director. Andrew's Cosmic Shed podcast was recently named as one of the Guardian's Favourite Podcasts, and he's also worked with BBC Worldwide, The Natural History Museum, Physics World, and more. He's perfectly placed to help us understand the time- and space-bending drama of Interstellar. The 2014 epic stars Matthew McConaughey as an astronaut recruited to save a dying Earth by piloting the ship Endurance across space (and time).
From theoretical physics to a complete contempt for physics… Fast & Furious 9 takes a muscle car into orbit – and it’s not the most implausible thing about the movie. We're also watching last year's time loop comedy Palm Springs, plus Luca, Mars, The Bad Batch and more. And there’s all this plus Who, Q and Lord Of The Rings too in our news section. Welcome to the latest Robby the Robot’s Waiting, the podcast that understands the gravity of the situation.
Episode highlights:
0:00:53: WHAT WE'VE BEEN WATCHING! Fast & Furious 9, Luca, Mars season 2, Palm Springs [beware: minor spoilers]
0:25:22: Meet Andrew Glester, who's been watching The Bad Batch and Netflix space movies
0:32:10: REWIND! We discuss the highs and lows of Interstellar [beware: relativistic physics]
1:04:59: THE NEWS! Featuring a Marvel/DC crossover, an animated Middle-earth spin-off, Jodie Whittaker leaving Doctor Who, Star Trek: Picard trailer (with added Riker pizza), Jameela Jamil in She-Hulk, The Book of Boba Fett and more
Your surplus military robots:
Tanavi Patel: entertainment reporter for SFX magazine and Digital Spy, panel moderator for MCM, FanExpo and more. https://twitter.com/tanavip
Dave Bradley: writer, gamer, book reviewer and a former editor of SFX. https://twitter.com/BoxDaveB
Richard Edwards: film and TV journalist and another former editor of SFX. https://twitter.com/RichDEdwards
SPECIAL GUEST! Andrew Glester is a science communicator, podcast host, lecturer, director and producer. https://twitter.com/astrondrew
We have a website now!
Please bookmark www.robbyscifi.com immediately.
S02 E02: Don't panic! It's The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy
We’ve got answers, but if you’re looking for questions… Well, you’re going to have to ask Deep Thought. We take a trip through life, the universe and everything as we celebrate The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy.
Which is the definitive version of Douglas Adams' masterpiece? The radio series hit airwaves in 1978, the first novel followed in 1979, there's a much-loved 1980s TV series and oft-maligned 2005 movie, with videogames, comics and stageplays appearing along the way. Saturated with Adams unique voice, the story is infinitely quotable and hugely influential. Join us as we spend an evening celebrating its humour, sci-fi credentials and memorable characters.
We take our trip to the planet Magrathea in the company of writer, editor, book reviewer and Doctor Who superfan Rhian Drinkwater, who'll be a familiar name to followers of SFX magazine and the Arthur C Clarke Award.
Shhh… Don’t tell anyone but we’ve seen A Quiet Place Part II. Is it worth shouting about? We've also caught Loki on Disney+ and post-apocalyptic fairytale Sweet Tooth and new episodes of Lucifer on Netflix.
As usual, we take a wry look at the latest sci-fi announcements too. Jupiter’s Legacy has been cancelled, Sandman casting has ruffled fan feathers, and Hugh Jackman dazzles in the trailer for high-concept film Reminiscence. There’s all this, plus Pushing Daisies, Marvel movie news, a bleeped-out bad word, and a proposed Disneyland trip, in Robby The Robot’s Waiting, the podcast that’s mostly harmless.
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Episode highlights:
00:00:38 – What we’re watching: Loki, Sweet Tooth, A Quiet Place II, Lucifer
00:27:32 – Meet guest Rhian Drinkwater (plus: Star Wars and Marvel rewatch, Black Water Sister by Zen Cho, Inside Number 9)
00:33:06 – The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, in all its glorious forms.
01:04:57 – News: Jupiter’s Legacy, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Kraven The Hunter, JJ Abrams, Sandman, Reminiscence
Bipedal ape descendants:
Tanavi Patel: entertainment reporter for SFX magazine and Digital Spy, panel moderator for MCM, FanExpo and more. https://twitter.com/tanavip
Dave Bradley: writer, gamer, book reviewer and a former editor of SFX. https://twitter.com/BoxDaveB
Richard Edwards: film and TV journalist and another former editor of SFX. https://twitter.com/RichDEdwards
SPECIAL GUEST! Rhian Drinkwater is a writer, editor, awards judge, Doctor Who expert and regular contributor to SFX magazine. https://twitter.com/rhian82
We have a website now!
Please bookmark www.robbyscifi.com immediately.
S02 E01: There can be only one Highlander
Don’t lose your head! Your sci-fi podcast is back for its second season. We’ll be rewatching 1986 sword-and-accents fantasy Highlander in the company of top author Guy Haley. Plus we’ll reveal the current shows we recommend, and cast our eyes over the news. It’s a lot of fun and – gasp! – features our first ever bleep censor.
We check out The Nevers, the Victorian women-with-mysterious-powers show originated by Joss Whedon. And we’ve also watched Army Of The Dead on Netflix, the Ocean's Eleven meets Land of The Dead meets Escape From New York movie by Zack “Snyder Cut” Snyder. Are either worth your time?
Highlander, though, is a classic. Right? We dive into the world of immortals, duelling and Queen riffs to reveal whether it stands the test of time, or is just a moody two-hour rock video.
For this rewatch we’re joined by former SFX mag deputy editor Guy Haley, who’s now a prolific and much-loved author. He tells us what he’s been watching and playing this month before we launch into a discussion of how sci-fi has changed in the 21st century. It gets deep. Guy Haley himself has a new book out now, Richards & Klein, plus we talk about his Black Library and Warhammer work.
There’s all this plus the latest trailers and announcements, with added Ram-Man, Evil-Lyn and Fisto thanks to Kevin Smith's Masters Of The Universe remake.
Stream or download this chat for free, and join us for a jolly jaunt into sci-fi past, present and future. It’s a kind of magic.
Episode highlights:
00:00:53 – What we’re watching: The Nevers, Army Of The Dead
00:14:20 – Meet Guy Haley (plus Jupiter's Legacy, Epic, Inside No 9)
00:18:33 – How has sci-fi changed since the end of the 20th century?
00:25:00 – Guy Haley’s new books
00:32:10 – Highlander! Yes, the original. There can be only one.
00:57:00 – News: Eternals, Last Night In Soho, JJ Abrams, Attack The Block 2, Lucasfilm, The Vindicators, Masters Of The Universe
Your hosts:
Tanavi Patel: entertainment reporter for SFX magazine and Digital Spy, panel moderator for MCM, FanExpo and more. https://twitter.com/tanavip
Dave Bradley: writer, gamer, book reviewer and a former editor of SFX. https://twitter.com/BoxDaveB
Richard Edwards: film and TV journalist and another former editor of SFX. https://twitter.com/RichDEdwards
SPECIAL GUEST! Guy Haley, author of Richards & Klein and also many best-selling Warhammer novels including those in the Siege Of Terra and Horus Heresy series. https://twitter.com/guyhaley
Coming soon!
The official Robby The Robot’s Waiting website will launch this summer. Join our newsletter to find out more: https://tinyurl.com/robbynewsletter
BONUS EPISODE What We've Been Watching And Reading
We're back! But we haven't yet returned to our original form...
As a precursor to the upcoming, hotly anticipated second season of Robby The Robot's Waiting, we've put together an elegantly titled What We've Been Watching And/Or Reading: Special Edition rounding up the sci-fi and fantasy we've been cramming into our eyeballs since we've been on hiatus.
What does "fantasy man" Dave think of Netflix's latest dose of magic? Which superhero show caused Tanavi to rage quit? Why have we been rewatching Green Lantern, FlashForward and Terra Nova? And how much did Chewits influence Godzilla Vs Kong? The answers can all be found here...
The following sci-fi/fantasy product is contained within:
Shadow And Bone (0:43)
For All Mankind (10:26)
Project Hail Mary (18:00)
The Mitchells Vs The Machines (22.57)
Love And Monsters (30:00)
Godzilla Vs Kong (32:43)
Jupiter's Legacy (37:20)
Green Lantern (41:33)
FlashForward and Terra Nova (46:29)
The Bad Batch (54:09)
Our season 2 premiere, featuring our trip back to Highlander, will be heading your way very soon – though not before the end of May, as we claim at the end of this episode. Unless you want to lend us a time machine – we'd be happy to take one off your hands.
Your podcast pals:
Richard Edwards: film and TV journalist and former editor of leading sci-fi mag SFX. https://twitter.com/RichDEdwards
Tanavi Patel: entertainment reporter for SFX and Digital Spy, panel moderator for MCM, FanExpo and more. https://twitter.com/tanavip
Dave Bradley: writer, gamer, book reviewer and another former editor of SFX magazine. https://twitter.com/BoxDaveB
Robby’s mailing list:
We are about to restart the regular podcast. Stay up to date with episode announcements by pointing us at your inbox. Here's the sign-up link: https://tinyurl.com/robbynewsletter
BONUS EPISODE The Falcon And The Winter Soldier [MASSIVE SPOILERS!]
The latest MCU series felt like a film told in six instalments. Soaring action, powerful themes, exotic locations, old allies and new foes... it's been a thrill ride. We've had a week to recover from the finale of The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, with its battles and character reveals. So what did we think of it overall?
The six-episode Marvel series ran weekly on Disney+ and took us on a fraught journey across a world dealing with the outcomes of Avengers: Endgame. In many respects, it's an origin story for our new Captain America. With some familiar faces from the films and new villains in the form of the Flag Smashers, it tackled issues of race, identity, history, propaganda, personal trauma, guilt, justice and politics. And it delivered the kind of aerial fight scenes more usually witnessed on the big screen.
