Theme: What does it mean to be human? Episode Connections Authors, stories. Roger Zelanzny, Chronicles of Amber. Neil Gaiman, Sandman. The Bible. Isaac Asimov, Bicentennial Man. Jack Williamson, “With Folded Hands.” Films. Bicentennial Man. AI. Blade Runner. I, Robot. Finch. TV episodes, series. Star Trek: The Next Generation. Ideas. Literary sci f…

Theme: Our house … is a very, very, very smart house Episode Connections Authors, stories. Sara Teasdale, “There Will Come Soft Rains.” Dean Koontz, The Demon Seed. Alan Weisman, The World Without Us. James Tiptree Jr., “The Last Flight of Dr. Ain.” McSweeney’s.com. Fritz Lieber, “A Pale of Air.” Larry Niven, “Inconstant Moon.” Films. The Demon See…

Theme: A plague of humans. Episode Connections Authors, stories. Lynn Margulis, the Gaia Hypothesis. Stephen King, The Stand. Richard Matheson, I Am Legend. Richard Preston, The Hot Zone. Albert Robina, The War in the Twentieth Century. Aldo’s Huxley, Brave New World. H.G. Wells, “The Stolen Bacillus.” Nicholas Christakis, Apollo’s Arrow. Films. Th…

Theme: It’s the end of the world as we know it, and I feel … angst. Episode Connections Authors, stories. Larry Niven, Ringworld series. Fritz Lieber, “A Pail of Air.” Arthur C. Clarke, “Rescue Party,” and “The Star.” Jerry Pournelle. Ursula K. LeGuin. Films. Finch. Castaway. Solar Flare. Sunshine. Sharknado. The World’s End. Knowing. Apollo 19. TV…

Theme: I can see my breath. I can scoop mine with a bucket. Now that’s COLD! Episode Connections Authors, stories. Fritz Lieber, Newhon series. James M. Ward & Rob Kuntz, Deities & Demigods (TSR, AD&D). Stephen King, “The Jaunt.” Jerome Bixby, The Holes Around Mars. Hal Clement, Mission of Gravity. Tom Godwin, “The Cold Equations.” Films. Snowpierc…

Theme: Does more life bring greater wisdom? Episode Connections Authors, stories. Neil Gaiman, Sandman series. Phillip K. Dick. Samuel R. Delaney & Marilyn Hacker, Quark series. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings. Stephen R. Donaldson, The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. Jerome Bixby, “Old Testament.” Clifford Simak, “Desertion.” J.G. Ballard, “V…

Theme: If you can’t control yourselves, someone’s gonna have to do it for you Time: 44:23 Episode Connections Authors, stories. Kurt Vonnegut, Cat’s Cradle, Slaughterhouse 5. Paul Ehrlich, Population Bomb, Population Explosion. Stephen Emmott, Ten Billion. Dr. Danny Dorling, Population 10 Billion. Harry Harrison, Make Room, Make Room. John Brunner,…

Theme: x Time: 34:19 Episode Connections Authors, stories. Alfred Bester, The Stars My Destination. Clive Barker, “Hellraiser.” Dan Simmons, Hyperion. Robert Jordan, The Wheel of Time series. Fred T. Jane, To Venus in Five Seconds. Films. The Langoliers. Back to the Future. Galaxy Quest. Stargate. Contact. The Fly (both versions). TV episodes, seri…

Theme: Vote or die. Or, vote AND die. You pick. Episode Connections Authors, stories. Dean Koontz, Star Quest, Odd Thomas series. Harlan Ellison. Dean Koontz, Midnight. Harry Harrison, Soylent Green. Aldous Huxley, Brave New World. John W. Campbell, “Who Goes There?” Films. Odd Thomas. Logan’s Run. Star Wars. TV episodes, series. Quantum Leap. Star…

Theme: Mars needs artists Time: 30:32 Episode Connections Authors, stories. Frederic Brown, “Arena.” Flash Gordon series. Edgar Rice Burroughs, John Carter/Barsoom series. Cyril Kornbluth, “The Marching Morons.” Films. Independence Day. Battlefield Earth. Signs. War of the Worlds. TV episodes, series. Star Trek. Ideas. Humans are struck with an int…

Theme: What if God was one of us? Time: 37:15 Episode Connections Authors, stories. The Bible, and other spiritual texts. Olaf Stapledon, Star Maker. Erich von Daniken, Chariots of the Gods. Robin Hood stories. King Arthur stories. Jack Williamson. Robert Heinlein, “They.” Arthur C. Clarke, “The Sentinel.” Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to t…

Theme: Once upon a time, in a galaxy not so far away … Time: 42:19 Episode Connections Authors, stories. Isaac Asimov, Foundation series. Upton Sinclair, “I, Candidate for Governor: And How I Got Licked.” Douglas Adams, Hitchhikers’s Guide to the Galaxy series. Lewis Padgett, “Mimsy Were the Borogoves.” Films. Star Trek: The Motion Picture. TV epis…

Theme: Someone forgot to change the filter in the gene pool Time: 48:05 Episode Connections Authors, stories. Cyril Kornbluth, “Little Black Bag.” William Gibson, “Johnny Mnemonic.” Paul Erlich, The Population Bomb and The Population Explosion. Douglas Adams Hitchiker’s Guide series. Films. Idiocracy. Water World. Mad Max. Ideas. Social stratificat…

Theme: Information IS power. Time: 45:29 Episode Connections Films. Raiders of the Lost Ark. No Way Out. Enemy of the State. Minority Report. Running Man. Gattaca. TV episodes, series. X-Files. Music. Johnny Cash, “Sam Hall.” Ideas. Authoritarian societies. Patriot Act. Data-driven society. Data is used to monitor citizen attitudes toward the gover…

