Second Breakfast with Cam & Maggie

Discussion of House of the Dragon, Season 1, Episode 2: "The Rogue Prince"

This might be the best hour of fantasy we've gotten in years. Join us (and Tristan!) for a winding discussion of this great episode of TV. We take a long look at King Viserys in particular, and try to determine if he's dishonest, cowardly, or relatable – or all of the above. We analyze Rhaenyra as a predecessor/improvement on Dany. Cam compares HOTD and GOT through a Shakespearean framework. Tristan tries to see the best in Daemon. We debate the choice to reuse the theme music and parse the symbology of the visuals in the new title sequence. Finally, we bring you some new installments of Incest Watch and the Marble Mystery, and speculate about the imminent, ill-advised wedding.

Subscribe to our Substack here: https://secondbreakfastpod.substack.com/

Feedback & Theories: [email protected]

Instagram & TikTok: @secondbreakfastpod

Cam's Work: https://www.cameronfucile.com/

Discussion of The Time of Contempt, Chapter 2

After what feels like years of teasing, the Wild Hunt has finally made its appearance! And boy is she scary. Sapkowski has managed yet again to take traditional Tolkien-y tropes and flip them on their heads – the Nazgûl, armies of the undead, and weather-controlling wizards to name a few. Our central characters are finally reunited, and primed to move forward on their quest – but where to? We certainly don't know, and we love it. We also discuss the uncomfortably eerie familiarity of the rising (and increasingly normalized) fascism in the wake of Nilfgaard's takeover.

Subscribe to our Substack here: https://secondbreakfastpod.substack.com/

Feedback & Theories: [email protected]

Instagram & TikTok: @secondbreakfastpod

Discussion of House of the Dragon, Season 1, Episode 1: "The Heirs of the Dragon" HOLY MOTHER OF DRAGONS. We were absolutely blown away by this pilot episode for the new Game of Thrones spinoff series. Friend of the show (and the Podcast of Life) Tristan joins us for our first full discussion of House of the Dragon. We discuss first impressions, standout moments and characters, echoes and parallels to Game of Thrones, and the complications of having Targaryens as our main characters. We explore the ways in which our new showrunners manage to subvert our expectations, especially after a disappointing ending to the original show. We have a hearty discussion about the show's female characters, in the context of the Westeros universe and a 2022 audience (vs a 2011 one). We speculate about what's to come for the rest of the season, and we spend a good amount of time fangirling over Matt Smith.

Subscribe to our Substack here: https://secondbreakfastpod.substack.com/

Feedback & Theories: [email protected]

Instagram & TikTok: @secondbreakfastpod

Cam's Work: https://cameronfucile.com

The Time of Contempt, Chapter 1 Book 2 of The Witcher series started out with a bang (or is it really Book 4?? Don't ask us). Sapkowski pulled out all the stops by using every tool in his short-story-structure utility belt, while keeping us informed and invested in the larger threads of his story. We get quite a few new characters – including the fantasy version of Saul Goodman. This chapter is all about ramping up: war and death omens continue, prophecies are foretold, spies appear left and right, and the growing mistrust and suspicion among magical races (contempt, if you will) is spreading. We also share a delightful, cheerful, and wonderful anecdote from our home life this week. Subscribe to our Substack here: https://secondbreakfastpod.substack.com/

Feedback & Theories: [email protected]

Instagram & TikTok: @secondbreakfastpod

For the final episode of Summerween 2022, we're going back 100 years to examine a horror classic. We discuss the charming imperfections of scrappy 1920s production, coupled with the problems of unauthorized adaptation. It turns out this film exists in multiple versions – and we dig deeper into the implications and lasting effects of centuries-long games of artistic telephone. Speaking of adaption – Bram Stoker's novel is not an easy one to adapt, and Nosferatu is no exception. Other versions of this story creep into our discussion, including Bela Lugosi (1931), Gary Oldman (1992), plus a few other horror staples (hello Michael Myers). More than anything, this film's iconic character design of Count Orlok, combined with the striking imagery and special effects, still made for a visually stunning and rather unnerving viewing experience. We hope you've enjoyed this year's Summerween series! We'll definitely be back again next year. SUBSTACK: https://secondbreakfastpod.substack.com/

