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?
Put on your polyester shirts and bellbottom jeans, because it’s time for Steven and Tom to journey back to the 1970s, when superhero TV shows were popular. You’d think that we would have been excited to see our beloved comic book characters translated to the small screen…But the results were mixed, at best. Wonder Woman, The Incredible Hulk, Spider-Man, Captain America, The Six Million Dollar Man, and even Doctor Strange — they’re all here, kinda sorta.
See the world’s greatest superheroes sandwiched into the TV tropes of the 1970s! Gasp at the avocado carpets and gold wallpaper! Be amazed at the extremely sub-par writing and acting! Thrill at all the vans! (So many vans…)
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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