Latest Science-fiction Podcast Episodes
Woman on the Edge of Time by Marge Piercy (1976)
Unknown Reasons - January 13, 2023 17:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 3 ratingsMark and James talk about the feminist sci-fi classic. We cover the utopian ideas in the book and give praise and criticism to its take on gender, parenthood, mental health, nature, and more. Follow James on TikTok at @unknownreasonspodcast Email us at [email protected] Music: Si...
"The Ones Who Stay and Fight" by N.K. Jemisin (2020)
Unknown Reasons - May 02, 2022 15:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 3 ratingsPart 2 of the Omelas series. Nate and I discuss the ambiguous utopia that is Um-Helat. Topics include brainwashing and the dangers of conspiracy theories. Read the story HERE! The documentary about Edward Bernays is The Century of the Self by Adam Curtis Email us at unknownreasonspodcast@gm...
"The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas" by Ursula K. Le Guin (1973)
Unknown Reasons - March 26, 2022 16:00 - 38 minutes ★★★★★ - 3 ratingsNate and James discuss utilitarianism, capitalism, and joy in the context of Le Guin's influential story. Part 1 of a series on the Omelas-verse. Read it here Email us at [email protected] and follow us on Instagram at @unknownreasonspod Music: Scott Buckley "Signal to Noise"
"I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream" by Harlan Ellison (1967)
Unknown Reasons - March 07, 2022 15:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 3 ratingsNate and James talk about evil AIs, evil gods, and evil billionaires. Read the story Email us at [email protected] and follow us on Instagram at @unknownreasonspod
0218: The Humanity Bureau
Science Fiction Rating System - January 07, 2022 06:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 5 ratingsHello there, it's SFRS! It's a new year so we start, as is tradition, with three picks of films from 2017, as our five year moratorium on rating rolls over once more. First up, we take a close look at The Humanity Bureau, one of 362 films Nicolas Cage has made in the past decade. Also, weird thi...
0217: The 5th Annual SFRS End of Yearpalooza
Science Fiction Rating System - December 31, 2021 06:00 - 54 minutes ★★★★★ - 5 ratingsWe end the year with our annual look back at the past 52 weeks. The highs, the lows, the films we forgot we watched and the films we wish we could forget. There's also an end of year quiz, a look ahead to 2022 and we pick the first three films we'll be watching in the new year. Thanks to all ou...
"The Secret Lives of the Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington" by P. Djèlí Clark (2018)
Unknown Reasons - December 30, 2021 16:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 3 ratingsNate and I get real on the issues of race, slavery, and what you call a group of pirates. (I don't know why I couldn't think of the word crew). The story can be found here: https://firesidefiction.com/the-secret-lives-of-the-nine-negro-teeth-of-george-washington Read the essay Clark wrote on ...
0216: Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones
Science Fiction Rating System - December 24, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 5 ratingsIt's the night before Christmas and all through the house your smart speakers and phones should be blasting out SFRS. It's a bumper Christmas episode as we take our annual trip back to a galaxy far, far away. Unfortunately, this time we're stuck with Attack of the Clones. Still, there's lots to ...
0215: Jurassic Park III
Science Fiction Rating System - December 17, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 5 ratingsThe hits keep coming with another BIG FRANCHISE film, it's...oh, it's Jurassic Park III. Alex hosts and brings two quizzes along for the ride as we discuss bad parenting, worse parenting, a lot of weird plot points, talking raptors, and how to procure T-Rex urine. Next week, it's either the ch...
0214: Ghostbusters
Science Fiction Rating System - December 10, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 5 ratingsWe're back from a brush with Covid (and a cold) to bring you more science fiction rating goodness - this week, we've got one! It's Ivan Reitman's seminal Ghostbusters, the original and the best. Join us for ghost history, Venkman cancellation queries, a Moranis love-in and lots and lots of quote...
