The 42cast

We continue our series of episodes discussing each Doctor. This time we talk about the character’s second incarnation, Patrick Troughton. We discuss the first regeneration and why it worked. We talk about whether he or William Hartnell created what we now think of as Doctor Who. We also discuss the various monsters that debuted in this era. We also focus on the Cybermen and why they have so many s...

Last year, Fox released the final installment in its X-Men series of films. In a way, it brought the series full circle, bringing the timeline to the decade before the original X-Men is set and incorporating elements of the Phoenix saga which had also been part of X-Men: The Last Stand. In this episode we look at the movie as an end to a franchise and discuss how it rates next to the others. We al...

Black Lightning returns to our television screens in February. In preparation we’ve taken a look back at season 3 to discuss everything that was going on with the series. We focus on how the show continues to address topical issues as we also discuss the series’ new, post-Crisis position in the Arrowverse. We talk about returning faces like Painkiller and also new ones such as Gravedigger. We don’...

After seven seasons, Oliver Queen finally saved Starling City, but as a Crisis loomed he once more stepped unto the breech to save all of reality from annihilation. In this episode we discuss Season 8 of Arrow. We talk about the familiar faces returning, how it works as a wrap-up, the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover, and what we thought of the Green Arrow and the Canaries backdoor pilot. We al...

The 42cast is proud to welcome Elliot Chapman for an interview. In Doctor Who circles, Chapman is best known for playing the role of companion Ben Jackson in Big Finish’s Companion Chronicles and Early Adventures. We talk with Chapman about his career prior to acting, getting started in the profession, and getting cast at Big Finish. We also discuss his opinions on Doctor Who (spoilers: He’s a fan...

The Mandalorian season 2 is coming fast, so this week we take a look back at season one. We discuss the series legacy from westerns and samurai films. We talk about the idea of a Star Wars story without Jedi or Sith. We debate the importance of Baby Yoda. We also mention our thoughts on Giancarlo Esposito and his performance as Moff Gideon. In addition we talk about the things that we always do –...

In 2008 Marvel released the movie, Iron Man, and the world would never be the same again. Now with their 22nd film, Marvel brings many of the story threads that they’ve been building for eleven years to a conclusion while leaving the door open for so many more stories. In this episode, we talk about Avengers: Endgame. We talk about the characters, discuss the plot, ponder time travel and parallel...

Despite the criticism of the hardcore fanbase, Star Trek: Discovery’s first season was a success. Building on that and attempting to woo more classic fans, Discovery added Pike, Spock, and Number One from the original Star Trek pilot to Discovery season 2. In this episode was talk about the dynamics of Discovery with new captain, Pike in the seat. We also discuss how faithful the portrayals of Pik...

Lee Arenberg is one of the most prolific actors in the business. If you’ve watched TV in the last 4 decades, odds are at some point you’ve seen him. With a career spanning dozens of different TV shows and films, Lee is one of the actors who can embody many different characters. In this episode we talk with Lee to ask him about his career in acting. He shares some insights about acting and we discu...

Movie scores and soundtracks add a new dimension to a film. A well-done soundtrack can make a good movie into a great movie. A bad soundtrack can ruin a movie. In this episode we discuss composers and individual movie scores that we love. This week’s five-minute controversy asks if Martin Scorsese’s comments about comic book movies have any merit. This week Juliette , Rachele , and James join the...

In 2015, DC released a list of a large number of DC movies extending into 2020. Of the movies announced for 2018 or later, Shazam was the only one that was neither rescheduled nor canceled. In this episode, we take a look at the Shazam film. We discuss the Captain Marvel name controversy. We talk about the portrayal of the same character with a young actor and an adult actor. We also talk about th...

Orphan Black was a series that aired on BBC America. Starring Tatiana Maslany it followed the lives of a group of women who discovered that they were clones. In this episode we take a look back at Orphan Black. We talk about our favorite clones and discuss how her performance, and the technical aspects of the production created the most authentic seeming multi-character performance on television....

