In this week's episode we talk about the FX show Pose and the evolution of gay rights and trans awareness. We sing a little bit of Madonna and Marta explains 1980s style drag shows and what it felt like to come of age during the AIDS crisis to Madeline. Strangely, for once we don't really talk about any other TV shows, books or movies. 

On this week's episode, Madeline and Marta discuss the movie Booksmart, a pro-gay, feminist, raunchy coming of age story. They both love this story of two super-smart teenage girls who clearly respect, love, and support each other. The lack of slut-shaming, fat-shaming, homophobia and other stereotypes makes the movie a unique entry into the teen comedy genre. Along the way, the Block women come back to the subject of sibling incest and other inappropriate relationships. They try once again to describe why generation after generation of teen girls seem drawn to those types of stories.

Works Discussed in This Episode

Booksmart (2019)

Pretty Little Liars (2010-2017)

Flowers in the Attic - V.C. Andrews (1979)

Edgar Allan Poe

In this week's episode, Madeline (now 17) and Marta (still 52) talk about the 1970 Judy Blume classic, Are You There God, It's Me Margaret. Marta and Madeline both read the book in middle school, and had such different reactions to it that it eventually spurred this show. While discussing the book, Marta and Madeline hit on religion, inter-marriage, and sexuality. Also, Marta sings the song from her middle school sorority. Yes, you read that correctly. As always, there are spoilers. 

Works Discussed in This Episode

Are You There God, It's Me Margaret - Judy Blume, 1970

Bye Bye Birdie (1960 - play, 1963- film)

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Superfudge, and other Judy Blume books

The works of Beverly Cleary

In this week's episode, Madeline and Marta discuss the Netflix show, The Haunting of Bly Manor. Based loosely on the 1898 novel Turn of the Screw, by Henry James, Bly Manor looks at love, death, and guilt through the lens of a ghost story. The action takes place in the 1980s. As a teen of the 80s, Marta is thrilled by the fashion in the show and even more thrilled that Madeline is adopting some of it. We also finally find a love story of which Madeline approves. As always, spoilers abound.

Works Discussed in This Episode:

The Haunting of Bly Manor (Netflix, 2020)

Marta and Madeline talk about the streaming show, The Umbrella Academy based on the comic books by Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance. Is the show sexist and anti-semitic, or maybe just a little silly? Is incest ever ok? Is being homophobic worse than killing someone? Will Marta ever convince Madeline that romance does not automatically ruin a story? Tune in for the answers to these and other important questions. As always, spoilers abound.

Works Discussed:

The Umbrella Academy (Netflix, 2019, 2020)

This week, Marta describes the plot of Jane Eyre and explains why it was so revolutionary for her. Madeline explains why she isn't quite as in love with the novel as her mother is. On the way, they talk about the recent Netflix show Queen's Gambit and how stories about plucky orphans have changed over the decades. As always, there are spoilers.

Works Discussed: