Guys Of A Certain Age

Another week, another episode without Jay. Robbie and Art plow through anyway with Geeks of the Week that include a new live cover version of the classic Layla album, the search for the next Dr. Who, and some interesting speculation on "who" might be tapped as the new showrunner.

We also note the passing of Jonathan Rinzler, author of the Making of Star Wars and other favorite behind-the-scenes books.

In the second half, the Guys take a look at what has made Ted Lasso the breakout hit for Apple TV+. And seeking to cash in, Robbie and Art discuss a possible rip, er... SPIN-off, featuring Jay.

After spending the past year and a half stuck in front of our TVs, the Emmys may be more relevant than in the past.

With many of the Guys’ favorite shows nominated, albeit in odd categories, this Jayless episode features Robbie and Art making predictions on who will come home with the hardware.

Geeks of the Week include a He-Man series that may not have the power, a Netflix Marvel villain that may be moving to the MCU, and a GI Joe crime that will have you pulling your lifelike hair out.

It’s official!  Phase 4 of the GPU (Guys of a certain age Podcast Universe, in case you’ve forgotten or never knew) has begun!  Ok, maybe not  But Phase 4 of the MCU - a slightly more famous universe - has definitely begun.  Finally, another Marvel movie has hit theaters, and The Guys showed up to see Black Widow.  Spoiler alerts abound.  

Though there are definitely Phase 3 carryovers in this kick-off movie, The Guys agree that it was a good overall offering from Feige and Fam: action, ancestry, and angst that Marvel weaved into a solid origin story, as well as opportunities to branch the franchise.  

Despite the importance of this moment, The Guys give plenty of due to Geeks of the Week and more, with super-parodies, musical docs, and a new trailer for Robbie’s candidate for best science fiction story of all time. Robbie also gives respect to a mid-western violinist, then they go completely off the rails talking about billionaires in space. Just another day at the podcast.  

Another Disney+ Marvel limited series has completed its run, and the only “Thing That Remains” is a full analysis from The Guys.  Instead, you get the usual half an hour of bantering.  

It seems like Loki came and went quicker than a TVA pruning, and it left us with a lot to ponder.  In this episode, The Guys wax semi-eloquently on the subject of the identity of the dude at the edge of time and where he’ll show up next, choose their favorite Loki variant (and for once they all agree), and explore the idea of whether or not it’s creepy for Loki to kiss the female version of himself.  Herself.  Whatever.  (By the way, there be spoilers here, matey.)  

In the Geeks of the Week segment, the three talk Titans, torn toy arms, and taking Netflix in yet another direction.  Listen as The Guys (or their variants) live la vida Loki!

The Guys have been at this for well over two years now.  They’ve become a family with a weekly reunion, though they haven’t decided which one is Cousin Eddie.  But when they take a break from each other, they do occasionally go to reunions of the family they are actually related to.

 In this episode, they talk about the reunion many states away that Robbie is headed for, the one Art just had in his backyard, and the one Jay’s mother will attend in the near future.  Family reunions haven’t changed much over the years - there is a cadre of cousins whose names you may not remember, there is an enormous amount of food, and there is bound to be at least one attempt at a family photo.  The Guys chat about how all this has been affected by technology, from catching up with those cousins on social media (if not sneaking a peek at Facebook to recall the kids’ names), to using Apple watches, iPhones and Photoshop to get that picture made.

Unfortunately, we’re still waiting for Star Trek style replicators to do the cooking.  Listen, and you, too, can be part of the Guys of a Certain Age family.  T-shirt not included.  

It was a big week in the Guys’ home city.  Not only is it the nerve center of the podcast (and perhaps for some, the get-on-your-nerves center), it’s also the host city for the newly crowned NCAA baseball national champions.  And Robbie was there to see history made.  

In this week’s episode, the Guys take a look at historic sports events  - that is, events that they have personally attended, which, of course, in hindsight, made them even more historic.  Some were close to home, with personal meaning, while others required road trips to see Panthers, Pachyderms, and Cubs - oh my.  Take yet another walk down memory lane as these geeks talk sports, mostly observed from the press box or band section.  

They also talk about what’s coming next: who’s going to space on the next private rocket, which body part will Harrison Ford injure in the next classic movie sequel, and what superhero outfit will Jay wear next to the gym.  It’s a good thing this is audio.

I WANT MY GUYS OF A CERTAIN AGE!  Guys and gals of a certain age will … certainly…recognize that riff on a phrase made famous about 40 years ago, when MTV - aka Music Television - was born.  

MTV has a big birthday coming up, and The Guys get a jump on the celebration. In this episode they relive the theme song, the commercials, the VJ’s, and more - all the things that MTV used to be in their formative years.  Plus a nod to the instigator of reality television shows (hello, Real World), and the genius who convinced Eric Clapton and others to unplug.  They also reminisce about the days when MTV actually played music videos all day long, instead of whatever it is they do now.  

Geeks of the Week look in on Miss Minutes, Jerry Seinfeld, and yet another Disney movie remake based on a ride, based loosely on a TV show.  In other words, this podcast is a show about nothing that takes up listening time.  But for guys of a certain age, what else do you have to do?

It’s that time of year, when families say, “Oh yeah, it’s Father’s Day!”  It’s that kind of tradition that sends The Guys down memory lane, but it turns out to be a short trip.  

In this episode, these Fathers of a Certain Age reminisce about memorable gifts received over the years - the few they can remember, anyway.  The good news is, no neckties were harmed in the recording of this episode.  Perhaps the Time Variance Authority can help restore a memory or two.  

And don’t miss Jay’s audio version of a social media influencer’s unboxing video, revealing the Father’s Day gift from his son.  Also stay tuned for a diverse group of Geeks of the Week, and what is destined to be a regular segment (for 6 weeks, anyway): The Lowdown on Loki.  

This week is a Jayless episode, but Robbie and Art find the power to continue with the podcast anyway.

During the Geeks section, they discuss the return of two iconic figures, He-Man and a certain Dr. Jones, the passing of a favorite actor, NVIDIA's GPUs, and Krasinski's QP2. 

In this episode, The Guys ask the questions, “Are there too many superhero shows right now?  Have we reached a point of saturation?”  (And by the way, be sure to catch up on last week’s episode about superhero shows and the other 47 installments, give or take, where The Guys mention superhero shows and/or pretend to be superheroes.)  

Some might say there are too many, others might say there are not enough.  Still others might say it’s just right.  (And by the way, be sure to watch out for the spin-off podcast, Three Bears of a Certain Age.)  The Guys talk about the who’s and the how’s of today’s legion of super-shows, then go on record regarding the which’s: which ones to keep, which ones to cut, and which ones they’d like to see more of.  

Also, catch up on what The Guys are binging lately; believe it or not, only 25% of shows mentioned feature people with capes.