In less than a month, Alt 98.7 Presents Big Adventure makes its debut, taking over the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, CA on Saturday, November 3 and Sunday, November 4. Celebrating pop culture and fandom of all sorts, this one-of-a-kind entertainment experience is set to immerse attendees in a world where comics, sci-fi, fantasy, and gaming collide with music and comedy.
Adding to the impressive list of already announced music and comedy talent, Alt 98.7 Presents Big Adventure has released details on a variety of experiences and activations that attendees can participate in and observe during the weekend. Attractions include panels featuring the casts and creators of IFC’s Stan Against Evil and TBS’s Wrecked, live podcast tapings from Alison Rosen Is Your Best Friend and Cool Playlist Featuring Eliza Skinner, the ultimate gamer’s lounge and retro arcade from Machinima and Super Deluxe, a Nerdbot Media Compound with photo ops, a zombie shooting range and more, the Stone Blade Tabletop Gaming area with daily tournaments, demos, and cool prizes, Superfight LIVE where you have the chance to play the hit card game against fandom celebs, the Image Artists Alley, The Geek Gatsby Cosplay Contest, hosted by Bernie Bregman, and much more! There will also be a variety of fan groups exhibiting, including popular Star Wars groups featuring The Saber Guild, The Mandalorian Mercs, and the 501st Legion!
During each day at Alt 98.7 Presents Big Adventure, attendees will have the opportunity to see some of their favorite cast members and special guests during the panels, participate in interactive fan experiences, tabletop and video gaming, tech demos, and visit the artist alley where some of the comic book industry’s top artists and creators will be speaking about their craft, selling artwork, meeting fans and signing autographs. In the evening, the focus will shift to live performances, when fans will witness sets from acclaimed comedians including Patton Oswalt and Jim Jefferies, along with some of today’s top alternative and dance music artists including Empire Of The Sun, Modest Mouse, Phantogram, Cold War Kids, What So Not, Rusko, and many more, spread across three entertainment stages. This all-ages event is free for kids 10 and under (with an adult paid admission). All tickets grant access to everything happening within the event.
More details on the newly announced experiences and activations at Alt 98.7 Presents Big Adventure can be found below:
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Stan Against Evil, featuring guests John C. McGinley, Janet Varney, Dana Gould, Deborah Baker Jr., and Nate Mooney, moderated by Nerdist Senior Editor Dan Casey
IFC’s original horror-comedy series Stan Against Evil stars John C. McGinley (Scrubs) as Stan Miller, the curmudgeonly retired police sheriff of Willard’s Mill, and Janet Varney (You’re the Worst) as Evie Barrett, the current sheriff determined to wipe out the demons that plague their quaint New England Town. Deborah Baker Jr. (The Greet Indoors) and Nate Mooney (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) return to co-star as Denise Miller, Stan’s absent-minded, do-good daughter, and Deputy Leon Drinkwater, Evie’s right-hand man, respectively. Season 3 premieres Wednesday, October 31 at 10PM on IFC with eight all-new episodes. Stan Against Evil is created, written and executive produced by Dana Gould and produced by RadicalMedia.
Wrecked, featuring guests Ally Maki, Zach Cregger, Brooke Dillman, Brian Sacca, Asif Ali, Will Greenberg, and Jessica Lowe
Wrecked is TBS’s hit survival comedy about a diverse group of airplane passengers stranded on an uninhabited island, a dangerous new world where they must face many threats – mostly brought on by themselves. After surviving a pirate invasion and finally recovering from the loss of wi-fi, the gang most recently found themselves shipwrecked on a mysterious billionaire’s private island where they’re forced to hunt each other to the death in a basic-cable battle royale.
Podcast: Alison Rosen Is Your New Best Friend
A twice weekly podcast hosted by veteran interviewer and everyone’s new best friend Alison Rosen featuring surprisingly honest conversations that are equal parts silly and serious. Plus an eternal quest to find out if that thing you think or do is normal in a segment called “Just Me or Everyone?” More info at: https://www.alisonrosen.com/
Podcast: Cool Playlist Featuring Eliza Skinner
On Cool Playlist, host Eliza Skinner and a guest create a playlist for a specific life event, moment, or occasion. From Bar Fights, to Break-ups, to Goth Weddings – we’ll soundtrack it all. Not only do you get a great playlist but new insight into some of your favorite comedians, actors, musicians, and more! More info at: https://coolplaylist.libsyn.com/
Superfight LIVE, hosted by Superfight creator Jack Dire
Be a part of Superfight Live! Hosted by the game’s creator Jack Dire, comedian Monty Franklin, Stone Blade Entertainment founder Justin Gary, a to-be-announced comic book artist and audience member will hash it out in real time, live on stage, for the coveted title of champion. Guests on stage will argue about and joke about absurd fictional fights, and the audience will choose the winners. Fans are encouraged to check in and be ready and waiting for a chance to play onstage as the game’s fourth player.
