Atari Bytes

If they only knew. If only Elliott and those soft-hearted scientists knew. In 1982, extra-terrestrials invaded Earth - by leaving a so-homely-he's-cute alien being to wander the planet, seeking only to feed his addiction to sugary snacks and flowers. This horror was chronicled by some brave journalist named Steven Spielberg in the documentary "E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial". Our government finally caught the would-be conquerer of Earth. Phew! Crisis averted! But then...they let him go... And as a result, a fate worse than the destruction of Earth crashed down on us. The same year, Atari self-destructed by way of a pretty bad E.T. game that everyone hated, single-handedly destroying the video game industry. Earth went on a-spinnin', but life as we know it was over. At least, I think that's how it happened. This month, as we mark two years since this podcast launched, episode 104 of ATARI BYTES picks through the wreckage to try and figure out why E.T. was the...man? thing? to  bring Earth to its knees. Why, E.T.?