Science Fiction 101

Phil Nichols
  • 4.8 (6)
  • ARTS
  • UPDATED MONTHLY
Science Fiction 101

Exploring science fiction from all angles - covering the past, the present and the future! We cover science fiction books, film, TV and other media. And we talk about classic or "golden age" SF alongside modern SF, using our "past/present/future" angles. Your hosts: Phil Nichols of the Bradburymedia website, who is also know for the Bradbury 100 podcast and the Bradbury 101 Youtube channel; and Colin Kuskie of the Take Me To Your Reader podcast. Both Phil and Colin love adapted science fiction, so you can be sure we'll always be talking about film versions of books.

  1. Reviewing the Hugo Short Stories (episode 55)

    3D AGO

    Reviewing the Hugo Short Stories (episode 55)

    Every year, we review the short stories shortlisted for the famous Hugo Awards. It's our way of keep abreast of trends in the field of science fiction without having to read a ton of longer works! All of the shortlisted stories are available online for free - for links to all of them, checkout the shownotes: https://101sf.blogspot.com/2025/06/reviewing-hugo-short-stories-episode-55.html So why not take a look at the stories for yourself, and see if you agree with Colin's and Phil's assessment? Also in the episode we have our usual features: a quiz (about SF movies), and our recommendations of past/present/future science fiction.

    1h 4m
  2. It Came From Outer Space! (Episode 54)

    MAY 15

    It Came From Outer Space! (Episode 54)

    Sometimes the podstreams just cross, and this episode is a prime example. When Colin suggested reviewing It Came From Outer Space, the classic 1953 science fiction movie created by Ray Bradbury, it was right up Phil's alley - and so this episode is also going out (slightly modified) as part of his Bradbury 100 pod! The discussion ranges from Bradbury's contribution to the screenplay to the quality of the 3D, and takes in your humble hosts' views on whether or not screen creatures should be revealed or concealed. For more information, check out the show notes at: https://101sf.blogspot.com/2025/05/it-came-from-outer-space-episode-54.html

    1h 2m
  3. Go with the Flow (episode 53)

    APR 16

    Go with the Flow (episode 53)

    Flow (2024) is an extraordinary film - Latvia's most successul of all time, and winner of the Oscar for Best Animated Film. Colin and Phil discuss whether it counts as science fiction (of course it does!), and what makes this delightful movie tick. If you haven't seen the film, we think we give you enough of flavour of it for the discussion to make sense, and hopefully to inspire you to watch it. We also have a cat/SF quiz, and our traditional round-up of recommendations of past/present/future science fiction. Find the full show notes on our website: https://101sf.blogspot.com/2025/04/go-with-flow-episode-53.html

    55 min
  4. Mind The Gap, Professor Quatermass! (episode 52)

    MAR 20

    Mind The Gap, Professor Quatermass! (episode 52)

    Discovery of a buried skull turns a London building site into a palaeontological dig. Until, in a geological layer that's five million years old, a bomb is found. Send for Professor Quatermass! Quatermass and the Pit (1967) - aka Five Million Years to Earth in the US (1968) - is the best and most successful of the British science-fiction horror film series, based in turn on a TV series from a decade before. Colin and Phil examine it from all angles to see what makes it tick. We also have a fiendish Q-uiz, and our usual round up of past, present and future SF recommendations. For more information, check out the show notes at: https://101sf.blogspot.com/2025/03/mind-gap-professor-quatermass-episode-52.html

    1h 6m
  5. Cracking Sci-Fi! (episode 51)

    FEB 11

    Cracking Sci-Fi! (episode 51)

    We once claimedTintin: Destination Moon was science fiction, because an animated white dog accompanied an animated human to the moon on a rocketship. Now we outrageously extend the concept as we explore the sci-fi worlds of another animated dog/human partnership: Wallace & Gromit! If you've been living in another solar system these past thirty-six years, you may not be aware of these plasticine pals, but it's our job to bring you up to date as we examine the SF chops of every one of the Wallace and Gromit movies, coming bang up to date with the Oscar-nominated recent releaseVengeance Most Fowl. For more information on everything covered in this episode, head to the shownotes on our blog:https://101sf.blogspot.com/2025/02/cracking-sci-fi-episode-51-of-podcast.html

    1h 6m
  6. Analog Solutions (episode 50)

    JAN 9

    Analog Solutions (episode 50)

    It's another one of our (made-up) time-honored traditions: reviewing a current science fiction magazine. We usually do this once a year, to keep on top of current SF trends - and also to compare & contrast current magazines with the SF magazines of the past. Last time, we went back 50 years to review ANALOG. This time, we're bang up-to-date (almost) with a very recent issue of the same magazine. Analog is the longest-continuously-running SF magazine, having been around under various titles since the 1930s! What will make of Analog's longstanding reputation for "hard SF" ? How does the magazine stack up against its wholly online competitors such as Clarkesworld and Uncanny? How does it stack up against its former self? No quiz this time, but we finish off with our usual round-up of recommendations of past/present/future science fiction. For full shownotes, check out our blog at: 101sf.blogspot.com

    1h 21m
  7. In Days of Old (episode 49)

    12/06/2024

    In Days of Old (episode 49)

    In time-honored tradition, for our December episode we go hurtling back in time to review a science fiction magazine from the past. Get your flares, platform shoes and ghettoblasters ready as we head back to...November 1974. We're picking on Analog magazine, just because we've never reviewed it before. And it's only the longest-continuously-running SF magazine in existence. It started in 1930 as Astounding Stories, was renamed Analog in the 1960s, and continues under that name to this day. As we join it in 1974, it's in the early years of the editorship of Ben Bova, and is beginning to modernise. If you'd like to browse through the issue with us, you can download it as a PDF from this link. And don't forget the shownotes, which you can find at 101sf.blogspot.com

    1h 23m
  8. Uniquely Portable Magic (episode 48)

    11/08/2024

    Uniquely Portable Magic (episode 48)

    It occurred to us that although we have discussed many specific books on the show, we've never devoted an episode to the idea of the book - those papery, texty things that Stephen King has described as "uniquely portable magic". So in this episode, we address the various ways in which books can be enjoyed and consumed, and discuss ten (or eleven) questions on the subject of books. We also have a book-adjacent quiz, and our usual round up of recommendations of past, present and future SF. For links and shownotes, check out our web page: https://101sf.blogspot.com/2024/11/uniquely-portable-magic-episode-48.html

    57 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Exploring science fiction from all angles - covering the past, the present and the future! We cover science fiction books, film, TV and other media. And we talk about classic or "golden age" SF alongside modern SF, using our "past/present/future" angles. Your hosts: Phil Nichols of the Bradburymedia website, who is also know for the Bradbury 100 podcast and the Bradbury 101 Youtube channel; and Colin Kuskie of the Take Me To Your Reader podcast. Both Phil and Colin love adapted science fiction, so you can be sure we'll always be talking about film versions of books.

Information

  • Creator
    Phil Nichols
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2025
  • Episodes
    55
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Phil Nichols
  • Show Website
    Science Fiction 101

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