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Highlighting Fanbase Press’ Most Popular Podcast Episodes for 2020

As the end of 2020 draws near, we at Fanbase Press want to thank the talented and hard-working individuals who host, edit, and create the various podcasts available as part of the Fanbase Press Podcast Network. Running the gamut from humorous and snarky to serious and sincere, the podcasts hosted at Fanbase Press celebrate fandoms in their own unique fashion. Below, readers will find the Fanbase Press podcast episodes that were most popular with our fans and listeners over the course of 2020.

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The Fanbase Weekly

When it comes to Fanbase Press’ flagship podcast, The Fanbase Weekly, co-hosts Barbra Dillon, Bryant Dillon, Claire Thorne, and Drew Siragusa are joined by an assortment of special guests from across the pop culture spectrum to discuss the top geek stories of the week! The three most popular episodes of the year can be found below.

1. Episode #128 – The Fanbase Weekly

The co-hosts welcome guests Margaret Dunlap (Writer – The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries) and David Avallone (Director/Writer – Dynamite’s Bettie Page & Elvira: Mistress of the Dark) to discuss the latest geek news stories of the week, including the rumor that Daredevil may join Spider-Man 3, the popularity of Netflix’s BEASTARS series, what we learned from the early release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and how to safely support your local comic book shops.

2. Episode #138 – The Fanbase Weekly

The co-hosts welcome guests Tasha Huo (writer – Immortal Studios’ The Adept) and Clay Adams (writer – FRIED Comics’ Deadskins) to discuss the latest geek news stories of the week, including honoring the passing of director Joel Schumacher, Michael Keaton’s possible return as Batman, the widespread allegations of sexual harassment and abuse in the gaming and comics industries, and how Jurassic Park‘s Barbasol can is still making waves today.

3. Episode #135 – The Fanbase Weekly

The co-hosts welcomes guest Don Aguillo (In Hiatus Studios, cover artist – The Sequels) to discuss the latest geek news stories of the week, including the release of the “Snyder Cut” of Justice League, whether NASA actually found a parallel universe, why Instagram may provide new potential for comics, and our weekly trailer roundup with Tenet and The Old Guard.

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Fanbase Features

As a special feature of The Fanbase Weekly podcast, the Fanbase Feature focuses on and celebrates a specific element of geek culture in the form of long-form interviews, panel discussions, and more! The three most popular Fanbase Feature episodes of the year can be found below.

1. Fanbase Feature: STAR WARS and Us

In this Fanbase Feature, Fanbase Press co-founders Barbra and Bryant Dillon chat about their personal feelings and relationships with the Star Wars franchise, their favorite characters and why they connect with them, their favorites stories in the Star Wars mythology, as well as their assessments of the current Star Wars fandom and more.

2. Fanbase Feature: Panel Discussion on BIRDS OF PREY AND THE FANTABULOUS EMANCIPATION OF ONE HARLEY QUINN (2020)

In this Fanbase Feature, the Fanbase Press staff and special guests Steven Alloway (Fanbase Press Contributor) and Susan Lee (Founder of the Women on the Dark Side Film Festival, creator of Wraith of Love) participate in a thorough discussion regarding the recently released feature film, Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn (2020), with topics including actress Margot Robbie’s performance as Harley Quinn, the representation of misogyny in the film, the cause of the poor opening weekend box office, and more!

3. Fanbase Feature: 20th Anniversary Retrospective on MEMENTO (2000)

In this Fanbase Feature, the Fanbase Press staff and special guest Jay Sherer (co-author of Timeslingers, co-host of The Story Geeks podcast) participate in a thorough retrospective discussion regarding Memento (2000) in light of the film’s 20th anniversary, with topics including the movie’s theme of self-deception, its depiction of anterograde amnesia, how it relates to today’s post-truth political climate, and more.

