Pop Fiction Women

Side Bar on good books and Goodreads, how we move on from burnout, whether there can ever be nuance in the Trad Wives conversation, and of course, there's a little bit of astrology

Bad Sisters is back! Season Two of this dark comedy hit from the genius brain of Sharon Horgan returns, and while we are so thrilled to have this incredible cast of actresses back on our screens in the beautiful Irish setting, we definitely have some questions about that devastating twist and where the season is going. Listen now to our recap of Episodes 1 & 2!

On our new episode we’re discussing the Apple TV+ limited series, Disclaimer, and specifically, the gut punch twist heard round the world. Based on a book by Renee Knight and created for TV by famed director Alfonso Cuaron, Disclaimer’s multiple perspective storytelling technique is meant to ultimately make audiences confront their own judgements about what is real and what we’ve just assumed to be the truth. One thing is clear: we as a society are willing to believe the worst of a woman, particularly one who is ambitious, successful and strong.  It’s damning and depressing and frankly, we’re just sort of sitting with it.

In our latest episode we are chatting about another cultural flashback pilot episode inspired by Nobody Wants This…Gossip Girl. Adam Brody and Kristen Bell have reminded us all that they’re national treasures and their beginnings in 2000s teen dramas were worth coming back to. We’ve covered the pilot episode of The O.C., Veronica Mars, and now Gossip Girl, a show in which wealthy, privileged Upper East Siders take on high school as the anonymous “Gossip Girl” (voiced by Kristen Bell) reveals their secrets at every turn.

Launching the careers of Blake Lively, Leighton Meester (who also happens to be married to Adam Brody), Chance Crawford, Penn Badgley and Taylor Momsen, Gossip Girl is as enduring and addictive as Blair Waldorf’s headbands!

On this episode of Debut Discussions, romance author Alyssa Jarrett shares her journey from a passionate reader to a published writer of a four-part series. She discusses her second installment, Love on the Rocks, an opposites-attract rom-com that proves love is the most exciting adventure of all. Blending Silicon Valley satire with romantic comedy, Love On The Rocks explores themes of anxiety, trust, and personal growth.

Alyssa chats with us about the importance of relatable characters and the influence of pop culture in her writing, while also reflecting on her own experiences in the tech industry and how they shape her storytelling. We also talk about the complexities of celebrity relationships, the impact of reality TV on self-identity, the struggles of professional identity, rock climbing as a romantic metaphor, and astrology as a way into characters.

Listen now to Alyssa’s story wherever you get your podcasts. Love On The Rocks is out now -- buy it, read it, and share it (in other words, make a debut author’s dreams come true!).

In today’s episode we’re discussing the Netflix documentary on Martha Stewart, a model turned stockbroker turned domestic goddess and CEO, the “original influencer,” the first self-made female billionaire, and an expert at reinventing her brand and doing it on her own terms. The Martha documentary explores the price of her quest for perfection, but it’s her imperfections — including her inability to accept them — that make her most interesting. Perhaps the OG “unlikable woman,” Martha provides us with a whole lot to discuss beyond her incredible business success!

We’re back with another Sidebar conversation where we let you in on our lives and what we’re obsessing over in pop culture. In this episode, we chat about what we’re watching (and why) - Anatomy of Lies and Disclaimer; the smoldering flirtationship between Amelia Dimoldenberg, comedian and host of Chicken Shop Date, and Andrew Garfield (listen to this clip!); book recommendations; and celebrating yeses from the Universe!

The PFW Sidebar is now in session!

We’re continuing our theme of cultural flashback TV pilots inspired by Nobody Wants This … delving into Veronica Mars, Kristen Bell’s cult classic series in which she plays a seventeen-year-old anti-establishment high school student and private detective. We were surprised by the complexities of the show, its dark themes, character motivations, and intricate storytelling. The show is a unique blend of teen drama and neo-noir elements, with a healthy dose of mommy issues, class warfare, sexual assault, and mysteries to unravel. This is one loaded pilot episode!!

On this episode of Complicated Conversations we welcome New York Times bestselling author, Alison Espach, to discuss her Read With Jenna Book Club pick, The Wedding People, a propulsive and uncommonly wise novel about one unexpected wedding guest and the surprising people who help us start anew.

We chat with Alison about her development of the two complex women at the heart of this novel, Phoebe and Lila; the importance of honesty for human connection; her exploration of themes of grief, loss, transformation, and rebirth; her use of literary references; and the new way she has us thinking about using tarot cards!

The Wedding People is out now!

On today’s episode we’re discussing Woman Of The Hour, a new Netflix movie based on the true story of a serial killer who appeared on the popular 70s TV show, The Dating Game. Directed by and starring Anna Kendrick, the movie is a true crime drama that - thankfully - isn’t focused on the killer. This subtly subversive film is a story about women’s violence that has so much space for women’s emotions.  It is the kind of movie that, as we approach our five year anniversary, reminds us why we started this podcast in the first place!