Talking SMAC: Superheroes, Movies, Animation & Comics

187. Captain America: Brave New World

After years of delays, strikes and rewrites, we finally get to see Sam Wilson in action on the big screen as Captain America in Captain America: Brave New World.
Intro (0:00)
Josh was on The Cultworthy to discuss the movie About Time (1:39)
Corrections: Josh mixed up Hyperion and The Sentry (5:09)
Bob is Bob in Top Gun: Maverick. But Bob is also Bob in Thunderbolts* (7:42)
No on 15 All-Cast promo (11:25)
*Spoiler Review* of Captain America: Brave New World (12:37)
Carl Lumbly is a treasure! (13:41)
Did Marvel Studios skip viewing Madame Web? (19:57)
Joaquin Torres' Marvel Comics history (24:17)
Thoughts on the overall movie before critical analysis (25:38)
The movie's not great, but it has a good heart (28:56)
What is the ripple effect within the MCU from this movie? (31:27)
Giancarlo Esposito's in the movie?! (38:10)
Where the movie's pretty thin and repetitive (40:49)
Does Sam get his Captain America moment? (44:32)
Can Secret Service shoot the Pres, even if he's a Hulk? (48:40)
Alex has questions about the cast (49:25)
Marvel's lack of post-credit scene payoffs (54:26)
Josh reiterates his post-Endgame MCU failings (58:28)
Social plugs and goodbyes (1:07:16)
Please remember to check out the No On 15! Allcast, join our Discord and check out our merch store! 

186. 2025 Superb Owl Trailers

The commercial breaks in the Superb Owl offer us a chance to see what's coming down the pipeline for blockbusters. Join Josh as he watches the trailers in real-time and give his impressions. 
Intro (0:00)
Movie Wire Promo (2:27)
Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning (2:42)
Jurassic World: Rebirth (4:55)
How to Train Your Dragon remake (12:35)
Thunderbolts* (14:42)
Fantastic Four: First Steps (20:02)
Socials and goodbyes (25:49)
Please remember to check out the Movie Wire podcast, join our Discord and check out our merch store! 

185. Star Trek: Section 31 Review

Josh, Alex & Matt join up with Section 31 to take on the unenviable task of making sense of the Michelle Yeoh vehicle (star craft?) set in the Star Trek universe. 
Intro (0:00)
Game Club Pod promo (4:33)
Why did we decide to review this movie? (It's Matt's fault) (5:38)
Philippa Georgiou's Star Trek backstory shenanigans (7:35)
Alex's feelings on Section 31 in the Star Trek universe (11:59)
Let's talk the "movie" (18:18)
Are we supposed to like Philippa Georgiou? (23:35)
Josh doesn't know what Augments in Star Trek are (31:18)
But Josh does know about Deltans! (36:27)
Rachel Garrett's Star Trek heritage (40:56)
The twist (spoilers!) (47:57)
The guy who can change into anything only does it a few times (54:27)
How much did (Cameo appearance) get paid? (1:03:38)
What are the cutscenes about? (1:05:12)
Is Section 31 a must-see or pass? (1:12:57)
Please remember to check out the Game Club Pod podcast, join our Discord and check out our merch store! 

184. What'cha Doin'? IX

Josh, Alex & Matt do their favorite thing; talk about all the fun nerd things they're doing away from the pod!
Intro! (0:00)
Super Familiar w/the Wilsons promo (4:53)
Josh can math (5:21)
Josh speedruns his first batch of What'cha Doin's (6:31)
Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir season 6 (7:23)
Indiana Jones & the Great Circle (8:13)
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime (8:38)
My Dress-Up Darling (13:28)
Metaphor: ReFantazio (17:54)
Alex loves (bad) competitive game shows! (24:21)
Star Trek: Lower Decks season 5 (35:53)
Severance season 2 (46:22)
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew (56:30)
What'cha Gonna Do? Nintendo Switch 2 announcement (1:11:47)
Social media plugs and goodbyes! (1:17:23)
Please remember to check out the Super Familiar with the Wilsons podcast, join our Discord and check out our merch store! 

183. Celebrating 15 Years of Mass Effect 2

Josh is joined by the star of the pod, Matt, along with the Lovely Dan from Casting Views to celebrate 15 years of Mass Effect 2
Greetings, Commander (0:00)
What is Casting Views? (2:52)
How hyped were we for ME2 upon original release? (4:37)
The story of Mass Effect 2 (11:47)
Preferred ME2 classes and play styles (18:55)
The main plot of the game and building your crew (25:33)
Favorite ME2 crew member(s) (28:33)
Mass Effect controversies (39:26)
Bad romance endings? (42:05)
Miranda the white whale? (46:05)
The final mission (51:43)
ME2 DLC (58:10)
Social media plugs (1:11:54)
Please remember to check out the Casting Views podcast, join our Discord and check out our merch store! 

182 - Sony’s New Video Game Movie Projects

Josh and Alex discuss Sony's announcements for the Ghost of Tsushima anime, Helldivers and Horizon: Zero Dawn movies, along with trying to figure out how Sony will not understand the assignment, and pitching their own version of what Sony will produce as a final product, along with some casting and directing choices. 
Josh flubs introducing Alex (0:00)
When the regional accent comes out in local commercials (1:44)
How is Josh still healthy and alive?! (8:59)
Josh and Alex share some jokes (11:33)
Josh's favorite joke (12:36)
Sony's new video game movie announcements (14:34)
Ghost of Tsushima anime (17:24)
Helldivers movie (26:26)
Horizon: Zero Dawn movie (41:23)
Social media plugs (1:03:22)
Please remember to check out the 2 Blokes from Blighty podcast, join our Discord and check out our merch store! 

181. 2025 Preview

Josh flies solo as Alex is out sick, but we're looking ahead to our most notable movies, TV shows, video games, comics and more heading into 2025.
Intro (0:00)
Super Familiar with the Wilsons promo (0:38)
2025 Comics (1:06)
2025 Video Games (4:18)
TV/Streaming shows (8:43)
2025 Movies (14:24)
Game Club Pod thoughts on A Minecraft Movies (21:13)
2025 Moves cont'd (28:03)
Social media plugs (35:58)
Please remember to check out the Super Familiar with the Wilsons podcast, join our Discord and check out our merch store! 

180. 2025 SMACademy Awards (Best of 2024)

Josh and Alex discuss their favorite and most disappointing movies, TV shows, games and performances of 2024 in our annual SMACademy Awards episode! 
Happy New Year! (0:00)
Sugar Coated Murder Promo (3:02)
Best Movie (4:31)
Best Animated Feature (10:25)
Best TV/Streaming Show (15:22)
Best Video Game (19:40)
Favorite Comic (26:08)
Favorite Live-Action Movie Character (29:32)
Favorite Video Game Character (34:34)
Favorite Live-Action TV Character (35:36)
That was this year?! (40:38)
Biggest Disappointment (43:14)
Favorite episode of Talking SMAC (48:08)
Listener Comments (53:51)
Social media plugs (
Please remember to check out the Sugar Coated Murder podcast, and let us know your favorite things from 2024 by joining our Discord and check out our merch store!