Once again, we are boldly going where everyone has gone before! Following on the heels of our episode where we discussed our favorite episodes from Star Trek season one (see episode 153), we look at our favorite episodes from season two of Star Trek. Beaming in is our good friend, Lord Blood-Rah, to share his thoughts. Many consider the second season of the classic show to be its best. It certainly had its' share of landmark episodes. Give the episode a listen and then tell us what your favorite second season episodes are!

Don't miss the Sensor Sweep, where you can learn all about what Lord Blood-Rah has going on (including an appearance at the February 15th East Bay Comic Con!), the new guests Bob has lined up for this year's Godzillafest, what Karen is doing on her YouTube show, and if you go to our YouTube channel, you can see the amazing Frankenstein mask Larry received from friend of Planet 8 Jeff Wehenkel!

We hope you enjoy this episode. Do let us know your favorite episodes from Star Trek season two. Our hailing frequencies are the following:

• Facebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8Podcast
• Instagram:http://www.instagram.com/planet8podcast
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/Planet8podcast

Combat will continue with the ahn woon!!

In this episode, we remember the wonderful Bob Burns, who passed on December 12, 2025 at the age of 90. Bob was a film historian and archivist, well-known for his amazing collection of science fiction film props which were kept in what was affectionately known as "Bob's Basement." Bob was gracious in allowing people to not only tour this collection but to handle these prized items. He and his wife Kathy, who passed in 2021, were also well-known for the Halloween shows that they would orchestrate at their home, with the help of many industry professionals. These spook shows were complete theatrical experiences. The Planet 8 crew talks about Bob, and we also have some testimonials from friends of the show.

We'd love to hear any of your thoughts or memories of Bob Burns. Please share them with us at any of the places where we can be reached.

http://www.facebook.com/Planet8Podcast

https://youtube.com/Planet8podcast

http://www.instagram.com/planet8podcast

RIP Bob

The holidays are here and we all have many traditions we like to follow. For many of us, these include watching certain movies that put us in the holiday spirit. Some of the most popular films are versions of the Charles Dicken's classic, A Christmas Carol. Though published in 1843, this tale is just as popular today, with its story of redemption told via a visit by three spirits (four, if you count Marley). Ghost stories were regularly told in the winter months by folks living through cold, dark nights. Dickens took that framework and applied a holiday angle to it. Ebeneezer Scrooge has become a symbol for any greedy, heartless person. But Scrooge is also an example of the chance for redemption. Your Planet 8 crew discusses three of their favorite film versions of this tale: the 1938 film with Reginald Owen as Scrooge, the 1951 version starring Alastair Sim, and Bill Murray's Scrooged from 1988. We also touch on a number of other adaptations.

For our Sensor Sweep, Bob shares an appropriate book: The Scary Book of Christmas Lore, 50 Terrifying Yuletide Tales. These stories from around the world sound a lot scarier than any version of A Christmas Carol. Karen shares her Christmas gift to herself: the book Timeline of the Planet of the Apes by Rich Handley. Maybe she can finally figure out how the paradox works! Finally, Larry also has a book! It's the deluxe edition of Star Wars The Revenge of the Sith novelization.

We want to thank all of you for your support, for listening to or watching the show, and sharing your thoughts and memories with us. We hope that all of you have a wonderful Christmas, Hanukkah, Solstice, or whatever you may celebrate! And may 2026 be a good year for all of us.

http://www.facebook.com/Planet8Podcast

https://youtube.com/Planet8podcast

http://www.instagram.com/planet8podcast

Humbug!!

In this episode, the Planet 8 crew, joined by our good friend Lord Blood-Rah, discuss the Netflix film, Frankenstein, by Guillermo del Toro. This is a film that del Toro has wanted to make for years, finally completing it this year. Of course, he brought his own unique style and sensibilities to it, and also brought it to life with a talented cast that includes Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein, Jacob Elordi as the Creature, Mia Goth as both Victor's mother and Elizabeth, Charles Dance as Victor's father, as well as Christoph Waltz, David Bradley, and others. The plot is closer to Mary Shelley's classic novel than most other adaptations, but is still guided by del Toro's vision. We'll discuss every aspect of this reborn Frankenstein in this SPOILER-FILLED episode!

Of course, we have another Sensor Sweep for you. Lord Blood-Rah, besides all of the great shows he hosts at his Lordbloodrah.com site, you can now get a personalized greeting from him via Cameo! Just go to his website for more details. Chief Engineer Bob, in keeping with the Frankenstein theme, shared the comic book series, "Becoming Frankenstein" from 10 Ton Press. Karen shared her copy of the Frankenstein novel from Millipede press, with additional stories (including The Vampire by Polidori) and essays, plus photos of different film Frankensteins. Finally, our mission commander Larry shared a puzzle by Adam Simpson called the World of Frankenstein.

Let us know what you thought of this new version of the Frankenstein story! You know where to find us:

• http://www.facebook.com/Planet8Podcast
• https://youtube.com/Planet8podcast
• http://www.instagram.com/planet8podcast

"There is beauty and humility in imperfection." - Guillermo del Toro

Greetings, Planet 8 listeners and viewers! We come once again to that time of the year where we are inclined to do some reflection and realize we have much to be thankful for. We're thankful for all of you, tuning in over and over again, leaving us comments and letting us know what you enjoyed and what your thoughts are on whatever topic we're covering. We're thankful for each other and the friendship we continue to grow and celebrate. And in this particular episode, we are thankful for a short-lived but much-loved TV show, Rod Serling's The Night Gallery.

