NERDS AROUND TOWN

Nerds Around Town: The 100, Cobie Smulders and Netflix making changes

Nerds Around Town: The 100, Cobie Smulders and Netflix making changes
ART BY JESUS RODRIGUEZ

Born with a comic book in one hand and a remote control in the other, Cory DLG is the talent of Conroe's very own Nerd Thug Radio and Sports. Check out the podcast replay of the FM radio show at www.nerdthugradio.com!

Look at that, we're already half way there!

GOOD DEED OF THE DAY

With Hurricane Dorian going strong, and the first images coming in from the Bahamas, its important to be donating to the Red Cross and other aid agencies around the country. These guys are going to need it.

NETFLIX IS CRAZY

Netflix has announced it's going to start moving away from binge releasing it's shows. It wants to try a weekly release format and see what the results of that are. Overall I think this is a mistake, because if they had stayed with the binge watch format they would be basically the only one doing that, giving them a distinct advantage and differentiator from the other services. Part of what's coming next is who offers what, and what features and libraries they have. I personally think it's a mistake because making the shows bingeable lets the writers of the shows develop stories and have arcs and episodes that don't necessarily "drive" the plot. If they move to a weekly release format, I'm not sure they'll be as rewarding overall.

OLD SHOWS MAKING A COMEBACK

Right now I'm watching The 100 for the first time, it's ok but it's fun to find new things to watch and get into. This is one of those shows that maybe I've should have been watching when it started but I totally missed out on and now I'm picking up. One of those that people may not know about is Steven Universe, a great animated series that just released a movie on Cartoon Network, lots of big name RB stars and other stars are involved in the project and there's tons of great characters and music in it.

IMPRESSIVE

It's really impressive that somehow Netflix was able to secretly film a Breaking Bad sequel starring Aaron Paul. No one knew it was happening? No one knew it was coming, nothing had leaked and I keep an eye on all the good rumor websites. Filming a secret movie for such a popular franchise is super impressive and deserving of recognition, so I'll say it. Great job Netflix!! Now here's hoping it doesn't suck.

NOT THAT YOU ASKED

The show Stumptown looks great, I'm really excited for it to come out. Cobie Smulders seems great in it and I'm starting to really enjoy her in roles. After a great run as Maria Hill, which I'm guessing she's coming back to in the near future, she was also great in the Jack Reacher sequel and really nailed the action parts. I'm looking forward to seeing her in this role next and hopefully it's as good as these others have been.

Feel free to check out my brand new comic book Another Day at the Office or buy a shirt from Side Hustle Ts where some proceeds help people struggling with cancer or listen to Nerd Thug Radio. Thoughts, complaints, events and comments can be sent to corydlg@gmail.com.

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Houston's starting pitching is leading the way! Composite Getty Image.

A week into the 2025 season, the Houston Astros are already giving fans plenty to talk about—and not all of it is bad. While the offense continues to sputter, particularly at the top of the order, the pitching staff is showing flashes of what could be a defining strength of the team. Let’s break down some early season observations following their latest series opening win against the Minnesota Twins.

Top of the lineup falling flat

The Astros’ biggest issue right now is at the plate. In the series opener against the Twins, the top three hitters in the lineup went a combined 0-for-12 with eight strikeouts. Jose Altuve, usually a stabilizing presence, struck out five times in that game, the first five-strikeout performance of his career. With Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman gone, there’s even less margin for error when stars like Yordan Alvarez go cold. His early-season slump has only magnified the absence of the team’s former offensive anchors.

Chas McCormick also looks completely out of sync at the plate, continuing a troubling trend from the opening series. Meanwhile, Cam Smith is struggling to stay competitive in at-bats, often falling behind in the count after watching fastballs go by for strikes.

One bright spot: Mauricio Dubón finally picked up his first hit of the season against the Twins, showing signs of life.

Hunter Brown is a dude

On the mound, however, Hunter Brown looks every bit like the breakout arm Houston needs. Despite a couple of mistakes—most notably a hanging breaking ball that Matt Wallner turned into a triple—Brown dominated overall. His two-seam fastball produced soft contact all day, with Twins hitters averaging just 62 mph exit velocity. Broken bats and routine grounders were the theme, and Brown even flashed some defensive flair with a slick bare-handed play to first.

Still, Brown can refine his pitch sequencing. Willi Castro jumped on a first-pitch changeup for a hit—an example of how Brown might be better served by establishing his elite velocity before mixing in off-speed.

Bullpen bright spots and smarter pitching

The bullpen continues to be a strength. Bryan King once again delivered a solid inning in relief, and Bryan Abreu made an important adjustment by leaning on his fastball early in his outing, throwing seven straight to start the inning. He has the velocity to overpower hitters and should continue trusting it.

New blood

Manager Joe Espada also made a smart call by starting Brendan Rodgers in cold conditions. Rodgers, with experience playing in Colorado’s thin air and chilly Aprils, responded with a key hit—albeit a bit of a lucky one, aided by a balk that brought the infield in. Still, his presence in the lineup could bring some much-needed consistency, and he deserves regular at-bats. His power was on display when he hit a clutch double, driving in Victor Caratini and extending Houston's lead against the Twins.

Other notes and areas to improve

  • Christian Walker finally launched his first home run of the season after a rough game against the Giants. His struggles have largely come against curveballs, so it’s no surprise he found success against Joe Ryan, a pitcher who doesn’t feature one in his arsenal.
  • Base stealing continues to be a glaring weakness defensively for the Astros. Opponents are taking extra bases far too easily—a problem that could become costly in close games if not addressed.

Big picture

Yes, the offense looks rough—and yes, there are real concerns about depth and consistency. But the early returns from the pitching staff, especially from Hunter Brown and the bullpen, offer reason for optimism. If the top of the lineup finds its rhythm and the Astros start cleaning up their defensive execution, this team still has the tools to win the AL West.

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