What A Cartoon! - The October 2022 Schedule

We've entered the spooky season once again, and while this month's offerings don't come anywhere close to the world of horror, somehow we stumbled into an alternate theme: transforming robots! That's right, we're starting the month with a newer—well, 15 years old—example of this very toyetic concept, ending October with one of the classics, and somewhere in the middle, we'll learn all about a bending robot transforming into a cook. Also, Peggy Hill writes a song about a turtle. There's something for everyone this month, particularly if that someone in question enjoys robots!

And remember, if you'd like to listen to this month's episodes of TalKing of the Hill and Talking Futurama, you'll need to sign up at the $5 level or higher on the Talking Simpsons Patreon. Once you subscribe, you'll get to hear our miniseries episodes as soon as they go live, and also access our extensive back catalog of Patreon-exclusive podcasts—over 100 to date!

Here's what's on the schedule for July:

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann - "Simon, Hands Off" [Patreon: 10/3/22 - Free Feed: 10/10/22]

Thanks to premium patron Devin, we're kicking off the month with our look at a modern classic anime that represented a passing of the torch from Gainax to Studio Trigger. The latter animation house might be known today for some of the best-looking stuff to ever grace television screens, but it all started here with Hiroyuki Imaishi's first role as a series director. Listen in as we explore a pivotal moment in this series that tried its hardest to be an anti-Evangelion!

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is currently available on Funimation, Crunchyroll, and Hulu.

Talking Futurama - "The 30% Iron Chef" [Patreon: 10/10/22]

Journey with us back to the early '00s, a time when Japan's identity in America had long since changed from "threatening economic powerhouse" to "that country with all of the wacky TV shows." And with this transformation came America's small-scale obsession with Iron Chef, an over-the-top cooking show that stunned a country used to eating corn and chuck-based meals. The Futurama writing staff took a look at the phenomenon and asked themselves "What if this also involved Bender?" Join us as we discover the answer to this stunning question!

TalKing of the Hill - "Peggy's Turtle Song" [Patreon: 10/17/22]

Thanks to Bobby being misdiagnosed with ADHD, Peggy becomes a stay-at-home mom and quickly succumbs to crushing boredom. But she finds a way to work out her rage and depression: the time-tested practice of writing songs that are actually extended metaphors! Will Hank be able to untangle Peggy's inner turmoil before she's lured away by the siren song of late '90s third-wave feminism? Get ready for us to explore this episode's complex take on modern issues and Ani DiFranco's only acting role to date!

An Extended Free Preview of The Transformers: The Movie [Patreon: 10/31/22 - Free Feed: 11/7/22]

In all of our years of What A Cartoon-ing, we've somehow avoided covering the OG Transformers. Thankfully, we're going to rectify that grievous error at the very end of October by examining the best possible version of these merchandisable robots: 1986's The Transformers: The Movie. Yes, it's the animated film that scarred a generation of late Gen Xers/elder Millennials, and gave Orson Welles a weekend's worth of bourbon money! What other project could possibly feature the director of Citizen Kane and a new Weird Al single?

And remember: $5 patrons and folks on the free feed will hear an extended preview of the podcast, but if you want the whole thing (and access to all other episodes of What A Cartoon Movie) you'll have to bump your subscription up to the $10 level.

That's all for this month! Thanks again for supporting and listening; we couldn't do what we do without you! And be sure to stick around for November, because new episodes of Blabbin' Bout Batman are right around the corner...