AwardsWatch Podcast #203: The WGA Strikes an Historic Deal and our Top 5 Sci-Fi Films of All Time
On episode 203 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch contributors Nicole Ackman and Dan Bayer to give out their Top 5 Sci-Fi films of all time.
Before the team gets into the Top 5 for this week, they discuss the historic deal that the WGA was able to make with the major film studios. In an important step in the right direction, the 148-day strike came to an end on September 27, with the writers getting a three-year deal that met every important demand that they wanted, including better pay, full transparency when it comes to streaming numbers, and the avoidance of A.I being a part of writer’s rooms and letting creatives still run their own projects. While SAG-AFTRA is still looking to make their own deal and their strike is still ongoing, this is a huge win for not just the WGA but workers and unions all around this country.
Moving on from this very important news, Ryan, Nicole and Dan move on to talk about their Top 5 Sci-Fi films, a topic inspired by the release of The Creator, which Nicole reviewed on the website this past week. It is another difficult list for the team to put together, having to consider not just their favorite films in the genre, but which films also honor the genre the best in asking questions about the state of our modern world in mostly futuristic settings. It is one of the richest genres in film history, and the titles selected like Blade Runner, Never Let Me Go, Avatar, The Matrix, Star Wars, Total Recall, Children of Men, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and Back to the Future only scratch the surface in how many wonderful sci-fi films there are, which led to a really great conversation by the team.
You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more.
This podcast runs 1h50m. We will be back next week with a brand new AwardsWatch Oscar retrospective, talking about the 91st Academy Awards, covering the films of 2018. Till then, let’s get into it.
Music: “Modern Fashion” from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), “B-3” from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro)
- AwardsWatch Podcast Ep. 344: New Oscar Rules and Preview of the 79th Cannes Film Festival with Special Guest Christina Birro - May 5, 2026
- On the Shelf: ‘Highest 2 Lowest,’ ‘John Singleton’s Hood Trilogy,’ a Nancy Meyers Double Feature and Action-Packed Spectacles Highlight the Physical Media releases for the Week of April 27 - April 27, 2026
- AwardsWatch Podcast Ep. 342: Reviewing ‘Mother Mary’ - April 20, 2026
Interview: Boots Riley on Collecting an Eclectic Cast and How ‘I Love Boosters’ is Like Richard Scarry’s ‘Busy, Busy Town’ 
Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal to Reunite for ‘Hold On To Your Angels’ from Benh Zeitlin 
2027 Golden Globes Reveal Key Dates, Adds AI Rules, Expands Podcast Pool 
How Judith Light Psychs Us Out in ‘The Terror: Devil in Silver’ and the Secret to Her Long-lasting Career [VIDEO INTERVIEW]