S4 E1 • Are Comic Book Characters Like D&D Players?

Dungeon Masters rule over Tabletop RPGs, but who watches the Watchmen? Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Spiderman, Thor... all famous comic book characters, but famous not technically because of the actions they perform, but for those that comic book creators and writers choose for them. How is this like the players of a RPG, who experience what they may perceive as agency over their actions, despite their routes being carefully orchestrated by the Dungeon Master. So, who’s really in control?

Première diffusion : 18 mars 2015

S4 E2 • Do Upvotes Show Democracy's Flaws?

Are upvotes democratic? Supposedly, YikYak is a democratic social network, following the lead of forums like reddit that use upvoting as “community sourced decisions.” The IDEA behind both is that compelling, unique posts will float to the top, and weak ones will sink to the bottom. Reddit is a democracy! Much like The United States. HOWEVER, in both cases, the notion of true democracy may well be an illusion! Does seeing upvotes promote more upvotes? Does provocative content beget more provocative content? Is all content created equal?

Première diffusion : 25 mars 2015

S4 E3 • How Does Steven Universe Expand Our Ideas of Family?

We love Steven Universe! But what makes it so great? It's a story of mismatched characters trying to save the world, but maybe there's more to it than that? Maybe Steven Universe is really about Family, and how it's impossible to define it... universally. What else, or who else can we call family? Are Fandoms family? Can THINGS be family?

Première diffusion : 1 avril 2015

S4 E4 • Why Are You Ignoring My iMessages??

Why are you ignoring my messages? Are read receipts AMAZING or INFURIATING? When you check iMessage on your iPhone, iWatch, iMac, iPad, i…WHATEVER, and you see a little note that says your friend saw your message, but they aren't responding. Why are you ignoring my texts? WHY DOES IT HURT SO MUCH?! WHAT COULD BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN RESPONDING TO MY TEXT MESSAGE? Also, what's up with those people with green bubbles? Aren't they the worst?

Première diffusion : 8 avril 2015

S4 E5 • Is The LEGO Movie Anti-Copyright?

EVERYTHING IS AWESOME in the LEGO™ movie, except when it isn't and LORD BUSINESS gets in the way and wants to control everything and stifle creativity™! Emmet, Wyldstyle, Batman, and others in the movie seem completely opposed to the imposition of any sort of structure that dictates what will be built and how, which to us at Idea Channel sounds really similar to discussions around copyright law and intellectual property (IP). Are master builders just artists who make good use of the public domain? Can the LEGO movie advocate for open culture even if LEGO itself is historically opposed to it?

Première diffusion : 15 avril 2015

S4 E6 • What’s the Deal With Amiibos?

The insane popularity of Nintendo’s Amiibos, Amiibo Hunting, and Amiibo Hunters (both in stores and on places like the Amiibo Reddit) proves that people can’t keep their hands off of them, but are they simply be the next big thing in a long line of product/game crossovers? The world was previously infatuated with Skylanders, followed by the Disney Infinity characters, but something about Amiibos feels… different? They’re interactive in a way that gives them value outside of the object itself, blurring the line between consumer and an ardent collector. And how does the existence of Amiibos challenge our idea of what play is? AND WILL WE EVER GET AMIIBOS FROM WAVE 4 AND WAVE 5?

Première diffusion : 22 avril 2015

S4 E7 • What Does The SAT Really Test?

THE SAT. How’s that SAT prep going? Need some SAT tips? Well, here’s one: The SAT may not actually be measuring your…anything. That’s right, your SAT scores, despite what colleges and high schools across America may like for you to believe, may not reflect anything new. There is actually substantial evidence that instead of broad aptitudes, the SATs only measure a specific set of non-quantitative, cultural values and ideas.

Première diffusion : 29 avril 2015

S4 E8 • Is A Thor By Any Other Name Still Thor?

