Pretty Much Pop: A Culture Podcast

A philosopher, an actor, and a sci-fi writer talk about media and how we consume it.

Mark

PMP#210: One Paul Thomas Anderson Film After Another

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In light of One Battle After Another, Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn, and Al walk through the range of his films from his 1996 crime film Hard Eight through his much lauded Magnolia, Boogie Nights, Punch-Drunk Love, and There Will Be Blood and his more controversial recent ones like Licorice Pizza, The Master, The Phantom Thread, and Inherent Vice. PTA is obviously an extremely … [Read more...] about PMP#210: One Paul Thomas Anderson Film After Another

PMP#209: Alien Franchised

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In light of Noah Hawley TV show Alien Earth, Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn and Al revisit the franchise through its seven films (discounting the crummy and non-canonical Alien vs. Predator films) beginning with Ridley Scott's 1979 classic. While there's plenty of sheer repetition (alien loose, killing people one by one) throughout these properties, the various filmmakers attempt … [Read more...] about PMP#209: Alien Franchised

PMP#208: An Ed Gein Halloween

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It's a special two-hander where Mark and Lawrence reflect on the appeal of horror and how the new Monster: Ed Gein Netflix show has to contribute, given that it is not merely a (very loose) presentation of real events, and itself a horror drama, but also a commentary on the Hollywood properties influenced by the Ed Gein murders, including Psycho, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, … [Read more...] about PMP#208: An Ed Gein Halloween

PMP#207: Spinal Tap and Other Fake Bands

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Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn, and Al watched Spinal Tap and its new sequel, and we throw these into a mix with K-Pop Demon Hunters and other films and shows involving made-for-TV (and film) bands, including We Are Lady Parts, That Thing You Do, Fear of a Black Hat, CB4, Atlanta, The Blues Brothers, The Commitments, Almost Famous, The Rutles (watch the full movie free), and The … [Read more...] about PMP#207: Spinal Tap and Other Fake Bands

PMP#206: Abbott Elementary Did Not Win an Emmy This Year, But…

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For our rather late-coming back-to-school and Emmy acknowledger episode, we cover the pinnacle of the current network sitcom landscape: The six-time 2025 Emmy nominated Abbott Elementary (which has won previously), which this week begins its fifth season. Mark, Lawrence, Al and West-Philly-resident Sarahlyn discuss the show's Philly-ness and how it integrates cringe humor … [Read more...] about PMP#206: Abbott Elementary Did Not Win an Emmy This Year, But…

PMP#205: Fantastical Foursome

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What do we expect out of a superhero film? Does it need overqualified dramatic actors? Does it even need a real budget? Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn, and Al discuss the various films modeled after Marvel's Fantastic Four comics initiated by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1961. First Steps is clearly the best of them and surpassed our low expectations, with its delivery of a believable … [Read more...] about PMP#205: Fantastical Foursome

PMP#204: Naked Gun Rapid Firing

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What is the state of the stream-of-gags formula that used to stand tall in the films of the Zucker Brothers (mainly Airplane) and Mel Brooks? A new generation attempts to revive that with a new Naked Gun film. How does this new effort relate to the classic films? Are these kinds of films particularly timeless? Rewatchable? Do young people appreciate this kind of thing? Mark, … [Read more...] about PMP#204: Naked Gun Rapid Firing

PMP#203: What Superman?

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In light of the new James Gunn film Superman, Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn, and Al talk about the character, his stories, and past films and shows. Did Zack Snyder (Man of Steel) miss the point? Are the Richard Donner films (chiefly 1978's Superman: The Movie) as good as nostalgia would have us recall them? How does one write a convincing plot centered around a flawless, … [Read more...] about PMP#203: What Superman?