0213: Toys
Science Fiction Rating System - November 19, 2021 06:00 - 54 minutes ★★★★★ - 5 ratingsThis week we begin with a bonus John Lewis christmas advert spoilercast before tackling Chris' birthday pick, the weird Robin William's vehicle Toys. We pick up where we left off with Bicentennial Man with not really getting the leading man's appeal, discuss how much the design saves this film,...
0212: Meteor
Science Fiction Rating System - November 12, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 5 ratingsThis week it's time for some classic '70s disaster action as Sean Connery battles a giant rock hurtling towards Earth. Join us for a suprisingly good Connery impression, a classic Alex quiz, best Bond, Scottish independence hot takes, some top class lamp analysis, a lot of HARD SCIENCE and a CLI...
0211: Space Station 76
Science Fiction Rating System - November 04, 2021 06:00 - 41 minutes ★★★★★ - 5 ratingsThis week we watch a bunch of people have relationship problems on a space ship in indie sci-fi 'drama' Space Station 76 Everyone likes Dr. Bot, no one likes the soundtrack and then we all have a breakdown and talk about the Dune podcast that actually came out last week... Also, we hear about Ch...
0210: Dune Spoilercast
Science Fiction Rating System - October 28, 2021 08:00 - 48 minutes ★★★★★ - 5 ratingsDenis Villenueve's Dune has finally released and so we cling on to some well tailored Atreides coattails and pump out a classic SFRS spoilercast! We're all here, we've all seen the film, and we all have a lot to say. Will everyone actually agree that this is a modern masterpiece? Will we upset ...
"A Song for Lya" by George R.R. Martin
Unknown Reasons - October 24, 2021 13:00 - 51 minutes ★★★★★ - 3 ratingsNate and James discuss another short one by George R.R. Martin. We cover topics such as the self and what defines a cult. Email us at [email protected] and follow us on Instagram at @unknownreasonspod Next time we'll be reading "The Secret Lives of the Nine Negro Teeth of George...
0209: Alita: Battle Angel
Science Fiction Rating System - October 20, 2021 14:00 - 59 minutes ★★★★★ - 5 ratingsWE'RE BACK! 168 weeks ago Sam turned 37 and chose Alita: Battle Angel for his birthday pick! Alex turns up with a binder full of notes, Chris and Sam watched it so long ago they've forgotten the film, and everyone is in agreement that this is a weird, weird film. Also, big James Bond spoilers, ...
0208: The Animatrix Part II
Science Fiction Rating System - September 24, 2021 05:00 - 50 minutes ★★★★★ - 5 ratingsChris is still in the land of showbiz so Sam and Alex tackle the second half of The Animatrix! Samurai fights, ghost houses and absolute robot insanity, it's the episode that's got everything. Except a third host. Next week, we're running on fumes. There'll be a show but...just stick with us, o...
0207: The Animatrix Part I
Science Fiction Rating System - September 17, 2021 05:00 - 50 minutes ★★★★★ - 5 ratingsChris is off on a super secret shoot so it's left to Alex and Sam to keep this train rolling. With the trailer for The Matrix Resurrection tearing up the internet we take the opportunity to indulge our love of Japanese animation with a two part in depth look at The Animatrix. We run through the ...
0206: Idiocracy
Science Fiction Rating System - September 10, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 5 ratingsIdiocracy is in the news a lot lately, because a lot of people like to write things like "5 ways that Idiocracy predicted the future" and "You won't believe these 11 things Idiocracy got right - number 7's a doozy!" all the while not realising the great irony of the content of said articles and ...
0205: Electroma
Science Fiction Rating System - September 03, 2021 05:00 - 43 minutes ★★★★★ - 5 ratingsDaft Punk split up and eventually we get round to honouring their legacy by watching their arty flick Electroma. Join us for some Daft Punk hot takes, Chris takes up the mantle of Poppins Advocate and Alex is briefly a poet. Next week we remain massively on topic with current zeitgeist favourit...
