You've planned and planned for your big event, and WHAM, the plague hits and you're frittering away your day worrying and watching TV. Our plans for this episode were postponed when virus-related matters caused our intended academic guest to be occupied by the frantic creation of online coursework and so cancel on us. So we did as we so often do, talking about possibilities … [Read more...] about PMP#39: TV and Other Plans in Subjunctive Stasis
Episodes
PMP#40: #MeToo Depictions in TV and Film
These stories are all heavily watched, which means they're entertaining: The 2019 film Bombshell (about the predations of Roger Ailes), Apple TV's The Morning Show (about a disgraced anchor), and Netflix's Unbelievable (about reporting rape) and 13 Reasons Why (about teen suicide resulting from sexual assault). But what's "entertaining" about sexual assault and harassment? What … [Read more...] about PMP#40: #MeToo Depictions in TV and Film
PMP#41: Made-for-TV Musicals w/ Craig Wedren
Craig (beyond being a rock god) has created music for many TV shows, including Glow, Shrill, Mrs. Fletcher, and Wet Hot American Summer. He joins Mark, Erica, and Brian due to his involvement with Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist, which along with Glee, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Nashville, Rise, etc. represents a new era of musicals as mainstream TV. Why now? These shows all use … [Read more...] about PMP#41: Made-for-TV Musicals w/ Craig Wedren
PMP#42: Star Trek Lives Long and Prospers (Intermittently)
The world-wide Tribble infestation and Star Trek: Picard dropping make this an apt time to address our most philosophical sci-fi franchise. 44 years of thought experiments (with photon torpedoes!) about what it is to be human should have taught us something, and Brian, Erica, and Mark along with Drew Jackson (Erica's husband) reflect on what makes a Star Trek story, world … [Read more...] about PMP#42: Star Trek Lives Long and Prospers (Intermittently)
PMP#43: The Korean Wave w/ Suzie Oh
We're seeing a lot of Korean media in American popular culture nowadays, what with Parasite winning the Oscar for best picture and K-Pop and K-Dramas finding an increasing American cult following. This is not an accident: The Korean government has as an explicit goal the growth of "soft power" through exported cultural products. This Korean Wave (Hallyu) was aimed foremost at … [Read more...] about PMP#43: The Korean Wave w/ Suzie Oh
PMP#44: Local News w/ Deion Broxton
Is news entertainment? To what extent has local news consumption decreased given the alternatives? Deion is an on-air reporter for NBC Montana who was recently memified for fleeing amusingly from some bison. He joins Mark, Erica, and Brian to discuss what we might be missing out on, the uses and abuses of news coverage, reality vs. media portrayals, and the current status of … [Read more...] about PMP#44: Local News w/ Deion Broxton
PMP#45: Film Riffing with MST3K’s Mary Jo Pehl
We live in a commentary culture with much appreciation for camp and snark, but something special happened in the early '90s when Mystery Science Theater 3000 popularized this additive form of comedy, where jokes are made during a full-length or short film. Mary Jo Pehl was a writer and performer on MST3K and has since riffed with fellow MST3K alums for Rifftrax and Cinematic … [Read more...] about PMP#45: Film Riffing with MST3K’s Mary Jo Pehl
PMP#46: “Casual” Games with Diner Dash’s Nick Fortugno
Famed game designer Nick joins Mark, Erica, and Brian to consider fundamental questions about the activity of gaming (Nick calls games "arbitrary limits on meaningless goals") and what constitutes a casual game: Is it one that's easy (maybe not easy to win, but at least you don't die), one meant to be played in short bursts, or maybe one with a certain kind of art style, or … [Read more...] about PMP#46: “Casual” Games with Diner Dash’s Nick Fortugno
PMP#47: Sitcom Premises: Genius, Bonkers and Otherwise
Sitcoms provide a form of escapism that doesn't take one to a magical world of possibility, but instead to a basically unchanging, cozy environment with relatable characters engaged in low-stakes conflicts. So what are the limits on the type of premise that can ground a sitcom? While most of the longest lasting sitcoms have simple set-ups involving friends or co-workers, … [Read more...] about PMP#47: Sitcom Premises: Genius, Bonkers and Otherwise
PMP#48: The Arts in Reality TV w/ Skin Wars’ Robin Slonina
Fine art and reality TV are typically rated our highest and lowest forms of entertainment, yet creative competition shows combine the two. Robin Slonina is a world-renowned body painter and served as a judge (along with RuPaul!) on the show Skin Wars. She joins Mark, Erica, and Brian to figure out the degree to which that format lets the art shine through. We also touch on … [Read more...] about PMP#48: The Arts in Reality TV w/ Skin Wars’ Robin Slonina
