Description

Joe and Andrew are discussing Amelia Peabody, the protagonist of twenty mystery novels by Elizabeth Peters. Crocodile on the Sandbank is the first of the series, and it’s obvious why it became a popular series. Topics of discussion include the legacy of Elizabeth Peters, the genre of cozy mysteries, what makes Amelia Peabody stand out.

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• Patreon

Show notes

• Amelia Peabody series – Wikipedia
• Crocodile on the Sandbank – Wikipedia
• Barbara Mertz (Elizabeth Peters) – Wikipedia

Description

First time guest Cavan Helps joins Joe to talk about Captain Kirk from Star Trek. They’re discussing the episodes “Balance of Terror” and “Obsession.” Topics of conversation include Cavan’s theory about why Kirk is always right, how the classic rhetorical appeals of Ethos, Logos, and Pathos apply, and one of the best moments of leadership for Kirk.

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• Patreon

Show Notes

• Star Trek (wikipedia)
• Balance of Terror (IMDB)
• Obsession (IMDB)
• Dice Buddies (youtube)

Description

Returning guest Tayler Iversen joins Joe to discuss Sandra Bullock’s character, Gracie Hart, from the film Miss Congeniality. They discuss the disappointing behavior of the men in the FBI, debate if this film is a romantic comedy, and highlight the comedic finale of the film.

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• Patreon

Show notes

• Miss Congeniality – Wikipedia
• Miss Congeniality – IMDB
• The Fandom Podcast

Description

All-star guest Kjerste Christensen is back to play a game called Fairy Tale Mash Up. Take one classic fairy tale and one random genre, then brainstorm how they could pair up. Producer Andrew jumps in to help, as we try and figure out what a steam punk Little Mermaid story might look like, or try to crack a contemporary take on Goldilocks.

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• Patreon

Description

Returning guest Sara Santana joins Joe to talk about Sophie and Howl from the Hayao Miyazaki film Howl’s Moving Castle. Topics of discussion include how the film fits into Miyazaki’s classic themes, the blending of the technological and the pastoral, and what makes each character unique.

Support

• Patreon

Show Notes

• Howl’s Moving Castle – Wikipedia
• Howl’s Moving Castle – IMDB
• Hayao Miyazaki – Wikipedia

Description

Producer Andrew joins Joe to talk about Juan Rico from Robert Heinlein’s novel Starship Troopers. Topics of discussion include the historical significance of the novel, how it is driven by theme rather than character or plot, and how successful (or not) the ideas of presented in the novel appear.

Support

• Patreon

Show notes

• Starship Troopers (novel) – Wikipedia
• Starship Troopers (film) – Wikipedia
• Robert A. Heinlein – Wikipedia

Description

First time guest Charly Kuecks joins Joe to discuss Eleanor Shellstrop from the NBC sitcom The Good Place. Topics of discussion include the exploration of ethics on the show, how we end up rooting for an unlikable character, and the delightful blend of great writing and a very strong cast.

Support

• Patreon

Show Notes

• The Good Place – IMDB
• The Good Place – Wikipedia
• The Good Place The Podcast – Official site

Description

Returning guest Chris Maverick joins Joe to talk about Barbara Thorson from the comic book mini-series I Kill Giants by Joe Kelly and J.M. Ken Niimura. Topics of discussion included the themes presented in the series, comparing the characteristics of the main characters, and trying to answer one big question that the book leaves open ended.

Support

• Patreon

Show Notes

• I Kill Giants (graphic novel) – Amazon
• I Kill Giants (film) – IMDB
• I Kill Giants – Wikipedia
• Joe Kelly – Wikipedia
• J.M. Ken Niimura – Image Comics profile

Description

Returning guest John Darowski joins Joe and Producer Andrew to talk about the narrative podcast Black Jack Justice. A noir mystery in the style of Old Time Radio, Black Jack Justice is part of the Decoder Ring Theatre Podcast. Topics of discussion include what makes noir crime stories work, the different tones of the two episodes we’re discussing, and how this genre of storytelling translates into the podcast medium.

Support

• Patreon

Show notes

• Decoder Ring Theatre – Official site
• Black Jack Justice – Official site
• Decoder Ring Theatre – Wikipedia
• Black Jack Justice – Wikipedia

Description

Returning guest Chris Maverick joins Joe and Producer Andrew to talk about the narrative style of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They talk about what makes the storytelling in the shared universe special, what antecedents exist for this type of shared universe, and touch on the wider Marvel stories.

Support

• Patreon

Show Notes

• Vox Popcast – Podcast homepage
• Marvel Cinematic Universe – Wikipedia
• List of MCU films – Wikipedia