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
TV podcast
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#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#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#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#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#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#39: TV and Other Plans in Subjunctive Stasis
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
PMP#32: Judging “The Good Place”
Mark, Erica, and Brian discuss Michael Schur's NBC TV show. Is it good? (Yes, or we wouldn't be covering it?) Is it actually a sit-com? Does it effectively teach philosophy? What did having actual philosophers on the staff (after season one) contribute, and was that enough? We talk TV finales, the dramatic impact of the show's convoluted structure, the puzzle of heaven being … [Read more...] about PMP#32: Judging “The Good Place”
PMP#28: The Alpha Female Trope w/ Margaret Colin
What's the deal with images of powerful women in media? The trope of the tough-as-nails boss-lady who may or may not have a heart of gold has evolved a lot over the years, but it's difficult to portray such a character unobjectionably, probably due to those all-too-familiar double standards about wanting women in authority (or, say, running for office) to be assertive but not … [Read more...] about PMP#28: The Alpha Female Trope w/ Margaret Colin
PMP#27: For the Love of Star Wars
Mark, Erica, and Brian grasp the low-hanging fruit in pop culture to talk about Star Wars: The unique place that these films have in the brains of people of a certain age, how we grappled with the prequels, and why we feel the need to fill in and argue about the details. We primarily focus on the two most recent emanations of this beast, The Mandalorian and Rise of … [Read more...] about PMP#27: For the Love of Star Wars
PMP#26: We Watch “Watchmen” w/ David Pizarro
Perhaps the most lauded graphic novel has been sequelized for HBO, and amazingly, it turned out pretty darn well (with a 96% Rotten Tomatoes rating!). Mark, Erica, and Brian are joined by the Cornell psych prof who hosts the Very Bad Wizards podcast. We consider Alan Moore's 1986 graphic novel, the 2009 Zack Snyder film, and of course mostly the recently completed (we … [Read more...] about PMP#26: We Watch “Watchmen” w/ David Pizarro
PMP#24: Christmas Viewing: What’s Canon?
Join Mark, Erica, and Brian for a special "snake draft," where we take turns picking the holiday films and TV specials that we think are (or should be) part of America's yearly viewing traditions. Were I to list all the shows and films we mention, that would give away our picks now, wouldn't it? Compare your intuitions about what is classic or seminal or over-rated with … [Read more...] about PMP#24: Christmas Viewing: What’s Canon?
PMP#19: Race and the Target Audience w/ Rodney Ramsey
We've all felt at various points (maybe at most points) that some media creation has reached us by mistake, that we are not the target audience. 20th century American TV was aimed largely at a white majority, with a parallel, underfunded channel of content aimed at people of color. So how have things changed? There still seem to be "black shows," but how do they fit in … [Read more...] about PMP#19: Race and the Target Audience w/ Rodney Ramsey
PMP#16: 25 Years After FRIENDS
Mark, Erica, and Brian examine the conventions, techniques, and staying power of the beloved '90s sitcom. Are we supposed to identify with, or idolize, or merely like these people? What makes the formula work, did it sustain itself over its 10-year run, was it successfully replicated (like by How I Met Your Mother or by Chuck Lorre?), and what parts haven't aged well? We … [Read more...] about PMP#16: 25 Years After FRIENDS
PMP#14: UFOs on TV with Investigative Journalist Paul Beban
TV news reporter Paul Beban (ABC, Al Jazeera, Yahoo, and now featured on the Discovery Network's Contact) joins Mark, Erica, and Brian to discuss the appeal of UFO narratives, both at the peak of their popularity in the 50s and in the current resurgence. Why do they make for good TV? Do you have to believe to be entertained? Is belief in UFOs related to religious belief? To … [Read more...] about PMP#14: UFOs on TV with Investigative Journalist Paul Beban
PMP#13: TV Revivals Revived!
A crazy number of shows are now being continued long after their deaths. Revivals (not to be confused with reboots) bring us back to the comfort of old friends, who are now really old. What can a revival's success tell us about why the show was appealing in the first place? Wouldn't you rather see a new work by the same creative team than more of the same? Mark, Erica, and … [Read more...] about PMP#13: TV Revivals Revived!
PMP#10: The Handmaid’s Tale
Mark, Erica, and Brian take on both Margaret Atwood's 1985 novel plus the Bruce Miller/Hulu TV series through season 3. There's also a graphic novel and the 1990 film. We get into what's needed to move a novel to the screen like that: The character can't just remain passive as in the novel in order to keep us suffering with her past the first season as storytelling beyond … [Read more...] about PMP#10: The Handmaid’s Tale