Guys Of A Certain Age

Special guest Bill Triplett joins Robbie and Art for a look back at the year that was 2022. What were our favorite series and movies from the past year, and what are we most looking forward to seeing in 2023? Some answers may surprise.

It’s that time of year, the time when decisions are made: will I make New Year’s Resolutions?  Should I even bother?  Do they turn into life-changing habits or are they broken the first time we drive by the Golden Arches on the way to the soon-to-be uncrowded gym?  

These are the deep questions pondered by The Guys as they embark on Year Five of the podcast.  Particularly, will Robbie and Art be nicer to Jay on air?  Could Year Five be his lucky year?  Listen to find out … just like Jay will!  And of course, more Bat-News in Geeks of the Week, from Jay and Art, while Robbie has a story that could rock the movie trailer world.  

Happy New Year from The Guys!

It was a Trivia Takeover - no, The Guys didn’t take over as guest posters on a social media site…they can barely maintain their own.  Nope, they were actually invited to host trivia night at a local tavern recently, the same tavern where they recorded their 200th episode live and in person, still the only episode that can be watched (see aforementioned barely-maintained Facebook page.)  

And that got them to thinking, why have trivia nights become so popular?  Jay found reasons.  And what other trivia games and similar activities brought us to this time in our culture?  The Guys have a meaningful discussion of all things trivial.  Meanwhile, back in Geeks of the Week, it seems Henry Sounds-Like-Travel is a geek, too, despite his apparent departure as the Man of Steel.

 Plus Jay is very excited to announce one of his favorite collectibles has re-entered the market after a long hiatus; unfortunately he can no longer afford it.  But you can afford to listen to this episode, because it’s free.  

It’s a very special episode - roll The Guys Broadcasting System Special Presentation clip now!  

This week, The Guys play Start One, Bench One, Cut One with three Christmas classic sweets: egg nog, fruitcake, and candy canes.  Answers may be controversial, but nobody goes home hungry.  And it’s a good thing this is a positive segment, because there are two obits in Geeks of the Week: from Sesame Street to Cheers, it’s a Dark Tower kind of week.  

But happy memories they are, and The Guys hope you’ll build some happy holiday memories of your own this week - and it starts with listening to this episode!

After Jay pulls a disappearing act, Robbie and Art discuss modern-day magicians. No, not Dr. Strange, the Scarlet Witch, or even Dr. Fate, but Vegas' David Copperfield and others whose illusions have fascinated us over the years. Check it out and remember the hand is quicker than the ...ear.

"It’s the Holiday Season (echo), and whoop-de-do, and Dippin’ Dots, and boy, The Guys have seen so many turns of the clock."  Isn’t that how the song goes?  And how’s that for an ear worm?  But as happens so many times with The Guys - this episode being no exception, and perhaps the greatest example ever - we digress.  

With the holiday season come holiday specials, and at long last the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special finally aired, and as it happens, it’s the only one all three Guys have seen.  They agree that there were high spots, fun moments, and interesting additions to the MCU canon, but it probably won’t rank in the top 5 MCU productions, unlike Andor in the Star Wars saga.  (Which they talk about after the break!) But still worth watching.  So Robbie and Art left it to Jay to cover the other holiday specials, aka “Every Streaming Service Needs a Special.”  HBO Max gave the world "A Christmas Story Christmas", which Jay loved because all the old (not dead) actors came back.  

Apple TV+ brought “Spirited”, with Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell singing and dancing and bringing an old story very much to life again. Disney+, not to be outdone, introduced “The Hip Hop Nutcracker” - Jay tried to watch it and follow along until his hip-hop almost went out of joint.  Happy Holiday Specials from The Guys!  And in between…watch Andor.  

The post-Thanksgiving, tardy, late episode is ready to tickle your ivories.

Two of the Guys return to Middle-earth to take a look at Amazon's Rings of Power. Was it worth all the money Jeff spent? Robbie and Art weigh in on this series that takes place long before the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy but still features some familiar names. 

Sometimes The Guys have to really reach to come up with Geeks of the Week (see Jay reaching back to 1990’s Popular Science issues or announcing new movies advertised on ancient Netflix DVD’s).  Other times, there’s so many to choose from it’s hard to pick just one.

 This week’s episode is all geeks, and we’re not just talking about The Guys.  The ever-popular-in-Bavaria Geeks of the Week segment transmogrifies into the main subject, and some of Jay’s breaking news items are truly current.  Or they were on the day it was recorded.  From a new Fantastic Four theory to an accidental international announcement of a possible Grogu short film, from Sandman part the second to multiple bits of news from Cavill headquarters - even the Broadway debut of Marty and Doc’s musical version of a classic film (not to be confused with Art and Jay’s attempt to join the cast of Les Mis).  

This episode has it all - don’t miss a thing or you will miss things.  

The event hung in the balance for weeks, uncertainty abounding, Art and Jay wondering if Robbie would go with them to a non-Batman DC movie (in the theater, no less), and they finally got their answer: he would see Black Adam with.  

Only Jay came in full cosplay, muscles rippling (or were those love handles of a certain age?), but they all saw the movie together, except for those few minutes when Jay’s favorite app insisted he take a break from the action.  But there’s no break in the action of The Guys’ discussion of The Rock’s rendition of this lesser-known comic book superhero from the Shazam generation.  

This time, in Geeks of the Week, it’s Jay with news from the DCU, shining a green lantern in this dark world.  Speaking of dark worlds, Art shares yet another obituary that surely caused Rudolph’s nose to dim in tribute.  And Robbie brings even more news from Who-ville, but not the one with the Grinch: it’s Mickey this time.

Current Hulk-tor Mark Ruffalo recently referred to the role as “our generation’s Hamlet…everyone’s going to get a shot at it.”  And in this episode, The Guys celebrate (spoiler alert: they like it) the most recent member of the club: She-Hulk, with Tatiana Maslany.  Fun cameos, future tie-ins, fan service, fourth wall, funny dialogue, and a few fights for good measure - this Marvel limited series is one they hope will not be limited to one season.  

Art and Robbie are also hoping this isn’t Jay’s last season, as he contemplates partaking in the McRib Farewell Tour.  Robbie brings news of another finale, and you can guess “Who” he’s excited about seeing.  

Meanwhile, Art speaks of new beginnings, as the DCU introduces their two-man answer to Marvel’s Feige.