Sci-Fi Starter Pack: Star Wars, Blade Runner, The Matrix, Mad Max & More

Sci-Fi Starter Pack: Star Wars, Blade Runner, The Matrix, Mad Max & More

Author: James Payne July 30, 2026 Duration: 26:31

New to Journey Through Sci-Fi? Start here.

Before we launch our next full series on friendly aliens, we're taking a journey back through the archive with a special starter pack episode, featuring some of our favourite clips from past series.

Across this episode, we revisit some of the biggest ideas in sci-fi cinema: the mythic storytelling of the original Star Wars trilogy, the artificial intelligence and uneasy humanity of Blade Runner, the time-loop perfection of Groundhog Day, the simulated reality of The Matrix, the collapsing world of Mad Max, and the haunted-house-in-space horror of Event Horizon.

Featuring discussions of:

  • Star Wars Original Trilogy
  • Blade Runner
  • Metropolis
  • Groundhog Day
  • The Matrix Trilogy
  • Mad Max
  • Event Horizon

Whether you're a longtime listener revisiting old favourites or a new listener looking for the best place to begin, this episode is a guided tour through the many worlds, subgenres and strange obsessions of Journey Through Sci-Fi.

Our new series, We Come in Peace, exploring the history of friendly aliens on screen, begins soon. Follow Journey Through Sci-Fi now so you don't miss it.


Ever wondered how a silent film from a century ago connects to the spectacle you saw at the multiplex last weekend? That’s the kind of thread Journey Through Sci-Fi: A Science Fiction Film Podcast follows, tracing the entire arc of the genre from its flickering beginnings to its CGI-drenched present. Hosts Matt and James act as your guides, not just reviewing movies but unpacking the ideas that fueled them. They’re interested in how a particular film’s design changed movie-making, or how a story from the 1950s reflected the anxieties of its time, creating a conversation across decades. You’ll hear detailed discussions that place each film within a larger historical tapestry, making connections you might have missed. This isn't a random list of reviews; it's a curated, chronological expedition. By focusing on one film per episode, the podcast allows for a deep dive into the context, the production challenges, and the lasting cultural footprint of each title. Whether it's the pioneering special effects of a classic or the philosophical questions posed by a modern epic, Matt and James explore how science fiction cinema holds a mirror to our own world. Tune in for a thoughtful analysis that appreciates both the artistic ambition and the pure entertainment value of the genre, discovering how every spaceship, robot, and alien visitor tells us something about ourselves.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Journey Through Sci-Fi: Science Fiction Film History
Podcast Episodes
The Best Sci-fi of 2025: Future Frontiers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:33
We look back at the biggest sci-fi moments of 2025 — franchise returns, standout TV, Marvel's slump, DC's revival, and the auteur films that kept the genre interesting. From Superman and 28 Years Later to Severance and A…
Flubber (1997) & The Nutty Professor (1996): The 90s CGI Boom [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:15
This week on Journey Through Sci-Fi, we revisit Flubber (1997) and The Nutty Professor (1996) to explore how both films became showcases for the 90s CGI boom. We look at how early digital effects, morphing tech, ILM's ru…
Re-Animator (1985) & Poor Things (2023): Reanimated & Reimagined [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:16:10
"Who's going to believe a talking head? Get a job in a sideshow!"We're diving head-first (literally) into the weird world of Frankenstein's legacy once again, with Re-Animator (1985) and Poor Things (2023). From glowing…
Prey (2022): How It Re-Energised the Predator Franchise [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:24
To celebrate the upcoming Predator: Badlands and the big-screen re-release of Prey on November 5th (for a very limited cinema run) we're bringing one of our favourite Patreon episodes to the main feed. In this bonus epsi…
Tron: Ares (2025): It's Tronin' Time! Spoiler-Free Chat [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:51
As we've just revisited Tron and Tron: Legacy, you knew we couldn't resist jacking back into the Grid for Tron: Ares. This is a spoiler-free sneak peek of our full Patreon episode, where we talk Jared Leto's turn as Ares…
Tron (1982) & Tron: Legacy (2010): Inside the Machine [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:15
What happens when humanity steps inside the machine? This week we're diving back into the grid! In anticipation of Tron: Ares, we revisit both Tron (1982) and Tron: Legacy (2010). Two landmark films that imagined what li…