The ApeCast

Jack and Geoff welcome Andrew EC Gaska back to the show for a discussion of his novel Death of the Planet of the Apes ! They discuss the novel's genesis, the writing and editing process, and get into several of the burning questions that this magnum APE-us left in our hosts' inquisitive minds. Don't miss it!

Jack and Geoff welcome Josh Trayner back to the podcast for a look at Every Which Way But Loose , the 1978 smash hit that paired Clint Eastwood with a lovable orangutan! They delve into the movie's barely-there plot, the assholery of pretty much all the non-ape characters, and the constant punching. Also: an exciting look at RATBOY! You should enjoy this episode every which way you can! You know,...

In a giant gorilla-sized episode, Jack and Geoff tackle Andrew EC Gaska's long-awaited sequel novel Death of the Planet of the Apes. And there's a lot to chew on, as they attempt to summarize the book's converging plotlines, marvel at Gaska's ability to both meld seemingly disparate Apes narratives and capture the voices of beloved characters, and discuss their newfound appreciation of Taylor's de...

Jack & Geoff continue their final Kong-down with a look at Kong on the Planet of the Apes! This six-issue comic finally brings our hosts' favorite two ape franchises together, and the results are…unexpected. The two discuss the book's beautifully graphic art, Ursus' relentless assholery, and the continued inability of anyone—even Dr. Zaius—to figure out what exactly one should do with a Kong in Ne...

Jack and Geoff are joined by resident Kong-xpert Erin Clarke for a look at 1967's King Kong Escapes! And the three find much to appreciate in this little-seen Japanese gem, between memorable characters such as Dr. Who and Madame Piranha, Kong's newfound digging prowess, and the monstrous majesty of MECHANIKONG! All this, plus jump kicks!

Jack and Geoff continue their Apes comics coverage with a look at 2016's Tarzan on the Planet of the Apes. And to their delight, the two properties fit together surprisingly well! Our hosts discuss the book's pulpy propulsiveness and lush art, marvel at the enigmatic ape known variously as Astronaut/T2 Sarah Connor/Dark/Space Milo, and reaffirm their love of ape vs. dino fights!

Jack and Geoff are joined by resident Kongxpert Erin Clarke and returning guest Brian Rudloff for a look at 2017's Kong: Skull Island. And the four have a great time discussing why exactly this movie works as well as it does, revelling in its great casting, top-notch monster fights, and all that stompin' and chompin'! They also talk Japanese poster art, the burgeoning MonsterVerse, and lots lots m...

Jack and Geoff continue their Apes comics coverage with a look at Ursus , a six-issue 2018 series from Boom! Studios. And they learn all about how this titular villain became the sharply-dressed, human-hating gorilla we all know and love. They also discuss the book's varying artistic interpretations of Taylor, Ursus' youthful propensity for decapitation, his similarities to Emperor Palpatine, and...

They finally, really did it… Those maniacs! They drew it up! Visionary Rod Serling's legendary script for the original Planet of the Apes has been adapted into graphic novel form, and Jack & Geoff are on it! They get into the book's beautifully deceptive cover art, the pros and cons of a Heston-free astronaut character, fascinating ape facial hair and the triumphant return of monkey-bar crosswalks...

Jack and Geoff put the Apes aside for an hour (or three) as they squadron up with their pal Duncan to talk Solo: A Star Wars Story! And the three have a grand ol' time unpacking their thoughts on Han, Lando, Beckett and the gang. They also delve into the history of prequel-era Star Wars games, marvel at Darth Maul's inexplicable inclusion in the film, and discuss the British people they'd like to...

Jack and Geoff send off the Apes TV series with aplomb in this thrilling retrospective! Before bidding Pete, Alan and Galen adieu, the two take a look at three TV-centric stories from short story anthology Tales From the Forbidden Zone : Blood Brothers, Who Is This Man? What Sort of Devil Is He? and Message in A Bottle. Will these tales provide the closure that the abruptly-cancelled series could...

Jack and Geoff buckle down to watch the thrilling series finale of the ApeCast, where all your questions are answered. That's assuming that your only question is "who's your guest for the last episode of the 70's TV show coverage?" It's a good thing that was your only question, because the answer is fantastic! It's none other than Andrew E.C. Gaska, the only person on this entire Planet of the Ape...

Merry Apesmas, all of us!  To celebrate the holidays this year, Geoff and Jack have brought in a coupla' ringers to talk about one of the biggest movies of all time, Peter Jackson's 2005 King Kong remake.  Bona fide Kongspert Erin Clarke joins Jack's Reopening the Wormhole co-hosts Sam Stovold and Kevin Young for a Kong-sized Apestravaganza!  We're getting into the nitty gritty of this bananas mov...

