THE SCI-FI PODCAST EP 17: Family Friendly Aliens

TSFP Family Friendly Aliens ETWelcome to The SciFi Podcasta wretched hive of scum and villainy a podcast focused on in-depth discussion of all things Science Fiction. The SciFi Podcast features three hosts—Mattroid, Solo, and Station!—and frequent guests. Each episode we look at a science fiction theme or franchise and take the discussion where no show has gone before.

On this episode of The SciFi Podcast, we welcome back SpaceWolf for another discussion of aliens, but we’ve traded in chest-bursters and face-grabbers for magical, heart-warming moments. That’s right, it’s out Family Friendly Aliens show!

Theme music courtesy of I Hear Sirens, featuring Matt on bass and Liz on keyboard. Hear more of I Hear Sirens ethereal, instrumental, post-rock at BandCamp. Podcast production and art by SpaceWolf who can be found podcasting at Movie Stream Cast and Horror Movie Podcast. You can also follow him on Twitter @IcarusArts.

TSFP Family Friendly Aliens

BEST AND WORST FAMILY FRIENDLY ALIEN MOVIES

STATION!
1. Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey (1989)
2. My Stepmother Is An Alien (1988)
3. Mars Attacks! (1996)
Worst: Anything animated

SOLO
1. E.T. (1982)
2. Galaxy Quest (1999)
3. Iron Giant (1999)
Worst: Mac & Me, Transformers, Aliens in the Attack

MATTROID
1. E.T. (1982)
2. Iron Giant (1999)
3. Flight of the Navigator (1986)
Worst: Transformers 2, Coneheads

SPACEWOLF
1. E.T. (1982
2. Return of the Jedi (1983)
3. Iron Giant (1999)
Worst: Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull

TSFP Solo Family
The family in question. Leia leaves the family dog out … as usual.

20 thoughts on “THE SCI-FI PODCAST EP 17: Family Friendly Aliens

  1. I revisited Flight of the Navigator and Starman this week with my kids, thanks to this podcast, and either could have knocked Iron Giant off my list at number three. They’re just so nostalgic for me.

    I also revisited Explorers and had the opposite experience. That alien stuff almost makes the rest of the movie unwatchable for me now. My kids didn’t get it at all. I did spot a lot of moments that must have inspired Super 8, however.

    BTW, if Super 8 was less scary, it would be a contender for my number three spot as well.

        • Sorry this is a few weeks too late I got a little behind in listening. Joe Dante was the director of Explorers. It came out in 1985 and was his next film after Gremlins. Joe Johnston didn’t make his directorial debut until “Honey, I Shrunk The Kids” in 1989.

          • Doh!

            You’re right, and I knew that. I’m sure everyone else did too. Dante’s TZ: The Movie chapter is my favorite. He’s awesome. Haven’t seen his last one about the hole, but I want to.

  2. Twelve minutes in and I’m already feeling heartbroken. Mattroid hating on Ferengi makes for a sad me. I love Quark. Like…I would literally watch an entire series where it’s nothing but scenes with Quark. Not only is he the most entertaining aspect of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, but he may even be in my top 3 for favorite characters ever in Star Trek.

  3. Did anyone think about “The Abyss” and where it falls on the spectrum? It may be about aliens that plan on destroying the planet but the actual threat throughout the film is us as human beings and our destructive nature. It’s not a film aimed at children but the aliens aren’t frightening… not as much as a Navy SEAL with a warhead and a mental disorder.

  4. To me the Abyss would be on the very edge, if considered in this spectrum at all. It’s a beautiful movie, and it is certainly among the great scifi films, but it’s more “cautionary tale” to me than anything else.

    It’s there with “The Day the Earth Stood Still,” and other such movies.

  5. Just listening to this at work & felt the need to point out that there’s no aliens in A.I. – they’re evolved robots. It says so in the film. Anyway interesting discussion.

  6. Pingback: Horror Movie Podcast Ep. 097: Horror Movies for Little Monsters |

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *