Once We Were Spacemen – Episode 11: “Once We Were Low Huggers” with Seth Green

Release Date: January 21, 2026
Hosts: Nathan Fillion & Alan Tudyk
Guest: Seth Green

Episode Overview

In this lively, heartfelt episode, Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk are joined by actor, voice artist, and creator Seth Green (“Robot Chicken,” “Austin Powers,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”). The conversation centers on the unlikely journey from outsider to icon, creative collaboration, and the significance of connection—in both personal friendships and creative projects. The hosts and Seth riff about the evolution of entertainment, memorable nerd moments (including working with George Lucas), the making of “Robot Chicken,” balancing artistic risk with parental responsibility, and the realities of sustaining relationships and career in Hollywood.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Entertainment for Short Attention Spans & the Rise of “Robot Chicken”

• Seth acknowledges the influence of “Robot Chicken” on a generation’s attention span, owning both the pride and concern.
  • “We saw it happen... we're really abbreviating the attention span of an entire generation of people. This is maybe a bad idea.” (Seth, 00:06)
• Nathan draws a line to TikTok and modern “scroll culture.”
  • “That became the future of entertainment.” (Nathan, 00:24)
  • “Look at TikTok.” (Seth, 00:25)
• The trio jokes about “Ow, my balls!” and reality TV’s lowest common denominators.
  • “There’s always going to be an audience for ‘Ow, my balls.’” (Seth, 00:29)

2. 'Spacemen' & Low Huggers: On Friendship & First Impressions

• The hosts lavish poetic praise on Seth’s ability to “low hug”—to be sincerely affectionate and present.
  • “He will hug you, and he will make a connection with you... He'll put his head on your chest and listen to your heart.” (Alan/Nathan, 02:51–03:19)
• Alan reflects: “He’s a peaceful person… He has a very big idea of the world and humanity, a connection.” (Alan, 03:27)

3. Iconic Encounters & Nerd Heaven

• Seth shares a cherished story about meeting Matt Groening at a Comic-Con panel:
  • “So we come back in and Kevin... goes, ‘What's in these?’ And Matt opens it up and it's all these portraits... I go, can I have the Homer? And he goes, yeah, yeah. And then he looked at us and he goes, anytime, guys. Anytime.” (Seth, 04:23–06:16)
• The group reminisces on “The Simpsons” cultural dominance and presidential commentary.
• Nostalgic TV moments and mutual awe for each other's accomplishments.

4. Paths Crossing: The Unlikeliness (and Inevitability) of Friendship

• Nathan details his earliest impression of Seth at a party, seeing him “holding court”—amazement at his relaxed confidence.
  • “This guy's ultra cool and he's totally confident and chill and he's just, he's so cool… here we are.” (Nathan, 10:19)
• Seth flips the perspective, seeing their meeting as inevitable:
  • “Every time I met anybody else who needed it the same way, I was like, I'm in the right place... that's the thing. Nathan, you look at our connection and say how unlikely. And I say, how inevitable.” (Seth, 11:11–12:24)

5. Early Ambition & the Perils of Success

• Seth delves into his journey from Philadelphia to LA, starting young, dealing with self-doubt, and the constant need for creative risk and reinvention.
  • “You see such little reassurance that any of that is replicatable… It's easy to get full of your own disbelief.” (Seth, 12:49)
  • “There have always been little bits of reassurance of like, oh, it’s working.” (Seth, 13:10)
• Transition into “Buffy” and sudden “big break” moments; the perils of early fame.
  • “I like to think that I was kind and respectful... but I know that there were plenty where I failed. And I've only gotten to learn from those experiences on other people's time.” (Seth, 14:16)

6. Moments of Validation and 'Making It'

• Seth shuns the idea of having ever “made it.”
  • “There's never an I made it. Nathan, I'm from New York, dude.” (Seth, 17:44)
• He references Dax Shepard on the feeling of being “invited”—the perpetual sense of imposter syndrome and gratitude.
  • “I never feel like, oh, I made it. But every time I get invited, I'm like, oh, they invited me.” (Seth, 18:07)
• Alan agrees: “I think from the outside looking towards somebody, it looks differently than as you experience it.” (Alan, 19:06)

7. Creative Collaboration, “Robot Chicken,” and Working with George Lucas

• The stars align behind “Robot Chicken’s” success, the pressure of running a writers’ room, and the shifting nature of humor and audience.
  • “Time spent with you, I feel like I'm in a writer's room. People are pitching bits the whole time...” (Nathan, 20:52)
• Seth recalls the genesis of collaborating with Lucasfilm, and his surreal, hard-won rapport with George Lucas:
  • “We got to spend a lot of time with George [Lucas]… Not just the volume of time, but the type of time we got to spend with him, because we were writing with him over like a four year period.” (Seth, 26:16)
  • On midichlorians: “If the force is a thing that you can tap into, like any kind of energy, like Tesla, you need to test the coil. And some people’s coils are better than others.” (Seth, 27:18)
• The iconic “Emperor phone call” sketch and its aftermath:
  • “Matt and I got a phone call and it said like Lucasfilm on the caller id. And we were just like, oh my God. Oh, no.” (Seth, 36:13)
  • “They wanted us to fly up to the Presidio and take a meeting with all their brass because they were trying to figure out what they were doing with Star Wars…” (Seth, 36:52)
  • “Matt said, what if we did a half hour of Robot Chicken that was all Star Wars? And they were like, oh, interesting. Interesting.” (Seth, 37:49)

