We hope you will enjoy this encore performance of "Mad about Universal Monsters" from August 22, 2018. Your Planet 8 crew is currently on hiatus. Unfortunately our dear Commander Larry and his family were victims of a house fire, and while everyone is alive, the damages to the house were severe. Larry and family are focusing on recovering from the fire and getting their lives back in order. Once he feels he has the space to record again, we'll put together a brand new episode. Right now, the podcast is not the top priority. Please keep him in your thoughts. If you are so inclined, you can donate to help Larry and his family recover here: https://gofund.me/e6bcc768 Who doesn't love the Universal Monsters? Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster, the Wolfman, the Mummy, the Creature from the Black Lagoon - if you're like us, you grew up spending Saturday nights glued to the TV screen, watching these classic horror films. On August 28th, Universal will release a 30 film collection with all films in blu-ray format! Yeah, OK, they did release an 8 film set a few years ago...but this has got everything!   In celebration, your crew has sought out renowned horror film host, Lord Blood-Rah, to discuss our favorite Universal monsters! This is a topic near and dear to all of our twisted little hearts.  So grab some popcorn and tune in. We'll discuss the monsters, the films, the actors, you name it. Who was your favorite monster? Favorite film? Which actor did you enjoy the most as the Frankenstein Monster? Listen in and share your thoughts with us here or on our Twitter or Facebook pages.   As always, you can find us at the following places: Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8CastFacebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8PodcastInstagram:http://www.instagram.com/planet8podcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/Planet8podcast   Thanks for listening!

We hope you will enjoy this encore performance of "Planet 8 Goes Ape!" from August 22, 2019. Your Planet 8 crew is currently on hiatus. Unfortunately our dear Commander Larry and his family were victims of a house fire, and while everyone is alive, the damages to the house were severe. Larry and family are focusing on recovering from the fire and getting their lives back in order. Once he feels he has the space to record again, we'll put together a brand new episode. Right now, the podcast is not the top priority. Please keep him in your thoughts. If you are so inclined, you can donate to help Larry and his family recover here: https://gofund.me/e6bcc768 Welcome to a special episode here on Planet 8! This is one we've been wanting to do for a long time, and with the help of our special guest, the incomparable Lord Blood-Rah, we finally explore the 1968 classic, Planet of the Apes. This is is one of our all-time favorite genre films. Planet of the Apes, or POTA as we like to refer to it, was a milestone in cinematic history. A serious, allegorical science fiction film that was only made possible through John Chambers' ground-breaking make-up techniques, POTA blew audiences away, especially with its shocking twist ending. We focus on the first film only (we plan to devote later episodes to the sequels), discussing  every aspect - the amazing make-up, including the early make-up tests; the script and the many changes it went through in the hands of Rod Serling, Michael Wilson, and others; the brilliant Jerry Goldsmith score; and the memorable scenes and dialog. The crew plus Lord Blood-Rah also take a look at each of the main characters and their complexities. Taylor, Zira, Cornelius, and of course, Dr. Zaius, all have their own agendas and the actors who portrayed them -Charlton Heston, Kim Hunter, Roddy McDowall, and Maurice Evans -did an incredible job. We might also dip into some other areas of POTA, like the TV show or the cartoon, the comics and novels, but just briefly. And we have questions! Like - who made the scarecrows in the Forbidden Zone? What happened to the Moon? What did Zaius know, and when did he know it? We're getting deep into apedom here people! Even so, POTA seems like an inexhaustible subject, and we'll be back at it soon with another episode. That's all for us kids! We hope you enjoy the show. Just remember -the Forbidden Zone was once a paradise. Our breed made a desert of it!   Hit us up in the comments section or at these other spots: Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8CastFacebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8PodcastInstagram:http://www.instagram.com/planet8podcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/Planet8podcast

