OH!CAST | Exploring Geek Culture, Pop Culture & Sci‑Fi Interviews

Welcome, Space Frayers, and prepare to engage! This is a very special Trekfold episode of OH!CAST as your Captain, Cal MacDonald, and the crew are joined by an artist whose work truly defies dimensional barriers: the one and only Klingon Pop Warrior, Jen Usellis! Tonight, our scanners are picking up some serious musical energy, and we're beaming aboard the starship of one of the galaxy's most uniq...

Welcome to the Stewart Island Gateway to All Things Geek! Host Cal MacDonald and the Scooby Gang—Alena, Graeme, and Rhiannon—kick off their retrospective series with a deep dive into Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 1. This episode, "Slaying Season 1," covers the foundational year of the series and everything that made it a beloved start. Our Favorite Slay Moments The panel shares their individual...

In this captivating episode of OCAST, we delve into the fascinating world of manga and its intersection with Celtic mythology. Join host Calum MacDonald as he welcomes back Kathleen and special guest Eira Richards, a renowned independent manga artist known for her groundbreaking work on the first Hebridean manga. Together, they explore the unique blend of Eastern art and Western legends, discussin...

The Cinema Alchemist The Roger Christian Story Behind Star Wars and Alien In this episode, we take an unparalleled look into the revolutionary career of Roger Christian set decorator, the legendary prop master who invented the "used future aesthetic" that defined modern science fiction film. Christian, a true Cinema Alchemist, recounts his journey from a difficult, unsupportive English upbringing...

What does it take to invent an entire language? Find out as we welcome Dr. Paul Frommer, the brilliant linguist commissioned by James Cameron to develop the Na'vi language for Avatar. Paul's remarkable journey spans Farsi and Malay before he stepped into Pandora's world. If you've searched for the definitive interview on the Paul Frommer Na'vi Language project, this is it. The Call to Pandora: Fro...

We welcome Kennedy Allen, a powerful, well-known voice in the Star Trek fandom and a co-founder of the Women at Warp podcast. Kennedy joins hosts Cal and Rhiannon to discuss her journey from being inspired by Nichelle Nichols (Uhura) to spending over a decade podcasting about feminism and inclusion within the final frontier. This is an essential conversation for any Trek fan interested in the figh...

Welcome back to OH!CAST, where host Cal, Herward, and late-comer Graeme resurrect the fan-favorite segment: Roll for Persuasion Geek Debate! Cal welcomes back Herward (out of cryogenic sleep) to roll a D20 against 20 random geek topics. We jump straight into a high-stakes, hilarious debate where you'll hear controversial takes on Star Trek, James Bond, and some of the biggest TV shows of all time....

In this exciting episode, we sit down with the renowned sci-fi author Una McCormack. Known for her intricate storytelling, Una McCormack shares her journey as a writer. First, she talks about her early inspirations and how they shaped her career. Then, she dives into her latest projects, offering a rare glimpse into her creative mind. Listeners will be captivated by Una McCormack's insights into c...

Director James Ward Byrkit on the Cult Classic Coherence We welcome special guest and director James Ward Byrkit to OCAST. The James Ward Byrkit Coherence Film is the main focus of this conversation. We know him for his work as a creative consultant on Pirates of the Caribbean. Join us as he discusses the genesis of his low-budget 2013 sci-fi cult film, Coherence. Making Coherence: No Script, No C...

The Last Perfect Trilogy? A Retrospective on 80s Sci-Fi We dedicate this episode to the enduring legacy of one of the most beloved movie series of all time: the Back to the Future Trilogy Retrospective. Join the hosts as they ask whether the Robert Zemeckis/Bob Gale creation remains the last "perfect trilogy." It has not been ruined by legacy sequels or unnecessary updates. Therefore, we celebrate...

Creating the Improvised Doctor Who Show and Twilight Zone Improv Hosts Cal, John, and Martin welcome James Gamblin and Lou Dunn to the show. James and Lou are the creators of the hit Edinburgh Fringe show, "Any Suggestions, Doctor?". This is an Improvised Doctor Who Show. The idea started over a pint. Eventually, it became a main feature at the Festival. The team discusses how they deliver a brand...

The Breton Roots of Gaelic Fantasy Translation Host Callum welcomes Fanch back to the podcast. Fanch, a Breton native, discusses his lifelong passion for fantasy and Celtic languages. He explains his Breton heritage. This heritage naturally connected him to the folklore of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. In addition, this directly influenced his love for modern fantasy like Lord of...

