Podcast
The Incomparable Mothership
Hosted by Jason Snell · EN
The Incomparable Mothership is the flagship of the Incomparable podcast network. It’s all about geeky media we love, including movies, books, TV, and more, featuring a rotating panel of guests and hosted by Jason Snell and friends.
42episodes
Episodes
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822: Jacket Into Cyberspace
6d ago01:19:56Tap to summarizeWilliam Gibson Book Club reconvenes to close out the legendary Sprawl trilogy with “Mona Lisa Overdrive,” a book in which there are lots of vibes from a lot of people who are secondary characters in a story being driven by an AI that we never really meet. Robot art projects! Many overlapping jackets, none of them the same size! And a car ride to… the future?! We break it all down. "Mona Lisa Overdrive" Jason Snell with Antony Johnston, Erika Ensign, Lisa Schmeiser and Glenn Fleishman Referenced Works Mona Lisa Overdrive [Amazon] [Apple] Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.
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821: Historic Parking Garage
2w ago01:28:25Tap to summarizeGet behind your typewriters! Old Movie Club follows the money to discuss 1976’s “All The President’s Men,” in which the power of dogged reportage and journalistic freedom triumphs over the banality of evil. "All the President's Men" Jason Snell with Philip Michaels, Shelly Brisbin, Micheline Maynard, Steven Schapansky, Dr. Drang and Jean MacDonald Referenced Works All the President's Men Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.
Transcribe →820: I Can Read It!
3w ago01:09:59Tap to summarizeOur survey of award-nominated novels rolls on with “The Buffalo Hunter Hunter,” “When We Were Real,” and “Sour Cherry.” Not gonna lie: we’re struggling with the reading a bit this year. But at least one of these novels threw us a lifeline. 2026 Awards Book Club, part 2 Jason Snell with Scott McNulty, Erika Ensign, Aleen Simms, Heather Berberet and Paul Weimer Referenced Works The Buffalo Hunter Hunter [Amazon] [Apple] When We Were Real [Amazon] [Apple] Sour Cherry [Amazon] [Apple] Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.
Transcribe →819: All the Babus Frik
4w ago01:20:17Tap to summarizeWe went out to the movies to see “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” the first “Star Wars” film this decade. We had a really good time, thanks in large part to the charisma of many different puppets. (This is “Star Wars,” after all.) We aren’t without our criticisms—Is there ever really any danger? What is Sigourney Weaver doing?—but all in all, this film filled a Star Wars-shaped hole in our hearts. "The Mandalorian and Grogu" Jason Snell with Erika Ensign, Steven Schapansky, Helene Wecker, Moisés Chiullán, Dan Moren and Brian Warren Referenced Works Star Wars (franchise) The Mandalorian and Grogu Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.
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818: Ferris is Magic
May 2201:19:48Tap to summarizeLet’s travel 40 years back in time, to Chicago in 1986, where on one legendary day, a high school student named Ferris Bueller bends time and space, all in service of cheering up his best friend. We break down what makes “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” still work after all these years. "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" Jason Snell with Cicero Holmes, Quinn Rose, Deborah Stanish, Erika Ensign and John Siracusa Referenced Works Ferris Bueller's Day Off Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.
Transcribe →817: A Found Family of Monsters
May 1501:15:07Tap to summarizeAwards Book Club reconvenes for 2026, as we discuss Nebula-nominated novels “Katabasis” by R.F. Kuang, “Wearing the Lion” by John Wiswell, and “Death of the Author” by Nnedi Okorafor. The mood of the panel is… cautious. Also: What else are we reading? 2026 Awards Book Club, Part 1 Jason Snell with Aleen Simms, Erika Ensign, Heather Berberet, Scott McNulty and Paul Weimer Referenced Works Katabasis [Amazon] [Apple] Death of the Author [Amazon] [Apple] Wearing the Lion [Amazon] [Apple] Show Notes & Links Next Awards Book Club: “When We Were Real” by Daryl Gregory, “The Buffalo Hunter Hunter” by Stephen Graham Jones, and “Sour Cherry” by Natalia Theodoridou. What are we reading? Paul: The Fall of Egypt and the Rise of Rome by Guy de la Bedoyere Aleen: The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez Heather: Kushiel’s Dart by Jacqueline Carey Erika: Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher Scott: Outlaw Planet by M.R. Carey Jason: Children of Strife by Adrian Tchaikovsky, In the Blink of an Eye by Jo Callaghan, and Guilty by Definition by Susie Dent. Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.
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816: Fascism for Algernon
May 801:27:18Tap to summarizePut on your eye phones and jack in to the cyberscape! Rocket Surgery comes for 1996’s cyberpunk epic “Lawnmower Man 2.” (Don’t worry if you haven’t seen the original “Lawnmower Man,” half of us didn’t either.) Matt Frewer is Max Headrooming it up! A bunch of urchins populate a rainy L.A. that’s straight out of “Blade Runner,” but, you know—cheaper. There’s a brilliant doctor in charge of virtual-reality research, and also there’s Jennifer! And everything in the future is hackable! Rocket Surgery: "Lawnmower Man 2" Jason Snell with Monty Ashley, Tony Sindelar and Annette Wierstra Referenced Works Lawnmower Man 2 Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.
Transcribe →815: I Guess I Gotta Kill All These Klan Guys
May 101:12:54Tap to summarizeNot now, Klansmen, I’m killing vampires! “Sinners” got nominated for all the awards, and it’s also a vampire (with a hint of zombie?) movie. We love it when genre movies get attention, and Ryan Coogler keeps putting out bangers, so we’re all in on the story of magical music opening the door to eldrich horror—oh, and also it’s the deep south in the 1930s so there’s some horrendous racism too! "Sinners" Jason Snell with Moisés Chiullán, Brian Hamilton, Monty Ashley, Tony Sindelar and Steve Lutz Referenced Works Sinners Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.
Transcribe →814: Demons are People Too
Apr 2401:07:57Tap to summarizeA special Book Club panel provides an overview of Lois McMaster Bujold’s excellent Penric & Desdemona series of fantasy novellas (plus one novel). This series gives its characters time to learn, grow, and age. It’s got some perspectives you don’t see very often in fantasy fiction. We love it and think you will, too. Penric & Desdemona Jason Snell with Aleen Simms, Erika Ensign, Kat Benesh and Dan Moren Referenced Works Penric and Desdemona series Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.
Transcribe →813: Spiritual Sequel
Apr 1701:23:53Tap to summarizeWe complete our run through blades with “Blade Runner 2049,” a late sequel in which Ryan Gosling plays a replicant detective searching for an explosive secret that could change everything… and is unsurprisingly tied to characters from “Blade Runner.” We discuss why a replicant might need a holographic girlfriend, Jared Leto’s eyes, and once again, if Deckard is a replicant or not and why that really doesn’t matter. "Blade Runner 2049" Jason Snell with John Siracusa, Erika Ensign, Dan Moren and Monty Ashley Referenced Works Blade Runner 2049 Show Notes & Links Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.
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