Tidal waves, fires, earthquakes - the world is a dangerous place, full of natural disasters! And on this episode of Planet 8, we talk about three of our favorite disaster movies: The Poseidon Adventure (1972), Submersion of Japan, aka Tidal Wave (1973/1975), and The Towering Inferno (1974). All three are excellent examples of the disaster genre, which came into its own in the 1970s, but is still going strong today. Disaster films take the real world and flip it sideways -sometimes literally - turning a realistic situation into a frightening fantasy of survival. Like fantasy and science fiction films, these movies also rely on special effects to convince the audience that the characters are in peril. Karen starts us off by remembering The Poseidon Adventure. The brainchild of producer Irwin Allen (you'll hear that name again), it was a big Hollywood epic at a time when the studios were putting out smaller, more intimate, and cheaper stories. Poseidon brought big name stars and spectacular thrills to the screen, even winning a special achievement in special effects award from the Academy Awards. It also ushered in the genre of disaster films. Disaster films were not exclusive to the US, as we discover when Bob tells us about Submersion of Japan, later released in the US as Tidal Wave. This film depicted an apocalyptic vision of the entire island of Japan being wiped out by a massive tidal wave. It was a huge hit in Japan, and two years later, Roger Corman released a much-altered version which cut a bunch of footage and replaced it with footage of Lorne Greene! Bob wants to thank Oki Miyano for additional details on the film. Larry brings us home with another Irwin Allen spectacular, The Towering Inferno. The backstory of how two books were combined and Allen finagled his way into making the film is pretty amazing. People had questioned if Allen could duplicate his success with Poseidon Adventure - with Towering Inferno, he succeeded, both at the box office and by winning a Best Picture award from the Academy. We round out the episode with our Sensor Sweep, this time focusing on some of the latest things we are watching or reading, like The Last of Us on HBO. Maybe you're watching some of the same things! We hope you enjoyed this episode. Let us know some of your favorite disaster films by reaching out to us on our various platforms:  Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8CastFacebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8PodcastInstagram:http://www.instagram.com/planet8podcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/Planet8podcast How many more sacrifices? How much more blood?!

In this episode, Larry, Bob, and Karen run down their favorite science fiction TV shows. In the past we've done top ten shows where we've named "the best" of something, and combined our individual lists, but this time, we went with our personal favorites. Although we had some picks in common, we wound up with 21 distinct series! So take a listen, see what we came up with, and then let us know your personal favorites. For our Sensor Sweep, Commander Larry shares a truly humongous goodie: the WizKids Galactus Premium Colossal figure! This freakin' huge figure of Marvel's devourer of worlds is designed to be used in the Hero Clix game, but would make a great addition to any room. Be sure to check it out! We want to throw out a plug to a great podcast by our friend Billy D! If you love monsters and comics (if you're listening to us, you probably do), you need to check out Magazines and Monsters! You can find it on many podcasts aps. Billy and his guests discuss horror films and monster comics. On the February 3 episode, our own Karen appears to discusss the Hammer film, The Devil Rides out! You can also find Billy on Twitter at @BiLLYd_licious. That's all for this episode. Let us know what you think of our favorite shows, and what would be on your lists. Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8CastFacebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8PodcastInstagram:http://www.instagram.com/planet8podcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/Planet8podcast You're simply the best!

On this episode, friends of Planet 8 Gail and Ray Orwig return to discuss their new book, Fantastic Serial Sites of California: Science Fiction, Horror, and  Fantasy Locations, 1919-1955. Once again, these intrepid investigators of film history have unearthed the real-life locations of many famous film sites from over 60 serials. We'll discuss how they found these notable sites, some of their more unusual adventures, and a whole lot more! Our Sensor Sweep homes in on the Orwigs' two fabulous books: the new one, Fantastic Serial Sites of California: Science Fiction, Horror, and  Fantasy Locations, 1919-1955 and Where Monsters Walked: California Locations of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films, 1925 -1965. Both books are chock full of information and photos of film sites and make for great guide books if you want to cruise around California and see where many of your favorite genre films were made. You can get these books from Amazon or also at https://mcfarlandbooks.com/.  If you're in the Bay Area in August, the Orwigs will be attending Creatures Con on August 13th at the Concord Plaza Hotel - be sure to stop by and say hi! Many thanks again and continued success to our friends the Orwigs! We'd love to hear if you've purchased the Orwigs books, or have questions about or for them. You can reach us at our many sites: Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8CastFacebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8PodcastInstagram:http://www.instagram.com/planet8podcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/Planet8podcast Hurry Robin, to the Batcave!

