S2E4 ~ Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior

From Post-Apocalyptia by Timewalkerauthor

March 2, 2026 · 1h 39m · Season 2 · Episode 33

About this episode

The episode discusses the impact of Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior on the post-apocalyptic genre with guest Professor David Perlmutter.

Max is back, and better than ever! Today Professor David Perlmutter joins us as we talk about the one that really kicked the series into gear: George Miller's 1981 classic, Mad Max 2! Or if, like us, you're in the USA, you may know it better as The Road Warrior. Why is that? Listen and see! We'll talk about leather gear, the real cost of gasoline, and the best villain we've seen yet: the Warrior of the Wastes, the Ayatollah of Rock-and-Rollah, Lord Humungous! We'll put this excellent film in its historical context, and see how it shaped the tropes of the genre for decades to come. All of this and more, in Mad Max 2! Join us there, at the end of the world! Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior can be rented or purchased on many streaming services, and is available on DVD and Blu-Ray. Post-Apocalyptia can be found on most podcast apps, and on our website at https://www.postapocalyptia.com. We can also be found on social media on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Twitter/X, Bluesky, and Reddit. Have a story you'd like to see us feature? Or, want to join us as a guest? Leave us a comment on any of our social media, or email us at postapocalyptiapodcast@gmail.com. Intro/Outro Music: "Achilles" by…

People in this episode

Host: Timewalkerauthor

Guest: Professor David Perlmutter

Topics covered

Mad Max
film analysis
post-apocalyptic genre
historical context
villains in cinema

Keywords

Mad Max
The Road Warrior
George Miller
post-apocalyptic
film tropes
villains
historical context

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Post-Apocalyptia, Kevin MacLeod, Jordan Winslow

Books & works: Mad Max 2, The Road Warrior