8. Workplace Joy & Keeping the Creative Spirit

• Nathan shares an inside peek at the “Robot Chicken” studio culture—full of Nerf gun wars and childlike joy.
  • “Building like a tree house fort in the middle… There was a bazooka you had.” (Nathan, 40:06–40:53)
  • “I warn anybody that engages in those battles. I'm exclusively headshots.” (Seth, 41:22)

9. Parenthood, Youth, and Artistic Evolution

• Alan asks how becoming a parent has shifted Seth’s artistic priorities.
  • “I'm definitely conscious of what I put in front of the kid, you know, and I remember the rate at which I learned some of these ideas.” (Seth, 43:37)
• They discuss the impact of age and self-knowledge on marriage, family, and work.
  • “Because we're older now, it makes us feel like we're more capable of being the kind of parents that we want to be.” (Seth, 46:04)
• They all agree on the value of marrying well and mutual respect in relationships.
  • “What is, what's key to a good marriage?” (Nathan, 47:19)
  • “Respect.” (Alan, 47:24)
  • “Yeah, it really is like mutual respect.” (Seth, 47:25)

10. On Conventions, Curtain Calls, and Connection with Fans

• Warm reflections on the comic con world as a “troop” or a traveling show, and reframing cons as a curtain call—a moment for performers and fans alike.
  • “It's a fun thing for the performers, for anybody that's there signing whatever... it has the opportunity to feel like a troop, like a troupe that is rolling into town and putting on a show.” (Seth, 52:36)
  • “So that's when somebody said that the cons are like a curtain call. It really hit me that you get to have an individual experience with some of these people in a way that they're willing to… pay for that. They need to make an appointment for that. They want that. They have to tell you. And so, like, I'm there for it.” (Seth, 55:04)
  • “You give a lot.” (Nathan, 56:35)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the attention span of a generation:
  “We saw it happen... we're really abbreviating the attention span of an entire generation of people. This is maybe a bad idea.” — Seth Green (00:06)

• On friendship and creative life:
  “Nathan, you look at our connection and say how unlikely. And I say, how inevitable.” — Seth Green (12:24)

• On long careers in entertainment:
  “There's never an I made it... every time I get invited, I'm like, oh, they invited me.” — Seth Green (17:44, 18:07)

• On meeting George Lucas and Star Wars nerdom:
  “So, I was like, okay, first one. First one. First one... And then I didn't even, like, say anything to him until after the movie, after the reception...” — Seth Green recounting the cautious approach to Lucas (30:03–32:20)

• On “Robot Chicken” and the joy of creation:
  “It’s like putting on a play in your parents' basement then winning the Tony for talking.” — Seth Green (39:08)

• On cons as “curtain calls”:
  “He said, that's not for you. That's for them... The least you can do is stand there and take it.” — Seth Green, quoting Dan Florek (55:04)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 00:06 – The “Robot Chicken” effect on attention spans
• 02:46 – The ‘Low Hugger’ introduction of Seth Green
• 04:23–06:16 – Seth’s Comic Con / Matt Groening story
• 10:19–12:24 – Early LA days and “inevitable” friendships
• 17:44–18:07 – Insights about “making it” in showbiz
• 20:51 – On being a “Yes, and” guy and creative energy
• 26:16–34:30 – Nerd moments: The George Lucas connection and archive stories
• 36:13–37:49 – The “Emperor phone call” sketch and Lucasfilm partnership
• 40:06–41:22 – Robot Chicken studio Nerf wars
• 43:37 – Parenthood and artistic growth
• 47:19–49:27 – Advice (and humility) about marriage and relationships
• 52:36–55:04 – Comic cons, gratitude, and the art of the curtain call

Final Thoughts

• The episode is a tapestry of comedy, nostalgia, vulnerability, and Hollywood war stories—a celebration of creative kinship, the unpredictability of the entertainment world, and the enduring friendships that grow along the way.
• Seth’s humility, wisdom, and “inevitable” optimism radiate throughout, lending playful gravitas to the conversation.
• The chemistry between all three is palpable; they punctuate deep subjects with jokes, impersonations, and plenty of mutual admiration.

For anyone who has ever been awed by “Robot Chicken,” wondered what it’s like to befriend George Lucas, or tried (and failed) to articulate “making it” in Hollywood—this episode is for you.