The Mad Science Movie Awards: 58 Films, So Many Bad Ideas

The Mad Science Movie Awards: 58 Films, So Many Bad Ideas

Author: James Payne May 7, 2026 Duration: 1:34:00

We close out our Mad Science series the only way we know how: with a very serious, deeply prestigious and completely unofficial Mad Science Film Awards.

After 58 films and more than a century of sci-fi cinema, we look back at the scientists, monsters, labs, experiments and terrible decisions that defined the season.

From Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and The Invisible Man to The Fly, Re-Animator, Jurassic Park, Get Out and Poor Things, we trace how mad science evolved from gothic cautionary tales to atomic-age anxiety, body horror, corporate genetics, surveillance, consent and control.

Categories include Best Mad Scientist, Biggest Ego in a Lab Coat, Most Unethical Experiment, Best Creation, Best Lab, Hidden Gem and the big one: Best Mad Science Movie.

Plus we unveil what we will be covering the next series of Jounrey Through Sci-fi!

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Recommendations, discoveries and updates from our journey through sci-fi cinema: journeythroughscifi.beehiiv.com


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
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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]

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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…