With superhero fans still buzzing about it, it's time to take a break from our regular podcast format and discuss the adventures of Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes in depth. Did we love the series as much as WandaVision? What stories touched us most? Where does the Marvel universe go from here? All this and more, in about 40 minutes of informal chat.
Be warned, this episode contains whopping spoilers for the Marvel and Disney+ original series. We assume you’ve seen every episode, and are aware of all the twists. You must only listen to this recording if you're up to date. Seriously, if you haven’t watched to the end, stay away until you've caught up.
Your podcast pals:
Richard Edwards: film and TV journalist and former editor of leading sci-fi mag SFX. https://twitter.com/RichDEdwards
Tanavi Patel: entertainment reporter for SFX and Digital Spy, panel moderator for MCM, FanExpo and more. https://twitter.com/tanavip
Dave Bradley: writer, gamer, book reviewer and another former editor of SFX magazine. https://twitter.com/BoxDaveB
Robby’s mailing list:
We are about to restart the regular podcast, with season two coming your way in late May. Stay up to date with episode announcements by pointing us at your inbox. Here's the sign-up link: https://tinyurl.com/robbynewsletter
Episode 17 (redux): The Black Hole, Snowpiercer, For All Mankind, Servant, The Suicide Squad, Comic-Con, ThunderCats and Game Of Thrones
Found it! Yes, the famous lost episode of Robby The Robot’s Waiting – the one that got lost somewhere in the deepest depths of outer space (aka the internet) – has been rediscovered and unleashed in the direction of your eardrums. After one of our audio tracks went missing, we re-recorded most of the podcast to make sure you didn’t miss out on our chat about The Black Hole. Now it’s back from the other side of reality – and it’s epic.
We’re joined by John Singh, a publicity mastermind who’s worked for companies like Disney and Lucasfilm, to talk about Disney’s first attempt to ‘do’ Star Wars. Why does The Black Hole have more in common with 2001: A Space Odyssey than galaxies far, far away? How did The Boy Who Talked To Badgers play a part in its genesis? And what’s with that ending? We’ve got the skinny on one of the weirdest – yet most ambitious – movies ever to come out of the House of Mouse.
Elsewhere, it’s a trip back in time as we discuss what we were watching in early March – before we’d even seen the WandaVision finale. We give our verdicts on Snowpiercer, Greenland, For All Mankind and Servant.
And with Disney Plus making weekly appointment television fashionable again with WandaVision, The Falcon And The Winter Soldier and The Mandalorian, we debate the best way to watch TV – once-a-week or all-in-one binge?
That’s not all, either, because we take our usual voyage through the strange new worlds of sci-fi news. Look out for our takes on the proposed Thanksgiving San Diego Comic-Con, George RR Martin bringing Game Of Thrones to the stage, The Suicide Squad trailer, the future of Star Wars, and a ThunderCats movie. Snarf!
There’s all that and much more in Robby The Robot’s Waiting, the podcast with its own gravitational pull. (Protection from Maximilian is optional.)
Episode highlights:
0:01:30 – What we’ve been watching: The Suicide Squad, Greenland, For All Mankind, Servant
0:01:25 – To binge or not to binge, that is the question...
0:31:24 – What has special guest John Singh been watching? Joe Versus The Volcano gets its first-ever Robby The Robot’s Waiting mention
0:36:26 – Rewind! Our retro segment this week looks back at The Black Hole (1979) – available to view now on Disney Plus
1:13:15 – News! The Suicide Squad, San Diego Comic-Con, ThunderCats, Game Of Thrones on stage and Star Wars
Your intrepid crew:
Richard Edwards: film and TV journalist and former editor of SFX magazine. https://twitter.com/RichDEdwards
Tanavi Patel: entertainment reporter for SFX and Digital Spy, panel moderator for MCM, FanExpo and more. https://twitter.com/tanavip
Dave Bradley: writer, gamer, book reviewer and another former editor of SFX. https://twitter.com/BoxDaveB
SPECIAL GUEST! John Singh has spent more than 20 years of his life working in publicity and media relations for The Walt Disney Company and Lucasfilm, including launching Star Wars Celebration Europe, and introducing D23, Disney's fan club, and the D23 Expo. He’s also worked with Frank Oz and the Saturn Awards. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2089678/
Join our newsletter:
https://tinyurl.com/robbynewsletter
Attention! There are now 18 episodes in season one of Robby The Robot's Waiting, plus a bunch of standalones. We'll be back with a special dedicated to The Falcon And The Winter Soldier next week, and then season two begins in earnest next month. Stay tuned!
Episode 18: Futurama, Zack Snyder’s Justice League, Falcon And The Winter Soldier, The One, The Nevers, Thunder Force, Star Trek and more [season one finale]
Good news, everyone! We’re hitching a ride to the 31st century with Planet Express, to celebrate the animated comedy genius of Futurama with our guest, writer and broadcaster Yael Tygiel. You can catch up on Matt Groening and David X Cohen’s sci-fi cartoon too because all 140 episodes are available now on Disney+. Is it still funny? We think so.
A waste of time or a four-hour epic of “I told you so” proportions? We discuss Zack Snyder’s Justice League and how it deviates from the 2017 version.
Meanwhile, we’ve also been watching the start of Marvel’s latest TV offering, Falcon And The Winter Soldier, plus time-travel comedy film Naked, Twelve Monkeys the TV show, high-concept Netflix series The One, and Pacific Rim: The Black, the animated series set in the world of Kaiju and Jaegers. Join us as we share our recommendations (or warnings).
We take aim at the sci-fi news too, checking out Victorian superheroes in the trailer for The Nevers, and Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer’s middle-aged superheroes in the first trailer for Thunder Force.
JJ Abrams is back for more Star Trek, and we hear Aladdin’s Mena Massoud will be in the Star Wars show Ahsoka. We natter about Hawkeye spin-off Echo, Captain America, the further delay to Black Widow’s cinema release, Black Adam, Emerald Fennell taking on Zatanna, Batwoman, Michael Keaton in The Flash, a new collection of rare notes from the creator of The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy and more.
And yes, it’s true: this is the season one finale of Robby The Robot’s Waiting! Please catch up on all the episodes so far – we’ll make the “lost” episode 17 available soon too – and then we’ll be back next month with the first of our season two episodes.
Thanks for listening. All glory to the hypnotoad.
Episode highlights:
0:01:30 – What we’ve been watching: Zack Snyder’s Justice League, The One and more
0:27:22 – What has special guest Yael Tygiel been watching? Twelve Monkeys!
0:30:17 – Rewind! Our retro segment this week looks at Futurama (1999-2013)
0:57:30 – News! Star Trek, Ahsoka, The Nevers, Black Widow, Thunder Force and more...
The lost episode
What happened to episode 17? We recorded an edition a couple of weeks ago dedicated to The Black Hole with guest John Singh, former publicity mastermind at companies like Disney and Lucasfilm. Alas, the recording disappeared into an internet black hole of its own. We’re busy resurrecting it, and we’ll publish it in the very near future.
Your podcast pals:
Richard Edwards: film and TV journalist and former editor of SFX magazine. https://twitter.com/RichDEdwards
Tanavi Patel: entertainment reporter for SFX and Digital Spy, panel moderator for MCM, FanExpo and more. https://twitter.com/tanavip
Dave Bradley: writer, gamer, book reviewer and another former editor of SFX. https://twitter.com/BoxDaveB
SPECIAL GUEST! Yael Tygiel is a writer published on PopSugar, ComicsBeat, and FANDOM. She hosts Super Lady Hero Hour on FANVERSATION, Have You Tried NOT Being a Podcast on That Hashtag Show, and streams video games on Twitch. https://twitter.com/yaeltygiel
Join our newsletter:
Don't worry we'll protect your data, and we'll email you when season two is ready to launch! https://tinyurl.com/robbynewsletter
BONUS EPISODE WandaVision Celebration [MASSIVE SPOILERS!]
Life moves pretty fast out in the suburbs. It was only last Friday that WandaVision came to an end. So we’ve put together this special episode of magical chat. Across nine episodes, Wanda, Vision, Agnes, Monica, Jimmy, Darcy, Haywood and co have kept us guessing about what’s really happening in Westview, New Jersey. Mixing the tropes of classic sitcoms with flashbacks to the adventures of the Avengers, it’s been event TV in its purest form, expanding the Marvel Cinematic Universe while giving us a unique tale of grief and redemption.
Be aware, this chat contains HUGE SPOILERS for the Disney+ series and assumes you’ve seen all nine episodes to the very end – including post-credit scenes. You must only listen to this episode if you are up to date, and know about all the big reveals. Seriously, if you haven’t watched to the end, stay away – and don’t come back until you’ve binged the lot! You can subscribe to Disney+ at https://www.disneyplus.com/.
If you have enjoyed this tale of Westview and its enchanting, and enchanted, inhabitants, please join your three Robby The Robot’s Waiting hosts as they ponder the finale, the season’s mysteries, the in-jokes and what it means for the future of the MCU. Kick ass!
Your Westview insiders:
Richard Edwards: film and TV journalist and former editor of SFX magazine. https://twitter.com/RichDEdwards
Tanavi Patel: entertainment reporter for SFX and Digital Spy, panel moderator for MCM, FanExpo and more. https://twitter.com/tanavip
Dave Bradley: writer, gamer, reviewer and another former editor of SFX. https://twitter.com/BoxDaveB
Interplanetary connections:
Join our mailing list! Get sci-fi podcast announcements straight to your inbox: https://tinyurl.com/robbynewsletter
Episode 16: Spider-Man 2, Space Sweepers, Joss Whedon, WandaVision, Christopher Plummer, Buck Rogers, Star Wars, Iron Fist, A Song Of Ice And Fire and more
With great power comes great responsibility – and some great movies. Amazingly, it’s been 17 years since Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker battled Doc Ock. In the latest episode of your sci-fi and fantasy podcast, the regular podcast gang are joined by author and comic expert Joseph McCabe, to reevaluate arguably the Wallcrawler’s finest screen outing, Spider-Man 2.
