Special Edition Podcast
Show Notes
It’s the ninth annual iFanboy All-Media Year End Round-Up! Conor Kilpatrick, Josh Flanagan, and special guest Mike Romo discuss some of what they enjoyed in media in 2014. Movies, television, podcasts, books, video games, and comics–it’s all here!
Running Time: 02:49:39
Movies:
00:03:35 – The Theory of Everything
00:05:48 – Life Itself
00:09:31 – Birdman (or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
00:13:37 – Gone Girl
00:18:03 – Begin Again
00:21:30 – Snowpiercer
00:24:45 – Edge of Tomorrow / Live Die Repeat
00:28:34 – Fury
00:32:20 – Interstellar
00:36:43 – The LEGO Movie
00:42:13 – Boyhood
00:46:39 – Guardians of the Galaxy
00:49:22 – Captain America: The Winter Soldier
00:52:04 – Jodorowsky’s Dune
00:55:29 – The Grand Budapest Hotel
Television:
00:59:46 – The Good Wife
01:02:10 – Boardwalk Empire
01:05:55 – Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
01:08:30 – The Mindy Project
01:09:46 – True Detective
01:14:40 – Homeland
01:17:49 – The Newsroom
01:19:49 – Silicon Valley
01:23:06 – The Affair
01:28:02 – Sherlock
01:29:57 – Fargo
01:32:29 – The Flash
01:36:23 – Arrow
01:38:10 – Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Sonic Highways
01:41:09 – 24: Live Another Day
Video Games:
01:44:43 – World of WarCraft
01:48:04 – Hearthstone
01:49:42 – Diablo III
01:51:46 – FTL: Faster Than Light
01:53:15 – Nightmare Tower
Books:
01:54:27 – “The Martian” by Andy Weir
01:56:46 – The Gentlemen Bastard Series (“The Lies of Locke Lamorra,” “Red Seas Under Red Skies,” “The Republic of Thieves”) by Scott Lynch
01:58:39 – “The Art of Fielding” by Chad Harbach
01:59:39 – “So, Anyway…” by John Cleese
02:01:52 – “Unbroken” by Laura Hillenbrand
02:03:33 – The Expanse Series (“Leviathan Wakes,” “Caliban’s War,” “Abaddon’s Gate”) by James S.A. Corey
02:07:02 – “Double Cross” by Ben MacIntyre
Podcasts:
02:08:49 – The Instance / Angry Chicken / The Diablo Show
02:11:07 – Tom vs. The JLA
02:12:12 – The Business
02:13:46 – The Treatment
02:14:35 – In Our Time
02:15:34 – HDTV and Home Theater Podcast
02:18:54 – Serial
Comics:
02:23:58 – Batman
02:24:57 – Lazarus
02:26:13 – Moon Knight
02:27:46 – Silver Surfer
02:29:40 – Sex
02:31:01 – The Royals: Masters of War
02:32:13 – Thor: God of Thunder
02:33:48 – Birthright
02:35:04 – Astro City
02:36:31 – Velvet
02:37:40 – Saga
02:38:56 – Minimum Wage
02:40:28 – Black Science
02:41:44 – She-Hulk
02:43:19 – Wonder Woman
Music:
“We Wish You a Merry Christmas”
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NO mention of THE BEST show on TV this year… HANNIBAL? SADLIFE.
Atleast Fargo got in there.
Because Fargo was the best show on TV this year.
I really enjoy HANNIBAL but I’m not sure I’d put it in my top 15. (Assuming I had all 15 slots in the TV section to myself.)
Hannibal is awesome although I’m still not 100% sure what I witnessed in the finale.
I agree @Monty. Fargo is really great but they have a blue print to work from. Hannibal is on another planet.
And Hannibal doesn’t? There are reams of novels and movies.
@jaflanagan Ha! Yes. I meant stylistically. Fargo feels and looks like the movie to me. Hannibal, other than the characters and the basic story, doesn’t exist in the same world as the movies and novels (in my mind). I love Fargo though. A lot. The cast was out of this world and Billy Bob deserves a dump truck filled with awards.