Charge, Chill and Game With Machinima & Super Deluxe at Big Adventure Festival
Machinima is teaming up with Super Deluxe to create the ultimate gamers lounge at this year’s Big Adventure Festival. Attendees will have the opportunity to visit Machinima’s Retro Arcade featuring classics like Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, NBA Jam, The Simpsons, NFL Blitz, Pac Man and many more. Super Deluxe will also be providing a spot for festival goers to chill and charge in their one of a kind lounge. Be sure to stop by as there will be no shortage of games, contests, giveaways, and good times.
Nerdbot Media & Nerdbot.com Compound
The Geek Gatsby Cosplay Contest, hosted by Bernie Bregman
Hosted by Bernie Bregman, producer and owner of Nerds Like Us and host and associate producer of Club Cosplay, the all ages contest will feature over fifty of the best cosplay costumes in Southern California, where a panel of expert judges will choose the most outstanding cosplayers in a variety of categories. Space is limited, so enter now at www.bigadventurefest.com. Winners will be announced on the main panel stage on Sunday, November 4th at 4:30 p.m., with prizing to be awarded for the following categories: Best In Show, Best Fabrication (Sculpting & Building), Best Construction (Sewing & Use Of Fabric), Best Hero, Best Villain, Best Sci-Fi, Best Group or Couple, and Best Kid. DJ Chuck None will be spinning tracks during the competition, as well as kicking off the music to follow at the Dance Stage.
Stone Blade Tabletop Gaming Area
Sponsored by Justin Gary and Stone Blade Entertainment, come by the Tabletop Gaming Area to play some games with the Stone Blade team! The area will be running tournaments with cool prizes for novices and experts alike, along with demos all day long. They may even have a preview version of the next Ascension release to show off! Stone Blade is the maker of hit games including Ascension, Shards of Infinity, and You Gotta Be Kitten Me, and Justin Gary has been in the gaming industry for over 20 years, first as a US National Magic: the Gathering Champion, then as designer and CEO of Stone Blade, and now as the author of his newly published book: Think Like a Game Designer.
Image Artists Alley
Image Comics will host Image Artists Alley, a branded section in the artists alley dedicated specifically to Image Comics creators. Some of Image Comics most well-known works include The Walking Dead, Spawn, Saga, East Of West, Deadly Class, and The Wicked + The Divine.
The Belegarth Medieval Combat Society LARP Battles
The Belegarth Medieval Combat Society is a live-action battle game organization devoted to simulating Dark Age and medieval combat. Belegarth will be at Big Adventure, hosting LARP (live-action role playing) battles throughout both days.
Escape Room
Jack Dire of Superfight is bringing a custom built escape room for attendees to attempt to escape from, built specifically for Big Adventure. Attendees are encouraged to get there early as slots will fill up, and are on a first come, first serve basis.
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Produced by Synergy Global Entertainment (SGE), Alt 98.7 Presents Big Adventure will also boast a massive comic con exhibitor village, a marketplace with a variety of handmade and exclusive items, carnival rides and games, and wandering cosplay performers.
The performance lineup for Alt 98.7 Presents Big Adventure is as follows (subject to change):
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Live Stage: Empire Of The Sun, Modest Mouse, Phantogram, Cold War Kids, Echos, Nvdes, Allie X, and Party Nails
Comedy Stage: Patton Oswalt, Jim Jefferies, Emo Philips, Hari Kondabolu, Kristen Schaal, Maria Bamford, Monty Franklin, Natasha Leggero, Rhys Darby, and Ron Funches, hosted by Marcella Arguello
Dance Stage: What So Not, Rusko, Bro Safari, Feed Me, Bonnie X Clyde, Luca Lush, Party Thieves, Ducky, Nitti Gritti, Chime, and Chuck None
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Participating comic companies include Skybound, Image Comics, Kodansha Comics, Boom! Studios, and Top Cow Productions. Comic artists will include Andrew Robinson, Andy Belanger, Becky Cloonan, Chris Burnham, Ivan Brandon, Matt Hawkins, Nick Dragotta, Andy Kuhn, Robert Wilson IV, Ande Parks, Brent Schoonover, Farel Dalrymple, Jai Nitz, Justin Greenwood, Matt Horak, Matt Wilson, Matthew Southworth, Morgan Beem, Ramon Villalobos, Brian Level, Tess Stone, Tim Doyle, and more to be announced.