Need viewing recommendations? We’ve been watching Space Sweepers on Netflix, which sounds like the Space Truckers sequel nobody wanted but is actually at the vanguard of a wave of exciting Korean sci-fi.
Joss Whedon’s been in the news for the wrong reasons and as Buffy and Angel stars speak out about a toxic environment on set, we ask if behind-the-scenes unpleasantness tarnishes classic shows. Meanwhile, one of our favourite characters is dropped from one of our favourite shows: what happened to The Mandalorian’s Gina Carano (Cara Dune)?
Putting controversy behind us, we talk about news of Rian Johnson's Star Wars trilogy and Mike Flanagan's Midnight Club, and discuss the casting of Pedro Pascal in The Last Of Us. The Man Who Fell To Earth is getting a remake too.
And there’s all that plus Buck Rogers, Shakespeare in the original Klingon, the latest on George RR Martin’s A Song Of Ice And Fire and more, in Robby The Robot’s Waiting, your friendly neighbourhood podcast.
Episode highlights:
0.00.52 What we've been watching (Space Sweepers, Star Wars shows, Pixar Popcorn)
0.14.06 Buffy stars allegations about working with Joss Whedon
00.22.59 Gina Carano dropped from The Mandalorian
0.29.01 What guest Joe McCabe's been watching – and eating! WandaVision, The Mandalorian and breakfast cereal
0.34.10 Rewind! We rewatch Sam Raimi’s 2004 classic Spider-Man 2
0.58.21 The news! RIP Christopher Plummer, Buck Rogers shows in development, Rian Johnson's Star Wars trilogy, Mike Flanagan's Midnight Club, Pedro Pascal in The Last Of Us, The Man Who Fell To Earth, Iron Fist, Truth Seekers and A Song Of Ice And Fire
Share the love:
Enjoyed this hour of chat with us? Please share the episode link with friends, and leave us a review – a five-star rating is appreciated and helps us spread the word.
If you want to help us choose the Rewind topic for a future episode, send your suggestions for classic sci-fi/fantasy movie, TV or book to @Robbyscifi on Twitter, and say why we should talk about it. Your suggestion may be the Robby team’s next rewatch!
On the mic:
Richard Edwards: film and TV journalist and former editor of SFX magazine. https://twitter.com/RichDEdwards
Tanavi Patel: entertainment reporter for SFX and Digital Spy, panel moderator for MCM, FanExpo and more. https://twitter.com/tanavip
Dave Bradley: writer, gamer, book reviewer and another former editor of SFX. https://twitter.com/BoxDaveB
SPECIAL GUEST! As well as being founding editor-in-chief of DC Universe, Joseph McCabe is an entertainment journalist and author of 100 Things Batman Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die. https://twitter.com/jmacabre
Get the newsletter:
https://tinyurl.com/robbynewsletter
Episode 15: WALL-E, Resident Alien, Fate: The Winx Saga, Star Trek: Lower Decks, Game Of Thrones, Harry Potter, The Matrix 4 and more
It’s the end of the world as we know it – and he feels fine! The story of a bleak dystopian future Earth was always unlikely subject matter for an animated movie, but if anyone could make it work, it’s Pixar.
In the latest episode of your sci-fi and fantasy podcast, your regular Robby The Robot’s Waiting team are joined by Radio Times journalist and Disney expert Jo-Anne Rowney to talk about WALL-E, aka R2-D2: The Movie. How were a pair of binoculars integral to the movie’s origins? Has WALL-E shown us the actual future of the human race? And how much do we want to experience the joys of a cupcake in a cup? Never has a film about a big pile of rubbish been quite so captivating.
Elsewhere, we check out new shows Resident Alien (Now TV/Syfy) and Fate: The Winx Saga (Netflix), wonder if Star Trek: Lower Decks (Amazon Prime Video/CBS All Access) has got the right balance between geekery and gags, and give not-really-fantasy sitcom Dead Pixels (E4/All 4) a free pass.
And for anyone who remembers the days when UK TV screens were jam-packed with the genre likes of Doctor Who, Primeval, Torchwood, Misfits, Being Human and, er, Hyperdrive, we ask where all the British sci-fi telly has gone.
Beyond all that, we remember late Babylon 5 star Mira Furlan, wonder if the world needs more Harry Potter and Game Of Thrones, get excited about a Wakanda TV show, and debate the title of the upcoming Matrix 4. There’s all this and more in Robby The Robot’s Waiting, the podcast that cleans up the mess while you’re away.
Episode highlights:
0:00:48 – Fate: The Winx Saga, Resident Alien, Star Trek: Lower Decks and Dead Pixels
0:13:42 – Where did all the British sci-fi TV go?
0:24:15 – Robby The Robot's Writing. Your words, not ours!
0:26:50 – Guest writer Jo-Anne Rowney’s genre faves: WandaVision and Superman
0:33:02 – Rewind: our retro section revisits WALL-E
0:55:16 – The news! Featuring Babylon 5’s Mira Furlan, Harry Potter and Game Of Thrones, Wakanda TV show, more movie release date delays, Epic (aka Once Upon A Time 2), Willy Wonka: The Early Years, The Suicide Squad and The Matrix 4.
Share and enjoy:
Enjoyed this episode? Please share the link to this episode with friends, and leave us a review – a five-star rating is always appreciated and helps us spread the word.
If you want to help us choose the Rewind topic for our March episode, send your suggestions for classic sci-fi/fantasy movie, TV episode, book (delete as appropriate) to @Robbyscifi on Twitter – and tell us why we should talk about it. Our favourite suggestion will be immortalised by the Robby team.
Your podcast pals:
Richard Edwards: film and TV journalist and former editor of SFX magazine. https://twitter.com/RichDEdwards
Tanavi Patel: entertainment reporter for SFX and Digital Spy, panel moderator for MCM, FanExpo and more. https://twitter.com/tanavip
Dave Bradley: writer, gamer, book reviewer and another former editor of SFX. https://twitter.com/BoxDaveB
SPECIAL GUEST! Jo-Anne Rowney is a journalist for the Radio Times and also a Disney uber-fan. https://twitter.com/JoAnne_Rowney
Join our newsletter:
Episode 14: Supernatural, WandaVision, A Discovery Of Witches, Outside The Wire, The Expanse, Lord Of The Rings, Star Wars and more
Welcome to the latest episode of your sci-fi and fantasy podcast, where three top genre journalists lead you through the best of past, current and upcoming TV, movies and books. It’s like getting a top sci-fi and fantasy magazine delivered in audio form, so buckle up for an hour of chat where geekery comes as standard.
We celebrate 15 seasons of demon-slaying carnage in Supernatural. But where should newcomers begin with so many years of a show? We’re joined by journalist, columnist and Supernatural superfan Jayne Nelson, who explains why the show remains so popular and suggests some places to jump on. What do our Winchester virgins make of Castiel’s first appearance in the season 4 opener?
Meanwhile, we review the first episodes of WandaVision. We also check out Outside The Wire on Netflix and A Discovery Of Witches on Sky One, The Expanse on Amazon Prime and the weird new Peaky Batman series Pennyworth.
Lots of Marvel, Star Wars and Lord Of The Rings is all well and good, but wouldn’t it be nice to watch something different for a change? Are they starving oxygen from everything else? We wonder if sci-fi and fantasy are in danger of getting a bit repetitive, as the big franchises grow ever bigger.
Speaking of which, there’s yet more Marvel, Star Wars and Lord Of The Rings in the news! But we also cast our eyes at Galaxy Quest 2 rumours… There’s all this and more in Robby The Robot’s Waiting, the podcast that drives around in a 1967 Chevrolet Impala.
Episode highlights:
0:01:00 – What we've been watching: WandaVision, A Discovery Of Witches, Outside The Wire
0:14:58 – Are big franchises taking over?
0:25:25 – Robby The Robot's Writing: thank you for your feedback! The playlist compiled by listener James Edwards is at https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2DlEuIA9sngtu2JW0rfWTJ?si=lunwe0FXRICka7KKUb6k0A
0:27:23 – Guest Jayne Nelson’s current TV faves: The Expanse and Pennyworth
0:33:02 – Rewind: we (re)watch Supernatural in our retro section
0:55:38 – The news! Featuring The Lord Of The Rings on TV, Deadpool 3 in the MCU, is Kevin Feige the greatest producer ever, Qui-Gon Jinn's return, a new Star Wars game, and Galaxy Quest 2.
Share and enjoy:
Please share the link to this episode, and leave us a review – a five-star rating is always appreciated and helps us spread the word.
Your podcast pals:
Richard Edwards: film and TV journalist and former editor of SFX magazine. https://twitter.com/RichDEdwards
Tanavi Patel: entertainment reporter for SFX and Digital Spy, panel moderator for MCM, FanExpo and more. https://twitter.com/tanavip
Dave Bradley: writer, gamer, book reviewer and another former editor of SFX. https://twitter.com/BoxDaveB
SPECIAL GUEST! Jayne Nelson is a film and TV journalist, columnist, and experienced writer/sub-editor for a range of publications. https://twitter.com/kakapojayne
Stay in touch:
Get episode announcements straight to your inbox https://tinyurl.com/robbynewsletter
BONUS EPISODE Star Trek Discovery Season 3 Celebration [MASSIVE SPOILERS!]
Hailing frequencies open! With the latest season of Star Trek Discovery coming to end last week, it’s time to take a break from our regular podcast format and discuss the adventures of Michael Burnham and crew in depth.
