Episode 71 - FLUBBER

The '90s were halcyon days for the movie star, so it was no surprise that Disney had confidence in Robin Williams to breathe new life into one of its more dated midcentury comedies. The name-above-the-title clout was paired with cutting-edge visual effects and enough marketing muscle to indoctrinate young minds with images of mambo-ing green homunculi.

So why is this John Hughes-scripted movie often relegated to the bench of Williams' filmography? Where are all the Professor Brainard cosplayers at Disneyland? Wither Flubber? We answer that last question with a "hopefully not" as we pick apart this sentimental science fair of slapstick.

Flubber (1997)
Directed by Les Mayfield
Produced by John Hughes and Ricardo Mestres
Written by John Hughes
Original screenplay The Absent-Minded Professor by Bill Walsh
Based on "A Situation of Gravity" by Samuel W. Taylor
Starring Robin Williams, Marcia Gay Harden, Christopher McDonald, Raymond J. Barry, Ted Levine, Clancy Brown, Wil Wheaton, and Jodi Benson

Episode 61 - HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS

It's not too much of a stretch to look at Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and see a sly portrait of the American nuclear family in crisis, fractured by the stresses of work, technology, and the pursuit of a mythical suburban ideal. In this light, the concept of a fantastical shrinking ray is a clever way to illustrate how the movie's young protagonists gain a different perspective on the importance of accepting others and getting along--a lesson in maturity that's earned without ever leaving the backyard.

We welcome Screen Invasion editor-in-chief Kristal Bailey to help us discuss how the film's micro-adventures inspired our own imaginations, as well as a couple of beloved theme park attractions. Plus: sympathy for aging dads, insect phobias, and a sidebar on paternity issues in Ghostbusters II. It's all part of this big episode about tiny people!

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989)
Directed by Joe Johnston
Produced by Penney Finkelman Cox
Written by Ed Naha and Tom Schulman
Starring Rick Moranis, Matt Frewer, Marcia Strassman, Kristine Sutherland, Amy O'Neill, Robert Oliveri, Thomas Wilson Brown, and Jared Rushton

Episode 34 - BEAKMAN'S WORLD and BILL NYE THE SCIENCE GUY

Throughout the 1990s, countless kids were edutained by two of every substitute teacher's best friends: Beakman's World and Bill Nye the Science Guy.  For years these nutty professors brought the science fair into the living room, answering our burning questions about everything from astronomy to zoology and blowing our minds with the stunning versatility of paper towel tubes and empty milk cartons.

Grab a number two pencil and get ready to record some data as we let the dying embers of summer form the spark of knowledge in our back-to-school special!

Beakman's World (1992-1997)
Created by Jok Church

"Gravity, Beakmania, and Inertia"
Aired September 26, 1992

"Snow, Beakmania, and Natural Selection"
Aired December 9, 1995

Bill Nye the Science Guy (1993-1998)
Created by Bill Nye, James McKenna, and Erren Gottlieb

"Light Optics"
Aired September 10, 1994

"Pseudoscience"
Aired January 26, 1996