Once We Were Spacemen

Episode 12: "Once We Came of Age"

Hosts: Nathan Fillion & Alan Tudyk
Release Date: January 28, 2026

Episode Overview

In this intimate and delightfully offbeat episode, Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk dive into the theme of “coming of age”—but, as always, through their unique blend of sincerity, deadpan humor, and wry self-reflection. They reminisce about improvising as actors, muse on the trials of navigating adulthood (in sometimes hilariously questionable ways), and open up about formative moments in their lives. The episode covers stories of family, first creative experiments, the pain of trying to fit expectations, and lots of laughter—including a darkly comic story about deer hunting and a passionate discussion about, of all things, flashlights.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. On Sarcasm, Texting, and ‘Bright Ideas’

[02:03–06:28] “Bright Ideas” Segment

• Nathan pitches the concept of a punctuation mark to signal sarcasm in text messages: “I think we should start using the upside down question mark to indicate sarcasm.” (Nathan Fillion, 03:10)
• Alan riffs on the idea, joking about rap names and the generational divide: “That’s a Gen X thing. Psych.” (Alan Tudyk, 03:42)
• Alan reflects on how sarcasm in interviews often gets lost in print: “You say something sarcastic and then you see it written in print and you go, oh, no, that’s terrible.” (Alan Tudyk, 04:05)
• Both lament clickbait, internet drama, and the detachment between content and headlines.

2. On Patience and Empathy (Driving Lessons for Life)

[05:08–07:15]

• Alan shares his approach to traffic and frustration: “It’s a great opportunity to practice acceptance. I don’t know anything about the person in front of me...” (Alan Tudyk, 05:28)
• Nathan emphasizes perspective: “Is your time so important that five seconds is going to throw you over the edge here? What’s going on?” (Nathan Fillion, 06:17)
• Lighthearted banter about the social contract of “the wave” when letting someone merge.

3. Creative Spontaneity: The ‘I Wrote That’ Game

[07:23–17:55]

• New segment “I Wrote That” celebrates ad-libs and personal contributions to scripted work.
• Alan recalls improvising with Robin Williams in Patch Adams:
  • “So I guess I…sort of wrote it. I just repeated it. But I changed my line to what the last guy said. And it…really worked. And Robin was like, yeah, keep that. Which is a really good affirmation to get.” (Alan Tudyk, 10:46)
• Nathan talks about the structural rigor of Firefly writing, but takes pride in his improvised “Faster. Faster. Faster would be better.” line in Serenity (11:56).
• Discussion on balancing improv with respect for writers—Alan compares himself to pepper on Thanksgiving dinner: “You prepare this Thanksgiving feast, and I’m going to come in here at the end. It’s a little pepper on it.” (Nathan Fillion, 09:13)
• Alan shares a story from a Frank Oz film about being pushed to improvise more—a moment involving a misplaced watch that ended up in the movie thanks to Oz's encouragement.

4. When Improv Goes Wrong

[15:20–16:21]

• Nathan and Alan discuss the danger of self-indulgent improv: “If it serves the character and it serves the story, it’s great. But it really takes a presence of mind to know when to pull back.” (Nathan Fillion, 15:20)
• Alan vents about an unnamed actor whose constant improvising wasted the production’s time: “It added a couple of weeks to the whole production.” (Alan Tudyk, 16:13)

5. Coming of Age Stories: Alan’s (Darkly Comic) Texas Rite of Passage

[19:04–29:32]

• Alan tells a harrowing, honest, and blackly comedic account of shooting his first deer as a teen in Texas—a story ranging from awkwardness and personal horror to confusion over family traditions and the legalities of hunting.
• Vivid detail, self-deprecation, and emotional reflection:
  • “I was trying to watch the sunrise. I’m an artist. I’m like in Texas. This is like a deep…struggle in my life, like the Texas man thing. But I’m not that at all…” (Alan Tudyk, 23:21)
  • “I killed. I got drunk. I stole. It was this whole day.…And I got home at night, and right before bed, I just threw it all up. Did you know that about me, Nathan?” (Alan Tudyk, 27:53)
• Nathan responds with warmth and empathy:
  • “Thank you for sharing, Alan. This was incredible. It was an incredible truth that you just shared with us. I’m gonna say thank you. There’s no judgment here.” (Nathan Fillion, 29:05)
• Alan’s vulnerability, combined with Nathan’s supportive humor, highlights their chemistry and mutual trust.

