Original Geek
Original Geek is a weekly geek culture podcast hosted by Gen X nerd veterans and stand-up comic Steve Scarfo with co-host Jeff Shaw. We dive deep into Star Wars, Marvel, DC, Dungeons & Dragons, sci-fi, fantasy, comic books, tabletop gaming, retro video games, classic horror, and modern pop culture—all served with sarcasm, nostalgia, and zero gatekeeping. We’re the geeks who rolled our first D20 before the internet could tell us we were playing it wrong. From MCU debates and Star Trek canon wars to the resurgence of ’80s nostalgia and today’s fandom controversies, we break down what still matters, what doesn’t, and why people are way too mad about fictional universes. This podcast is for Gen X geeks, millennial nerds, and anyone who loves movies, TV shows, gaming, comics, cosplay, sci-fi, fantasy, and fandom culture. Whether you’re a tabletop beginner, a lifelong dungeon master, a horror movie junkie, or someone who still knows Han shot first, Original Geek explores the evolution of geek culture—from VHS to streaming, Atari to next-gen consoles, Dragonlance to Baldur’s Gate 3. If you’re looking for a funny, opinionated geek podcast with real personality, heated debates, and unapologetic nostalgia, you’re in the right basement. 🎙️ New episodes weekly. Subscribe, roll initiative, and embrace your inner geek.
Episodes
What happens when two Gen X geeks walk into their first convention since the 80s?
They realize geek culture didn’t just survive… it took over.
In this episode of Original Geek, Steve and Jeff dive into their experience at Northeast Comic Con, where they:
Met cast members from Galaxy Quest including Jed Rees and Patrick Breen
Took part in a live Random Review with actual actors from the...
Two Gen X geeks finally sit down with One Piece — and realize they've been anime fans since childhood without knowing it. Steve and Jeff review Netflix's One Piece Season 1 (no spoilers for season 2!), flashback to Star Blazers and Voltron, and go head-to-head in Geek Court over whether manga has officially surpassed the American comic book.
In this episode:
- One Piece random review — dice rolls, devil fr...
Is Monarch: Legacy of Monsters fixing the Monsterverse, or is the franchise getting too big for its own good?
In this episode of Original Geek, Steve Scarfo and Jeff Shaw dive into the secret organization at the center of the Monsterverse — Monarch — and debate whether the show strengthens the franchise or distracts from what fans really want: giant monsters smashing cities.
We break down how Monar...
Kirk vs Picard: Which Star Trek Era Was the True Peak? + Starfleet Academy Random Review
Which era of Star Trek was the true peak?
Was it the Original Series era — Kirk, Spock, and the foundation of the franchise?
Or the Next Generation era — Picard, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager expanding the universe?
In this episode of Original Geek, Steve and Jeff go head-to-head in Geek Court to de...
Marvel Television has evolved from The Incredible Hulk in the 70s to Loki, Daredevil, WandaVision, and now Wonder Man on Disney+ — but which version of Marvel TV actually works best?
In this episode of Original Geek, we dive deep into the Marvel Television Universe (MTU) and debate:
Is street-level Marvel (Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Hawkeye) better suited for TV?
Or does cosmic M...
Before Game of Thrones, fantasy was rarely treated as prestige television.
Then HBO brought George R.R. Martin’s world of Westeros to life — and the genre was never the same.
In this episode of Original Geek, we revisit the cultural impact of Game of Thrones, debate the best character arcs (Arya vs Daenerys), revisit the controversial final season, and explore why A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms fee...
For Original Geeks, The Muppet Show wasn’t just a kids’ program—it was controlled chaos, smart failure, and comedy that trusted the audience.
In this episode, we dig into why the Muppets still matter 50+ years later, how Jim Henson deliberately built characters who failed on purpose, and why the show worked for adults and kids at the same time.
We talk Sesame Street roots, the original UK productio...
What’s the worst apocalypse to survive?
In this episode of Original Geek, we head straight into the wasteland to talk Fallout — the hit TV series, the video games that inspired it, and why post-apocalyptic stories refuse to leave our brains alone.
From nuclear wastelands and underground vaults to dystopian societies that pretend everything’s fine, we break down why worlds like Fallout, Mad Max, The...
Predator: Badlands didn’t just land as another sequel — it cracked open a much bigger conversation about what the Predator franchise actually is, where it’s been, and where it might be going next.
