Matthew Fox has been passionate about deep conversations about genre media since childhood, when watching the original Star Trek series with their mother often led to discussions about the ethical questions it raised.
Beyond podcasting, Matthew helps run a small nonprofit dedicated to breaking down barriers to computer science education for youth and also provides consulting services for nonprofits and small businesses.
Over time, their podcasting interests have expanded, launching a Star Wars-focused podcast in 2019 and frequently appearing as a guest or co-host on PandaVision and other shows. While ethical questions are not always the primary focus of their work, Matthew has a knack for finding them in nearly everything they watch.
They are the host and founder of both Star Wars Generations and Superhero Ethics on TruStory FM.
What lessons are there in facing a no-win scenario? Is Starfleet truly a military organization? And are those indeed Ricardo Montalbán’s real pectoral muscles? Jacob and Matthew watched Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and then engaged in a discussion about the ethical questions it presents.
Jacob and Matthew are more than just a little excited about the upcoming season of Daredevil. They delve into the questions they’re eager to see addressed in this new installment. For instance, has Wilson Fisk changed after his time in prison? Why was Veronica such a pivotal character, and will her presence be expanded? And what about Matt’s feigned death at the close of The Defenders—why did that particular plot point irk us so much?
Does a superhero movie require a good fight scene? Jacob and Matthew investigate the role of physical violence in the stories we cherish, posing questions to both the characters and the writers. Is it possible to narrate a hero’s tale without violence? Do our heroes too frequently resort to using their fists? And why is it that so many heroes interpret fighting as a form of flirtation?
While driving across the country, Jacob and Matthew took the opportunity to talk about Supernatural, examining the moral value of different kinds of non-humans, the dynamic relationship between Sam and Dean, and their readiness to make any and all sacrifices for each other.
Jacob and Matthew explore the second season of Jessica Jones on various levels, scrutinizing the decisions of both the characters and the writers. How should the law treat someone like Alissa? What responsibility does Jessica bear for her mother’s actions? And how do we interpret Trish’s actions, as well as the writers’ choice to introduce significant conflict between her and Jessica?
This week, we take a step back from the things we are fans of to talk about fandom itself: ownership, fan-created content, and more.
This week we dive into questions from our listeners and fans! Inspired by our friends at the MCUCast, we start with a lengthy discussion about Kingpin and The Punisher. We delve into what separates these two characters and what makes them similar. Why do we cheer for one and hope for the downfall of the other, or do we? From there, we dive into listener questions about Civil War, Cap, the portrayal of mental illness in genre fiction, and a number of other topics.
Here it is, our 50th episode! All three hosts, Paul, Jacob, and Matthew, come together to re-examine some of our favorite questions and discussions from past episodes.
To celebrate our 50th episode, we managed to get all three hosts—Paul, Matthew, and Jacob—together to reflect on some of our past discussions.
In this episode, Jacob and Matthew dive deep into the ethical quandaries that arose from Avengers: Infinity War. They examine Thanos himself, the myriad strategies the Avengers employed to thwart him, and their hopes for the direction of the forthcoming movies and TV shows.