Mark, Erica, and Brian discuss the HBO Max show out Victorian-era super-powered feminine outcasts, helmed and now abandoned by the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, etc. It's jam packed with steampunk gadgets, fisticuffs, social injustice, and far too many characters and plot threads to keep track of. Given that the season was reduced to a half season in light of … [Read more...] about PMP#95: “The Nevers” With a Side of Whedon
pop culture podcast
PMP#94: Psychology of Video Game Engagement w/ Jamie Madigan
Why do people play video games, and what keeps them playing? Do we want to have to think through innovative puzzles or just lose ourselves in mindless reactivity? Mark, Erica, and Brian are joined by Dr. Jamie Madigan, an organizational psychologist who runs the Psychology of Video Games podcast, to discuss what sort of a thing this is to research, the evolution of games, … [Read more...] about PMP#94: Psychology of Video Game Engagement w/ Jamie Madigan
PMP#90: Godzilla vs. Kong vs. All the Kaiju!
Are gynormous monsters ("kaiju") stomping on cities just stupid fun, or do they channel deep fears of our own helplessness? Mark, Erica, and Brian reflect on the MonsterVerse films, plus the history of Godzilla in Japan from the 1954 original to 2016's award-winning Shin Godzilla. Do we care at all about the humans in these films? Are King Kong films too sad? Is there any … [Read more...] about PMP#90: Godzilla vs. Kong vs. All the Kaiju!
PMP#89: The Chicago 7 (and the Aaron Sorkinverse)
In lieu of an Oscars episode, we consider one of the nominated films, The Trial of the Chicago 7, and the career of its writer/director, Aaron Sorkin, which started with A Few Good Men through four TV series (most notably The West Wing), and films like The Social Network, Steve Jobs, and Molly's Game. Brian, Erica, and Mark consider Sorkin's stock recurring characters … [Read more...] about PMP#89: The Chicago 7 (and the Aaron Sorkinverse)
PMP#88: Indie Animation w/ Benjamin Goldman
In the perennial conflict between art and our corporate entertainment machine, animation seems designed to be mechanized, given how labor-intensive it is, and yes, most of our animation comes aimed at children (or naughty adults) from a few behemoths (like, say, Disney). Mark, Erica, and Brian are joined by animator Benjamin Goldman to discuss doing animation on your own, … [Read more...] about PMP#88: Indie Animation w/ Benjamin Goldman
PMP#87: Female Buddy Comedies w/ Erica’s Female Buddy Micah Greene
The buddy comedy is a staple of American film, but using this to explore female friendship is still fresh ground. Erica, Mark, Brian, and Erica's long-time friend Micah Greene (actor and nurse) discuss tropes and dynamics within this kind of film, focusing primarily on Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, the 2021 release written and starring Kristin Wiig and Annie Mumolo as a … [Read more...] about PMP#87: Female Buddy Comedies w/ Erica’s Female Buddy Micah Greene
Bonus-PMP#85 Aftertalk w/ Rolando (And More TV You Are Missing)
Yanked from behind our paywall for your amusement, we continue with Marvel-related chat for a few minutes before moving to some media discussion with Rolando about The Brain that Wouldn’t Die, Eddie Murphy, and some of the properties his podcast Remakes, Reboots, and Revivals handles including Tom and Jerry, Sonic the Hedgehog, Walker, Space Jam, and Borat 2. Then (in … [Read more...] about Bonus-PMP#85 Aftertalk w/ Rolando (And More TV You Are Missing)
PMP#85: What the WandaVision!? w/ Rolando Nieves
The long-awaited debut Disney+ Marvel superhero series is... a tribute to classic sit-coms? Mark, Erica, Brian, and guest Rolando from the Remakes, Reboots, and Revivals podcast try to figure out what kind of storytelling this really is, whether this experiment was successful, whether you have to be a Marvel die-hard (or old enough to have watched those sit-coms) to get it, and … [Read more...] about PMP#85: What the WandaVision!? w/ Rolando Nieves
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)