204 // Alien and Cosmic Horror: Part One

"Lovecraftian" gets thrown around a lot these days, but what does it actually mean? When people say Alien is a Lovecraftian film, what are they getting at?

We're launching a miniseries to explore those questions (and a whole lot more), and on this first installment we're looking at H.P. Lovecraft himself and how his themes speak to the themes in Alien.

How does Giger's reverence for HPL show up in the film? What are we actually afraid of, long after the credits roll? Join Jaime, Patrick, and bona fide Lovecraft scholar Christian as they wade into the strange depths in search of answers.

To support Christian's Necronomicon project, head over to his Patreon page!

// Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/perfectorganismitunes

203 // Wreckage & Rage: David Fincher and Alien 3

David Fincher's involvement with Alien 3 does not have a storybook ending. Unlike his predecessors Ridley Scott, and James Cameron, Fincher's work on Alien 3 would be remembered as one of the most troubled productions in cinema history. In this episode, Christian, Patrick, and Jaime discuss the issues surrounding Fincher's involvement and the merits of his continuing disassociation from the film. This was a interesting and challenging conversation. We hope you enjoy.

202 // The Feminine & The Beast

Feminism is a word that's long been linked to the Alien franchise, and it continues to be an incendiary term in our current social climate. In this episode, special guest Sarah Welch-Larson joins Patrick, Andie, and Jaime to break down what that actually term means and if it's faithful to the spirit of the original four Alien films. This was an informative and educational episode that might surprise you. We hope you enjoy.

201 // Interviewing the Team Behind Aliens Expanded

Patrick and Jaime were delighted to sit down with writer/director Ian Nathan, and executive producer Robin Block as they discussed their new documentary Aliens Expanded. If Alien fandom has a bedrock, it would be none-other than James Cameron's Aliens. Aliens is the film everyone gathers around, the main course at a cinematic feast. Ian, and Robin discuss why they believe that's the case, and how they want to capture the love and celebration in a documentary that's certain to ignite our love for the film even more. We hope you enjoy.

200 // Celebrating 200 Episodes of Perfect Organism Podcast & Beyond

Perfect Organism: The Alien Saga Podcast celebrates 200 episodes of what has been a rollercoaster of excitement and wonder. Join cohost and founder Jaime, Patrick, Christian, AndieGeekGirl, Perry, Maj, & Xander as they sit down to discuss the journey they've been on as a team, the road ahead, and the latest Alien tv show and film news. This was a wonderful episode to be a part of. This was a very special episode for everyone, we hope you enjoy.

199 // Inferno’s Fall: Interviewing Authors Philippa Ballantine & Clara Carija

Christian, Patrick, and Jaime were delighted to sit down with co-authors Philippa Ballantine and Clara Carija to discuss their new book, Alien: Inferno's Fall. As long time fans of the Alien saga and extended universe, Philippa and Clara discuss what the Alien universe means to them, and their propensity for creating rich and diverse worlds populated with multifaceted characters. This was a wonderful interview full of laughter and candid moments. We hope you enjoy.

198 // Interviewing Chris Bissette, Creator of The Wretched

Have you ever wondered what would've happened if Ripley's showdown with the creature onboard The Narcissus had ended differently? Chris Bissette is a game designer, writer, and musician who created an innovative RPG experience to explore that question—not only creating a theoretical fifth act to Alien, but putting players in Ripley's shoes as well. The Wretched is an original IP, but functions beautifully as an Alien analogue.

In this minisode, Patrick and Christian chat with Chris about game design, the enduring power of Alien, and why single-player RPG experiences are having such a moment. 

For more on Chris and their work (and to grab a copy of The Wretched for yourself!), visit https://loottheroom.itch.io/wretched.

And be sure to give Chris a follow on Twitter @pangalactic while you're at it!

An actual play of The Wretched will be coming to our Patreon feed in the near future if you'd like to hear the full audio experience. Happy gaming!

// Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/perfectorganismitunes

197 // The Artificial Intelligence of Alien and Blade Runner

In this special crossover episode, hosts Patrick and Jaime are joined by contributing host Peter from the Midwest to discuss artificial intelligence as featured in Alien and Blade Runner. This is a bit of a crossover episode as we explore why the kinds of A.I. exist in both of these worlds and what's really behind the need for such technology. This was a fascinating and complicated discussion. We hope you enjoy!

To listen to the rest of this Artificial Intelligence mini-series, go to www.bladerunnerpodcast.com 

// Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/perfectorganismitunes

196 // Interviewing Andy Kelly, Author of Perfect Organism: An Alien: Isolation Companion

Alien: Isolation is the sort of game that attracts a certain type of Alien obsessive: packed with lore, overflowing with aesthetic detail, and completely unrelenting in its difficulty and terror, Isolation is an extraordinary achievement in game design that continues to enthrall Alien fans eight years after its release.

Andy Kelly is a video game journalist who has written extensively about Alien: Isolation from the very beginning. Along the way, he's amassed a wealth of interviews, behind-the-scenes insights, and level design knowledge that has culminated, finally, in his writing the definitive Alien: Isolation companion.

In this episode, Andy takes Patrick and Christian behind the curtains for a deeper look at this incredible game, and lets us know what we can look forward to when the book is eventually published.

To support the book's creation on Unbound, visit https://unbound.com/books/perfect-organism/. And be sure to follow Andy on Twitter @ultrabrilliant so you never miss an update along the way!

// Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/perfectorganismitunes

195 // A Man With a Future: Discussing Dr. Clemens

Charles Dance's portrayal of Dr. Jonathan Clemens in Alien 3 is a layered look at how substance abuse, grief, and loss function in the Alien universe. In this roundtable, Jaime, Patrick, Christian, and Andie are joined by first-time guest Forrest MacKnight for an in-depth examination of this fascinating character.

// Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/perfectorganismitunes

194 // Interviewing Shiromi Arserio, Narrator of Alien: Colony War and Alien: Into Charybdis

Two recent Alien novels—Alien: Into Charybdis by Alex White and Alien: Colony War by David Barnett—share a common audiobook narrator. What you might not know about this narrator, though, is she's just as much an Alien nerd as you are!

Shiromi Arserio's website describes her as an "Accent Chameleon," and listening to her work on these recent novels is a masterclass on how to balance character, dialect, and storytelling tension in a way that's at once unobtrusive and yet utterly riveting.

Shiromi was kind enough to spend an evening goofing around with Patrick and Christian, spilling some trade secrets and geeking out about painting Alien miniatures along the way. 

For more on Shiromi and her work, visit www.shiromispeaks.com.

// Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/perfectorganismitunes

193 // Propstore & Perfect Organism Podcast presents: An Aliens Panel Discussion

Perfect Organism was honored to be asked by Propstore to host a panel discussion with ALIENS actors Ricco Ross, Mark Rolston, and ALIENS Visual Effects Supervisor Pat McClung. This event was hosted on top of the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles and included industry players, fans and more. Please join us as we unveil this very special episode, hosted by Jaime Prater and Christian Matzke.

192 // Prometheus at Ten Years: A Roundtable Retrospective

On June 8, 2012, Prometheus ushered in a controversial—and wildly new—era in Alien history. How has Prometheus aged in the decade since it was released? What themes have stuck? How has it shown up across other works throughout the expanded Alien universe, and how do those works bring Prometheus in new directions?

In this roundtable, Jaime, Patrick, Perry, and Maj discuss Prometheus' past, present, and future.

// Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/perfectorganismitunes

191 // The Promise of a Flower: Discussing Dillon

Charles S. Dutton's performance as Leonard Dillon in Alien 3 is one of those portrayals that seems almost star-crossed. With his thrilling speeches, deep humanity, and murky past, Dillon is a character who becomes more special the more time you spend with him—a character that makes us ask Big Questions, like what is redemption? Can you find it even after you've committed atrocities? Where do you search for hope at the Ass End of Space?

