GenreTainment

How do you build a believable alien language for blockbuster films? In this episode of GenreTainment , Marx andJulie sit down with expert conlang creator BrittonWatkins to explore the art and craft of designing fictionallanguages for some of the biggest sci-fi franchises—including Star Trek , Avatar , and the Predator universe. Britton takes us behind the scenes of constructing the Predator langua...

Is Marvel’s Ironheart a bold new spark for the MCU or just more superhero noise? In this episode of GenreTalk , Marx and Julie give their honest reactions to Marvel series, Ironheart. The duo starts with a spoiler-free review, covering the show’s strengths, weak points, and standout elements. Then they shift gears into full spoiler territory: unpacking major plot moments, character arcs, special e...

Is James Gunn’s Superman the fresh start the DC Universe needs… or just another cape in the crowd? Join Marx and Julie on GenreTalk as they break down the newest Superman movie with a spoiler-free review followed by an in-depth discussion of the cast, villains, story choices, box office numbers, and what this film may mean for the future of the DCU. Chapters 00:00 Welcome to GenreTalk 00:48 Introd...

In this episode of GenreTainment , co- Marx and Julie sit down with the editorial team behind the Fairy Tales, Folklore, and Fables Reimagined anthologies. J.C. Mastro, Victoria L. Scott, and Anne C. Lynch share their experiences as both writers and editors. Discover how each found their path into storytelling, the creative spark behind their work, and the behind-the-scenes process of bringing mod...

In this episode of GenreTainment , Marx & Julie (with guest co-host Greg) have an in-depth conversation with Stephen Kiel of Aspire Games. Stephen shares the story behind Unbound Realms , an exciting new tabletop role-playing game that recently launched on Kickstarter. Discover how Unbound Realms builds on the foundation of D&D 5E while introducing fresh, modular mechanics that offer great...

In this episode of GenreTainment , Marx & Julie sit down with indie filmmaking duo Ryan and Lily McCurdy to discuss their debut feature film, Pears —a quirky comedy noir about an incompetent private investigator and a case gone hilariously sideways. Writer-director Ryan McCurdy and co-producer Lily McCurdy take us behind the scenes of Pears , sharing their journey from short films to full-leng...

This week, GenreTainment chats with David Peterson, an expert in Conlang (Constructed Languages) who created the Dothraki language for HBO's  Game of Thrones  and languages for alien races on SyFy's channels high anticipated series  Defiance .  PLUS, interviews with the cast of  Haven . Peterson tells us how he became involved in creating languages (around a dozen at this point), how he st...

For this episode of GenreTainment we are chatting with author Erin M. Evans. She is best known for writing novels set in the Forgotten Realms  world, which is both enjoyed by fans as novels and as a  Dungeons & Dragons  roleplaying game setting. Her fourth novel set in this fantasy world is called  The Adversary  and is one of six books in  The Sundering  series, which promises to make big cha...

Join us for another GenreTalk as we review season 2 of Goosebumps titled The Vanishing . We explore the show's plot, characters, and performances while comparing it to Season 1. Tune in for our spoiler-free review followed by a detailed spoiler analysis and final ratings. Join the conversation in the comments and let us know what you think about Goosebumps ! Chapters 00:00  Welcome to GenreTal...

Join us for another GenreTalk as we review the new streaming movie, Star Trek Section 31 . We discuss the film's divisive reception, examine its strengths and weaknesses, and critique its alignment with the traditional Star Trek ethos. Tune in for our spoiler-free review followed by a detailed spoiler analysis and final ratings. Join the conversation in the comments and let us know what you th...

Join us for another GenreTalk as we review the first 10 episodes of Cobra Kai Season 6, right before the final episodes air on Netflix. We start with a spoiler-free review before diving into detailed spoilers and giving our final ratings. We talk about the show’s evolution from a YouTube Red original to a Netflix hit, its character arcs, drama, and martial arts action. We also compare it to other...

Join Marx and Julie on GenreTainment for a fun discussion about monsters, folklore, and horror with Dr. Emily Zarka, also known as Dr. Z! With a PhD in literature and a specialty in gothic and horror studies, Dr. Zarka shares her expertise and passion for all things monstrous, including her acclaimed PBS Digital Studios series, Monstrum. In this episode, we’ll uncover the creative process behind M...

