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?
Ever wonder how we went from the swinging Sixties and Seventies to the brutal oppression of apes over humans? Conquest of the Planet of the Apes tells that story. The child of Cornelius and Zira, whom we saw as a newborn in the last movie, is now all grown up now. He doesn’t like what he sees, in a world where apes are enslaved, humans are decadent, the architecture is brutal, and turtlenecks are all the rage. As you might expect from the title, the status quo is about to endure a hammer blow!
Plus, since this movie was filmed in part on the campus of our alma mater, we have a lot to say about the Southern California locations where this was filmed. Was this the first dystopia set in a suburb? If so, where are all the fast food restaurants?
Heavy-handed allegory! Animal cruelty! Animals who get cruel right back at the humans! Ape disobedience statistics! Shopping malls! Hordes of apes in jumpsuits left over from a lousy TV show! Retcons of the history of the future! The third role for the producer’s wife! It’s all here.
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 popular culture. We were geeks before it was chic!
For feedback, contact [email protected]. Check out the Ancient Geeks blog on Substack, where we post daily. You can also find us on Facebook, Reddit, and Bluesky. And if you like what you hear, please tell a friend. Also, we always appreciate a review on the podcast platform of your choice.
© 2026 Tom Grant and Steven Taylor
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