Sci-fi Talk

This episode features a wide‑ranging conversation with Amber Benson, a multi‑hyphenate creator whose work spans television, novels, comics, animation, and audio storytelling. Known to many for her role as Tara Maclay on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Amber has built a career defined by curiosity, collaboration, and a deep love of narrative in all its forms. SAVE 17% ON PLUS  

This episode features a conversation with Debbie Rochon, an icon of independent horror whose career spans more than 40 years and over 200 films. From her early appearance in Banned (1969) to her acclaimed work in modern indie horror, Debbie has carved out a legacy built on resilience, creativity, and a deep love for the genre. SAVE 17% ON PLUS

This episode dives into Keith Arem, a director, writer, and audio director whose career spans more than 600 commercial releases across film, television, music, and video games. We explore his 2016 feature The Phoenix Incident, a found‑footage thriller inspired by one of the most widely witnessed UFO events in modern American history: The Phoenix Lights.

Season Three of Daredevil: Born Again is finally here, and this week on Byte we dive deep into the return of two of Marvel’s most iconic performances. Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio sat down to talk about stepping back into the shadows of Hell’s Kitchen—and what it means to bring Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk into a new era of storytelling. Thanks to Disney+ for providing the actor audio featured in this episode. Topics: 

Featuring Sophie Skelton & Richard Rankin of Outlander Plus Catherine Shiriff, George Hawkins, and a remembrance of Eric Dane Sophie Skelton and Richard Rankin—Brianna and Roger from Outlander—join the Time Capsule to explore a question that feels tailor‑made for them: If you could take a single book back through time, knowing it might change the future, what would you choose—and why? Actress Catherine Shirriff revisits her role as Valkris, the Klingon operative whose brief but pivotal appearance in Star Trek 3: The Search For Spock helped set the film’s stakes in motion. George Hawkins, known for his work in the Star Trek: Starfleet Academy game, reflects on the character Darem and the crucial decision that defines his arc. The episode closes with a  remembrance of Eric Dane, back from his series, The Last Ship taped at San Diego Comic Con.  SAVE 17% ON PLUS

This episode begins a multi‑part exploration of the rich, sprawling character tapestry that defines The Walking Dead Universe. Journey of the Dead – Part One focuses on the survivors, leaders, villains, and unlikely heroes who shaped the early years of the franchise and set the emotional and thematic foundation for everything that followed. SAVE 17% ON PLUS

The concluding chapter of Journey of the Dead brings the series full circle by revisiting three of the most insightful and memorable conversations from earlier in the journey. This finale looks back at interviews with David Morrissey, Danai Gurira, and Michael Rooker—three actors whose performances helped define the emotional, moral, and psychological landscape of The Walking Dead.

This episode revisits the powerful, emotionally charged score of Logan through a conversation with Marco Beltrami, the prolific composer behind some of the most memorable soundtracks in modern cinema. Known for his versatility and bold musical instincts, Beltrami crafted a soundscape for Logan that is raw, intimate, and unlike anything else in the superhero genre. .

This episode features Ann Druyan — the creative force who helped shape how generations understand the universe. As the original writer of Cosmos alongside Carl Sagan, and later the creator of Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey and Cosmos: Possible Worlds, Druyan has spent her life translating the grandeur of science into stories that move people.

This first installment of the Rewind series revisits Merlin, the beloved fantasy drama often described as the “Smallville of the Arthurian Legend.” Airing from 2008 to 2013, the series reimagined the mythos of Camelot through a youthful, character‑driven lens—where destiny, friendship, and forbidden magic collide.

Mark Hamill sits down with Byte for a warm, wide‑ranging conversation that spans his early days on the Star Wars set to his unexpected turn as a live‑action DC villain.

Bob Gale joins Byte for a look into two of the most inventive storytelling challenges in the Back to the Future trilogy: revisiting 1955 with two Martys running around at once, and crafting the Old West setting that defines Back to the Future Part III. 

