Brenna and Joe kick off scary season with Norman Partridge's 2007 Stoker award winning novel Dark Harvest and David Slade's 2023 adaptation.

The book isn't exactly YA (and intriguingly features a second person narrator), but it mostly works as a Vietnam war allegory.

The film has elements of camp and great practical FX, though its incredibly grim ending doesn't entirely satisfy.

Overall, though, this is a great start to our annual creepy tradition!

While Brenna may be disappointed that the film doesn't exactly feature a pumpkinhead creature

Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:

> Brenna: @brennacgray

> Joe: @bstolemyremote (Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky)

Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected]  

Theme music: Letra “Like A Bird”  

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brenna and Joe unofficially wrap up summer with Sasha Nathani's feature directorial debut Last Swim (2024). The UK film is about Ziba (Deba Hakmat), a girl with an undisclosed terminal disease, who plots one perfect day with her friends.

It's beautiful, intimate, has a great friend group and secretly does a great job of addressing class and race.

Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:

> Brenna: @brennacgray

> Joe: @bstolemyremote (Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky)

Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected]  

Theme music: Letra “Like A Bird”  

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At the urging of past guest Alex Heeney, Joe and Brenna finally check out Skam, the "Norweigan Skins" that began airing in 2015.

In the first two episodes, we under why the show translates to "Shame" as our main character Eva struggles with a terrible boyfriend, bad grades, and uncertain social popularity.

Plus: two Chrises, absent parents, and a Degrassi-like production.

Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:

> Brenna: @brennacgray

> Joe: @bstolemyremote (Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky)

Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected]  

Theme music: Letra “Like A Bird”

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brenna and Joe respond to listener mail from Shaun (about Book Weeding), Andrew (about Harry Potter references in Felix Ever After), and Tea, Books & Chocolate (about a great Douglas Copeland quote).

Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:

> Brenna: @brennacgray

> Joe: @bstolemyremote (Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky)

Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected]  

Theme music: Letra “Like A Bird”  

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brenna and Joe dig into the death of Andie Bell with a look at Holly Jackson's A Good Girl's Guide to Murder (2019) and S01 of the BBC3/Netflix series.

There's plenty to like in this well-constructed mystery, particularly Pip, her burgeoning romance with Ravi, and the many, MANY twists and red herrings.

Plus: Brenna's rant about a bizarre editorial decision, making murder victims likeable in the series, and yes, C/W: the dog does die.

Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:

> Brenna: @brennacgray

> Joe: @bstolemyremote (Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky)

Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected]  

Theme music: Letra “Like A Bird”  

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Book Club is back in session for the last time this summer as Brenna and Joe dig into Elizabeth Acevedo's novel in verse, Clap When You Land (2020).

We're joined by listeners Tea, Books & Chocolate, as well as Miriam, who contribute their thoughts on this beautiful (near) perfect book.

Expect discussions on class, race, gender, and money; whether this is representative of a typical book in verse, and Brenna's plea for this to be adapted!

Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:

> Brenna: @brennacgray

> Joe: @bstolemyremote (Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky)

Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected]  

Theme music: Letra “Like A Bird”  

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brenna and Joe are back to wrap up Series two of Skins and...it's a lot of mixed emotions!

On one hand, we think 2.10 "Final Goodbyes" is a pretty solid finish for these characters, while 2.09 "Cassie" left us with plenty of questions and concerns.

Plus: a tearful eulogy, Brenna worrying about Cassie's end, and after a whole summer, we finally play YA BINGO with the show!

Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:

> Brenna: @brennacgray

> Joe: @bstolemyremote (Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky)

Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected]  

Theme music: Letra “Like A Bird” 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's been a while since we've had a feel good coming of age dramaedy, so Joe has brought Brenna writer/director Sean Wang's Dìdi (2024).

Obviously Brenna has big feels about mother Chungsing (Joan Chen), but there's plenty to applaud about Izaac Wang's performance as Chris and the depiction of 2008 Internet friendship.

Plus: sibling rivalry, internalized racism, and talking animals.

Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:

> Brenna: @brennacgray

> Joe: @bstolemyremote (Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky)

Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected] 

Theme music: Letra “Like A Bird” 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brenna and Joe are barrelling towards the finale of Skins Series 02, but first we need to cross off the back-door pilot for Series 03 with 2.07 "Effie" and (finally!) a Jal-centric episode with 2.08.

It's all moving very quickly - to such a degree that we wonder when the creative team knew they were swapping out the cast.

Plus: Cassie's bisexuality, bad friend Michelle, Brenna's frustration with Tony's mom, and Joe's temptation to immediately dive into the next series.

Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:

> Brenna: @brennacgray (BlueSky)

> Joe: @bstolemyremote (Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky)

Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected]  

Theme music: Letra “Like A Bird” 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To coincide with the release of Freakier Friday, we're checking out all things Freaky Friday.

Kicking off the discussion is Mary Rodgers' 1972 book, which weirdly doesn't feature the mom's experience in her daughter's body!

Then it's onto the 1976 film starring Jodie Foster and Barbara Harris, which gives the latter much more to do than the former.

Finally we tackle the 2003 remake starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan. Aside from the racism, this one is still very fun.

Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:

> Brenna: @brennacgray

> Joe: @bstolemyremote (Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky)

Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected] 

Theme music: Letra “Like A Bird” 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.