The Download's tracks

This week the word is Finale. First the nerds discuss notable finales, cliff-hangers, final episodes that had to serve as finales, good endings, bad endings, unexpected endings, and more. Next, they check in with work stuff, then they discuss the final chapter of the book they’ve been reading for months, S. Lastly, they discuss the last episode of Falcon and the Winter Soldier and the first few ep...

This week the word is Palimpsest. After first discussing what the word even means, the nerds discuss a few examples of palimpsests, the most notable of which being the book they’ve been reading, S. aka Ship of Theseus. Other topics include Tig Notaro, recent life issues including vaccinations, online conventions, Lower Decks, Debris, Solar Opposites, TikTok videos, Raised by Wolves, Kong vs. Godzi...

This week the word is Chernobyl, and the nerds start by discussing various aspects of that and other big disasters. Andy talks about getting his first shot, and the nerds speculate about life after vaccination. Keith talks about Harley Quinn, and Andy talks about Infinity Train. Keith reports on the D&D campaign he’s doing on Patreon, and on the progress of the Kickstarter for Gloomier. He also ta...

This week the word is Android. The nerds discuss their favorite androids, the differences between an android and a cyborg, what it means to be an human, etc. Next they discuss Justice League and Doom Patrol. After the spoiler warning, they discuss chapter 7.5 of S., and the first episodes of Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Raised by Wolves. SPOILER WARNING: contains spoilers.

This week the word is Dickens. The nerds discuss a few Dicken-related topics, in particular Great Expectations, and other things for which expectations were great. Keith talks about an interactive experience called Broadway Whodunit, and Andy mentions some favorite moments from re-watching Demolition Man. Then Andy talks about Looney Labs Silver Jubilee events, and Keith reports on the D&D campaig...

This week the word is Murder. The nerds discuss various aspect of murder, including real-life crime, popular stories, and even games. This includes discussion of a couple of new games of their own. Moving on to spoilery media, they discuss chapter 6 of S. and episode 6 & 7 of WandaVision. SPOILER WARNING: contains spoilers.

This week the word is Recasting. After discussing a few notable recasting situations, Keith tells the story of Bossy the Cow, and explains the meaning of his twitter handle, HellCowKeith. After further discussions of recasting, they each talk about work stuff a bit, including various references to the word Threshold. They also discuss the sting of negative reviews. Moving on to spoilery media, the...

This week the word is Popeyes (aka Pope Yes). The nerds discuss Popeye-adjacent subjects, including misreading the logo, the magical jeep, a coffeeshop in Amsterdam, chicken sandwiches, Wimpy’s, Roy Rogers, and the mysterious CFAB. Then they talk about some Tolkien-adjacent stuff before moving on to media. First they talk about a recent film called Dealt (and a vintage film called the Flim-Flam Ma...

This week the word is Delicious. First the nerds spend a lot of time talking about Mr. Delicious, the disastrous spokesman for a fast food chain called Rax. They also discuss deliciousness in general. Then Keith gives a report on the D&D campaign he’s running for his Patreon supporters, and Andy talks about some of the stuff Looney Labs is doing for their 25th anniversary. Then they discuss variou...

This week the word is MacGuffin. The nerds talk about classic MacGuffins and other literary devices including red herrings and crabgrass. Andy then discusses the design of Get the MacGuffin, and Keith talks about widget hunts in early LARP games. They share a few war stories from those days, in particular about a game called Cafe Casablanca. Andy has more to say about fan edits of The Hobbit, then...

This week the word is Unknown. The nerds talk about various unknowns, like hidden information in game design, stories in which characters are thrust into unknown settings, situations in which you don’t know who you are, things that are unknowable, and questions that meant to never be answered. Keith talks about unknowns in Eberron, and also mentions Bridgerton, Dexter, and the D&D campaign he’s ru...

This week the word is Christmas. The nerds talk at length about various holiday memories, favorite Xmas movies, new traditions, etc. Then they discuss chapter one of S, having talked about future candidates for their new book club segment earlier in the show. Keith mentions a radio bit he remembers that went “Blah Rhubarb Blah” which Andy replies to with Arrested Development references. Keith talk...

This week the word is spin-off. The nerds start by discussing the many new Star Wars spin-offs that have been announced, then they discuss other spin-offs through TV history. Next they share some big-picture, non-spoilery thoughts about Star Trek Discovery Season 3, and what they would do to create a truly different distant future if it were up to them. Andy reports on his mouse problem, and Keith...

This week the word is Elves. The nerds discuss the various types of elves, the drawbacks involving in dealing with elves in storytelling, space elves, and the Elf on the Shelf. Andy gives a report on his mouse problem, then they talk about an unusual and mysterious book called S which is to be the subject of their next on-going “book club” segment. Lastly, they drop the spoiler curtain to discuss...

This week the word is Heroes. The nerds talk about their favorite heroes, what makes for a good hero, etc. As with last week’s discussion of villains, they have a lot to say (including more about villains). Then Keith talks about the Eberron campaign he’s running for his Patreon subscribers. Moving on to media, they talk a little about Schitt’s Creek before dropping the spoiler curtain to discuss...

This week the word is Villains. The nerds discuss their favorite villains and forces of evil, what makes for a good villain, etc. They spend most of the show on this subject, but finally drop the spoiler curtain to discuss the newest episodes of Star Trek Discovery and The Mandalorian. SPOILER WARNING: contains spoilers.

This week the word is dinosaurs. The nerds discuss their favorite dinosaurs (and why the triceratops is the best), depictions of dinosaurs in popular media, other meanings and definitions for the word dinosaur, the inclusion of dinosaurs in D&D, and the Loch Ness Monster. Then they move on to other topics, including Halloween, the extended versions of the LOTR movies, Rick & Morty, and Schitt’s Cr...

This week the word is Heebie-Jeebies. The nerds discuss scary stories, what makes for a creepy tale, and why we enjoy getting the heebie-jeebies. Other topics include Keith’s “killer lightning bugs” campfire story, a recent dream Andy had, obscure characters and secondary plotlines in Star Trek, and the Ray Bradbury Theater. Then they drop the spoiler curtain to talk about Star Trek Lower Decks an...

This week the word is SpaceOpera. First the nerds discuss various types of operas before focusing in on the various types of Space Operas. They also talk about Rock Operas, Horse Operas, Klingon Operas and Planetary Romances. Turning to work, they talk about ideas they’ve been having for running games for people using Zoom and such. Keith talks about the start of season 4 of Fargo, and shares his...

This week the word is fantasy. First the nerds discuss the basic definition of fantasy, then Andy teases a few details about Fantasy Fluxx, which is coming out early next year. Then they discuss their favorite fantasy classics and obscure favorites. On media, Andy mentions watching Onward, then they talk about all the new Star Trek shows on now or coming soon, and a few other shows at a non-spoile...

This week the word is doppelgänger. The nerds discuss their favorite evil duplicate shapeshifter tropes at length. How would you prove you are really you and not just a copy? Then they check in on each other’s work progress before moving on to media. After the spoiler curtain drops they spend a lot of time talking about Star Trek Lower Decks. SPOILER WARNING: contains spoilers.

This week the word is travel. Keith talks about his recent trip to back to NY to visit his aging mother, and what airports and flights are like in the post-covid world. Then he reports on things back home in Portland, where the wildfires have filled the air with toxic smoke. Going back to travel, they take about how lack of travel has affected the these past six months. Turning to media, Andy talk...

This week the word is wizard. First the nerds discuss their favorite wizards at length, which leads to them both sharing stories from their early LARP game experiences. Then they talk about Bill and Ted Face the Music without getting too spoilery. Lastly, Keith gives some high-level thoughts about Doom Patrol season 2 and the first 3 episodes of Lovecraft Country. BLOOPER WARNING: contains blooper...

This week the word is malinger. First the guys discuss what the word actually means, then they share memories of malingering, including the time Keith when was trapped in a closet while staying home from school. Next they discuss the 3rd episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks. Keith talks about work stuff and games he’s playing, and the challenge of making Bingo cards for Lovecraft Country. Then Andy t...

This week the word is game. The nerds discuss the technical definition of a game vs. various unusual games and play activities. Is it a game or just collaborative story-telling experience? They also discuss their own preferences in games, strategy vs. tactical games, etc. Then they lower the spoiler curtain to discuss the first two episodes of Star Trek Lower Decks, the first episode of Lovecraft...