In this episode of Original Geek, we use Badlands as a jumping-off point to explore the entire Predator timeline — from the 1987 original and its slasher-movie roots, through Predator 2, Predators, The Predator, Prey, and t...
What makes zombies terrifying—speed or decay?
In this episode of Original Geek, we break down the two classic zombie types: rage-driven infected and slow, rotting undead. We explore how zombie movies and TV shows evolved, why these two styles dominate the genre, and what makes each one scary in its own way.
If you love zombie movies, horror debates, and geeky pop-culture deep dives, this one’s for you.
Welcome to Origi...
What actually makes a disaster movie?
Is it explosions? CGI destruction? Cities getting wiped off the map?
Or is it something smaller—and a lot more human?
In this episode of Original Geek, we break down what defines a true disaster movie, why the best ones still work decades later, and why so many modern films miss the point entirely.
From the golden age classics like The Poseido...
This episode of Original Geek Random Review focuses exclusively on Stranger Things Season 5 Episodes 5, 6, and 7 — and what they’re setting up for the finale.
Using a D20 dice roll, we let fate decide which topics come up for debate, including the biggest questions fans are arguing about after Part 2.
We break down:
- The wormhole vs. time travel debate and why the show avoids a reset
- Why the wormhole functions as a b...
Before he was an action legend, Bruce Willis was a wisecracking TV star from Moonlighting. Then Die Hard happened—and John McClane changed action movies forever.
In this episode of Original Geek, we use Die Hard as the entry point to talk about Bruce Willis’ true legacy: the rise of the vulnerable, everyman action hero. We break down why John McClane worked when muscle-bound, invincible heroes dominated the...
In Part 2 of our Stranger Things Season 5 Random Review of the first four episodes, the dice take us straight into the emotional and structural heart of the season.
We roll a successful Sense Motive check and land on one of the most debated arcs of the series so far: Max’s coma, Vecna’s memory trap, and whether the show is flirting with a storytelling risk it can’t afford to miss.
We break down:
- Why Max’s storyline...
You don’t hate Stranger Things Season 5…
but something definitely feels off.
In Part 1 of our Stranger Things Season 5 Random Review, we roll the dice and let chaos decide what we talk about—because that’s the only honest way to review a show this big.
We dig into:
- Why the Season 5 timeline is starting to strain credibility
- The Vecna Retcon and does it work
- The difference between bigger stakes and better storyte...
You think you grew up watching claymation Christmas specials.
You didn’t.
In this episode of Original Geek, we take a deep dive into the classic Rankin & Bass Christmas specials and break down one of the biggest holiday pop-culture myths of all time. From Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman to Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town and The Year Without a Santa Claus, we unpack how these half-hour TV...
The Karate Kid is one of the most iconic Gen X movies ever made — and somehow, it’s still starting fights 40 years later.
In this episode of Original Geek, we break down why The Karate Kid refuses to stay a simple underdog story. From the now-viral “Daniel LaRusso is the real bully” theory to the infamous crane kick controversy, we follow the chain of events that keeps fans arguing decades after the credits rolled.
We...
Stranger Things isn’t just nostalgic — it’s accurate. And that’s why it hits Gen X differently than any other generation.
In this episode of Original Geek, we break down why Stranger Things feels less like a retro throwback and more like lived memory for anyone who grew up in the 1970s and 1980s. From riding bikes until dark and killing time in basements, to facing real fear without adults hovering nearby, the show c...
How the Master of Horror became the ultimate Geek King
Stephen King didn’t just write horror — he defined it. From Carrie to It, The Shining to Shawshank, King’s stories built an entire universe of fear, magic, and monsters that shaped every geek kid who ever stayed up too late with a flashlight and a paperback.
In this episode, Steve Scarfo and Jeff Shaw — your resident Gen X geeks — dive headfirs...
Grab your popcorn and dim the lights — this week on Original Geek, we’re firing up the old TV set for a trip back to Creature Double Feature! 👾
Steve and Jeff dig into the evolution of the movie monster — from the campy rubber suits of the 70s to the CGI behemoths that crush cities (and box offices) today. We’re talking Godzilla, Gill-Man, Dracula, Demogorgons, and the glorious weirdness that made monster flicks a g...
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