We join a group of northeastern GWCers to watch Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen in Times Square then talk through the movie with their able help! Highlights: We enjoy the film’s awesome action, tear up at Prime’s dedication and sacrifice, discuss the Matrix of Leadership’s important role in the new film, wish for a ‘Bee of our very own, and wonder what’s next for the Transformers franchise. (And much, much more. Seriously! Our IQs rise 50 points when we’re backed up by awesome listeners live. Check it out for yourself!)

 GWC Podcast #172: Transformers 2 (Live Studio Audience) [116:48m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

We catch up with the 2007 live-action Transformers movie in preparation for this week’s Transformers 2 premiere! Highlights: we discuss the movie’s awesome soundtrack, point out the movie’s awesome demostrations of the practical aspects of transforming, discover just how cool a homie Bumblebee can be, learn that Chuck is sadly underinformed re: Australia, note that Sam’s mom seems to really have it together, again almost lose it watching S7 bastards torture Bumblebee, enjoy the movie’s Heartbreak Ridge moment, and talk Unicron poo. Don’t miss our NYC meetup and live-audience podcast next weekend!

 GWC Podcast #171: Transformers (2007) [119:48m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Up this week: The 1986 Transformers animated movie. Features: We discuss the movie’s unique soundtrack, note the underwater Heavy Metal tribute, guess what Transformer mall stores might be like, love on Grimlock, mourn the loss of Optimus Prime, enjoy the rise of Rodimus Prime, tear into what it takes to be a real leader (and how incredible it is to see a show explain this to kids without being preachy), greatly respect Unicron’s awesome voice, talk true loss and what it means to really lose Transformers characters, and hear a listener’s update on Smurf sex.

 GWC Podcast #170: Transformers The Movie (1986) [127:00m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Today we finish up our Transformers primer, heading into the 1986 movie next. Highlights: we discuss new-Transformer acting prowess, place GoBots and RoboTech (including one special crossover) in context, wonder about Daniel’s mother, point out that Transformers do age, get into Arcee and Elita One specifics (and lack of Madonna cones), talk Transformer sex (yes, it happens) and (technical) Disney bestiality,  and catch up on Mass Effect news (a new trailer and iPhone app).

 Standard Podcast [124:06m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Join us as we (well, mostly Sean) offer some insight into what makes Transformers a great source of sci-fi stories. Highlights (brought to you this week by Audra): We discuss some of the origins of the Autobots and Decepticons and why they become vehilces/dinosaurs/animals, talk loyalty and what it means in the Transformers universe, explore what it might be like to live on the all-robot Cybertron, get into some specifics about Optimus Prime, Megatron, Starscream, Bumblebee, and Arcee, hear what Sean really thinks about Inspector Gadget’s Penny, take a few last-minute Trek/Terminator calls, and explore tribble sex.

 GWC Podcast #168: Transformers Primer, Part I [133:07m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This week we take on the the Terminator Salvation premiere. Highlights: We wonder if there isn’t any way to save humanity beyond simply protecting John Connor, question the inevitabiliy of Skynet’s evil, ask whether sentience by definition might include “feelings,” enjoy large-scale robot destruction, wonder why non-skinned terminators have teeth, and suggest in injection of techno music might perk the movie up. Up next week: The start of our Transformers primer arc — perfect for getting you ready to enjoy Fallen!

 GWC Podcast #167: Terminator Salvation [122:16m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Besides getting back in the Terminator mood (just in time for next week’s new movie release!) we take a few Trek calls to wrap up the arc. (Look for our Trek bonus call show soon.) Highlights: we tackle the Terminator Salvation trailer’s take on what it means to be human, discuss various modes of time travel and how they affect characters in sci-fi stories, wonder if previous Terminators lack personality (and if dogs can sense this as well as the smell of metal), bash on Bazooka Joe gum, re-visit bras-in-space, address the Enterprise built in Iowa canyon and why Nero is bent on revenge issues, hear Chuck’s objection (as an Eve miner) to Trek’s portrayal of space miners, and discuss the new Mass Effect 2 E3 preview trailer.

 GWC Podcast #166: Leadup To Terminator Salvation [126:55m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Trek XI opens and we’re there! Highlights: we enjoy the sports-jerseyesque new TOS uniforms, discuss the effect of alternate timelines on continuity, explore Trek XI’s new and unusual character relationships, dig into Uhura’s job description, and… hell, I’d love to tell you more, but I don’t want 5,000 “why did you spoil me” emails. Bottom line: we had a great time at the movie and really enjoyed this podcast. We hope you do, too. If you’d like to talk live with the GWC crew for the Trek wrap-up call show, give us a call at 214-296-9229 x701 and let us know what specifically you’d like to discuss!

 GWC Podcast #165: Trek XI [123:55m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

In our penultimate Trek movie arc podcast we leap into Nemesis and get ready for next week’s Trek XI premiere! Highlights: we note the seeming popularity of Betazoid weddings (and Picard’s joy in attending one), enjoy Nemesis’ disco-friendly patent leather villian suit, discuss the strategy of firing weapons while cloaked, hear Sean’s description of Reman knives (he owns a couple), suggest there might be better tools for blood testing, recommend solid doors for villains wishing to hide their medical secrets, love the Scimitar’s cool visual design, try to remember if we’ve ever heard about Romulan money, kid about the videogame-y re-mastered HD TOS Enterprise, talk Corbomite Maneuver (read: BS ‘em all!) and Ron Howard’s Trek-prolific brother, and look very, very forward to next week’s premiere!

 GWC Podcast #164: Star Trek X: Nemesis [108:28m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Up this week: Insurrection! Highlights: we search our memories for non-crapbag Trek admirals (and speculate on how Starfleet’s admiral training assures such uniform crapbagdom), hear Audra’s boob report (featuring Anij’s dunk in the lake, Crusher and Troi’s discussion, and Data’s mimic), wonder what else happened during Picard and Anij’s time-stop date, note LeVar’s awesomely-expressive eyes (and wonder why writers didn’t direct the Enterprise to the Baku back in, say, TNG season three or so), wonder what secret messages might be encoded in @BrentSpiner’s Tweets, discover the best way to shave, and detail Audra’s argument with Mark Sheppard regarding Icheb’s father’s dick-ness.

 GWC Podcast #163: Star Trek IX: Insurrection [131:09m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

We’re in the end run of our Trek arc leading up to the new movie! Highlights: we note the fact that LeVar Burton seems to get more buff as he ages, debate the hotness (and moistness) of the Borg Queen, discuss Picards newer, kinder way of jacking mercilessly with the timeline, wonder what happens when the Borg add the distinctiveness of lazy-asses to their own, suggest that maybe Lily should’ve landed a little more credit for actually building humanity’s first warp ship, and call Sean’s father for some midnight Trek advice.

 GWC Podcast #162: Star Trek VIII: First Contact [126:47m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Up this week: The last TOS Trek film! Highlights: We discuss the TOS crew’s hard-earned open-mindedness and Kirk’s well-chosen words of diplomacy, note Valeris’ magic pole, wonder if Klingons really expect so little of their freighter captains, ponder the difficulty of getting old and accepting change, suggest that maybe Col. West’s presentation might’ve carried more weight if it wasn’t on a large pad, and generally get a huge kick out of the ultimate handoff from TOS — traveling into the undiscovered country and playing such an important role in creating the TNG-forward universe.

 Standard Podcast [132:51m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download