Be aware, this chat contains huge spoilers for the CBS/Netflix series and assumes you’ve seen seasons 1, 2 and 3. You must only listen to this episode if you are up to date, and know about all the big reveals. Seriously, if you haven’t sat to the end, stay away – and don’t come back until you’ve binged the lot! It's on Netflix in the UK (https://www.netflix.com/title/80126024) and CBS All Access in the US (https://www.cbs.com/shows/star-trek-discovery/).
If you’ve enjoyed this tale of the 32nd century, please join your three Robby The Robot’s Waiting crewmates as they ponder the finale and the highs and lows of this season’s action. Let’s fly!
Your bridge crew:
Richard Edwards: film and TV journalist and former editor of SFX magazine. https://twitter.com/RichDEdwards
Tanavi Patel: entertainment reporter for SFX and Digital Spy, panel moderator for MCM, FanExpo and more. https://twitter.com/tanavip
Dave Bradley: writer, gamer, reviewer and another former editor of SFX. https://twitter.com/BoxDaveB
Interplanetary connections:
Join our mailing list! Get Robby’s announcements straight to your inbox https://tinyurl.com/robbynewsletter
Verification token: GjchujYiHgRGFG0GZTDR
Episode 13: Terry Pratchett’s Night Watch, Soul, The Midnight Sky, Doctor Who, The Expanse, Star Wars, Elder Scrolls and more
Happy New Year, and welcome to our first episode of 2021. Thank you to all our listeners who have been with us on this journey. If you’re new to Robby The Robot’s Waiting: welcome! You’ll find some geeky chat, a wry look at the sci-fi news, some what-we’re-watching recommendations, and a look back at a classic of the genre in the company of a top guest.
This episode we’re joined by Jonathan Wright, journalist and editor, an expert on literary SF, the publisher of Adventure Rocketship! and a regular in the pages of SFX magazine. The topic under discussion? Usually, we check out a vintage movie or TV show, but today you’ll hear about Terry Pratchett’s novel Night Watch. Yep, it’s destination Ankh Morpork as we set coordinates for Discworld to talk about one of Sir Terry’s finest novels (which, with a theme of policing and civil unrest, seems more relevant than ever).
Meanwhile, we’ve been checking out Pixar’s Soul, the New Year’s Day edition of Doctor Who, The Midnight Sky, The Expanse and more... Lockdowns are a pain but they’re a good excuse to watch a lot of streaming TV and films.
We also discuss Star Wars: The High Republic, the latest on DC and Marvel’s bids for world domination (including Wonder Woman 3), TV ghost stories, The Elder Scrolls – Terry Pratchett’s favourite video game, fact fans – finally becoming a TV show, Steven Seagal tributes, the big Lost rewatch, Scotty in space, and loads more.
Episode highlights:
0.00.53 – What we've been watching: Soul, The Midnight Sky, Doctor Who New Year Special, The Expanse, Star Wars: The High Republic, Sci-Fi Blindness on Radio 4 and more
0.19.04 – Robby The Robot's Writing: our new listener feedback section (all correspondence welcome!)
0.23.01 – Meet our guest Jonathan Wright. He’s been watching Soul and reading The Library Of The Dead by TL Huchu
0.25.13 – Rewind: we’re celebrating a book in this week’s retro section, rather than a TV show or film. Sir Terry Pratchett’s Night Watch takes us back to a turbulent time in Discworld’s past
0.53.02 – News! Wonder Woman 3, more DC movies on HBO Max, MCU on TV, The Book of Boba Fett, no more The Haunting Of...s, His Dark Materials gets a third season, Elder Scrolls on TV, Scotty in space and loads more
Your podcast pals:
Richard Edwards: film and TV journalist and former editor of SFX magazine. https://twitter.com/RichDEdwards
Tanavi Patel: entertainment reporter for SFX and Digital Spy, panel moderator for MCM, FanExpo and more. https://twitter.com/tanavip
Dave Bradley: writer, gamer, book reviewer and another former editor of SFX. https://twitter.com/BoxDaveB
SPECIAL GUEST! Jonathan Wright is a highly-regarded journalist, critic, editor and book guru (BBC History Mag, SFX, Adventure Rocketship) https://twitter.com/Jonathanw101
Robby’s mailing list:
Get episode announcements straight to your inbox https://tinyurl.com/robbynewsletter
BONUS EPISODE Review Of The Year 2020
At the end of a year when planet Earth turned into a total-immersion version of a post-apocalyptic sci-fi movie, the Robby The Robot’s Waiting team take the only logical course of action – we look back on a year of TV and film.
While 2020 in cinema was as much about the films we didn’t see as the films we did – would Birds Of Prey be making it into top five lists in any other year? – TV has arguably never been better.
So, join Robby regulars Dave, Tanavi and Richard – and our special guest, journalist and author Tara Bennett – for a journey through Star Treks, virtual watercoolers, and superheroes. And yes, we do talk about Doctor Who – eventually...
We also look ahead to what’s (hopefully) going to be exciting us on screens big and small in 2021.
Happy new year to all our listeners. Thanks for all the downloads in 2020 – there’ll be loads more in 2021!
Episode highlights:
0.01.05 – What we HAVEN’T been able to see in this strange, pandemic year
0.03.36 – What new films did we enjoy in 2020? Tenet, The New Mutants, Birds Of Prey, Bill And Ted, and more
0.21.40 – Our pick of shows on TV and streaming services: The Mandalorian, Servant, What We Do In The Shadows, The Good Place, Star Trek (Picard and DIscovery), Space Force, Arrow, Red Dwarf, and loads more
0.44.09 – Doctor Who series 12
0.48.40 – What are we looking forward to in 2021?
Your bounty hunters:
Richard Edwards: film and TV journalist and former editor of SFX magazine https://twitter.com/RichDEdwards
Tanavi Patel: entertainment reporter for SFX and Digital Spy, panel moderator for MCM, FanExpo and more https://twitter.com/tanavip
Dave Bradley: writer, gamer, book reviewer and another former editor of SFX. https://twitter.com/BoxDaveB
SPECIAL GUEST! Tara Bennett is an author, journalist, US editor of SFX magazine and senior producer at SYFY WIRE https://twitter.com/TaraDBennett
Robby’s awesome mailing list:
Get episode announcements straight to your inbox https://tinyurl.com/robbynewsletter
CHRISTMAS EPISODE Haven
Christmas has been an eclectic mix for the Robby The Robot’s Waiting team. The premise of our "Christmas gifts" was to introduce our co-hosts to something they've not seen before. Having ventured into ’80s fantasy territory with Hawk The Slayer, before braving the Spanish Civil War chills of The Devil’s Backbone, we’re off for a jaunt to the decidedly odd Maine town of Haven.
In the third of our festive specials, the Stephen King adaptation was Tanavi’s pick for Richard and Dave to watch. We invited freelance journalist, TV expert and former SFX editor Dave Golder along for the ride to remember what TV was like at the start of the decade. Join us as we wonder why such a small town has so many amenities, ask if Haven’s part of the same world as The X-Files, and celebrate a show that brought The Thing to small-town America.
The voices of the troubled:
Richard Edwards: film and TV journalist and former editor of SFX magazine. https://twitter.com/RichDEdwards
Tanavi Patel: entertainment reporter for SFX and Digital Spy, panel moderator for MCM, FanExpo and more. https://twitter.com/tanavip
Dave Bradley: writer, gamer, book reviewer and another former editor of SFX. https://twitter.com/BoxDaveB
SPECIAL GUEST! Dave Golder: genre journo, author of books about post-apocalypses and film posters, another former editor of SFX magazine (http://www.sfx.co.uk) and an expert on sci-fi and fantasy TV. https://twitter.com/davegolder
Robby’s sci-fi mailing list:
Get episode announcements straight to your inbox! https://tinyurl.com/robbynewsletter
CHRISTMAS EPISODE The Devil's Backbone
We've reinvented the concept of Christmas presents this year. Instead of handing out actual tangible gifts, Tanavi, Dave and Richard – aka the Robby The Robot's Waiting podcast team – have each chosen a favourite movie or TV show for the other two to watch. The only rule is that they can't have seen it before.
Following Dave's pick of Hawk The Slayer, Richard has gone for early Guillermo del Toro masterpiece The Devil's Backbone, a Spanish Civil War-set story about a haunting in an orphanage. And an unexploded bomb.
We've also invited along Den Of Geek UK editor (and horror expert) Rosie Fletcher to help us discuss a kids' adventure movie with a very dark edge. Expect chat about spooks in bubbles, men called Pig and the value of marbles made of snot…
Your voices in the dark:
Richard Edwards: film and TV journalist and former editor of SFX magazine. https://twitter.com/RichDEdwards
Tanavi Patel: entertainment reporter for SFX and Digital Spy, panel moderator for MCM, FanExpo and more. https://twitter.com/tanavip
Dave Bradley: writer, gamer, book reviewer and another former editor of SFX. https://twitter.com/BoxDaveB
SPECIAL GUEST! Rosie Fletcher: writer, horror expert, UK editor of Den Of Geek. https://twitter.com/rosarellafletch
Robby’s sci-fi mailing list:
Get episode announcements straight to your inbox! https://tinyurl.com/robbynewsletter
CHRISTMAS EPISODE Hawk The Slayer
Merry Christmas! In three special festive episodes of Robby The Robot's Waiting, we're handing out Christmas presents... in a manner of speaking. In each one, regular hosts Dave, Tanavi and Richard have chosen a movie or TV show the others have never seen before to find out what they think – and to share the joy of sci-fi and fantasy this festive season.
First up is Dave's pick, Hawk The Slayer. Is it a classic of ’80s fantasy? Or is it just the butt of a joke in Spaced? To help us decide, we've brought along a special guest: Jason Kingsley OBE. Jason is the CEO of Rebellion, publisher of hit videogames Sniper Elite and Alien Vs Predator, not to mention the galaxy's greatest comic, 2000 AD. He's also held the Mind Sword, which makes him uniquely qualified to talk Hawk. Along the way, we discuss machine gun elves, the sequels that never were, and how a man who doesn't do much killing ended up being nicknamed "the Slayer".
