Guys Of A Certain Age

There comes a time in a Guy’s life, especially at a certain age, when he begins to realize that things are not as important as experiences with the people he loves.  Or perhaps he’s just run out of room for things, and the people he thought loved him told him he couldn’t buy any more things.  (Thought we were getting philosophical there, didn’t you?) 

Well, Jay has had an epiphany of sorts, and he’s ready to share.  Instead of getting more stuff, he’s focusing on doing more stuff - Guys of a Certain Age don’t have all day, you know.  With Robbie out on the road having his own experiences (called “work”), Art and Jay hit the studio to talk concerts, bucket lists, trips, productivity and marriage.  (This episode truly has it all.)

Jay’s Geek of the Week even follows the pattern, with a Hardy Boy experience he probably won’t be able to attend.  What he Khan do, though, is listen to the new audio Star Trek series that Art told him - and the world - about. 

Robbie is involved in the restaurant industry, Jay is involved in food media, and Art has a storied history in food marketing.  It’s a wonder that the episodes aren’t shorter so they can get to lunch faster.  And it’s no wonder that the subjects often trend towards food.

This episode evolved out of both hunger and a listener request.  The Guys are based in an SEC college football town, and it’s the beginning of the season.  Fans gotta’ eat, but where?  What if all the well-known and loved places in town have long waits?  Or what if there are terrific places to grab a bite that might not even show up on Yelp?  That’s what The Guys are here for.  Art was out of the studio (eating?) but still sent in his favorites.  Local places are covered, with plenty of emphasis on gas stations and grocery stores, plus spots in surrounding counties that are easily accessible on the way in or out of town.  

If you’re hungry for another Superman movie, it’s coming … tomorrow, but in 2027.  If you want to buy Darth Vader’s light saber, you’re too late.  And if you want to eat dinner at The Shed at Dulwich, you’d better have a backup plan.  See you off the beaten path.

The instructions were clear.  The topic was to be TV series The Guys were enjoying currently that the others might not be watching.  

Robbie understood the assignment (since he made the assignment) with Stick and The Sandman season two.  Art understood the assignment, mentioning the new season of Wednesday, with honorable mention for the reboot of King of the Hill. Jay did not understand the assignment, but still recommends The Office for a lot of good reasons.  

Perhaps he will be redeemed with his Geek of the Week audiobook recommendation, Dave Grohl’s The Storyteller.  Art talks James Gunn’s willingness to shake up the cast list in the DCU, and Robbie breaks the news of a telling hint drop that could get interesting for fans of Princess Leia.  Movies, TV, Books and plenty of random conversation: this podcast has everything!

If an episode has ever gone completely off the rails of intended subject matter, this is the one.  The Guys had a topic, but before they even got to Geeks of the Week, the subject had changed and the original topic forgotten.  

Those sorts of things happen when a body consumes all the flavors of Bartles and Jaymes wine coolers at once, or puts away a six pack of Zimas.  Or in this case, when The Guys start conversing.  Bartles and Jaymes coolers don’t seem to be available in their zip code, and even Japan quit selling Zima a few years ago.  But somehow, the hosts jumped on the nostalgia bus for drinks (or the advertisements for such) that they were likely too young to consume when they could actually be found at the county line.  

Geeks of the Week include yet another upcoming movie updating an 80’s TV show, a Happy Tarzan Day greeting to aaaa-ahahah-aaa-lll who celebrate, and a podcast record set by none other than the future Mrs. Travis Kelce.  Jay closes out the League of Regrettable Superheroes segment, but not to worry - the Legion of Regrettable Supervillains is coming!  We thank you for your support.  

It’s family reunion season, or so it seems.  Jay has been to one in the last month, missed another, and is heading to a third.  Robbie went north for the annual Coblentz-Con reuniting a baker’s dozen brothers.  

