Ancient Geeks
Ancient Geeks
Podcast Description
Two old geeks talk about being young geeks, at a turning point in popular culture. In the 60s, 70s, and 80s, the threads of modern geek culture emerged and wove together. Science fiction, fantasy, comics, movies, TV shows, tabletop games, computer games, ad all their incarnations. The great SF&F writers, Star Trek, Star Wars, monster movies, D&D, Doctor Who, the Marvel and DC superheroes, 2001, Planet of the Apes, conventions, Zork, Ultima...What was it like to experience these for the first time? Why did we love them? And how do we feel about them, decades later?
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast focuses on the evolution of geek culture from the 60s to the 80s, covering topics such as iconic sci-fi and fantasy literature, groundbreaking TV shows, classic movies, and the rise of tabletop and computer games. Specific episode examples include discussions on the impact of Star Wars on film, the legacy of Dungeons & Dragons, and the significance of Superman's cultural presence, aiming to connect historical context with personal anecdotes.
Two old geeks talk about being young geeks, at a turning point in popular culture. In the 60s, 70s, and 80s, the threads of modern geek culture emerged and wove together. Science fiction, fantasy, comics, movies, TV shows, tabletop games, computer games, ad all their incarnations. The great SF&F writers, Star Trek, Star Wars, monster movies, D&D, Doctor Who, the Marvel and DC superheroes, 2001, Planet of the Apes, conventions, Zork, Ultima…What was it like to experience these for the first time? Why did we love them? And how do we feel about them, decades later?
During the 1970s, a lot of people were deeply interested in all the weird things that might be out there. Bigfoot, UFOs, the Loch Ness Monster, UFOs, ghosts, ESP, ancient astronauts, the Bermuda Triangle, demonic possession…All of these bits of weirdness, and more, filled the movie and TV screens, magazines, and books. And our younger selves weren’t immune to a fascination with the unknown.
To help us unpack the weird 70s, we have guests! Blake Smith and Karen Stollznow are the hosts of MonsterTalk, a podcast that takes a scientific look at monsters and other weirdness. They lead through a fun exploration of what made the 1970s a decade full of weirdness, and how the weird 1970s are still relevant today.
Ancient Geeks is a podcast about two geeks of a certain age re-visiting their youth. We were there when things like science fiction, fantasy, Tolkien, Star Trek, Star Wars, D&D, Marvel and DC comics, Doctor Who, and many, many other threads of modern geek culture were still on the fringes of culture. We were geeks before it was chic!
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© 2025 Tom Grant and Steven Taylor
Disclaimer
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