Your band of adventurers:
Richard Edwards: film and TV journalist and former editor of SFX magazine. https://twitter.com/RichDEdwards
Tanavi Patel: entertainment reporter for SFX and Digital Spy, panel moderator for MCM, FanExpo and more. https://twitter.com/tanavip
Dave Bradley: writer, gamer, book reviewer and another former editor of SFX. https://twitter.com/BoxDaveB
SPECIAL GUEST! Jason Kingsley OBE is the co-founder and CEO of Rebellion, publisher of legendary comic 2000 AD, not to mention video games, books, films and more. He's also a host of Modern History TV (https://www.youtube.com/c/ModernHistoryTV) the popular YouTube channel that looks at life as a knight. https://twitter.com/rebellionjason
Robby’s awesome mailing list:
Get episode announcements straight to your inbox https://tinyurl.com/robbynewsletter
BONUS EPISODE The Mandalorian Season 2 Celebration [MASSIVE SPOILERS!]
After the explosive season finale of The Mandalorian on Disney+ had Star Wars fans buzzing, we declare it the most important TV show of the year. It’s time to take a break from our regular podcast format and discuss the adventures of Din Djarin and Baby Yoda in depth.
Be warned, this episode contains major spoilers for the Disney+ original series, and assumes that you’ve seen both seasons 1 and 2, and are aware of all the show’s recent reveals. You must only listen to this recording if you are up to date. Seriously, if you haven’t watched to the end, stay away – and don’t come back until you’re done!
If you agree that this is the best Star Wars tale since 1983’s Return Of The Jedi, you’ll be at home as your three Robby The Robot’s Waiting pals discuss their reaction to the season finale and the implication of all this season’s action.
This is the way.
Your bounty hunters:
Richard Edwards: film and TV journalist and former editor of SFX magazine. https://twitter.com/RichDEdwards
Tanavi Patel: entertainment reporter for SFX and Digital Spy, panel moderator for MCM, FanExpo and more. https://twitter.com/tanavip
Dave Bradley: writer, gamer, book reviewer and another former editor of SFX. https://twitter.com/BoxDaveB
Robby’s awesome mailing list:
Get episode announcements straight to your inbox https://tinyurl.com/robbynewsletter
Episode 12: Gremlins, Wonder Woman 1984, Star Wars, Marvel, Dungeons & Dragons, Batman and more
Is a mogwai for life or just for Christmas? The Gremlins are having a party in Kingston Falls and we’re all invited. With the festive season looming, we invite writer Sarah Dobbs onto the podcast to rewatch the madcap ’80s horror comedy.
We're not just into old movies though. Wonder Woman is back with her own version of 1984. We’ve ventured out of the house to give our verdict on Diana Prince’s return to the big screen. Fire up the invisible jet!
New Star Wars! New Marvel! New Alien! New everything! From Mandalorian spin-offs [don’t worry, no spoilers] to Andor, from Falcon And The Winter Soldier to Secret Invasion, we pick our highlights from the Disney news explosion.
And there’s all this plus Spider-Men, Dungeons & Dragons, Dune on HBO Max, Buzz Lightyear, new Batman, George Lucas’s Star Wars dialogue and more, in Robby The Robot’s Waiting, the podcast you should never, ever feed after midnight.
Episode highlights:
0.00.45 – We’ve been to the cinema! Was Wonder Woman 1984 worth making the trip out?
0.10.25 – With all its TV and film announcements, Disney is spoiling us
0.29.25 – We’re joined by writer and digital producer Sarah Dobbs. She’s been watching Hallmark movies, and failing to re-watch Babylon 5
0.31.20 – Our Rewind section! We rewatch the ultimate Christmas classic, Gremlins
0.55.15 – Your sci-fi news: Spider-Man 3, Dungeons & Dragons, Buzz Lightyear and more
Santa’s little helpers:
Richard Edwards: film and TV journalist and former editor of SFX magazine. https://twitter.com/RichDEdwards
Tanavi Patel: entertainment reporter for SFX and Digital Spy, panel moderator for MCM, FanExpo and more. https://twitter.com/tanavip
Dave Bradley: writer, gamer, book reviewer and another former editor of SFX. https://twitter.com/BoxDaveB
SPECIAL GUEST! Sarah Dobbs is a journalist, horror expert, community manager, TV critic and digital producer. https://twitter.com/sarahdobbs
Robby’s awesome mailing list:
Get episode announcements straight to your inbox https://tinyurl.com/robbynewsletter
Episode 11: Forbidden Planet, Ready Player Two, LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special, David Prowse, Killjoys, SCI-FI-LONDON, Christopher Nolan, Game Of Thrones and more
It’s the movie that gave this podcast its name, and a classic of ’50s cinema. But how does Forbidden Planet hold up now it’s old enough to draw its pension? We head to Altair IV to chat about the Fred M Wilcox-directed sci-fi trailblazer, along with Louis Savy, director of the SCI-FI-LONDON festival.
Back on Earth, Louis is busy preparing for this year’s SCI-FI-LONDON event, which is the 20th since it began. This milestone festival will need to take place virtually because of the coronavirus lockdown, but that hasn’t held things back. Running 8-13 December, you’ll be able to watch films, see talks and panels (including one hosted by your Robby The Robot’s Waiting podcasters) and even enjoy the annual SCI-FIDO cosplay for dogs, all from the comfort of your own home. https://sci-fi-london.com/
Elsewhere in this episode, the team discuss the tension between a creator’s vision and the viewers’ needs. Christopher Nolan movies where you can’t hear the words? Game Of Thrones episodes where you can’t see a thing? We discuss artistic choices, and where we draw the line on compromise.
In need of what-to-watch recommendations? We chat about what else we’ve been viewing this month. How is everyone celebrating Life Day in lockdown? We find out with the new Lego Star Wars Holiday Special. Tanavi introduces the team to Killjoys (now on season five). And Richard and Louis have been reading Ready Player Two, so you don’t have to.
David “Darth Vader” Prowse passed away at the age of 85 just as we were getting ready to record the episode. Dave had a curry with him, during his time on SFX magazine, so we share some anecdotes.
And there’s just time to digest the latest morsels of sci-fi news. Robert Englund joins Stranger Things! The Daleks have had a makeover in time for the Doctor Who New Year Special! The Expanse is greenlit for a sixth season – which will be its last, though without one of its stars. There’s all this and loads more, in the podcast that’s in its deceleration station preparing to drop below light speed.
Episode highlights:
0.00:54 - What we've been watching and reading this week: Killjoys, Ready Player Two (0.05:41), and the Lego Star Wars Holiday Special (0.10:12).
0.15:45 - "I can’t see or hear your movie!" The team discuss artistic choices and audience expectations. It's Christopher Nolan's film, he can mix the sound any way he pleases... right?
0.27:28 – Our special guest Louis Savy talks about Ready Player Two, John Carter Of Mars and his own SCI-FI-LONDON film festival.
0.43.16 – Rewind: is the Forbidden Planet worth a revisit?
1.03:52 – The news! Including David Prowse, Doctor Who, Stranger Things, and more.
These are not the voices of the Mysterons:
Richard Edwards: film and TV journalist and former editor of SFX magazine. https://twitter.com/RichDEdwards
Tanavi Patel: entertainment reporter for SFX and Digital Spy, panel moderator for MCM, FanExpo and more. https://twitter.com/tanavip
Dave Bradley: writer, gamer, book reviewer and another former editor of SFX. https://twitter.com/BoxDaveB
SPECIAL GUEST! Louis Savy is founder and director of the SCI-FI-LONDON festival of fantastic film. https://sci-fi-london.com/
We’ll be joining the 2020 festival at 2 pm on Sunday 13 December: https://sci-fi-london.com/robby-the-robot-live-podcast/
Robby in your inbox:
Please sign up to the awesome mailing list https://tinyurl.com/robbynewsletter
Episode 10: Energize! It's Star Trek: The Original Series with Paul Cornell
Space. The final frontier. These are the voyages of Robby the Robot’s Waiting. Its hour-long mission to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new sci-fi and new conversations… to, er, boldly talk about classic Star Trek episode The Doomsday Machine? We’re joined by celebrated writer Paul Cornell to discuss one of the best pieces of 1960s TV, as Kirk and Spock challenge a deadly threat from another galaxy – and an obsessive officer within their own ranks.
Paul Cornell is an award-winning writer of novels, comics, short fiction and non-fiction, as well as a TV screenwriter for Doctor Who, Primeval and many other series. Paul’s final Lychford novella, Last Stand In Lychford, will be out on Tuesday 24 November. Then his new comic I Walk With Monsters #1 (published by The Vault) will be in stores and available for digital download on Wednesday 25 November.
A great philosopher once wrote that great art is never finished, only abandoned. Is that still the case in the digital age? We ask if creatives should leave their work alone once it’s been released to the world, or if they can keep “improving” their TV shows and movies indefinitely.
Here be daemons! We dust off our dark matter study notes as His Dark Materials returns to the BBC. Is season two as good as season one? Meanwhile, in the news, we wonder if George Lucas’s Star Wars sequels would have been better than Disney’s, talk new Fantastic Beasts casting, wonder what Wonder Woman 1984 coming to streaming could mean for cinema, celebrate the return of The Umbrella Academy and loads more.
And there’s all this plus My Little Transformer, Chris vs Chris, and Spike vs Angel in Robby The Robot’s Waiting, the podcast with a hull of solid neutronium.
Episode highlights:
1:20 – What we've been watching: His Dark Materials, Daleks, Raised By Wolves
14:45 – Which version of a movie or TV show are you watching? We discuss what it means for viewers that there is no longer a definitive version of anything, from Star Trek’s remastered effects to George Lucas and the infamous Greedo scene, to TV episodes that are dropped because of outdated and offensive content.