Perhaps one day all three Guys will have a reunion and be able to record together 2 weeks in a row.  They can dream!  And apparently, reunion people can also eat.  Hanging out with family you haven’t seen in a while is the ultimate goal of a reunion, but a close second is sharing a dish or twenty around a very large table, and everybody does it a little differently.  Speaking of differently, the old standby roadside restaurant Cracker Barrel is shaking things up a bit, too.  New logo, new decor, new vibes are coming - will it work?  The Guys offer their take, while on the site where a local Cracker Barrell almost wasn’t.  

Robbie has double Geeks of the Week but within the same genre.  Wanna’ take a guess at “Who” he’s talking about?  Jay notes a retcon in the new Peacemaker season that is fascinating, but will only be seen (by him, at least) in the Instagram reel where he discovered it.  (Sorry, Mr. Cena.) Grab a piece of rhubarb pie, call the family, and listen to this episode before they start a water fight.

This week, the Guys take a long overdue return to the worlds of Dungeons and Dragons-not the recent movie or the old cartoon from the 80s, but the legendary role-playing game.

There’s no way around this descriptor: this episode is Fantastic.  But be-Four The Guys get to The Thing they came to talk about, there are notable Geeks of the Week to mention.  

Jay heard about a Hamilton cast member who’s been there from day one, and hopes the same will happen to him in this podcast.  Robbie geeks out over a potential Star Wars-Dr. Who crossover (well, sort of - with a cast member, at least.)  And Art - in his own special segment, soon to be known as the Optimist with the Obituaries (they’re still workshopping the title)- shares sad news about one of WKRP’s finest.  

In Jay’s Regrettable Segment, ROM the Spaceknight gets special coverage: Robbie has been waiting for this one to get to Earth-1012.  Then they get to the final Stretch, a discussion of the MCU’s latest gift to the theater: Fantastic Four, First Steps.  This may be the best FF ever, less Torched by the critics than any of the variants thus far, and The Guys agree.  Good casting overall, balanced story with perhaps some nuances not seen very often in superhero flicks (spoiler: there’s a baby), terrific sets, fascinating time setting, useful mid-credit scene, and fun music.  

The MCU may not be Invisible much longer.  

It’s here, it’s here, it’s finally here!  The first major film in the DCG (DC Gunn-iverse, for those not caught up on the latest lingo, like Jay) hit theaters and Superman is back.  

The Guys had high expectations and some were met.  Others, maybe not so much.  But they agree that major steps  - especially in the casting - were made in the right direction for DC as the universe gets a reboot. As Art so eloquently put it, hopefulness has been restored to the franchise.  

Art is also hoping for a John Carter figure for Christmas (listeners can pre-order now), Jay wants a night light that might also scare away intruders (and/or unsuspecting family members), and Robbie may or may not want a new late night talk show, as one of the biggies has been cancelled.  It’s a super episode - or at least The Guys hope so.  

First, there were the Untouchables.  Then the Incredibles.  Later came the Expendables: 1, 2, 3 and 4.  (Apparently Stallone can’t be involved in something without multiple sequels.) Dare we say the GOCA-bles?  Probably not.  

Let’s move on to the Regrettables and quit while we’re behind.  This week Robbie is lost somewhere in Indiana, leaving Art and Jay to their own devices.  Having none, they go back to the well they like to call, “Jay’s Regrettable Segment on Steroids.”  Or in another brilliant alliteration, “Regrettable Round-Up.” The League of Regrettable Superheroes book will shortly come to a close, and this episode will help The Guys skate/truck/thunder/or…legislate (?) towards a bittersweet end.  With two voted redeemable and two most definitely regrettable, prepare to be introduced for perhaps the first and last time to Prez, Skateman, U.S. 1, and Thunder Bunny.  You can’t make this stuff up.  Yet somebody did.  

In Geeks of the Week, Jay wonders when his podcast salary will reach Superman status, and Art reports that an upcoming series about Green may be a bit Blue.  Don’t miss this colorful episode; pink ears, white booty shorts, and well, that’s enough.