The Incomparable Mothership
The Incomparable Mothership is the flagship of the Incomparable podcast network. It’s all about geeky media we love, including movies, books, TV, and more, featuring a rotating panel of guests and hosted by Jason Snell and friends.
Doing the Good Loon's Work
Celebrate Valentine’s Day with The Incomparable. It’s time to discuss that Canadian hockey show everyone’s been talking about. “Heated Rivalry” just wants to know, “Will you come to the cottage this summer?”
"Heated Rivalry"
Annette Wierstra with Kirsten Goruk, Heather Berberet, Stacy Watnick and Kat Benesh
Sponsors
Ecamm: Powerful live streaming platform for Mac.Referenced Works
Heated Rivalry
Show Notes & Links
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Farm-to-Table Body Parts
Guillermo del Toro’s waited his whole life to make a “Frankenstein” movie, and now he’s done it. We carefully select the (Oscar-nominated!) film’s best bits, chop them up, and then sew them back together in the grossest way possible. (We know Del Toro would approve.) You don’t need to have a degree in Frankensteinology to take a seat at the lympahtic charcuterie board, but it helps!
"Frankenstein" (2025)
Jason Snell with Annette Wierstra, Brian Hamilton, Monty Ashley, Tony Sindelar and Moisés Chiullán
Sponsors
Ecamm: Powerful live streaming platform for M...Chekhov's Chunga Palm
Hello, Carol. This is a recording. At the tone, you can leave a message to request anything you might need. We’ll do our best to provide it. Our feelings for you haven’t changed, Carol. But after everything that’s happened, we just need a little space.
"Pluribus" season 1
Jason Snell with Erika Ensign, Tony Sindelar, Moisés Chiullán and Glenn Fleishman
Referenced Works
Pluribus
Show Notes & Links
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Draft Science
After 800 episodes, we are in serious danger of repeating ourselves, but that never stopped us before. Some of our most prolific panelists fulfill the prophesy and draft Incomparable drafts. Jason begs them to give him new ideas, because after 800, he’s almost run out. And we use our powers for good and evil to mark classic episodes for deletion.
title_boring
Jason Snell with Annette Wierstra, Dan Moren, David J. Loehr, Erika Ensign, Kathy Campbell, Moisés Chiullán, Monty Ashley and Shelly Brisbin
Show Notes & Links
Draft a draft (it culm...
Earth 2120 (feat. Xenomorph)
Noah Hawley’s TV take on the Alien franchise, “Alien: Earth,” is crashing into a building near us, bringing gross aliens old and new, suspicious synths, terrified (and bloody) humans, and a new class of hybrid life forms with the minds of children and superhuman bodies. Does the show give us enough Xenomorphs? Is the eye alien a breakout fan favorite? Was replaying “Alien” on a different ship a good idea? Why is Trillionaire Island so understaffed? We break it all down.
"Alien: Earth"
Jason Snell with John Siracusa, Brian Warren, Annette Wierstra and Sandra Wong
...Trust Dan, Not Fish
Our most frequent panelists of the year join Jason to talk about their favorite stuff from the year gone by, and we also pause to recall some favorite Incomparable moments. Synergy!
The Best of 2025
Jason Snell with Erika Ensign, Moisés Chiullán, Tony Sindelar, David J. Loehr, Annette Wierstra, Scott McNulty, Dan Moren and Brian Warren
Show Notes & Links
Erika: North of North, “The Same Old Wasted World” by Motion City Soundtrack Moisés: Sinners, Frankenstein, Running Man, Ludwig, Bookish, Nautilus, Tucci in Italy, Split Fiction, Donkey Kong Bananza, Downey Wrote It, the...Iceman Was Right
Kilmas comes but once a year! This year we’re climbing into the cockpit and revisiting 1986’s “Top Gun,” starring some airplanes, Val Kilmer, and Tom Cruise. It’s a very subtle movie. Were Tony’s parents right in protecting his young mind from it? And most importantly, why do we remember Val Kilmer’s character being the villain when he’s actually the conscience of the entire film?
"Top Gun"
Jason Snell with Annette Wierstra, Katie Mack, Erika Ensign, Tony Sindelar and Brian Warren
Referenced Works
Top Gun
Val Kilmer
...Grape Juice Plus
Our Ape Club reconvenes to celebrate the holidays with a viewing of 1971’s “Escape from the Planet of the Apes!” Is this an ape movie or an episode of “Mannix”? What happens when you change lanes on the Freeway of Time? Why is Zira the smartest of all creatures, ape or human? And was Dr. Cornelius framed by big government? Apes smart, humans dumb!
