Exploring Humanity Through Sci-Fi

Colby Hollman is a vivid, thoughtful dive into one of Fear the Walking Dead’s most quietly powerful character arcs. As Wes, Hollman brought a rare blend of idealism, artistic sensitivity, and hardened survival instinct to the series—an evolution that mirrors the shifting moral landscape of the Walking Dead Universe itself. Colby reflects on Wes’s journey from a guarded, paint‑wielding loner to a committed fighter shaped by grief, community, and the brutal realities of the apocalypse. “Unlock the universe — podcast plus video. Sci‑Fi Talk Plus. Try it free.”

In this episode, Tony connects over Zoom with Sean Konrad, Visual Effects Supervisor on Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, for a sweeping conversation that spans the MonsterVerse, Marvel, and even Avatar. Konrad breaks down the artistry, engineering, and emotional logic behind bringing Kong, Godzilla, and the newly introduced Titan X to life—while also reflecting on his earlier work on Deadpool 2, Loki, and his consulting role on James Cameron’s Avatar. SAVE 17% ON PLUS

Tony chats with directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen to dig into the twisted, darkly comedic world of Villains—their breakout thriller starring Bill Skarsgård, Maika Monroe, and Jeffrey Donovan. What begins as a simple home invasion spirals into a surreal nightmare when two amateur criminals stumble into a secret their victims will do anything to protect. The conversation opens with Berk and Olsen sharing how crucial it was to bring Maika Monroe into the project—and how her instincts, presence, and genre experience helped define the film’s emotional core. SAVE 17% ON PLUS  

Tony zooms with composers Kara Talve and Anže Rozman, the musical architects behind Prehistoric Planet. Their score blends cutting‑edge experimentation with classical orchestral storytelling — all in service of bringing long‑extinct creatures to life through sound. From building instruments out of 3D‑printed fossil replicas to designing orchestral combinations that convey scale, movement, and behavior, Kara and Anže reveal how they crafted a sonic world that feels both scientifically grounded and emotionally resonant. Highlights:  Fossil‑Inspired Instruments Simulating Dinosaur Voices Orchestral World‑Building Movement as Music Balancing Science and Emotion “Sci‑Fi Talk Plus...

Featuring Dave Green, Eric Bauza, John Cena, Lana Condor & Will Forte Audio courtesy of Warner Bros. Tony brings you the creative team and cast of Coyote vs. Acme, exploring how they brought one of animation’s most iconic characters — Wile E. Coyote — into a new era of storytelling. Director Dave Green and stars Eric Bauza, John Cena, Lana Condor, and Will Forte dive into character interpretation, comedic philosophy, emotional beats, and the timeless cultural impact of the Looney Tunes universe. This episode blends nostalgia, craft, and the surprising heart behind a film built on car...

Featuring the Cast & Executive Producers of X‑Men ’97 Audio courtesy of Disney+ Recorded live at the X‑Men ’97 Finale Screening Event, this episode of Byte captures the voices behind Marvel’s most emotionally charged animated revival. Tony brings you legacy performers, new‑era cast members, and the executive producers who shaped the show’s modern identity. Across the conversations, the cast reflects on their characters, the finale’s emotional stakes, and the enduring cultural power of the X‑Men — icons of identity, resistance, community, and hope. Red Carpet Voices A.J. LoCascio — Gambit...

A Conversation with Executive Producer Simon Allen Reinventing Ankh‑Morpork for a New Medium The Watch is one of the most daring and divisive fantasy adaptations of the last decade — a punk‑rock, genre‑bending police procedural inspired by Terry Pratchett’s Ankh‑Morpork City Watch. Developed by BBC Studios for BBC America, the series premiered 3 January 2021 and later arrived on BBC iPlayer on 1 July 2021, introducing viewers to a world where crime, chaos, magic, satire, and rebellion collide. In this episode of Rewind, Tony chatted with Simon Allen, the executive producer who led the charge i...

Bill Nye & Brannon Braga on Science, Disasters, and the Stories That Save Lives In this special edition of Rewind, Tony explores the explosive, urgent, and deeply scientific world of The End Is Nye — a series that confronts real natural disasters and shows how science can help us survive, adapt, and rebuild. This episode features two conversations woven together: Bill Nye, host of The End Is Nye, on the science behind extreme weather, natural disasters, and the solutions that can protect us. Brannon Braga, executive producer, on crafting six disaster scenarios, balancing fe...

In this episode, Tony chats with actor Mark O’Brien, who stars as Josh in the mind‑bending parallel‑universe thriller Parallel. The conversation explores how Mark approaches characters caught between moral tension, existential stakes, and the unknown — themes that echo across his standout performances in Arrival and Bad Times at the El Royale. Mark breaks down the creative and psychological challenges of starring in Parallel, a sci‑fi film where a group of friends discover a mirror that opens doorways into alternate realities. “Sci‑Fi Talk Plus — your universe, unlocked.”

Building the Dune Prequel Universe In this chapter of Journey to Arrakis, Tony chatted with bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson, the longtime creative partner of Brian Herbert, to explore how the two architects of modern Dune lore constructed the sweeping prequel era — from House Atreides to The Butlerian Jihad and beyond. This episode dives into the craft, research, and narrative engineering behind the novels that broadened the Imperium’s history, deepened its mythology, and introduced generations of readers to the political, spiritual, and ecological foundations of Frank Herbert’s universe. Listeners also experience anothe...

