Best Mikel J Wisler Podcasts (2024)

1
030 Subscribed Short Film - Or How I Got Diana Porter to Directing My Script 1:01:43

2+ y ago1:01:43

1:01:43

Because I love science fiction, I don't just talk about it. Occasionally, I write sci-fi stories. And because I used to be a narrative filmmaker, I still pick up and camera and do a little cinematography. In this episode, I invite actor and director Diana Porter to discuss with me why she agreed to direct and star in "Subscribed," this short film I…

1
029 The Tomorrow War - Movie Discussion with Chris Wong & Naa Dodoo 1:14:11

2+ y ago1:14:11

1:14:11

The Tomorrow War offers us big-budget sci-fi with hand-wavy time travel and deadly aliens. What's not to love? On this episode, I invite a couple of friends who also love a good sci-fi flick to join me for a lively discussion about the merits and flaws of this tropy action movie. Be warned, we discuss the move at length, so expect a lot of spoilers…

1
028 Octavia Cade, The Stone Weta, and Protecting Climate Change Data 1:15:47

3y ago1:15:47

1:15:47

Author and science communication specialist Octavia Cade joins me for an important conversation about climate change, effective communication of science to the public, and protecting data and scientific integrity in a world driven by politics and profit margins. In this challenging and eye-opening episode, Cade and I discuss the real-world inspirat…

1
027 Terri Favro and 100 Years of Robots 1:27:30

3y ago1:27:30

1:27:30

Author Terri Favro joins me to discuss her non-fiction book, Generation Robot, which gives us a look back at the history of robotics and AI and a well-researched look forward into what lies ahead in the coming decades. Science fiction has given us a wide range of views on robots. But has sci-fi really got it right? What will happen if we succeed in…

1
026 Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir - Review 53:48

3y ago53:48

53:48

Andy Weir, author of The Martian, has a new novel out, Project Hail Mary. In this episode, I dive into what works and what doesn't about this book, how Weir has given us a better character journey, and more. Weir returns to some familiar territory with this plausible hard SF adventure. First 20-minutes are spoiler free. Join the discussion on Disco…

1
025 Astounding by Alec Nevala-Lee and the Golden Age of SF 1:01:24

3y ago1:01:24

1:01:24

Author Alec Nevala-Lee stops by to discuss his monumental biography of the early days of science fiction. His book, Astounding, details the rise of SF through the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. This was the age of a magazine called Astounding, today known as Analog Science Fiction and Fact. In those early decades, John W. Campbell served as editor of Astound…

1
024 - What Makes Good Science Fiction - Advice from Ben Bova and Orson Scott Card 55:19

3y ago55:19

55:19

Orson Scott Card and the late Ben Bova are two giants of the science fiction literary world. Bova has long been one of my favorite authors and his Grand Tour books have been an enormous influence on me. I recently dug up some solid advice from established professionals in the SF writing world and I found Card and Bova had both written books on writ…

1
023 Professor Sherryl Vint and Using SF to Make Sense of the World 1:03:35

3y ago1:03:35

1:03:35

Sherryl Vint teaches Science Fiction Media Studies at the University of California, Riverside and has written several books exploring the various philosophical and cultural aspects of science fiction. Her latest book, Science Fiction, published as part of the MIT Press Essential Knowledge Series. This latest book is a guide for the casual sci-fi fa…

1
022 Stowaway - Netflix Movie Review 38:16

3y ago38:16

38:16

Have you seen the new Netflix sci-fi thriller, Stowaway? In this episode, I review the movie and discuss what worked and what didn't about it and why I want to see more movies like this made. The first portion of the episode is spoiler free, so even if you haven't seen the movie, you can listen to the first part and get a sense of whether this is s…

1
021 Machinehood by S.B. Divya and the world of 2095 1:09:17

3y ago1:09:17

1:09:17

S.B. Divya's debut novel, Machinehood, is a thrill ride of plausible future conflict between developing AI and augmented human beings who have given up privacy and now rely on daily updates to their medication to combat designer viruses and remain competitive in the gig marketplace. Divya is also the co-editor of Escape Pod, which is a science fict…

1
020 The Last Circus on Earth by B.P. Marshall 59:06

3y ago59:06

59:06

We didn't reverse climate change. The world is a barren husk of what it once was. And yet, humanity persists. Traveling between towns, villages, and cities, a circus cuts through Europe, delivering entertainment. But much there is a darker reality to this circus, and their trek to Asia is either hopeless venture or will be the spark of a new humani…

1
019 Flights of Foundry Con Recap & Excited News! 33:15

3y ago33:15

33:15

This past weekend I got to attend (virtually) the Flights of Foundry 2021 con. It was fantastic and I feel so energized by it. Why is that? Well, grab a coffee or tea, and let's chat. From networking with fellow speculative fiction creators to jointly launching a new subgenre of science fiction, Flight of Foundry was a remarkable experience, and it…