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Tread Perilously

Tread Perilously is a podcast in which hosts Erik Amaya (Editor-in-Chief of Comicon.com) and author Justin Robinson (City of Devils, Wolfman Confidential) watch the “worst” episodes of popular TV shows, attempting to determine if they would continue to watch the series based on the most off-key moments. TV shows regularly tread upon include Doctor Who, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and 7th Heaven.  From family dramas to well-loved, but brief, sci-fi series, each hour-long episode examines how a show sustains itself even in its worst moments. The three most popular episodes of the year can be found below.

1. Tread Perilously – ‘GREY’S ANATOMY: My Favorite Mistake’

Tread Perilously celebrates television powerhouse Shonda Rhimes with Shondjuary — four weeks of her longest-running shows! First up: Grey’s Anatomy and an episode called “My Favorite Mistake.”

2. Tread Perilously – ‘LEXX: White Trash’

Tread Perilously concludes “People on Ships” sci-fi month with a trip to Lexx and the episode called “White Trash.”

3. Tread Perilously – ‘SCANDAL: Say Hellos to My Little Friend’

Tread Perilously‘s Shonduary continues with a trip to Scandal and the episode called “Say Hello to My Little Friend.”

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The Arkham Sessions

Since early 2014, Dr. Drea Letamendi and Brian Ward have revisited Batman: The Animated Series through the analytical eyes of a clinical psychologist. Heralded as one of the greatest storytelling vehicles of all time, the television show’s tone, subject matter, and depth in storytelling and character development are exemplary and undergo the psychological analysis it deserves in The Arkham Sessions. Each week, the co-hosts watch the series, in production order, with a keen eye toward revealing the very real psychology behind its characters and then put Batman and his “Rogues Gallery” on the couch for a fun, insightful weekly session. In the past year, The Arkham Sessions has focused on content beyond Batman: The Animated Series, including the television show, Doom Patrol.  The three most popular episodes of the year can be found below.

1. The Arkham Sessions, Ep. 138: ‘DOOM PATROL – Puppet Patrol’

The Doom Patrol team travels to Paraguay in search of the Chief and encounter the infamous lab created by Heinrich von Fuchs–which is now a spa-like center where super-human “upgrades” are made. Visiting such a place gives the characters some insight about their own histories and the aspects of themselves that they must face head on. For Larry (Negative Man), he realizes he cannot change his sexual orientation to match the sociocultural pressures of the early 1960s. Meanwhile, Rita reveals that maintaining her “screen perfect” body requires a lot of work — similar to individuals with disordered eating, Rita fixates on repetitive behaviors and holds unrealistic ideals about her physical appearance. A common theme throughout this episode is the concept of human control–what are things about ourselves that we can change, and how do we manage the experiences of helplessness, disappointment, or feeling stuck when we can’t change the things we want to?

2. The Arkham Sessions, Ep. 140: ‘DOOM PATROL – Paw Patrol’

Could it get any weirder? Add a little dark humor, several talking animals, and time travel, and you’ll get this bizarre episode of Doom Patrol.

Our dark heroes are struggling to save the world, now that the apocalypse they were warned about begins to emerge as a real threat. One by one, people are turning to ash and disappearing. Still determined to protect “the boy” who has caused such mayhem, the team takes on compassionate roles as caregivers and defenders. Rita takes a very personal interest in the young man, while Cyborg, as righteous as ever, refuses to let harm come to him, despite knowing that if he is destroyed, the apocalypse is prevented and all living creatures are safe once again.

3. The Arkham Sessions, Ep. 139: ‘DOOM PATROL – Cult Patrol’

Inter-dimensional portals. A battle with an army made of unsent letters. A singing horse head. Cyborg’s inflated ego. Our examination of the show, Doom Patrol, moves forward with one of the oddest episodes yet! Brimming with strong references and connections to the printed comic, “Cult Patrol” introduces us to a new threat: The Cult of the Unwritten Book. Back at Doom Manor, the frazzled team of anti-heroes gear up to defend the universe (and its 37 known dimensions, according to Cyborg) from an imminent apocalypse arriving in the form of a disillusioned teen. They quite literally need to prevent the world from ending. As the risk heightens, each character exemplifies realistic ways of dealing with intense loss and trauma ranging from self-preservation, narcissistic authoritarianism, escaping/avoiding, and giving up. The group struggles to stay on the same page, but they’re falling apart. Is Rita correct in saying that the world is a “beautiful, horrible place” worth saving? It’s not as good as Dexter, but we have a great time discussing it anyway!