Another year is in the books, and before we dive into 2023, the Planet 8 crew is taking some time to review the year that just passed. What films and TV shows did we enjoy? What surprised us? And what was disappointing? Oh heck, let's just say it: what was crap?! We go over it all, as well as dip into the future a bit with some speculation and anticipation for coming projects. For the Sensor Sweep, each of us -Larry, Karen, and Bob - will talk about something cool we got for Christmas! Larry describes the fabulous NIght Gallery After Hours book he received as a Creature Features kickstarter. Karen talks about the marvelous Space:1999 Moonbase Alpha Technical Manual from the Anderson Store. Bob has a trio of goodies: an X-Plus Gamera 1999 figure, an X-Plus Deforeal Godzilla 1973, and a Bioworld Godzilla mug. Check out the pics here or on Twitter! Santa was very good indeed to the Planet 8 crew. That's it for now. There's a lot to look forward to in 2023 -and not just movies or TV shows! We're grateful to have good friends and great listeners who have helped us keep the show going. We have a lot of plans for this year, and we hope you'll come along with us! If you want to get in touch you can reach us at any of our social sites:  Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8CastFacebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8PodcastInstagram:http://www.instagram.com/planet8podcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/Planet8podcast The future ain't what it used to be. -Yogi Berra

Another year has come and nearly gone, and your Planet 8 crew is sitting around the fusion reactor, sipping hot cocoa, and reminiscing about some of our favorite genre shows that feature Christmas as an element. Whether science fiction, fantasy, horror, or what have you, we'll cover a wide range of movies and TV shows that we've enjoyed in which the celebration of Noel plays a part.  In our Sensor Sweep segment, Bob shares his excitement over the arrival of the new Shin Ultraman film from Fathom Events, coming January 11 and 12th. If you're a fan, or if you've always wondered what's the deal about Ultraman, this is your chance to find out! You can find more info here.  We want to wish all our listeners a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and all the best as we head into 2023! If you want to get in touch you can reach us at any of our social sites:  Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8CastFacebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8PodcastInstagram:http://www.instagram.com/planet8podcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/Planet8podcast Happy Life Day!

Welcome back listeners! This episode we have a twofer for you: we reminisce and remark on two films in one of our favorite film series, Escape from the Planet of the Apes AND Conquest of the Planet of the Apes! We also have one of our favorite people, special guest Lord Blood-Rah, with us! We do less of a review than a ramble through our favorite parts and some of the paradoxes that have kept us wondering for years. You may want to watch the films to refresh your memory before listening. But we'd love to hear your thoughts on both films, the Hasslein Theory of Time Travel, Baby Milo, the original vs theatrical version of Conquest, and anything else Apes. Our Sensor Sweep locks on to Lord Blood-Rah and all the amazing things he's up to! While you can always go to his site, lordbloodrah.com, to get the latest info, our good friend has been busy creating some amazing programming over at YouTube! You can see shows like Lord Blood-Rah's Nerve Wrackin' Theater, Lord Blood-Rah's Cathode Zone, Captain Paxar's Star Cadet hour, and more! Head over to YouTube.com/lordbloodrah and check it out! And if you’re in the San Francisco Bay Area, you can catch Lord Blood-Rah hosting sci fi flicks every third Saturday of the month at the Orinda Theater! Thanks for listening! If you want to get in touch you can reach us at any of our social sites:  Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8CastFacebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8PodcastInstagram:http://www.instagram.com/planet8podcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/Planet8podcast And that day is upon you -Now!

We want to wish a Happy Thanksgiving to our fellow US citizens, and a...pleasant autumn? to all the rest! It's a time for us to reflect on what we're grateful for, and on Planet 8, we are grateful for the work and life of Captain James T. Kirk himself, WIlliam Shatner. Although our admiration began with his Star Trek role, it certainly didn't end there. Through his many other  acting roles, and his other endeavors, such as his recording career, on to his amazing journey into space on Blue Origin, Shatner has spent his 91 years making the most of life. That's something we truly admire about him. We hope you'll enjoy this episode as we share all the things we love about The Man, William Shatner! For our Sensor Sweep, Commander Larry shares Shatner's newest book, Boldly Go, which shares Shatner's thoughts about life and the universe. You can get it from your local bookseller now! We also want to note some memorable passings: Kazuki Omori, director of Godzilla films; Kevin Conroy, the voice of Batman from Batman the Animated Series and Justice League; and Robert Clary, who played LeBeau on Hogan's Heroes. May they rest in peace. Thanks for stopping by! Please let us know your thoughts on Mr. Shatner, or anything else! You can find us at: Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8CastFacebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8PodcastInstagram:http://www.instagram.com/planet8podcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/Planet8podcast Get a life, will ya?!

