100 Years after Gangs of New York - and we are BACK to the Naked City with 8 million stories (to steal from the 1948 film - The Naked City)

Are things any better?
Do you want to call the cops now?
Is anyone more sober now? (Doesn't seem that way)
Are there just as many ways to die?

While there are definitely more rats, there's also running water - so win some, lose some.
While the last film had a promising premise, and produced a terrible film - this one has a depressing premise, but produced a great film. Except for the opening music. But for being a tight, well paced flik, we'll let the credits music slide.

Come along to the not so far past and see how it ties in to the 19th century.

Jamie Lewis (plagueofstrength.com & IG @plagueofstrength)
&
Greta Hardin (The History of American Food podcast & @THoAFood all over)
Look for us weekly and on Instagram & Threads: @pcgpodcast

Welcome to our Second Movie Break!

What is wrong with us? For a movie that made us this angry and dissapointed - we sure spent a lot of time talking about it. League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is that kid with every advantage and so much potential... that even when it's clear they're not going to make the team of become a doctor, you still can't let it go.

And like so many others - we look at what might have been. To balance out the (granted enjoyable) dissapointment - we spend time considering who a bunch of Real Cool 19th C avengers might have been. So come along if you dare...

Jamie Lewis (plagueofstrength.com & IG @plagueofstrength)
&
Greta Hardin (The History of American Food podcast & @THoAFood all over)
Look for us weekly and on Instagram & Threads: @pcgpodcast

What have we learned about Buckley? He's a twisty dude.
What has Penny learned bout dealing with Buckley? Not a dang thing. But Mai Ling, because SHE isn't particulary straight forward might have a handle on the whole thing.

But all of that is cute and all - what this REALLY is all about is the Hero's Journey.

So jump in, buckle up, and hang on.
And we have both a cliff hanger and some surprise endings.

Jamie Lewis (plagueofstrength.com & IG @plagueofstrength)
&
Greta Hardin (The History of American Food podcast & @THoAFood all over)
Look for us weekly and on Instagram & Threads: @pcgpodcast

What are the odds?
Episode 25 on December 25th - I certainly didn't see it coming.

But if you ever wanted to know about the connection between Bill Murray, 1980's rat infested New York, the Muppets, Vampires, PT Barnum and Christmas, this is the place to be!

So snuggle up with your most troubled Santa memories and watch the world change as we look at 19th century Christmas and how it's making out lives crazy today!

Jamie Lewis (plagueofstrength.com & IG @plagueofstrength)
&
Greta Hardin (The History of American Food podcast & @THoAFood all over)
Look for us weekly and on Instagram & Threads: @pcgpodcast

This week we start out as a TikTok POV video - but rapidly pulls out into lots and lots of fights

So many fights that China Town is no longer left standing.
We get the team ups we've been waiting for. Ah Sahm and Li Yong get to fight back to back. We also get the appearance of the nunchuck - and the disappearance of Ah Sahm's shirt.

Ah Toy and Mai Ling get a team up too - though it's needles not knives.

And while everyone else is stressing out about the chaos, Buckley is excited about it, and wondering how he can have more... more ..... MORE!

The world has changed by the end, and for once the bonnet situation is not the most distressing part.


Jamie Lewis (plagueofstrength.com & IG @plagueofstrength)
&
Greta Hardin (The History of American Food podcast & @THoAFood all over)
Look for us weekly and on Instagram & Threads: @pcgpodcast

All the wars this episode - the Hop Wei has finished the war with the Fung Hai, we see flashbacks in the American Civil War in federally manadated sepia tone, and the smaller action between fought between Young Jun and Father Jun.
But really, it's all about chaos Buckley can't wait to unleash in San Francisco now that he holds the mayor's power in his hands (insert manaical laughter here)


Help us out - Download! And leave a Review to Get the Word OUT!

You can find us: Jamie Lewis (plagueofstrength.com & IG @plagueofstrength)
&
Greta Hardin (The History of American Food podcast & @THoAFood on Insta & Threads)

Questions? Comments? Corrections? [email protected] Look for us weekly and on Instagram & Threads: @pcgpodcast

We are out of the movie and back in the "real world" - whatever that means in this case. I mean, c'mon look at Mai Ling's wardrobe these days.