This episode dives into the fusion of cinematic storytelling, physical mastery, and personal transformation through The Sword Experience, founded by Highlander star Adrian Paul. We explore how sword training becomes a lens for examining discipline, creativity, and the human drive to grow. Show Notes — Exploring Humanity Through Sci‑Fi: The Sword Experience with Adrian Paul This episode dives into the fusion of cinematic storytelling, physical mastery, and personal transformation through The Sword Experience, founded by Highlander star Adrian Paul. We explore how sword training becomes a lens for examining discipline, creativity, and the human drive to grow. ⚔️ What The Sword Experience Is Adrian Paul created The Sword Experience to bring the art of screen combat to life for fans, performers, and anyone curious about stepping into a more empowered version of themselves. Events are held in film‑worthy locations across the U.S. and Europe, blending sword choreography, real‑world martial techniques

This episode dives into Looper, Rian Johnson’s acclaimed 2012 time‑travel thriller, through a conversation recorded at San Diego Comic‑Con with writer‑director Rian Johnson and his cousin, composer Nathan Johnson. The film’s blend of noir, futurism, and moral complexity makes it a standout in modern sci‑fi, and this discussion explores how its world was built—musically, narratively, and philosophically. Looper follows Joe, a contract killer (“looper”) who executes targets sent back from the future. When his future self is sent back to be killed, the loop collapses, forcing both versions of Joe into a collision of motives, ethics, and timelines. The film is known for its grounded approach to time travel, its emotional stakes, and its refusal to offer easy answers.

This episode features an in‑depth conversation with filmmaker and author Kenneth Johnson, one of the most influential creative voices in science fiction television. Johnson’s work reshaped how genre stories could explore human nature, social conflict, and moral complexity. From redefining Marvel’s The Incredible Hulk for television to creating the landmark alien‑invasion saga V, his career has consistently blended spectacle with emotional and philosophical depth. In this interview, we also focus on his return to the world of V through his novel V: The Second Coming—a continuation of his original vision that expands the mythology, deepens the characters, and reflects on the themes that made V a cultural touchstone.

The Bene Gesserit Sisterhood is the ancient, far‑reaching order at the heart of Sisterhood of Dune, and the novel draws heavily on Frank Herbert’s extensive background notes about their origins, training, and long‑term genetic ambitions. Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson use those notes to explore the Sisterhood at a formative moment—eighty years after the Butlerian Jihad—when their identity, power, and purpose are still being forged. The novel explores the early development of the Bene Gesserit as one of the “Great Schools” emerging after the destruction of thinking machines. Alongside the Mentats, Suk doctors, and the nascent Spacing Guild, the Sisterhood is still defining its philosophy and political role. The anti‑technology Butlerian movement is rising, creating a volatile environment in which the Sisterhood must secure its place and protect its long‑term plans.  SAVE 17% ON PLUS TODAY

Recorded live at San Diego Comic-Con 2012 This SDCC edition of Rewind on Teen Wolf captures the energy, anticipation, and behind‑the‑scenes insight from the cast as they looked ahead to the show’s ambitious third season. With Season 2 freshly wrapped and production shifting from Atlanta to Los Angeles, the cast sat down for roundtable conversations that offered early hints at the creative and character shifts to come. Featuring Holland Roden, Colton Haynes, Crystal Reed, and Tyler Hoechlin, this episode blends reflection, speculation, and the excitement of a series about to level up. SAVE 17% ON PLUS TODAY

Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures This episode dives deep into The Bride, Maggie Gyllenhaal’s bold, genre‑bending reimagining of the classic monster myth. With a cast led by Penélope Cruz as Myrna Malloy, Peter Sarsgaard as  Jake Wiles, Jessie Buckley in a triple turn as the Bride, Ida, and Mary Shelley, and Christian Bale as a creature unlike any he’s played before.

Conversations with the creative forces behind Scream 7, exploring where Sidney Prescott’s story picks up, how the film reunites Neve Campbell and Kevin Williamson, and what it means for Campbell to revisit a role that shaped her career and modern horror. Special thanks to Paramount Pictures for the audio.