0204: Signs
Science Fiction Rating System - August 27, 2021 05:00 - 47 minutes ★★★★★ - 5 ratingsM. Night Shyamalan returns to the list with Signs, in which Mel Gibson and family fight off an alien invasion. We discuss the problems with a water-averse alien invading Earth, how asthma works, and try to answer the most important question of all- how long does it take to defrost a chicken? N...
0203: Space Jam
Science Fiction Rating System - August 20, 2021 05:00 - 52 minutes ★★★★★ - 5 ratingsLast week's admin controversy spills over into this week's episode as Chris struggles to become our Social Media Officer, and then eventually we talk about Space Jam because a sequel came out about 48 years ago and we're just getting round to it. Elsewhere, Chris recommends a futurist, Alex has ...
0202: The Day The Earth Stood Still (2008)
Science Fiction Rating System - August 13, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 5 ratingsIt's part 2 of our Earth-stopping double bill! This time, Keanu Reeves is playing to his 'strengths' as emotionless blank slate Klaatu and Jennifer Connelly is the most loosely defined scientist we've seen in some time. Join us to learn some maths, find out where the only blue McDonald's in the...
0201: The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951)
Science Fiction Rating System - August 06, 2021 05:00 - 52 minutes ★★★★★ - 5 ratingsSeason 3 (or maybe 4?) begins as we reach episode 201 and start a classic remake double bill. This week, it's the 1951 original The Day The Earth Stood Still. Listen as we discuss what olden days people thought about UFOs, how most tropes are older than we think, and the ethics around Alex movin...
0200: Alien³
Science Fiction Rating System - July 30, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 5 ratingsWe're back! After weeks of travel and turmoil the three of us finally reconvene to record our 200th episode! 200!? Yes, it's a bit mad. Four years and 6 months after we started we finally have an occasion momentous enough to justify watching the wonderful/terrible Alien³! Well, we actually wat...
Nightflyers by George R.R. Martin (1981)
Unknown Reasons - July 22, 2021 16:00 - 28 minutes ★★★★★ - 3 ratingsJoin Nate and me for a sublime discussion about a dragon-free George R.R. Martin story. The novella is worth reading even if you've seen the show, especially for fans of the Alien series. Follow me on Instagram at @unknownreasonspod Email - [email protected] Music is "Signal t...
0199: Countdown to 200 - Best of SFRS | Chris' Choice
Science Fiction Rating System - July 09, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 5 ratingsThe countdown to 200 reaches its terrifying conclusion with Chris' pick for favourite film. Sam and Alex finish their nostalgia quizzes, get off topic with Fast & Furious and reveal what film we'll be watching on episode 200! (If this isn't your thing, don't worry - we'll be back with new films f...
0199: Countdown to 200 - Best of SFRS | Chris’ Choice
Science Fiction Rating System - July 09, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 5 ratingsThe countdown to 200 reaches its terrifying conclusion with Chris' pick for favourite film. Sam and Alex finish their nostalgia quizzes, get off topic with Fast & Furious and reveal what film we'll be watching on episode 200! (If this isn't your thing, don't worry - we'll be back with new films...
0198: Countdown to 200 - Best of SFRS | Sam's Choice
Science Fiction Rating System - July 02, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 5 ratingsThe countdown to 200 continues with the dark middle chapter of our nostalgia trilogy. Sam and Alex continue their trip down memory lane, fire some quiz questions at one another and then settle down to listen to another classic episode of SFRS! (If this isn't your thing, don't worry - we'll be bac...
0198: Countdown to 200 - Best of SFRS | Sam’s Choice
Science Fiction Rating System - July 02, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 5 ratingsThe countdown to 200 continues with the dark middle chapter of our nostalgia trilogy. Sam and Alex continue their trip down memory lane, fire some quiz questions at one another and then settle down to listen to another classic episode of SFRS! (If this isn't your thing, don't worry - we'll be b...