Space the Nation
Space the Nation
On Space the Nation, we take our love of science fiction (and fantasy and horror) and smash it together with our professional passions: international relations (as brought to the table by Tufts University professor and Washington Post columnist Dan Drezner) and cultural criticism (as brought to the table by political columnist Ana Marie Cox). It's a highly informed but hilarious conversation that starts with an examination of a particular text (everything from Ursula K. LeGuin to the MCU, Star Trek to Colson Whitehead) and veers into current events, mental health practices and imagined conversations between Ted Cruz and the Predator. For people who like white papers and graphic novels, Chapo Trap House and what Political Science Twitter used to be. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Nov 28, 2022 • 1h 3min
S2E43: GREENLAND
Ana and Dan plead for their lives and, what do you know, it works! We bring Butlervember to a close with what is technically the best movie of the quartet, at least in terms Rotten Tomatoes ratings. But did we enjoy it the most? Maybe? It's about one family's escape from the end of the world and is low on the Butler glowering, high on poignant swells of music. There is IR in this movie. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Nov 20, 2022 • 1h 15min
S2E42: GEOSTORM
Ana and Dan were hired to fail and so maybe it's no surprise that they cannot make sense of this slowly preposterous movie, full of absurd pronouncements and improbable motivations. It should be more fun to watch than it is! However, I will never get tired of yelling, "The president is the kill code!" Folks, the president is the goddamn kill code. There is some very silly IR in this movie. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Nov 14, 2022 • 1h 4min
S2E41: GODS OF EGYPT
Ana and Dan grow to fourteen feet in height, just for no particular reason. Alex Proyas (Dark City) rallies a group of gorgeous humans and proceeds to surround them with Burger King-ad-level CGI. Chadwick Boseman is in this movie and somehow it makes no difference. The third movie of BUTLERVEMBER had us questioning our life choices. There is, however, som IR in this movie. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Nov 7, 2022 • 1h 7min
S2E40: GAMER
Ana and Dan replace 98% of their brains with nanites and try to understand the point of this ambitiously garish 2009 film. Is it trying to say something about gaming? About corporatism? The commodification of violence? Or, you know, did they zoom around Albuquerque on rollerblades destroying sets because it looked really cool? There are lots of good actors in this movie doing very little. There's some IR as well as an ineffectual critique of capitalism. WELCOME TO BUTLERVEMBER. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oct 31, 2022 • 57min
S2E39: FUTURAMA
Dan and Ana promise our dogs will always, always choose to clone them no matter what. Y'all wanted us to talk about Futurama, and so we did, so please don't hate us for not really loving it? Lots of jokes, tho! And there is IR in this series! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oct 23, 2022 • 1h 12min
S2E38: ANDOR (EPISODES 1-6)
Ana and Dan put some kyber crystals around their necks and celebrate getting to talk about something they actually liked! (Even though it is not, as Ana originally thought, about Ewoks.) Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton, the Bourne movies) has created the best entry in the modern Star Wars canon by throwing most of the canon out the window. Good writing! Sympathetic villains! A heist that actually plays out like a heist! Do you even know how to Star War, Tony? There is a f*ck-ton of IR in this show. (We cover episodes 1-6 here, 6-12 will come after the season ends.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oct 17, 2022 • 1h 8min
S2E37: CANON FODDER: FOUNDATION
Ana and Dan dive into the quirky world of Asimov's Foundation, humorously dissecting its plot and themes. They question the validity of 'psychohistory' and its potential ties to modern dilemmas. The discussion critically addresses Asimov's troubling legacy, particularly regarding female representation and the portrayal of toxic masculinity. Listeners are warned of the shocking reality of his behavior off the page. Amidst the critiques, personal anecdotes add warmth to the conversation, making it a blend of humor and sharp analysis.
Oct 10, 2022 • 1h 11min
S2E36: DON'T WORRY DARLING
Ana and Dan sit down to talk about this under-the-radar project, you probably haven't heard about it. Is "Don't Worry Darling" worthy of the mishegoss stirred up by the press tour? Yes and no! It's a very silly movie, with plot holes you could push Jordan Peterson through. BUT! It's gorgeous to look at, beyond even Florence Pugh and Harry Styles (who is definitely OK as an actor!). Relatedly: We discuss the female orgasm more than usual. There is kind of IR in this movie. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oct 5, 2022 • 57min
S2E35: SANDMAN
Ana and Dan really meant to release this episode on time but got caught going down a Google rabbit hole instead. Netflix brings to the screen this beloved Neil Gaiman comic after two decades' worth of attempts. Is it faithful to the original? We can't say, because only one of us has read the comic and not the whole thing! But we liked it, Ana more than Dan (for Tom Sturridge reasons). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 26, 2022 • 1h 9min
E32: MAILBAG
You had questions, we kind of answered! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