6. Nathan’s (Much Softer) Confession: A Love of Flashlights

[29:40–34:11]

• Nathan sheepishly admits: “I collect flashlights. Okay, next part.” (Nathan Fillion, 29:40)
• Shares his childhood origins story—finding a flashlight at Lake Wabamun, the thrill of exploring the dark.
• Alan teases Nathan about the power and number of his flashlights: “For those listening. These things are the kind that…terrorists could use these to take down a plane. That’s the kind of flashlight Nathan has.” (Alan Tudyk, 32:12)
• Humorous dissection of flashlight features, with faux sponsor plugs (“Time for some light on the cob.” – 33:16), playful terminology, and deep-dive into light “throw” and “cob lights.”

7. Full Circle: From Venison to Helicopter-Hunted Deer in New Zealand

[34:11–36:23]

• Alan recounts eating venison in NZ and the waiter’s disturbing assurance: “Yeah, we shot it from a helicopter…their meat tastes sad. But this one we shot from a helicopter…The last moment they have is running free. And then we kill him from the helicopter.” (Alan Tudyk, 35:10)
• Alan’s trauma resurfaces, echoed from earlier childhood experience.

8. The Value of On- and Off-Screen Friendship

[37:20–39:11]

• Both hosts reflect on how rare it is for on-screen partners to connect in real life:
  • “More often than not, they are not [friends].” (Nathan Fillion, 38:19)
  • “And this is one of those times…those guys actually, they are actually friends…It’s satisfying in a small way…” (Nathan Fillion, 38:29)
• Alan quips: “We’re fulfilling people’s hopes for mankind is what you’re saying.” (Alan Tudyk, 38:56)

9. Self-Soothing, Humming, and The Internet’s Amateur Diagnosticians

[39:17–41:49]

• Alan confesses to humming to self-soothe: “It’s a self-soothing thing…a monotonous, monotone long and drawn out hum.” (Alan Tudyk, 39:25)
• Discusses being labeled online as ADD or autistic and Nathan’s advice to ignore online comments: “For the love of God, don’t listen.” (Nathan Fillion, 41:36)

10. Mothers' Influence, Memorable Advice, and Deep Family Bonds

[45:24–51:16]

• Alan credits his mother for launching his acting career: “She put me in Plano Community Theater…kept pushing it…” (Alan Tudyk, 45:52)
• Nathan recalls his mother’s supportive notebook of advice—including: “Be kind to everyone you meet on the way up, because they’re the same people you’ll meet on the way back down.” (Nathan Fillion, 49:05)
• Amusing stories exchanged about their mothers’ wit and razor-sharp humor:
  • “Alan, I didn’t call you illiterate. I said you couldn’t read. I didn’t say illiterate because I didn’t think you’d understand.” (Nathan quoting his mother, 51:30)

11. Comic Climax: Wardrobe Malfunctions & Red Carpet Etiquette

[51:52–53:12]

• Nathan relives a “two snaps and a zipper” struggle, his fly down at a premiere, and being graciously tipped off by a photographer. Alan doubles over in laughter at Nathan’s retelling.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “I once didn’t get a job where they were looking for a Nathan Fillion type.” (Nathan Fillion, 01:07)
• "If I let you in, give a little wave, man." (Nathan Fillion, 06:45)
• “My line. That was my line. That was my line.” (Alan Tudyk, 16:21) — on the joy of having improvised lines survive to the finished film.
• "We're fulfilling people's hopes for mankind." (Alan Tudyk, 38:56)
• "I collect flashlights. Okay, next part." (Nathan Fillion, 29:40)
• "Be kind to everyone you meet on the way up, because they're the same people you will meet on the way back down." (Nathan Fillion, quoting his mother, 49:05)
• “Alan, I didn’t call you illiterate. I said you couldn’t read. I didn’t say illiterate because I didn’t think you’d understand.” (Nathan’s mom via Nathan, 51:30)
• “I'm going to have a studio. I'm going to have a proper audition thing.” (Alan Tudyk, 54:15) — looking forward to the next chapter.

Notable Timestamps

• [02:03] – “Bright Ideas” (Sarcasm punctuation, texting)
• [07:23] – “I Wrote That” (ad-libs, stories from Patch Adams, Firefly)
• [19:04] – Coming of Age: Alan’s deer hunting story
• [29:40] – Nathan’s flashlight obsession revealed
• [34:11] – Alan’s venison-in-New-Zealand/heli-hunting story
• [37:20] – Sincerity: Life & on-screen friendships
• [45:24] – Mother’s influence, advice, and sage wisdom
• [51:52] – Nathan’s red carpet zipper mishap

Final Thoughts

This episode delivers a beautiful mixture of vulnerability, offbeat humor, industry insight, and warm friendship. Whether they’re discussing trauma by way of venison, trading tender family advice, or nerding out about flashlights, Fillion and Tudyk’s chemistry and candor make for a uniquely compelling listen.

For new listeners: This is an episode that beautifully encapsulates the show’s signature blend of playful irreverence, behind-the-scenes storytelling, and genuine heart.