Discerning Geeks Portal

Discerning Geeks Portal
  • 4.7 (10)
  • TV & FILM

Discerning Geeks Portal is a gateway into the exploration of all things geek: Star Wars, Star Trek, Marvel, ‘80s movies, TV, and more. Dave, Todd, Andruw, and Preston, take a discerning look into the world of geek fandom. We care about intriguing storytelling, compelling characters, and thought-provoking themes, but we also love action, special effects, and comedy. We break down the positives, negatives, and mixed feelings about everything we cover. Step through the portal with us for fun and analytical discussions about geek culture, for fans, by fans.

  1. 8H AGO

    #199 - The Simpsons - Treehouse of Horror #09 to #12

    We return to "The Simpsons" with a review of "Treehouse of Horror" installments 09 to 12. Themes in these special Halloween stories include a cursed toupée, cartoons brought to life, alien parentage determinations on "The Jerry Springer Show," murder cover-ups, "Xena: Warrior Princess," Y2K, Homer as a ghost, Grimm's fairy tales, ticked-off dolphins, a leprechaun, a demonic smart house, and a school of magic.

    1h 33m

  2. 12/15/2025

    #198 - Movie Review - Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle (Kimetsu no Yaiba)

    A few weeks ago, Preston introduced Todd to his first big screen anime film, "Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle," a movie about warriors trained in magical martial arts taking on demons in a hell-adjacent lair known as the Infinity Castle. Note: The official name of the movie is "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle," but that's a mouthful, so we refer to it by a shorter name. - Just how little did Todd know about the TV show before Preston got Todd to go to the big-screen movie spinoff? In his usual rundown, how much did Todd get wrong? - This movie is divided into three stories. Which ones did the Geeks think were the best, middle, and worst / least good? And, did Preston & Todd agree on that? - Which story of the three was the longest, and was that a good thing or part of the problem? - What storytelling techniques were used in this movie, quite a bit, and was it too much or just enough? - What enthused Preston enough about this movie to go to the movie theater to see it? - With Todd not having seen all the of the TV show and even Preston himself not seeing all of it, was this a satisfying continuation of the TV show? - Was one or more flashbacks having their own flashbacks a step too far for Todd? - What are the motivations of the heroes & villains in this world? - Why are the different elemental & animalistic powers of the demon slayers called "breathing" techniques? - Which character from the TV show did Preston really miss when that character did not appear in the movie? - Which character death surprised & bothered both Geeks? - What redemption arc worked for Preston but not for Todd? - What was Todd's biggest complaint about the movie? - What aspect of the movie involved more utility abilities, rather than fighting, and was it intriguing? Listen now for the answers to these and other breath-taking questions, as Preston & Todd fight their was through the..."Infinity Castle." Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. You can leave comments on episodes via the Spotify or GoodPods apps. Our e-mail address is discerninggeeks@gmail.com. Royalty-free music used in this episode comes from Pixabay.com.

    1h 20m

  3. 11/07/2025

    #197 - Movie Review - Superman (2025)

    It took a little while for both guys to see it and then to record about it, but Preston & Todd finally review the new "Superman" movie. - Did the Geeks think this movie got the tone for Superman correct, especially when compared to the Superman interpretation in the DCEU? - Do the Geeks feel like Perry White & Jimmy Olsen know that Clark Kent is Superman, or is the hint in the movie only about them knowing Lois Lane has a thing with Superman, or is it left ambiguous either way? - Did the Geeks like the portrayals of Lois Lane, Lex Luthor, and all the support characters? - In what ways did Lois Lane remind Todd of women he's worked with before? - What were the Geeks' favorite things plus nitpicks about the scene where Lois interviews Clark on the record as Superman? - What possible connections was Todd able to make between Clark's abilities as a reporter, his relationship with Lois, and the possibility that Perry knew he's Superman? - Did Preston feel this movie's version of Lex Luthor was authentic to the comics, and what comparisons did Preston make between Lex and real-life people today? - What similar complaint about Lex Luthor in this movie did talk have about the villain in "Fantastic Four: First Steps"? - Did the Geeks like the Justice Gang? - What were the Geeks' favorite things & nitpicks about Krypto the dog? - Were Clark's parents portrayed as "too country" or "bumpkiny," or were they just right? - What did the Geeks feel about the twist with Clark's Kryptonian parents, and what comparisons did Preston make to Omniman from the "Invincible" comics & cartoon? - Was Jimmy Olsen successful as comic relief, or was his treatment of women problematic, or are both true simultaneously? - Does it seem like Eve Teschmacher is in another movie, and is it left too ambiguous whether she was smart all along or only smart when it really mattered? - Was the classic "Superman" theme used the right amount in this movie? - How important was it to the Geeks that this movie is bright & colorful? - How much of a prude is Todd for feeling like there's too much profanity in this movie? - Was this a good start to the DCU, and is James Gunn the right person to be leading the franchise? - And, what direction do the Geeks want the next DCU movies to go next? Listen now for the answers to these and other super questions as we fly high with "Superman." Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. You can leave comments on individual episodes via the Spotify and Goodpods apps. Our e-mail is discerninggeeks@gmail.com. Royalty-free music in this episode comes from Pixabay.com.

