CHAPTERS
- 0:00 – 2:58
Audio books, Ray Porter, and the case for 20-hour “movies as series”
Joe tells Jack he’s burned through more of Jack’s fiction than almost any other author, largely via audiobooks. They praise narrator Ray Porter and riff on extended cuts, arguing that sprawling films would work better released episodically on streaming services.
- •Joe’s enthusiasm for Carr’s novels and “page-turner” pacing
- •Ray Porter’s narration and range (including voice work like Darkseid)
- •Snyder Cut runtime and the modern appetite for long-form viewing
- •Tarantino’s rumored 20-hour cut and the “release it as a series” idea
- 2:58 – 7:06
Why theaters feel worse now: phones, etiquette, and safety mindset
They unpack why the movie-theater experience has degraded—people on phones, talking, and generally disrupting immersion. Jack adds a SEAL-informed layer: always scanning exits and thinking through contingencies, which clashes with the carefree theater experience he remembers.
- •The social contract of theaters vs. the reality of distracted audiences
- •Home theater advantages and the decline of shared public viewing
- •Jack’s habit of identifying exits and planning for emergencies
- •Anecdote: watching Apocalypse Now alone with a jittery stranger
- 7:06 – 9:17
The written word still matters: books as active imagination and craft
Joe pivots to why books and scripts remain foundational even in a digital world. Jack agrees that reading is an active collaboration between writer and reader, and discusses how movies influenced his sense of story while still valuing what only prose can do.
- •Writing as the root of film/TV storytelling (scripts, adaptations)
- •Reading forces the audience to “build” the world mentally
- •Books vs. movies: active creation vs. passive consumption
- •How Carr tries to recreate that “book magic” for modern readers
- 9:17 – 12:58
Adapting novels to screen: First Blood’s alternate ending and series length
They use First Blood to show how adaptations can radically diverge (including the book’s ending) while still working. Jack explains why long-form TV is a better fit for dense thrillers and sets up how The Terminal List is being structured.
- •First Blood novel vs. film differences (and why endings get changed)
- •Why series formats preserve more of a book’s depth than films
- •Carr’s view of “visual storytelling” as a different medium
- •Early details: eight episodes as an “eight-hour movie”
- 12:58 – 15:44
Building a franchise character: why James Reece stays center stage
Joe asks whether Jack will branch out into new protagonists or keep writing James Reece. Jack explains how hard it is to create a character audiences truly bond with, why he wants to keep developing Reece, and how themes anchor each installment.
- •The rarity of a character that ‘resonates’ enough to sustain a series
- •Carr’s plan: continue Reece’s arc as long as readers want it
- •Theme discipline per book (revenge, redemption, broader moral territory)
- •Learning from editors and the realities of audience expectations
- 15:44 – 22:27
The Terminal List comes to Amazon: Chris Pratt, Antoine Fuqua, and trust
Jack describes the surreal speed of the project—Chris Pratt optioning the book before it even hit shelves—and why Pratt and Antoine Fuqua are ideal stewards. They talk about writer’s rooms, creative trust, and how unusually involved Jack has remained in the process.
- •Pratt’s early option and the chain of events that made it happen
- •Fuqua’s filmography and the ‘presence’ of top-tier leadership
- •Virtual writer’s-room collaboration during COVID
- •Why authors are often cut out—and why Carr wasn’t
- 22:27 – 23:38
On-set authenticity: SEAL advisors, props, and why gear tells story
Carr explains how the show obsessed over real-world detail—SEALs on set, accurate weapons and optics, and even brand-true items in scenes. He argues that equipment choices communicate character, so the production treated gear as narrative, not decoration.
- •Multiple SEALs on set as actors, stunts, and technical advisors
- •Prop decisions driven by real utility and plausibility
- •Example: sourcing discontinued Nightforce optics for accuracy
- •Gear as character development (boots, belts, knives, weapons)
- 23:38 – 29:36
Land Cruiser nerd-out: FJ62 on the show, ‘velvet prison’ cars, and symbolism
They dive into Toyota Land Cruiser culture—correct wheels, screen-friendly colors, and the tension between driving a beautiful build vs. protecting it. Jack explains he originally wrote a white vehicle for symbolism (“pale horse”) but the show changed it for visual reasons.
- •Correcting the show’s FJ62 details (wheels, era-appropriate choices)
- •Why pristine vehicles can feel like ‘velvet prisons’ you won’t use
- •Using dings/scratches as “story” the way hunters treat rifles
- •Film/TV color choices: why white vehicles can be avoided on screen
- 29:36 – 35:16
FJ40s, classic ads, and Rolex as ‘tool watches’ (before luxury branding)
From FJ40 builds to vintage advertising, the conversation shifts into old-school craftsmanship. They connect Land Cruiser and Rolex marketing history—exploration, hunting, and durability—contrasting it with today’s luxury positioning and celebrity sponsorships.
- •Carr’s FJ40 project and the ‘drive it hard’ philosophy
- •Vintage Land Cruiser and Rolex ads (exploration/hunting imagery)
- •Rolex Explorer origin stories tied to Everest-era expeditions
- •The appeal of craftsmanship vs. modern lifestyle branding
- 35:16 – 40:44
Rejecting always-on tech: Apple Watch backlash, two phones, and attention limits
They criticize tech’s constant demands—especially wearables that buzz with notifications—and discuss strategies to reclaim attention. Joe explains his minimal-phone approach and time limits, while Jack describes the overwhelm of launches and scaling a growing audience.
- •Why Apple Watch-style monitoring feels intrusive and exhausting
- •Joe’s ‘no apps’ main phone, plus deleting social apps periodically
- •Managing social media with strict time limits and boundaries
- •Operational growing pains: merch fulfillment, customer service, scaling
- 40:44 – 51:33
From pandemic fiction to real pandemic: “enemy learns from us” and social manipulation
Jack lays out the core thesis of his latest book: adversaries watch how the U.S. reacts to crises and incorporate those lessons into future plans. They connect COVID, civil unrest, and elections to information warfare—especially the Internet Research Agency model of amplifying division online.
- •Carr’s concept: adversaries ‘watch our poker hand’ over 20 years of war
- •Research into infectious disease weaponization before COVID hit
- •Why he chose to incorporate real events instead of offering escapism
- •Russia’s Internet Research Agency tactics: memes, page-switching, conflict seeding
- 51:33 – 2:55:26
Free speech, passports, lists, and “study history” as civic self-defense
The discussion escalates into civil liberties: censorship pressure, COVID passports, registries/lists, and the risk of weaponizing institutions for political punishment. They cite historical parallels (authoritarian purges, Marxist outcomes) and argue that the antidote is serious historical study and critical thinking.
- •Concerns about COVID passports evolving into broader tracking/controls
- •Example: police visiting a podcaster over mild AOC criticism
- •Debate over ‘classical liberal’ vs. ‘leftist’ impulses toward control
- •Calls to study history, understand rights, and avoid list-making/blacklisting patterns