1
018 Frank Wu, Analog Sci-Fi Magazine, and Octopi meets AI 1:47:09

3y ago1:47:09

1:47:09

Sci-fi author and artist, Frank Wu, joins me for a lively, hilarious, and very informative conversation about how he got his first story published in one of my favorite science fiction magazines, Analog. We also dive into how his award-winning story, "In the Absence of Instructions to the Contrary," which truly one of the best short stories I've ev…

1
017 Neuroscience and Storytelling - A Conversation with Chris Wong 1:23:26

3y ago1:23:26

1:23:26

What can we learn from neuroscience and psychology about the narratives we create, how mailable memories are, and how our drive for survival shapes our response to life? Chris Wong, therapist and adult education specialist, joins me for a lively follow-up discussion to episode 014 about the neuroscience of storytelling. We explore how trauma shapes…

1
016 Devs - The Hulu Original Mini Series That Questions Reality 1:40:25

3y ago1:40:25

1:40:25

When my coworker, Mike Palumbo, told me I needed to check out Devs on Hulu because it was "my kind of sci-fi" that stuck with me. Well, I finally checked it out and boy, was he right. So I invited Mike to come on to the podcast to discuss this twisted, suspenseful, deeply philosophical mini series. This is a long discussion meant for folks who have…

1
015 Saturn Run - The Political Impact of First Contact 34:31

3y ago34:31

34:31

This hard sci-fi thriller stares unflinchingly into the political ramifications of discovering we are not alone in this universe. The discovery launches a new space race with a winner-takes-all approach to securing alien tech and science. What can we learn from this novel and why do I wish more politicians were reading Saturn Run? Check out my rece…

1
014 Why Does Storytelling Matter? - How Researching Neuroscience Convinced Me 35:41

3y ago35:41

35:41

Yes, I love science fiction. But even more foundational than my affinity for this wonderful genre is the fact that I love storytelling. It's what I do for my day job (documentary film) and my side hustle (sci-fi novels and this podcast). So yes, I love storytelling. But turns out that there are deep reasons storytelling has been an integral part of…

1
013 The Loop by Ben Oliver - Is this the new Hunger Games? 35:24

3y ago35:24

35:24

The Loop by Ben Oliver has been called "the new Hunger Games" by some. But does it live up to this bold claim? I checked out this brand new young adult dystopian futuristic thriller. In this episode, I dive into The Loop and discuss what works and what doesn't. I also discuss a couple of graphic novels I just read: Mooncop and Wonder Woman: Tempest…

1
012 Seveneves by Neal Stephenson - Is the human race worth saving? 35:51

3y ago35:51

35:51

In one of the most epic sci-fi novels I've come across, Neal Stephenson takes on the long-term survival of the species after a freak event destroys the moon and dooms the planet to an eventual catastrophic rain of fire from the sky that will render the Earth unhabitable for thousands of years. At the core of this type of science fiction are questio…

1
011 The Midnight Sky - Movie Review, Story Analysis, and What It Is Actually About 56:26

3+ y ago56:26

56:26

Have you checked out the new George Clooney directed film released on Netflix? The movie seems to split audiences. What can we learn from this film? Is it good sci-fi? Is it meaningful? What is the story really trying to get at, anyway? This contemplative sci-fi drama offers more than many of seem to dismiss it have recognized. But is it really an …

1
010 The Warehouse - The Economic Dystopian Cyber Thriller Just Around the Corner 53:17

3+ y ago53:17

53:17

Rob Hart's novel, The Warehouse, got me thinking about a lot of things when I first checked it out last year. It has become even more relevant this year as we have had to hunker down and do most, if not all, of our shopping online. Are we thinking clearly about the corporate and economic future we are fostering with each purchase? What does Hart's …

1
009 The Matrix - Andrew Gilbert, PhD helps me see how deep the rabbit hole goes 1:25:59

3+ y ago1:25:59

1:25:59

In 1999, this crazy cyberpunk action movie came out, and it blew my mind. Not only that, it has withstood the test of time (and two subpar sequels). It is one of the most philosophically astute action films ever made, and it might just be more plausible than we're willing to admit (the whole "humans as batteries" thing aside). This hilarious episod…

1
008 Jurassic Park - The Book that Started It All for Me 41:17

3+ y ago41:17

41:17

Let's talk about the movie and book that started it tall for me. Does it still stand up all these years later? Where does Jurassic Park fit into the world of sci-fi? What question is at the heart of Michael Crichton's classic book? How do the book and movie differ in a key way? Take a peek at my novels, which have definitely been influenced by Cric…

1
007 The Arecibo Collapse - I need some hopeful Sci-Fi right about now 44:31

3+ y ago44:31

44:31

I light of the tragic collapse of the large radio telescope at the Arecibo Observatory, I'm needing a bit of a pick-me-up. It can be quite difficult as a science fiction author to remain hopeful about human progress when we allow such an amazing tool for scientific discovery to literally fall apart. In this episode, I go digging for some suggestion…

