Vin and Cam return to talk about season 1 of Alien: Earth and its finale as well as the new Marvel Zombies series, weighing bold ideas against messy execution. They discuss hybrid androids, underused xenomorphs, standout creature concepts, and pacing issues that left both shows leaning on potential rather than payoff.

They also break down Marvel Zombies' highlights along with the lowlights and debate the need for Marvel Studios to go to tighter, more emotional storytelling and better season finales for their shows. They finish up with a quick chat about Peacemaker season 2, which they have already reviews in a previous episode of the podcast.

Alien: Earth (2025) - Created by Noah Hawley - Starring Sydney Chandler, Samuel Blenkin, Timothy Olyphant, Babou Ceesay

Marvel Zombies (2025) - Created by Bryan Andrews & Zeb Wells - Starring Iman Vellani, Elizabeth Olsen, Todd Williams, Simu Liu, Awkwafina

Peacemaker Season 2 (2025) - Created by James Gunn - Starring John Cena, Jennifer Holland, Danielle Brooks

Timestamps 00:00 - Intro 00:40 - Alien: Earth season 1 discussion with spoilers 13:54 - Ranking Alien: Earth with the films 16:10 - Do we want a second season? The state of the Alien franchise right now. 21:10 - Marvel Zombies discussion with spoilers 34:20 - How will Marvel Studios wind up The Multiverse Saga? 39:55 - Should there be a Marvel Zombies season 2? 41:14 - Peacemaker season 2 quick discussion (reviewed in a prior episode) 43:11 - Outro

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Vin and Vic break down the Marvel Zombies franchise, covering the core comics (Marvel Zombies 2005, Dead Days, Marvel Zombies 2, Return) and detailing the infection storyline, major moments like the Surfer/Galactus beats, and creator Robert Kirkman’s influence.

They share personal reactions, compare zombies to vampires, discuss the What If... adaptation and MCU tie‑in potential (Secret Wars), assess the TV‑MA animated series, and offer bonus reading and crossover recommendations, including the new Marvel Zombies Red Band miniseries.

A video version of this podcast is available on our YouTube channel @TheCosmicCircus Timestamps 00:00:0 - Intros 00:01:00 - Exploring Jonathan Hickman’s Fantastic Four 00:04:27 - The Council of Reeds 00:07:34 - Modern Meets Classic Villains 00:10:16 - Marvel’s Creative Choices 00:10:47 - Stan Lee & Jack Kirby, and The Coming of Galactus 00:15:20- 60 Years of Fantastic 4 Comics 00:16:18 - The Fantastic 4 in Multimedia 00:27:40- Outros

Vin and John discuss The Old Woman With The Knife, a 2025 South Korean action film about an aging female assassin. They praise the film's visuals, score, performances, and action choreography but note the story's confusing timelines, a late emotional payoff, and an underdeveloped resolution. Overall, they find it stylish and promising, with room for improvement and franchise potential.

John and Vin also discuss their love of action movies like Shaw Bros, Jackie Chan, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and the John Wick franchise.

THE OLD WOMAN WITH THE KNIFE (2025) - Directed by Min Kyu-dong - Screenplay by Kim Dong-wan & Min Kyu-dong - Based on the novel by Gu Byeong-mo - Starring Lee Hye-young and Kim Sung-cheol

Timestamps 00:00 - Intro

00:52 - Details about The Old Woman with the Knife

03:00 - General thoughts on this movie, comparisons to Ballerina and the John Wick films, as well as other influential films discussed

17:00 - More on the comparisons with the John Wick films

21:34 - Spoilers for The Old Woman with the Knife review discussion

26:00 - Final thoughts on the film. Ideas for stars who might be able to be the American version of the "Old Woman" assassin/killer role, like a female John Wick.

28:21 - Outro and some action movie recommendations

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Find the video version of this discussion on youtube @TheCosmicCircus