Alt 98.7 Presents Big Adventure partners include: Machinima, Angel City Brewing, Corona, Kraken Rum, Lime Crime Cosmetics, Rockstar Energy Drink, Deep Eddy Vodka, Cosmic Fog, Musicians Institute, Mike’s HARDER, and D-Link.
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TV
Sweetpea
Sweetpea is a new dark comedy series created by Kristie Swain and adapted from a novel series by CJ Skuse. The series stars the ethereal goddess that is Ella Purnell (Fallout, Yellowjackets) using her actual English accent!
Purnell plays a young woman whose name is not actually Sweetpea, though she is very much a wallflower. Though even Wallflower might have too much gravitas, Rhiannon (Purnell) is treated by those around her like a weed. She is stepped on and ignored by everyone except her dad and pet chihuahua. Many have argued that Purnell is just ‘too pretty’ to be that abjectly ignored by everyone. However, Purnell is an amazing actress who plays the washed-out, doe-eyed, shrinking ‘sweetpea’ so convincingly.
Rhiannon was bullied heavily in school which led to her developing trichotillomania (a hair-pulling disorder) which ultimately caused bald patches on her scalp. She still keeps an unconvincing brunette wig in a drawer in her bedroom. Rhiannon’s dad is constantly encouraging Rhiannon to stand up for herself. Unfortunately (light spoiler!) Rhiannon’s Dad dies from his illness in the first episode, leaving her alone in the world.
Rhiannon returns home to the large empty house she once shared with her dad. After yet another tragic incident Rhiannon looks at her life, her thirst for revenge is obvious. Particularly against her main school bully Julia Blenkingsopp (Nicôle Lecky).
Rhiannon sees Julia as having a perfect life and didn’t peak in high school “like bullies are supposed to do!”. When Rhiannon returned to work as an admin assistant for a local paper, not only did none of her colleagues notice her absence but they didn’t acknowledge her return. The only person who appears to talk to her is her boss Norman played by Jeremy Swift (Ted Lasso) who condescendingly calls her “sweetpea” and demands tea.
Rhiannon’s mental state declines enough for her to finally confront Julia in a club. Julia and her friends laugh at Rhiannon which brings memories of school back and anxiously tugging at her hair. This leads Rhiannon to commit a horrifying yet liberating crime when leaving the club leading to a whole new way of expressing herself.
What I Liked:
I enjoyed watching Rhiannon’s confidence grow throughout the series. Purnell herself spoke about the production of subtlety added makeup to subconsciously influence the change in her. Rhiannon transformed from a shrinking girl to a hip-swaying, go-getting career woman. Yet its clear there is a lot of mental turmoil within Rhiannon. Purnell (2024) jokes that she actually “got kinda jacked” due to the tension she held in her body whilst suppressing Rhiannon’s rage. Purnell also comments on how freeing it was to let it all out which Rhiannon does many times and is just as satisfying for the audience!
Initially, I found every character rather one-dimensional and stale compared to Purnell. However, as the show progresses most characters become multifaceted, particularly Julia. The narrative of the show really makes you question your own morals and sense of justice. You find yourself making excuses for Rhiannon and almost cheering her on when you really, really shouldn’t.
I also enjoyed how the show explores the victim complex. Is Rhiannon really a victim or has she taken on this mantle and lived her life accordingly? Sweetpea expertly plays with the shades of grey in the ideas of what makes someone a bully and what makes someone a victim.
Sweetpea fits in perfectly in the genre of British black comedy. Scenes like when Rhiannon is clearing out her chest freezer and then climbs in herself to see if it could potentially fit a body. The door of the freezer almost closes on her but she catches it just in time. This scene perfectly captures just what kind of character Rhiannon is.
I also liked how the character’s houses were used as metaphors for their lives. The home Rhiannon shared with her father is messy and cozy yet in desperate need of TLC and repair much like Rhiannon herself. You can tell it’s a well-loved home with a long history much like Rhiannon and her father’s relationship. In stark contrast to Julia’s fiercely stylish and minimalistic home which she shares with her fiancé. It’s sleek and modern yet ultimately empty with little sign of love.
The opening credits and music choices are also fire.
What Could Be Improved:
Like many others, I didn’t quite believe someone as beautiful as Purnell would be completely ignored by the general public. It did look at times like they were relying on drab clothing and too light foundation to make her look mousey. However, as stated, Purnell’s performance does save it.
