How Did This Get Made?

Jason X LIVE! w/ Rob Huebel & Jenny Slate (HDTGM Matinee)

October 14, 2025

Key Takeaways Copied to clipboard!

  • The episode of *How Did This Get Made?*, "Jason X LIVE! w/ Rob Huebel & Jenny Slate (HDTGM Matinee)", features the hosts and guests immediately playing the trailer for *Jason X* to establish a running joke. 
  • The film *Jason X* is widely perceived by the hosts and guests as being heavily derivative of the movie *Aliens*, with the writer reportedly admitting to never having seen the previous *Friday the 13th* installments. 
  • Guest Rob Huebel shared a personal anecdote about nearly injuring himself while attempting a prank involving a Jason mask and a hatchet at a college weekend getaway. 
  • The discussion highlighted the film's inconsistent tone, balancing appreciated jokes with moments where character reactions to death seemed inappropriately muted for scientists. 
  • Audience questions focused on plot holes, such as the repeated failed execution attempts of Jason and the unexplained regeneration process following the nanotechnology exposure. 
  • The visual absurdity of the future setting, particularly the prevalence of velour belly shirts and the robot nipple malfunction, was a notable point of discussion. 

Segments

Trailer and Show Introduction
Copied to clipboard!
(00:01:00)
  • Key Takeaway: The trailer for Jason X is played to contextualize a recurring joke throughout the How Did This Get Made? episode.
  • Summary: The hosts preface the main discussion by playing the movie trailer, noting its prominence in the episode’s humor. The trailer establishes the premise of Jason Voorhees in space in the year 2455. The theme song for the podcast is played immediately following the trailer.
Guest Introductions and Initial Reactions
Copied to clipboard!
(00:04:05)
  • Key Takeaway: The live audience at Largo is acknowledged for bringing ’the heat’ for the Halloween-themed episode focusing on the ‘death of a franchise.’
  • Summary: Paul Scheer welcomes the live audience at Largo, noting their energetic atmosphere compared to the at-home listeners. Co-host Jason Mantzoukas expresses relief that the movie named after him, Jason X, is finally being covered. Both Paul and Jason admit to having minimal prior knowledge of the Friday the 13th franchise beyond surface level.
Rob Huebel’s Jason Prank Story
Copied to clipboard!
(00:09:43)
  • Key Takeaway: Rob Huebel sustained a facial scar after running full speed into a clothesline while attempting a Jason Voorhees prank in college.
  • Summary: Rob Huebel recounts a college weekend where he planned to scare couples by dressing as Jason, complete with a hockey mask and hatchet. While running full speed toward the cabin where everyone was gathered, he collided violently with a rusty wire clothesline. This collision resulted in the scar on his face that he still carries.
Jenny Slate’s Reluctance and Fear
Copied to clipboard!
(00:14:01)
  • Key Takeaway: Jenny Slate was initially unaware the movie was Jason X and watched it while feeling ill, leading her to dress in large clothes for perceived protection.
  • Summary: Jenny Slate expressed shock upon learning the movie was Jason X, having agreed to the show while recovering from the flu. She felt so scared after watching the film that she dressed in her largest clothes as a form of self-protection against potential doom. The guests agree that the film is not scary, but contains notable gross-out moments centered around nipples.
Jason Lore and Franchise History
Copied to clipboard!
(00:18:39)
  • Key Takeaway: The opening scene of Jason X establishes Jason’s regenerative abilities, which the hosts note is similar to Wolverine, and the writer admitted to never seeing previous films.
  • Summary: The discussion highlights that the opening scene establishes Jason’s ability to regenerate damaged tissue, leading to questions about his nature (vampire, Wolverine-like). The writer, Todd Farmer, admitted on the commentary track to never having seen the prior Friday the 13th movies. A quick recap reveals Jason wore a burlap sack in Part 2 before acquiring the iconic hockey mask in Part 3.
Future Setting and Production Design
Copied to clipboard!
(00:34:05)
  • Key Takeaway: The future setting of Jason X (2455) features illogical elements like outlawed hockey, recognizable 2001 fashion (velour half-shirts), and poor CGI blood effects.
  • Summary: The scientists in the 25th-century lab are inexplicably wearing contemporary (2001) velour half-shirts, contrasting with the advanced setting. The film mentions that hockey was outlawed in 2024, but provides no context for this ban. The digital blood effects, particularly when an arm is severed, are criticized for looking unconvincing and failing to spurt realistically.
Nanotechnology and Stolen Ideas
Copied to clipboard!
(00:55:38)
  • Key Takeaway: The writer of Jason X explicitly lifted the concept of Jason’s nanotechnology-based resurrection from the 1995 film Virtuosity.
  • Summary: Jason’s final resurrection via nanotechnology is confirmed to be an idea directly borrowed from the movie Virtuosity, according to the writer’s commentary. The nanotechnology manifests visually as small, robotic bugs rebuilding Jason’s body. The hosts also list several rejected concepts for the film, including Jason in the Hood, in the Snow, and on Safari.
Favorite Line and Character Reactions
Copied to clipboard!
(01:00:31)
  • Key Takeaway: The line “it’s going to take more than a poke in the ribs to put down this old dog” was highlighted as a favorite joke amidst the film’s inconsistent tone.
  • Summary: The characters’ lack of shock upon finding dead bodies, despite being scientists, was questioned, contrasting with their exaggerated reaction to a security guard’s death. A specific line about a character being ‘screwed’ was clarified as a visual pun related to a giant screw impaling the victim. The segment noted the film attempted jokes but mixed them with moments that didn’t quite land.
