the last of us

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Listen to Gobbledygeek Episode 503 – Twisted Christmas: Black Christmas vs. A Christmas Story

Gobbledygeek episode 503, “Twisted Christmas: Black Christmas vs. A Christmas Story,” is available for listening or download right here, on Spotify, and on Apple Podcasts.

You’ll slash your eye out, Kidder! To close out our truncated season, it’s a Twisted Christmas double feature, as Paul and Arlo explore both of Canadian auteur Bob Clark’s yuletide classics: 1974’s proto-slasher Black Christmas and the 1983 staple A Christmas Story. The boys separately find each of these movies to be deeply annoying…but who couldn’t stand which one?! Just kidding, Paul’s not that into the horror movie and Arlo can’t stand the cutesy nostalgic one. We have a brand, and we’re sticking to it. Plus, our favorite movies and TV shows of 2023.

NEXT: Merry Christmas and happy New Year! We’ll potentially be back in January potentially with a guest and potentially discussing a movie. So much potential for 2024, can’t wait to squander all of it!

BREAKDOWN

  • 00:00:49  –  Intro
  • 00:09:03  –  Black Christmas
  • 00:57:31  –  A Christmas Story
  • 01:49:06  –  Outro / Next

MUSIC

  • “Call Me” by Blondie, American Gigolo (1980)
  • “BB Gun” by Roger Alan Wade, All Likkered Up (2005)

GOBBLEDYCARES

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Listen to Gobbledygeek Episode 495 – “HBO’s The Last of Us, Season One (feat. Dale & Ensley Guffey)”

Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey in The Last of Us (2023), created by Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin

Gobbledygeek episode 495, “HBO’s The Last of Us, Season One (feat. Dale & Ensley Guffey),” is available for listening or download right here, on Spotify, and on Apple Podcasts.

Love can spread like a fungus throughout the soul, eradicating any shred of self-control. For a thorough depiction of that sentiment, we turn to HBO’s The Last of Us, a TV adaptation of the blockbuster video game series. Joining Paul and Arlo to talk everything mushroom are authors and pop culture enthusiasts Dale and Ensley Guffey, stopping by the show for their first visit in years. The gang discusses the game’s transition to television, how the show breaks new ground for the zombie apocalypse genre, the incredible chemistry between Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, and much more.

NEXT: a long-delayed Four-Color Flashback discussion of Gene Luen Yang’s Boxers & Saints.

BREAKDOWN

  • 00:00:48  –  Intro / Guests
  • 00:03:00  –  HBO’s The Last of Us
  • 01:59:42  –  Outro / Next

LINKS

MUSIC

  • “Never Let Me Down Again” by Depeche Mode, Music for the Masses (1987)
  • “Long Long Time” by Linda Ronstadt, Silk Purse (1970)

GOBBLEDYCARES

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Listen to the Gobbledygeek Season 14 Premiere – “In Like a Lion”

Gobbledygeek episode 491, “In Like a Lion,” is available for listening or download right here, on Spotify, and on Apple Podcasts.

We’re back, baby! After a longer than expected hiatus, Gobbledygeek has returned for season 14. That’s right, we’re up to 14 seasons of Paul and Arlo babbling on about any manner of nonsense–which they continue to do in this freestyle season premiere. 2023 has come in like a lion and is likely to go out like one, so we find our boys licking their wounds, recounting the real-life horrors that delayed their return to the mic, and generally complaining about everything. Including pop culture! Lest you forget that’s what they’re here for, Paul and Arlo sauté some thoughts on the mushroom apocalypse of HBO’s The Last of Us adaptation; rave about the movies they’ve caught up with, like The Fabelmans, RRR, and Aftersun; and decide to get high-brow by reading books that don’t have any pictures. Plus, a pitch for the inevitable Gobbledygeek TV series.

NEXT: okay, but we really like books that do have pictures in them. This year’s Four-Color Flashback series kicks off with Al Ewing and Simone Di Meo’s We Only Find Them When They’re Dead.

MUSIC

  • “At Last” by Etta James, At Last! (1960)
  • “This Will Be Our Year” by The Zombies, Odessey and Oracle (1968)

GOBBLEDYCARES

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Listen to Gobbledygeek Episode 408 – “The Last of Us Part II (feat. Kenn Edwards)”

Ellie (Ashley Johnson) in ‘The Last of Us Part II’ (2020).