The 42cast is proud to welcome Tim Treloar for an interview. We discuss the whole gammut of his career from his beginnings as an actor to working with Big Finish and various projects that he’s worked on recently. We also discuss his behind-the-scenes anecdotes, experiences with his co-stars, feelings about the Third Doctor’s era, and what role he would have liked to have had on Doctor Who if he ha...

In this episode we talk about anime. Sometimes referred to as “Japanimation”, anime refers to any animation created in Japan for the Japanese market. It took America by storm in the 90’s, when several series were shown in syndication or picked up by networks for American television. In this episode we discuss what we think makes anime so popular. We’ll also talk about our favorite animes and why p...

Captain Marvel rocketed onto our screens last year. Marvel’s first female lead series provided and origin story for Marvel’s newest hero and gave some insight on the MCU of the 1980’s. We talk about the captain herself, the plot and tone of the movie, the old friends that we see again, and how well the movie fits into MCU continuity. There’s also a bit of cat talk as we discuss Marvel’s newest fel...

Luke Cage was one of the big hits for the initial run of Marvel’s Defenders line of TV shows. Featuring topical storylines and a fantastic soundtrack, Cage resonated with many viewers. In this episode we discuss Cage’s second outting and whether or not it held up to the hype. Along the way we’ll talk about new characters such as Tilda and Bushmaster. We’ll also talk about all the returning cast an...

The 42cast is proud to welcome Peter Purves for an interview. Peter played Steven Taylor, one of the Doctor’s earliest companions and joined the show in 1965. He’s since become a mainstay of the British television industry presenting numerous for numerous series and events. In this episode we talk to Peter about his career focusing on his time with Doctor Who in the 1960’s and then his return as S...

How much does it matter to you whether a movie gets the facts right; whether it is in science, history, or something else? In this episode we dive down into the psychology of wanting “just the facts”. At what point does a movie “getting it wrong” pull you out? Can a good story overcome those limitations? Can we come to a consensus on a general level “factuality” that an audience can rightfully exp...

After Justice League failed to make the money that Warner Bros had predicted a lot of pressure fell on Aquaman. With expectations high and a lackluster holiday blockbuster season, many moviegoers flocked to Aquaman and it became an instant success. In this episode we discuss the movie to decide just why that is. From the score to the effects to the casting to the storyline we discuss all aspects o...

Season 6 saw a lot of chagnes for Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. It was the first season that only ran for 13 episodes. It was the first season to run over the summer. It also was the first season without Agent Coulson. In the midst of all these changes the series found itself cut adrift from the Marvel films and needing to come up with a story without any ties to the larger MCU. In this episode...

While many of the main characters in Doctor who are still with us there are several who have sadly passed. Big Finish has kept the memory of those Doctors and companions alive by recasting the parts. In this episode we once again take a step back to Chicago TARDIS 2016 and an opportunity to discuss voice acting, playing an iconic role, and Fraser Hines’ fantasies. Since this was a con panel there...

In this episode we turn to our archive of con panels and pull one of the earliest recordings that we have for the 42cast. The year was 2016, but the content is still relevant today. In this one we discuss how prolific Doctor Who media is and what our strategies are for deciding how much and in what ways we keep up with it. Since this was a con panel there is no five-minute controversy. This week N...

Ant Man and the Wasp had a strange position in the Marvel schedule. Sandwiched between Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, Ant Man and the Wasp tells the story of what happened to Scott Lang between Civil War and Infinity War. In this episode we unpack the story. We talk about the comic roots that inform some of the choices. We talk about the characters and the storyline. We also talk ab...

After six seasons, the Once Upon a Time showrunners decided that the series needed a change. Performing a soft reboot, they recast most of the characters and moved the action to a suburb of Seattle. The season met with mixed reactions. Many found it hard to get used to the new characters and the revised personas of the few characters that they’d been following for years. Others felt that the serie...

Dr Erin Macdonald is an astrophysicist who teaches people about the science behind science fiction at cons and on her Youtube channel. In this episode we talk with Dr Erin and discuss the importance of science, how scientists and fandom engage each other, and inspirational figures in sci-fi. We also geek out and discuss favorite Treks, the Star Wars vs Star Trek debate, favorite authors, creativit...