**SPOILER WARNING**

TRIO SIMPATICO returns at long last to discuss the newest (and current final installment) of the Skywalker Saga.

That’s right DAVID TAVOLIER and JOSHUA WITSAMAN are back to share their initial reactions to STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER

Once again the Star Wars fandom has been divided by the release of a new Star Wars movie into the franchise.  Even our co-hosts are divided on the subject, not divided amongst themselves but divided amongst their own personal opinions about it!  With so much going on in this movie and eight films building up to it, it will undoubtedly take years to fully come to terms with this gargantuan Star Wars finale!

However during this episode of the podcast Dave and Josh try to figure out exactly how they feel about the Rise of Skywalker as they discuss the prelude, initial viewing, and their reactions to the film. 

And make sure to check back over the next few weeks as the show delves further into The Rise of Skywalker as well as The Mandalorian, and Jedi Fallen Order during our month-long STAR WARS theme!

Halloween is right around the corner and your TRIO SIMPATICO co-hosts DAVID TAVOLIER and JOSHUA WITSAMAN are ready to discuss it!  And we don’t mean the holiday!

That’s right, this episode is all about IT: CHAPTER 2!

TRIO SIMPATICO is kicking off its annual horror theme by chatting about the climactic finale of this popular Stephen King film adaptation!

Once again the trio is reduced to a duo as the podcast remains without a guest. 

However Josh takes this opportunity to interrogate his co-host Dave, who just so happens to be a Stephen King aficionado, regarding all of his lingering questions about the movie. 

During the conversation Dave uses his knowledge of King’s work to deftly explain these otherworldly inquiries and catch us all up to speed regarding some of the important differences between the film and the novel. 

Needless to say there are SPOILERS littered throughout this episode! 

If you haven’t had the chance to watch IT: CHAPTER 2 this may not exactly be what you want to listen to first!  But if you have watched the movie or are familiar with the book and would like to join in as Josh and Dave revel in the horrors which they witnessed, then step right up!

David and Joshua are back for another episode of TRIO SIMPATICO!

The trio is down by 1/3 however because there is no guest this episode.

Lately the co-hosts have been keeping themselves busy with their real-world pursuits and decided to take some time to catch up!

And as it just so happens JOSHUA WITSAMAN recently ventured to WALT DISNEY WORLD in Orlando, Florida and visited the newly opened STAR WARS: GALAXY’S EDGE at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Although Josh is not a Disney Parks expert (which is quickly made apparent) he IS something of a STAR WARS know-it-all and was eager to share a few of his experiences at this newly minted STAR WARS mecca!

So listen in to hear some first-hand accounts of this immersive STAR WARS experience, as well as a few other tidbits from Josh’s Disney World trip!

The year is 2261, the name of the place is Babylon 5!

The Aboods have returned!  JEFF & NICK ABOOD are back to discuss another season of the science fiction television epic, BABYLON 5!

This time your co-hosts DAVID TAVOLIER and JOSHUA WITSAMAN are discussing season 4, the penultimate chapter of this 90's classic!  There is a lot that happens during this season of B5 and every episode seems jam packed with details, storyline, and character development!

As done with the discussions of the previous seasons the group chats about what makes season 4 different from the rest of the series and which episodes are their favorites.  

We also take some time to discuss Jeff's impressive collection of Babylon 5 memorabilia, including screen used props and several behind the scenes elements from the show's production.  (Check out TRIO SIMPATICO's various social media accounts to see some images of the items discussed!)

There's still much to talk about as we approach the end of our BABYLON 5 theme, so tune in and join the discussion!

The year is 2260, the name of the place is Babylon 5!

For this episode of TRIO SIMPATICO, the trio is a quartet!  Joining your co-hosts for this BABYLON 5 conversation are returning guests JEFF & NICK ABOOD!

Continuing the theme of BABYLON 5 the podcast has reached season three of the sci-fi epic, which many consider to be the best of the series.  

In this season of the show A LOT of exciting and varied story threads are pulled together as the tapestry of BABYLON 5 begins to reveal the exquisite masterpiece that it truly is!

Attempting to draw new viewers to this old series, the guests and co-hosts do their best to avoid spoilers for the major overarching plots of the show while ruminating on their favorite moments of this climactic season! 