24:36 – Our special guest, writer Paul Cornell, chats about his latest publications, Last Stand In Lychford and I Walk With Monsters.
36:11 – Rewind: our regular rewatch segment takes us to the 23rd century, where Kirk and Spock face obsession, grief and mutually assured destruction in 1967’s The Doomsday Machine.
54:46 – News Round-Up: George Lucas’s Episodes 7, 8 and 9, Fantastic Beasts, Wonder Woman 1984, Thor: Love & Thunder, more Transformers, The Umbrella Academy and Spike v Angel.
The voices you will hear:
Richard Edwards: film and TV journalist and former editor of SFX magazine. https://twitter.com/RichDEdwards
Tanavi Patel: entertainment reporter for SFX and Digital Spy, panel moderator for MCM, FanExpo and more. https://twitter.com/tanavip
Dave Bradley: writer, gamer, book reviewer and another former editor of SFX magazine. https://twitter.com/BoxDaveB
SPECIAL GUEST! Author, screenwriter, comic creator and all-round science fiction legend Paul Cornell (https://twitter.com/Paul_Cornell). Read his latest blog here for more details of his new novella and comic: https://www.paulcornell.com/2020/11/the-complete-lychford/
Robby's waiting for you to sign up to the awesome mailing list https://tinyurl.com/robbynewsletter
Episode 9: Moonraker, The Mandalorian, Tim Burton, Willow, Sean Connery, Avatar 2 and loads more
Wherever Star Wars can go, James Bond can go too. In the latest episode of Robby The Robot’s Waiting: The Sci-Fi Podcast, we open the dossier on 007’s outer space adventure, Moonraker. Released in 1979 as science fiction was proving to be box office dynamite, it took the franchise to new heights – literally, if not artistically. We’re joined to talk about spies, shuttles and space stations – and whether they mix – by writer and James Bond connoisseur Nick Setchfield.
While we were preparing to record the episode, it was announced that Sean Connery had died aged 90. The actor was famous for playing James Bond in seven films, as well as other sci-fi and fantasy roles, including Indiana Jones’s dad, Juan Sánchez-Villalobos Ramírez in Highlander, and Zed in Zardoz. We look back on a career spanning over 50 years.
Could there be such a thing as too much television? With streaming services everywhere – and too much out there for any one human being to watch – we wonder if we’ve reached peak TV. We also enthuse over The Mandalorian’s season 2 premiere, scare ourselves silly with Pegg and Frost’s new ghost series Truth Seekers, check out a few teen monster stories including A Babysitter's Guide To Monster Hunting, and contemplate all the latest trailers and news.
There’s all this plus Battlestar Galactica, Moon Knight, Willow, and plenty of kookiness, spookiness and ookiness in Robby The Robot’s Waiting, the podcast that's out of this world...
Episode highlights:
1.00 – What we've been watching: A Babysitter's Guide To Monster Hunting, Vampire Academy, Hansel And Gretel: Witch Hunters, The Mandalorian season 2 premiere and Truth Seekers season 1.
14.47 – Is there too much TV? We discuss how big the streaming bubble can grow – is there room for everything?
25.03 – Our special guest, writer Nick Setchfield, chats about his books: The War In The Dark, The Spider Dance, and Mission Statements: James Bond At The Movies (details at www.nicksetchfield.com/books).
29.13 – Remembering Sean Connery, who died aged 90 just before we recorded the episode.
33.32 – Rewind: our regular rewatch segment takes us back to a different James Bond, Roger Moore, and the 1979 spy-fi adventure Moonraker.
54.20 – News Round-Up: Tim Burton's bringing The Addams Family to TV, Battlestar Galactica’s getting a(nother) reboot, Oscar Isaac will star in Moon Knight, a Willow TV show, the game series Assassin's Creed somersaulting onto TV, Kate Winslet's breath-holding exploits on the Avatar 2 set, and more...
Doing the talking:
Richard Edwards: film and TV journalist and former editor of SFX magazine. https://twitter.com/RichDEdwards
Tanavi Patel: entertainment reporter for SFX and Digital Spy, panel moderator for MCM, FanExpo and more. https://twitter.com/tanavip
Dave Bradley: writer, gamer, book reviewer and another former editor of SFX magazine. https://twitter.com/BoxDaveB
SPECIAL GUEST! Author and SFX’s editor-at-large, Nick Setchfield. https://twitter.com/nicksetchfield
Robby's waiting for you to sign up to our mailing list https://tinyurl.com/robbynewsletter
BONUS EPISODE 25 Years Of SFX Magazine: Part 2
Welcome to the second part of a special episode of Robby the Robot’s Waiting dedicated to 25 years of SFX magazine!
We had so much fun recording this bonus conversation that we split it into two parts. Make sure you’ve heard the first before you dive in here.
As you know, SFX is the world’s number one sci-fi and fantasy magazine, and it launched in 1995 making 2020 a milestone year. For the first time in the entire history of the universe, we brought together all five of those who have sat in the coveted editor’s chair – from launch ed Matt Bielby to current captain of the ship Darren Scott – to reminisce on the history of a sci-fi institution.
In this second instalment, Matt, Dave G, Dave B, Rich and Darren look back at triceratops cover stars, James Marsters playing decoy, legendary authors requesting helicopter transport, being starstruck by Tom Hardy, covering the F on the cover, what the X stands for and more...
While you’re enjoying this fun-packed festival of five fellas, why not check out the latest issue of SFX? Here are the details of how to subscribe and buy single issues online. https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/sfx-magazine-new-issue/
The voices you’ll be hearing are…
Tanavi Patel: entertainment reporter, asking the questions and keeping the eds on topic https://twitter.com/tanavip
Matt Bielby: SFX editor, 1995-1996
Dave Golder: SFX editor, 1996-2005 https://twitter.com/davegolder
Dave Bradley: SFX editor, 2005-2014 https://twitter.com/BoxDaveB
Richard Edwards: SFX editor, 2014-2019 https://twitter.com/RichDEdwards
Darren Scott: SFX editor, 2019-present https://twitter.com/darren_scott
SFX is on Twitter as @sfxmagazine and Robby The Robot's Waiting is on Twitter as @robbyscifi.
BONUS EPISODE 25 Years Of SFX Magazine: Part 1
Welcome to a very special episode of Robby the Robot’s Waiting – an instalment with added SFX appeal!
SFX, the world’s number one sci-fi and fantasy magazine, celebrated its 25th anniversary this year. That’s kind of a big deal, so for the first time in the entire history of the universe, we’ve brought together all five of the magazine’s editors – from launch ed Matt Bielby to current captain of the ship Darren Scott – to reminisce on the history of a sci-fi institution. It’s like The Five Doctors but nerdier.
In fact, it turns out that once you get a geekery (we’re calling it as the collective noun) of sci-fi editors together they just keep talking, so we’ve split this SFX special into two episodes. In this first instalment, Matt, Dave G, Dave B, Rich and Darren look back on the origins of the magazine, how they each wound up at the helm, how they decide what’s "SFX" and what isn’t, plus loads more – including an unlikely appearance on Anne and Nick’s sofa.
There’ll be loads more goodies in Part 2, where we might just talk about how SFX’s name sometimes gets confused for another word. It’ll be available to download from around Tuesday 3 November 2020. Please remember to like and subscribe wherever you're hearing this podcast, so that you don't miss it.
While you’re waiting, why not check out the latest issue of SFX, along with details of how to subscribe and buy single issues online.
https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/sfx-magazine-new-issue/
The voices you’ll be hearing are…
Tanavi Patel: entertainment reporter, asking the questions and keeping the eds on topic https://twitter.com/tanavip
Matt Bielby: SFX editor, 1995-1996
Dave Golder: SFX editor, 1996-2005 https://twitter.com/davegolder
Dave Bradley: SFX editor, 2005-2014 https://twitter.com/BoxDaveB
Richard Edwards: SFX editor, 2014-2019 https://twitter.com/RichDEdwards
Darren Scott: SFX editor, 2019-present https://twitter.com/darren_scott
SFX is on Twitter as @sfxmagazine and Robby The Robot's Waiting is on Twitter as @robbyscifi.
Episode 8: Final Destination, The Haunting Of Bly Manor, Star Trek: Discovery, The Mandalorian, The Watch and more
October is the spookiest month, so we’re joined by horror expert Louise Blain to discuss new TV series The Haunting Of Bly Manor and classic movie Final Destination. Is Netflix’s gothic romance – loosely adapted from the works of Henry James – a worthy successor to last year’s Hill House series? We talk ghosts, accents, and adaptations. In our regular Rewind retro section, the crew share their love for 2000’s iconic teen death-dodging film. Is it worth a rewatch this Halloween?
Meanwhile, we’ve been to the year 3000 – and beyond. We give our verdict on Star Trek: Discovery’s big jump to the future in the season three opener. And the Baby Yoda Show will be back soon, along with its supporting Mandalorian. As the trailers keep coming for the Disney streaming service’s secret weapon, it seems like a good time to ask if the future of Star Wars is on the small screen.
There’s all this plus Green Lantern, The Stand, Buck Rogers, Spider-Man, Doctor Strange and Mad Max in Robby The Robot’s Waiting, the perfectly splendid podcast where there are no accidents, no coincidences, no escapes...
Episode highlights:
1.00 – What we’re watching: Star Trek: Discovery returns, with our heroine crashing into a man and his cat, 900 years in the future. We set phasers for fun.
10.22 – The Mandalorian will be back at the end of the month! And Obi-Wan looks certain to pull a Jedi mind trick on the TV schedules soon too. We punch the Disney+ coordinates into the navicomputer and speculate on where Star Wars will take us next.
24.40 – We had Bly hopes for the follow up to The Haunting Of Hill House. We journey to a stately home in the 1980s and weigh the scary against the silly.
