Introducing Once We Were Spacemen

Summary

Once We Were Spacemen

Podcast: Once We Were Spacemen
Hosts: Nathan Fillion & Alan Tudyk
Episode: Introducing Once We Were Spacemen
Date: November 4, 2025

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Episode Overview

This inaugural episode of "Once We Were Spacemen" serves as a spirited introduction to Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk’s new podcast venture. The two beloved actors, known for their camaraderie in Firefly, reintroduce themselves not as spacemen, but as podcast hosts eager to share stories with their creative friends—and their audience. Through playful banter, nostalgic stories, and a preview of the conversations yet to come, they set the stage for a weekly show focused on reminiscing about past roles, navigating creative careers, and celebrating the ever-evolving journeys of fellow artists.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Origin Story: From Firefly to Podcasting

• The hosts reflect on their friendship, which began when they were cast in Firefly 25 years ago.
  • Nathan Fillion (00:17): "A quarter of a century ago, we were cast in a little show called Firefly, and that's how we became friends."
  • Alan Tudyk (00:22): "It's also how we started going to sci fi conventions, jabbering on to audiences about not just the show, but...our friendship."
• The conventions revealed their dynamic as a duo—“very entertaining,” at least according to them (00:29).

2. The Podcast’s Mission: Opening the Creative Vaults

• The podcast will feature long-time friends and creative collaborators.
• Aim: To explore both “who they once were and who they are now” through the stories of guests.
  • Alan Tudyk (00:26): "We'll talk about who they once were."
  • Nathan Fillion (00:54): "How do you stay relevant? What is the key?"

3. Preview of Guest Conversations

The hosts sprinkle in humorous and authentic soundbites from upcoming episodes:

• Reflections on career challenges and industry realities.
  • Unidentified Female Speaker 1 (00:57): "When they put us on Friday nights at 8, they gave us our time slot. And I remember being like, it's a kiss of death, guys. See ya."
  • Unidentified Male Speaker 2 (01:03): "Because of all that Star Wars shit we did, we got to spend a lot of time with George."
  • Alan Tudyk (01:07): "George Lucas."
  • Unidentified Male Speaker 2 (01:08): "Yeah, George Lucas."
  • Alan Tudyk (01:09): "I was slopping burritos and serving you black beans. Not good Mexican food. Pretty solidly bad."
  • Nathan Fillion (01:17): "Great margaritas, mediocre burritos, and super bitter Juilliard waiters."
• Guests recount quirky personal histories:
  • Unidentified Female Speaker 3 (01:29): "I was doing, like, these crazy stunt shows, wearing rubber hot pants and a silver corset as I kept the world safe from evil."
  • Unidentified Male Speaker 2 (01:39): "I was one of, like, five Jewish kids at the school. I was the only one in the school named Seth. And I was one of the few people that wanted to, like, sing and dance and put on a show..."

4. Real Talk About Creative Careers

• The hosts and their guests discuss what it takes to keep working and why relevance isn’t necessarily the goal.
  • Nathan Fillion (00:54): "How do you stay relevant? What is the key?"
  • Unidentified Female Speaker 3 (01:57): "I don't worry about staying relevant. I worry about working."
  • Nathan Fillion (02:00): "Oh, my God, I've been doing it wrong."
  • Unidentified Female Speaker 1 (02:03): [on not booking a job] "I'm a little sad about it. And my son says, I'm sorry you didn't book that job, mama, but to be fair, you haven't booked a lot of jobs."

5. Signature Humor and Self-Deprecation

• Tudyk and Fillion joke about their “types”:
  • Alan Tudyk (02:16): "I tend to play weird people, usually aliens and robots and things that don't have romance. Like, not a lot of sex on camera."
  • Nathan Fillion (02:26): "So if you want to be moderately—"
  • Alan Tudyk (02:28): "Entertained, then let us entertain you."

6. How to Listen and Get Involved

• Release schedule and early access through Patreon, with additional bonus content and a quirky “quarterly contest.”
  • Nathan Fillion (02:32): "Tune in for new episodes every Wednesday, starting November 5th. And if you want to binge a few episodes right out of the gate, we get it. We're really fun."
  • Alan Tudyk (02:43): "Subscribe to our Patreon page Once We Were Spacemen to get immediate access to our first two episodes right now, before the first episode even drops in our feed."
  • Nathan Fillion (02:56): "You'll also get ongoing access to bonus content. We'll even drop you into a quarterly contest for some highly valuable crap right from our very own homes."
  • Alan Tudyk (03:05): "Autographed Highly valuable crap from our autographed homes. Just last weekend, I gave away a rat trap that I didn't use. Sign that bastard."

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Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• Alan Tudyk, opening the show (00:00): "Once we were Spacemen Spacemen, spacemen."
• Nathan Fillion (00:29): "And what we discover during those cons is that we are very entertaining. At least we think so."
• Nathan Fillion (02:00): "Oh, my God, I've been doing it wrong." (responding wryly to a guest’s work philosophy)
• Nathan Fillion (02:56): "We'll even drop you into a quarterly contest for some highly valuable crap right from our very own homes."
• Alan Tudyk (03:05): "Autographed Highly valuable crap from our autographed homes. Just last weekend, I gave away a rat trap that I didn't use. Sign that bastard."

