But Why Tho? The Podcast

We're kicking off the spooky season with an episode all about the guy who defined scaring theater audiences throughout the 2000s and 2010s: James Wan. In this episode, we dive into why James Wan matters to film as a whole, horror, and now superheroes. Also, we have to note that a lot of his genre-defining work as a director was done with the help of Leigh Whannell as a writer and the two of them share in a lot of the successes we talk about in this episode. We talk about how Saw brought the wave of ultraviolence into the United States and spurred the American filmmakers in the "Splat Pack" and how Insidious brought haunted houses (that aren't found footage) back to the forefront and spurred a revival of theater horror and how that film defined an era of "wan-re." Oh, and we defend Dead Silence as an underrated gem and all-ages and PG-13 horror.

Cinemax's Warrior was one of my favorite series last year as a fan and as a critic. Based on an original concept by Bruce Lee, the show was created by Jonathan Tropper and Justin Lin and blends drama, the Old West, and martial arts. Set during the Tong Wars of San Francisco’s Chinatown in the second half of the 19th century. it follows martial arts prodigy Ah Sahm, a Chinese immigrant who arrives in the City of Lights under mysterious circumstances. Once he proves his prowess as a fighter, Sahm becomes a hitman for one of Chinatown's most powerful organized crime families. That said, while Ah Sahm is the central character of Warrior, he is surrounded by powerful female characters that push the story of the series farther and offer up a look at the intersections of race, gender, and class. This is no truer than in Ah Toy, the most powerful businesswoman in Chinatown, who just so happens to be a madam. Portrayed by Olivia Cheng, Ah Toy is a powerful woman who understands how the world sees her, both within her

This week, we're celebrating the legacy, relevance, and important of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. In this episode we dive into why this series that is often overlooked, matters to the history of Star Trek, science fiction in general, and pushes forward Gene Roddenberry's vision for the future by showcasing the difficulties of achieving it. We dive into issues of race and representation and how Deep Space Nine tackled actual issues based in our very human identities without using aliens a proxy for the conversation. Additionally, the series offered up commentary on religion, colonialism, and mental health.  While we talk about why the series has hit a new relevancy today, we also discuss how setting a Star Trek series on a singular station rubbed some Trekkers the wrong way. We confront the criticism and meet it with our own as we contextualize Deep Space Nine within the larger history of science fiction and Roddenberry's vision. And we do this all with the help of Alexander Brazie.  Brazie is professional game

Last Friday Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 released and we've all had the bird man on the brain. So, to celebrate the return of one of the best sports games ever made we decided to talk about why Tony Hawk's Pro Skater matters to gaming and culture more widely. In this episode, we drop into the long history of the franchise, its development, and how Tony Hawk aimed to create a video game that immersed the player in a real representation of skate culture. We talk about what happened when Neversoft closed and we also break down how Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 is marking a triumphant return. But one of the things we didn't know would happen is a deep conversation about representation and how despite its predominantly white roster, the Pro Skater franchise never felt like it excluded people of color, specifically with its music from De La Soul to Ozomatli and its in-depth create-a-skater feature. We talk about the genre-defining mechanics and of course discuss the wide-ranging impact of the game's soundtrack and h

While we recorded this episode before the news from DC FanDome that DC Comics would be bringing back the Milestone heroes, including Static and Icon, Dwayne McDuffie matters to comics and beyond. This episode, with the help of John (aka Sceritz), creator of Scorpio, we dive into Dwayne McDuffie's history in comics from Marvel and trading cards, to co-founding Milestone Media, and how his work in animation defined the beloved DC Animated Universe. We dive into the heroes he created, their backgrounds and how they broke the mold, and we also cover the scathing letter he sent to Marvel to make his point on the representation of Black communities in comic books. We also detail the issues Dwayne McDuffie dealt with from DC leadership which led to the shuttering of Milestone Media and why he was removed from working on the Justice League in the 2000s.

This week we're hitting a the big 1-5-0. We're done so many episodes over our three years of podcasting, so it's AMA time! We open the floor once again to answer questions about pretty much anything form our community. After episode 100's drinking game which definitely left us with hangovers, we didn't come up with rules this time. Granted, everyone does have a drink, but this time you can hear us grief each other's bad opinions sober. A super special thanks to friend of the show and our guest LaNeysha for coming on to herd the cats that are our hosts when they don't agree on things. 