Season three of BABYLON 5 marks the first season to be entirely written the show's creator J. Michael Straczynski and there is much to digest and discuss among these twenty-two episodes!     

The year is 2259, the name of the place is Babylon 5!

Co-hosts DAVID TAVOLIER and JOSHUA WITSAMAN are back to discuss the second season of BABYLON 5!  Also returning this episode is TRIO SIMPATICO legal counsel BRIAN ASHTON to continue his conversation about this sci-fi epic!

The second season of the show picks up where the first season left off, yet some major changes have already taken place and several mysteries remain to be explained!

The most noticeable difference is a change in command.  Due to vaguely explained circumstances Commander Sinclair is gone, mysteriously reassigned to a new post.  Taking his place is Captain John Sheridan!  But what exactly happened to Sinclair?  With so many changes in leadership of the Earth Alliance, can this new captain be trusted?

The trio talk about the differences between the first and second seasons, the evolution of the shows overall story, and choose some of our favorite episodes of the season to discuss in detail!

PLUS a special message from the Orange Growers Council!

The year is 2258, the name of the episode is Babylon 5: Season One!

TRIO SIMPATICO returns with the next installment of our BABYLON 5 theme!

DAVID TAVOLIER and JOSHUA WITSAMAN are once again joined by TRIO SIMPATICO legal counsel BRIAN ASHTON to discuss the inaugural season of BABYLON 5!

As with most television shows during their first season, BABYLON 5 has its share of growing pains to work through as the series works to find its groove.  However that is by no means any reason to bypass these episodes when starting your own BABYLON 5 journey!

Listen in as the trio discusses just why season one is important and why the station's original commander, Jeffrey Sinclair, deserves your attention!

Dave, Josh, and Brian discuss what separates BABYLON 5 from other sci-fi shows, how season one is different from upcoming seasons, and talk about their top 3 episodes of this season.

PLUS we've got a brand new commercial and so much MORE on this episode of TRIO SIMPATICO, so listen NOW!

Babylon 5: It's the Star Trek of our generation!

For this episode your co-hosts DAVID TAVOLIER and JOSHUA WITSAMAN are joined by returning guest and TRIO SIMPATICO legal counsel BRIAN ASHTON!

As promised, the topic of BABYLON 5 is finally being explored in greater detail.  Initially this episode was only going to be a part of our discussion regarding season one of BABYLON 5.  However as we often do, things ran a little long and we decided to make this section its own episode!

So if you're completely new to the show or just want to refresh your knowledge of this wonderful sci-fi series this is the episode for you!

We cover a little bit of everything from the shows creation, the in universe history, and breakdowns of the major alien races of the series!

So let's get started on our deep dive into BABYLON 5!

TRIO SIMPATICO is celebrating it's three year anniversary!

Co-hosts DAVID TAVOLIER and JOSHUA WITSAMAN have been putting out these half-assed episodes for THREE YEARS now, continually working their way up to whole-assed episodes!

As the show progresses Josh and Dave thought it might be a good idea to reintroduce themselves AND reintroduce the main premise of the podcast, so any new listeners might have a place to jump on!

And this episode has EVERYTHING!

Joined by returning guests MARY CLAIRE WILLIAMS and LAUREN WITSAMAN the episode begins with a favorite segment, THE NEWS THAT DOESN'T SUCK, followed by our reintroduction to the show, and finally ending with a discussion of our upcoming episodic theme of BABYLON 5!

PLUS if all of that wasn't enough this episode also has calls from two of the shows past guests DANIELLE RANDLES and TRIO SIMPATICO legal counsel BRIAN ASHTON!

AND throughout the episode we re-visit the commercials from some of our favorite sponsors through the years!

So this is definitely one episode you won't want to miss OR if you're looking for a place to start, this is it!

This is quite possibly the most ambitious installment of TRIO SIMPATICO to date!

On this episode, co-hosts DAVID TAVOLIER and JOSHUA WITSAMAN head out on the highway for their first TRAVEL SIMPATICO!

To celebrate Free Comic Book Day AND Star Wars Day (May the 4th be with you!) Josh and Dave travel between four local toy shops in their region to partake in the festivities and the deals: The Toys Time Forgot, Classic Plastics, Adam's Action Figures and Comics, and Apple Jax Toys!

THEN your co-hosts sit down and discuss NEO-TACC, the Northeast Ohio Toys and Collectibles Club, including interviews with several members of the group regarding collecting and their personal collections.

PLUS! As if all of this wasn't enough there is a brand new SPECIAL OFFER revealed in this episode, available exclusively to TRIO SIMPATICO listeners!

So put down your dolls and action figures and tune into this episode of TRIO SIMPATICO!

Reporting from STAR WARS CELEBRATION once again, DAVID TAVOLIER combines this month's theme of Toys and Collectibles with the weekend event he and his companions have just celebrated.

With STAR WARS CELEBRATION comes plenty of merchandise and memorabilia available for purchase, and who better to give his thoughts on the matter than known Star Wars collector ALEX ZAK?!

And returning to the podcast once again is NICK ABOOD to tell us all about his ever-growing collection of toys and memorabilia, which may very well be the largest of any of us!

Take a listen to hear all about their thoughts on what they like to collect and what it means to them.

We now interrupt our currently scheduled monthly podcast theme to bring you the following BONUS EPISODE!

STAR WARS CELEBRATION CHICAGO has come and gone, and co-host Joshua Witsaman has missed out once again.

Thankfully our other co-host, David Tavolier, was there in the Windy City doing a damn fine job of representing TRIO SIMPATICO among the STAR WARS fandom.

For this episode David is joined by friends and fellow Celebration attendees, ALEX ZAK and returning guest NICK ABOOD!  Together via Skype these three help Josh get up to speed on all the STAR WARS news and events that took place at this year's Celebration!

From one Great Lake to another this episode of TRIO SIMPATICO spans the Midwest to ensure that all of our listeners are in tune with the Force!

Greetings true collectors!  Who's ready for another exciting episode of TRIO SIMPATICO, your friendly neighborhood podcast?

That's right we are back with another installment of our month-long theme of TOYS & COLLECTIBLES!  Co-hosts DAVID and JOSHUA are joined by very special guest MARVIN HOOVER to discuss his extensive and impressive collection of SPIDER-MAN memorabilia!

Focusing mainly on vintage SPIDER-MAN collectibles, Marvin's trove of Spidey treasures primarily date from 1989 and older.  The variety of items Marvin has compiled range from SPIDER-MAN toys to arcade games and shop displays to original comic book art!

During our conversation we talk about collecting in general, what drives a collector, maintaining such a collection, and much more!  This is sure to be an episode you won't want to miss!  So plug in now for TRIO SIMPATICO!

We have officially begun our month-long theme of TOYS & COLLECTIBLES and returning junior guest LUCY WITSAMAN is here to usher it in with an episode teased during her last appearance!

Throughout this month's string of episodes we will undoubtedly be discussing quite a few older, more vintage, lines of toys and collectibles but we'll be kicking things off here with something that's hot with the kids RIGHT NOW! 

The LOL SURPRISE line of unboxing collectible dolls! 

Yes as Lucy demanded previously, she has returned to briefly discuss the LOL SURPRISE toys, their history, and impact on her life personally.

So crack open your surprise ball and dump out this episode of TRIO SIMPATICO and unwrap it with your ears! 

Well here it is, the final installment of our MISSED MOVIES theme!

David and Joshua are back with returning guest LAUREN WITSAMAN and this time it is our very own co-host Joshua Witsaman discussing a popular film he's never seen!  That's right Josh has finally sat down to watch the James Cameron smash hit (intentional wording) TITANIC!

As you'll quickly discover listening to this episode there is still a great deal left to say about this 90's blockbuster and it certainly has made Josh feel a lot of feelings.  But did he enjoy the film?  Would he recommend it to others?  What are his opinions regarding Billy Zane?

Listen in to find out!  Plus, hear the retelling of David and Lauren's very different experiences seeing TITANIC in theaters during its original release!

All this and MORE on this episode of TRIO SIMPATICO!

On this episode of TRIO SIMPATICO co-hosts David and Joshua welcome back returning guest LAUREN WITSAMAN to discuss THE SOUND OF MUSIC, a film Lauren had never seen until we forced her to!

Listen as we delve into the mythos of this classic musical film adaptation and ask the hard hitting questions: What's your favorite song?  Which is your favorite von Trapp kid?  And what exactly is Maria's origin story?  Seriously, where the hell did she come from??

