We’re back with episode 29, and this time we’re talking about the classics: Lord of the Rings, Star Trek, Star Wars, and Watchmen. Do you need to be familiar with classic works of sci-fi and fantasy to really get modern geek culture? Are these works really worth consuming, or are they just another form of arbitrary gatekeeping, or does the truth fall somewhere in the middle?
We’re chatting with Allegra Clark, the voice of Dragon Age: Inquisition’s Josephine Montilyet, about fandoms and more! You can find out more about Allegra by visiting her Twitter (@simplyallegra), Tumblr (captainallegra.tumblr.com), or website (allegraclark.com).
We’re back with episode 27, discussing The Lunar Chronicles, #MorallyComplicatedYA, and why this genre gets so much flack. Why is dystopian fiction so appealing? Is YA really dominated by women writers? Should adults feel guilty about reading books for younger audiences?
We’re talking about romance in episode 26, including Gail Carriger’s Soulless and Outlander! How are romance and feminism related? Why is romance appealing to so many people? Does romance offer good representation of people of different genders and races? How can we diversify our reading habits? Also, dingledongs.
We’re back with a special bonus episode on Life is Strange! You’ve probably heard us talk about it before, but with the release of episode five and a veritable ocean of tears, we thought we should revisit the game with our final thoughts, a discussion of the game’s tropes and themes, and whether we recommend it to others.
We’re back with episode 25 (whoa! 25 episodes!), discussing false empowerment. What does false empowerment mean? Does dubious intent on the part of a creator mean you can’t feel empowered by something? What the heck is going on in Sucker Punch? We’ll attempt to answer these questions, except for what’s going on in Sucker Punch—that’s a mystery for the ages.
We’re back with episode 24, talking about spooky movies in this, the spookiest of months! After a disastrous attempt at this episode a year ago (for which we have never forgiven Audacity), we’re revisiting films like Rosemary’s Baby, I Spit on Your Grave, and Teeth to discuss horror’s power to critique our culture through fear. Other topics include the final girl trope, the treatment of women, the demonization of mental illness and the poor, and other things that make up one of our favorite genres.
We’re back with episode 23, and this time we’re talking about Mary Sues! Just what is a Mary Sue? Should we live in fear of the author insert? Do tropes have to be a bad thing? We’re chatting with our friend Stephani about this and many other things, including Ganondorf, why the Qunari are always evil, and our Hermione Granger feelings.
Merri and Missy are back with episode 22, on magical realism, heightened realities, and Life is Strange. As much as we yammer on about how this whole thing is a thinly veiled excuse to talk about Life is Strange, we also do discuss the perils of genre, what genre tells us (and what it doesn’t), and how genre lets us look at things from a new perspective. Also: SPOILERS. And for some reason Missy says noir comes before the 1920s. She meant that it comes after. She regrets this grievous mistake and the challenge it poses to her noir cred.
Welcome to a very special bonus episode, in which Merri and Missy discuss superhero comics with Joe and Tobiah of View From the Gutters, a comic book club podcast. We’re talking about iconic origin stories, Doctor Strange casting, Batman after-school specials, and more—and if you happen to like it, check out View From the Gutters too. We think you’ll like ‘em.