"Escape from the Planet of the Apes"
Jason Snell with John Moltz, Annette Wierstra, Brian Warren and David J. Loehr
Referenced Works
Planet of the Apes (franchise)
...Put the Magic Baby Down
Set in a bright retro-future world, “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” doesn’t have anything to do with the Marvel Cinematic Universe… yet. We analyze the latest attempt to translate Marvel’s first family to the big screen, including the trade-offs involved in introducing characters, not retreading the origin story again, turning Galactus into Rumplestiltskin, and the inevitable downbeat ending that never comes.
"The Fantastic Four: First Steps"
Jason Snell with Erika Ensign, Moisés Chiullán, Scott McNulty and Chip Sudderth
Referenced Works
Fantastic Four: First Steps
Marvel Cinematic Un...
Oops! All Rats
We celebrate Fangsgiving with a visit to darkest Transylvania (and Germany) for the plague-stricken, rat-infested tale of “Nosferatu”, a legally questionable knock-off of “Dracula” more than a century old that surprisingly reinvigorates the classic lines of the Dracula story.
"Nosferatu" (2024)
Jason Snell with Steve Lutz, Annette Wierstra, Tiff Arment and Tony Sindelar
Referenced Works
Nosferatu (2024)
Show Notes & Links
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Table 19, Your Pizza's Ready
Ever wonder what happened to The Oneders? We celebrate Hanksgiving by discussing Tom Hanks’s love letter to ’60s pop that’s also a clear-eyed look at the machinery of the entertainment business, “That Thing You Do!” Powered by a legitimately classic pop song, a stunning cast (turns out, Tom Hanks knows some people), and scenes of joy, warmth, and kindness, this is a film that we find ourselves revisiting often. Happy Hanksgiving to all! And make it snappy!
"That Thing You Do!"
Jason Snell with Erika Ensign, Lex Friedman, Brian Warren, Kathy Campbell and Dan Moren<...
Deep Books in a Trenchcoat
If you’ve been thinking of reading Science Fiction and Fantasy but had no idea where to start, we’re here to help. Our panel of longtime SF/F readers has some suggestions just for you!
New to SF/F reading list
Jason Snell with Aleen Simms, David J. Loehr, Erika Ensign, Heather Berberet and Sandra Wong
Show Notes & Links
David - The Human Division by John Scalzi Aleen - Old Man’s War by John Scalzi Erika - A Spindle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow Heather - Jack the Bodiless by Julian...Elio and Glordon's Excellent Space Adventure
Pixar Club re-forms to discuss “Elio,” the studio’s lowest-grossing feature film of all time. Funny thing, though… it’s a pretty good movie? It’s funny, has some space adventure and gross-but-lovable aliens, and even has a nice message about making connections. Look, we didn’t go see it in the theater either, but we sure had a fun time watching it on Disney+.
"Elio"
Jason Snell with Moisés Chiullán, Brian Hamilton and Annette Wierstra
Referenced Works
Pixar Animation Studio
Elio
Show Notes & Links
Serious Academic Arguments
It’s time for another Old Spooky Club, as we celebrate the 40th anniversary of Stuart Gordon’s horror-comedy classic, “Re-Animator”, which bears very little resemblance to the works of H.P. Lovecraft. We’ve got notes about severed heads, chomped-on fingers, lobotomized deans, weird character motivations, creepy stalkers, a literal blood bath, and everything Barbara Crampton.
"Re-Animator"
Jason Snell with Steve Lutz, Tiff Arment and Monty Ashley
Referenced Works
Show Notes & Links
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A Hunting Lodge for Rich Weirdos
We celebrate the 50th anniversary of the longest-running theatrical run of all time—“The Rocky Horror Picture Show”! It’s an unapologetic musical about being yourself (and giving yourself over to pleasure). It spawned a cultural phenomenon that’s still evolving, and making some of us feel old! If you’re a weirdo, you’re welcome here.
"Rocky Horror Picture Show"
Erika Ensign with Monty Ashley, Shelly Brisbin, Antony Johnston and Brian Hamilton
Referenced Works
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
[Amazon]Show Notes & Links
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He's Just Bob
We’re back on the Marvel movies with “Thunderbolts*”, a film that (to our surprise?) is not a nihilistic story about villains pretending to be heroes (see: Suicide Squad), but instead a story about some troubled not-quite-heroes learning that they can be better if they connect to other people and work on their own issues. But also with explosions and fights and stuff.
