Imaginary Worlds

Series produced by Eric Molinsky

Series image

Imaginary Worlds sounds like what would happen if NPR went to ComicCon and decided that’s all they ever wanted to cover.

Host Eric Molinsky spent over a decade working as a public radio reporter and producer, and he uses those skills to create thoughtful, sound-rich episodes about science fiction, fantasy, and other genres of speculative fiction. Every other week, he talks with comic book artists, game designers, novelists, screenwriters, filmmakers, and fans about how they craft their worlds, why we suspend our disbelief, and what happens if the spell is broken. Imaginary worlds may be set on distant planets or parallel dimensions, but they are crafted here on Earth and they’re always about us and our lived experiences.


231 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
Once and Future Comic Con
From: Eric Molinsky
Series: Imaginary Worlds
Piece image
For the first time in 50 years, San Diego Comic Con was cancelled – until it was brought back to life online. But can a virtual SDCC still feel lik...

Bought by WCNY, WXAV 88.3FM Chicago, and KVSC


  • Added: Jul 08, 2020
  • Length: 31:01
  • Purchases: 3
Making Up Creatures
From: Eric Molinsky
Series: Imaginary Worlds
Piece image
If we ever make contact with aliens, they probably won’t look like humans with pointy ears or bumpy noses, but as creature design is more about com...

Bought by WXAV 88.3FM Chicago


  • Added: Jun 24, 2020
  • Length: 29:09
  • Purchases: 1
Larping in Place
From: Eric Molinsky
Series: Imaginary Worlds
Piece image
Live theater has been shut down across the country, but live action role play (a.k.a. larp) is finding new ways to thrive in digital spaces with im...

  • Added: Jun 10, 2020
  • Length: 29:49
Time Travel Therapy
From: Eric Molinsky
Series: Imaginary Worlds
Piece image
People often criticize time travel for the logical inconsistencies, but what about the emotional logic these narratives? Are they psychologically u...

Bought by WXAV 88.3FM Chicago


  • Added: May 27, 2020
  • Length: 29:47
  • Purchases: 1
The Curse of The Curse
From: Eric Molinsky
Series: Imaginary Worlds
Piece image
There are countless lists of horror films that were allegedly cursed like The Exorcist and Poltergeist. But the myth of the curse became its own ty...

Bought by KVSC and WXAV 88.3FM Chicago


  • Added: May 13, 2020
  • Length: 28:14
  • Purchases: 2
Toy Stories
From: Eric Molinsky
Series: Imaginary Worlds
Piece image
We asked our listeners to tell us about their favorite childhood toys that are providing them with a sense of comfort and security right now. Their...

Bought by KVSC, PRX Remix, and WXAV 88.3FM Chicago


  • Added: Apr 29, 2020
  • Length: 32:48
  • Purchases: 3
Solarpunk the Future
From: Eric Molinsky
Series: Imaginary Worlds
Piece image
How the Solarpunk movement of writers and artists are imagining an eco-sci-fi future in the hopes that people will be inspired to create that futur...

Bought by WXAV 88.3FM Chicago


  • Added: Apr 15, 2020
  • Length: 28:01
  • Purchases: 1
Fighting a Virtual Pandemic
From: Eric Molinsky
Series: Imaginary Worlds
Piece image
World of Warcraft gamers have been feeling déjà vu because the COVID-19 pandemic has eerie similarities to a computer virus that took over their ga...

Bought by WXAV 88.3FM Chicago


  • Added: Apr 01, 2020
  • Length: 25:50
  • Purchases: 1
Retcon-apalooza
From: Eric Molinsky
Series: Imaginary Worlds
Piece image
What do Star Wars, Star Trek, Harry Potter and Doctor Who have in common? In the last few years, they’ve all seen their backstories changed radical...

