Nancy Drew may be one of the most enduring figures in American Popular culture. First premiering in 1930, she predates Superman, Donald Duck, the Lone Ranger, two US states, FM radio, and the ball point pen. And yet — outside of her devoted fanbase — does not seem to garner the same respect of many…
Category: Race and Class
Call for Comments: How did Nancy Drew get good?!?
From Mav: Long time listeners will know that I frequently say that Riverdale is the best show on television. I do love the show. But the honest truth is, Riverdale fulfills a very specific niche of absurdist, hyperrealistic, postmodern, storytelling. And as I’ve mentioned on recent episodes, I think it’s the pinnacle of what it…
Call for Comments: Humanities vs. STEM — Dawn of Nerdom
From Katya: There’s a generic assumption in academic circles that the humanities are embattled — for funding, for prestige, for influence within the university, etc. — against the BBEG of STEM. STEM is stealing our students. STEM is stealing our funding. STEM is gnawing our legs off (for science!) As you might guess, I don’t…
e194. Dr. Golden Spies From V.O.X.P.O.P with Love
Spies may be one of the longest standing genres in pop culture. From James Bond to Maxwell Smart to Jason Bourne, spies have been ever present on the screen for as long as there has been motion picture cinema. They also have a steady presence in books and comics and other literature. And yet, the…
e189. Dune: How to Control the Spice & Influence People
Dune may be the greatest science fiction epic ever written. The way you can tell is that if you go up to any Dune fan, they will tell you that… at length! And if you don’t care for it, almost certainly a fan will happily explain to you that you secretly love it and just…
e188. The Eternals and the MCU This Year (so far…)
Somehow, we went the entire year of 2020 just… without a Marvel movie. Phase three ended and there was a real life global pandemic and then… there just weren’t any MCU films. For the first time in over a decade, they were just gone! This year, they came back… BIG! in fact, there’s been three…
CFC: Controlling the Spice, the Universe, And the Dune(s?)
(Editor’s Note: This is a guest blog from frequent guest of the show, Natalie Sheppard-Baudean. She’s suggested we do a show all about Dune, so read what she has to say and let us know your thoughts in the comments.) From Natalie: One of the best ways to get to know someone is to read…
Call For Comments: Let’s Talk About Film Unions
From Monica: When a movie ends, do you stay for the credits? Not the cutscene at the end, Marvel. But do you actually read the scroll of names that represent the hundreds of people who worked to bring that project to theaters? Or, if you tuned in at home, the nature of television flow means…