The lore for Warcraft is expansive and has captivated the minds of fans for over twenty-five years. World of Warcraft: Shadowlands looks to expand that lore this fall with the expansion of the ever-popular MMORPG. Sylvanas Windrunner has shattered the crown of the Lich King and opened a rift over Azeroth, the Horde is splintered, and the Alliance is on the hunt for the former leader of the Horde. New adventures loom but before then, fans can read the latest tie-in novel for the expansion, Shadows Rising by Madeleine Roux.  In this interview, Adrian got to sit down virtually with Roux to talk about her process with expanding the lore in a franchise that she has been apart of since the vanilla version of World of Warcraft. Here, Roux dives deep into her love of the franchise and how her fandom connects to her writing process. She also discusses how writing a book for an established franchise works, how she had to adjust certain elements of her writing (Anduin almost had a tattoo), and how she got to bring LGBT

This week we're talking about one of the foundational authors of science fiction: Isaac Asimov. We dive into his series, his academic career and ultimately the three laws of robotics and how they set the stage for not only sci-fi but for robot ethics in the real world as well.  And we do it all with the help of our producer and sr. editor of But Why Tho?. Jason! This episode is sponsored by MANSCAPED. Head over to manscaped.com and use code: BUTWHYTHO at checkout to get a great deal on a great way to keep yourself clean. 

This week with the arrival of The Last Dance on Netflix, we're talking about His Airness himself, Michael Jordan. In this episode, we dive into the history of the iconic basketball player both on and off the court. We talk about he became the greatest player of all time, his move to baseball, some of his controversies, how he essentially created Nike as a streetwear brand as well as an athletic one. Plus we have a deep conversation about competition, sports, and what it takes to become the GOAT. Press play and learn all about why Michael Jordan Matters. And, we do it all with the help of LaNeysha from So Here's What Happened and Did You Have To? podcasts.

This week, the gang does a podcast and talks about why It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Matters. We dive into the history of the FX Original series, how it picked up where Seinfeld left off and made it darker, and why after all these years it's a series that still holds on tight. In the same vein as our Archer episode, we have a conversation about shows about bad people doing bad things and how it works as a comedy when it's done right.  There is even a little Day Man. 

  This week, we're diving into the life, history, and career of Chicano icon: Danny Trejo. In this episode we break down why Danny Trejo matters to film, fans, and why his status as an icon is not only incredible after his journey but life-changing for those he meets. While this isn't one of our longest episodes, we get the chance to dive into an icon, discuss our favorite movies of his and show just why Danny Trejo Matters. Even if you're unfamiliar with Danny Trejo, you probably know what he looks like. Long hair, thick mustache, brown skin, and a tattoo of a woman in a sombrero on his chest. He began his career consulting on a set to help an actor train as a boxer after he was recognized by Eddie Bunker, who remembered him from his time in San Quentin. This one consultative job led to him starring and consulting Heat, and other films. We walk through parts of his filmography and explain how his role in Rober Rodriguez's Spy Kids opened more doors for him. 

If you've listened to any of the 144 other episodes of But Why Tho? the podcast, then you know we always mention special effects when talking about a long-lasting and impactful film or franchise. After realizing just how many times Industrial Light & Magic has come up, we decided the iconic special effects house created by George Lucas was worthy of its own episode. Here, we discuss the history of the visual effects house, its iconic set pieces, films, and how it continues to revolutionize the industry with the new technology used in The Mandalorian. 

2020 marks the 10th anniversary of the ending of the Fullmetal Alchemist manga, and to celebrate we're talking about why Fullmetal Alchemist matters. From the best selling manga to the TWO anime series and the controversy around them both to the creator, Hiromu Arakawa herself we dive into it all with the help of LaNeysha from the podcasts, Did You Have To? and So Here's What Happened. This episode, we (minus Matt) cover the high notes, the depressing notes, and how the series has some of the best female characters in all of shonen. Plus, we get into the heart of why Fullmetal Alchemist matters by detailing the series' major themes like family, discrimination, imperialism, and the way people find redemption after transgressions. 