Prosthetic Makeup Effects Designer — Spider‑Noir, Fallout, Star Trek: Picard Tony zoomed with acclaimed prosthetic makeup effects designer Vincent Van Dyke, whose work continues to redefine how genre characters are built — physically, digitally, and emotionally. From the noir‑soaked streets of Spider‑Noir to the irradiated wastelands of Fallout, Vincent shares the craft, innovation, and storytelling instincts behind some of today’s most memorable transformations. Spider‑Noir — Building a Stylized, Shadow‑Driven World Jack Huston’s Sandman The Mutated Man‑Spider Fallout — Designing The Ghoul Digital Scanning vs. Plaster Casting SAVE 17% ON PLUS TODAY

Featuring Anne Hathaway, Ewan McGregor & J.J. Abrams** Audio Courtesy Of Warner Bros Time Travel. Marriage, Dinos, and Making Of  In this episode of BYTE, Anne Hathaway, Ewan McGregor, and producer J.J. Abrams to explore the emotional and cinematic engine behind The End of Oak Street. With  audio from Warner Bros, the trio break down the film’s central relationship, its time‑bending mystery, and the massive scope that transforms Oak Street into one of the summer’s most ambitious genre films. What I Dive Into The Complications of Greg & Denise Time Tra...

Featuring Christian Convey, Maisy Stella & David Robert Mitchell Inside The Action, The Heart And Dinosaurs  In this episode of BYTE, Tony dives into the thrilling world of The End of Oak Street with audio courtesy of Warner Bros. Stars Christian Convey and Maisy Stella, along with writer‑director David Robert Mitchell, break down the film’s pulse‑pounding action, its surprising emotional depth, and the dinosaur‑driven spectacle that powers its biggest moments. The Action That Drives the Story The Dinosaurs of Oak Street A Family at the Center On Sci‑Fi Talk Plus, you’l...

Paola Lázaro — actor, playwright, and creator of unforgettable characters. Best known for portraying Juanita “Princess” Sanchez on AMC’s The Walking Dead (2020–2022) and Angela Gomez in Netflix’s Obliterated (2023). She holds a Master’s degree in Playwriting from Columbia University, a foundation that deeply informs her approach to character creation and emotional storytelling. In this episode, Tony chatted with Paola Lázaro for a vibrant, honest, and deeply creative conversation about her journey from playwright to screen actor, the moment she was cast as Princess in 2020, and how she shaped one of the most distinctive characters in The Walking D...

August brings a mix of celebration, reinvention, and reflection across the genre landscape. From DC’s latest casting shakeups to Marvel retrospectives, from animated Warhammer to the future of Children of Blood and Bone, this episode captures the pulse of where sci‑fi, horror, and comics are heading next. DC AND MARVEL HORROR AND DARK FANTASY'S BIG SWINGS TV STREAMING EXPANDING AND BIG BETS RANKING ALL MCU MOVIES Sci‑Fi Talk Plus is in orbit! Get premium, commercial‑free podcasts and videos — including Summer Movie dives, sit‑down interviews, film clips, and red‑carpet action from around th...

A Conversation with Emmy Nominee Ashley Michelle Marsh** Where Characters Live, We Learn Who They Are In this episode Tony Tellado Zoomed with Ashley Michelle Marsh, Emmy‑nominated set decorator for Pluribus, for a deeper exploration of the lived‑in spaces that define the show’s emotional core. Ashley’s work doesn’t just fill rooms — it reveals character psychology, hidden tensions, and the uncanny dualities that run through the series. Carol’s Home: Building Familiarity in a Fractured World The Supermarket Built by the Others Air Force One: Authenticity with a Twist Las Vegas: Elv...

Strange New Worlds hitting Season Four is a milestone — not just for the series, but for modern Trek itself. This season is bolder, stranger, more emotionally charged, and the cast you spoke with brings that evolution into sharp focus. These show notes lean into your signature blend of character insight, thematic resonance, and production craft. In this episode, Tony attended a press day with the with the cast at the start of season two to explore how relationships deepen, identities evolve, and the show continues to push the boundaries of what Star Trek can be. Anson Mo...

Composer of Pluribus, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, El Camino In this episode, Tony chats with Dave Porter, the award‑winning composer behind the sonic identity of Pluribus. Known for his long‑standing creative partnership with Vince Gilligan — beginning with Breaking Bad and continuing across multiple series — Porter brings a rare combination of classical training, electronic innovation, and narrative instinct to every project he touches. This conversation explores how Porter shaped the sound of Pluribus, from the unexpected use of vocals in the main theme to the way he threads vocal textures throughout the score. He break...

Featuring Simu Liu, Winston Duke & Joe Russo Audio courtesy of Marvel Studios In this follow‑up Hall H special, Byte returns to the beating heart of San Diego Comic‑Con with audio courtesy of Marvel Studios. This edition captures the excitement of Marvel’s evolving slate, the creative voices shaping its future, and the unmistakable electricity of Hall H — a room where fandom becomes a force of nature. Tony brings listeners inside the conversations that define Marvel’s next era, spotlighting performers and filmmakers whose work continues to expand the MCU’s emotional and narrative reach. <...

Featuring Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez, Hannah John‑Kamen, Hayley Atwell, James Marsden & Kevin Feige Audio courtesy of Marvel Studios In this special Byte presentation from Hall H at San Diego Comic‑Con, Tony brings listeners inside one of the most electric rooms in entertainment. With audio courtesy of Marvel Studios, this episode captures the adrenaline, the surprises, and the creative insight that define Marvel’s biggest stage. Across film, streaming, and the expanding multiverse of characters, this Hall H showcase features conversations with some of Marvel’s most charismatic performers and its chief architect — offering fans a fro...