Audience Q&A: Execution Methods
Copied to clipboard!
(01:02:15)
  • Key Takeaway: An audience member questioned the logic of abandoning electricity, firing squad, and hanging attempts in favor of cryogenic freezing to stop Jason.
  • Summary: The panel debated the scientific validity of the execution methods used against Jason, noting that chopping him into pieces was also ineffective. It was pointed out that since they knew Jason regenerated, leaving him alone on regeneration slides was illogical. The regeneration itself was attributed to ’the bugs,’ though this explanation was deemed insufficient.
Audience Q&A: Celery Regeneration
Copied to clipboard!
(01:03:50)
  • Key Takeaway: A specific line during Lexa Doig’s thawing sequence was identified where the robot appears to say ‘celery regeneration’ instead of ‘cellular regeneration.’
  • Summary: This observation led to a discussion about noticeable flub lines in the film that were seemingly left in the final cut. One panelist recalled a moment where an actress forgot her line and ran into a room, suggesting a lack of retakes for certain scenes. The ‘celery regeneration’ line was confirmed by an audience member.
Audience Q&A: Impalement Wordplay
Copied to clipboard!
(01:05:12)
  • Key Takeaway: The phrase ‘he’s screwed’ was discussed again, noting the victim was impaled on a drill, not technically a screw, making the wordplay slightly inaccurate.
  • Summary: The audience member pointed out the irony of the character stating ‘This is not a drill’ immediately after the wordplay concerning the drill/screw. The segment concluded this specific instance of wordplay was clever enough to earn a small ovation.
Audience Q&A: Todd Farmer Cameo
Copied to clipboard!
(01:06:00)
  • Key Takeaway: The bald character cut in half in the holodeck scene was identified as Todd Farmer, who also wrote and directed the Nicholas Cage film Drive Angry.
  • Summary: The discussion briefly touched upon the movie’s ending where Jason and Brodsky become a shooting star, which two teenagers then wish upon. The panelist suggested Todd Farmer might have originated the idea for that ending sequence. The hosts then briefly derailed into commanding their smart speakers.
Audience Q&A: Jason’s Teleportation
Copied to clipboard!
(01:07:18)
  • Key Takeaway: Jason’s ability to instantly move between rooms without being seen, especially while regenerating, defied logical spatial rules within the ship.
  • Summary: The audience member noted Jason’s movement was like teleportation, citing the scene where he moves from behind a girl to the hallway instantly. This was linked to the film’s overall theme of constant, unbelievable sneaking up on characters. The panelist suggested this required a ‘magic Jason’ or a second Jason on the grassy knoll.
Discussion on Escape Route Logic
Copied to clipboard!
(01:09:49)
  • Key Takeaway: The characters failed to utilize an easily accessible escape ship late in the film, which would have allowed them to abandon Jason on the main vessel.
  • Summary: The existence of a secondary ship presented an obvious solution to escape Jason, but the characters did not pursue it, suggesting the plot required them to stay and fight. The focus of the narrative is ultimately on Jason, not the survival of the secondary characters like Lexa Doig.
Audience Q&A: Kane Hodder’s Sourness
Copied to clipboard!
(01:12:12)
  • Key Takeaway: Kane Hodder’s potential bitterness stems from campaigning for Freddy vs. Jason only to have another actor play Jason in Jason X after the rights issues were resolved.
  • Summary: The audience member explained that the ending of Jason Goes to Hell sets up Freddy vs. Jason canon, as Freddy’s hand grabs Jason’s mask. Hodder campaigned heavily for Freddy vs. Jason, but in Jason X, he was replaced by another actor, leading to potential resentment.
Second Opinions Segment
Copied to clipboard!
(01:14:17)
  • Key Takeaway: One second opinion praised the film for delivering on its core requirements: Jason, his mask, nudity, and blood, regardless of plot coherence or acting quality.
  • Summary: The second opinion segment featured a review that defended the film against critics, stating that if viewers want Oscar-caliber performances, they should watch Captain Corelli’s Mandolin. Another review noted the high body count (20-25 kills plus thousands implied in the explosion) and called it the best Friday the 13th movie.
Discussion on Jason’s Post-Ant Transformation
Copied to clipboard!
(01:20:33)
  • Key Takeaway: Jason’s transformation into ‘Uber Jason’ after being fixed by nanotechnology ants was questioned, specifically why he became muscular and metallic, resembling Bane or a replicant.
  • Summary: The panel debated whether the ant-based regeneration was a sexual process, given the subsequent dialogue about Jason’s large penis size. The red eyes of the transformed Jason led to a Blade Runner comparison, suggesting he might be a replicant. The fact that the mask also regenerated was cited as illogical for a nanotechnology repair.
Final Thoughts and Taglines
Copied to clipboard!
(01:21:38)
  • Key Takeaway: The film’s release date (April 26th) contradicted its tagline ‘This Halloween meet the perfect 10 in terror,’ as that date is near Easter, not Halloween.
  • Summary: The discussion confirmed that Earth 2, where the final scene takes place, is habitable, despite previous lore suggesting all other planets were uninhabitable. The film was profitable, grossing $16 million worldwide on an $11 million budget, placing it behind major 2002 releases like Spider-Man. The consensus was that the movie was ‘fine’ and ‘goofy,’ but not as strong as other bad sci-fi horror entries like Miami Connection.