Episode 0021: Watch This!

Whether we’re discussing the film adaptation of the comic book mini-series, Watchmen, or the series finale of Ronald Moore’s Battlestar Galactica, never has the phrase “Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair” been more appropriate for more reasons. That’s right, it’s time for Episode 0021 of The Secret Lair, so let’s get down to business.

First up, our thanks to:

• Jack Jaffee: 12V Theatre. Is anyone else getting a sense of déjà vu here?
• Josh, who likes our longer shows. Hey, why does this sound so familiar?
• Chris Fisher: The Adult Space Child Free Podcast, which we’ve never mentioned on the show before. Finally, something new!

Join our forums. Why? Because we said so.

Promo: Nuketown Radio Active.

Sidebar (12:19 – 17:40): Battlestar Galactica series finale. Kris hasn’t watched the series since the middle of season three, but Chris is made of sterner stuff and watched until the end. The bitter, bitter end. Spoiler Alert! The series finale spoils the entire series!

Further Reading related to the BSG finale:

• Chris’ thoughts are further documented at his blog.
• Mur Lafferty
•  The Sci-Fi Geek
• A whole pile of folks from Tor.com offer this round table.

Discussion (17:40 – 40:45): Watchmen

• Spoiler Alert: We spoil the hell out of this twenty-three-year-old comic book and several-week-old movie. 
• Based on a twelve-issue comic book mini-series originally published in 1986.¹
• The comic was written by Alan Moore,²  illustrated by Dave Gibbons and distributed by DC. If you’ve not read it, we recommend you do. In fact, go do it now; the podcast (and these show notes) will be waiting for you when you return.
• Moore based many of the characters on those appearing in Charlton Comics.
• The movie adaptation was directed by Zack Snyder (300), not to be confused with John Schneider, who portrayed Bo Duke in the classic television series, The Dukes of Hazzard. These are two completely different men. This cannot be emphasized enough.
• Rorschach was portrayed by Jackie Earle Haley. You may know him from The Bad News Bears. We are totally not kidding.
• The Comedian was portrayed by Jeffrey Dean Morgan who may or may not have been on the receiving end of a roundhouse kick from Chuck Norris. We’re leaning toward the latter (may not) as he still has a face.
• Silk Spectre II was portrayed by Malin Åkerman, who may or may not have been one of the only people not completely stoned out of their minds in Harold and Kumar go to White Castle.
• Billy Crudup as Dr. Manhattan: priceless.

Promo: Personal Effects: Dark Art by J.C. Hutchins and Jordan Weisman. Commit yourself to The Brink.

Discussion (42:55 – end): Movie Adaptations

Having your book turned into a movie is like seeing your oxen turned into bouillon cubes.
—John le Carré

• Ridley Scott vs. Philip K. Dick (Blade Runner/Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?)
• Alfonso Cuarón vs. J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban)
• Sam Raimi vs. Stan Lee vs. Brian Michael Bendis (Spider-Man/Ultimate Spider-Man)
• Stephen King vs. New Line Cinema (The Lawnmower Man)
• Isaac Asimov vs. Will Smith (I, Robot)
• Could Blazing Saddles be remade today?

Lairkeeping

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• Leave us feedback in the comments on this blog entry or send e-mail to feedback at The Secret Lair. Dot com.
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• Our theme music is Jonathan Coulton by “Skullcrusher Mountain”. No, wait. Strike that; reverse it.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (40.4MB)

1. Expressed in Roman numerals as MCMLXXXVI, which is commonly pronounced “mikkumluksvee”. 1985, the year in which the story takes place, is expressed in Roman numerals as MCMLXXXV and commonly pronounced “mikkumluksiv”. We have no idea who actually pronounces Roman numerals this way. [↩]
2. Absolutely no relation to David Moore that we are willing to admit. [↩]

Related posts:

1. Episode 0025: I Need a (Super) Hero
2. Episode 0036: The Robert Downey, Jr. Show
3. The Secret Lair Comic 0021: The Button
4. Episode 0019: Slightly-Used Year Media Extravaganza
5. Episode 0026: The Secret Library – Lamb by Christopher Moore

1. 

   Cobaltie says:

   March 23, 2009 at 8:57 am

   I’m in the same boat as Kris for BSG. Am I safe in listening to this episode? Is there a spoiler alert before you start talking about BSG, or should I just hold off on listening to this episode for, oh, several months?

   The problem is that I haven’t watched more than a few episodes in season 1 of the series…but I fear it will be like the 6th Harry Potter book, which had the ending spoiled for me by a random LiveJournal icon. Is there nowhere safe?
2. 

   Kris says:

   March 23, 2009 at 9:39 am

   @Cobaltie — There is a spoiler alert, but if you want to hold off on listening to the episode I’ll put the timestamps for the beginning and end of the BSG discussion in the show notes when I get home from work tonight.
3. 

   Kris says:

   March 23, 2009 at 1:33 pm

   @Cobaltie — The BSG discussion begins at about 12:19. Spoilers kick in at 13:35, and the BSG discussion concludes at around 17:40.
4. 

   Cobaltie says:

   March 23, 2009 at 2:32 pm

   @Kris: Awesome! Thanks, that helps. I’ll listen to it now, and at least I’ll have some warning before spoilerage. I do want to hear what you thought of Watchmen especially.
   I do intend to watch BSG all through, eventually…but it’s gonna be a while.