We’re going to make you an offer you can’t refuse. Listen to the Nerd Hurdles podcast or swim with the fishes. Can Jakob and Mandi take down  The Godfather (and mobster movies in general), or is there no escape from the family?

Speaking of “Family”, that was a pretty good Spiner-heavy TNG episode.

Shownotes: The Hurdled Nerd

Have you ever found an original Han Solo figure still in the card for $2 at a thrift store or a yard sale? Probably not. But it’s the dream. The reality (and nightmare) of thrifting is you’re in danger of ending up with a house full of broken-down, kitschy junk. This week Jakob and Mandi trade-in their second-hand stories and you walk away with a great bargain.

And as an added bonus, the best audio comment we’ve ever received.

Shownotes: The Hurdled Nerd (Including “Baby Secret” videos)

Not all beers are created equal. Some people like a little more craft put into their brews, some like theirs to taste like watery crap. Guess which Jakob and Mandi prefer? The Hurdlers hurdle beer after recovering from the Toronto Festival of Beer.

Shownotes: The Hurdled Nerd

This week Jakob and Mandi jack-in to break through the firewalls and crack the encryption codes to get the hard data on computer hackers in movies and IRL. Or maybe they mostly talk about Angelina’s body.

Shownotes: tH3 hURDLëD nÆRD

Nerd Hurdles wouldn’t exist without one specific thing. Not the Internet. Not Jakob’s Zoom H4 Handy Recorder. Not even Simply Syndicated. No, it’s you the listener who’s made this diamond jubilee possible. Because although we could still do the show without you, we probably wouldn’t. That would be a bit sad.

For episode 75 we give our appreciation to you, the nerds who’ve stuck by us, by reading out some of your letters, new and old, as we go on an unintentionally self-serving ego trip. Next stop: We’re awesome!

Shakespeare can be hard going. Lots of sound and fury, but what does it all signify? Good thing there’s comics like Kill Shakespeare around to shake things up, so to speak.

Jakob interviews co-creator Anthony Del Col, rather quietly, in a library full of people trying to read. Later, he and Mandi do their version of a “worst to first” of all The Bard’s plays. Only it’s more of a “worst to worst”.

Igor and Banana take over GalacTALKA duties this week and are joined by a new friend.

Shownotes: The Hurdles Nerd (includes elusive Manicorn photo)

Travel plans interupt our regularily scheduled program. It’s gag reel time again. This time around we’re not just serving up a smorgasbord of gaffs, but some choice cuts and never before heard classics like:

• Memories of Kurt Cobain (15 minutes of tangent from either the 1st or 2nd Zombies episode)
• Mediocracy (unreleased Idiocracy mini-episode recorded in March 2009)
• Inthest ith betht (Igor & Banana warm-up for Sexy Hurdles 2)
• Buffy / Twin Peaks re-cast (out-take from Buffy)
• Trevor smoking in the boy’s room at a Motley Crue concert
• Igor ‘Grew a Banana (Making a merkin with Ro Karen)
• And much, much more!

Pixar films, specifically Toy Story 3. This is one of those times where Jakob and Mandi’s lack of knowledge about the subject matter is going to piss people off.

Battlestar GalacTALKa: Wrap-up of Season 4.0 plus speculation on what a pile of bollocks 4.5 is going to be and who does and does not wear pants.

Shownotes: The Hurdled Nerd (with a bit of a new look!)

Shownotes: The Hurdled Nerd

Another jump into the mirror universe where we examine Nerds’ Hurdles, things which are hurdles for nerds. Such as high school prom. If John Hughes taught us anything, that’s were nerds get their nooky on. Or hide in the corner hating everyone. Jakob and Mandi reminisce about the perennial bastion of coolie-woolie normalcy that is graduation parties.

Shownotes: The Hurdled Nerd

Mandi promised a sexy episode for #69 so she and Jakob tackle sex shops for part dee-ucks of the Sexy Hurdles series. They also try to hurdle Zack and Miri Make a Porno and Igor gets a second job.

Shownotes: The Hurdled Nerd

Jakob and Mandi visit a Masonic Lodge then talk about how nerdy they and the people who think they’re up to something sneaky are. That and dead celebs.

Note: If you downloaded  this before 5:30 pm EST on June 4th, that version of the episode was mysteriously missing 3 minutes where the hosts discuss the real Masonic plot. It is uncertain how the Freemasons got to the file, but the missing 3 minutes have been restored and are located at 21:02.

Shownotes: The Hurdled Nerd

Mandi blinded Jakob with science. That way he couldn’t see her having her way with Bill Nye. If you listen closely you can hear birds singing. Summer’s come to Canada and that means the windows are open at the Hurdle Hut.

If you’re in the area, drop by and visit Jakob and Mandi at the Toronto Small Press Book Fair. June 19th, The Great Hall, Toronto. Look for the Ampersand Publishing table.

Battlestar GalaTALKa: Spoiler-heavy talk of disc 1 of season 4.

Shownotes: The Hurdled Nerd

In darkened recrooms, all but unknown to the general public, lurks a special type of nerd. The pinball nerd. They came out of their basement arcades for theToronto Pinball and Gameroom Show.

Shownotes, links, videos, etc.: The Hurdled Nerd

Jakob and Mandi brave the crowds at the Toronto Comic Arts Festival (TCAF) and speak with Questionable Content creator, Jeph Jacques.

Shownotes, links, photos here: The Hurdled Nerd

A New Hurdle. May the 4th, Star Wars day. Who’s cool and who’s in Star Trek?

Shownotes are HERE.

We might not have Morena Baccarin but we have something Starbase 66 didn’t have last week. The lovely Ro Karen drops by the Hurdle Hut to discuss the Battlestar Galactica stop-gap movie, Razor. We even manage to recognise Psychodyke herself, Michelle Forbes this time around.

Shownotes here.

Probably the all-time biggest superhero wizard with the most fanboys has to be Jesus of Nazareth. This week Jakob and Mandi get metaphysical.

Shownotes HERE.

It’s time to give a toss about TOS. Jakob and Mandi get seminal with Star Trek.

Shownotes HERE.

Popular demand demanded we do Buffy The Vampire Slayer (series) if we want to stay popular. If there’s one thing Buffy taught us, it’s the importance of being popular. And saving the world. A lot.

NOTE: Season 5 &6 spoilers.

Shownotes HERE.

Jakob and Mandi brace themselves for the Toronto Meet-Up (with liquids) and talk about BSG season 3.

“Special” things about this dual episode: Jonnyboy[slim] audio comment; SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS; Field recordings from the meet-up; Over half an hour too long for Jakob’s liking / attention span!

Shownotes with links and videos HERE.

They say the clothes make the man. Unfortunately the clothes also make the nerd. Jakob and Mandi discuss the pitfalls of nerd fashion.

*Project GalacTALKa returns next week with a special extended BSG segment.

Shownotes HERE.

Thince Jakob and Mandi are on Vacathion in Britith Columbia, I have taken the inithiative to edit and upload thith weekth epithode. I hope you enjoy it ath much ath doeth I and the Banana. Your ever faithful manthervant, Igor.

A night out at the “theatah” with Jakob and Mandi. Specifically the Rhubarb Festival in Toronto. Blood, shit, piss, vomit and transgendered country singers. Bravo!

Shownotes here.

Flynn Lives in Toronto. Last weekend Jakob and Mandi went to the pre-screening of the new Tron Legacy trailer (which gets its official release with Alice in Wonderland tonight). In this episode they talk about the emotional aftermath of that event and the original 1982 movie, Tron.

There’s no GalacTALKa this week due to… well, they just didn’t feel like watching or talking about BSG. Not even for you. It wasn’t personal. They just needed some time apart.

Shownotes are here.