But Young Jun & Ah Sahm have discovered that just getting the money back by winning the fight festival was only the first step. Now they have to deal with Dad!

Everyone else is facing that moment of truth - how will they handle it?
Penny's backed into a corner (2 corners?), O'Hara has to take credit for faking it, Lee is on to him, Zing goes before the court, Leary realizes taking his girlfriend on the bombing raid was an error, Ah Toy and Lai have some demons to slay, and Nellie decides solitary splendor isn't so great.

Tune in to find out how badly everyone handles their problems!

HOMEWORK (Optional):
Barbara Tuchman -
A Distant Mirror: The Clalamatous 14th Century (a history of the plague in Europe)
The Guns of August (the beginning of the beginning of WWI)

Video of Edward VII's funeral procession that Tuchman describes. Alas - no sound and you can't see the gorgeous colors of all the uniforms and regalia)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:4125s2.ogv
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2GjjBiN19Q&t=9s


Help us out - Download! And leave a Review to Get the Word OUT!

You can find us: Jamie Lewis (plagueofstrength.com & IG @plagueofstrength)
&
Greta Hardin (The History of American Food podcast & @THoAFood on Insta & Threads)

Questions? Comments? Corrections? [email protected] Look for us weekly and on Instagram & Threads: @pcgpodcast

Hot Damn!
It's the Season 2 Movie! And we nearly died of sheer glee.

Seriously ... all the fight styles, witty banter, sweet tailoring, shoe appreciation, the cheesiest sex scene outside of a Velveeta fetish, all in service of a Revenge Quest!

It has all the Eater Eggs for those fans of Enter the Dragon (the Bruce Lee love is real) - and just the motivation the rest of us need to go track it down and watch it - to see the source material.

So get out the popcorn for this one, warm up with some Seergio Leone Spaghetti Western soundtracks, and sure, enjoy a tequila if that's your bag.
Let go down by the Border of Olde Mexico.

Help us out - Download! And leave a Review to Get the Word OUT! You can find us:
Jamie Lewis (plagueofstrength.com & IG @plagueofstrength) & Greta Hardin (The History of American Food podcast & @THoAFood on Insta & Threads)

Questions? Comments? Corrections? [email protected] Look for us weekly and on Instagram & Threads: @pcgpodcast

This is an ANGRY EMOTIONAL EPISODE! OK.
Enough with the ALL CAPS - but honestly, we are here for the cool fights on the stairs. It has hands, guns, knives, swords and even indoor arrows!

The lines and set ups from all the 80’s movies (and a few from even earlier…) all the fun clichés are here.
And it all ends with slo-mo pit fighting in the rain and a sibling throw down.

Honestly - what more do you want from a mid-season episode?

(Optional) HOMEWORK:
Learn about why most of the world's grape wine is now grown on European branches sprouting out of American roots:
Spotify
Apple
Spreaker

Help us out - Download! And leave a Review to Get the Word OUT! You can find us:
Jamie Lewis (plagueofstrength.com & IG @plagueofstrength) & Greta Hardin (The History of American Food podcast & @THoAFood on Insta & Threads)

Questions? Comments? Corrections? [email protected] Look for us weekly and on Instagram & Threads: @pcgpodcast

When are the talking episodes good? When they are like THIS!

The tributes to story tropes & the turning them on their head. And a director (Loni Peristere) who is SO good at faces.

We get "you made me a murderer", "the using 1 guy to go on a secret date with another", "crime lord checking out the drug operation", "locker room badness" & the "come for me - miss me!"

And of course, Hong continues to snuggle in next to our black little hearts as our new favorite maniac.

Oh and it's also time for a good, thorough Family Betrayal! What could be better?

(Optional) HOMEWORK: Book - The 13th Element - by John Emsley

(In the pod I mentrion Sulfur, but I was thinking of Phosphorous)

Help us out - Download! And leave a Review to Get the Word OUT!
You can find us: Jamie Lewis (plagueofstrength.com & IG @plagueofstrength)
&
Greta Hardin (The History of American Food podcast & @THoAFood on Insta & Threads)
Questions? Comments? Corrections? [email protected] Look for us weekly and on Instagram & Threads: @pcgpodcast