Continuing our theme of MISSED MOVIES we also touch on a bevy of other topics throughout the episode such as Disney's current trend of making live-action versions of their classic animated films, the real history of the von Trapp family, and ideas for a gritty Sound of Music remake.

So tune in now!

A WILD BONUS EPISODE APPEARED!!

What a week to be a Pokemon fan. As a quick interlude to our Missed Movies themed month, co-host David Tavolier sits down with long-time friend of the show, David Wester, to discuss some recent news regarding the beloved Pokemon franchise. 

Not only were we blessed with a new trailer for the upcoming Pokemon Detective Pikachu, but we also received the long-awaited announcement of a new Pokemon game exclusive to the Nintendo Switch!

Is it everything David Wester has been longing for? Will David Tavolier finally get back into the Pokemon games? Will they both see the Detective Pikachu movie?

Have a listen to hear their thoughts!

We are back with another episode about MISSED MOVIES: POPULAR FILMS WE'VE NEVER SEEN!  This time our very own co-host David Tavolier discusses his first viewing of the David Lean film THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI while Joshua and returning guest CARL RANDLES listen intently!

During this episode we really go on a fair amount of tangents, in true TRIO SIMPATICO style.  Listen in as Joshua and David discuss several other popular films they've never seen.  Hear Carl get interrogated about zoo hypotheticals.  And enjoy the trio discussing filming techniques of British television of the late 1970's!

Plus we discuss other works of, David Lean and Pierre Boulle, the creative geniuses who conceived of this masterpiece! 

All this and MORE on this episode of TRIO SIMPATICO!   

TRIO SIMPATICO returns with our latest theme-of-the-month! This month is MISSED MOVIES: POPULAR FILMS WE'VE NEVER SEEN!  For this episode David and Joshua are joined by returning guest CARL RANDLES to discuss Terry Gilliam's BRAZIL!

Two of the Trio had never seen this dystopian cult masterpiece previously so we take some time to not only talk about this movie but several other Terry Gilliam works as well. 

Listen in as we discuss which aspects of modern life BRAZIL predicts correctly, praise this wonderful cast of British master thespians (and Robert De Niro), and as we try to pierce the veil of meaning behind the imagery of this strange futuristic narrative.

On this episode of TRIO SIMPATICO the trio is filled out by a contingent of returning reviewers of international film and television DANA GALBRAITH, RYAN RIMMELE, AND ROSEY TUMPAK.

This panel of global media devotees will be extolling upon the virtues of Japan and Netflix's joint reality television venture TERRACE HOUSE! 

Co-hosts DAVID TAVOLIER and JOSHUA WITSAMAN sit down individually with these guests to find out what drew them to Japan's congenial twist on reality TV, discuss some of their favorite moments, and to watch a few episodes of the multilayered series. 

Afterwards the entire panel will come together to share a few final thoughts and delve deep into Rosey's mythical annotated Terrace House journal!

All this plus we hear about some other obscure television picks on this episode of TRIO SIMPATICO!   

2019 has arrived and TRIO SIMPATICO is back!

This year the podcast will be instituting monthly themes to help focus our content!  Your co-hosts DAVID TAVOLIER and JOSHUA WITSAMAN are at last reunited to continue this month's theme: OBSCURE TELEVISION!

For this episode both of the co-hosts will present an obscure television series to share with the listening audience! 

But which shows could they be?  What era are they from?  What genre?  Well there's only one way to find out, by listening in to this episode of TRIO SIMPATICO!

Here are a couple of clues though: One show features a person in a hospital gown exploding and the other features Tim Curry playing a real creep.

TRIO SIMPATICO is back! (Sort of!)

On this bonus episode we are without co-host David Tavolier but we do have returning guest, television and movie reviewer, LUCY WITSAMAN! 

This time Lucy is dissecting SHE-RA AND THE PRINCESSES OF POWER the newest incarnation of the Masters of the Universe Etherian heroin from Dreamworks and Netflix!

As always co-host JOSHUA WITSAMAN holds our guests to the strictest standards of authenticity and expertise, putting this particular critic's opinions through the wringer! 

Tune in to this bonus episode to hear their thoughts on the show, find out Lucy's favorite character, what she thought were the most frightening moments, and precisely which toys are the most distracting when giving an interview!

All this and more right here on TRIO SIMPATICO!