36.11 – Rewind: it’s been 20 years since Final Destination first cheated death. We look back on the classic teen horror.
51.32 – News: there’s a new trailer for The Watch, Buck Rogers might be making a comeback, Doctor Strange will be in Spider-Man 3, Imperator Furiosa will have her own Mad Max prequel series, we’d love to see Green Lantern in the Arrowverse, and more.
Doing the talking:
Richard Edwards: film and TV journalist and former editor of SFX magazine https://twitter.com/RichDEdwards
Tanavi Patel: entertainment reporter for SFX and Digital Spy, panel moderator for MCM, FanExpo and more https://twitter.com/tanavip
Dave Bradley: writer, gamer, book reviewer and another former editor of SFX magazine https://twitter.com/BoxDaveB
SPECIAL GUEST! We’re joined by journalist and presenter Louise Blain. With words in GamesRadar, T3, BBC Radio Scotland, TechRadar, BBC Click, Netflix UK, the Evolution Of Horror podcast and more, she’s well known as a doyen of dread and a guru of gore. https://twitter.com/Shiny_Demon
Robby's waiting for you: sign up to our mailing list (coming soon – be among the first to join us) https://tinyurl.com/robbynewsletter
Episode 7: Batman, Ms Marvel, The Walking Dead: World Beyond, Brave New World, Arrow, The Boys and more
Where does he get those wonderful toys? We take the Batmobile back to 1989 to reminisce on Tim Burton’s Batman. And we’re joined on the journey by screenwriter, author, journalist and nerd celebrity Bonnie Burton. Welcome to the latest episode of Robby The Robot’s Waiting: The Sci-Fi Podcast!
As more big movies get put back to 2021, we wonder if there’ll still be any cinemas for them to come back to. Now that Cineworld has shut its doors and films like Bond, Dune, Black Widow and more have vanished into next year, we ask what this means for the future of going to the pictures.
Elsewhere, we review The Walking Dead: World Beyond, Brave New World, and the final season of Arrow, and look ahead to hot superhero news including spin-offs from The Boys and Suicide Squad, new Marvel TV in the form of Ms Marvel and Nick Fury, and Jamie Foxx reprising his role as Electro.
And there’s all this plus Cimmerian personal hygiene in at least two utopias, and corduroy vs zombies, in Robby The Robot’s Waiting, the podcast that dances with the devil in the pale moonlight.
Episode highlights:
0:00:50 – What we’ve been watching: Devil, Arrow, Brave New World and The Walking Dead: World Beyond
0:15:46 – Covid-19 has broken cinema! What happens next?
0:35:25 – Our regular Rewind section: it’s hard to believe today that 1989’s Batman was meant to be a dark take on the Caped Crusader. We look back and ask if these are the best Bruce Wayne and Joker incarnations ever?
0:56:50 – News! Spin-offs for The Boys and The Suicide Squad, Marvel finds its Ms Marvel, Conan gets sweaty and Pegg and Frost bring the X-Files to the UK.
Doing the talking:
Richard Edwards: film and TV journalist and former editor of SFX magazine
https://twitter.com/RichDEdwards
Tanavi Patel: entertainment reporter for SFX and Digital Spy, panel moderator for MCM, FanExpo and more
https://twitter.com/tanavip
Dave Bradley: writer, gamer, book reviewer and another former editor of SFX magazine
https://twitter.com/BoxDaveB
SPECIAL GUEST! Bonnie Burton is a CNET journalist, author of Art Of Abominable, The Star Wars Craft Book, Girls Against Girls, Crafting with Feminism and more! A former employee of Lucasfilm, she wrote a column in SFX magazine for years and is a regular at conventions and on podcasts. https://twitter.com/bonniegrrl
Robby's waiting for you: sign up to our mailing list (coming soon – be among the first to join us) https://tinyurl.com/robbynewsletter
Episode 6: Battlestar Galactica, sci-fi at the Emmys, The Walking Dead, Quantum Leap, Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous and more
There are those who believe… that the rebooted Battlestar Galactica is TV’s greatest ever space opera. We hear the sound of Cylons as we set coordinates for classic episode “33”, in this, the latest episode of Robby The Robot’s Waiting.
Your regular podcast crew is joined by Sari Cohen, a journalist based in LA. She covers music and live entertainment for AXS, writes for InLove Magazine, and is an on-air correspondent/associate producer for Hollywood First Look Features. Sari and regular hosts Tanavi, Richard and Dave, discuss the 21st-century version Battlestar Galactica. Is it as good as its reputation? (Hint: yes.)
While preparing for this episode, we learned that Michael Hogan – who plays Saul Tigh in the series – is very unwell following an accident at a fan convention. Kind supporters are raising money now for his treatment, and you can contribute at https://www.gofundme.com/f/michael-hogan-fund
As Watchmen becomes the big winner at this years Emmys, we ask if the major awards are finally taking sci-fi seriously – or is it just a blip? And with the news that The Walking Dead is actually coming to an end, we ponder whether this is the right time for TV’s biggest zombie invasion to shamble off into the sunset.
Elsewhere, The Mandalorian season 2 takes us back to a galaxy far, far away, while – theorising that a podcast could travel within its own lifetime – we get nostalgic for Quantum Leap. We also give our verdicts on new Ghosts, Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous and Away. And that’s before we’ve got to She-Hulk, The Dark Crystal and WandaVision, in Robby The Robot’s Waiting, the podcast leading a ragtag fugitive fleet. So say we all!
Episode highlights:
0:00:58 – What we’ve been watching: Ghosts, Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous, Away.
0:09:25 – The Emmys and the Oscars: sci-fi’s relationship with awards.
0:23:16 – Oh boy! Quantum Leap remembered. Should it be rebooted?
0:27:25 – Our regular Rewind section: talking of leaping, how about every 33 minutes? We’ve been (re)watching Battlestar Galactica’s tense first season opener.
0:49:52 – The news! The Walking Dead, Marvel’s She-Hulk and WandaVision, The Mandalorian, The Dark Crystal: Age Of Resistance and more.
1:07:23 - Does the recent Radio Times Doctor Who poll rank the 13 Time Lords in the right order?
Doing the talking:
Richard Edwards: film and TV journalist and former editor of SFX magazine
https://twitter.com/RichDEdwards
Tanavi Patel: entertainment reporter for SFX and Digital Spy, panel moderator for MCM, FanExpo and more
https://twitter.com/tanavip
Dave Bradley: writer, gamer, book reviewer and another former editor of SFX magazine
https://twitter.com/BoxDaveB
SPECIAL GUEST! InLove Magazine entertainment journalist Sari Cohen began her career in the entertainment industry as a stand-up comedy writer/performer and over the years has developed scripts for both the stage and screen. She’s also penned funny stuff for popular sites such as Cracked and Screen Rant. You can check out more on Twitter at @ask_sari or follow her adventures on Instagram under @thesavvyscribbler.
Robby's waiting for you: sign up to our mailing list (coming soon – be among the first to join us) https://tinyurl.com/robbynewsletter
Episode 5: The X-Files, 2020 movie preview, Black Widow, The Boys, Ridley Scott, The Witcher and more
Things are getting strange we’re starting to worry, this could be a case for… the Robby The Robot’s Waiting crew! Yes, in the latest podcast we’re seeing if the truth really is out there, with a look back at season one of The X-Files. We’re joined by writer and TV archaeologist Paul Terry, whose work on The X-Files: The Official Archives (Cryptids, Biological Anomalies, and Parapsychic Phenomena) will hit shelves this month. Is first season episode Squeeze still a great episode of TV?
Back in the present day, we share the shows and films we’ve been catching up with (The Boys, Geostorm, Dark, Lovecraft Country, Bill & Ted Face The Music) and preview those which are yet to come (Free Guy, Black Widow, Soul, Raised By Wolves). If you’re on the hunt for recommendations, this is the place to be.
In the news, Covid-19 succeeds where Gotham’s most despicable criminals have failed and shuts down The Batman; the Game Of Thrones creators tackle The Three Body Problem; Alien could be respawning; a live-action Spider-verse is swinging on to the small screen courtesy of Silk; The Witcher’s timeline controversy; and loads more.
Star Trek Day and the announcement about The Walking Dead’s 11th season being its last took place after we recorded – but fear not, we’ll talk about those and loads more in Episode 6.
Episode highlights:
0:00:47 – What we’ve been watching: The Boys, The New Mutants, Bill & Ted Face The Music, Geostorm, Dark
0:10:07 – 2020 movie preview: what will tempt us to the cinema this year? Black Widow, Free Guy, Soul
0:21:02 – Meet our guest Paul Terry! He’s been watching Lovecraft Country and Raised By Wolves
0:24:33 – Our regular Rewind segment! Looking back at a classic episode of The X-Files – Squeeze
0:37:19 – Paul Terry opens the case files on his upcoming book The X-Files: The Official Archives
0:48:42 – The sci-fi news this week. Batman vs Covid-19; Benioff and Weiss on The Three Body Problem; Ridley Scott maybe heading back to the Alien universe; John Boyega; The Witcher and more
Doing the talking:
Richard Edwards: film and TV journalist and former editor of SFX magazine
Tanavi Patel: entertainment reporter for SFX and Digital Spy, panel moderator for MCM, FanExpo and more
Dave Bradley: writer, gamer, book reviewer and another former editor of SFX magazine
SPECIAL GUEST! Paul Terry: bestselling writer, music composer, producer and archivist. He’s authored and co-authored many guides to top TV shows and pop culture phenomenon.
Robby's waiting for you: sign up to our mailing list (coming soon – be among the first to join us) https://tinyurl.com/robbynewsletter
BONUS EPISODE Spoiler-filled Tenet special
Anyone for Tenet? In this one-off special episode, your Robby The Robot’s Waiting crew venture back to the cinema to watch Christopher Nolan’s time-bending thriller Tenet.
