Check out Cam's latest novel / audio drama here!

Neither Renly nor Stannis Baratheon ever sit the Iron Throne, but could things have turned out differently if they had worked together? In this episode, we're chasing down a what-if question that involves Catelyn Stark's talent for diplomacy, the long shadow of Robert Baratheon, and the history of a castle that might be more magic than stone. Elsewhere, Cam examines the increased villiany of these chapters alongside the new complicity of our favorite characters, before searching for some supernatural precedent for the (infamous) forthcoming shadow baby. Maggie takes a closer look at the legend of Durran and the mystical origins of Storm's End. We work together consider the evolving identities, personas, and crises of Arya Stark in the context of her declaration that she's becoming a living ghost. Finally, our long-time couplet theory faces its most serious test yet, and explodes into a much larger, trickier narrative device.

LINKS: Patreon, YouTube, Spotify, Instagram

Feedback & Theories: [email protected]

00:00 Bloody Mummers 03:20 Recap of Chapters 21:02 Lost Cause Diplomacy 30:33 A Glut of Villains 37:51 Shadow Baby Precedent 41:08 Chosen One Gold Rush 45:45 Castle or Metaphor? 51:50 The Ghosts of Arya Stark 58:30 Compare / Contrast 01:02:28 The Universal Couplet 01:07:56 Closing Thoughts

In this episode, we're giving you a quick programming update about the (exciting) future of The Lost Episodes. We also take a look back at Summerween 2026, discuss some behind-the-scenes ideas we've been having, and formally ask for your horror recommendations!

LINKS: Patreon, YouTube, Spotify, Instagram, Cam's Books

Feedback & Theories: [email protected]

Check out Cam's latest novel / audio drama here!

Indie horror is an endless stream of new ideas, new voices, and scrappy, ingenious storytelling — and "It Ends" is the latest hidden gem delight that we're here to break down and celebrate. Think of this one as an intoxicating blend of The Long Walk, The Blair Witch Project, and Six Feet Under. Topics include: naturalistic dialogue, sustained metaphors, the relationship between runtime / music / sound design, genre innovation, restrained creature design, and an extended, spoiler-filled discussion about the film's ending, title, and central metaphor.

LINKS: Patreon, YouTube, Spotify, Instagram

Feedback & Theories: [email protected]

00:00 Introduction 01:53 First Impressions 07:41 Runtime & Music 12:36 Stephen King 15:18 The Blair Witch Project 17:51 Six Feet Under 22:04 Backrooms / Hadestown 24:57 Genre Innovations 31:08 Creature Design 33:03 SPOILERS: Ending & Title 35:26 SPOILERS: Central Metaphor 43:39 Punctum 46:55 Closing Thoughts

Check out Cam's latest novel / audio drama here!

In this episode, we are revisiting Terrifier in an attempt to understand what makes this movie so so SO much scarier than any of the sequels. Along the way we will discuss the challenges of an 85-minute movie, Paul Wiley's incredible score, an avalanche of (favorable) comparisons to the original Saw and Halloween films, and what innovations this story brings to the slasher subgenre.

LINKS: Patreon, YouTube, Spotify, Instagram

Feedback & Theories: [email protected]

00:00 Introduction 01:22 Second Impressions 05:15 Runtime & Music 07:27 Halloween 12:15 Saw 15:35 Other Horror Echoes 16:27 Genre Innovations 21:00 Creature Design 24:05 The Scariest Terrifier 29:32 Art vs. Artist 32:03 Punctum 35:46 Closing Thoughts

Check out Cam's latest novel / audio drama here!

With these two chapters — a barrage of prophetic dreams, couplets within couplets, and philosophical debates — it is safe to say that A Clash of Kings has officially hit its stride. Maggie's Dream Corner returns to make sense of winged wolves and bloodstained metaphors. Cam revisits our discussion of franchise villains to tackle the tricky concept of premeditated evil. We work together to parse the mysteries of Maester Luwin's strange take on magic, and track the many pitfalls of the worst job in King's Landing: the Hand of the King.

LINKS: Patreon, YouTube, Spotify, Instagram

Feedback & Theories: [email protected]

00:00 House of the Dragon 01:58 Recap of Chapters 16:35 Cascading Couplets 20:45 Two Shadow Kings 23:18 Grey Meat 25:52 Grey Wind 27:45 Grey Chains 33:00 Maesters & Magic 38:27 Hand(s) of the King 46:13 Caution & Control 48:38 Villainy Revisited 54:57 Premeditated Evil 01:00:37 Closing Thoughts

Check out Cam's latest novel / audio drama here!

The Odyssey is almost too massive and influential to discuss in one podcast, but we're gonna do our best. In this overstuffed episode, we are breaking down all the spectacle, substance, and surprises of this gut-punch of a movie. Topics include: the effect of format across IMAX / 70mm / D-BOX, the relationship between runtime and pacing, Ludwig Göransson's electric score, an analysis of the Trojan Horse through the frame of GRRM's Red Wedding, echoes between Homer and Tolkien, an argument that Homer invented almost every subgenre of horror, Nolan's powerfully indirect approach to creature design, an avalanche of comparisons to Oppenheimer, and a very special segment with Tristan where we go deep on the tricky art of adaptation.

