PEL Presents PMP#219: Weir-ed Sci Fi: Hail Mary and The Martian

The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast

Mark Linsenmayer

Society & Culture, Philosophy

4.6 • 2.3K Ratings

🗓️ 17 April 2026

⏱️ 52 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

We discuss the hard sci-fi film Project Hail Mary, which along with The Martian (2015) was based on a novel by Andy Weir and adapted by Drew Goddard. Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn and Al consider how hard we actually like our sci-fi, the directors of these films (by Lord/Miller and Ridley Scott respectively), how the books got adapted, Weir's other work (Artemis, some webcomics, etc.), and more. How does Weir make a series of scientific problems into an actual, enjoyable plot?

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Transcript

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0:00.0	We're listening to Pretty Much Pop, a culture podcast,
0:10.8	Siencing the Shit out of popular culture.
0:13.6	We're talking about the films made out of Andy Weir novels, Project Hail Mary and the
0:18.3	Martian, both of which were adapted by Drew Goddard.
0:21.3	The Martian came out in 2015, directed by Ridley Scott. Hail Mary just came out, directed by Phil Lorde and Christopher Miller. This is Mark Lintonmeier. Just waking up on this podcast with no memory of how I got here, but I'm sure a steady stream of flashbacks will eventually catch us all up. This is Al Baker, and I just finished watching this movie, and unexpectedly emotionally devastation, so I just couldn't prepare anything to say.
0:40.6	It's the same, same. This is Al Baker and I just finished watching this movie and I'm unexpectedly emotionally
0:37.6	devastation so I just couldn't prepare anything to say.
0:40.6	It's the same, same, same.
0:42.4	I'm Sarah Lynn Brooke and I'm claiming this podcast in the name of Mars.
0:47.6	At long last, my dream come true.
0:50.7	Wow.
0:51.5	This is Lawrence Ware and I try to solve my life problems like Project Hell Mary. Now I'm just alone, confused, and hoping a friendly alien shows up to save me.
1:00.3	The best alien. Sarah, were you doing the WB Marvin the Martian?
1:05.3	Yes. I'm so glad. I wasn't sure if you guys were going to get Marvin the Martian.
1:10.9	Okay. Yeah, we got you. We got you. That's my alter ego.
1:29.8	That's what you were doing. Okay. I had a feeling that's what you were doing. I was pretty sure. But that's a deep cut. And anyone who's under the age of 40 will not know what you're talking about. This makes me very angry. So I've been thinking more about this.
1:33.9	You know, if we just were talking about this one movie, it would be a very short conversation.
1:34.9	I mean, it was a good movie.
1:38.0	You said that last night, and then I went and watched this movie this morning,
1:41.6	expecting it to be, you know, a fine but fairly throwaway experience.
1:45.5	My whole life is different now after I've seen this movie.
1:48.7	I don't want to talk about anything else for the rest of the week.
	...

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