The main ‘love triangle’ (if could even call it that) was a bit forced. Calam Lynch’s portrayal of Rhiannon’s colleague ‘AJ’ was a bit too enamored with Rhiannon with no real build-up. However, I found myself really enjoying Jon Pointing’s portrayal of ‘Craig’ and wishing his arc had been explored more.
I really wanted the show to lean more into the exploration of ‘abuser’ and the ‘abused’ and take it to a deeper level. Maybe in series 2?
All in all, I enjoyed this traverse through Sweetpea’s world. I am interested to see where they go with it in the future.
Three and a half stars.
Movie
Is This the Scariest Movie Ever?
It’s been called the scariest movie ever. Or the grimmest, bleakest, and most brutal. The post-apocalyptic drama; Threads, has only been aired three times, its premiere in 1984 (appropriate year), 1985, and 2024 for its 40th anniversary. Threads has also been made available on streaming services. The anniversary has stirred up memories from its initial release which has been dubbed ‘the night Britain did not sleep!’
Threads is a BBC-produced TV movie which explores what would happen if a nuclear bomb was dropped on the English city of Sheffield.
The film is structured like a documentary; with a voiceover speaking to the audience in a clipped, received pronunciation BBC English. The narrator speaks over what is possibly stock footage of a spider weaving its web, or its threads. The narrator explains how in urban society everything connects and how we all rely on one another’s skills to survive. Ominously the narrator points out how fragile these threads are.
THREAD 1 – FAMILY
The film then cuts to our two leads Ruth (Karen Meagher) and Jimmy (Reece Dinsdale). These two young lovebirds are in a car over looking the Sheffield countryside. A fighter jet flies overhead as Ruth remarks how “peaceful” it is. We follow Ruth Beckett and Jimmy Kemp as they navigate an unplanned pregnancy.
The film plays like a ‘kitchen sink drama’. I have heard ‘kitchen sink’ described as an ‘anti-Hollywood’ where everyone has their natural teeth and skin texture. The film looks similar to a British soap opera.
Whilst the narrative at this point just skirts around somewhat boring, it is clear something is playing out globally in the background. We see it on newspaper covers and hear snippets on radios and TVs. There is a situation unfolding in the Middle East with tensions building between the Soviets and the USA. Troops are mobilized and more importantly, nuclear warheads are moved.
And then it happens.
THREAD 2- SECURITY
At almost 50 minutes in, the bomb finally drops. The literal bomb that is. The omnipresent narrator tells us it is 8.30 am in the UK meaning it is 3.30 am in Washington DC; Western response will be at its slowest.
The bomb scene is incredibly powerful. This is where the ‘kitchen sink’ realism really comes into its own. It looks like any other British high street but people are running around screaming looking for shelter amidst the blaring siren. Children are being scooped up from their prams and the panic is palpable. Infamously one businesswoman is staring up at the blooming mushroom cloud rising above the city, the camera pans to see urine running down her trouser leg and pooling at her 80’s white heels.
There is constant screaming as buildings explode, windows smash, and curtains catch fire.
Text informs us that 210 megatons in total fell on the UK with an estimated 2.5 – 9 million casualties.
THREAD 3 – SOCIETY
Ruth exits her parents’ destroyed house to look for Jimmy. In her old neighborhood she is greeted by a horrendous sight. The whole street looks like that of The Blitz; with dead pets and both parents and children looking for each other. A shell-shocked woman covered in ash asks Ruth; “have you seen our Mandy?” she is proffering what looks to be a child’s coat, as if Mandy forgot her coat when going outside to play. A charred corpse with perfect white intact teeth (probably dentures) is embedded into a building. A staring woman is clutching the burnt remains of her infant.
After this, the horrific scenes come thick and fast.
Food has become the new currency and food stores are protected by force. It is here we see the figure who has haunted many viewers nightmares. The armed traffic warden with the bandaged face. Played by an extra who actually was a traffic warden in real life!
Hospitals are overrun with the injured. The harried staff are using sheets as bandages and table salt to disinfect contaminated water. Doctors resorting to amputation with no anesthetic.
THREAD 4 – CHILDREN
Ruth gives birth to a healthy child. A little girl named Jane. Ruth gives birth alone in a barn and has to bite through the umbilical cord. Later, on Christmas Day no less, a group of survivors gathers around a fire in the barn looking like a macabre nativity scene.