Join the hosts of GenreTalk as they review the Disney+ MCU series Agatha All Along . The episode kicks off with a spoiler-free overview before diving into in-depth spoilers and personal ratings. Marx and Julie discuss the show’s plot, memorable characters, viewership stats, and how it stacks up against other MCU TV series. They also explore the writing, budget considerations, and standout performa...

Join the hunt as we track down the origins of Monster of the Week with its creator, Michael Sands! In this in-depth interview, Michael shares the story behind the game's development, from its supernatural roots inspired by cult classics like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Supernatural to its rise as one of the most beloved urban fantasy-horror TTRPGs today. We explore how Monster of the Week offers...

In this episode of GenreTalk , hosts Marx and Julie review M. Night Shyamalan's latest movie, Trap . The duo kicks off with a spoiler-free analysis, exploring the film's eerie atmosphere, suspenseful twists, and performances by Josh Hartnett, Ariel Donoghue, Saleka Shyamalan, and Alison Pill. Later, they jump into spoilers, offering deeper insights, ratings, and thoughts on the film’s narr...

Welcome to the second episode of GenreTalk with hosts Marx and Julie! In this companion show to GenreTainment, we review movies, TV shows, and more. On this episode, we dive deep into the film Twisters . We start with a spoiler-free review before moving into more detailed discussions, including the movie's box office performance compared to the original Twister , character development, and not...

Welcome to the debut episode of GenreTalk , the companion series to GenreTainment ! In this show, instead of interviews, Marx & Julie talk about what is happening in the world of books, film, TV, web series, and games. In this episode, we review the new hit MCU movie Deadpool & Wolverine ! What did we think of the third Deadpool film and the MCU's first R-rated entry? Tune in to hear o...

Join us for a fun conversation with game designer and author Alexander Thomas. As the Mutants & Masterminds Line Developer for Green Ronin Publishing, Alex brings a wealth of experience to the table. He's also the author of the Titan City Chronicles novel series and the executive producer for the Untold Stories Project . In this episode, we dive into these exciting projects, explore the up...

Join us for a fun episode featuring the return of award-nominated comic book writer/creator Dirk Manning ! Dirk is the author of Write or Wrong: A Writer’s Guide to Creating Comics and has crafted numerous beloved comic books, including the supernatural noir series Tales of Mr. Rhee and the genre-bending horror anthology Nightmare World . It’s been around a decade since Dirk last appeared on the s...

In this episode, we have an exciting conversation with Dr. Christine Schreyer, Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia. Dr. Schreyer specializes in linguistic anthropology and Indigenous language revitalization, and she’s also a professional language creator, known for her work in constructed languages (or conlangs). Dr. Schreyer has contributed to some incredible...

On this episode we’re chatting with author Marisa Wolf. She tells us about her new science fiction Beyond Enemies published by Baen Books, and urban fantasy book The Spider (Hit World: Web of Shadows Book 3). She also talks about her writing origins with writing fan fiction and how to transition successfully into writing for shared worlds and beyond. She also shares tips for authors about co-writi...

In this episode, we chat with author J.C. Mastro about his science fiction YA novel, Academy Bound . We also delve into his short stories and discuss the creation of the audiobook for Academy Bound . GenreTainment  is where Marx & Julie talk about what is happening in the world of books, film, TV and web series. We give you interviews with writers, game designers, directors, producers and acto...

It was another exceptional year for television and movies, which gave us much to chat about. GenreTainment and SFP-NOW once again decided to cross the streams and discuss their favorite TV and Movies of 2022 for our yearly special. Hosts Marx Pyle and Ian Cullen are joined by Jeff Burns of Super Geeked Up and fantasy author Katharine Dow ( The Brooklyn Dragon Racing Club ) to discuss many of the b...

This year was an exceptional year for television and movies, which gave us much to discuss. So much so that GenreTainment and SFP-NOW once again decided to cross the streams and discuss their favorite TV and Movies of 2021. Hosts Marx Pyle, Julie Seaton Pyle and Ian Cullen are joined by Jeff Burns of Super Geeked Up and fantasy author Katharine Dow ( The Brooklyn Dragon Racing Club ) to discuss ma...

On this episode we’re chatting with award-winning director Dan Attias ( The Wire , The Sopranos , Homeland , Alias , Northern Exposure , Penny Dreadful: City of Angels , The Boys , It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia , Buffy the Vampire Slayer) about many of those projects and his new nonfiction book, Directing Great Television: Inside TV’s New Golden Age . GenreTainment  is where Marx & Ju...