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Key Timestamps

• 00:00–00:35: Playful opening; hosts introduce themselves and the origin of their friendship
• 00:46–01:52: Samples from upcoming guest conversations; glimpses into diverse creative journeys
• 01:54–02:16: Philosophies on staying relevant and handling setbacks
• 02:26–03:05: Signature irreverent humor; details about Patreon, bonus content, and giveaways

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Tone and Style

The episode is light-hearted, self-aware, and peppered with the playful, nerdy humor that Fillion and Tudyk are renowned for. They present the show as an inclusive, behind-the-scenes look at creative careers, promising both laughter and sincerity in their quest to understand—and share—what it means to be a creative professional in constant evolution.

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Summary Takeaway

Fans of Firefly, genre TV, or just witty podcast banter will find much to enjoy in "Once We Were Spacemen." This enthusiastic introduction promises a personable blend of career nostalgia, creative exploration, and unfiltered anecdotes, all delivered by two friends who truly love making each other (and us) laugh.

Transcript

[Alan Tudyk]

Once we were Spacemen Spacemen, spacemen.

[Nathan Fillion]

Hi, I'm Nathan Fillion. I'm probably a pretty big guiltier mom.

[Alan Tudyk]

And I'm Alan Tudyk, a Juilliard trained actor with a long resume of robot roles.

[Nathan Fillion]

A quarter of a century ago, we were cast in a little show called Firefly, and that's how we became friends.

[Alan Tudyk]

It's also how we started going to sci fi conventions, jabbering on to audiences about not just the show, but. But our friendship.

[Nathan Fillion]

And what we discover during those cons is that we are very entertaining. At least we think so.

[Alan Tudyk]

Well, sci fi fans do, and people who go to cons do. And if you're like, ah, I never make it to comic cons, now you can hear Nathan and I shoot the breeze on our new podcast, Once We Were Spacemen.

[Nathan Fillion]

Spaceman, spaceman, Spacemen. We're gonna lock down memory lane. With longtime friends, fellow actors, we'll take a peek into the creative minds that bring you your favorite stories.

[Unidentified Female Speaker 1]

When they put us on Friday nights at 8, they gave us our time slot. And I remember being like, it's a kiss of death, guys. See ya.

[Unidentified Male Speaker 2]

Because of all that Star wars shit we did, we got to spend a lot of time with George.

[Alan Tudyk]

George Lucas.

[Unidentified Male Speaker 2]

Yeah, George Lucas.

[Alan Tudyk]

I was slopping burritos and serving you black beans. Not good Mexican food. Pretty solidly bad.

[Nathan Fillion]

Great margaritas, mediocre burritos, and super bitter Juilliard waiters.

[Unidentified Female Speaker 1]

Wow.

[Alan Tudyk]

We'll talk about who they once were.

[Unidentified Female Speaker 3]

I was doing, like, these crazy stunt shows, wearing rubber hot pants and a silver corset as I kept the world safe from evil.

[Unidentified Male Speaker 2]

I was one of, like, five Jewish kids at the school. I was the only one in the school named Seth. And I was one of the few people that wanted to, like, sing and dance and put on a show and.

[Alan Tudyk]

Who they are now.

[Nathan Fillion]

How do you stay relevant? What is the key?

[Unidentified Female Speaker 3]

I don't worry about staying relevant. I worry about working.

[Nathan Fillion]

Oh, my God, I've been doing it wrong.

[Unidentified Female Speaker 1]

I found out that somebody else booked that job, and I'm a little sad about it. And my son says, I'm sorry you didn't book that job, mama, but to be fair, you haven't booked a lot of jobs.

[Nathan Fillion]

And I go, thanks, but they still can't shake.

[Alan Tudyk]

I tend to play weird people, usually aliens and robots and things that don't have romance. Like, not a lot of sex on camera.

[Nathan Fillion]

So if you want to be moderately.

[Alan Tudyk]

Entertained, then let us entertain you.

[Nathan Fillion]

Tune in for new episodes every Wednesday, starting November 5th November 5th that soon? And if you want to binge a few episodes right out of the gate, we get it. We're really fun.

[Alan Tudyk]

Subscribe to our Patreon page Once We Were Spacemen to get immediate access to our first two episodes right now, before the first episode even drops in our feed.

[Nathan Fillion]

You'll also get ongoing access to bonus content. We'll even drop you into a quarterly contest for some highly valuable crap right from our very own homes.

[Alan Tudyk]

Autographed Highly valuable crap from our autographed homes. Just last weekend, I gave away a rat trap that I didn't use. Sign that bastard.

[Nathan Fillion]

Follow Once We Were Spacemen on Patreon, Apple podcast, podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your mom gets her podcasts.