But what sort of world has Ruth brought her daughter into? We are told it is ten years later and society has returned to medieval times with the nuclear winter and UV damage affecting the crops. Jane does not call Ruth ‘mum’ only ‘Ruth’ and has no reaction when Ruth finally dies. Are the people in this society so profoundly broken by the sheer amount of loss and trauma that they can no longer form familial bonds? Has that thread been cut?
There is clearly little regard for human life anymore. Jane walks past three corpses hanging in the foreground paying them no attention. Is this a mass suicide or an execution? The corpses are also bare. Have people stolen their clothes to protect themselves from the harsh nuclear winter? Images such as these, shown for mere seconds can tell you so much about the situation.
THREAD 5 – LANGUAGE
In the second half of the film, there is barely any dialogue. Any words spoken by Jane and her peers are some strange form of pidgin English. Many fans have argued that language would not degrade that quickly. However, these children have been brought up by deeply traumatized parents (if they had parents at all). People barely speak anymore and death and disease are extremely common. Is it any surprise that mankind has been brought down to its most basic level? Or is this the cognitive effects of growing up around high levels of radiation?
Many fans comment how Threads gives no hope. But there appears to be a rudimentary school system-cum-workhouse with Jane and her peers watching an old educational video. Although the last scene definitely takes away from the tepid hope we are shown.
SO IS IT SCARY?
Well….as I had heard about the film through cultural osmosis I knew what to expect. I appreciate that during the 80’s, living in the fog of the Cold War, a nuclear holocaust was looking more and more likely. Having a film at that time showing exactly what it would look like if it were to happen in a typical British city would be horrifying.
With the film being set up as a documentary speaking to some unknown in the future, it is interesting when you are watching from the future. Before COVID I would think it was so unrealistic; the way a lot of people didn’t take the crisis seriously until they were practically underneath the bomb. Now I know differently. Everything is fine until it’s not and we don’t tend to tackle a crisis until it is right on our doorstep. Like Mr Kemp with his trousers down on the loo as the bomb went off, we are so ill-prepared. And all the systems (or threads) in place that you thought would protect you, such as the government, are just ill-equipped.
It is an extremely well-done film especially when I learned the budget was £400,000 (about 1.2 million today). The acting is superb and I can see why it’s such an iconic film. In today’s current climate Threads is more relevant than ever. Would highly recommend it.
Five Stars.
Streaming
Nobody Wants This on Netflix
Rating 8 10
Nobody Wants This, Netflix’s 2024 rom-com series, strikes a rare balance between familiar genre tropes and genuine originality. A surprising hit, it uses its single season to dive into the messiness of modern romance and human connection with a witty yet sincere approach that lingers after each episode.
At its heart, Nobody Wants This is a deep dive into everyday chaos, capturing life’s unfiltered messes in an unexpectedly heartfelt way. The show centers on two vastly different individuals brought together by chance, forced into a string of awkward encounters and life-defining moments. It’s a refreshing twist on classic rom-com setups, letting its characters face the consequences of their choices in a realistic way. Watching them stumble, adapt, and connect is like watching a slice of real life—raw, funny, and unexpectedly moving.
The writing shines with sharp, clever dialogue that feels both authentic and emotionally rich. Conversations capture not just how people speak but how they connect, creating exchanges that feel ripped straight from real life. Moments of verbal sparring and raw emotion are as delightful as the iconic banter of rom-coms like When Harry Met Sally, yet the story stays grounded, playing with the unpredictability of genuine connection. The direction adds another layer, framing everyday moments—like missed calls and clumsy first dates—with a cinematic flair that highlights the beauty in life’s chaos.
The chemistry between the lead actors is palpable, and their performances are infused with an authenticity that makes their characters’ flaws endearing. They grow with each episode, making the journey feel impactful and rewarding. The supporting cast adds even more depth, complementing the storyline without overshadowing the central romance.
Beyond romance, Nobody Wants This explores themes of self-discovery and connection, capturing the unpredictability of finding oneself—and perhaps someone else—in the chaos of life. Without giving too much away, the season finale is both heart-wrenching and uplifting, striking a perfect balance between realism and hope. It’s a conclusion that feels genuine, giving viewers a satisfying emotional payoff.
In a world where rom-coms can often feel formulaic, Nobody Wants This brings new life to the genre. It celebrates love’s imperfections, the inevitability of mistakes, and the connections that emerge in spite of it all. This series is more than entertainment; it resonates deeply, leaving viewers laughing, crying, and rooting for its characters.
As Roger Ebert once said, “Movies are like a machine that generates empathy.” While Nobody Wants This is a series, it achieves this empathy with grace, proving that even the simplest stories can have a profound impact.