The Quatermass Experiment, the highly influential series considered the “birth of TV Sci-Fi”, with Toby Hadoke (Quatermass Experiment megafan, Doctor Who megafan, special features do-er, author, and standup comedian… he just sits around and twiddles his thumbs, does Toby). Toby’s written the definitive book on the first Quatermass Experiment serial! Some Doctor Who discussion. “Behind the sofa.” The sneaky plan Toby used to name his dog. Nigel Neale (Quatermass writer) has influenced such directors as John Carpenter, Joe Dante, and Dan O’Bannon. Which Quatermass Experiment serial does Toby recommend starting with? Different motivations for British and American TV in decades past. Toby says Nigel Neale’s The Road has the best ending of anything, ever. What are the chances of more Quatermass in the future? A nice tangent into John Carpenter’s The Thing. A few last-minute Doctor Who tangents (including one about the Doctor going into his own brain). Pronunciation differences between the British and Americans (how the heck do you say Omega, anyway?). Toby actually likes one of the Bad Jokes of the Week.

Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode #286 - 9/28/2025

Like what you hear?
Support Shane Plays Geek Talk on Patreon!
https://www.patreon.com/shaneplays

Listen to the Shane Plays Geek Talk podcast on YouTube, SoundCloud, iTunes, Google Play Music, Amazon Music, Podbean and Stitcher (and other fine, fine podcast directories).

Hey, you! Yeah, you! Buy cool stuff, support Shane Plays Geek Talk with these affiliate links!
Humble Bundle
https://www.humblebundle.com?partner=shaneplays
DriveThruRPG.com
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse.php?affiliate_id=488512

SHOW NOTES

Toby Hadoke on Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/TobyHadoke

Toby Hadoke on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@TobyHadoke

Toby’s Website
https://tobyhadoke.com/

Toby’s Book! The Quatermass Experiment: The Making of TV's First Sci-Fi Classic
https://tenacrefilms.bigcartel.com/product/the-quatermass-experiment-the-making-of-tv-s-first-sci-fi-classic

The Quatermass Experiment on Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Quatermass_Experiment

Nigel Neale on Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigel_Kneale

Dungeons and Desktops: The History of Computer Role-Playing Games 2nd Edition
Shane's book! Co-authored with Matt Barton of Matt Chat
https://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Desktops-History-Computer-Role-Playing/dp/1138574643/

Sink your teeth into a slew of vampire movies from 1922 through 2025 that may or may not suck with returning movie lovers Chris Holmes and Michael Stewart (Save for Half podcast, Found in the Ruins podcast), plus we chew a bit on Stoker’s Dracula novel. From England to Transylvania to Germany to Italy to Spain to Japan and beyond… those bloodsuckers are everywhere!! Which vampire flicks made us their thrall? One flick’s surprise armadillo never fails to amuse Shane. Chris objects to amazingly cool armor in Dracula movies. What astoundingly fantastic Funko Pop does Shane own?? A surprising clash of opinions on The Lost Boys and Near Dark. We have crossed oceans of time just to bring you this episode.

Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode #285 - 8/29/2025

Like what you hear?
Support Shane Plays Geek Talk on Patreon!
https://www.patreon.com/shaneplays

Listen to the Shane Plays Geek Talk podcast on YouTube, SoundCloud, iTunes, Google Play Music, Amazon Music, Podbean and Stitcher (and other fine, fine podcast directories).

Hey, you! Yeah, you! Buy cool stuff, support Shane Plays Geek Talk with these affiliate links!
Humble Bundle
https://www.humblebundle.com?partner=shaneplays
DriveThruRPG.com
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse.php?affiliate_id=488512

SHOW NOTES

Holmes Basic D&D, John Eric Holmes & Edgar Rice Burroughs with Chris Holmes – Episode 267 – 5/12/2023
https://shaneplays.com/holmes-basic-dnd-john-eric-holmes-edgar-rice-burroughs-with-chris-holmes-podcast/

