Frank Ramblings

I’ve been podcasting like a fool lately. I really love the medium and I’m always looking for a chance to speak my mind on a range of topics, so it really shouldn’t be all that surprising, yet when I look at the hours I spend recording and editing podcasts, it is more than a little insane.

First and foremost, I’d like to announce the start of a new podcast hosted by friends William, Hunter, and myself: Lights, Camera, Podcast. As the title suggests, LCP is a movie podcast. Each week we have a great time making fun of each other while occasionally going into some movie talk, too. While that’s a bit of an exaggeration, we do discuss the biggest new releases we all had the chance to see, as well as any other films — both new and old — that we managed to catch at our leisure. It’s a ton of fun to record and we hope you’ll enjoy listening to it. Our first episode covering Star Trek is already available on iTunes, and a second episode about Terminator Salvation and a number of other films should be up soon.

Then of course there is my most consistent show Echo Alert. Though Dollhouse is off the air for the summer, Andrew and I are very excited about the confirmed Season 2 pickup and will continue the show on a bi-weekly basis through the summer until the show returns. We’ve got some fun stuff lined up including a couple of soon-to-be-announced contests, guest co-hosts, and some other possible goodies, so stay tuned!

I should also mention some guest spots I’ve been doing lately. Both happen to be related to the world of comic books. At the end of each month, I host a segment of the Geekland Podcast entitled This Month in Superman. It’s my chance to spend a few minutes gushing on events occurring in the Superman family of comics. My most recent segment appears in episode 85. In addition to that, just last night I was asked by my friend William (also of LCP) to step in and co-host this week’s episode of Between the Panels, his own comics podcast. It was unexpected and last-minute, but I was really glad I did it, because I had a ton of fun talking comics with him. That episode (number 12) should be out within the next week.

Finally, there is the project nearest and dearest to my heart, FMF. It was my very first podcasting foray, and I’m proud to continue DJ-ing to this day. It’s always a blast when I get a chance to sit down and record an episode, even though I don’t always get a chance to do that as often as I’d like to. I look forward to keeping the show up for the foreseeable future going forward.

So as you can see, I’ve been very busy lately. At least that new equipment I recently purchased is being put to good use. Now I just need to strike it rich and get my own place with a dedicated podcasting studio. What?

ODTV’s first official episode is here! For their maiden voyage, Ky, Faith, and Frank give a running commentary of Joss Whedon’s internet sensation Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog! Whether you’re a Dr. Horrible expert or you’re watching for the first time, sync up with us and enjoy!

Download Episode
Subscribe in iTunes

www.odtvpodcast.tk

So apparently not even two podcasts are enough for me. My addiction for podcasting and my interest in a particular new TV show brought me to the realization that it was time to start a third show. My friend Andrew and I have teamed up to bring you Echo Alert, a podcast devoted to Dollhouse, Joss Whedon’s new FOX series starring Eliza Dushku and Tahmoh Penikett. Dollhouse looks like such a promising new show that Andrew and I know we’ll love it. Each week, we’ll discuss the show at length, giving you a recap of the most recent episode and providing our own commentary while speculating on what twists and turns the show may take in the future. At the very end of each episode, there will be a spoilers discussion. Don’t worry, there will be plenty of warning before we start talking spoilers. So please, if you have any interest in Dollhouse, or even if you just want to find out what the show is all about, download our Episode 0 Part 1 entitled “Activated.” It’s a Dollhouse joke. You’ll get it eventually.

Echo Alert Website
Download Episode 0 Part 1 “Activated”
Echo Alert on iTunes
Echo Alert RSS Feed

Wow. I have been — to put it in my friend Andrew’s words — ” a podcasting fiend” lately. Seriously. My name is Frank and I’m a castaholic. Listening to them, recording them, I just can’t get enough. It’s an exciting medium that I think has amazing potential.

For two and a half years now, I’ve run Frank’s Music Free-For-All. About three weeks ago, I teamed up with my friends Tim, Ky, and Faith to create the Obiter Dictum podcast, a TV fan commentary show. And most recently, the aforementioned Andrew and I have started Echo Alert, a podcast devoted to the upcoming Joss Whedon and Eliza Dushku series Dollhouse.

Today, I had the pleasure of sitting in on the Entertainment Overload podcast and the Geekland podcast at the gracious invitation of my Twitter friend Willie. Entertainment Overload is a podcast reviewing TV, movies, video games and other entertainment. We had a great time talking about this week’s TV and movie highlights. Smallville, LOST, Scrubs, and Taken were among the many topics discussed. Check out the guys and listen.

Then, on Geekland, we talked comics. I really had a blast with this one, since comics have been a new passion for me. We covered Superman, Final Crisis, Spider-Man, Green Arrow/Black Canary, Trinity, and whole host of other titles and trade paperbacks that we all read in the past week. If you like comics, please listen to Geekland. I started listening a couple of weeks ago and I honestly think the guys have a great show here.