It's November, and here in the States, that means we're getting ready for Turkey Day! But on Planet 8, with our love of all things sci fi, fantasy, and horror, we have a love of a different kind of turkey: those films that many, especially those in the mainstream, consider to be bad films. And truth be told, a lot of these films might not be the greatest films. The production values might be poor, or the acting might not be spectacular, but for us, for the fans, we find something about them that we enjoy. Your Planet 8 crew will take turns discussing some of our favorite turkeys. We'll cover films from far and wide, including Japanese monster films, a Star Trek movie (which one could it be??), several super-hero films, and of course, the requisite B-movie monster flicks. It's a nice mix of genres, as well as films from the 60s to recent years. Some of these films we consider misjudged, while others may indeed be turkeys, but we love 'em just the same! For our Sensor Sweep, Chief Engineer Bob describes his amazing Spirit Halloween store score, four six-foot tall bubble tubes! He snagged these after Halloween, and now has added them to his monster garage, tiki bar, and Creature from the Black Lagoon corner! It's some great bling. Thanks once again for tuning in to the show! We appreciate your support. We'd love to hear about your favorite turkeys. Share yours with us at our social sites: Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8CastFacebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8PodcastInstagram:http://www.instagram.com/planet8podcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/Planet8podcast Can you prove it didn't happen??

In this Halloween episode, we take a look at the scary animation, films, and park attractions of Walt Disney. Typically we think of Walt Disney features as being funny  family-fare, but there were quite a few memorable frightening moments or characters in Disney features. We're fortunate to be joined by the hosts of the Walt Disney Family Museum official podcast, Bri Bertolaccini and Chris Mullens, who share a ton of amazing stories and details with us! So get comfy as we take you on a tour of Disney frights, from the Skeleton Dance to Pinocchio, from Sleeping Beauty's Maleficent to Dr. Syn, all the way to Disneyland's famed Haunted Mansion. You'll be covered in goose bumps when we're done! You'll also be itching to visit the Walt Disney Family Museum! Our two guests Bri and Chris not only host the WD-FM podcast, but they are also part of the team at the museum too. So for the Sensor Sweep, they share what's going on at the museum, which is located at the Presidio in San Francisco. Currently, the museum is featuring a special program, Walt Disney's The Jungle Book: Making a Masterpiece (link) through January 8, 2023. Coming soon is Spirit of the Season, a community art exhibition (link) opening November 17th which runs through the holiday season. And don't forget to tune into the Walt Disney Family Museum official podcast, where you can hear more from Chris and Bri on a range of Disney-related topics! You can find WD-FM on most podcast aps, at https://www.waltdisney.org/podcast, or at their YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/c/WDFMuseum. That's it for us. We hope you enjoyed this special Halloween episode. Please share your thoughts with us at any of our social outlets below: Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8CastFacebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8PodcastInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/planet8podcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/Planet8podcast Happy Halloween!

