What Was That, Now?

Loann and Art discuss how the landscape is changing for streaming television and they wonder if the promising period of "peak tv" may already be gone. 

Things discussed in this episode:

• Peak TV Is Over, Welcome to Trough TV by Sam Adams (Slate)
• The Enshittification of TikTok by Cory Doctorow (Wired) 

Art and Loann start by talking about how moviegoing has changed since the pandemic, is it back to the way it used to be, or too many people happy with watching stuff at home? ( 01:00 )

Then we discuss this upcoming summer movie season, including which movies we're excited to see on the big and the films we're approaching with skepticism. (35:00) 

Loann and Art discuss the success of Everything Everywhere All at Once and the recent wave of multiverse storytelling for the big and small screen. We talk a little about the history of the multiverse in fiction, how it can be used, and how to separate it from other genres and subgenres. 

Loann's multiverse book recommendations:

• The Peripheral by Charles Gibson
• The Doors of Eden by Adrian Tchaikovsky 

Art's multiverse movie recommendations:

• Triangle 
• Coherence

Other things of interest talked about in this episode:

Recursion by Blake Crouch 

The Sundered World by Michael Moorecock

The Man in the High Castle by Phillip K. Dick

Art and Loann are talking about some summer watches and reads.

Loann is relieved that Sense8 will have a life beyond the cliffhanger ending of this most recent season, while Art thrills to the women of GLOW - the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling.

We talk about how shows and movies deal with the immediate aftermath of the apocalypse as Loann chats about the third season of Fear the Walking Dead and Art contrasts and compares that with the recent film It Comes at Night. 

And lastly, Art and Loann talk about the books they've been reading this summer. 

Things discussed in this episode:

Sens8 (Netflix series)

Sens8 To Receive a Two Hour Finale Special on Netflix - Variety

GLOW (Netflix Series)

G.L.O.W. - The Story of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (Documentary)

Fear the Walking Dead

It Comes at Night

The Southern Reach Trilogy by Jeff VanderMeer:

• Book 1 Annihilation
• Book 2 Authority
• Book 3 Acceptance

Before the Fall by Noah Hawley

The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware

This week Art and Loann dive into The Handmaid's Tale. 

Margaret Atwood's novel, published in the 1980's is now a hit series for Hulu starring Elizabeth Moss. 

We talk about the novel and the adaptation - how they differ, how they are the same, and what the story means to us today. 

Discussed in this episode:

Mary McCarthy's 1996 review of the novel in the The New York Times

The Handmaid's Tale is a Warning to Conservative Women - Sarah Jones, New Republic

Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood

Loann and Art talk a whole episode of Wonder Woman. 

This movie was high on both our lists of most anticipated summer movies, and we've both seen it and are ready to weigh in. 

In this show we also talk about Wonder Woman in the culture- her history and what was riding on the success of this latest incarnation of America's first female superhero!

*We do not  spoil any major plot points, surprises or twists. However, as always, we do warn listeners that do we review the movie in depth. We don't reveal anything much beyond what people could gather from watching a trailer for the film, or reading a typical movie review. If you're a moviegoer who doesn't even like watching trailers, come back and listen to our discussion after you've seen the movie! 

Things discussed in this podcast: 

The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore

Intro music by Maeve.

Loann and Art are enjoying the good weather and looking forward to getting out of the heat and into the theaters for some summer movies! 

We each list our top five movies we are looking forward to this summer! 

Art and Loann discuss how to talk about politics in this very weird and polarized atmosphere we are living through right now! 

Also, Art has been reliving the O.J. Simpson Trial days with the documentary O.J. Simpson Made In America and the dramatized series American Crime Story: The People Versus O.J. Simpson, along with reading the definitive book on the trial, Jeffrey Toobin's The Run of His Life: The People Versus O.J. Simpson.  Loann has been watching The Magicians.

Loann and Art spend the episode discussing Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Is it good? How does it fit into the other Star Wars films? What are the politics of the Star Wars universe?  Is it weird to resurrect dead actors to play cameos?

WARNING: We are not spoilery, we give away no major plot points or surprises, but we do talk about the film in total. As we say in the show itself: If you still have not seen the movie, and you are the type of person who doesn't even like to see trailers or read reviews, then you may want to come back to this episode after you've seen Rogue One.

Also Loann has been watching a crime thriller series from Denmark called Department Q. Art recently binged Brit Marling's new Netflix series The OA

Reading list:

Of Course Rogue One is Political - David Sims, The Atlantic

Loann and Art discuss the possibility of movie theaters becoming a niche destination and an expensive one.

And then each of us talk about our top five most memorable times at the movies. Sad, embarrassing, funny and uplifting, our movie experiences span across the globe and our lives. 

Featured discussion topic:

Is It Curtains for the Big Screen? - Financial Times

Music by MaeveMusic