Guys Of A Certain Age

This week, Robbie and Art look at the current state of Marvel TV shows and how, following the news of the Daredevil series overhaul, the blind seem to be leading the blind. (Without the advantage of enhanced radar-like powers)

It’s back to the books for The Guys on this episode.  No, they’re not going back to school, they’re just re-visiting and updating the fanbase on what they’re reading, how they’re reading it, and why a library card is still a good thing to carry.  

Robbie is off this week in search of the elusive TatoNut, but Art and Jay get in the literary weeds about books - Art even gets a surprise accolade via Jay’s handcrafted book list.  

Sadly, Jay gets duped by an internet post - certainly for the first time ever - but Art redeems it because of, well, art.  Art has news of a reboot getting a reboot, and they’re not just talking about the second half of the podcast.  

Another Star Wars limited series season has come to a close.  The greatly-anticipated Ahsoka is now in the books. Or on the screen, as it were.  What did The Guys think about it?  Did it stand up to Andor?  To Obi-Wan? To the Mandalorians?   It seems that is yet to be determined.  Okay, they do have opinions and those opinions vary.  

There were some great moments and there were some that maybe could have been left on the proverbial cutting-room floor.  And a few others added in their place.  Or maybe it’s just because Jay and Art didn’t watch the 29+ episodes of Clone Wars and Rebels that would’ve helped them understand.  Listen to see what The Guys think, then feel free to form your own opinions!

Meanwhile, we hear about what Captain Picard is writing about these days, where Disney is letting some of those other Star Wars properties loose on - gasp - “free” channels, and a once-in-a-lifetime chance to embrace your inner ogre.  

Guys of a Certain Age Listener, come on down!  You’re the next contestant on The Price of Listening to This Is About 39 Minutes of Your Life!  But it’s worth it if you pick the episode with the big prize behind it, right?  

If it hasn’t been made abundantly clear by the clues given by a wannabe celebrity, this episode is about game shows.  In the days following the passing of legendary game show host Bob Barker, The Guys realized - hey, there’s a genre of shows we watched a lot of but haven’t talked about yet.  So they did.  

From the earliest days of their collective memories, they’re here To Tell the Truth about what they watched and hope it doesn’t get them in Jeopardy.  

But before they get to the bonus round, there is talk of eating sandwiches aloft, Planet of the Apes in print, and the new trailer for the upcoming Disney+ series, known to insiders as Percy Jackson and the Gods of a Certain Age.  How much of your winnings are you willing to wager that this episode will make you say “whoopee!”?

Every superhero has an origin story.  Superpodcasts do, too.  Guys of a Certain Age was born in Robbie’s brain - those around him are not sure if it was before or after he was bitten by a radioactive Mississippi mosquito.  Then the idea was shared with Art and Jay over lunch in those glorious golden years, somewhere around 2019 B.C. (Before Covid.).  And the rest is broadcasting history.  

On this epic episode which The Guys mostly agreed would be milestone number 250, they tell the story of starting, share favorite episodes, and even talk a bit about what comes next.  

Unfortunately, a majority of the Geeks of the Week have to do with endings: two out of the three are obituaries.  Thank goodness Robbie had updated news of a rebirth of one of his favorite movies.  If you haven’t listened to the previous 249 episodes, don’t worry - this is not Ahsoka.  

Once upon a time (or let’s just say, most episodes) The Guys take the opportunity to reminisce.  And with the Netflix DVD service about to send out its last little red envelopes, that seemed like the perfect segue to Robbie quizzing Jay about his semi-recent cutting of the proverbial cords.  

It’s been over a year since he quit getting the little red envelopes in the mail - that was the gateway cut.  Then it was his landline; no emergencies so far requiring landlines.  And most recently, it was Big Cable getting the boot.  Any regrets?  Any lessons?  Any Netflix DVD’s hiding under the old VCR that he’ll get to keep?  Listen as the last holdout of The Guys tells his tale.  

Then go watch the Aquaman 2 trailer, or any of the handful of geek-fave TV series or movies that star young Ariana Greenblatt.  But don’t try to watch them at an MGM hotel - they may not have Wi-Fi restored just yet.  

On this episode, Robbie and Art welcome fellow geek and children's book author Bill Sugg to the Guys' studio.

Taking Jay's place at his microphone (but never the place in the heart of Jay's fan) Bill, aka Cad E. Wampus, talks about the inspiration for and the process of creating and publishing his hand-illustrated book, Gibble the Goblin Has a Problem. It's the story of a goblin who learns an important lesson in asking for things. Visit the Book Baby link below to buy a copy! 

Geeks of the Week include a look a incredible prop maker's website, news of a new Super Highlander, a review of the new Babylon 5 animated movie, and thoughts on the trailer for Apple TV+'s new series about Godzilla and his pals.

https://store.bookbaby.com/book/gibble-the-goblin-has-a-problem1

They’re not quite American Promethei, nor are they Gaia’s of a Certain Age, but they do know a few Greek letters, enjoy a good gyro, and some say this podcast is the bomb.  Yes, this is the Oppenheimer episode and the only difference is the length.  No way Jay could make it through a 3 hour podcast (though rumor has it he kept his seat the entire movie.)  

Art is out this week because he’s waiting for the movie to stream on VHS, but the remaining Guys talk favorite characters, Oscar possibilities, star appearances, and a brief foray into the use of color and graphics in the epic-length Christopher Nolan film.  

Robbie also brings more details of the Dune 2 Delay, and as college football season begins, tells how a once-powerful conference imploded.  Meanwhile, Jay learns who G’nort the Green Lantern is, but wonders aloud why he’s hosting a special edition DC comic involving beach volleyball.  Listen to this one - it’s a blast.  

It seems Robbie thought Jay and Art were Ken-ough to handle this episode on the Barbie movie.  So what are Guys of a Certain Age doing at the Barbie movie, anyway?  

Was it nostalgia for other action figures back in the day that hung out with Barbie on toy store shelves?  Was it the inclusion of actors from the superhero multiverse? Or was it just a curiosity to see what all the hype was about?  Because they were already at the theater to see Oppenheimer, right?  Yes.  All that and more.  

And it seems the Barbie-Heimer double feature release may have been one of the last blockbuster movie duos to not be delayed further by the ongoing strikes and other unknown studio shenanigans.  That’s right - sorry, Robbie - Art announced that Dune 2’s release date has been delayed for mysterious reasons.  [ROBBIE NOTE: Like I listen to ether of you anyway.] But Jay has an answer to how to fill all the extra time that would have been spent watching new releases at the theater: read a book.  Specifically, read Scott Lang’s in-MCUniverse autobiography, soon to be released in full by Marvel.  

Plus, there’s all that content already online that Jay, for one, can’t seem to keep up with.  Art and Jay recommend The Beanie Bubble, which has less superhero crossover, but just as much nostalgia.  Listen to this one in pink, if you’re Guy enough.

Jay's out this week, so Robbie and Art fire up the Way Back machine for a look back at the comic books and graphic novels that made 1986 a Renaissance year. Hard to believe but that year saw the release of The Watchmen, The Dark Knight Returns, and John Byrne's Man of Steel. Listen as the Guys wax (and sometimes wane) nostalgic about these and other literary masterpieces that still influence modern comics and the movies inspired by them.