Here on Planet 8 we've dug deep into the lore of many creatures of the night. But this episode is the first time we've tackled that Egyptian menace, the Mummy! The Mummy arose from the popularity of the exploration/plundering of Egyptian tombs, especially King Tutankhamun. The discovery of King Tut's tomb was also associated with a curse, which fueled many imaginations and stories. The idea of a curse, or at the very least vengeance visited upon those who violated the tomb, became the basis for Universal's The Mummy in 1932, as well as most of the mummy films that have followed. Your intrepid Planet 8 crew will take a journey through the history of mummy films, from the Universal films to the Hammer series, some independent films and TV productions, and then back around to more modern times with the mummy revival in the 90s with the Brendan Fraser films, and finally, the nail in the sarcophagus, the Tom Cruise film in 2017.  The Mummy is a unique monster and there's a lot to appreciate in this genre of films. We hope you enjoy this trip and share your feelings too! We'd also like to point out that Karen was a guest on our friend Billy D's Magazine and Monsters podcast back in May, where they discussed the Hammer 1959 film in detail. Here's the link, please give it a listen! For our Sensor Sweep, we actually manage to stay on topic. Chief Engineer Bob and Mission Commander Larry discuss the joys of owning a 12 foot tall, animated mummy from Lowe's! It may be hard to acquire one of these now, since they have all been replaced by Christmas decorations. That's all this time! We hope you crazy kids are getting ready for Halloween! We'll see you in two weeks for our Halloween show! Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8CastFacebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8PodcastInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/planet8podcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/Planet8podcast Ankh-es-en-Amon!

It's time for another Planet 8 Top Ten -only this time, it's a Top Ten times two! That's right, in this episode, we're giving you not one Top Ten list, but two Top Ten lists! And our subject this time around is near and dear to our hearts, and we hope to yours too: Robots! Sometimes friends, sometimes foes, these mechanical beings have always fascinated people. In this episode the Planet 8 crew shares their favorite robots, with a twist: we have one top ten list of giant robots, and a second top ten list of human or nearly human-sized robots! We hope you'll enjoy the lists and the discussion around the selections. We think some of them will surprise you! For our Sensor Sweep, decidedly non-robot related, is a limited edition Creature from the Black Lagoon 1/3 scale bust sculpted by Jeff Wehenkel and painted by Michael Reagan. Bob was lucky enough to get one at Creatures-Con recently. Sorry folks - no links for these! They're all gone! That's all for this time. Let us know what robots are in your top ten!  Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8CastFacebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8PodcastInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/planet8podcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/Planet8podcast Klaatu barada nikto!

This episode our guest is Frank Dietz, who has had an amazing career in show business as a screenwriter, Disney animator, actor, and more. Frank shares his experiences in Hollywood with us. Frank is a wonderful storyteller. Sit back and enjoy! For our Sensor Sweep, we shine a light on Frank's web presence. His web site, Sketchythingsart.com, is where you can find his art, screenwriting, and other work, as well as a calendar of his events. He can also be found on social media - Twitter and Instagram - at TheFrankDietz.  You can always reach Planet 8 at one of our many outposts below: Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8CastFacebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8PodcastInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/planet8podcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/Planet8podcast Thanks for listening!

In this episode your Planet 8 crew will discuss and review the newest entry in the Predator film franchise, Prey!  Prey was released on Hulu this month and did not have a theatrical release. It is set in 1719 and pits a predator against a young Comanche woman. It's a thematic departure from more recent efforts in the Predator series and a breath of fresh air. We'll talk about what we liked, what we didn't like, and how it compares to the original Predator -the only yardstick that truly matters. Oh, and in case you wondered -the dog doesn't die! Now on to the Sensor Sweep: this time Chief Engineer Bob has a double header: He scored this fantastic Zuni Warrior from the infamous Trilogy of Terror TV movie at Creatures-Con, and then got this Shin Godzilla that lights up while he was hosting Godzillafest a week later. Talk about lucky! What did you think of Prey? Be sure to let us know via one of our communications channels: Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8CastFacebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8PodcastInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/planet8podcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/Planet8podcast Come on, Do it! Do it now!