"Thunderbolts*"
Jason Snell with Lisa Schmeiser, Erika Ensign, Moisés Chiullán and Glenn Fleishman
Referenced Works
Thunderbolts
Show Notes & Links
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Injured in the Jaguar Attack
It’s autumn, things are turning dark and gray, and that puts us in the mind of… (fictional) murder! Want a mystery novel, or series, to read? Our expert readers have many, many suggestions for you.
Mystery Reading List
Jason Snell with Jean MacDonald, Antony Johnston, David J. Loehr, Scott McNulty, Sandra Wong and Annette Wierstra
Show Notes & Links
Suggestions
Jean: The Crow Trap by Ann Cleeves (Vera Stanhope) Antony: Midnight at Malabar House by Vaseem Khan (Malabar House) David: Fortune Favors the Dead by Stephen Spotswood (Pentecost and Parker) Scot...Vatgrown Ninja Assassins
Grab your cyberspace deck and prepare to jack in—it’s time to discuss William Gibson’s groundbreaking classic novel, “Neuromancer.” We’ve got a panel of experts—and a first-timer!—ready to discuss how 1984’s future looks from the perspective of 2025’s present.
"Neuromancer"
Jason Snell with Antony Johnston, Lisa Schmeiser, Glenn Fleishman and Erika Ensign
Referenced Works
Neuromancer
[Amazon] [Apple]Show Notes & Links
Dead Channel: Music Inspired by William Gibson's Neuromancer by Silencaeon (Antony)
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The Tiger is Perfect
We always knew Daniel Dae Kim would accomplish something after “Crusade!” (Kids, ask your “Babylon 5”-loving parents.) Our panel looks back over the three-month phenomenon that has been Netflix’s “KPop Demon Hunters” and gives you reasons to watch it if you’re dispositionally averse to KPop, youth-friendly animation, or popular things. Behind the Spoiler Horn, we dive into how well the story and songs work together, whether it’s an animation breakthrough, the future of the wait-is-this-a-franchise, and what could have been better. (John Siracusa: “NOW you’re singing MY song!”)
"KPop Demon Hunters"
Chip Sudderth with J...
Peak Harpoonist
The Summer of Submarines reaches crush depth with Disney’s 1954 epic “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.” Captain Nemo of the Nautilus has met his match in an uncharismatic French professor, his strangely familiar associate, and their sidekick, a violent harpoonist and occasional cabaret performer. Also there’s a giant squid. Everyone remembers the giant squid—and for good reason!
"20,000 Leagues Under the Sea"
Jason Snell with Monty Ashley, Erika Ensign, Shelly Brisbin, Philip Michaels and David J. Loehr
Referenced Works
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Submarines
Show Notes & Links
...A Submarine Trifle
Our Summer of Submarines floats on with “U-571”, a 21st centry-style action movie that manages to hit most of the squares on the submarine bingo card. McConaughey is a disgruntled XO! Depth charges terrify! A surprising twist if you didn’t think about the title! Turns out, submarine movies aren’t a genre—they’re a format that lets filmmakers explore genres.
"U-571"
Jason Snell with Erika Ensign, Casey Liss and Moisés Chiullán
Referenced Works
Submarines
U-571
Show Notes & Links
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In Russia, Truck Stops You
We dive beneath the sea again with “K-19: The Widowmaker,” in which Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson star as… wait a second… Soviet naval officers? It’s a film about a horrible nuclear accident assembled from pieces of other submarine movies, as well as possibly several “Star Trek” movies, and we can’t decide if the screenplay or the casting is more of a problem. But finally we’ll get to the bottom of the real question: if most of the crewmen aren’t married, can K-19 really be a widowmaker?
"K-19: The Widowmaker"
Jason Snell with Erik...
Your Permission to Speak Freely is Rescinded
The Summer of Submarines resurfaces with James Garner going on a secret mission to an enemy island in 1959’s “Up Periscope.” The Skipper is not a skipper, but he’s got some interesting romantic ideas. Some scenes are impressively bad from multiple angles. And we realize that we’re starting to get good at this submarine-movie business, maybe?
Up Periscope (1959)
Jason Snell with Philip Michaels, Shelly Brisbin, David J. Loehr and Erika Ensign
Referenced Works
Up Periscope (1959)
Submarines
Show Notes & Links
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The Perfect Bubble
We return to 1995 not to hack into the Net but to wander, Netless, around Vienna with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. Palm readers! Street poets! Plays featuring cows! It’s “Before Sunrise,” a movie in which nothing happens… except maybe the most extraordinary thing in two people’s lives.
"Before Sunrise" (1995)
Jason Snell with Brian Hamilton, Erika Ensign, Annette Wierstra and Steven Schapansky
Referenced Works
Before Sunrise
Show Notes & Links
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Not a Hugo
Our Awards Book Club closes up shop for 2025 with a final set of rankings, the presentation of an award we made up, and an overview of all the Hugo-nominated short fiction.
Awards Book Club final rankings and Hugo short fiction
Jason Snell with Erika Ensign, Scott McNulty, Aleen Simms and Heather Berberet
Show Notes & Links
What Are We Reading?
Scott: How to Solve Your Own Murder Erika: Swordheart, Throne of Glass series specifically Heir of Fire Heather: Dungeon Crawler Carl Aleen: When Women Were Dragons, Lake of Souls Jason: The...Oops! All Batman
We celebrate the tenth anniversary of our Summer Superhero Spectacular tournament with something slightly different: A draft of our favorite superhero movies.
Superhero Movie Draft
Jason Snell with Andy Ihnatko, Chip Sudderth, James Thomson, Annette Wierstra, Tony Sindelar, Moisés Chiullán and David J. Loehr
Show Notes & Links
Tony - Batman Begins (2005) James - Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn (2020) David - The LEGO Batman Movie (2017) Annette - Wonder Woman (2017) Moises - Superman (2025) Andy - The Incredibles (2004) Chip - Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) Jason - Unbreakable (2000) To...The 44% Rule
2025 Awards Book Club nears the end with award nominees “Asunder,” “The Ministry of Time,” and “The Tainted Cup.” Plus: What else are we reading?
2025 Awards Book Club, part 3
Jason Snell with Scott McNulty, Erika Ensign, Aleen Simms and Heather Berberet
Referenced Works
Asunder
[Amazon] [Apple]The Ministry of Time
[Amazon] [Apple]The Tainted Cup
[Amazon] [Apple]Show Notes & Links
What are we reading?
Aleen: Sounds Like Love and Saint Death’s Daughter
Erika: The Assassin’s Blade and Moonstorm
Heather: W...
Next Stop Black Hole City
We went to the theater to see James Gunn’s “Superman” (2025) and are back to report about the pleasant experience. Gunn sets a new direction for DC superheroes, and fans of Zack Snyder may want to look elsewhere. From Krypto the Superdog to a surprising squirrel save, from The Marvelous Miss Lane to that Elemento guy, we’ll break the whole thing down.
"Superman" (2025)
Jason Snell with Tony Sindelar, Dan Moren, Shannon Sudderth, Chip Sudderth and Brian Warren
Referenced Works
Superman (2025)
Show Notes & Links
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Herring Salad
We remain submerged for a very long time to watch a very long film, 1981’s “Das Boot.” This certifiable classic is certainly long and German, encompassing almost everything you might expect in the genre. There’s action, suspense, a lot of character moments, and long periods of tedium spent listening for bad sounds, punctuated by moments of terror as the boat goes to eleven (and beyond).
"Das Boot" (1981)
Jason Snell with Erika Ensign, Brian Warren, Casey Liss, Dan Moren and Philip Michaels
Referenced Works
Das Boot
Submarines
Show Not...
A Very Photogenic Submarine
The Summer of Submarines joins forces with Old Movie Club to take on 1958’s “Run Silent, Run Deep,” starring Clark Gable and Burt Lancaster. It’s a tense thriller that has inspired sub and sci-fi movies for many decades. Erika’s gleeful reaction to the film’s abrupt ending may surprise you!
"Run Silent, Run Deep" (1958)
Jason Snell with Erika Ensign, Philip Michaels, Shelly Brisbin, Dan Moren and Casey Liss
Referenced Works
Run Silent, Run Deep
Submarines
Show Notes & Links
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One Dog Is Too Many
The summer of submarines kicks off with 1995’s “Crimson Tide,” a taut character drama that pits a captain (Gene Hackman) against his XO (Denzel Washington) in a conflict that escalates as global tensions rise outside their nuclear submarine.
"Crimson Tide"
Jason Snell with Philip Michaels, Lisa Schmeiser, Dan Moren, Casey Liss and Erika Ensign
Referenced Works
Crimson Tide
Submarines
Show Notes & Links
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The Compulsion of Art
With the guiding hand of Prof. Siracusa choosing the curriculum, we watch select animated shorts from the Netflix series “Love, Death + Robots.” John’s quest to find the perfect photorealistic CGI animation continues. Tony does his companions a solid if he’s ever killed on a moon. The others debate if they represent love, death, or robots. We try to reconnect with our inner pool-polishing robots. It’s a real team effort.
"Love, Death + Robots"
Jason Snell with John Siracusa, Annette Wierstra, Brian Hamilton and Tony Sindelar
Referenced Works
Love, Death and Robots...
Nothing Can Kill Doctor Who
The second (and final?) season of the BBC/Disney+ collaboration era of “Doctor Who” is at an end, and so our crew of fans is here to pick up the pieces and ponder what went right and (unfortunately) what went wrong. Where does this franchise go from here?
"Doctor Who" season 2 wrap-up
Jason Snell with Steven Schapansky, Erika Ensign, Chip Sudderth, Annette Wierstra and Heather Berberet
Referenced Works
Doctor Who
[Amazon]Show Notes & Links
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At the Time It Was Written
We conclude (for now?) our coverage of the TV adaptation of The Wheel of Time, which was just canceled by Amazon. Three seasons in, we cover whether we think it is still worth watching despite cancellation (we do) and how well the show’s third (and final?) season fulfills the promise of it coming into its power.
"The Wheel of Time" season 3
Moisés Chiullán with Sarah Hendrica Bickerton, Heather Berberet, Bryan Guffey and Kathy Campbell
Referenced Works
The Wheel of Time
Show Notes & Links
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Wrestle a Book
Our Awards Book Club continues its run through the roses with a tougher than expected review of Vajra Chandrasekera’s “Rakesfall,” Adrian Tchaikovsky’s “Alien Clay,” and Kelly Link’s “The Book of Love.”
2025 Awards Book Club, part 2
Jason Snell with Scott McNulty, Aleen Simms and Erika Ensign
Referenced Works
Rakesfall
[Amazon]Alien Clay
[Amazon]The Book of Love
[Amazon]Show Notes & Links
What are we reading?
Scott: Strong Female Character by Fern Brady, The Melancholy of Untold History by Minsu Kang, Making Histo...
Eternal Clockwork Bugs
Guillermo del Toro’s career started small, with the small-scale vampire (sort of) horror (sort of?) movie “Cronos,” in which an old man finds a mechanical object containing a magical bug that gives him eternal life in the bad way. Meanwhile, young Ron Perlman hates his evil uncle but continues to do his bidding! It’s a fun 1992 throwback that is still recognizeably del Toro.
"Cronos" (1992)
Jason Snell with Steve Lutz, Moisés Chiullán and Tony Sindelar
Referenced Works
Cronos
Guillermo del Toro
Show Notes & Links
...On a Farm Planet Upstate
From the skyscrapers of Coruscant to the pyramids of Yavin and with numerous stops in between, season two of “Andor” covers the rise of the rebellion and leads to the doorstep of “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” What makes it special among Star Wars series? Did season two improve on the groundbreaking first season? It’s Star Wars, so we break it down in detail.
"Andor" season 2
Jason Snell with John Siracusa, Dan Moren, Tony Sindelar and Steven Schapansky
Referenced Works
Andor
Star Wars (franchise)
Show Notes & Li...
That's 2K!
We return once more to 1995, this time for a movie set at the turn of the century! It’s “Strange Days,” a cyberpunk movie with only a little bit of cyber but a lot of punk, along with grease and stink.
"Strange Days"
Jason Snell with Erika Ensign, Tony Sindelar and Monty Ashley
Referenced Works
Strange Days
Show Notes & Links
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Precognitive Moon
The highest-grossing film of all time is straight-up sci-fi and yet in 15 years at this place we’ve never talked about it. That ends now, as we put on our oxygen masks and venture out into the moon of Pandora to meet the local Na’vi and the interloper Sky People and discuss why James Cameron’s “Avatar” became an enormous hit and then disappeared entirely (other than the theme-park attactions) until re-emerging with a sequel that was also an enormous hit.
"Avatar"
Jason Snell with Erika Ensign, Brian Warren, Brian Hamilton and Chip Sudderth
<...Books About Towers
Our walk through the 10 different novels nominated for the Hugo and Nebula awards in 2025 begins! In this episode we discuss “Sleeping Worlds Have No Memory” by Yaroslav Barsukov, “A Sorceress Comes to Call” by T. Kingfisher, and “Someone You Can Build a Nest In” by John Wiswell.
2025 Awards Book Club Part 1
Jason Snell with Erika Ensign, Aleen Simms, Scott McNulty and Heather Berberet
