Syndicated with Lesley and Ben

About Syndicated with Lesley and Ben

Syndicated with Lesley and Ben is a twice monthly podcast about television, genre and storytelling in which your hosts watch one episode of a new show and explore the history of television one episode at a time. From family room sitcoms to space exploration shows, reality TV to procedurals and game shows, we’re going to cover it all and give you the context you need to understand the wonderful world of television and the stories we love.

Publisher

Infinity Break

Category

tv & film · tv & film

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

1 Sept 2020

Latest episode

27 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

55 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   27 Oct 2026

   Ultra Q w/ Donovan Gentry

   We’re picking up where we left off last season with more International Television, as Lesley and Ben are joined by Donovan Gentry to talk about the live action, black and white anthology series Ultra Q. Ultra Q is the predecessor to the long running Ultraman series and you can tell. Filled with wacky space age concepts like bullet trains, advanced supercomputers and mutant creatures encapsulated in a container that can only be destroyed by a camera flash. Plus, guys in suits rampaging around a set! We’re continuing our fifth season of Syndicated with Lesley and Ben by analyzing our favorite science-fiction shows. Ray guns, alternate dimensions, robot butlers and planetary fleets. Science fiction is a lens through which we can view all other issues. Donovan tell us about the history of Toei and Tokusatsu, vintage Godzilla movies and Eiji Tsuburaya’s suitmatiion. Today we’re discussing Season 1, Episode 10 of Ultra Q: The Underground Super Express Goes West. In this anthology episode, an AI driven, jet powered train that can go 450 km/hr, a science fiction feat on its own, departs from Tokyo carrying a scientific capsule containing an engineered lifeform. When the capsule is exposed to bright light, it expands into a massive ape-like beast, the M1. M1 proceeds to cause havoc on the train, accelerating it to beyond dangerous speeds, seemingly unaware of the peril it is placing all the passengers in. Syndicated with Lesley and Ben is a monthly podcast about television, genre and storytelling in which your hosts watch one episode of a new show and explore the history of television one episode at a time. From family room sitcoms to space exploration shows, reality TV to procedurals and game shows, we’re going to cover it all and give you the context you need to understand the wonderful world of television and the stories we love. Our current season is Science Fiction. Our Logo is by Terra Bosart, the theme song is by Mandra Sigma and the show is edited by Ben Hamlin.

2. 

   15 Sept 2026

   Andor w/ Victoria Collins

   I am One With The Force and The Force Is With Me! Lesley and Ben are joined by our friend Victoria Collins as we travel to a galaxy far, far away to talk about Andor, the prequel series to the surprise hit Star Wars movie Rogue One. Andor covers the events that build the Rebel Alliance depicted in the first trilogy of Star Wars movies. Instead of lightsaber fights and force lightning, Andor prioritizes the espionage, subterfuge, diplomacy and manipulation it takes to build a revolutionary movement and undermine authoritarianism. Specifically the show follows the character arc of Cassian Andor, who is pulled deeper into the proto Rebel Alliance through his experiences living under the thumb of Galactic Empire. We’re continuing our fifth season of Syndicated with Lesley and Ben by analyzing our favorite science-fiction shows. Ray guns, alternate dimensions, robot butlers and planetary fleets. Science fiction is a lens through which we can view all other issues. We talk about the spirit of Star Wars, our childhoods drawing Star Destroyers on graph paper and waiting for Chewbacca to pick us up from school, and Ben gets to talk about THX 1138.

3. 

   1 Aug 2026

   Star Trek: The Next Generation

   Captains on the Bridge! Lesley and Ben board the USS Enterprise to talk about Star Trek the Next Generation! The sequel series to the Gene Roddenberry written Star Trek The Original Series, Star Trek: the Next Generation covers the adventures and missions of the USS Enterprise, a federation exploratory and diplomatic starship captained by Jean Luc Picard and staffed by a wide variety of humans and aliens from across the futuristic federation. Together they boldly go where no one has gone before, solving diplomatic crisis, encountering new lifeforms and new civilizations, and intervening when mad gods and extradimensional creatures interfere with reality. We’re starting off our new season of Syndicated with Lesley and Ben by analyzing our favorite science-fiction shows. Ray guns, alternate dimensions, robot butlers and planetary fleets. Science fiction is a lens through which we can view all other issues. We picked a Lt. Commander Data episode and, therefore, a VERY topical episode. Plus, we get to spend time with our good friend, Data, Geordi, Riker, Picard, Worf, and Counselor Troi. Dr. Pulaski is there too! Good for her! In Season 2, Episode 3’s Elementary, My Dear Data, the USS Enterprise arrives at its destination days ahead of schedule, leaving Lt. Commander Data and Lt. Geordi La Forge with time to kill. The two roleplay as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson inside the holodeck, a futuristic chamber on board the Enterprise that can create illusionary settings. When the mysteries the computer samples are too easy for Data, Geordi commands the computer to create an opponent capable of defeating his android crewmate. What the Enterprise manufacturers prove perilous to the whole ship.. Plus, conversations about 80s and 90s optimism and design sensibilities, the Enterprise’s carpet, artificial intelligence and androids. Syndicated with Lesley and Ben is a monthly podcast about television, genre and storytelling in which your hosts watch one episode of a new show and explore the history of television one episode at a time. From family room sitcoms to space exploration shows, reality TV to procedurals and game shows, we’re going to cover it all and give you the context you need to understand the wonderful world of television and the stories we love. Our current season is Science Fiction. Our Logo is by Terra Bosart, the theme song is by Mandra Sigma and the show is edited by Ben Hamlin.

Who has been a guest on Syndicated with Lesley and Ben

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Svideotheque
• Victoria Collins
• Héctor González
• Yoon E-na

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Contact Syndicated with Lesley and Ben

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Questions about Syndicated with Lesley and Ben