WHAT'S IN THE BOX! Let's take a look at the J.J. Abrams oeuvre and dissect its most distinctive trope, the mystery that seems to go nowhere. Is the mystery box necessarily disappointing? Why is it so common in his writing? Will any of these questions be answered or will this podcast end up being purgatory the whole time? I dunno!

Spoilers for

Alias

Felicity

Lost

Star Wars

Star Trek

Fringe

Special thanks to our editor, Logan!

In The Last Airbender, we look at what some say is the worst episode of book one. In Korra we have bloodbending and fartbending. Which is more horrifying to watch? Right now it's time for tons of flashbacks and nothing of substance.

ATLA: Book 1 Episode 11 "The Great Divide"

ATLA: Book 1 Episode 12 "The Storm"

LoK: Book 1 Episode 9 "Out of the Past"

LoK: Book 1 Episode 10 "Turning the Tides"

Everyone loves a good 70's sex romp, so much so that it spawned an entire genre of sitcom episode - THE BEACH EPISODE! For Memorial Day Weekend we're talking everything beachy, from Friends to Happy Days, Phineas and Ferb to It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, we're covering it all. Also, btw Anime is cancelled.

If you enjoyed please be sure to subscribe and you can find us on Twitter @TalkingTropes and on Patreon also at Talking Tropes.

Thanks to our editor Logan McBride who you can find across the internet at @LoganMcHollow.

It's Katara time boys. Lot's of development going on here. And on the Korra side of things we get the real start of the new team Avatar. Does Asami ever become more than just a boring side character/love interest? We will get there...

ATLA: Book 1 Episode 9 "The Waterbending Scroll"

ATLA: Book 1 Episode 10 "Jet"

LoK: Book 1 Episode 7 "Aftermath"

LoK: Book 1 Episode 8 "When Extremes Meet"

Remember when KIDZ used to RULE? What happened? Why won't Nickelodeon take over my school? Millennial used to believe that kids rule and adults drool, so this is what happens when we grow up. Let's take a look at the real political message of 90s nostalgia tropes.

Thanks to our editor Logan for this one!

A love triangle rears its ugly head in Korra while Aang and the gaang learn about spirit worlds and ticking clocks. Spoilers for the following episodes:

ATLA: Book 1 Episode 6 "Imprisoned"

ATLA: Book 1 Episode 7 "Winter Solstice, Part 1: The Spirit World"

ATLA: Book 1 Episode 8 "Winter Solstice, Part 2: Avatar Roku"

LoK: Book 1 Episode 5 "The Spirit of Competition"

LoK: Book 1 Episode 6 "And the winner is..."

The Avatar the last Korradventure continues! Let's watch Aang struggle with the terror of being ignored by a pretty girl, Sokka battles the forces of his own sexism, and Korra battles the evils of contrived romantic subplots. Spoilers for the following episodes:

ATLA: Book 1 Episode 4 "The Warriors of Kyoshi"

ATLA: Book 1 Episode 5 "The King of Omashu"

LoK: Book 1 Episode 3 "The Revelation"

LoK: Book 1 Episode 4 "The Voice in the Night"

This week, we're joined by the voices of AP Marvel, Chris and Anthony (@compenderizer and @thePizzaTaco on twitter). We put together a crossover episode about all our favorite crossovers, shared universes, and spin-offs. We also give a few pitches for future crossovers that may be outside of the norm.

Topics:

Justice League

Avengers

Jimmy Timmy Power Hour

That's So Sweet Life of Hannah Montana

Rugrats Go Wild!

Power Rangers meet the TMNT

and so much more...

From Homeland to Cup Cake Wars, it seems like the US Military has funded movies and TV shows in almost every genre across the decades. So our big question is ... Does this feel icky to you? We're diving into how the military got mixed up in film making, what their goals are, and recounting some of the ways they've influenced some of your favorite pieces of media.

Follow us on Twitter @talkingtropes

Thanks to our editor Logan McBride, who you can find across the internet @LoganMcHollow!

Flameo my fellow hotmen! We're embarking on an unforgettable journey, recapping Avatar the Last Airbender AND The Legend of Korra at the SAME TIME. Expect lots of comparisons between the original and the sequels as well as breakdowns of the tropes and how they affect the story.

This podcast covers

ATLA: Book 1 Episode 1 "The Boy in the Iceberg"

ATLA: Book 1 Episode 2 "The Avatar Returns"

ATLA: Book 1 Episode 2 "The Southern Air Temple"

LoK: Book 1 Episode 1 "Welcome to Republic City"

LoK: Book 1 Episode 2 "A Leaf in the Wind"

Follow us on Twitter @talkingtropes