Female THOR made a lot of people go kind of…crazy. But gender issues aside, people seemed most perturbed with labeling someone other than the male THOR as THOR. Chris Hemsworth even somewhat cemented his THOR character in The Avengers as the modern incantation of THOR, so why could the new comic book THOR not be Thorina or Lady THOR? Why just THOR? Join Michael Rugnetta (the one who hosts Idea Channel, not the Wheel of Fortune candidate) on this week’s episode of PBS Idea Channel as he looks into what the labeling and naming of someone or something actually means.

Première diffusion : 6 mai 2015

S4 E9 • Why Do Americans Love Road Trips?

Planning on going on a road trip across America at some point? Well, you’re not alone, because for some reason AMERICANS LOVE ROAD TRIPS. Planning road trips, going on road trips, going to famous places and calling it the best road trip ever. We’ve got a whole genre of films dedicated to the “road movie,” On The Road was an incredibly famous book from the beat generation. But when does a drive become a road trip? Today on Idea Channel, we dig into the how, why, and what America loves about road trips, all filmed while on the road, of course!

Première diffusion : 13 mai 2015

S4 E10 • Country Music: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Country music is awesome! BUT there’s a weird stigma attached to even the best country music and we at Idea Channel want to understand why. Not only is it’s appeal massive, but it in some respects is keeping the record business afloat! And when it comes to music, who better to walk you from Johnny Cash to Garth Brooks on a dusty saddle than the one and only wild wild west wrangler Mike Rugnetta? Join us on this week’s episode of Idea Channel for a look at this much maligned but all together wonderful genre of music, why it might be misunderstood and how country music went from twanging banjos to pop music with a drawl (no pickup truck needed).

Première diffusion : 20 mai 2015

S4 E11 • Do We Live In The Future?

We spend a lot of time thinking about THE FUTURE. But spoilers, maybe the future is now! Forget hoverboards, flying cars, jetpacks, and structures made of bubbles — the future is here, and your notion of the one you were “promised” was probably a lie. Look around you! Computers the size of pennies, instant communication across the oceans. The Future is now! But why still do we defer to an idea of “The Future”? And what happens to Now when we’re living in the future? Watch this week’s episode of PBS Idea Channel and find out!

Première diffusion : 27 mai 2015

S4 E12 • DON'T CLICK THIS VIDEO!

THE BUTTON! Has there ever been such a weird thing on the internet? Well, we did have Twitch Plays Pokemon, and then there was rickrolling, and then… wait, maybe the internet is always weird. But how does the button on reddit fit into all of this? Is it a game? Or... with its cult like following and rabid commenters it seems almost like a… religion? Join Mike on this week’s episode as he talks about internet communities, the button on reddit, and other crazy internet things!

Première diffusion : 3 juin 2015

S4 E13 • Why Are There So Many Remakes?? (besides $$$)

Fantastic Four, Jurassic World, The Hulk, Star Trek, Spiderman… is it just me or does it seem like remakes are EVERYWHERE? And not only that, but it seems like some movies are just sequel bait, deliberately leaving their ends open to ensure we return to the theaters a year from now to catch the second half of a story we thought we were getting the whole version of. What’s up with that? Besides financial reasons, why are there so many remakes? Does Simon Pegg have the answer? Or maybe our grumpy friend Jean Baudrillard! Watch this week’s episode of PBS Idea Channel with Mike Rugnetta to find out!

Première diffusion : 10 juin 2015

S4 E14 • Comment Responses: "Do We Live in The Future?" & "r/TheButton"

Since Mike had to skip comment responses in last week's episode, we decided to respond to comments for the past 2 weeks in their own video!

Première diffusion : 10 juin 2015

S4 E15 • How Accurate Should Movies Be?

Neil DeGrasse Tyson has made a small game out of decrying the factual inaccuracies of popular movies, but do these noted inaccuracies actually…matter? On one hand, showing the dinosaurs in Jurassic World without feathers is a scientific error, but what about the fact that Jurassic World exists at all? Isn’t it just fantasy? Does it matter that in Gravity, gravity itself seemed to not necessarily obey our current understanding of it? Join Mike on this week’s episode of Idea Channel as he looks at what works of fiction may or may not owe to actual reality.

Première diffusion : 24 juin 2015

S4 E16 • Comment Responses: "How Accurate Should Movies Be?"