One of the Best TV shows–Colbert Report
One of the Best movies–Nightcrawler
Always look forward to this ep every year! BTW, did any of you revisit Constantine after the pilot?
I’ve watched every episode and it’s gotten a lot better since the fairly terrible pilot. It has a bit of an early X-Files feel to it.
Still, it’s the weakest of all the comic book shows on the air right now.
I’ve watched every episode and given the subject matter of Constantine the show should be exciting but it is just so dull. Early X-Files feel? Maybe since the first season of X-Files was real rocky but season 1 of the X-Files survived on Mulder and Skully. Constantine and Zip(?!) are no Mulder and Skully.
Zed.
Great episode guys, and thanks to all for another great year of podcasts…mostly.
I found Fargo so depressing. The crimes which drove its plots were cruel and ugly, like when a man is murdered while he’s screwing a woman so his dead body lies on top of her. It made my skin crawl. I also take issue with the show’s portrayal of the people of Bemidji. It’s insulting how everyone in the place looks like an idiot. There is never any doubt that characters like Bill the Chief of Police, Don Chumph the personal trainer, or Sam Hess’ sons will be out-smarted. I saw many episodes, but when one bumbling character shot another accidentally (in a fog like in that Christopher Nolan movie “Insomnia”) I said goodbye to this brutish program.
Merry Christmas and THANK YOU iFanboy.
Maggie and Gus were so good though!
I don’t like bleak stuff, and I didn’t find it bleak at all. But hey, we’ve all got our things.
Great show, what’s your thoughts on The Knick? I just feel having shows like Fargo, The Knick, Game of Thrones raising the bar, we can see that kind of quality in a show based on a comic book. I just can´t take Flash and Agents of shield serious, even the music is superfluous.
Happy new year to everybody
Not every show needs to be some ground breaking thing. Flash and AOS are fun shows that are really enjoyable. I think the quality of those shows are just fine.
I saw 2-3 episodes of the Knick, and would like to see more. I liked it a heck of a lot. I just ran out of space.
I think using quality and Arrow in the same sentence is reaching a bit.
Hey if the show entertains you fine- but it is so filled with forced angst in Every scene it is impossible to not be so aware of every action and syllable – I am not given a moment to suspend disbelief.
Flash I think is for whatever reason is allowed to have more than one dimension to it.
I am enjoying it. They seem to be wanting to take risks- albeit small one in their story telling here.
That being said the whole we can’t tell Iris tension is pretty trite and the last episode with a CW style
“I don’t think we should see each other for awhile” came out of nowhere and was just sloppy.
Surprised there wasn’t an imagine dragons song to play out the scene and highlight everyone’s pain.
@IronyJohn Who said anything about Arrow?
I have to mention the absolutely marvelous finales of both the Colbert report and the late show with Craig Ferguson.Craig had all kinds of geeky, tangentially related comic book stuff on his show, but it was always done in a goofy way-I’ll never forget the time Jeffery Tambour dressing up as Batgirl to do a sketch with Craig Ferguson’s Jessica Fletcher-if only because I think it melted Paul’s brain a bit/
Conor (or Josh, though I don’t think that street procedurals are you kind of thing) do you CBS’s elementary-I like that better than the BBC’s Sherlock as a take on Sherlock Holmes Watson, and it has a pretty good supporting cast as well.
Do either of you wwatch Broolkyn 99? because that show is terrifically funny, and every minute member of the cast manages to be funny in a different way.
My favorite TV series of the year has to be final season of Nickelodeon’s Legend of Korra, which may be the best superhero story (over the last she especially) I’ve had the pleasure of watching, and at least to me the universe teams with every bit of the potential of the Star Wars universe and franchise, maybe even more so
COLBERT’s finale was excellent. I’m sorry to say that I missed Ferguson’s because I was traveling and forgot to record it. But then, I had fallen off the show since he brought in Geoff.
I’m a big fan of ELEMENTARY. Josh would hate it.
I quite like BROOKLYN 9-9. It keeps skirting towards the cusp of greatness.
I really loved AVATAR but have only watched a few episodes of KORRA. I haven’t really gotten into it so far.
The Colbert finale was the business.
