Agents of SMOOCH

If anyone thinks that Jane Austen is about sedate manners and social niceties, they ought to dive straight into this mission about Northanger Abbey. This novel is Austen’s version of Mean Girls and there is a lot of naughty business happening below the surface of polite society. Join our Agents as they discuss the novel and the 2007 movie adaptation with Felicity Jones and JJ Feild.

Kirsten swore once and I am giving her a special exemption to keep it in.

Northanger Abbey

Annette Wierstra with Kirsten Goruk

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Is it a Gothic Romance series if we don’t wander the English moors? Of course not! Join our agents as they discuss Jane Eyre focusing on the 2011 movie and the book. While we like the moody story of Jane and her Mr. Rochester, we have a few suggestions for the next adaptation.

Jane Eyre (2011)

Annette Wierstra with Heather Berberet and Moisés Chiullán

Link to the Broadway Jane Eyre Musical

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We are back for Season 6 in time for the dark moody vibes of fall with a series of episodes on Gothic Romances. We begin with an episode about Kat Dunn’s sapphic witchy romance set in the most gothic of castles: Bitterthorn. Our agents get lost on side topics a few times as they wander through the woods to discuss other books and video games. In the end, they make it through just in the nick of time.

Our Agents start with a non-spoiler pitch to convince you to read Bitterthorn, and then they go full spoilers with fair warning.

Bitterthorn by Kat Dunn

Annette Wierstra with James Thomson

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For our last mission of Season 5, we are going back to the eighties with Desperately Seeking Susan. This is Madonna just being Madonna and adding her perfect fashion sense to this film. Add Rosanna Arquette and Aidan Quinn with a splash of amnesia and mistaken identities and it’s a delightful 80s romcom. Our agents were happy to revisit this movie and find that it reflects a more modern sensibility than we expected. Get out of the box and help us find the elusive Susan.

Desperately Seeking Susan

Annette Wierstra with Erika Ensign, Sandra Wong and Stacy Watnick

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It’s another Romance in Action mission with Argylle. Let’s be honest. Our Director mandated this mission purely for the cat content which she rates very highly. Follow cat-loving novelist Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard) as she is pulled out of her fictional imaginings into the IRL world of spy craft with the mysterious stranger Aiden (Sam Rockwell). Warning: This mission will contain rainbow fog.

Argylle Movie

Annette Wierstra with Sandra Wong and Moisés Chiullán

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We’ve got more Romance in Action with The Fall Guy movie. Get ready for comedy, stunt action, and romance from Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt. Our Agents went on this mission to the theatre and later recorded this episode in person. The Agents thought the meta references to the movie industry, with the right dash of mystery and romance made for perfect escapism. Will we watch it again? Definitely.

The Fall Guy (2024)

Annette Wierstra with Kirsten Goruk, Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky

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It’s our Director’s birthday! She is using her power to make the Agency do a mission about Aziraphale and Crowley in Good Omens. If you like seeing Angels and Demon romance each other in a gentle comedy about the end of the universe, this is the episode for you.

Good Omens (TV Series)

Annette Wierstra with Heather Berberet and Stacy Watnick

Niel Gaiman giving hints about Season 3 on Instagram

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Return to the Eighties’ version of the Sixties as we explore summer camp, first loves, progressive politics, and never putting Baby in a corner. After this week’s Dirty Dancing mission, we’re saying forget cop/not-a-cop pairings, let’s have more dancer/not-a-dancer matchups.

Dirty Dancing

Annette Wierstra with Stacy Watnick

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Our agents are kicking off their Sunday shoes for this mission. It’s time to fight for your prom and get Footloose. This mission explores how teenagers gonna teenage and whether Footloose still holds up 40 years later. Join our discussion of sex, religion, politics, and shaking your bootie in a rainfall of glitter. Back to the Future makes several surprising cameos, but it all makes sense—trust us. So get up off of your knees and everybody cut footloose.

Footloose (1984)

Annette Wierstra with Shelly Brisbin and Julia Skott

Note: We had some technical difficulties for the first few minutes. Julia’s track quality improves a few minutes in.

Related episodes:

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Our Agents were so excited about Mr. & Mrs. Smith, that they just jumped right back in with the 2024 series. This is not a chronological episode but entirely based on what the Agents are excited about. This is another intense relationship in an intense fantastical situation and literal booms exploding. We dig deep into love and communication while making wild speculations about what could come next for John and Jane if we get a season 2.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2024)

Annette Wierstra with Heather Berberet

Listen to Mr. & Mrs. Smith Part 1.

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