Gobbleydgeek episode 408, “The Last of Us Part II (feat. Kenn Edwards),” is available for listening or download right here and on iTunes here.

A deadly virus rages across the world. The U.S. is in shambles. Despite the imminent threat, humans have started to turn on one another. And in other news, this week Paul and Arlo are talking about Naughty Dog’s highly anticipated zombie apocalypse sequel The Last of Us Part II. Joining them for a discussion of this brutal, beautiful game is none other than Alex Jonestown Massacre guitarist Kenn Edwards. The gang discusses how the game departs from its predecessor, the incredible acting of Ashley Johnson and Laura Bailey, how writer-director Nate Druckmann forces the player to confront the consequences of their actions, and more. Also, Arlo didn’t actually play it! Plus, Kenn tells us about AJM’s new album Run-On Death Sentence and his Lost rewatch podcast Pushing the Button.

Next: there’s hope for our ass after all. Sarah Kosheff joins us to discuss the filmed performance of Hamilton.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 02:55:47

  • 00:01:24  –  Intro / Banter
  • 00:06:43  –  Kenn’s new podcast
  • 00:16:25  –  Kenn’s new album
  • 00:30:24  –  The Last of Us Part II
  • 02:45:45  –  Outro / Next

THE MUSIC

  • “Future Days” by Troy Baker (2020)
  • “Take On Me” by Ashley Johnson (2020)
  • “Millennial Whoop” by Alex Jonestown Massacre, Run-On Death Sentence (2020)

THE LINKS

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Listen to Gobbledygeek Episode 406 – “Jimmy Cliff and the Apocalypse”

Jimmy Cliff in ‘The Harder They Come’ (1972), directed by Perry Henzell

Gobbledygeek episode 406, “Jimmy Cliff and the Apocalypse,” is available for listening or download right here and on iTunes here.

The world is, yet again, a much different place than when we last recorded an episode of Gobbledygeek. In the month since the police killing of George Floyd, there have been a wave of protests worldwide and renewed conversations about what role police have in society, if any at all. We–Paul and Arlo–are not sure we should be part of this conversation. After postponing recording for many reasons, our initial urge to record some deep, thought-provoking discussion about racial injustice has subsided. We’re two white guys on an extremely niche podcast that is supposedly about pop culture. We are not going to cover any new ground. What we will say, unequivocally, is that Black Lives Matter. Yesterday, today, always. We do discuss the state of the world, George Floyd, Rayshard Brooks, police abolition, ACAB, etc.–hopefully in a respectful way that might interest some of our listeners. Oh, and there’s still a pandemic going on, so we talk about that too.

Fear not: we also talk about pop culture! Paul plays The Last of Us: Part II, Arlo watches great films by Black filmmakers like Charles Burnett and Billy Woodberry, we have a brief discussion on the state of the comics industry mid-COVID, and more. Hopefully there are some laughs.

Next: we’ll be back, theoretically in a week’s time.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:40:35

  • 00:00:40  –  Intro
  • 01:37:36  –  Outro / Next

THE MUSIC

  • “Fuck tha Police” by N.W.A., Straight Outta Compton (1988)
  • “Pressure Drop” by Toots & The Maytals, Monkey Man (1970)
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Listen to Gobbledygeek Episode 401 – “Texed”

Original art ‘Sam-Chan’ by CrispyToastYT.

Gobbledygeek episode 401, “Texed,” is available for listening or download right here and on iTunes here.

We’re all responding to quarantine (semi- or otherwise) in different ways. Paul seems to be practicing some sort of immersion therapy, living out the post-apocalypse in games like The Last of Us and shows like The Leftovers. Arlo, meanwhile, reaches for the comfort of old reliable favorites like the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie or the modern classic sketch comedy series Key and Peele. Have you ever realized they’re different people? The boys discuss texting syntax, Paul’s genuine repulsion at a certain aspect of The Leftovers, Arlo’s journey through old superhero comics, and so much (or at least a little) more.

Next: TBD, as per ush.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:58:01

  • 00:00:27  –  Intro
  • 01:55:00  –  Outro / Next

THE MUSIC

  • “Gunfight Epiphany” by Robert Duncan, Gunfight Epiphany (Theme from Terriers) (2010)
  • “Let the Mystery Be” by Iris DeMent, Infamous Angel (1992)