Episodes
We've reached the end of the dream, space cowfolks. This podcast was envisioned as a companion to Cowboy Bebop, and with no more live action episodes on the way, it's time to say Howdy (in a Goodbye Way). Jamie, Lauren, and Angela look back on the journey by interviewing each other. We've had a wonderful time hunting bounties, meeting brilliant creators, and bringing new conversations to the community. Thank you, thank you. You're gonna carry that weight.
Published 03/18/22
Cowboy Bebop, our favorite anime of all time, is a masterpiece. No matter what you think of the live action version, the original will always be there. This IP affects other media, pop culture, merchandise, and art. How have fan communities been permanently changed? What can we learn from the past year? What happens now? Join us on a journey through the multiverse with special guest Billy Tringali, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Anime and Manga Studies (JAMS).
Published 03/11/22
WHY is the live action Cowboy Bebop LIKE THIS?! We've reached the end of the Netflix series, and we aren't holding back! Lauren and Jamie catch their white whale by interviewing showrunner André Nemec. These are (likely) his last words on Cowboy Bebop EVER, so tune in as he explains major creative choices like Julia, Ed, and what we're missing out on in seasons never to come.
Published 03/04/22
Cowboy Bebop brings us a flashback episode this week, where we get all of our questions answered, from "How did Spike meet Julia" to "Vicious shaves WHERE??" Plus, we welcome our youngest-ever guest to the studio: Molly Moriarty, who played original Netflix character Kimmie Black.
Published 02/25/22
If you're hungry for more Cowboy Bebop stories, check out the latest from Titan Comics! With the help of writer Dan Watters, we chase down a brand new bounty with suspiciously good luck. Expect a full review of issue 1 from Lauren and Jamie, plus our hopes and predictions for the rest of the 4-part comic book miniseries.
Published 02/18/22
LET'S PARTY! Pierrot Le Fou just might be the most memorable episode of Cowboy Bebop, and we were shocked to see it adapted for live action on Netflix. We go to our happy place this week with Javier Grillo-Marxuach, who not only wrote this episode, but also brings stories from his incredible career on LOST, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, and season 3 of The Witcher.
Published 02/11/22
Our guest this week is known for kicking a lot of ass! Stunt Coordinator Allan Poppleton is in the studio with a behind-the-scenes look at Cowboy Bebop's biggest fights, including his work with John Cho post-injury. Galileo Hustle is Lauren and Jamie's favorite live action episode, so saddle up for a great time. ...After you call your mom and tell her you love her, of course.
Published 02/04/22
Free your mind! Spike Spiegel may be trapped in a repetitive time loop, but Binary Two-Step introduces one of Netflix's biggest changes to Cowboy Bebop: Mel. This sexy, intelligent mechanic is played by our guest this week, Jade Harlow. She spills all the details about what's between Mel and Faye, but doesn't stop there. Our conversation touches on inclusivity, artists' compensation, and the value (or not!) of labels.
Published 01/28/22
Are you trying to #SaveBebop? Hoping for #MoreBebop?? There's a canonical (Netflix) Cowboy Bebop prequel novel available RIGHT NOW! We're pausing our live-action watch through to visit Red Planet Requiem: A Syndicate Story. Though he couldn't be in the studio with us, author Sean Cummings forwarded answers to some of our burning questions. We share them, this week, along with our review. Praise! Gripes! Thirst! It's all here, book lovers.
Published 01/21/22
Darkside Tango takes us through the moody, jazz-filled alleyways of Jet Black's past, but just how well does it uphold the stories of Udai and Fad? One of the brilliant cowfolks behind this noir-inspired world is Set Decorator Anneke Botha. The Bebop is the love of her life; we can't wait for you to hear how the team built our favorite ship from the guts of a real-life fishing trawler!
Published 01/14/22
We're back with the perfect episode for anyone whose New Year's Resolution is "going green!" Callisto Soul puts a tree-hugging twist on an old fave. We welcome Script Coordinator Naomi Markman, one of Cowboy Bebop's freshest voices, to unravel why Maria Murdock and her "children" are more relevant than ever.