Zombie Movies with Chris Holmes and Mike Stewart – Episode 277 – 7/22/2024
https://shaneplays.com/zombie-movies-with-chris-holmes-mike-stewart-podcast/

Surreal Cinema with Clements & Holmes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LcpVM55HQA

Vampire Movies Discussed in this Episode:
Nosferatu (1922)
Dracula (1931)
Dracula’s Daughter
El Vampiro
Horror of Dracula
Dracula, Prince of Darkness
The Vampire and the Ballerina
The Vampire Doll
Count Dracula (1970)
Count Yorga, Vampire
House of Dark Shadows
Blacula
The Night Stalker
Captain Kronos-Vampire Hunter
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1974)
Blood for Dracula
Night of the Walking Dead
Dracula (1979)
Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979)
Salem’s Lot (1979)
The Hunger
Fright Night (1985)
The Lost Boys
Near Dark
Buffy the Vampire Slayer *Briefly mentioned
Buffy TV series * Briefly mentioned
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
Interview with the Vampire
Blade
Blade 2
Shadow of the Vampire
Thirty Days of Night
Let the Right One In
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night
Boys From County Hell
The Last Voyage of the Demeter
Nosferatu (2024)
Sinners

Dungeons and Desktops: The History of Computer Role-Playing Games 2nd Edition
Shane's book! Co-authored with Matt Barton of Matt Chat
https://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Desktops-History-Computer-Role-Playing/dp/1138574643/

TSR and Wizards of the Coast veteran Steve Winter (Steve achieved one of the longest tenures across both companies). Steve plays guitar. Steve likes Shadowdark RPG, and is also interested in Knave, Savage Worlds, and Cthulhu / horror games. Steve has a definite favorite version of D&D (he finds it elegant and intuitive). Deep character backstory doesn’t equal plot armor. Sometimes we get too used to magic in games and think of it as technology… magic should be a bit fearsome and untame. Noteworthy moments of going insane in a Cthulhu game. Skyrim and Baldur’s Gate 3 discussion. Steve co-wrote the scenario for the Gold Box Pool of Radiance game. Some words about Jim Ward. Early versus later days at TSR. The job that was Steve’s best year at TSR. How was the work divided at TSR? Steve offers some perspective on Lorraine Williams’s leadership, given that he was right there. What was it like to be at TSR and watch Magic: The Gathering explode onto the scene? Steve worked on Spellfire, TSR’s response to MtG. What was it like transitioning from TSR to WotC? Star Frontiers: how it went from hard sci-fi to “D&D in space” and how employees’ desire for royalties led to its creation (and ultimately to the departure of Lawrence Schick from TSR). Marvel Super Heroes RPG discussion (MSH is HUGE for Shane personally).

Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode #284 - 7/28/2025

Like what you hear?
Support Shane Plays Geek Talk on Patreon!
https://www.patreon.com/shaneplays

Listen to the Shane Plays Geek Talk podcast on YouTube, SoundCloud, iTunes, Google Play Music, Amazon Music, Podbean and Stitcher (and other fine, fine podcast directories).

Hey, you! Yeah, you! Buy cool stuff, support Shane Plays Geek Talk with these affiliate links!
Humble Bundle
https://www.humblebundle.com?partner=shaneplays
DriveThruRPG.com
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse.php?affiliate_id=488512

SHOW NOTES

Steve Winter’s Wikipedia Entry
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Winter

Steve Winter’s Board Game Geek Entry
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/562/steve-winter

Howling Tower (Steve’s Blog)
https://koboldpress.com/category/howling-tower/

Shadowdark RPG
https://www.thearcanelibrary.com/pages/shadowdark?srsltid=AfmBOopWlsfgC-WPHShVkD1E9lDfbJKyN5umULKokrH6cbo8tdn-f2QL

Knave RPG
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/484910/knave-second-edition

Dungeons and Desktops: The History of Computer Role-Playing Games 2nd Edition
Shane's book! Co-authored with Matt Barton of Matt Chat
https://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Desktops-History-Computer-Role-Playing/dp/1138574643/