In this episode we celebrate and explore the films of legendary filmmaker, John Carpenter! Carpenter is such a unique director, a man who has always done things his own way, with a real talent for storytelling. The Planet 8 crew will start by discussing Carpenter's early life and how he became a filmmaker. We move on to a discussion of the qualities that define John Carpenter's style. Obviously, we'll talk about his work with his film soundtracks, but there are so many other aspects to a "John Carpenter film" - the 'slow burn' or building of suspense, his use of unusual camera angles or long takes, his distrust of authority figures, and so much more. As we go through Carpenter's style, we'll talk about his films, lingering on some of our favorites, including The Thing (we dedicated a whole episode to it -you can hear it here), Halloween, The Fog, Escape from New York, They Live, and Big Trouble in Little China. But we also talk about some of his films that aren't on our favorites list too, just to balance things out. Without a doubt, Carpenter has an impressive and varied portfolio that includes some real classics. If all he had ever done was make The Thing, he would be a master, but he's made so many films that exhibit incredible skill and style. He's truly an amazing filmmaker. For the Sensor Sweep this week, we sadly note the passing of Nichelle Nichols, famed for her portrayal of Lieutenant Uhura on the original Star Trek. Nichols was 89. Beyond the impact she had in her role as one of the very first African American women on TV who wasn't in a subservient role, Nichols went on to work with NASA to recruit women and people of color into the astronaut corps. A constant presence on the convention circuit, she was known for her warmth and beautiful smile. She will be greatly missed. That's it for this go round. Please share your thoughts with us on anything we talked about -or forgot to talk about! Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8CastFacebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8PodcastInstagram: Planet8PodcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/Planet8podcast Are you crazy, is that your problem?

The latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is here -Thor: Love and Thunder - and your Planet 8 crew has a lot to say about it. And it ain't necessarily good. Much like the previous Thor film, this newest look at the God of Thunder takes a decidedly goofy slant. It's a little too goofy for our taste. Beware -there are spoilers ahead!  Not to say there aren't some interesting or exciting things in the film. There are. But the whole film feels so unbalanced that it's hard to appreciate Christian Bale's performance as Gorr the God-Butcher, or Natalie Portman's appearance as Jane Foster, aka the Mighty Thor. Both of these characters have serious stories behind them; Gorr is a deeply grieving man, Jane is battling cancer. But they are undercut by the absurd situations and performances that surround them. We're not against humor. The Marvel films have always had humor in them. But typically, it's been relegated to wise-cracking, not slapstick and utterly ridiculous situations. While some complain that Marvel films are too formulaic and there's no directorial freedom, in this case, it seems like Taika Waititi was given absolute free reign. Surely there's a happy medium, a balance between the serious and the absurd, formula and artistic license. We move on from Thor to discuss Marvel Phase 4 and where it's going. What's the overarching plan? In Phase 3 we had Thanos and the Infinity Stones, what's the threat now? The multiverses colliding? It's also difficult to get excited when so many of our favorite characters are gone now.  The conversation takes us to the Disney Plus Marvel shows, and even some of the DC films. You just never know where it's gonna go with us! For our Sensor Sweep, all you fans of both tiki and kaiju will want to know about the King Ghidorah tiki mug from Mondo ! This is a mug nearly as big as the three-headed monster himself.  It stands a whopping 8 3/4" high and holds 26 ounces! You can buy it for $65 at Mondoshop.com. And don't forget Godzillafest is coming up in August! The Planet 8 crew will be at Creatures-Con August 7th, and Bob will be selling passes for Godzillafest for $10 off at our table. Be sure to come see us and the fabulous guests at Creatures-Con in Orinda, California, including author David J. Skal and Sarah Karloff!  That's all for now. Let us know what you thought of Thor, our review, what's going on with Phase 4, and anything else! Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8CastFacebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8PodcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/Planet8podcast By the bristling beard of Odin!!

