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David - Great column, and I'm really enjoying your work on Decoding Everything. I hope you don't mind, but your comments about Gerard Butler character names also inspired me to have some fun with ChatGPT... our conversation follows below - hope you like it! 😂

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Me: I need your help naming a character in a new movie. It's an action-adventure film starring Gerard Butler. In previous films, his characters have been named Brodie Torrence, Will Spann, Bob Viddick, John Garrity, Mike Banning, and Jake Lawson. Can you give me some suggestions for new names for the role that Gerard Butler will be playing in my action-adventure film? They should sound decent, upstanding, and possibly even noble just from the names alone.

ChatGPT: Sure, here are some suggestions for character names for Gerard Butler's role in your action-adventure film that sound decent, upstanding, and possibly even noble:

1. Marcus Bishop: This name has a strong and regal sound, evoking a leader or a commander.

2. Liam Stone: This name sounds strong, steady and maybe a bit rough, evoking a man who is not afraid of a challenge.

3. Ethan Evans: This name sounds like a determined and resourceful individual, evoking a man who is able to adapt and improvise.

4. Alexander Knight: This name has a strong and powerful sound, evoking a leader, a warrior and a protector.

5. Benjamin Hayes: This name sounds like a man who is dependable and reliable, evoking a man who is a true friend in tough times.

These are new names that haven't been used in franchise films before and they could fit Gerard Butler's action-adventure character, I hope this helps. Let me know if you need more suggestions.

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I really enjoyed Plane, specifically how it put so much airline procedural details in there. Stuff about saving the fuel, but you see how Danielle Pineda actually closes the airlock, how the pilots figure how much flight time they have without running machines, it adds an urgent reality that does a lot for an action thriller like this.

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Listening to the plane episode. I got a neck light too! The glocusent? I love it.

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Dave, I haven’t seen PLANE yet, but I was inspired to by your conversation on Decoding TV to watch THE LAST OF US and...WOW!! Bear in mind, I don’t think I’ve played a video game aside from an early, primitive version of PacMan (is there a sophisticated version??), but this Ep1 really packed a wallop. I’m kinda drawn to dark dystopian speculative fiction anyway (which is not to say I like science fiction per se, though), but rest assured that this particular non-gamer was enthralled by the first episode of THE LAST OF US. Almost makes me want to try out a video game. (Dangerous thought!)

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