    1h 19m

  4. 10/15/2025

    #196 - Movie Review - Fantastic Four: First Steps

    Preston & Todd review one of the most anticipated movies of the 2025 summer season, "Fantastic Four: First Steps." Was F4:FS a hit for dynamic duo of movie reviews? Did they both love it? Did one Geek like it more? Was Galactus done well? Did the Fantastic Four themselves have satisfying family chemistry? Were the visuals amazing? Listen now to find out. You can e-mail us at discerninggeeks@gmail.com. Please review us wherever you listen to podcasts. You can leave reviews or comments on individual episodes via Spotify or the Goodpods app. Royalty-free music used in this episode came from Pixabay.com.

    1h 12m

  5. 09/15/2025

    #195 - 2025 Mid-Year-In-Review - Part 2 - TV Shows

    Todd & Preston conclude their mid-year review focusing on the following TV shows from the 2nd half of 2025.  - 9-1-1  (ABC / Hulu)  - Am I the A-Hole (Smosh YouTube Channel)  - Andor  (Disney+)  - Common Side Effects  (Cartoon Network - Adult Swim)  - Daredevil: Born Again  (Disney+)  - Doc  (Fox / Hulu)  - Doctor Who  (Disney+)  - Ghosts  (CBS / Paramount+)  - Hacks  (HBO / Max)  - Harper’s Island  - High Potential  (ABC / Hulu)  - Ironheart  (Disney+)  - Paradise  (Hulu)  - Pulse  (Netflix)  - Sister Wives  (TLC / Hulu / Max)  - Snowflake Mountain  (Netflix)  - The Last Of Us  (HBO / Max)  - The Pitt  (Max)  - The Residence  (Netflix)  - The Righteous Gemstones  (HBO / Max)  - The Rookie  (ABC / Hulu)  - WWE Listen now to find out which 2025 shows (and a handful of older shows just now seen by one of the Geeks in 2025) were amazing, disappointing, or somewhere in between. Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also leave comments on the Spotify or GoodPods apps. Our e-mail is discerninggeeks@gmail.com. Intro & outro songs for this episode were created by AI at tad.ai.

    1h 31m

  6. 08/18/2025

    #194 - 2025 Mid-Year In Review - Part 1 - Movies

    Join Preston & Todd as they recap the first half of 2025. In Part 1 of this two-parter, they cover movies they've seen from January to June of 2025. Granted, they didn't see a lot of new 2025 movies, so some of their picks are older movies that they just saw for the first time this year. In this episode, the Geeks cover...  - Captain America: Brave New World  - Minecraft  - Thunderbolts*  - In a Violent Nature  - Dark Match  - Mister Majestic  - In the Land of Saints and Sinners  - Absolution  - A Whisker Away  - Zootopia  - Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3 Near the end, Preston gives a shout out to Ozzy Osborne upon the music star's final concert, and the Geeks talk about summer movies they were looking forward to. Full disclosure, this episode was recorded a while back, so it was just a few weeks before Ozzy Osborne passed away and before Preston and/or Todd actually got to see some of the summer movies they talked about here. Stay tuned for Part 2 of this discussion where the Geeks focus on TV shows from the first half of 2025. The episode after that will be a review of "Fantastic Four: First Steps," which Preston & Todd saw together. And, in that same episode, Todd will also have spoiler-free mini-reviews of "Superman" and "Mission Impossible: Final Reckoning." You can send us a message at discerninggeeks@gmail.com or leave a comment on individual episodes at Spotify or the GoodPods app. Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. Royalty-free music used in this episode came from Pixabay.com. And, Todd tried something new with the intro & outro. Custom AI-generated jingles were created for free (trial points), at https://tad.ai/ai-music-generator.