Tenet stars John David Washington with Elizabeth Debicki, Robert Pattinson, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Kenneth Branagh, Michael Caine, Himesh Patel and Dimple Kapadia, in an epic James Bond-like tale of secret agents tackling a billionaire’s doomsday plot… with added mind-frying time manipulation.
It’s the biggest release of the year so far, bringing people back to movie theatres after the Covid-19 lockdown. It’s also destined to be one of the most talked about, thanks to its blockbuster set pieces and Nolan’s familiar narrative gymnastics – Tenet is a movie shouting out for geeky analysis.
Watch the trailer for Tenet and book tickets in your area at the official site: https://www.tenetfilm.com/
Performing this temporal pincer movement:
Richard Edwards: film and TV journalist and former editor of SFX magazine
Tanavi Patel: entertainment reporter for SFX and Digital Spy, panel moderator for MCM, FanExpo and more
Dave Bradley: writer, gamer, book reviewer and another former editor of SFX magazine
Robby's waiting for you: sign up to our mailing list (coming soon – be among the first to join us) https://tinyurl.com/robbynewsletter
Episode 4: Dune, The Batman, Lovecraft Country, Lucifer, Star Wars and more
Sand. It’s coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere, but it didn’t stand in the way of Dune becoming a classic. We fold space and take a trip through Frank Herbert’s epic SF novel in the company of Arthur C Clarke Award director Tom Hunter. And as Denis Villeneuve prepares to follow a trail blazed by David Lynch, is it really as unfilmable as some critics say?
Meanwhile, forget Comic-Con: DC hosted its own Fandome and got the world – and your podcast hosts – talking about The Batman, Wonder Woman 1984, Black Adam and The Suicide Squad. We discuss what we saw and what superhero fans should be most excited about.
After The Rise Of Skywalker divided the fanbase, is another Star Wars Holiday Special the chosen one that can restore balance to the force? Yes, that’s right, we’re celebrating Life Day with Lego.
There’s also Tales of Arcadia: Wizards, Lucifer season five, Iain M Banks’ Culture, Star Trek, Pinocchio, The Boys and our heartfelt tribute to Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman, whose death at only 43 was reported while we were preparing this episode.
Episode highlights:
00:50 – Commemorating Chadwick Boseman
5.39 – What we’ve been enjoying! Tales of Arcadia: Wizards, Lucifer season five, Project Power, Lovecraft Country
15:05 – The hot news and trailers from DC Fandome
27:12 – Discover the Arthur C Clarke Award and its significance for SF literature
33:21 – He who controls the spice controls the universe. In our regular Rewind section, we re-read Dune and discuss the themes and influence of Frank Herbert’s epic SF universe
50:31 – In the news! Another Star Wars Holiday Special? Plus Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, adapting Iain M Banks’ Culture (or not), Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio, Jensen Ackles in The Boys, and more.
Doing the talking:
Richard Edwards: film and TV journalist and former editor of SFX magazine
Tanavi Patel: entertainment reporter for SFX and Digital Spy, panel moderator for MCM, FanExpo and more
Dave Bradley: writer, gamer, book reviewer and another former editor of SFX magazine
SPECIAL GUEST! Tom Hunter: director of The Arthur C Clarke Award, the UK’s premier prize for science fiction literature
Robby's waiting for you: sign up to our mailing list (coming soon – be among the first to join us) https://tinyurl.com/robbynewsletter
Episode 3: Flash Gordon, Life After Flash, Star Trek, Red Dwarf, Raised By Wolves, The Watch, and more
Flash Gordon approaching! (What do you mean “Flash Gordon approaching”?)
We’re off to Mongo circa 1980 in the third episode of your new fave sci-fi podcast. Lisa Downs, director of documentary film Life After Flash and bona fide Flash Gordon expert, joins genre journos Tanavi Patel, Richard Edwards and Dave Bradley as we look back at the 40-year-old space opera classic. We’ll be swapping anecdotes about Brian May, Brian Blessed and a few non-Brians with a filmmaker who interviewed the movie’s cast and crew for her unique documentary about Flash star Sam J Jones.
We also embark on our usual adventures through the wider geeksphere. What do the team make of Umbrella Academy season 2 and all its little Easter eggs? (If you’ve not seen the new season yet, please do skip over our first ever spoiler section!) What did we learn from the Red Dwarf: The First Three Million Years documentary? Star Trek: Lower Decks is finally out, but is it actually funny? (Hint: not enough.) We also speculate about future Star Trek movies, hail the return of Christopher Eccleston to Doctor Who, ask ourselves if The Watch will live up to Terry Pratchett’s vision, and loads more.
Episode highlights:
00:48 – Umbrella Academy season 2 [BEWARE SPOILERS! 09:09-14:46]
09:09 – Umbrella Academy spoilers [skip this bit to avoid some season 2 secrets]
14:52 – What we’ve been enjoying: Ghosts, Claire North’s The Pursuit Of William Abbey, Star Trek Lower Decks, Red Dwarf: The First Three Million Years
21:12 – Gordon’s alive! In our regular Rewind section, the crew share anecdotes about 1980’s Flash Gordon with Lisa Downs, director of the Life After Flash documentary
32:47 – Interview with Lisa Downs about the creation of Life After Flash (and also about her current work on a Flight Of The Navigator documentary). Life After Flash is available on Amazon Prime Video and the new Flash Gordon Collector's Edition from StudioCanal. https://www.lifeafterflash.com/
47:19 – The news! With Star Trek movies, Tron 3, Ridley Scott’s Raised By Wolves, Terry Pratchett’s The Watch adaptation, Doctor Who, and more
Doing the talking:
Richard Edwards: film and TV journalist and former editor of SFX magazine
Tanavi Patel: entertainment reporter for SFX and Digital Spy, panel moderator for MCM, FanExpo and more
Dave Bradley: writer, gamer, book reviewer and another former editor of SFX magazine
SPECIAL GUEST! Lisa Downs: director of Life After Flash and more upcoming documentaries about classic movies
Robby's waiting for you:
Sign up to our mailing list (coming soon – be among the first to join us) https://tinyurl.com/robbynewsletter
Episode 2: Cursed, Tremors, Comic-Con@Home trailers, The Boys and more
We're going underground (going underground)... Welcome to the second episode of Robby The Robot’s Waiting: The Sci-Fi Podcast. If you love sci-fi, fantasy and horror, join entertainment journalists Richard Edwards, Tanavi Patel and Dave Bradley, as they hide from Graboids and admire the latest TV and movie trailers. This week – joined by Den Of Geek UK editor, critic and horror aficionado Rosie Fletcher – we discuss blockbuster cinema in the coronavirus world, chat about top upcoming sci-fi including Bill And Ted and Star Trek Prodigy, and, of course, rewatch Kevin Bacon’s finest movie about killer worms, Tremors. There are also Sky Sharks. Lots of Sky Sharks.
Episode highlights:
0:40 – What we've been watching (Cursed, Umbrella Academy, Pitch Black)
9:06 – Coronavirus and the cinema
17:30 – “Insidious Queen” Rosie Fletcher talks Buffy's best seasons, the Sandman audio, FrightFest 2020, the Bird Box sequel and more
23:38 – Our regular Rewind section! This episode: we rewatch Tremors. Does it hold up (or down) after 30 years?
33:55 – News round-up: trailers from San Diego Comic-Con@Home including The Boys season 2, Helstrom, Star Trek Prodigy, Zack Snyder's Justice League, a Witcher prequel and loads more
43:47 – Will Bill And Ted Face The Music be most triumphant?
Doing the talking:
Richard Edwards: film and TV journalist and former editor of SFX magazine
Tanavi Patel: entertainment reporter for SFX and Digital Spy, panel moderator for MCM, FanExpo and more
Dave Bradley: writer, gamer, book reviewer and another former editor of SFX magazine
SPECIAL GUEST! Rosie Fletcher: writer, horror expert, UK editor of Den Of Geek
Robby's waiting for you:
Sign up to our mailing list (coming soon – be among the first to join us)
Episode 1: Buffy, Marvel, Space Force, Comic-Con@Home 2020 preview and more
Hailing frequencies open! Welcome to the first episode of Robby The Robot’s Waiting. Yep, we know the title only makes sense if you’re aware of both 1980s Bananarama hits and 1950s space films. But we hope that if you like sci-fi and fantasy, you’ll get a kick out of 50 minutes in the company of genre gurus and SFX magazine old-timers Richard Edwards, Tanavi Patel and Dave Bradley. Join us this week for our takes on the latest sci-fi news, a look back at the best of Buffy, a look forward to the first-ever online-only San Diego Comic-Con, and an anecdote-laden chat with author and journalist Tara Bennett, as she joins us from LA to reveal the incredible behind-the-scenes access in her official Marvel movies book.
Episode highlights:
0.49 – Streaming highlights: Netflix series Space Force, Netflix movie The Old Guard, classic Syfy TV show Eureka, and Disney+ animated series The Clone Wars
7.54 – What do we expect from Comic-Con@Home at Home this year?
18.24 – Devs, Muppets, Marvel and more with Tara Bennett (SFX and SYFY WIRE)
25:18 – We rewatch the two-part finale of Buffy season two. Does it hold up?
39:30 – The news! With Star Trek Lower Decks, Fast & Furious in space, Gotham PD, a new Batwoman, Star Wars The Bad Batch and more
Doing the talking:
Richard Edwards: film and TV journalist and former editor of SFX magazine
Tanavi Patel: entertainment reporter for SFX and Digital Spy, panel moderator for MCM, FanExpo and more
Dave Bradley: writer, gamer, book reviewer and another former editor of SFX magazine
SPECIAL GUEST! Tara Bennett: author, journalist, US editor of SFX magazine, senior producer at SYFY WIRE
Robby's waiting for you:
Sign up to our mailing list (coming soon - be among the first to join us)