Bought by WXAV 88.3FM Chicago


  • Added: Mar 18, 2020
  • Length: 30:12
  • Purchases: 1
Making The Good Places Better
From: Eric Molinsky
Series: Imaginary Worlds
Piece image
Heaven is on our minds, at least according to pop culture, from The Good Place to Good Omens to Forever to Miracle Workers. Why are so many of thes...

Bought by WXAV 88.3FM Chicago


  • Added: Mar 04, 2020
  • Length: 31:11
  • Purchases: 1
Truth, Justice and The American Way
From: Eric Molinsky
Series: Imaginary Worlds
Piece image
Long before Black Panther or Hooded Justice on HBO’s Watchmen, marginalized people were fighting for justice with masks and capes – not just in fic...

Bought by PRX Remix and WXAV 88.3FM Chicago


  • Added: Feb 19, 2020
  • Length: 30:13
  • Purchases: 2
2001: A Filmmaking Odyssey
From: Eric Molinsky
Series: Imaginary Worlds
Piece image
2001: A Space Odyssey was a game changer for science fiction, but the movie had a tumultuous origin story, and was initially scorned by critics. We...

Bought by WXAV 88.3FM Chicago


  • Added: Feb 05, 2020
  • Length: 29:40
  • Purchases: 1
Queen of Tarot
From: Eric Molinsky
Series: Imaginary Worlds
Piece image
The Rider-Waite (or Smith-Waite) deck of tarot cards is the most popular deck of all time. But few people know about the woman who designed the car...

Bought by WXAV 88.3FM Chicago and PRX Remix


  • Added: Jan 21, 2020
  • Length: 24:02
  • Purchases: 2
Fear of The Borg
From: Eric Molinsky
Series: Imaginary Worlds
Piece image
The Borg are coming back in the new TV series Picard, although the writers have promised a very different storyline about Jean Luc’s arch nemesis. ...

Bought by WXAV 88.3FM Chicago


  • Added: Jan 08, 2020
  • Length: 25:25
  • Purchases: 1
Legacy of Octavia Butler
From: Eric Molinsky
Series: Imaginary Worlds
Piece image
Ten years after the great writer passed, her work continues to be more relevant than ever.

Bought by KZYX and PRX Remix


  • Added: Jul 28, 2016
  • Length: 17:13
  • Purchases: 2
Board Games Go Indie
From: Eric Molinsky
Series: Imaginary Worlds
Piece image
Forget Monopoly and Risk -- a new generation of indie board game designers is rethinking how we play games, and why.

Bought by WXAV 88.3FM Chicago


  • Added: Dec 12, 2018
  • Length: 26:01
  • Purchases: 1
Alternate Movie Posters
From: Eric Molinsky
Series: Imaginary Worlds
Piece image
Remember when movie posters were hand-crafted iconic works of commercial art? They still are in an alternative artistic universe.

Bought by WXAV 88.3FM Chicago


  • Added: Nov 14, 2018
  • Length: 24:52
  • Purchases: 1
Faith in Fantasy
From: Eric Molinsky
Series: Imaginary Worlds
Piece image
Spiritual leaders of different faith discuss the role of religion in sci-fi fantasy worlds.

Bought by PRX Remix and WXAV 88.3FM Chicago


  • Added: Oct 31, 2018
  • Length: 28:49
  • Purchases: 2
Don't Mess with the Fairies
From: Eric Molinsky
Series: Imaginary Worlds
Piece image
Traditional fairy folklore was no fairy tale.

Bought by WXAV 88.3FM Chicago


  • Added: Dec 27, 2019
  • Length: 26:04
  • Purchases: 1
Theater for the Mind
From: Eric Molinsky
Series: Imaginary Worlds
Piece image
How classic sci-fi and horror radio dramas set the stage for stories that couldn't be told yet without advanced SFX

Bought by WXAV 88.3FM Chicago


  • Added: Dec 27, 2019
  • Length: 28:30
  • Purchases: 1

Playlists That Feature This Series: