Farewell!

“Farewell!” — Final Episode of Through Time and Clades

“Farewell!” is a final, reflective episode of Through Time and Clades, recorded during a wrap-up period after the show’s popularity and production pace changed. Albert and Joan announce they’re ending the podcast/show for now, explaining that work and life priorities have gradually taken over—making episode production less of a priority, even though they still care deeply about paleontology and anthropology.

They frame the episode as a tour down memory lane, covering how the project began, what they built, and what they’re most proud of.

Main Plot / Structure

Announcement + Why It’s Ending (for Now)

• Their enthusiasm didn’t fade because they lost interest in paleontology or anthropology.
• Instead, their research/work lives grew, and producing episodes became harder to prioritize.
• The decision is about redirecting energy, not giving up on the fields.

Origin Story (COVID-Era 2020)

• The show’s creation traces back to a successful paleontology-themed charity stream: Dino Nerds for Black Lives.
• They revived a college radio-style format (“incidents and reflections”), which evolved into Through Time and Clades.
• They emphasize that it started as a response to “plenty of time online” during the pandemic and a desire to contribute.

What They’re Most Proud Of

They highlight completing two flagship lecture series—both unusually ambitious and long-form:

• Albert’s “Dinosaurs the Second Chapter”
  • Focus: modern birds’ evolution, crown birds, and the fossil record
• Joan’s “Humanity of Prologue”
  • Focus: human prehistory up to early states, with a look ahead

They discuss tradeoffs:

• Pandemic timing made long videos easier to produce.
• It’s harder to manage that pace in the present.

How the Rest of the Show Worked

• Reviews (books/films/websites/etc.) became a major highlight and often ran multiple hours.
• Interviews were rare but energizing.
  • Fans enjoyed hearing guest perspectives.
  • Scheduling and logistics made them harder to sustain.
• News episodes relied on:
  • Their Discord paper-dumping process
  • Monthly story selection
  • They even break down coverage by category using a pie-chart analysis.

Highlights, Jokes, and Standout Moments

The “Long Episode” Flex

• They repeatedly acknowledge that some episodes were very long.
• The most infamous example is a review of defunct paleontology websites, nearly five hours long.
  • Presented partly as a badge of honor
  • Presented partly as a warning about listener “unfriendliness”

Niche Pride

• They say they carved out a unique niche by reviewing topics others often don’t cover—like defunct paleo websites.

“Encanto” as a Gateway Review

• Joan singles out Encanto, describing how it led her into deeper research on:
  • Colombia’s wildlife
  • wildlife history
  • and culture
• She positions the review as more than just film appreciation.

Comedy / Wordplay Details

• The show title is credited (jokingly) to Albert’s knack for creative naming and abbreviations (e.g., “Through Time and Clades,” aka “TTC” vibes).
• Joan points out an “Easter egg” continuity detail:
  • Early versions of Albert’s avatar (“Killdeer”) were missing a white wing-feather detail.
  • Later updates added the missing detail, letting fans infer the episode age from the avatar.

Practical Accuracy in “What We Missed”

• In their news coverage analysis, they admit they didn’t cover certain groups much:
  • echinoderms
  • arachnids
  • plesiosaurs
• Despite that, they feel broadly satisfied with overall coverage—including plants and fungi.

Key Reflections / Takeaways

• Science is ongoing
  • Their lecture series required updates.
  • Eventually, keeping up via “update specials” became too difficult.
  • They pivoted to continuing coverage by evolving themes (birds/hominins/maniraptorans).
• Ending isn’t failure
  • Albert stresses that stopping or changing projects isn’t failure—just a life choice when motivation and energy shift.
• “Never say never”
  • They hint that parts of the show could return in other formats (e.g., blog posts, website resources, or a related art/paleo project).
• Patreon shut down
  • They thank supporters and confirm Patreon payment/donations are ending as of the recording.

Where They Go Next (Links / Plans)

Where to Follow

• Joan
  • BlueSky/Tumblr
  • Artwork on DeviantArt/Instagram
  • Her science blog “Raptor Maniac” exists but may not be very active
• Albert
  • BlueSky/Tumblr
  • Cross-posting artwork
  • General handle: Albertanikas

Future Possibilities They Discuss

• Joan considers continuing content as blog posts, possibly using a sub-Tumblr for more structured updates.
• Albert considers turning Dinosaurs the Second Chapter into a more complete, updated website resource.
• The “Beyond the Canvas” paleo art series (with only one episode released so far) might continue in some form, depending on collaborator Ilari.

Closing

They end with heartfelt gratitude, choosing a warm “we’re wishing you well” tone rather than a harsh goodbye—framing the journey as an adventure shaped by time, people, and change.

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Personalities (as Named in the Subtitles)

• Albert
• Joan
• Ilari (collaborator for Beyond the Canvas)
• Emily Thomas (theme music)
• Alicia Hutchinson (color scheme/avatar design)