1
006 Valerie Valdes - Chilling Effect and Prime Deceptions 28:18

3+ y ago28:18

28:18

When I first heard of Valerie Valdes' Latinx Space Opera novel, called Chilling Effect, I just had to check it out. Now that the sequel, Prime Deceptions, is out too, of course I had to dive in and continue soaking in Valdes' interstellar, off-beat, hilarious and yet heart-felt saga. Plus, there're psychic kittens. So there's that. In this episode,…

1
005 Andrew Gilbert - Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and How Playing D&D is Good For Us 1:09:08

3+ y ago1:09:08

1:09:08

Why do Sci-Fi and Fantasy get lumped together? Should they be lumped together? In this episode, I bring an old friend and Fantasy expert Andrew Gilbert. From his work teaching humanities and philosophy at Colorado University to playing D&D on his podcast with Dominic Monaghan (Lord of the Rings, Lost) Gilbert knows a thing or two about Fantasy, Sci…

1
004 The Martian - Problem Solving is a Super Power 47:33

3+ y ago47:33

47:33

Why is The Martian a breath of fresh air to sci-fi? Is it really a love letter to science? Who's the bad guy in this story? This novel and movie helped me survive one of the toughest seasons of my life. Why is that? Well, let me tell you all about it and why I keep coming back to the character of Mark Watney as a role model for perseverance and cre…

1
003 Arrival - Time and Living Moment by Moment 44:21

3+ y ago44:21

44:21

Let's dive into one of the best science fiction movies ever made, Arrival. It's parallel stories unfolding outside of linear time give us a lot to unpack as I reflect on why it meant so much to me to see this film the moment it came out and dive into why it remains utterly relevant in uncertain times. What will we let dictate our choices? Fear? Lov…

1
002 Contact - Science, Religion, and the Scale of the Universe 51:33

3+ y ago51:33

51:33

How can a novel written by a scientist during the Cold War still be so moving and incredible? How could it give birth to a lasting science fiction movie that has aged well? Let's dive into Carl Sagan's "Contant." This authentically rendered exploration of humans coming into contact with intelligent life from beyond our solar system was one of the f…

1
001 Annalee Newitz - Autonomous & The Future of Another Timeline 20:43

3+ y ago20:43

20:43

Let's explore the first two novels by Annalee Newitz. From a big-pharma-controlled futuristic world with autonomous robots to a twisted tale of time travel, Newitz is a fresh voice in science fiction literature that is worth check out. Whether addressing corporate greed, ethical questions around human-robot coexistence, or giving us a deep glimpse …

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Mikel J Wisler Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

1
Exploring Tomorrow: Meaningful Science Fiction and Life's Big Questions

Mikel J. Wisler

1
030 Subscribed Short Film - Or How I Got Diana Porter to Directing My Script 1:01:43

1
029 The Tomorrow War - Movie Discussion with Chris Wong & Naa Dodoo 1:14:11

1
028 Octavia Cade, The Stone Weta, and Protecting Climate Change Data 1:15:47

1
027 Terri Favro and 100 Years of Robots 1:27:30

1
026 Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir - Review 53:48

1
025 Astounding by Alec Nevala-Lee and the Golden Age of SF 1:01:24

1
024 - What Makes Good Science Fiction - Advice from Ben Bova and Orson Scott Card 55:19

1
023 Professor Sherryl Vint and Using SF to Make Sense of the World 1:03:35

1
022 Stowaway - Netflix Movie Review 38:16

1
021 Machinehood by S.B. Divya and the world of 2095 1:09:17

1
020 The Last Circus on Earth by B.P. Marshall 59:06

1
019 Flights of Foundry Con Recap & Excited News! 33:15

1
018 Frank Wu, Analog Sci-Fi Magazine, and Octopi meets AI 1:47:09

1
017 Neuroscience and Storytelling - A Conversation with Chris Wong 1:23:26

1
016 Devs - The Hulu Original Mini Series That Questions Reality 1:40:25

1
015 Saturn Run - The Political Impact of First Contact 34:31

1
014 Why Does Storytelling Matter? - How Researching Neuroscience Convinced Me 35:41

1
013 The Loop by Ben Oliver - Is this the new Hunger Games? 35:24

1
012 Seveneves by Neal Stephenson - Is the human race worth saving? 35:51

1
011 The Midnight Sky - Movie Review, Story Analysis, and What It Is Actually About 56:26

1
010 The Warehouse - The Economic Dystopian Cyber Thriller Just Around the Corner 53:17

1
009 The Matrix - Andrew Gilbert, PhD helps me see how deep the rabbit hole goes 1:25:59

1
008 Jurassic Park - The Book that Started It All for Me 41:17

1
007 The Arecibo Collapse - I need some hopeful Sci-Fi right about now 44:31

1
006 Valerie Valdes - Chilling Effect and Prime Deceptions 28:18

1
005 Andrew Gilbert - Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and How Playing D&D is Good For Us 1:09:08

1
004 The Martian - Problem Solving is a Super Power 47:33

1
003 Arrival - Time and Living Moment by Moment 44:21

1
002 Contact - Science, Religion, and the Scale of the Universe 51:33

1
001 Annalee Newitz - Autonomous & The Future of Another Timeline 20:43

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