A Canticle for Leibowitz

Alienating the Audience

#Sci-Fi / Fantasy Stories #Comedy #Audio Drama #Andrew Heaton #Humor #Sciencefiction #Geekery #Tech #Scifi

26:29

World leaders are currently gathered at the United Nations in New York for the annual General Assembly. This year, the future of the Palestinian territories hangs in the balance: several nations like the UK, France, Canada, and Australia are formally recognising the state of Palestine for the first time. The Trump administration strongly opposes the move, warning that it could embolden Hamas and provoke Israel into annexing the West Bank. How did some of Israel and America’s staunchest allies decide that the time is right to recognise a Palestinian state? We speak to BBC diplomatic correspondent Paul Adams who has spent years reporting from the Middle East. Producers: Xandra Ellin and Viv Jones Executive producer: James Shield Mix: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China Collins Image: Members of the U.N. Security Council vote on a draft resolution demanding a ceasefire in Gaza, at U.N. headquarters in New York City, U.S., September 18, 2025. Eduardo Munoz/Reuters…

36 weeks ago 1:10:40

MP3•Episode home

It's three centuries after the apocalypse, and a small Catholic monastery in the desert is collecting and safeguarding whatever pre-calamite artifacts it can, to preserve knowledge until civilization gets going again. Brian Brushwood joins to discuss this post-apocalyptic "Jesuits in space" novel.

168 episodes

Alienating the Audience

A Canticle for Leibowitz

Alienating the Audience

59 subscribers

published 36 weeks ago

MP3•Episode home

168 episodes

#Sci-Fi / Fantasy Stories #Comedy #Audio Drama #Andrew Heaton #Humor #Sciencefiction #Geekery #Tech #Scifi

All episodes

Alienating the Audience

1
Let's Argue About the Prime Directive 50:15

8 days ago50:15

50:15

The Prime Directive orders Starfleet officers to refrain from interfering in pre-warprdrive civilizations. It is a doctrine of cultural non-interference... But is it actually a good idea? Scottish Scifi twins Dickie and Stone Lynch return to argue with Heaton about it. Support the show! www.patreon.com/alienating…

Alienating the Audience

1
The Last Starfighter 1:11:59

11 weeks ago1:11:59

1:11:59

In “The Last Starfighter” (1984) a young man has his sword-in-the-stone moment playing an arcade game which propels him into heroic intergalactic adventure. Brett Weaver joins to discuss the movie, the Hero’s Journey, and to talk about what a sequel or remake would look like. LINKS: Heaton’s Otamatone Odyssey https://youtu.be/3BMGPv5RnOQ…

Alienating the Audience

1
Women Can Electrocute You 51:55

14 weeks ago51:55

51:55

In Naomi Alderman’s “The Power” women all over the planet suddenly develop the ability to shoot electrical shocks, to the point of lethality. The natural order is entirely inverted, with men easily overpowered by women, and resulting societal tumult. Katherine Mangu-Ward joins to discuss.

Alienating the Audience

1
Time Loops 59:58

18 weeks ago59:58

59:58

Getting thrown back to the same place in time, repeatedly, with little you can do about it has become an awesome sub genre in scifi. From Groundhog Day, to The Endless, we discuss time loops and their appeal in science fiction. Brian Brushwood joins to discuss.

Alienating the Audience

1
Holy Space Capitalism of the Feringi 1:21:42

25 weeks ago1:21:42

1:21:42

Star Trek’s Feringi are intergalactic traders, merchants, entrepreneurs, and feckless shysters. How did they get to be space capitalists when the Federation outgrew the concept of money altogether? Sean Finnerty joins to discuss Feringinar, the Rules of Acquisition, and the economy of the 24th century.…

Alienating the Audience

1
Cheating with a Sexbot 1:06:31

29 weeks ago1:06:31

1:06:31

In "Subservience" Megan Fox plays a robot servant who goes off the rails, seduces her owner, and tries to kill his wife. Henrique Couto joins to discuss the ethical implications of cheating on your spouse with a robot, how we ought to treat robots even if they don't really have consciousness, and whether or not we'd buy robot servants in general.…

Alienating the Audience

1
"Alien" is Dudes Afraid of Getting Knocked Up 1:13:55

33 weeks ago1:13:55

1:13:55

Fresh after seeing “Alien: Romulus,” Dickie Lynch and Heaton discuss Ripley Scott’s “Alien” franchise: the creepy aesthetics of H. R. Geiger, the deepest fears of the movie, the alien seeding of “Prometheus,” and the most recent installment as a best-of.

