What happens when Harvard's leading fairy tale scholar becomes the alien? Professor Maria Tatar, the renowned expert on folklore and children's literature, embarks on her lunar mission with three transformative films that explore connection, hope, and liberation. As we send this master storyteller to help establish the moon's cultural foundation, her cinematic choices reveal profound truths about finding home in strange worlds.

Tatar's selection spans from heartwarming wonder to psychological thriller: Spielberg's "E.T." - a story she deeply connects with as someone who once felt like an alien navigating kindergarten; "The Shawshank Redemption," where she finds powerful subtexts about freedom and the transcendent moment when opera briefly liberates every prisoner; and Jordan Peele's "Get Out," a brilliant reimagining of the Bluebeard fairy tale that exposes contemporary horrors while celebrating friendship's protective power.

Through intimate conversation, Ed and Jessica discover how this former immigrant child found refuge in libraries and stories, eventually revolutionizing how fairy tales are understood in academic and popular culture. From her groundbreaking work on the Brothers Grimm to her recent exploration of heroines' voices, Tatar demonstrates why stories aren't escapism - they're survival tools. With Emack & Bolio's Oreo ice cream, warm croissants, and George Eliot's "Middlemarch" as companions, she's perfectly equipped to nurture the moon's storytelling tradition.

When Doug Weir steps aboard his lunar transport, he's carrying more than just three films—he's bringing a lifetime's passion for preserving cinema's greatest treasures. As Content Remastering & Delivery Lead at the British Film Institute, Doug has spent years rescuing lost films from archive vaults and breathing new life into forgotten masterpieces, from scanning mysterious 16mm reels to discovering the only surviving print of a Billy Connolly documentary bought for £50.

His film selections reveal both professional expertise and deeply personal connections. Local Hero represents authentic Scottish storytelling that captures real people and places without romantic clichés. Stolen Kisses from Truffaut's Antoine Doinel cycle speaks to anyone who's ever felt like they're figuring out adulthood as they go along. And his ultimate choice? The 1933 King Kong—a technical marvel that literally rewrote the language of cinema and remains Doug's gateway drug to the movies.

Between stories of Richard Attenborough's VHS collection ending up in his office and the complex art of film restoration, Doug reveals why seeing Jaws on original 35mm feels completely different from watching it digitally. Armed with endless fish and chips and John Buchan's The 39 Steps, he's ready for his lunar adventure—monkey companion included.

Mission duration: 49 minutes of stella cinematic exploration.

Dr. Al Zeitoun is packed for departure, but first he's sharing the three films that shaped his 26-year journey as a global thought leader in project management and leadership development.

His surprising first choice? Tommy Boy—the Chris Farley comedy that Al sees as the ultimate masterclass in stakeholder engagement and unlikely leadership. "It's a story of an opportunistic mindset shift," he explains, finding profound lessons about resilience and team building in David Spade's mentorship of an underdog heir.

Next comes Remember the Titans, Denzel Washington's football epic that speaks to Al's passion for integration and creating success from unlikely places. Growing up in Cairo as the son of lifelong learners, Al connects deeply with stories of teams overcoming division through shared purpose and mutual respect.

His final selection, A Few Good Men, tackles the dark side of command-and-control culture. Al uses Jack Nicholson's explosive courtroom breakdown to explore why psychological safety matters more than ever in complex organisations—even when lives are on the line.

Between discussions of "getting onto the balcony rather than the dance floor" and his philosophy that "success is our worst enemy," Al reveals why curiosity and experimentation drive real leadership. Plus: his choice of lightly salted pistachios for the journey and why Pat Lencioni's team dynamics classic is his essential moon reading.

Mission duration: 45 minutes of pure leadership gold.