The Incomparable Mothership
Hosted by Jason Snell
The Incomparable Mothership is the flagship of the Incomparable podcast network. It’s all about geeky media we love, including movies, books, TV, and more, featuring a rotating panel of guests and hosted by Jason Snell and friends.
749 Just Clean the Beakers
The writers of “The Expanse” are back with a new series, and “The Mercy of Gods” is an alien invasion story that goes to some extremely dark places. But sometimes, dark is good… right? Right?! Plus: What are we reading?
Previous Episodes
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December 31, 2024 Best of 2024748 Holes at the End of the World
Another year in the books, and there was a lot to appreciate about the stuff we consumed—movies, TV, books, video games, and more—in 2024. Our most prolific panelists collaborate on a massive list of the stuff we enjoyed over the past 12 months.
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December 20, 2024 “Tombstone”
747 Latin Rap Battle
For Kilmas this year we travel to 19th century Arizona for “Tombstone,” where Wyatt Earp, his brothers, and their shady pal Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer!) confront a bunch of rotten outlaw thugs and their own mortality. Will our noted hater of westerns, Erika, accept the possibility of a Kilmas miracle? Listen to find out!
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December 13, 2024 “Conquest of the Planet of the Apes”
746 Ape Mismanagement
This year’s Ape Club holiday party is 1972’s “Conquest of the Planet of the Apes,” in which the people of Future 1991 use apes as slaves until there’s an uprising led by a talking ape with a familiar name: Caesar. Were the 1970s ape sequels all as bad as we were led to believe, or is “Conquest”… actually kind of good? Join us and find out!
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December 6, 2024 “Deadpool & Wolverine”
745 Untitled Gambit Project
Merry X-Mas, and goodwill to X-Men! Surprisingly holding down the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe for 2024 is “Deadpool & Wolverine,” in which Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman desecrate “Logan” while honoring it, skewer Marvel movies while saving them, and encounter an extremely unlikely collection of Marvel movie cast-offs and has-beens.
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November 29, 2024 “Only Yesterday” (Ghibli Club)
744 Pineapple of Disappointment
Miyazaki Club morphs into Ghibli Club as we discuss 1991’s “Only Yesterday,” written and directed by Isao Takahata. It’s a story of one (childless workaholic?) woman’s search for herself in the past and the present, plus, of course, a deep dive into organic farming.
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November 22, 2024 “Planes, Trains and Automobiles”
743 Doritos and Tequila
In honor of Thanksgiving, we review the 1987 classic “Planes, Trains and Automobiles,” featuring Steve Martin and John Candy as trapped-together travelers just trying to get home, if there’s even a home to get back to. Jason comes to the realization that this is the Odyssey in the Midwest. Ben Stein has a special sign just to troll pained travelers. And that’s what Thanksgiving is all about, Charlie Brown.
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November 15, 2024 “Inside Out 2”
742 Hi, Anxiety
Several panelists consider Pixar’s “Inside Out” one of their favorite films. Now it’s time to process “Inside Out 2.” Some struggle with the sequel more than others. But at least Bing Bong makes a tiny cameo.
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November 8, 2024 “Pitch Black”
741 Evil Giant Cicadas
Vin Diesel, Radha Mitchell, Keith David, and a lack of bozos… It can only be 2000’s “Pitch Black,” one of the finer entries in the always-popular “Alien” homage movie genre. We enthuse about elevated filmmaking, great decisions, and low-budget effects.
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October 28, 2024 “Fright Night” (1985)
740 The Coffin Test
Just in time for Halloween week, Old Spooky Club returns for 1985’s “Fright Night.” It’s an entirely ’80s comedy-horror movie with zero cynicism and only a single layer of meta. Chris Sarandon is the perfect vampire, even when he’s villanously chowin’ down on a topless lady as he exchanges intense stares with the neighbor kid. If you’ve never experienced it, you don’t know what you’re missing.
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October 25, 2024 “Airplane!”
739 Above the Zeppo Level
Do you like gladiator movies, Joey? It’s 1980’s “Airplane!”—the comedy version of “Zero Hour!”—with serious actors playing ridiculous parts more or less straight. How does the comedy hold up? What’s unique about the approach? Why was it such a huge hit? We put the ZAZ boys under the microscope. Surely we’ll all have a good time! (Don’t call us Shirley.)