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?
Before Mulder and Scully, before Doctor Who, before Carl Kolchak, there was Professor Bernard Quatermass, scientist! The protagonist of several popular British TV series and movies, Quatermass defended the Earth from all sorts of cataclysmic threats. In this episode, we talk about Quatermass and the Pit, the movie version of a story that starts with stunning discoveries made while extending the London Underground. What are all these weird hominid skeletons? And what is this other thing…whatever it is…in the middle of them? How might this overturn our understanding of humanity’s past, and even worse, how might it threaten our future?
Tom has been a fan of Quatermass and the Pit (titled Five Million Years To Earth in the United States) ever since he saw it as a teenager. Steven had never seen it before, but is a big fan of British science fiction. We have a nice chat over tea about our reactions to the film, an overview of the Quatermass series, and the important place in British science fiction and horror of Nigel Kneale, the creator of Quatermass.
Strange happenings at Hobs End! Alleged Nazi hoaxes! Inexplicable objects! Genetic flashbacks! Psychic powers! Haunted basements! Myths and legends! Jumping! Leaping! 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]. You can also find us on Facebook, Reddit, and Bluesky. Check out the Ancient Geeks blog on Substack, where we post daily. 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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