PMP#201: John Wick Minus Wick

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In light of the new film Ballerina, we discuss the John Wick franchise that kicked off in 2014 with four films plus a (bad) Peacock TV show called Continental: From the World of John Wick. We also watched the recent documentary Wick Is Pain about the making of the series. Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn and Al are joined by Brian Casey to mostly talk about the main four films in … [Read more...] about PMP#201: John Wick Minus Wick

PMP#200: Hollywood Studio Antics (feat. The Studio and Erica Spyres)

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In immediate reaction to the Apple TV+ Seth Rogan show The Studio, we talk about Hollywood's obsession with Hollywood and how we the audience understand how studio dynamics interfere with what exactly we all get to see. Are executives the well-intentioned bumblers depicted in The Studio, or the evil interferers we've seen in other media? What's with the fascination with old … [Read more...] about PMP#200: Hollywood Studio Antics (feat. The Studio and Erica Spyres)

PMP#199: Missioning Impossibly

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Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn and Al talk about the eight-film action series that launched in 1996 (based on the 1966 TV series) in light of its apparently final film. Is this a coherent narrative as the last film would have you believe, or just an excuse for a series of Tom Cruise physical challenges? Maybe the latter is enough for us! Did you know that the co-writer/director … [Read more...] about PMP#199: Missioning Impossibly

PMP#198: Andor: Grown-Up Star Wars

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Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn and Al discuss Tony Gilroy's Star Wars Disney+ two-season TV show. Should this actually be a Star Wars show given how different in tone it was? The show adds meat (and banality!) to the evil of the Empire and the rough life of a rebel. We talk characters, themes, settings, and all that other literary stuff. Follow us @law_writes, @sarahlynbruck, … [Read more...] about PMP#198: Andor: Grown-Up Star Wars

PMP#197: Medically Dramatic

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Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn, and Al discuss The Pitt and other medical dramas back to St. Elsewhere, ER, and Gray's Anatomy. Doctors and patients grappling with life and death stakes seems a strong premise for drama, but how many of these shows do we need? We talk about the gore, the pacing, the characters, the politics, and the other considerations that make The Pitt a great … [Read more...] about PMP#197: Medically Dramatic

PMP#196: Our “Sinners” Shindig

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Luvell Anderson (Philosophy prof. at U of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign) joins Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn, and Al to discuss Ryan Coogler's new vampire siege/black studies film starring Michael B. Jordan. We talk about the film's comments on black freedom, black music, the church, why the film needed twins, whether the vampires were even necessary, the film's humor and structure, … [Read more...] about PMP#196: Our “Sinners” Shindig

PMP#195: Mike White’s Lotus

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Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn, and Al discuss the HBO dramedy White Lotus about rich people having existential crises at a luxury resort in light of its third season. What exactly made this latest season less satisfying than the others? Does the show have a sustainable formula? What is the show saying about enlightenment? Travel? Sexuality? We talk through key plots, characters, and … [Read more...] about PMP#195: Mike White’s Lotus

PMP#194: Adolescence Wrecks Us

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Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn, and Al watched the 4-part British crime series that's become #1 in 80 countries, breaking Netflix's records for an original series. And man, was it a bummer. But important! We reflect on the purpose of the show, its one-take-per-episode format, the choice of whose perspectives to show, the crazy good acting by such a young person, and we get a … [Read more...] about PMP#194: Adolescence Wrecks Us

PMP#193: Severance: Mystery Box in Progress

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Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn and Al here discuss the Dan Erickson/Apple TV+ sci-fi/office dramedy in light of its second season. We might normally wait until the end of the show, but given that season 1 was 2022, and it took three years to get us season 2, who knows it it'll actually finish? And who knows if it will not be massively disappointing at that point? We strike while the … [Read more...] about PMP#193: Severance: Mystery Box in Progress

PMP#192: Exhibitionist Reality TV

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To acknowledge this ongoing, hugely popular form of "entertainment" popularized by shows like The Osbournes and The Kardashians wherein some celebrity and/or family just shows off their life, Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn and Al are joined by returning guest Kayla Dryesse to discuss first few episodes of The Baldwins and talk about why this kind of show exists, … [Read more...] about PMP#192: Exhibitionist Reality TV

PMP#191: Saturday Night Liver

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Are we taking for granted this unique, talent-filled weekly nationally televised live comedy event that's been around for 50 years? (as in "What do we think this show is? Chopped liver?") Does its format even make sense at this time given YouTube and streaming? What will its legacy be? Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn, and Al discuss the casts, highlights, and the recent anniversary … [Read more...] about PMP#191: Saturday Night Liver