If you get the chance, watch the Criag finale, especially the close, it’s the kind of ending that people like you, with long histories and appreciation of television would especially find charming. The whole episode solid but that end bit is a great final note to go out on
I agree that Brooklyn 99 isn’t great yet, but it’s close, and while I like all the cast, seeing Andre Brougher get to cut loose is special joy (especially for the likes of the two of us, who have fond remembrances of his Homicide days)
If you’re having trouble with getting into Korra, I can absolutely understand why,.In my estimation, it takes until midway through book 2 to really find its feet, and direction that it would carry for the rest of the series.
I hink if you really want to cut to the quick, starting with book 3 might be the way to go, because Book 3 and four make a really nice pairing, and sort to build off each other in interesting way, and there is plenty of information in book 3 and for that reference the important happenings in the previous two books. That might get you hooked, and I think it’s worth it.
I’m way into music and music production and watching creative people work so I have to back Josh’s opinion on Sonic Highways. Some episodes are better than others (Chicago and DC were probably the best) but seeing these studios and the history of the music of the cities is real interesting. Ian Mackaye, Steve Albini, Don Zientara, the dudes with the studios in the desert in LA and Seattle were all compelling. It’s also obvious that Butch Vig is talented as hell.
My only complaint is that the Foo Fighters music isn’t really as interesting as the show but oh well.
I thought LA was really good, for some reason. It wasn’t really about LA as it was the desert though. That DC show was excellent.
DC show was awesome. Dischord was basically the soundtrack to my late teens and early 20s. I loved Minor Threat and early DC Hardcore but then Fugazi, Jawbox, Shudder to Think, Lungfish, Hoover…the list goes on.
I’m definitely planning on checking Sonic Highways out. The music documentary angle is right in my wheelhouse.
I want to watch Fargo after your praise now. Your opinions have rarely let me down!
But i’ve never seen the movie. Should i watch that in order to enjoy the show or should i just dive into the show?
Thanks for all the good shows you did this year and I hope this never becomes a burden to you
Happy holidays to you and yours
Great show guys, due to school and life in general, I’ve been missing out on the podcasts–and sadly comics–the past few months, but I’ve binged a little recently and it’s great to hear your opinions on everything; this is the BEST comics/pop-culture podcast around, keep up the fantastic work.
My two cents: I LOVED Birdman, couldn’t agree more with your assessments, it’s easily my favorite film of the year so far. Did any of you see Foxcatcher? It was also a very good film, creepy and uneasy feeling throughout, and wonderful work from all the actors involved, definitely check it out.
Dudes. Fargo. Nothing more needs to be said, it was superb. As a huge Boardwalk fan, I was happy to see the show end well, it has been one of my favorite things the past 5 years, stellar series. True Detective was amazing, very few shows can achieve the level of popularity while executing such a interesting, artistic, and unabashedly nihilistic, yet conflicted exploration of human nature. I was stoked to see Silicon Valley got a 2nd season, hopefully more people have realized how rad that show is, and it garners the attention it deserves the year.
Comics related, I guess I need to go grab Birthright 🙂 I personally loved Deadly Class, Southern Bastards, The Fade Out, Lazarus, Wicked and Divine, Afterlife/ Sabrina, and BPRD just to name a few. What an absolutely fantastic year for comics in general, too much good stuff to read it all.
Thanks again for all your hard work, “see” you guys after the break.
Oh yeah I almost forgot, if you guys haven’t checked it out, you should watch Peaky Blinders. It’s a British TV series about an early 20th century English gang called the Peaky Blinders, and it’s awesome. Starring Cillian Murphy and Sam Neil, historical crime fiction to scratch your Boardwalk Empire itch, with a similar production value.
Woo boy THE IMITATION GAME. Wow, was that good.
Shocked you didn’t mention The Blacklist, that to me is the best network show. Red Reddington is basically John Constantine. Great show
Season 1 was good..Spader in all his glory. Season 2 a mess, I cut bait.
@JewishMarksman: While I haven’t stopped watching because I love Spader so much, I agree that season 2 was not nearly as interesting or as good as season 1.
Espionage/intrigue stories implode when the audience has no hint of why a) the Big Secret(s) takes too long to reveal, or b) the Big Secret(s) is just a never-ending Russian Matryoshka doll, or c) the stakes the Big Secret(s) represents aren’t very high.
Compare BL to X-files and the problems with X-files are obvious.
Orphan Black is well executed with amazing performances from the actors, although the writers seem to have painted themselves into a corner and it will be interesting to see how season 3 goes.
Looking at the rundown… I can’t really imagine you guys sitting down watching The Good Wife. Especially not over Hannibal.
Hope y’all are having a good holiday season, though.
Guys I just wanted to say thanks again for another great year. I have been listening for about 2 years and I went back and listened to most of hte old POTW podcasts as well.
I hope you never decide to stop! Keep it up and thank you.
Please consider making the all media show more frequently (2-4 times a year?).
Wow, Homeland and the Newsroom? Those shows were so bad in 2013 I ditched them and never regretted it. Reviews have been dismal, citing several particularly … questionable decisions.
Also Connor, iFanboy is new media #JustSayin
I always enjoy these episodes. Well done, gentlemen.
Loved the show.
I appreciate the suggestion of Hearthstone.
I’m looking for other games that play well on my iPad. I’m not much of a gamer so any input is good. Looking for something engaging but not a thumb masher.
Any thoughts? Thx
I’ve been obsessed with MONUMENT VALLEY on my iPhone. There’s an iPad version too. It’s definitely engaging and not at all a thumb masher, more a clever puzzle game that make your brain think in multiple dimensions.
thanks!!!
So I got to this a little late this year. Just listened to the show this morning. Agree with almost all of your choices, great year for media! The only real hole I see on here is the lack of Whiplash. After Birdman and Boyhood, Whiplash was my third favorite film of the year. And while I liked all the other films you listed Whiplash honestly blew them all away.
The one thing I have to question is your assessment of the ending of Birdman. FOR ANYONE WHO HASN’T SEEN BIRDMAN MAJOR SPOILERS TO FOLLOW!!!!!
Michael Keaton didn’t commit suicide at the end. It appears that he does and when Emma Stone runs to the window she initially looks down and look confused because her father’s splattered body isn’t there. Also there is no screaming from traumatized bystanders that would most certainly be there on a crowded NYC street. She then looks up into the sky and a huge grin breaks out on her face because her father is finally using his powers. The powers that seemed potentially in Keaton’s head throughout the film turn out to be real. And I think this is also the real message of the film. It’s not a film about acting, (I mean sure on a surface level it is) it’s a film about authenticity. The final shot lets us know that Keaton had powers all along but refused to use them publicly because he considered that pandering or cheap or selling out. He wanted to be judged on his own merits not on some spectacle. That’s the metaphor of the Birdman franchise. Even though comic films are great and they make huge amounts of money, there is still a ceiling above which they cannot ascend in the cannon of film because they are big and spectacular and over the top. Many “real critics” (like the one in the film) look at the drama in comic book movies as cheap or artificially heightened because of the spectacle. So because of that Keaton refuse to use his powers. Until the end. Because he has achieved legitimacy on his own terms. The play he wrote and loved and acted in and cherished is enthusiastically received by critics and the audience alike. He no longer has to be afraid to embrace the spectacle. He can use his powers. Its the same reason Jennifer Lawrence can be in X-Men and Hunger Games and still win Oscars and be considered a great actress thanks to David O. Russell. I’m sure it’s something every actor struggles with. The big franchise paycheck vs. “serious filmmaking.” One pays and the other gets you professional respect (though these aren’t always necessarily mutual exclusive). By the end Keaton has finally gotten to a place where he has both and can just be himself. I’m honestly not sure how you can interpret the end as suicide and still like the film at all. If he had killed himself it would have stolen all the emotional resonance from the preceding two hours.
Birdman was by far my favorite film of the year and probably my favorite film of the past several years.It was the kind of film that was all risk. There wasn’t going to be a middle ground. This was either going to be a masterpiece or a complete failure and for Inarritu and the actors and crew to trust each other enough to take this risk is a beautiful thing.
Oh! Also curious what some of your favorite albums of the year were? I just realized there was no music on here.
There’s a reason we didn’t cover music…
And that is…