Mike responds to comments from our "How Accurate Should Movies Be?" episode

Première diffusion : 1 juillet 2015

S4 E17 • When Does Play Become Work?

I'm only one person, and there are only so many hours in the day. Why does entertainment increasingly feel like work? The Witcher 3 literally describes its side quests as contracts, every new movie seems like a must see, and every book that comes out IS JUST SO GREAT. Even as a human who's job it is to KNOW ALL THE THINGS, on this week's episode of Idea Channel, Mike laments the idea that no longer do we just enjoy things, we are required and tasked with enjoyment.

Première diffusion : 1 juillet 2015

S4 E18 • Comment Responses: "When Does Play Become Work?"

Mike responds to comments from our "When Does Play Become Work?" episode.

Première diffusion : 8 juillet 2015

S4 E19 • Three Laws of The Internet Explained!

Godwin’s Law, Lewis’s Law & Poe’s Law GODWIN’S LAW, LEWIS’S LAW, POE’S LAW, and… RUGNETTA’S LAW? It’s not often that we think RULES govern the way we act on the INTERNET like the way rules govern us in real life, but on this week’s episode of Idea Channel Mike looks at how behavior on the internet isn't so much actively governed by laws, but rather that all behavior somehow follows…patterns?? From EPIC MEMES to USELESS debates, this week’s episode of PBS Idea Channel isn’t one to miss.

Première diffusion : 8 juillet 2015

S4 E20 • Comment Responses: "Three Laws of The Internet Explained!"

Mike responds to comments from our "Three Laws of The Internet Explained!" episode.

Première diffusion : 15 juillet 2015

S4 E21 • What If We're All Minions??

Is hateful Minion press still good Minion press? THE MINIONS. The internet’s most ubiquitous… things? What exactly is a minion, and, despite everyone’s inability to actually answer this, WHY ARE MINIONS EVERYWHERE. WHY?? Why does the internet and the world seem to be obsessed with Minions? On this week’s episode of Idea Channel, Mike looks to answer some of your most pressing question about Minions, and attempts to answer why they are positively EVERYWHERE!

Première diffusion : 15 juillet 2015

S4 E22 • Comments Responses: "What If We're All Minions?"

Mike responds to comments from our "What If We're All Minions??" episode.

Première diffusion : 22 juillet 2015

S4 E23 • 100% Organic Idea Channel Episode

The Organic Feels! The "Organic Movement" has become nothing short of MASSIVE in recent years, from whole foods to "raw diets", its popularity is endless. But how good is organic for you? Or a better question: how BAD is NON-organic food for you? On this week's episode of Idea Channel, Mike looks to answer just why are we so obsessed with "organic"!?

Première diffusion : 22 juillet 2015

S4 E24 • Comment Responses: "100% Organic Idea Channel Episode"

Mike responds to comments from our "100% Organic Idea Channel Episode" episode.

Première diffusion : 29 juillet 2015

S4 E25 • Should You Watch Leaks?

To Leak Or Not To Leak? Leaked material hit an all time high this past year with four episodes from HBO's season 5 premiere of Game of Thrones leaking, as well as major leaks in private photos from celebrities, most notably: Jennifer Lawrence and Kate Upton. But what are the consequences of watching a leaked episode? On this week's episode of Idea Channel, Mike looks to answer why there seems to be a division between those that watch, and those that don't. Does it create a competition of status? Check it out!

Première diffusion : 29 juillet 2015

S4 E26 • Comment Responses: "Should You Watch Leaks"

Mike responds to comments from our "Should You Watch Leaks" episode.

Première diffusion : 5 août 2015

S4 E27 • Are All Hotel Rooms The Same Place?

Guests or Ghosts? Is every hotel room the same place? Despite being associated with exciting travel or relaxing getaways, the point of a hotel room is to NOT use it. But then what exactly is a hotel room meant to be?..or more specifically, where? On this week's episode of Idea Channel, Mike looks to answer where exactly these 'transitional rooms' fit in our lives, and who are we while staying in them?