One of the most anticipated TV series in years has just concluded its first season, and there's been a lot of talk about it, especially between the members of Planet 8. We're talking, of course, about Obi-Wan Kenobi, the latest Star Wars show on Disney Plus. Picking up threads from the prequel trilogy and the Clone Wars series, the show follows up on a downtrodden Obi-Wan Kenobi, years after the devastation of the Jedi Order and the fall of the Republic. Obi-Wan lives an unremarkable life on Tatooine, making a living harvesting meat from gigantic desert beasts, and living in a cave not far from the Lars homestead, where he can watch over the young Luke Skywalker. However, through a turn of events, Obi-Wan is called back into service, and must ultimately confront his former friend and now greatest foe, Darth Vader. One of the problems of doing a story like this, where you're dealing with events that take place in a character's past, is you know they can't be killed off or face serious physical jeopardy, so the focus is much more on their development and growth. The show managed to believably take us from a defeated, self-doubting Obi-Wan to one who has rediscovered his self-worth. It's rewarding to watch, mainly due to the wonderful acting skills of Ewan McGregor. He fully embodies the former Jedi knight and makes him relatable and sympathetic. A true delight was the unexpected appearance of ten-year-old Princess Leia as portrayed by the marvelous Vivien Lyra Blair. She perfectly captured the spirit of Carrie Fisher's performance. The introduction of the inquisitor Reva, played by newcomer Moses Ingram, brings to mind questions regarding how the Jedi council functioned -or didn't - and the idea of redemption and how that works in Star Wars. It seems like a person can be truly reprehensible but repent and then be completely redeemed. Does that make sense? This series, along with Rogue One, helps establish Darth Vader as a true villain again. He and Obi-Wan have several encounters, with Ben getting the upper hand only at the end. The last battle also sets up their encounter in the original film and explains Kenobi's somewhat cryptic remarks to Luke regarding his father. It's a bit of backwards dancing but it's done well. All in all, we enjoyed the series. It provides some insight into established characters without breaking canon and gives us some new characters and developments that might allow for a season two.  Our Sensor Sweep carries on the Star Wars theme, as Karen presents a fabulous book, Secrets of the Force: The Complete, Uncensored, Unauthorized Oral History of Star Wars by Mark A. Altman and Edward Gross. This hefty tome moves chronologically through the history of the Star Wars films, animated series, and The Mandalorian via interviews with the people who made them. It's a treasure trove of great stories and information for any Star Wars fan. Big News: Your Planet 8 crew will be appearing live at Creatures Con! Held in Orinda, California on August 7, all three of us -Larry, Bob, and Karen - will be hanging out at a table at the convention! The show is going to be a blast. This year author and film commentator David J. Skal will be a special guest, along with Sara Karloff, daughter of Boris Karloff, and many others. The show is hosted by our good friend, Lord Blood-Rah, and Tom Wyrsch, also friend of Planet 8. It's going to be a fantastic show, so please check it out. You can find all the info at http://www.creaturescon.com/.  All right kids, that's it for this time. Please be good to each other and be safe! Let us know what you think of Obi-Wan: Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8CastFacebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8PodcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/Planet8podcast Utinni!!

They said it couldn't be done. They said we would never make it. They said hot dogs are sandwiches. But despite the nay-sayers, and against all odds, we made it to our 100th episode!  When we started the Planet 8 podcast, we had no idea we would reach this kind of milestone. But here we are. Despite the hiccup of Recon Officer Karen getting hit with Covid right before we were going to record our 100th episode, and having to delay a couple of weeks, we bounced back to bring you this episode, where we celebrate this milestone by throwing a party in the Planet 8 Officer's Club.   It wouldn't be a party without guests, and we have quite a guest list! Through the miracle of science, we're able to reach through time and space and bring to Planet 8 a collection of actors, artists, and more who have all contributed to our love for science fiction, fantasy, and horror media. We discuss why we would want to have them at the party and what we'd talk to them about. Who would each of us invite? You'll have to listen to the episode to find out! Rounding out our episode is our Sensor Sweep, this time focusing on upcoming events that Chief Engineer Bob will be putting on through his Bay Area Film Events group. First up, on August 12, 13, and 14th at the Balboa Theater in San Francisco, is the annual Godzillafest. This year's theme is "Gamera crashes Godzillafest" and Gamera the Brave will be shown, along with a number of other Gamera films. Bob and his partners will also be showing two films in 35 mm format, Terror of Mechagodzilla and Godzilla vs. Gigan. If you're in the Bay Area, don't miss this kaiju bash! They'll also have artists and vendors on site, so you can buy all sorts of goodies! Click here for more information. On October 1,2, and 3, Ultraman will be coming to the 4 Star Theater in Chinatown! Details will be posted soon on the Bay Area Film Events site. Listeners, we want to thank you for sticking with us, for posting comments on our site, Facebook, and Twitter. We appreciate your thoughts and being able to engage with you! Hearing from you and knowing you're out there is what keeps us going! Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8CastFacebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8PodcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/Planet8podcast We would rather be with you people than with the finest people in the world!

Unfortunately part of your Planet 8 crew has been struck down by the Covid virus, causing us to delay our 100th episode! We hope you will enjoy this encore presentation of Episode 13, Road to Apocalypse, from November 8, 2018. We'll be back on the 22nd with episode 100!