PMP#49: Conspiracy Theories as Pop w/ Al Baker
Al is a British ex-philosopher who now works for a company called Logically that fights misinformation. He joins Mark, Erica, and Brian to try to figure out such questions as: What's the appeal of conspiracy theories? How similar is being consumed them to being a die-hard fan of some pop culture property? What's the relation between pernicious conspiracy theories and fun … [Read more...] about PMP#49: Conspiracy Theories as Pop w/ Al Baker
PMP#50: MJ’s Last Dance w/ Seth Paskin
The 10-part ESPN documentary dissecting Michael Jordan and the Bulls' six championships has provided some much needed sports during the pandemic, roping in even sports haters with a mix of game highlights and behind-the-scenes drama. Brian, Erica, and Mark are joined by Seth from The Partially Examined Life to interrogate the event: Was it actually worth 10 hours of our … [Read more...] about PMP#50: MJ’s Last Dance w/ Seth Paskin
PMP#51: Pictures Telling Stories w/ Joseph Watson
Is it really true that "every picture tells a story"? Storytelling is part of Joseph's method, whether he's creating city scenes or public sculpture or children's illustrations. So how does the story an author may have in mind affect the viewer, and is this different for different types of art? Joseph, who works in Las Vegas, does online streaming of drawing sessions through … [Read more...] about PMP#51: Pictures Telling Stories w/ Joseph Watson
PMP#52: The Twilight Zone from Serling to Peele
Something's strange... Is it a dream? If it's a morality tale with a twist ending, you're probably in the Twilight Zone. Brian, Erica, Mark, and guest Ken Gerber are in it this week, discussing the thrice revived TV series. Does the 1959-1963 show hold up? What makes for a good TZ episode, and does Jordan Peele's latest iteration capture the spirit? We talk about episodes new … [Read more...] about PMP#52: The Twilight Zone from Serling to Peele
PMP#53: The Hamilton Phenomenon w/ Sam Simahk
Erica, Mark, and Brian are joined by Broadway actor Sam to discuss this unique convergence of musical theater, rap, and historical drama. Does Hamilton deserve its accolades? We cover the re-emergence of stage music as pop music, live vs. filmed vs. film-adapted musicals, creators starring in their shows, race-inclusive casting, and the politics surrounding the show. Some … [Read more...] about PMP#53: The Hamilton Phenomenon w/ Sam Simahk
PMP#54: The Genius(?) of Rick and Morty
Mark, Erica, and Brian address the 4-season 2013 Adult Swim show (which has 94% on Rotten Tomatoes). What kind of humor is it, and how are we supposed to take its sci-fi and family drama elements? While its concepts start as parody, with an anything-goes style of animation, they're creative and grounded enough to actually contribute to multiple genres. How smart is the show, … [Read more...] about PMP#54: The Genius(?) of Rick and Morty
PMP#55: Food as Pop w/ Thi Nguyen
Mark, Erica, and Brian are joined by Utah philosophy prof and former food writer C. Thi Nguyen to talk food as art, foodies, elitism, food TV, cooking vs. eating, and how analyzing food is like analyzing games. Read Thi's work at objectionable.net, including the article on "outrage porn" we talk about that he co-wrote with Bekka Williams, and his general account of "the arts … [Read more...] about PMP#55: Food as Pop w/ Thi Nguyen
PMP#56: Black + Nerd = BLERD w/ Anthony LeBlanc
The Interim Executive Producer of The Second City joins Mark, Erica, and Brian to discuss the scope of black nerd-dom: what nerdy properties provide to those who feel "othered," using sci-fi to talk about race, Black Panther and other heroes, afrofuturism, black anime fans, Star Trek, Key & Peele, Get Out vs. Us, and more. A few articles you might enjoy: "Blerd … [Read more...] about PMP#56: Black + Nerd = BLERD w/ Anthony LeBlanc
PMP#57: Back to the Damn Arena – The Hunger Games Prequel
Remember when The Hunger Games was everywhere? Its author Suzanne Collins has decided that young people could benefit from more exploration of Just War Theory through the world of Panem, and so has published The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, a prequel covering the early years of future president Coriolanus Snow during the 10th Hunger Games. Mark, Erica, and Brian … [Read more...] about PMP#57: Back to the Damn Arena – The Hunger Games Prequel
PMP#58: “TAYLOR SWIFT RULES!” (Conversation with a Swiftie)
Prompted by the release of new album Folklore and the 2020 documentary Miss Americana, Mark, Erica, and Brian speak with guest Amber Padgett about her love of Taylor, ranking the albums/eras, Taylor as songwriter/puppetmaster, why the hate, weird levels of fan engagement, double standards in expectations for female artists, and more. Like all of our discussions, this one is … [Read more...] about PMP#58: “TAYLOR SWIFT RULES!” (Conversation with a Swiftie)