Première diffusion : 5 août 2015

S4 E28 • Comment Responses: "Are All Hotel Rooms The Same Place?"

Mike responds to comments from our "Are All Hotel Rooms The Same Place? " episode.

Première diffusion : 12 août 2015

S4 E29 • If There Are No Pics, Did It Happen?

Pics Or It Didn't Happen! Pictures are the gold standard by which we measure all evidence and happenings. With sites like Facebook, Imgur, and the king of all ‘pics’ - Instagram, having taken the place of disposable cameras of the past, the method remains the same: unveiling a photo of proof for all to see. But do we put too much stock in how ‘provable’ photos really are? On this weeks episode of Idea Channel, Mike looks to question the phenomenon that is “pics or it didn’t happen”. Are pics absolute proof? Or are we just convincing ourselves of everything we see?

Première diffusion : 12 août 2015

S4 E30 • Comment Responses: "If There Are No Pics, Did It Happen?"

Mike responds to comments from our "If There Are No Pics, Did It Happen? " episode.

Première diffusion : 26 août 2015

S4 E31 • Is Rick from Rick & Morty The Ideal Scientist?

Rick and Morty! Rick Sanchez, the erratic scientist from Adult Swim’s Rick and Morty is nothing short of brilliantly talented, but his crazy antics and experiments place him on a scientific fringe. So much so, that some may even consider Rick to not be a scientist at all. But are his anarchic methods representative of what an ideal scientist should be? On this weeks episode of Idea Channel, Mike questions what makes the perfect scientist and if the scientific method is too restrictive in the pursuit of knowledge.

Première diffusion : 26 août 2015

S4 E32 • Comment Responses: "Is Rick from Rick & Morty The Ideal Scientist?"

Mike responds to comments from our “Is Rick from Rick & Morty The Ideal Scientist? " episode.

Première diffusion : 2 septembre 2015

S4 E33 • Do Makers Propose a More Open Source Future?

Tractor Hacking Is Illegal! ‘Open Source’ is a licensing and development model which allows its inner-workings to be open to the public, and even potentially expanded upon. Popular open source software includes: Wordpress, Bitcoin, BitTorrent, and Apache to name a few. But what about Open Sourcing other technologies? On this week’s episode of Idea Channel, Mike explores the world of open source, copyright violation, Digital Millennium Copyright Act and the “maker’s movement”. Is our technology too locked down? Should everything be open sourced?

Première diffusion : 2 septembre 2015

S4 E34 • Comment Responses: "Do Makers Propose A More Open Source Future?"

Mike responds to comments from our “Do Makers Propose A More Open Source Future? " episode.

Première diffusion : 16 septembre 2015

S4 E35 • What's The Deal With Classroom Trigger Warnings?

Trigger Warnings In College! TRIGGER WARNINGS! The internet’s method of warning viewers that the discussion or content they are about to view may ‘trigger’ anxiety or PTSD. But as trigger warnings move out of private spaces and into public ones, like college classrooms, do they limit conversation? Or is it the opposite? Join Mike on this week’s episode of Idea Channel as he articulates the difference between online trigger warnings and those within the classroom. Are trigger warnings actually encouraging conversation?

Première diffusion : 16 septembre 2015

S4 E36 • Comment Responses: What's The Deal With Classroom Trigger Warnings?

Mike responds to comments from our “What's The Deal With Classroom Trigger Warnings?" episode.

Première diffusion : 23 septembre 2015

S4 E37 • Are 400+ TV Shows Happening in the Same Universe?

Is it possible that over 400 television shows all take place in the same universe? Every other week for the next few weeks, Mike is going to tackle theories from different fandoms, and he starts out with one of the most far reaching fan theories of them all: the Tommy Westphall Universe Hypothesis. If the entire series of St. Elsewhere was dreamed up by a young autistic boy, does this include every other role the actors have played? Could Firefly and Castle take place in the same world?

Première diffusion : 25 septembre 2015

S4 E38 • Comment Responses: Are 400+ TV Shows Happening in the Same Universe?

Mike responds to comments from our “Are 400+ TV Shows Happening In The Same Universe?" episode.