    1h 3m

  7. 07/03/2025

    #193 - TV Review - Batman TAS Episodes "Almost Got 'Im" and "Baby-Doll"

    In this trip back to the 1990s, the Geeks investigate two "Batman: The Animated Series" episodes, "Almost Got 'Im" and "Baby-Doll." These are two episodes chosen by Preston for Todd to sample. - "Almost Got 'Im" is an episode where a handful of Gotham City's biggest villains play poker & reminisce about times that they almost defeated Batman. What did the Geeks think about the villains' elaborate & questionable methods? - Where did the giant penny in the Batcave come from? - What big twists, from both episodes, did the Geeks refrain from completely revealing in their review? - Was a scene between Catwoman and Harley Quinn significant enough that the Bechdel Test would apply, and if so, did the scene pass or fail? - What did Todd think about Baby-Doll, the main villain in the 2nd episode reviewed? - What deeper meanings & social commentary did Preston appreciate and/or relate to, from the "Baby-Doll" episode? - How much, if at all, does Baby-Doll deserve some sympathy, despite her villainous actions? - Was Baby-Doll's plan smart...or not? - And, why did Preston choose these two particular episodes to review? Listen now for the answers to these and other vigilant questions as the Geeks investigate "Batman: The Animated Series." You can send us a message at discerninggeeks@gmail.com or leave a comment on episodes at podcast listening apps like Spotify and GoodPods. Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. Royalty-free music used in this episode came from FreePD.com.

    1h 14m

  8. 06/17/2025

    #192 - Movie Review - Robocop (1987)

    This week, the Geeks review the original 1987 cybernetic law enforcement movie, "Robocop." I'd buy that for a dollar...but, you get to listen for free. - This was one of the picks still remaining from our dearly departed Dave Teague. When asked why he might have chosen this movie for the list, one Geek had an immediate answer. What did he say? - What did the Geeks have to say early in the review about the lack of sexual content in the movie and the questionable depiction of police procedures (or lack thereof)? - Which four G-words were used to describe the tone of the movie? - What were the good & bad aspects of the #Robocop predecessor ED-209 -- including the visual effects & sounds effects used to bring it to life? - What issues did one Geek have with the misguided ED-209 demonstration and the apparent lack of proper testing before such a potentially lethal demo? - How many aspects of the first couple minutes of the movie did one Geek find very distracting? - How much did the Geeks like the Robocop armor, gun, and gadgets? - What are some of the differences between the 1987 original and the 2014 remake. - What did the Geeks feel this franchise asks about humanity and how much of a person's body and/or life experiences need to remain intact for the remnants to still be human? - Preston wondered how well (or not) Todd handled the violence & gore in the movie. Did Todd do okay with it? - How did one Geek find a way of comparing Robocop to westerns? - What nitpick did one Geek have regarding cleanliness vs. dirtiness of Old Detroit? - What did the Geeks feel about the Anne Lewis character, especially her loyalty and role as a sidekick. - How does this movie compare to a Harlan Ellison story, with enough similarities that Ellison sued? And, how did this lead to an obligatory JMS / #Babylon5 reference? - What did one listener have to say, via e-mail, about our political themed episode from November 2024? How many movies & TV shows featured in that episode clearly leaned left, might have leaned right, or seemed to be intentionally ambiguous? - In older feedback, via episode comments that Todd missed earlier, what did one listener have to say about our #Ghostbusters, #Shazam, and #WonderWoman episodes? Listen now to find out the answers to these and other arresting questions as we try to stay on the good side of..."Robocop." You can send an e-mail to discerninggeeks@gmail.com. You can leave a review or comment on individual episodes via the Spotify or GoodPods apps. Please review us wherever you listen to podcasts. Royalty-free music used in this episode came from Pixabay.com and FreePD.com.

    1h 19m
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4.7
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About

Discerning Geeks Portal is a gateway into the exploration of all things geek: Star Wars, Star Trek, Marvel, ‘80s movies, TV, and more. Dave, Todd, Andruw, and Preston, take a discerning look into the world of geek fandom. We care about intriguing storytelling, compelling characters, and thought-provoking themes, but we also love action, special effects, and comedy. We break down the positives, negatives, and mixed feelings about everything we cover. Step through the portal with us for fun and analytical discussions about geek culture, for fans, by fans.

Information

  • Creator
    Discerning Geeks Portal
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    200
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Discerning Geeks Portal
  • Show Website
    Discerning Geeks Portal