The Origin of the Outer Hebrides Comic Con Host Callum welcomes Kathleen and John, the masterminds behind OH!CON. However, ironically, they are two of the most difficult guests to nail down for the OH!CAST show! They are the core organizers of the Outer Hebrides Comic Con. John and Kathleen finally sit down to share the full origin story of OH!CON. Indeed, this is a question many people have asked...

The CAR-PGA Culture War: Leaving Twitter for Blue Sky Mike Truska, host and current committee chair for the CAR-PGA, welcomes everyone to the virtual session. He begins with crucial housekeeping notes, including welcoming new members Adam and Hugh. They quickly move the discussion to serious matters, including the recent decision to leave Twitter/X. Mike explains that many reasons prompted the mov...

Anns a' phrògram seo, bidh Fanch, James agus an aoigh sònraichte Viktor a' bruidhinn mu Gheamannan Cluich Dreuchd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Cairn RPG: Introducing Yochai and Fanch Host Cal welcomes everyone to OCAST. Joining him tonight is guest host Fanch, the translator of the Cairn RPG Gaelic Translation. Fanch is joined by the game's creator, Yochai. Yochai is the writer behind the popular tabletop game. He immediately shares his pleasure at hearing his name pronounced correctly. Cal then passes the hosting duties to Fanch. Si...

Des's Review of OH!CON (The Intro) Host Cal welcomes back Des. Des is the awesome host of this year's OH!CON. Des praises the Outer Hebrides Comic Con. He calls it a passion project done by fans. In fact, he compares it to a "beautifully cooked steak meal"—or, for the vegan director Kathleen, "a beautifully cooked bit of tofu". Cal and Des then quickly transition from comparing cons to a brief tan...

Why Should I Watch Wrestling? Host Cal and co-host Kenny welcome Billy Strachan, the host of the Scottish Wrestling Podcast. The episode begins with the classic question non-fans pose: "You know it's all fake, don't you?". Billy's response is that it's "Panto". He says the best way to enjoy the Scottish Wrestling Scene is to "Go see it live". He explains that wrestling is "triumph over good over e...

Fandom in the Outer Hebrides: Gaelic, Klingon, and Star Trek Host Robert welcomes Callum and Martin, two members of the Star Trek and sci-fi community in the Outer Hebrides and OH!CON Isle of Lewis. The episode begins with greetings in both Klingon and Gaelic. Callum and Martin then discuss their earliest memories of Star Trek. For Callum, the Motion Picture shuttlecraft was his first captivating...

Sam Firstenberg: The Urge to Tell Stories Host Cal welcomes legendary Sam Firstenberg Director, known for Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo and Ninja III: The Domination. Sam Firstenberg details his origins as a director. He grew up in Jerusalem and frequented a neighborhood theater that showed Hollywood films. Consequently, this fascinated him, hooking him on the idea of telling a story on a big scre...

Good evening, afternoon, or morning! Welcome back to OH!CAST, the official podcast of OH!CON. This is our highly anticipated Halloween special. In this episode, we deliver essential OH!CAST Halloween recommendations. We realize not everyone wants to watch a movie. Therefore, some of you may prefer a game, or maybe you want to read a book. We offer six distinct selections to get you into the creepy...

OH!CAST at OH!CON 2024 continues the quest. We are settling the greatest nerd debates of all time. Consequently, this is Part 2 of the interviews. This section dives deep into retro gaming, horror, and Star Trek lore. The Quest to Settle the OH!CON 2024 Nerd Debates Welcome back to OH!CON 2024! The OH!CAST team has a massive goal. We are determined to settle the biggest nerd debates that have been...

OH!CAST is at OH!CON 2024 to settle the greatest nerd debates of all time. Therefore, we interviewed guests and attendees for definitive answers. They weighed in on Alien or Aliens, Robocop vs. Terminator, and many more arguments. This is Part 1 of our quest for peace in the nerd community! The Quest to Settle Nerd Debates Welcome to OH!CON 2024! The OH!CAST team is diving deep into the dungeons r...

The Transformers: The Movie (1986) Commentary Hello and welcome to the podcast! This episode is a special format: a full commentary track for The Transformers: The Movie. Get your copy of the film ready to sync up with us! To begin, we dive into this iconic 1986 animated classic. It is a film that profoundly shaped our childhoods. However, it also inflicted severe emotional trauma that few 80s ani...

Kabouter Games: RPG Design, OSR for All, and Shadow Dark Welcome to OH!CAST for a fascinating interview with RP Davis (Bob), who is the creator behind Kabouter Games. This week, we dive deep into the philosophy and process of creating tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs). To begin, Bob shares the origin of Kabouter Games. He explains how the company grew from uploading homebrew content to the DM's...