This week on Geektown Radio, Dave is joined by Darryl from Hollywood North News for a deep dive into everything from big-screen action and Stephen King reimaginings to tactical litRPG books and Roman empire city building. The pair tackle four major highlights of the week: ‘Predator: Badlands’, ‘The Running Man’, ‘House of Dynamite’, and ‘Anno 117’, alongside extra discussion on ‘Allegiance’ and ‘Pluribus’, plus a packed roundup of TV news and upcoming premiere dates.
‘House of Dynamite’
Darryl begins with ‘House of Dynamite’, Netflix’s prestige thriller directed by Kathryn Bigelow and written by Noah Oppenheim. One of the streamer’s rare limited cinematic releases, the film leans heavily into awards-season energy and Darryl believes it earns that confidence.
The plot kicks off when a lone missile is launched toward the United States. The government and military scramble to prevent catastrophe, creating a tense political thriller full of sharp performances. Rebecca Ferguson, Idris Elba, Gabriel Basso, Anthony Ramos, and Jason Clarke help drive a film that Darryl describes as gripping and full of little details that stick with you long after.
‘Predator: Badlands’
Next up is ‘Predator: Badlands’, Dan Trachtenberg’s inventive new entry in the Predator franchise. Darryl saw the opening 20 minutes during the MCM Comic Con panel and was hooked enough to visit the cinema the moment it opened.
This time the Predator is the protagonist, teaming with a synthetic character played by Elle Fanning. Darryl loved how the film redefines what a Predator story can be. It is tightly paced, full of character and packed with inventive action, with Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi delivering a standout lead performance.
“It is exactly the kind of creative reinvention cinema needs right now,” Darryl says. Dave, who saw the preview at MCM, agrees and plans to catch the full film on home release.
‘The Running Man’
Darryl followed that with ‘The Running Man’, a new adaptation of Stephen King’s novel directed by Edgar Wright. This version sticks far closer to the book than the 1987 Schwarzenegger classic and stars Glen Powell as Ben Richards, with Jamie Lawson, Josh Brolin, Emilia Jones, Colman Domingo, and Michael Cera supporting.
The story blends dystopian satire with high-intensity action, but Darryl felt its themes about inequality and corporate control are a little too close to the real world in 2025. It works as a spectacle, he says, but offers limited escapism. Both hosts agree it is one to catch at home rather than rush out for.
‘Allegiance’
Dave moves on to ‘Allegiance’, the new Canadian procedural airing on U&Alibi. It follows rookie detective Sabrina Sohal as she partners with veteran cop Vince Brambilla, played by Enrico Colantoni. What immediately stands out is the tone. It feels like a US network procedural that has been gently softened by Canadian sensibilities.
Relationships matter just as much as the casework. The political scandal surrounding Sabrina’s father adds a long-form mystery and the series avoids the miserable, shouty energy some procedurals fall into. Dave likes the strong pacing, the warmth between the characters, and the setting in Surrey, British Columbia, a refreshing change from the usual Toronto or Vancouver focus.
“It is cosy without being soft,” Dave says. “A really solid, likeable procedural.”
‘Pluribus’
Dave is also continuing ‘Pluribus’, the new sci-fi drama from Vince Gilligan starring Rhea Seehorn. By episode four it remains slow and deliberate, in true Gilligan fashion, but the concept is intriguing. A mysterious alien signal has turned almost everyone on Earth into a hive mind, leaving only a handful of individuals unaffected.
Dave is enjoying the slow drip of information and likes how Seehorn plays someone who simply cannot accept being absorbed into a collective. It is beautifully made and conceptually rich but definitely built for patient viewers.
“If you stick with it, the payoff will come,” he says. “Gilligan always starts slow and finishes like a rocket.”
‘Anno 117’
Finally, Dave talks about sinking nearly 40 hours into ‘Anno 117’, Ubisoft Mainz’s new Roman-era city builder. He emphasises that people need to stop comparing it directly to Anno 1800, which had years of DLC and refinements behind it. As a day one release, 117 is strong, clean and packed with things to do.
The Roman and Albion regions feel alive with detail. The campaign mode has been criticised for losing steam due to what seems like a missing third act, but the sandbox is deep and endlessly playable.
“It has that classic Anno magic,” Dave says. “You sit down for ten minutes and suddenly it is two in the morning.”
TV News Roundup
A big week in TV headlines, including:
• English Teacher cancelled at FX after two seasons
• Dora and Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cancelled at Nickelodeon
• Poker Face cancelled but being shopped elsewhere with Peter Dinklage as a new Charlie Cale
• Alien: Earth renewed for Season 2
• Below Deck and Below Deck Mediterranean renewed
• Outlander Season 8 dated for 7 March 2026 on MGM Plus UK
• The War Between the Land and the Sea premieres 7 December 2025 on BBC One
• Prime Video confirms 2026 slate including Clarkson’s Farm, Invincible, The Boys and more
• Idris Elba and Ruth Wilson return for a new Luther film
• HBO developing DC’s DC Crime and a new adaptation of V For Vendetta
Highlights for Next Week on TV
• ‘English Teacher’ Season 2 – Disney Plus – 19 November
• ‘Mighty Nein’ Season 1 – Prime Video – 19 November
• ‘A Man on the Inside’ Season 2 – Netflix – 20 November
• ‘Death of Bunny Munro’ – Sky and NOW – 20 November
• ‘Daddy Issues’ Season 2 – BBC Three – 21 November
• ‘Changing Ends’ Season 3 – ITV – 22 November
• ‘Watson’ Season 1 – Sky Witness – 24 November
? Listen to Geektown Radio Episode 480
Join Dave and Darryl for full reviews, gaming chat, TV news and recommendations for the week ahead.
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