Published 01/07/22
Whether you prefer Betty's Boop or Betty's Bottom, we can all agree: The best part of Dog Star Swing is Ein! We analyze the episode top to, um, bottom, before welcoming the Charlie the corgi, the brightest star in Cowboy Bebop. As much as we love Charlie's barks and woofs, we are also thankful for his human mum, Steph, and his trainer, Rosie, for tagging along.
Published 12/24/21
Grab your favorite teddy and settle in for a Cowboy Bebop podcast jamboree! This week, Jamie and Lauren are joined by Jesse (Sudden But Inevitable) and Andrew (Bebop Tabletop). It truly takes this many voices to unravel the number of bounties and sessions remixed into Venus Pop.
Published 12/17/21
A new era of Cowboy Bebop begins with Cowboy Gospel, an episode that pulls inspiration from Asteroid Blues, Knockin' on Heaven's Door, and more. We can't believe all that Netflix packed in this one, from Faye Valentine's debut to our favorite three old men. Our first live action guest is Visual Effects Editor Kim Huston, who lets us in on tricks of the trade and Easter eggs galore!
Published 12/10/21
The Bebop Beat podcast is back for Season 2! We're kicking it off with a recording of our first LIVE show. Shortly after Netflix's Cowboy Bebop premiered, we recorded our reactions with other fans on Discord. Please pay the howdy toll, then listen to our discussion on the live action performances, themes, and soundtrack.
Published 12/03/21
It's hard to stay on hiatus with so much Cowboy Bebop news popping up! On this mini ep, we chat about the latest from Netflix- The Lost Session, trailers, and promo photos. We have a few of our own hopes and predictions, too! Whatever happens, happens.
Published 11/03/21
This is it, the end of Cowboy Bebop. Thank you to all of the loyal listeners who joined us on this journey. Our guest this week is YOU! Anime fans from all over the star system are here to talk about their favorite characters, stories, and how Cowboy Bebop has affected us all. See you in Season 2 for the Netflix episodes, bounty hunters. Whatever happens, happens!
Published 10/15/21
The end is near! ...The end of The Bebop Beat Season 1, that is. To take us into the Real Folk Blues, we welcome Mike Toole, Editor-at-Large for Anime News Network (ANN). He has a lot to say about Cowboy Bebop's history, Crunchyroll, Funimation, Netflix... lifelong anime fans will love this one!
Published 10/08/21
We keep joking about "space therapy" on the podcast, and clinical social worker Brian Kunde of GaymerX and Take This is finally taking us there. Faye searches for her past, Ed searches for her family, and we search for another box of tissues to cry through. It's Hard Luck Woman, featuring some of the best scenes and music in all of Cowboy Bebop.
Published 10/01/21
The Netflix TUDUM fan event showed us so much new Cowboy Bebop that we just couldn't wait for Friday. This mini ep captures our feelings (Bounties, oh yes! Vicious, oh no!) and explains where our humble podcast is headed. Listen for instructions on how YOU can be in our Season 1 finale!!
Instructions for fan submissions for our finale episode here: https://bebopbeat.com/rfb.html
Published 09/28/21
Much of Cowboy Bebop went over our heads when we saw it for the first time (we were so young!) The greatest example of this is Brain Scratch, a haunting commentary on real-life cults. Our guest Sarah Hightower knows just how bold Bebop got concerning Heaven's Gate and Aum Shinrikyo, but the story doesn't end in the 90's...
Published 09/24/21
Now that we've gotten all of our fandom flailing out of the way, it's time to REALLY tackle Knockin' on Heaven's Door, The Cowboy Bebop Movie. Was this film actually good? Virus and vaccine expert Chise leads a fascinating discussion on Vincent's terrifying mission. Plus, we ask our friends to tell us about sakuga!
Published 09/17/21
We can hardly believe it, but Knockin' on Heaven's Door, The Cowboy Bebop movie, was released 20 years ago! To celebrate, the legendary Jennifer Hale joins the party this week. Hear Electra herself discuss the film, her character's inner feelings, and what it takes to be a Disney princess, Jedi, and Commander of the Normandy.
Published 09/10/21
We went on a board game game bounty hunt and purchased every Cowboy Bebop title we could find: Board Game Boogie, Space Serenade, and the Spike and Vicious UFS card game. A whole crew of real-life friends joined us to play and review the games. Then, we got the pleasure of meeting Eric Price, CEO of Japanime Games! Let's play, cowfolks.
Published 09/03/21