Category: Episodes

Stars End S2E10

“Under the Genetic Dynasty, There is Only Room for One Podcast”

Haven’t watched Episode 10, “The Leap” yet? We’ll be here when you’re done.

Astoundingly, here we are at the end of Foundation’s Season 1. We’re all about to experience the teevee equivalent of empty nest syndrome.

But not yet! There are two more episodes of Stars End for this season! There’s this one, where we talk about Episode 10 and then there will be one more in about two weeks where we give an overview of Foundation’s epic first season! Also a special guest! Also, also some surprises!

And we’re here for the duration! It might feel like it will be 30,000 years until there will be new content on Apple TV+ but we’ll be here through this new interregnum to make sure that it feels like far less than 1000 years!

You’ve come with us this far! Let’s keep moving forward together!

Stars End S2E09

Stars End S2E09 – Sometimes Podcasts Shout Louder Than Logic.

You know. Spoilers and all that.

In 1987 the Smiths released an excellent compilation album entitled “Louder than Bombs.” It’s the apotheosis of mope rock! In 2021 “Is it Really So Strange” that we would release a podcast episode called “Louder than Logic?” Even if none of us is named “Smith?” We’re nothing but a bunch of alliterates!

But here’s the thing: it fits.

Gaal can feel the future in a way that might undermine psychohistory! That’s Louder than Mathematics!

Lewis was able to wish the Invictus back to Terminus! That’s Louder than Science!

And Salvor always knows how that coin will land! That’s Louder than Random!

Have you ever tried to replace a colorblind, left-handed clone with a perfect replica of Cleon I? That’s Louder than Reason!

You should join us as we talk about “The First Crisis,” a barnburner of an episode directed by the great Roxann Dawson!

I mean it! “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want!” Join us!

Stars End S2E08

Stars End S2E08 – “Your Lack of Understanding Does Not Obligate Us to Podcast”

If you’re a Lee Pace fan, or “stan” as the kids say, or even an “aficionado” like they said back in my day, “The Missing Piece” may be for you!  It’s like the last temptation of Brother Day meets Dune with 100% fewer sandworms.  That is to say, it’s a lot of loincloths and wandering around in the desert. Damn sand gets in everything!

Plus Hari’s still incorporeal, Gaal indulges in some casual vandalism, Salvor and Phara go on a trip, and Ethel the Aardvark goes quantity surveying.

As usual, we talk about it.

This week we’re joined by Rich Greenberg, a screenwriter and old friend of Jon’s.  Rich is known for Zoe (2018), starring Ewan McGregor, Léa Seydoux, and Rashida Jones, as well as the Emmy Award-Winning The Beauty Inside (2018).  Rich will tell us about the process of adapting an intellectual property, particularly a science fiction IP for television.

Join us!  

Stars End S2E07

Stars End S2E07 – An Exhortation from one of the Galaxy’s Major Podcasts

It’s Halloween evening as I write this and the two biggest Sci-Fi franchises have new episodes out.  The premiere of Star Trek Prodigy was last Thursday and the season opener for Doctor Who was this evening.  

But I have another venerable old franchise on my mind.

Namely Twilight Zone.  “Hey, kids!  You want to see something really scary?!?”

Well, “scary” probably isn’t the right word for “Mysteries and Martyrs” but I think some of us found it a little unsettling.

Still, there are lots of big questions!  Is Psychohistory as we know it a thing of the past?  What is the Anacreoneans horrific plan for the Invictus? Has the show succumbed to the Great and Glorious Az’s predilection for exposition?  And in the show with the most per-capita executions might someone get put to death for erroneous thumb-clasping?

We don’t know!  But we’re going to talk about it anyway!  With extra special guest star Cathy Blumenfeld, who has the distinction of escaping that Asimovian indoctrination so many of us suffered as teens.

Join us!  You’ll love it!  It will be like losing yourself in the scar and seeing real clouds!

Stars End S2E06

Stars End S2E06 – An Entire Galaxy Pivoting Around the Actions of an Individual Podcast

There are a lot of things happening in Episode 6, “Death and the Maiden.”

Beware! The spoilers are probably even more densely packed than usual.  “The spoiler-space may even be compact,” he said mathematically.

What a difference a week makes!  We described Episode 5 as a “bridge” episode. In episode 6, there’s stuff going on right and left!  Actually, maybe even in 2, 3, or, 4 dimensions!  This cries out for an “Age of Aquarius” joke, but I don’t have one.  Any help?

Politics!  Religion!  Explosions!  Big themes! Hints about how everything fits together!  This one has it all!

And we have Morgan, as our latest very special guest! She’s a self-described Daneel Olivaw stan and biotechnologist who loves all things Asimov and tweets Foundation-related stuff as @AsimovPosting. She joined us and brought a fresh new voice to the conversation!

You should join us and join the conversation too! You’ll be glad you did!

Stars End S2E05

Stars End S2E5 – The Seers Condemned this Podcast

If you’d rather not be rudely awakened by some spoilers, you know what to do! We’ll be here when you’re ready.

And speaking of rude awakenings, how about that Gaal Dornick? That whole ordeal didn’t seem pleasant at all!

What isn’t rude is our conversation this week, about Foundation’s Episode 5, “Upon Awakening,” it’s better than being roused by a thunderstorm, a smoke alarm, or a cat licking your face.

And this will really shake you out of your slumber! We’ve got a very special episode for you because we’ve been joined by a very special guest, Joel McKinnon host of the very excellent Seldon Crisis Podcast! Joel’s a very interesting guy with a very interesting podcast and some very interesting other irons in the fire.

If you’d prefer to listen to Seldon Crisis another way, it’s also available on the You Tube.

Also, Joel is in a band! The Jupiter Sheep! You can learn more about them and listen to their music here! And

Also also Joel has written a rock opera called Planet and Sky, which was performed by the Max Wyvern Band and expanded into yet another podcast!

And you can discover the rest by following Joel on Twitter @JoelGMcKinnon.

You should check these things out.

But not right now! Right now it’s time for the also excellent StarsEnd Podcast! Let’s go!

Stars End S2E04

William Shatner is about to be shot into space! He may want to stay there when he sees how Lee Pace updates the “Kirk can break a computer just by talking to it” shtick.

Spoilers, of course. If you haven’t, go watch the episode. Or listen first, it’s entirely up to you.

Things are really starting to cook now and we’ll have our usual free-wheeling conversation! The Cleons are being asynchronous and there are indeed “Barbarians at the Gate.” Well, they’re Acacreonians and the gate is almost entirely un-gatelike… except that you have to pass through it to go from “out” to “in.” But it’s an exciting episode with some excellent performances! We talk. You should tune in; it’ll be fun!

And for crying out loud, don’t stay in the bath too long; you’ll get all pruney.

“And the beginning of the end, as befitting its name, took place on Terminus.”

Stars End S2E03

Stars End S2E03 – Respect and Enjoy the Podcast

Spoilers, of course. Go watch the episode. We’ll be here when you get back.

We’re settling into the weekly groove! In this episode we’ll be talking about “the Mathematician’s Ghost,” episode 3 of Foundation. But don’t worry! No mathematicians were harmed in the filming of this episode… for a change.

But we do get some insight into the genetic trinity that rules the Empire, watch as the Foundationeers arrive on Terminus, and thrill to a cliffhanger! The Anacreonians have landed on Terminus, once again but for the first time!

And we think some more about episode 2. Maybe we’ve figured it out. Maybe not. Not knowing is half the fun!

We talk about it all! Join us! It will be so much fun the Empire may collapse! You wouldn’t want to miss that!

Stars End S2E02

Season 2 Episode 2 – Podcast History is Littered with Charlatans and False Messiahs

And… here we are! The moment to which we’ve been building. After months of anticipation, we finally have episodes to watch and discuss! And discuss them we do!

Join us for a no-holds-barred conversation about Foundation: Episode 1 – “The Emperor’s Peace” and Episode 2 – “Preparing to Live!”

Don’t want spoilers? Run to your favorite streaming device, find Apple TV+, and watch the episodes! Now! We’ll be here when you’re ready!

Too excited to worry about spoilers? Us too! Dive right in! We’re happy you’re here!

This is it! A teevee series 80 years in the making! Brother Dawn may not be able to save his legacy, but we’re giving a nice polish to Philo T. Farnsworth’s as well as that of The Great and Glorious AZ!

Let’s go!

Stars End S2E01

Season 2 Episode 1 – “All Podcasts Lead to Trantor.”

The naysayers said it would never happen and that our plucky little podcast would never see a second season!  Yet here we are defying the laws of Psychohistory, renewed and ready for the advent of the Apple TV+ series in roughly 24 to 48 hours.

That will be our focus for season 2.  We’ve been waiting with bated breath and our patience (or lack thereof) is about to be rewarded!  We’ll be recording weekly for the duration, unless it turns out that we’re recording weakly… but we’re not going to let that happen!

So, as you count down the final few hours before Foundation hits your teevee, join us for our season premiere where we talk about our hopes and expectations for the show.  Then we can all strap into this metaphorical roller coaster and enjoy this ride together!