Across the (Marvel) Universe

Is the Hero's Journey Good for Our Mental Health?

In this last episode before Jack hits the road for California, Tim and Jack discuss and debate whether the Hero's Journey is good for our psyche, and how it impacts different generations differently.

The Heroine's Journey

Modern fantasy and adventure media (and storytelling in general) is dominated by the hero's journey, but does that archetype apply to girls and women? Tim invites some special guests to the basement bar to explore the evolution of female lead characters in modern media.

Why The Last Jedi is the Star Wars We All Need

It's the most polarizing film in the Star Wars franchise, but is it unfulfilled promise or an abandonment of legacy? Tim and Jack unpack why everyone has such strong opinions about Star Wars as a whole, and The Last Jedi in particular, and what Yoda would like us to know about clinging to outdated notions too tightly.

Across the (Marvel) Universe

Seems like every movie property is building a "universe" these days... thanks, Iron Man! In this episode, Tim and Jack fight off colds and lack of sleep to explore the good, bad, and ugly of the Marvel-led shift in cinematic properties to universe-building.

Outside Wonka’s Factory: The 35 Minutes from Your Childhood You Repressed

We all know the 1971 Willy Wonka movie was unsettling, but do we remember how unsettling? In this episode, Tim - alone for the first time at the basement bar - talks about Slugworth's scar, Mike Teevee's love of killing, and some religious symbolism that you may not have picked up on when you were 6.