MZNOW with Michael Zavala

Fallout Finale Review & Star Trek Academy Controversy (Feb 27, 2026)

·25 min·2 clips
Michael Zavala reveals a $250 prototype 'douche duck' doll with a monkey face and bird legs.
The episode opens with Michael Zavala showing a prototype 'douche duck' doll, a plush toy he paid $250 for, which has comical design issues like a monkey face and thick bird legs. He details back-and-forth communications with the manufacturer in China to fix the beak and headphones. The hosts then transition to TV show reviews, starting with Pluribus, an eight-episode series they describe as a long Twilight Zone episode with a hive mind plot, giving it a B rating. Next, they discuss Fallout's second season, noting a writer left the show, which they feel led to poor storytelling, misplaced music like 'Uranium Fever', and too many character arcs. They praise Walton Goggins' ghoul character but criticize Macaulay Culkin's performance as the worst part. The conversation moves to Star Trek Academy, which Michael predicted in 2017; he calls it 'Star Trek Riverdale' after watching early episodes. They critique the show for modern lingo, lack of military discipline, and openings focusing on plants instead of space. The hosts suggest Terry Matalas should helm Star Trek and express hope for a return to traditional Trek values after current contracts end. They end by questioning why new Star Trek shows always start with outsider characters instead of eager recruits.

As heard by us

A blunt Fallout character audit slides into a dry Starfleet complaint.

The Fallout segment works best as a brisk character sorting exercise, blunt about who holds attention and who feels expendable. Walton Goggins' ghoul gets the warmest read, with Lucy and her brother close enough behind, while the Brotherhood of Steel guy, the new ghoul, and the…

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You get a blunt Fallout TV verdict, then a Star Trek Academy argument about who gets to want Starfleet.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →
Listen to the show on