Première diffusion : 30 septembre 2015

S4 E39 • Are You Literally What You Post?

“Me rn”: the internets self-recognition phenomenon where pictures and gifs are used to represent feelings, reactions, and internal states. But could this process of ‘disembodiment’ be an attempt at better representing ourselves in a technological world? Join Mike on this week’s episode of Idea Channel as he explores the world of Me rn, Same, GPOY and Literally me rn. Are these collections of pics and gifs just momentary self-recognition or are they a subconsciously more accurate representation of ourselves in the modern era?

Première diffusion : 30 septembre 2015

S4 E40 • Comment Responses: Are You Literally What You Post?

Mike responds to comments from our “Are You Literally What You Post?" episode.

Première diffusion : 7 octobre 2015

S4 E41 • Does Pokemon Start After a Massive War?

Pokemon might not be what you thought it was. On this episode of Idea Channel, Mike continues our fan-theory series by looking at the Pokemon, "Kanto War Theory" or "Pokemon War Theory". With apparent evidence to help explain why there seems to be a lack of adults, why everyone is combat obsessed and why infrastructure is lacking...does Pokemon start after a massive war?

Première diffusion : 7 octobre 2015

S4 E42 • Comment Responses: Does Pokemon Start After a Massive War?

Mike responds to comments from our “Does Pokemon Start After A Massive War" episode

Première diffusion : 14 octobre 2015

S4 E43 • Have #Brands™ Become Mythological?

Modern brands such as clothing, food, technology and even celebrities, have permeated almost every aspect of our culture as the intangible asset of a money-hungry corporation or persona. But what if brands signified something..more? What if brands were mythological? Join Mike on this week's episode of Idea Channel to find out how the simple meanings of brands may have just taken on a new shape within our culture!

Première diffusion : 14 octobre 2015

S4 E44 • Comment Responses: Have #Brands™ Become Mythological?

Mike responds to comments from our “Have #Brands™ Become Mythological?" episode.

Première diffusion : 21 octobre 2015

S4 E45 • Do All Horror Monsters Fit Into 5 Categories?

Halloween is upon us and we all know what that means! Scary monsters everywhere! But while we're all used to seeing hundreds of different horror monsters in popular culture, did you know that almost all of them fit neatly into 5 simple categories? All thanks to Noel Carroll's Taxonomy of monsters! What do you think of his categorization? Did he miss any traits? Can you think of any monsters that don't fit the mold?

Première diffusion : 21 octobre 2015

S4 E46 • Comment Responses: Do All Horror Monsters Fit Into 5 Categories?

Mike responds to comments from our “Do All Horror Monsters Fit Into 5 Categories?" episode.

Première diffusion : 28 octobre 2015

S4 E47 • Why Do Stormtroopers Have Bad Aim?

Shots fired! Stormtroopers might not actually be as bad at shooting as you thought. On this episode of Idea Channel, Mike continues our fan-theory series by looking at the “Stormtroopers can’t shoot” or “Stormtroopers miss on purpose” theory. Are Stormtroopers intentionally shooting at the wall, are their stormtrooper blasters broken, or were they cloned with defects. Maybe their masks or armor are just blocking their vision. Or maybe, just maybe, they realize what they've become.

Première diffusion : 28 octobre 2015

S4 E48 • Comment Responses: Why Do Stormtroopers Have Bad Aim?

Mike responds to comments from our “Why Do Stormtroopers Have Bad Aim?" episode.

Première diffusion : 4 novembre 2015

S4 E49 • Were They Dead the Whole Time??

Why do so many fan theories postulate that the main character has been dead the whole time? In our 4th installment of Idea Channel Fan Theory Episodes, we try to find out. Do Bruce Willis and The Sixth Sense have anything to do with it? What about Heidegger and his concept of being “toward death”? How can death CREATE stories instead of end them?

Première diffusion : 4 novembre 2015

S4 E50 • Comment Responses: Were They Dead the Whole Time??

Mike responds to comments from our “Were They Dead The Whole Time??" episode.

Première diffusion : 11 novembre 2015