Exploring Humanity Through Sci-Fi

This first installment of the Rewind series revisits Merlin, the beloved fantasy drama often described as the “Smallville of the Arthurian Legend.” Airing from 2008 to 2013, the series reimagined the mythos of Camelot through a youthful, character‑driven lens—where destiny, friendship, and forbidden magic collide.

🧙‍♂️ The World of Merlin
Set in a Camelot where King Uther Pendragon has outlawed magic, the story follows a young Merlin, still discovering the depth of his powers, and a young Prince Arthur, who is far from the legendary king he will become. Their relationship—equal parts banter, loyalty, and destiny—forms the emotional core of the series.

The show also reintroduces iconic characters in fresh ways:

Guinevere (Gwen) as a warm, grounded future queen

Morgana as a compassionate ward of Uther whose path slowly darkens

Gaius, Merlin’s mentor and the keeper of Camelot’s secrets

The result is a coming‑of‑age fantasy that blends humor, heart, and high stakes.

🎙️ Featured Guests: Katie McGrath & Colin Morgan
This episode includes conversations with:

Katie McGrath (Morgana) — recorded during the period when her character was beginning her descent into darkness. 

Colin Morgan (Merlin) — discussing the evolution of Merlin’s abilities.

📺 Where to Watch Merlin Today
The full series is currently available on multiple platforms:

Amazon Prime Video

Syfy Streaming

The Roku Channel — free with ads

Pluto TV — free with ads

Tubi — free with ads

DVD and Blu‑ray — complete series sets available

🔮 What’s Coming Next in the Rewind Series

Behind‑the‑scenes stories and more from cast and creative team.

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Mark Hamill sits down with Byte for a warm, wide‑ranging conversation that spans his early days on the Star Wars set to his unexpected turn as a live‑action DC villain.

🎥 Watching Peter Cushing Work on Star Wars
Hamill shares vivid memories of his downtime during the filming of A New Hope, when he would quietly slip onto other sets just to observe.

⚡ Becoming a DC Villain on The Flash (1990)
The conversation shifts to Hamill’s first live‑action comic‑book role, years before superhero TV became a cultural staple.

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Bob Gale joins Byte for a look into two of the most inventive storytelling challenges in the Back to the Future trilogy: revisiting 1955 with two Martys running around at once, and crafting the Old West setting that defines Back to the Future Part III. 

🕒 Revisiting 1955 in Back to the Future Part II

Re‑staging classic scenes — Bob talks about the meticulous planning required to recreate the 1955 Hill Valley sets and integrate new footage with the original material.

🚂 Building the Old West for Back to the Future Part III

The steam train as a tone‑setter — Bob describes how the locomotive wasn’t just a prop but a thematic anchor that shaped the look, pacing, and spirit of the 1885 sequences.

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This episode dives into the fusion of cinematic storytelling, physical mastery, and personal transformation through The Sword Experience, founded by Highlander star Adrian Paul. We explore how sword training becomes a lens for examining discipline, creativity, and the human drive to grow.

Show Notes — Exploring Humanity Through Sci‑Fi: The Sword Experience with Adrian Paul

This episode dives into the fusion of cinematic storytelling, physical mastery, and personal transformation through The Sword Experience, founded by Highlander star Adrian Paul. We explore how sword training becomes a lens for examining discipline, creativity, and the human drive to grow.

⚔️ What The Sword Experience Is
Adrian Paul created The Sword Experience to bring the art of screen combat to life for fans, performers, and anyone curious about stepping into a more empowered version of themselves. Events are held in film‑worthy locations across the U.S. and Europe, blending sword choreography, real‑world martial techniques, and immersive storytelling.

Participants learn fundamentals like targeting, footwork, distancing, and safe blade handling—skills that mirror the precision and intentionality often explored in sci‑fi narratives.

🧭 Types of Sword Experience Events
The program offers multiple formats, each designed for different goals and levels of immersion:

Convention Events — Short, high‑energy sessions that give fans a taste of cinematic swordplay.

Elite Events — Full‑day, intensive training experiences guided personally by Adrian Paul and expert instructors.

Corporate Experiences — Team‑building through movement, coordination, and collaborative choreography.

Retreats — Multi‑day, destination‑based adventures that combine training with travel, culture, and deeper personal exploration. Past retreats have included Scotland and France.

For schedules, booking, and academy access, visit swordxp.com.

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This episode dives into Looper, Rian Johnson’s acclaimed 2012 time‑travel thriller, through a conversation recorded at San Diego Comic‑Con with writer‑director Rian Johnson and his cousin, composer Nathan Johnson. The film’s blend of noir, futurism, and moral complexity makes it a standout in modern sci‑fi, and this discussion explores how its world was built—musically, narratively, and philosophically.

Looper follows Joe, a contract killer (“looper”) who executes targets sent back from the future. When his future self is sent back to be killed, the loop collapses, forcing both versions of Joe into a collision of motives, ethics, and timelines. The film is known for its grounded approach to time travel, its emotional stakes, and its refusal to offer easy answers.

🧭 Does Looper Follow Star Trek’s “Don’t Change History” Rule?
Star Trek often treats time as something that must be preserved—history is a fragile timeline, and altering it is dangerous or unethical. Looper takes a very different stance.

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