Alienating the Audience

1
A Canticle for Leibowitz 1:10:40

36 weeks ago1:10:40

1:10:40

Alienating the Audience

1
A. I. As Monkeypaw Slaves 59:33

40 weeks ago59:33

59:33

How has A. I. been portrayed through history in science fiction, and what's it going to look like as it keeps getting better? Stone Lynch and J. C. Campbell join to discuss.

Alienating the Audience

1
A Clockwork Orange’s Secret Extra Chapter 1:18:16

45 weeks ago1:18:16

1:18:16

Anthony Burgess wrote his dystopian novel “A Clockwork Orange” in 1962, but two different versions appeared on either side of the Atlantic. The American version stops at chapter twenty, whereas the British version has an extra twenty-first chapter, which totally changes the book. Brian Brushwood joins to discuss.…

Alienating the Audience

1
Faster Than Light Travel in Sci-Fi 1:13:13

50 weeks ago1:13:13

1:13:13

The universe is really, really big. Like huge . Really really really huge. Prompting science fiction to come up with workarounds so everyone isn't stuck on the same boring 'ol planet. Dickie Lynch rejoins to discuss.

Alienating the Audience

1
Stay Your Age Right Now Forever 1:14:35

1 year ago1:14:35

1:14:35

Drew Magary’s book “The Postmortal” explores a scenario in which a vaccine is made for aging. Whatever age you take it at, you are paused there indefinitely. How does that effect marriage, retirement, and society as a whole? Josh Jennings and Ashland Viscosi return to discuss.

Alienating the Audience

1
All The Gods Suck, Except "Circe" 1:23:01

1 year ago1:23:01

1:23:01

Madeline Miller's "Circe" novelizes the mysterious character from the Odyssey who turns men into swine, but also helps Odysseus get home. The book shows the feckless, narcissistic nature of the Greek pantheon, what is the true nature of self, and the divine patriarchy. Alexandra August and Isabella Reinhardt join to discuss.…

Alienating the Audience

1
"1984" According to Julia 58:20

1 year ago58:20

58:20

George Orwell died way back in 1950, and his estate has never allowed anyone to canonically (or legally) contribute to the immense worldbuilding of "1984"... Until now. Sandra Newman recently wrote "Julia," the official sequel to 1984, which happens conterminously with its events, but from the perspective of Winston's paramour, Julia. Josh Jennings joins to discuss.…

Alienating the Audience

1
The Zen of Robots 32:19

2 years ago32:19

32:19

Season Finale! In which we talk about how to use sci-fi robots for helpful psychological thought experiments. Support the show! www.patreon.com/alienating ATA Survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe8FbFXeniKqq4gJNITdQNtbBy4MvUEnZH2m66JteJIJXY-zw/viewform?usp=sf_link

Alienating the Audience

1
Much Ado About Garak 1:01:15

2 years ago1:01:15

1:01:15

Star Trek Deep Space Nine's Elim Garak is a simple, unassuming character. But also a spymaster. Why is he so beguiling, and what's his character arc? Andrew Young joins to discuss.

Alienating the Audience

1
Doublethinking George Orwell's 1984 1:36:40

2 years ago1:36:40

1:36:40

Is 1984 prophetic, or merely a terrifying dystopia? What makes this haunting book so engaging on a literary level? Josh Jennings returns to discuss.

Alienating the Audience

1
Why Picard's Last Season Is So Much Better Than The Others 1:14:11

2 years ago1:14:11

1:14:11

Star Trek: Picard recently wrapped up its third and final season--and the first season Heaton or his guests have enjoyed of it. Scottish sci-fi twins Dickie and Stone rejoin to discuss Star Trek: Picard, and what made its ultimate season likeable.

Alienating the Audience

1
Super-Intelligent Spiders And A Sleeper Ship: Children of Time 48:32

2 years ago48:32

48:32

Adrian Tchaikovsky's "Children of Time" tackles multi-generational sleeper ships, uplifiting species, AI, the nature of intelligence, teleforming and more. Richard Amiro rejoins to discuss.