LINKS: Patreon, YouTube, Spotify, Instagram

Feedback & Theories: [email protected]

00:00 Introduction

01:24 The Trial of IMAX

04:12 Impressions

13:37 Runtime & Pacing

22:33 Music

23:38 The Red Wedding

28:16 Lord of the Rings

29:26 The Grey Havens

31:21 The Scouring of the Shire

34:03 Homer Invented Horror

42:04 Matt Damon

45:06 Creature Design

48:37 Magic in the Margins

55:39 Oppenheimer Comparison

01:04:03 Historical Accuracy

01:10:14 Adaptation

01:44:50 Closing Thoughts

Check out Cam's latest novel / audio drama here!

We've finally got Tristan back to investigate the tumultuous third season of House of the Dragon. Has the writing improved? Has the acting fallen off? What's with the 'portrait mode' directing this season? In this episode, we're trying to look at the show from both perspectives: as tv watchers and book readers. We're also taking a closer look at each major character to examine their arc and performance, and celebrate some surprising new favorites. Aegon! Ormund! Gwayne! Finally, we close things out by revisiting the tensions between this creative team and George R. R. Martin, which seem to continue (and escalate) with a nasty little dig buried in the season finale.

LINKS: Patreon, YouTube, Spotify, Instagram

Feedback & Theories: [email protected]

00:00 Introduction 01:00 Impressions 17:54 The TV Watcher POV 36:23 The Book Reader POV 49:59 Rhaenyra 57:02 Aegon 01:09:57 Alicent 01:13:06 Mysaria 01:17:57 Ormund 01:21:55 Supporting Cast 01:25:56 Character Death 01:29:23 Gwayne 01:33:26 Beware the Butterflies 01:36:03 Closing Thoughts

Check out Cam's latest novel / audio drama here!

It's about damn time Cam had another stupid theory about a movie. This time, he's arguing that One Night Only is a rom-com remake of our favorite Christmas movie, Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut. Come all ye skeptical, this is one for the ages!

LINKS: Patreon, YouTube, Spotify, Instagram

Feedback & Theories: [email protected]

Check out Cam's latest novel / audio drama here!

Across genre fiction, "the chosen one" always becomes a cautionary tale. So what does it mean that GRRM dramatizes the unsuccessful reigns of an endless number of Targaryens who all believe that they have the divine warrant to rule the Seven Kingdoms? In this episode, we're exploring the theology of narcissism that empowers strongmen and emphatically makes the case against any sort of hereditary rule. Maggie explores the remarkable similarities and differences between Arya and Dany to find out why their equally impassioned and aggrieved stories end in such different places. Cam takes a closer look at the problem of evil, particularly the unseen and excused evils of the world that don't garner nearly enough outrage of philosophical attention, but still have the power to crumble a kingdom from within.

LINKS: Patreon, YouTube, Spotify, Instagram

Feedback & Theories: [email protected]

00:00 Camel Confusion (Redux)

02:47 Recap of Chapters

21:33 A Theology of Narcissism

30:54 The Myth of The Chosen One

37:11 Couplet or Contrast?

45:55 Maggie's Bird Corner

50:06 The Problem of (Excused) Evil

01:00:40 Closing Thoughts

Check out Cam's latest novel / audio drama here!

What does it mean to call a horror movie a "guilty pleasure"? Why do we caveat our feelings about incredibly entertaining, funny, well-made movies by calling them "trashy "or emphasizing that they are "just a remake"? In this episode, we're not just analyzing but celebrating the glorious 2009 remake of Friday the 13th. Topics include: our glowing second impressions after a rewatch, the power of good lighting, a debate about sexuality / sex negativity / the male gaze, and what happens when you extend a cold open to become something more like a short film.

LINKS: Patreon, YouTube, Spotify, Instagram

Feedback & Theories: [email protected]

00:00 Angry YouTube Commenter 02:23 Camp Miasma 03:57 2000's Period Piece 07:42 Humor & Sexuality 12:25 Puritanical Horror Tropes 14:26 Reverence of the Original 16:39 Remakes vs. Legacy Sequels 17:32 The Power of Lighting 19:19 Memorable vs. Quotable 22:02 Production Design 23:32 The Role of Archetypes 26:25 Runtime 28:13 Rob Zombie's Halloween 31:33 David Fincher & James Wan 32:11 The Original Friday the 13th 34:06 Revolutionizing the Cold Open 36:10 Opening Credits Lore Drop 37:41 Sex Negativity Debate 44:24 Creature Design 46:09 Theory Introductions 47:15 "Trashy" Horror 50:54 "Guilty Pleasure" 58:30 Camp Miasma Tangent 01:00:07 Why We Love Horror 01:01:53 Punctum 01:04:41 Closing Thoughts