Your gang of talking Apes has manage to wrangle themselves an interview with one of the biggest names in modern Ape fandom, the wonderful Rich Handley, co-founder of Hasslein Books, author of Timeline of the Apes: The Definitive Chronology, From Aldo to Zira: Lexicon of the Planet of the Apes: The Complete Encyclopedia, editor and contributor to Bright Eyes, Ape City: Examining the Planet of the A...

For The Liberator, the penultimate episode of the live action Apes TV show, hosts Geoff and Jack are joined by Jack's Reopening the Wormhole cohosts Sam Stovold and Kevin Young!  To celebrate this timeless tale of slavery, oppression, chemical warfare, genocide and Pete's zingers, the boys talk turkey about how to kill turkeys (just in time for Thanksgiving!), the horrors of "night vision", jokes...

Jack and Geoff are joined by new guest Emily Thompson to look at episode 12 of the TV series, The Cure! As Alan uses his astronaut training to deal with a malaria outbreak, the three discuss Urko's affinity for fire, terrifying animated mosquito-spheres, the usefulness of quotes from the show in everyday life, and much more. Forget tree bark and/or purifying flames: when an Apes deficiency has lef...

Wannabe tyrants are big these days, so what better time than now for the ApeCast to take a look at Planet of the Apes TV episode "The Tyrant"?  Jack and Geoff take a look at what makes this episode a bit of a mess, despite a truly compelling villainous turn by self-styled Lord of the Apes Aboro, Galen's best Ape impersonation yet, more sweet Pete and Alan fight moves, and Urko's further descent in...

Jack and Geoff are joined by returning guest Barm for Episode 10 of the POTA TV series, The Interrogation! And there's a lot going on in this one: 1986's finest brainwashing techniques, sinister bespectacled science chimps, a surprise appearance by Galen's parents, and a welcome glimpse into Pete Burke's swinging 70's Jersey City past! There's a lot to unpack in this one, so strap yourself onto th...

  Siblings reunite as Jack and Geoff welcome back Sam Stovold and Erin Clarke to talk about the little-remembered 1986 sequel King Kong Lives! As giant ape-love blooms, the four discuss the fascinating world of XXL-sized heart surgery, classic 80's signifiers like pastel golf clothes and sweet Lambos, ridiculous frog reaction shots, and the Robocop/Kong crossover that never was. Like a giant ape f...

Third time's a charm for recurring guest and composer of our theme song Amos Dunn, as he joins us to talk about the horse race in The Horse Race.  You're not gonna want to miss the fun as the gang talks about one of the nuttiest episodes of the show so far.  The marvelous douchebaggery of General Urko!  Captain America and other nations' equivalents!  The proper pronunciation of lasso!  Gorilla Go...

Jack and Geoff are lured in by The Deception, the latest episode in their coverage of the Apes TV Series! And deceptions abound as detectives-for-a-day Alan, Pete and Galen go undercover to solve a murder, all while tangling with the ApeKK (aka the KKKape)! Meanwhile, Jack and Geoff touch upon the series' preponderance of country apes, explore some forgotten corners of the 80's Saturday morning ca...

Jack and Geoff continue their implacable coverage of the Apes' TV series with The Surgeon! And it's diagnosis: delightful, as the two revel in the first episode thus far to focus on Galen, their favorite renegade ape! They also touch upon the evolution of the ape actors' performances, the return of Pete's classic fight moves, and the sheer awesomeness of apes in surgical scrubs.

Jack and Geoff are joined by returning guest Andrew Saunders to talk The Mighty Peking Man! And to our hosts' delight, this 1977 Hong Kong knockoff of King Kong '76 is much more than the sharply-ripened slice of cheese it appears to be. If you're a fan of giant apes, wild jungle girls, and/or swinging 70's Hong Kong, you'll want to check out The Mighty Peking Man by any means you can!

Fishing for a good Apes podcast?  Take the plunge, and sea what The ApeCast has to offer you as we dive into Tomorrow's Tide!  Returning guest Sam Stovold makes a splash as together we get to the bottom of what's so fishy about the fisherman slave village our heroes find themselves in.  Look out for a few red herrings though, as we veer to starboard to talk about Lawgiver tiki cups, Rocky, LOST, 1...

Jack and Geoff travel to post-apocalyptic Oakland to talk The Legacy, episode 5 of the POTA TV series! And amidst their exploration, the two discuss holo-men from the future, the acting chops of a young Jackie "Early" Haley, and the triumphant return of Counselor Zaius! NOTE: due to unforeseen technical difficulties, the latter part of this episode was lost in the ether. So enjoy this bite-sized e...