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The Incomparable Mothership

Jason Snell
Science Fiction
Planet Of the Apes
Doctor Who
Back To the Future
Hugo Awards
Saturday Night Live
Crimson Tide
Disney Plus
Fantasy
Artificial Intelligence
Dune
Ryan Reynolds
Mad Max: Fury Road
Nebula Awards
Apple TV+
Nostalgia
Fantasy Genre
Character Development
Fright Night
Avatar

The Incomparable Mothership is the flagship of the Incomparable podcast network. It’s all about geeky media we love, including movies, books, TV, and more, featuring a rotating panel of guests and hosted by Jason Snell and friends.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes812Founded16 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
TV & FilmArts

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Artwork for The Incomparable Mothership

Latest Episodes

Our survey of award-nominated novels rolls on with “The Buffalo Hunter Hunter,” “When We Were Real,” and “Sour Cherry.” Not gonna lie: we’re struggling with the reading a bit this year. But at least one of these novels threw us a lifeline.

2026 Awar... more

We went out to the movies to see “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” the first “Star Wars” film this decade. We had a really good time, thanks in large part to the charisma of many different puppets. (This is “Star Wars,” after all.) We aren’t without our c... more

Let’s travel 40 years back in time, to Chicago in 1986, where on one legendary day, a high school student named Ferris Bueller bends time and space, all in service of cheering up his best friend. We break down what makes “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” st... more

Awards Book Club reconvenes for 2026, as we discuss Nebula-nominated novels “Katabasis” by R.F. Kuang, “Wearing the Lion” by John Wiswell, and “Death of the Author” by Nnedi Okorafor. The mood of the panel is… cautious. Also: What else are we reading... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

John Siracusa
Panelist, technology journalist
Episode: 812: Ridley Scott Just Can't Stop
Moisés Chiullán
Panelist
Episode: 812: Ridley Scott Just Can't Stop
Erika Ensign
Panelist
Episode: 812: Ridley Scott Just Can't Stop
Glenn Fleishman
Two-time Jeopardy! champion
Jeopardy! contestant
Episode: 809: Triple J on 'Jeopardy!' with Jennings
Paul Weimer
Returning guest who discusses literary topics.
Episode: 806: Demon in a Photocopier
Heather Berberet
A regular participant in the book club.
Episode: 806: Demon in a Photocopier
Joe Rosensteel
An occasional visitor to the book club.
Episode: 806: Demon in a Photocopier
Mickey Maynard
First time guest and old movie enthusiast, previously appeared on Lions, Towers and Shields.
Episode: 738: Condor to the Neck
Dan Moren
Author and panelist, known for the Galactic Cold War series
Angry Robot
Episode: 736: I Have Planets for That

Hosts

Jason Snell
Host of core flagship panel, known for balanced moderation and depth across geek topics
Annette Wierstra
Regular guest/panelist with a focus on books, media discussions, and culture
Monty Ashley
Panelist contributing to roundtable discussions across media topics
Tony Sindelar
Panelist with broad expertise in books, TV, and technology culture
Dan Moren
Panelist/guest with tech writing and media analysis background

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 983 ratings
  • Binged in during this last episode.

    I want to thank you for the recommendation of North of North I binged the whole season before I finished listing to this episode. Also agree on Plur1bus. Love it. Now trying Better Call Saul I’m one of the few who have not watched Breaking Bad or Better Call. So far I’m not sure

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JPL
    United States5 months ago
  • It’s no longer summer…

    Would love an episode about something other than old submarine movies. It’s almost October. Summer is done.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Anonymous Fan (AF)
    United States9 months ago
  • Eh. It’s ok.

    Quality of episodes depends on which guests are on. Some guests are good and others are awful. There is no disagreement on anything amongst the hosts just complete group think.

    It gets too woke at times. Attempts to cram feminism or pick your woke topic into conversations has left me rolling my eyes and deleting shows too often. Whether it’s lobbying for Hercules to be pansexual or counting the number of women in Batman Begins you can see where some conversations go.

    Also yeah the girl who ca... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Drizzle Dry
    United States2 years ago
  • Dynamically inserted ads?

    Love the show but I can’t believe you’ve stooped so low to use dynamically inserted ads. Very disappointing.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    puffymonster
    United Kingdom3 years ago
  • Incomparable Groupthink

    There have been an increasing number of episodes over the last couple of years that have left me more angry than thoughtful or entertained.

    What it comes down to is this: there seem to be more and more ignorant, uneducated takes and misunderstandings or misrepresentations, and the group just goes along with it. It’s like listening to Stella Zinman (Sarah Chalke) from HIMYM describe why she hated Star Wars, except instead of having someone push back, everyone nods along and is like, “Yeah, why d... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    DocWallaby
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Audience responds well to deep dives into craft and history, valuing humor and collegial banter over partisan takes.
Positive impressions of the host's moderation and guest chemistry, with fans enjoying varied topics and thoughtful analysis.
Listeners appreciate the breadth of nerd culture coverage and recurring panelists, though some reviews note inconsistency depending on guests.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#58
Singapore/TV & Film
Apple Podcasts
#134
Belgium/TV & Film
Apple Podcasts
#135
New Zealand/TV & Film
Apple Podcasts
#163
Denmark/TV & Film
Apple Podcasts
#188
Russia/TV & Film
Apple Podcasts
#225
Israel/TV & Film

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

801: Chekhov's Chunga Palm
Q: What about aliens?
Mostly unclear.
801: Chekhov's Chunga Palm
Q: Is this this?
If you've watched The Twilight Zone, The X-Files, think of the extremely high concept of an episode of that show taken as the premise to a long-running show that is going to go global.
801: Chekhov's Chunga Palm
Q: Are they about the show?
No, I haven't seen the show.
707: Crime is Not Cozy
Q: How do you intend to keep your series fresh?
By creating different dog characters tied to the plot, I maintain excitement and variability in each book.
707: Crime is Not Cozy
Q: What challenges do you face while constructing a mystery?
The hardest part is figuring out the clue path and ensuring all characters could plausibly be suspects.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Incomparable Mothership

What is The Incomparable Mothership about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A rotating roundtable of nerd-cultural conversation, this show covers a wide range of geek topics—from movies and TV to books and games—through thoughtful analysis, banter, and spirited debate. Episodes often feature cross‑discipline guests who bring craft, history, and fan perspectives, producing lively discussions about storytelling, worldbuilding, and design. A standout aspect is the breadth of topics tied together by a curious, insightful host roster, creating a welcoming, opinionated space for deep dives and playful drafts alike. Fans typically seek smart takes, well‑reasoned critiques, and a sense of community around shared passions for pop culture and media history.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Incomparable Mothership?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Incomparable Mothership. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Incomparable Mothership and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Incomparable Mothership get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Incomparable Mothership, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Incomparable Mothership?

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How many subscribers and views does The Incomparable Mothership have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Incomparable Mothership has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Incomparable Mothership?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Incomparable Mothership:

1. Upgrade
2. A Complicated Profession: "Star Wars" on TV
3. Connected
4. Accidental Tech Podcast
5. The Talk Show With John Gruber

How many episodes of The Incomparable Mothership are there?

The Incomparable Mothership launched 16 years ago and published 812 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Incomparable Mothership?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Incomparable Mothership?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Incomparable Mothership from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Incomparable Mothership?

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What guests have appeared on The Incomparable Mothership?

Recent guests on The Incomparable Mothership include:

1. John Siracusa
2. Moisés Chiullán
3. Erika Ensign
4. Glenn Fleishman
5. Paul Weimer
6. Heather Berberet
7. Joe Rosensteel
8. Mickey Maynard

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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