Dutton, with his own troubled past and remarkable acting journey, brings such force and depth to this character that it's no wonder many of his monologues—the burial sequence, his "let's fight it" speech—have become beloved touchstones of modern science fiction.

In this next installment in our ongoing 30th Anniversary of Alien 3 coverage, Jaime, Patrick, Christian, and Andie discuss this deeply complex character.

For some additional reading, here's a relatively recent interview with him that gets mentioned in the episode a few times: https://bit.ly/3wLsMK3

// Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/perfectorganismitunes

190 // Charles de Lauzirika’s Alien 3 Assembly Cut Commentary

Art by Locusta

Charles de Lauzirika is the Restoration Producer of the Alien 3 Assembly Cut, as well as the director of Wreckage and Rage, the definitive behind-the-scenes account of Alien 3 (which you may have seen, in various forms, on both the Quadrilogy and Anthology boxsets). He reached out to us after our previous Assembly Cut commentary went live on Alien Day and asked if we'd like to watch it again, only this time with him on the commentary panel!

Jaime, Patrick, and Christian had the immense pleasure of learning the inside story of the Assembly Cut from the guy who actually put it together, and we're thrilled to share this exclusive experience with our listeners.

The commentary track gets started after a few minutes of intros and banter; we'll cue you when it's time to start playing the film.

// Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/perfectorganismitunes

188 // Alien 3 | The Assembly Cut Commentary

Happy Alien Day! As is our tradition (and for as long as we can) Perfect Organism releases a commentary episode every 04.26. This year, in honor of the 30 year anniversary of Alien 3, Patrick, Maj, & Jaime sat down and recorded a commentary track for the assembly cut of Alien 3. We hope you enjoy!

189 // Interviewing Sarah Welch-Larson, Author of Becoming Alien

Sarah Welch-Larson's Becoming Alien is subtitled ... The Beginning and End of Evil in Science Fiction's Most Idiosyncratic Film Franchise, and that should tell you everything you need to know about why we were so thrilled to chat with her!

Becoming Alien is a philosophical examination of all six canonical films—an exploration of deep themes like the nature of evil and the things that make us human. Join Jaime, Patrick, Christian, Andie, and Sarah as they don their headlamps and venture into one of their deepest conversations yet.

Follow Sarah on Twitter (@dodgyboffin) and be sure to pick up Becoming Alienat http://cutt.ly/BecomingAlien!

// Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/perfectorganismitunes

ALIEN: Abandon - A Brand New Audio Drama

Starring Liam Richards, Terry Cooper, & Perry Chicos as Elliot 

From an original script by Jaime Prater * Directed by Jaime Prater  

Original Score by Patrick Greene * Planet sound by Patrick Greene  

Sound design by Jaime Prater * Additional sounds by Xander House

Produced by Perfect Organism: The Alien Saga Podcast * Edited by Jaime Prater 

With Chase Cupo as the voice of Stratos & Micah Greene as the voice M.U.T.H.U.R.

*special thanks to Maj & Christian Matzke*

Alien Abandon was made possible in part by our amazing patrons.

// Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/perfectorganismitunes

187 // Into The Abyss: 30 Years of Alien 3 | A Roundtable Discussion

As Perfect Organism Podcast dives into our celebration of the 30 year anniversary of Alien 3, we decided to start off our conversations about the nature of the film. How did you feel about the film going into it? Did you know that Hicks & Newt would meet their tragic fate before you saw it? Have you been able to get over their deaths? Is Alien 3 a film that's found its rightful place? The team at Perfect Organism sits down to talk about all of this, setting the stage for a series of episodes covering one of the most storied films in Hollywood history.

186 // Fandom Spotlight: Interviewing Alaric Hahn - Founder of Alien Day

We kick off Alien Day 2022 with an interview with its original founder, Alaric Hahn. Host Christian Matzke sits down for an in-depth and satisfying conversation covering the first Alien Day in 2015, the films, and so much more. Happy Alien Day, and enjoy!

// Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/perfectorganismitunes