Robot or Not? 326: Spiders and Other Bugs

Things take a turn toward the 8-bit in a new saga for our adventurers, who are tasked with travelling inside a book to…do some murdering? Join them as they venture into a town where everyone answers to “NPC”, the aesthetic leans toward “blocky”, and everyone loves mead! Tony Sindelar with Aleen Simms, James Thomson, Mikah Sargent, Monty Ashley and Tiff Arment.

The Agents are back with a Halloween mission full of magic and glorious 80s hair. Join us for Witches of Eastwick with Cher, Susan Sarandon, Michelle Pfeiffer with the devilish Jack Nicholson. Our coven walks through the important questions. Who is taking care of all those kids? Is Jack Nicholson actually the devil? What is the horniest scene? We can confirm that this movie is fun, campy, and perfect for the season of the witch. Annette Wierstra with Sandra Wong and Shelly Brisbin.

Hello Halloween nerds! Are you ready for an EXTRA long episode?? Heather, Stacy and Chelsea (The Amazing One) have created a super-sized episode covering 125 years of witches! Join us as we walk The Witches Road (hee hee!) and examine the witches of Oz, from the original Frank Baum books to the various shades of Wicked. Wonder with us at silent witch films of the early 1900s and cackle over a cauldron of 1990s witches, like Sabrina, the Charmed sisters, Tara/Willow and The Craft. But wait, there’s more! We HAVE to talk about Black Phillip (yes, the goat) in The Witch, Wandavision and Agatha All Along. Plus, of course, the psychological and social constructs of women, witchcraft and power. Can’t get enough? Good! There might even be some outtakes at the end. Listen through those closing credits and see what happens… Stacy Watnick and Heather Berberet with Chelsea Hackman.

he team behind our previous Spooky Season entry CAT PEOPLE — producer Val Lewton and director Jacques Tourneur — return with the Jane Eyre-inspired tale of a naive nurse summoned to a tropical island to care for a rich nepo baby’s ailing wife. But the patient’s malady may have a sinister, supernatural source. Get ready for an atmospheric, antiracist spookshow that’s a lot smarter than you’d think, subverting cheap voodoo-movie stereotypes in cool and surprising ways. Ah woe! Ah me! Shame and sorrow for the family! With guest host, Nathan Alderman. Nathan Alderman with Shelly Brisbin, Randy Dotinga and Micheline Maynard.

It’s time for another Old Spooky Club, as we celebrate the 40th anniversary of Stuart Gordon’s horror-comedy classic, “Re-Animator”, which bears very little resemblance to the works of H.P. Lovecraft. We’ve got notes about severed heads, chomped-on fingers, lobotomized deans, weird character motivations, creepy stalkers, a literal blood bath, and everything Barbara Crampton. Jason Snell with Steve Lutz, Tiff Arment and Monty Ashley.

Dan wants to see Tom Waits, which is hard to explain. (Wait a sec. Lex, did you write this? I happen to like Tom Waits. Anyway…) Dana inherits a gun, which is also strange (OK, we both agree here). William H. Macy’s Sam gets a big storyline and a dramatic moment, and the substitute anchor filling in for Dan is so terrible that it — you guessed it! — beggars belief. We’re Sorkin’ In It all, though, so let’s discuss. Lex Friedman and Brian Warren.

It’s a spooky special edition of Biff! where we venture forth into a world of zombies and superheroes. In a four episode animated adventure we follow a rag tag band of survivors as they try to find a cure for the zombie plague that has engulfed their world. So, you know, pretty standard fare. Is there meat on these bones? Read along to find out what we think. Dan Moren, John Moltz and Guy English.

Bracket Case “vaaants to suck your bloooood!” New players gather for spooky season to determine who is the greatest of all-time vampire. Will the classics win out, or will the hot, sexy vampires take the day? Join us to find out. Annette Wierstra and Kathy Campbell with Monty Ashley, Jason Snell and Heather Berberet.

Will the team steal a magic painting and get away scott free with zero consequences to return to accolades and riches? Not without generous dollops of magic, violence, and a grab bag of foes in our thrilling conclusion! Tony Sindelar with Aleen Simms, Annette Wierstra, Kathy Campbell and Monty Ashley.

Listener Kev needs us to unpack John’s comment about “spiders and other bugs.” Does that mean spiders are bugs? And what are the other bugs? Spooky! John Siracusa and Jason Snell.