Feedback & Theories: [email protected]

Instagram & TikTok: @secondbreakfastpod

Cam's Twitter: https://twitter.com/camfucile

Blood of Elves, Chapter 7

FIRST THINGS FIRST: Our Substack is live! We've put together a new platform that will allow us to analyze more works of art and better interact with the Second Breakfast community. Subscribe for free, or become a premium member for $5/month: https://secondbreakfastpod.substack.com/

GIVEAWAY: All listeners who sign up for the paid Substack subscription within the first week (by Friday, August 19) will receive a free Second Breakfast sticker, plus a chance to win a $25 credit to our Threadless merch store. Yay stuff!

THE CHAPTER: The finale of Blood of Elves was not at all what we expected – but in the very best way. Sapkowski took us on a Tolkienesque journey, catching us up on the characters we've been missing, but without wasting a second of our time. We understand more about Yennefer and Ciri than we ever have, and we in turn understand more about Geralt, despite his distinct absence from the chapter. In another Middle Earth parallel, birds and the weather make several appearances, warning us of the dangers to come. We also learn the rules and volatility of magic, and an old metaphor returns in a new light.

Feedback & Theories: [email protected]

Instagram & TikTok: @secondbreakfastpod

Threadless Merch Store: https://secondbreakfastpod.threadless.com/

This week's Summerween movie is brought to you by Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker, Christopher Marlowe - and Kevin Smith! Tusk is one of those movies that lures you in with a simple concept and a familiar actor, and then just when you start to get comfortable, you realize the door is locked and all hell breaks loose. We discuss the ways in which this movie remixes and builds upon the canons of Dracula, Frankenstein, and (of course) Doctor Faustus, and then spend some time breaking down the genuinely troubling, masterful creature design. We also reflect on the film's remarkably tragic ending (spoiler warnings included).

Special thanks to listener Adam for recommending this one!

Feedback & Theories: [email protected]

Instagram & TikTok: @secondbreakfastpod

Blood of Elves, Chapter 6

This chapter is all about what we're calling the "Sapkowski couplet": after introducing complex, nuanced ideas in theory, we get to watch them play out in practicality. The merits of self-interest vs larger causes, taking action vs lying in wait, using key players as pawns vs disposing of them – we get multiple POVs playing out these ideas (with remarkable nonchalance), and each zoom in gives us a view of another cog in Sapkowski's machine. This is the penultimate chapter of the novel, and it shows – things are ramping up in a truly exciting and unexpected way. We also tease a special announcement for next week, along with our Summerween pick for next Tuesday.

Feedback & Theories: [email protected]

Instagram & TikTok: @secondbreakfastpod

Mike Flanagan's 2016 home invasion thriller was a rip-roaring good time! He and co-writer/star Kate Siegel put together a film that both satisfies and defies our expectations. An acute awareness of the audience's thought process, combined with the creative limitation of a deaf/mute protagonist, made for a movie experience that is part puzzle box, part one-act play. We are encouraged to participate in the plot of this film, and our strong connection to Kate Siegel's character makes it hard not to. The comparisons to other horror classics abound here: Halloween, The Strangers, Sinister, and Funny Games all make an appearance. Thank you to Amanda for suggesting this movie! We had a wonderfully spooky time.

Feedback & Theories: [email protected]

Instagram & TikTok: @secondbreakfastpod

Blood of Elves, Chapter 5

This chapter is full of echoes – but it's not just Sapkowski showing off, he's inviting comparisons, drawing points of contrast, and challenging everything we know. Familiar themes and old friends evolve all around us as we're introduced to Professor Dandelion, Old Man Geralt, and a nasty sea monster. We continue our discussion about tyrannical self-interest and the growing role of magic in this story. We also tease a special announcement of an announcement that we'll be announcing in two weeks. Stay tuned.

Feedback & Theories: [email protected]

Instagram & TikTok: @secondbreakfastpod