So that’s what I’ve been up to lately. There should be a new ODTV and FMF out this week, and a new Echo Alert after next weekend. February 6-8 I will be at New York Comic Con with my friends Andrew, Tim, and Vin. It should be a good time. During and after the convention, I’ll blog my reactions to the panels and other goings-on. We plan to attend the DC Comics panels as well as a few others, including the Dollhouse panel where show creator Joss Whedon and star Tahmoh Penikett will screen the first act of the show’s first episode. So that should give us plenty to discuss on Echo Alert. See you in the podcastverse!

Well folks, one podcast just isn’t enough to keep me overwhelmed. A few friends and I have teamed up to form a brand new podcast that we like to call “Obiter Dictum.” What is this, you ask? It’s going to be a fan commentary podcast. We’ll be watching our favorite TV shows and providing a running commentary along with the episodes for your entertainment. We’ll cover shows like Smallville, Lost, Supernatural, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Heroes, Firefly, and much more! Our first official episode will cover Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog! I say “official” because we’ve already put out a miniature episode we’ve called #0 in which we explain the premise and introduce ourselves. I am joined by my friends Faith and Ky of the Chic Geek Podcast and Tim of the Crossroads Podcast. (Support them by checking out their shows in my Linkage section over in the right-hand column).

Download Episode 0 – “A Microcast”
Obiter Dictum Website: www.odtvpodcast.tk
Subscribe to Obiter Dictum (RSS Feed)
Obiter Dictum on iTunes

I just wanted to let everyone know that earlier this week, my friends Faith and Ky of the Chic Geek Podcast were gracious enough to invite me to join them on their thirteenth episode entitled “How to Scare the Chic Geek Girls.” Also joining us was Tim of the Crossroads Podcast. It was a lot of fun and I’d like to thank the girls for asking me to take part in it. Show them your support by listening to the episode and subscribing to their podcast in iTunes!

If all goes well, you can expect to hear Tim, Faith, and Ky on my own podcast, Frank’s Music-Free-For-All, in early 2009!

As a new fan of comic books, I find it frustrating that only a couple of my friends share an interest in collecting and reading comics. For me, half the fun is hearing someone else’s reaction and exchanging opinions and predictions. Have you ever felt that way? About a good book, CD, movie or show? If so you can understand what it’s like. Well a little over a month ago, I decided to look for good comic podcasts so I could get some idea of what other fans think about my favorite books. I found a few shows, but nothing looked especially enticing. As I clicked through page after page of iTunes search results, my attention was drawn to one in particular: Raging Bullets, A DC Comics Fan Podcast. This was exactly what I had been looking for. Other shows covered too broad a range of comics, including Marvel and independent books in their reviews. Personally, I’m a DC fan so I checked out RB. Hosted by Sean “Dr. Norge” Whelan and Jim “Sensei of the Whatnot” Segulin, RB reviews DC comics past and present on a weekly basis. They read and discuss dozens of DC titles, so pretty much anything you want will get coverage. The best part is that they include timestamps in each episode’s iTunes description so you can skip ahead to the reviews you want to hear without having to sit through reviews you don’t care about. This is especially helpful given that their episodes average anywhere from 2 to 4 hours in length. While I don’t always agree with their opinions, I do enjoy hearing different points-of-view on well-written books Over the last few weeks, I’ve been listening to all of their older episodes that are relevant to books I enjoy reading (which is mostly Superman stuff). So far I’ve only heard them review material that I read months ago, so it’s been sort of a recap of DC Comics essentials for me. I look forward to getting caught up on current episodes so I can hear their thoughts on fresh materical. Raging Bullets gets a 3.5 out of 5 Raging Bullets (get it?) I like it, but it doesn’t necessarily merit my Seal of Approval. Still if you read DC, listen to RB.

Around the same time that I was searching for comic podcasts, while listening to an episode of Geek Out Loud, I heard host Steve Glosson mention a show called Views from the Longbox. He said it was hosted by Michael Bailey. I already knew of Mike from the Superman Homepage, where he regularly writes reviews of Superman comics. Since I like his written reviews, I thought I’d enjoy his podcast. Well that was an understatement. I downloaded all his episodes that were pertinent to the comics I enjoy and I listened to them. Michael is a long-time comics reader, but even I was able to appreciate his reviews as a new reader. I especially loved his episode on The Death of Superman story. That was a very personal look at his road to fandom, and it really showed why Superman is his favorite hero. Just great stuff. Once every so often, Mike is joined by his friend Shag and they chat about a whole host of geeky subjects. Recently, Mike attended Dragon*Con, where he recorded a month’s worth of episodes. They are being released weekly throughout October. Because Dragon*Con attracts geeks from all over the US. Mike was able to sit down with all kinds of fans who, like him, use the internet to share their hobbies with the world. They have been really interesting so far. Support Mike by giving him a listen at viewsfromthelongbox.com. Mike gets 4.5 of 5 bags & boards, as well as the world-renowned Frank Ramblings Seal of Approval.

On Deck: Speeding Bulletin and Radio K.A.L.

Have you ever watched a TV show that got canceled before its time? What about a show that never should have aired in the first place, yet somehow remained in production for a season or two? Last month, TV fans Will (formerly of SHoE) and Aaron decided that shows like this deserved their own podcast, so they began the Axed Podcast. Every Monday, Axed issues a new episode discussing and often ridiculing the best and worst of canceled television. They use two different formats on alternate weeks. The first format is their main one. Aaron and Will, after having watched a canceled series in its entirety over the course of a couple of weeks, summarize the series and offer their commentary, satire, sarcasm, and general ridicule of that series for anywhere from 60 to 90 minutes. Each of these episodes is split into a spoiler-free first half in which they comment on the series in general, and a Spoilers section where they pick apart specific episodes in detail.

The second format is what the hosts have dubbed “News from the Chopping Block.” These episodes are released during weeks when the guys are still watching episodes of the show they plan to review next. “News from the Chopping Block” is usually 30 to 60 minutes in length and covers the latest news on current shows, both recently-canceled and soon-to-be-canceled. They also share the list of shows they hope will be canceled soon.

No matter which format I happen to be listening to, can’t help but laugh at everything their guys say. They’re a riot. I already knew of Will via SHoE and I knew he was a funny guy, so when I heard he and a friend were starting a new show, I went to their website. It turned out their first episode had just come out that week. I downloaded it and loved it. These guys are great. Most of the time, they review shows I’ve never even heard of, but hearing these two talk about it still cracks me up. I’ve found myself suppressing laughter while listening to Axed on NYC buses. They’re literally laugh-out-loud funny. Will makes random references like a master, and Aaron mocks him for it constantly. So far, their victims have been the series Profit (starring Adrian Pasdar of Heroes fame), Daybreak (starring Taye Diggs of Rent fame), The Adventures of Briscoe County, Jr. (starring Bruce Campbell of Evil Dead and general awesomeness fame), and Eerie, Indiana (starring no one of any fame whatsoever). Every review has been hilarious. I’m considering watching all of these series to see if they really are as amusingly horrible as the guys say they are. Axed is the first podcast I’ve listened to from the time of its premiere episode, and I am in for the long haul. Anyone can enjoy the show. You don’t need to be a fan of any show or genre in particular, nor do you need to watch the shows they review. Axed gets 5 out of a possible 5….ummm….axes. I donno. I got nothin’. But they do get the Frank Ramblings Seal of Approval, so that’s something. Except not really.

Next Up: Views from the Longbox

Changing gears now, I’d like to talk about a show that isn’t part of the Starkville Podcast Community, but still has a huge fan following in its own right. If you are a Star Wars fan in any sense of the term, you simply must tune in to The Force-Cast every Friday. The Force-Cast offers the latest news updates and commentary on happenings in the Star Wars universe. You can listen to and watch their weekly recording sessions every Wednesday evening at theforce.net, and the episodes are released in the podcast feed every Friday. Personally, I’ve not yet been able to watch any of their weekly live webcasts, but I hope to do so soon. They accept live phone and Skype calls from listeners, as well as emails, pre-recorded audio comments and voicemails. The bulk of the show presents listeners with new developments, such as information on new film, TV, book, and collectible releases, but the fun doesn’t stop there. Not only do co-hosts Jason Swank and Jimmy Mac (along with the recently-departed Pete Nadel who left town and was sadly unable to continue contributing to the show) delve deeper into the news topics, offering their own humorous ideas on the matters of the day, but they also spice things up with fun, sometimes off-topic weekly segments. My personal favorite is the Quote of the Week. Each week, the guys play a clip of Billy Dee Williams (a.k.a. Lando Calrissian in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi ) in his current role on the General Hospital spin-off Nightshift. The bizarre and outlandish quotes, when taken out of context, always elicit the same reaction: the listener’s uproarious laughter. Another great segment is The Outrageously Unthinkable Story of the Week; a recent instance or general news story somehow relevant to Star Wars in some unexpected manner. A third, but by no means the last, segment called Birthdays avails listeners the opportunity to request a birthday shout-out for themselves or a friend. Fun if you’ve asked for a shout-out, a tad boring if you didn’t. But that’s what the fast-forward button is for, I suppose. When all is said and done, The Force-Cast is a must-hear for anyone interested in Star Wars, especially with the Clone Wars series just getting started on Cartoon Network. You don’t have to be a huge fan. I don’t know anything about the expanded universe of novels and action figures, yet I enjoy the show because the pacing is such that no one feels left out. I give The Force-Cast 4 out of 5 force chokes and, you guessed it, the Frank Ramblings Seal of Approval. May the Force be with you.

Next Installment: Axed