While Serling is forever identified with The Twilight Zone-and rightly so- from 1970 to 1973, he served as host to this horror anthology series. Night Gallery's stories showcased the macabre, and could be genuinely frightening (especially if you were a kid!). Serling frequently contributed scripts, and many episodes were adaptations of works by well known writers of horror, including H.P. Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and Margaret St. Clair. The show was also graced by many actors that would be recognized by any child of the 70s, such as Vincent Price, Bill Bixby, and William Windom. Despite being the namesake of the show, Serling had little actual creative control over the show, and was disappointed in its direction, as he favored a more nuanced approach. Night Gallery was in your face weird and scary. The show also featured short segments that were comedic, and Serling really disliked these, saying they threw off the tone of the program.But regardless of how Serling felt, he hosted the show and gave it some gravitas. And his presence was a welcome one.

With our returning guest, Lord Blood Rah, we'll discuss some favorite episodes, which ones scared us the most, and our favorite actors. We hope you'll enjoy this trip back through The Night Gallery. We'd love to hear your favorite episodes -please send us comments.

In our Sensor Sweep, Lord Blood Rah shares that he'll be at the East Bay Comic Con in Concord, California in February of next year, if you want to see him in person. Otherwise, you can catch all things Blood Rah at lordbloodrah.com. Likewise, Karen can be found talking about science fiction and fantasy books on her YouTube channel, Echoes from the Satellite. Chief Engineer Bob has got the blue ribbon - Pabst Blue Ribbon, that is. No, we're not endorsing beer now. It's just that these cans have Godzilla and friends on the back of them. Why? Why not?

Finally, Commander Larry brings us back to our topic, Night Gallery, with some beautiful Night Gallery tomes. He shares two books, both purchased via kickstarters. One is Rod Serling's Night Gallery and After Hours Tour, and the other is Rod Serling's Night Gallery the Art of Darkness. Both are from Creature features Press, and are absolutely incredible! However, be prepared to drop some serious coin if you are trying to buy these books now.

That's all for us this time, friends. To those of you in the U.S., we wish you a very happy Thanksgiving. And to all of you, wherever you are, we appreciate you and wish you health and happiness. Take care.

• http://www.facebook.com/Planet8Podcast
• https://youtube.com/Planet8podcast
• http://www.instagram.com/planet8podcast

I swear I thought turkeys could fly!!

It may be hard to believe, but with over 150 episodes and 8+ years behind us, we have never discussed what is arguably the best Star Wars film, The Empire Strikes Back! So sit back and relax as your Planet 8 crew share their thoughts and memories of this classic film.

It's easy now to praise Empire, but at the time, it made a number of bold and risky moves, not the least of which was ending in a cliffhanger, and a bit of a downer. George Lucas didn't make a cookie-cutter repeat of Star Wars, which many studio execs wanted; instead, he made a film which continued the story, taking some chances (a Muppet?) and overall having a much darker tone than the original. But it was the right direction, and the film is now recognized as not only a great Star Wars film, but a great film period.

Of course, we do our Sensor Sweep and talk about the usual nonsense -what new stuff we've bought and what shows we're watching. Hopefully you find that amusing too!

Let us know how you feel about Empire - how do you feel about it now, and what did you think when you first saw it? You can find us at these locations:

• http://www.facebook.com/Planet8Podcast
• https://youtube.com/Planet8podcast
• http://www.instagram.com/planet8podcast

Do, or do not. There is no try.

Happy Halloween! In nine days, anyway. Nine more days til Halloween, Halloween, Halloween....

This year, our holiday film is the unfairly maligned Halloween III: Season of the Witch. This 1982 film was a standalone horror story, separate from the Michael Myers saga, and it is a wonderfully spooky tale that mixes the supernatural with modern technology for a captivating and suspenseful flick. But so many viewers were fixated on Michael Myers that they couldn't give this film a fair shake. Well, your Planet 8 crew, joined by our friends Lord Blood-Rah and Jeff Wehenkel, are big fans of this film, and we hope to make you converts too! So sit back and enjoy this episode. if you didn't like Halloween III before, maybe you'll give it a chance. And if you're already a fan, you'll have fun listening to our thoughts.

And be sure to catch our Sensor Sweep! You may want to go over to our YouTube channel for this - as our pal, the talented Jeff Wehenkel, shares photos of his Halloween III-inspired Halloween party decorations. A few years ago, Jeff went all out and recreated the masks, signage, and even villain Conal Cochrane! It's very impressive!

We'd love to hear your thoughts on Halloween III or anything else. You can reach us at any of our social sites:

https://twitter.com/Planet8Cast

http://www.facebook.com/Planet8Podcast

https://youtube.com/Planet8podcast

http://www.instagram.com/planet8podcast

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

The third season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has wrapped up, and your Planet 8 crew had mixed opinions on it. In conversations with friends of the show Lord Blood-Rah and Jeff Wehenkel, we discovered that our viewpoints ranged widely, from overwhelmingly positive to mostly entertained to disappointed. We were all over the place! As our online discussions grew more lively, we thought, Why not do a show on it? So here you have it. We brought Jeff and Lord Blood-Rah on, and we had a passionate yet civil discussion of Strange New Worlds, where we focused on the current season, but also talked about the entire series. We hope you enjoy it!

Please share your thoughts on Strange New Worlds, Star Trek, Fizzbin, or the number 4, whatever it is taking up space in your brain! You can contact Planet 8 at:

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8Cast
• Facebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8Podcast
• Instagram:http://www.instagram.com/planet8podcast
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/Planet8podcast

Hit it!