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Paul and Corey Cross the Streams

Paul and Corey Cross the Streams is a bi-monthly podcast in which hosts Paul Pakler and Corey Pepper (previous co-hosts of the Quality Times with Family Ties podcast) watch and review streaming content – so you don’t have to! The three most popular episodes of 2020 can be found below.

1. Paul and Corey Cross the Streams: Season 2, Episode 9 [Subtitles! – Y TU MAMÁ TAMBIÉN (2001)]

This month’s theme is Subtitles! Any film not in English qualifies, and Corey has chosen the HOTTEST film to appear on PACCTS: Y Tu Mamá También (2001). Steamy, funny, smart, heart-rending. You’ll come for all the sex, but you’ll stay for the allegory of Mexican class politics. This episode was so much fun to record.

2. Paul and Corey Cross the Streams: Season 2, Episode 11 [Fish Out of Water – DOC HOLLYWOOD (1991)]

This month’s theme is Fish Out of Water, and Corey chose a film, Doc Hollywood (1991), befitting today’s special occasion: SCOTT JONES! Yes, the boys are joined by their co-host from the podcast, Quality Time with Family Ties. (All episodes available on Fanbase Press.) Home is where you find it in Doc Hollywood, and Scott’s homecoming is just what the doctor ordered.

3. Paul and Corey Cross the Streams: Season 2, Episode 19 [Screenplays – THE ODD COUPLE (1968)]

Screenplays! Plays adapted into film – a genre that people seem to love or hate. This week, Corey chose the PACCTS ur-text, The Odd Couple (1968). Neil Simon’s influence in American comedy cannot be overstated. Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau’s performances are inspired. Even 52 years later, this film is laugh-out-loud funny.

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Finding Felicity

Finding Felicity is a weekly podcast during which host Teresa Jusino (Pomonok Entertainment) and special guests examine the coming-of-age series, Felicity (created by J. J. Abrams and Matt Reeves), and discuss how its themes have impacted them – then and now. Episodes covering all of season one of Felicity are now available, but the three most popular episodes with our fans are below (this year focusing on another J.J. Abrams created series, Little Voice):

1. Finding Felicity: Episode 23 – ‘Finding Felicity’s LITTLE VOICE – Part 1’

FINDING FELICITY IS BACK! But before we get to Season 2 of Felicity (and Keri Russell’s haircut!), Teresa is taking a brief looksee at J.J. Abrams’ latest offering about a curly-haired, creative young woman making a go of it in New York City.

Little Voice (Apple TV+), created by Abrams, Sara Bareilles, and Jessie Nelson, tells the story of Bess King, a singer/songwriter who isn’t quite ready to share her voice with the world. As it seemed like a very Felicity-esque offering, Teresa decided to check it out in a three-part miniseries to see how it stacks up to Felicity, how it stands as a show in its own right, and how accurately it portrays the lives of women in their 20s.

In Part 1, Teresa talks about the first three episodes of Little Voice, Season 1: “I Don’t Know,” “I Will Survive,” and “Dear Hope.”

2. Finding Felicity: Episode 26 – ‘Finding Felicity’s LITTLE VOICE – Part 4’

In Part 4, Teresa talks about Episode 8 of Little Voice, Season 1: “Sea Change.”

3. Finding Felicity: Episode 25 – ‘Finding Felicity’s LITTLE VOICE – Part 3’

In Part 3, Teresa talks about Episode 7 of Little Voice, Season 1: “Ghost Light.”

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