Theme: Could it be … the final countdown? Time: 37:38 Episode Connections Authors, stories. William Gibson, “Johnny Mnemonic.” Arnold J. Toynbee, A Study of History. Oswald Spengler, The Decline of the West. Murray Leinster, “First Contact.” Sigmund Freud. Carl Jung. Erich von Daniken. Films. Sphere. Inner Space. Godzilla series. Gamera series. The…

Theme: There once was a human from Earth, who saved everybody through mirth. Time: 36:13 Episode Connections Authors, stories. Buck Rogers stories. Terry Bisson, “They’re Made Out of Meat.” Douglas Adams, Hitchhiker’s Guide series. Films. Star Wars films. Stargate. Contact. Star Trek: First Contact. TV episodes, series. Star Trek. Star Trek: Enterp…

Theme: Who invited that thing? Oh yeah, we did. Time: 44:53 Episode Connections Authors, stories. Astounding Science Fiction. Kenneth Robeson, Doc Savage series. Clarke, “The Sentinel.” H.P. Lovecraft, “At the Mountains of Madness.” William Golding, Lord of the Flies. Films. The Thing from Another World. The Thing (1982). The Thing (2011). MovieTon…

Theme: The road to war is paved with intrigue Time: 36:53 Episode Connections Authors, stories. Philip K. Dick “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” Asimov, “The Dead Past.” Films. Blade Runner. Impostor. Minority Report. The Rocketeer. Starship Trooper. TV episodes, series. The Man in the High Castle. Ideas. Classic Mars and Venus tropes. Billion…

Theme: The world is an idiot’s dream Time: 37:06 Episode Connections Authors, stories. Robert Heinlein, Stranger in a Strange Land, The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress, Starship Troopers. Philip K. Dick, “Time Out of Joint.” Films. Them. Sunshine. The Matrix. The Truman Show. Memento. Shutter Island. 12 Monkeys. Fight Club. Contact. The Hitchhiker’s Guide…

This 5 minute teaser offers a sampler platter of moments from our discussion of Mimsy. Try it out for a little taste of TBD with Bill and Dan.By Bill Williamson, Dan Kamm

Theme: We have met the aliens, and they are … kids. Time: 44:27 Episode Connections Authors, stories. Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland, Alice Through the Looking Glass. Clifford D. Simak, “Desertion.” Stephen King. Ray Bradbury. CS Lewis, Chronicles of Narnia, That Hideous Strength, Out of a Silent Planet, Perelandra. Madeline L’Engle, A Wrinkle …

Theme: Welcome to CyberMart Time: 41:47 Episode Connections Authors, stories. Bruce Sterling. Harlan Ellison. J.G. Ballard. Phillip K. Dick. Martin Caiden, Cyborg. Gordon R. Dickson, The Forever Man. Frederick Pohl, Man Plus. William Gibson, “Burning Chrome.” Dick Hebdige, Punk: The Subculture of Style. Clifford D. Symak, “Desertion.” Films. Johnny…

Theme: We don’t understand what we don’t understand. Time: 46:23 Episode Connections Authors, stories. Terry Bisson, “They’re Made Out of Meat.” Damon Knight, “To Serve Man.” Harlan Ellison, “I Have No Mouth, And I Must Scream.” Anne McCaffrey,’s Ship series. Spider Man. Fantastic Four. Wes Jackson. Jack Williamson, “With Folded Hands.” Arthur C. C…

Theme: Who wants to meet meat? Time: 35:17 Episode Connections Authors, stories. Arther C. Clarke, “The Sentinel.” Damon Knight, “Time Enough.” Douglas Adams, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Harlan Ellison, “I Have No Mouth, And I Must Scream.” Terry Pratchett. Arthur C. Clarke, Ender’s Game. Films. Spaceballs. Galaxy Quest. Independence Day. TV …

Theme: It’s always darkest before the abyss. Time: 38:44 Episode Connections Authors, stories. Damon Knight. Ray Bradbury. Harlan Ellison, “Repent, Harlequin! Said the Ticktockman.” Dan Simmons, “Eyes I Dare Not Meet in Dreams,” Hyperion Chronicles. Jack Williamson, “With Folded Hands.” Arthur C. Clarke, “The Sentinel.” Douglas Adams, Hitchhiker’s …

Theme: We will make you happy, whether you like it or not. Time: 37:12 Episode Connections Authors, stories. Asimov, Robot stories. Films. The Matrix. Jurassic Park. TV episodes, series. Star Trek, the Next Generation. Ideas. Jack Williamson's sci-fi legacy. Robotic central intelligence. A life of leisure v. a life of work. What does it mean to be …

Theme: The universe is a cold, unforgiving place. Time: 44:03 Episode Connections Films. 28 Days Later. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. The Fellowship of the Ring. Star Wars films. Stowaway. TV episodes, series. Star Trek (the original series). Ideas. Math-driven decision making & resource management. Artificially intelligent capitalism. Space sto…

Theme: Welcome to the fishbowl. Time: 47:30 Episode Connections Authors, stories. Ayn Rand. Despair.com. Films. The Terminator. Timeline. Mr. Peabody & Sherman. Easy A. 1984. The Truman Show. TV episodes, series. Dr Who. Continuum. Travelers. The Jetsons. Mr. Peabody & Sherman. Black Mirror. Ideas. Implications of time peeking. Asimov the world bui…

Theme: Is there anybody out there? Time: 46:36 Episode Connections Authors, stories. Poul Anderson, High Crusade. Star Trek series. Isaac Asimov, Foundation series. C.S. Lewis Perelandra, Out of a Silent Planet, That Hideous Strength. H.G. Wells. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes stories. Arthur C. Clarke, Rendezvous with Rama, Rama 2. Claire…