Sweet Valley Diaries

Marissa and songstress Jocelyn Scofield discuss the story of Jocelyn's ode to all the former Rick Andovers out there, her song "Bad Boy in High School." Spoiler alert: they're probably NOT the best years of your life.

Season 3 Premiere! Marissa and songstress Jocelyn Scofield investigate Jessica Wakefield’s first emo phase, poor parenting in Sweet Valley, and that one time Elizabeth served Ricky Capaldo some deeply scalding tea.

Happy V Day...Sweet V Day, that is! Marissa made up that holiday, but there's no reason that should keep you from celebrating. Celebrate by listening to this announcement!

This episode features music from PurplePlanet.com and an excerpt from RACING HEARTS, Sweet Valley High #9, by Kate William.

Fan favorite Marissa’s Dad is back for this SUPER EDITION bonus episode…and he’s not the only person who’s back! What fresh hell will Suzanne Devlin impose on Sweet Valley this Christmastide? Find out, if it’s the last thing you do this year!

Sweet Valley Diaries is a year old! Happy Anniversary, podcast! 

What a first year. For listening, for telling friends, for rating and reviewing, and to those who participated and helped and advised and supported: THANK YOU. Because of you, there is more to come.

Now have a ton of fun with this…CLIP SHOW!

Popular fiction podcast (and soon to be YA series!) The Bright Sessions might just be the opposite of Sweet Valley High. Creator Lauren Shippen and Marissa speculate on what would happen if the two universes collided (hint: DRAMA!).

This is the Season Two Finale! Make sure to subscribe so that you automatically get the latest episodes when Season Three starts, and any special bonuses in the meantime!

Further Viewing:

RIVERDALE's beautiful nonsense: "Cheryl Doesn't Miss"

Never forget that OMFG there was a Sweet Valley TV show already

What’s worse: your boyfriend cheating on you; your boyfriend crashing the plane he’s flying you in; everyone agreeing that your cheating boyfriend should stay with you because you’ll never walk again without his love; you convincing yourself you can’t walk without his love; or your best friend tricking you into walking by hanging the life of your hot teacher’s child in the balance?

Marissa debates this pressing question with Lauren Shippen, creator of The Bright Sessions podcast. The quest for an answer takes the podcast into untrod territory. Also, Jessica learns to cook.

Further Reading:

• Maybe closed mussels are okay after all? 
• Tip on Preventing Psychosomatic Illness

Mark Sullivan sits down at the microphone and before Marissa can even hit record, Pandora’s Podcasting Box cracks open. For a few minutes, this Sweet Valley High podcast becomes a movie podcast, a history podcast, a theater podcast, a politics-of-representation podcast. You guys, Sweet Valley is as deep as you wanna make it.

FYI, Allen Walters IS the under-appreciated Oracle photographer. 

Further Reading:

Doris Kearns Goodwin on Storytelling 

ICYMI: JK Rowling on Cursed Child Casting and a related thinkpiece

Frenemies Lila and Jessica think they're duking it out over a secret scion, romantically masquerading as a construction worker. Marissa and her guest, actor Mark Sullivan, walk you through it all, from the poolside objectification to the final knife fight.

Yep, you read that right. Knife fight.

Some music in this episode courtesy of Purple Planet.

Links, references, explanations:

• LA Theatre Works: Spill 
• Everything you probably never wanted to know about Top-Siders
• Let’s add one more Jack Donaghy to the list
• “Gary Hart on the Monkey Business” (talk about simpler times btw)

Bruce is a changed man. Jessica is certifiable. Caitlin is Francine’s Mary Sue.

Only one question remains: Who are the Vanderhorns???

CJ Hoke is back again to delve in to these and other DRAMATICALLY PRESSING ISSUES!!!

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Notes: 

All joking aside, the symptoms of Narcissistic Personality Disorder read like an dead-on character description of Jessica Wakefield.

What is a Mary Sue? (an interesting editorial take on the concept)

Who is Caitlin?