Alienating the Audience artwork

Alienating the Audience

156 episodes - English - Latest episode: 6 months ago - ★★★★★ - 201 ratings

Andrew Heaton and an army of nerds plunge deep, deep into films, books, and TV shows to ask: what's science fiction really about? What is The Twilight Zone really exploring? What are the underlying themes of Star Trek? What is the worldview of Star Wars? Also sometimes Heaton performs comedy on other planets.

Science Fiction Fiction Comedy comedy humor sciencefiction scifi
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Episodes

P3 Cold War Kirk vs. Picard the Moral Relativist

November 15, 2019 22:25 - 51 minutes - 71.1 MB

Tim Sandefur joins Heaton to discuss the philosophical differences between Star Trek TOS and Star Trek The Next Generation. Gene Rodenberry and his contemporaries lived through World War II and the Cold War, and believed in clear right and wrongs. Whereas the TNG of the 1980s belies a more relativistic worldview. 

P4 The Politics of Star Wars

November 15, 2019 22:23 - 48 minutes - 66.9 MB

Stephen Kent is the host of "Beltway Banthas" and joins Heaton to discuss the politics of Star Wars.

P5 Dragons of Mass Destruction: Game of Thrones

November 15, 2019 22:20 - 43 minutes - 59.8 MB

Grant Carlisle joins to discuss the power dynamics and political themes underlying Game of Thrones.

P5 Varys is the best Game of Thrones character

November 15, 2019 22:20 - 43 minutes - 59.8 MB

Grant Carlisle joins to discuss the power dynamics and political themes underlying Game of Thrones.

P6 Regarding Batman's Political Affiliation

November 15, 2019 22:11 - 36 minutes - 50.4 MB

Is Batman a Libertarian (wealthy, gizmos, works outside the law) or something else? Which superheroes would be Democrats? Any Republicans afoot? Comedian and Marvel aficionado Megan Sass joins Heaton to discuss.

P7 Star Trek vs. The Orville

November 15, 2019 22:07 - 42 minutes - 57.9 MB

Former Congressman Dan Maffei joins Heaton to discuss: Is the "The Orville" more Star Trek than Star Trek, or just a knockoff?