It's the 45th anniversary of JAWS this week and to celebrate we're diving into the deep end and breaking down exactly why JAWS matters. We talk about the mishaps on set, the fact that someone wanted to train a real shark, it's status as the very first Summer blockbuster, and even get into the dark side of the film by detailing its detrimental effects on ocean ecosystems and certain sharks nearing extinction, and more. JAWS matters for a lot of reasons, and we take a look at them all and even get into the sillier side of the film and it's subsequent films - one of which winds up ranked lowers critic score-wise lower than Piranha 3D.   Find out exactly why Jaws matters and head on over to our social media channels to enter to win your very own copy of the JAWS 45th Anniversary Limited Edition. In this version, legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg's cinematic masterpiece comes to 4K Ultra HD for the first time ever and it includes over three hours of bonus content. The limited edition Combo Pack with lenticula

This week we're checking diving deep into Alfred Hitchcock's classic Psycho. With the help of our frequent guest Alex, from Frightday.com, we explain the history of this black and white horror masterpiece just in time for its 60th anniversary and explore all the reasons why Psycho matters. If you haven't seen Psycho, here is your spoiler warning because we spoil the film right off the bat.  In this episode we cover how the film made the blueprint for slashers (yes, we mention Peeping Tom, but come on, they're only months a part) and we explain how the iconic shower scene shaped cinema. Additionally we jump into how this one film created new standards for films and shook 1960s audiences with unexpected twists and turns - namely killing off the protagonist half-way through the film.

Serial Box delivers premium audio and reading entertainment for an on-the-go audience that loves immersive storytelling and has recently expanded their titles in partnership with Marvel, featuring Marvel’s Thor: Metal Gods and Marvel’s Black Widow: Bad Blood. Now, the platform is bringing Jessica Jones to audiences with Marvel’s Jessica Jones: Playing with Fire, a 16-episode story narrated by Fryda Wolff and written by a team of accomplished writers. Last week, we got the chance to speak with Ayala on their work on the Serial Box title, their love of the titular character, how they brought Jessica's relationships with others to life, and the differences they've experienced in writing comics, prose, and stories for narration.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of Seinfeld (well, depending what date you choose) and to celebrate, we're taking a look at how this 90s series came to define television sitcoms and archetypes for years to come. In this episode we get into all the reasons Seinfeld matters. We walk you through the production history of the show, it's financial success, and of course its tenure in syndication. And we do it all with the help of the most-guested guest, Alex!  But, beyond that we talk about how this series changed how we see comedy and opened the door for a whole host of television shows. From notable moments like the Summer of George to phrases and ideas that took hold in culture beyond the series like double dipping, shrinkage, and more we dive into it all. And of course we get into how Elaine was the blueprint for the women of Sex in the City, Dollface, and beyond.   

This week we're talking all about the Predator matters. From comics to films and the lore that its steeped in - yes, even AVP - we dig into why this film that began with Jean-Claude Van Damme in a read monster suit jumping over logs became one of the cornerstones of action and science fiction in the 1980s, 90s, and today. Adrian leads us through the history of the franchise, its technical effects wonders, and more. 

Friday the 13th turned 40 this year and now, we're going into why one of the founding fathers of slashers matters to horror and beyond. With the help of Mattshotcha, Lead Community Developer for Gun, we take through the history of the franchise, detail the genius of the first movie, and how sparked critic rage only to become a classic and maintain the status as the highest-grossing horror franchise until 2018 when another horror heavyweight Halloween dethroned it. We talk comic crossovers, discuss the best kills in the franchise's history and ultimately break down why Friday the 13th Matters all these years later. Plus, we get the chance to dive into asymmetrical video games, and Friday the 13th's own history in gaming. Now, like many of the huge franchises we cover, we couldn't fit the 12 film franchise and all of the spin-off material into this episode. But, to make up for it, we go in-depth on the first film in the franchise, how Mama Voorhees subverted expectations in Giallo fashion, and note just when t

Serial Box has been a leader in creating original content that offers subscribers the ability to listen to programs. Last month, the platform finished their first Marvel collaboration, Marvel's Thor: Metal Gods, and now this month they've begun a season of a new one: Marvel’s Black Widow: Bad Blood. This story is 14 episodes long and comes from an all-female writing team led by Lindsay Smith (Serial Box's Orphan Black: The Next Chapter), with writers Mikki Kendall (Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot and Amazons, Abolitionists, and Activists), L.L. McKinney (A Blade So Black), and Taylor Stevens (Vanessa Michael Munroe series), and screenwriter Margaret Dunlap (Netflix’s Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance). Additionally, it's narrated by acclaimed voice actress Sarah Natochenny (Ash Ketchum in Pokémon). I got the chance to sit down with Natochenny to discuss her work on the project and voice acting in general. In Marvel's Black Widow: Bad Blood, someone has stolen the Black Widow’s bloo