Alienating the Audience

1
The Corporate Dystopia of Jennifer Government 1:17:07

2 years ago1:17:07

1:17:07

In this satirical novel by Max Barry, the United States is a corporate wasteland with ruthless businesses and toothless rump state unable to restrain them. John Krikorian of Trekprofiles joins to discuss. Book at: www.mightyheaton.com/goodscifi

Alienating the Audience

1
There Are Infinite You's in the Multiverse 46:17

2 years ago46:17

46:17

How does the multiverse shake out in science fiction? What are the tropes, and what are the implications? Scottish scifi twins Dickie and Stone Lynch join to discuss.

Alienating the Audience

1
Escaping the Truman Show 1:07:15

2 years ago1:07:15

1:07:15

In “The Truman Show,” Jim Carey’s character is the unwitting star of a global reality television show–until he decides to escape. Director Henrique Cuoto joins to talk about the iconic film, and the evils of false reality. Henrique’s dog: www.helpchicano.com Support the show! Mightyheaton.com/alienating Interstellar Vagabonding Clips, with Nick Sperdute: www.mightyheaton.com/vagabonding…

Alienating the Audience

1
Snowcrash Created the Metaverse 50:10

2 years ago50:10

50:10

Neil Stephenson's "Snowcrash" looked at the embryonic Internet and projected a future of VR and avatar onto it. And a world in which nation states had been eclipsed by successor states of corporate "franchulates." Is "Snowcrash" a corporate dystopia, a libertarian utopia, or merely prophetic? Brian Brushwood joins to discuss.…

Alienating the Audience

1
Shrinkage! 49:15

2 years ago49:15

49:15

In this episode we talk about all the times people get tiny in science fiction, from "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" to "The Fantastic Voyage" to Jonathan Swift.

Alienating the Audience

1
Meeting Celebrities at Sci-Fi Conventions 59:49

2 years ago59:49

59:49

Comedian John Robertson is a regular performer, panelist, and celebrity at science fiction conventions. He joins to discuss the community element of conventions, how celebrities should comport themselves, and how fans can best interact with them.

Alienating the Audience

1
Soylent Green is People! 57:42

2 years ago57:42

57:42

Charlton Heston stars in "Soylent Green," a film about the terror of overpopulation, urban ennui, and ultimately cannibalism. Based on the novel "Make Room! Make Room!" by Harry Harrison. Scottish scifi twins Stone and Dickie Lynch join to discuss. SUPPORT THE SHOW! www.patreon.com/alienating

Alienating the Audience

1
The Hilarious Fantasy of Terry Pratchett 47:38

2 years ago47:38

47:38

At its height, Terry Pratchett's Discworld series accounted for fully 2% of all book sales in the United Kingdom. Over the course of his life he wrote 59 books, achieved knighthood, and created a beloved and hilarious franchise. What was Pratchett's worldview, and what motivated him to crack jokes about Death and wizards? Guest Marc Burrows wrote the first authorized biography of Pratchett, and just wrapped up a show about him at the Edinburgh Fringe. REFERENCED BOOKS AT: www.mightyheaton.com/goodscifi SUPPORT THE SHOW! www.patreon.com/alienating…

Alienating the Audience

1
Strange New Worlds is the Star Trek We Deserve! 49:30

2 years ago49:30

49:30

Captain Pike commanded the USS Enterprise prior to Kirk, and the prequel series featuring him, Mr. Spock, Nurse Chapel, and their contemporaries goes back to the roots of Star Trek: exploring weird planets with weird things... but with just the right amount of fun. Scottish sci-fi twins Dickie and Stone Lynch return to discuss.…

Alienating the Audience

1
Trapped In John Malkovich 1:09:28

2 years ago1:09:28

1:09:28

In Charlie Kaufman's weirdest film (and that's saying something) John Cusack discovers a portal that delivers you into John Malkovich's head for a few minutes... so he charges admission. Henrique Couto and Matt Sienkiewicz join to discuss

Alienating the Audience

1
Reproduction in the Final Frontier 1:06:13

2 years ago1:06:13