Shows
Pop DNAMillennial Falcon | Episode I: The Phantom RomanceWelcome to our slightly unhinged summer series, Millennial Falcon!This three-part series is all about the fandoms we've never felt like we were truly a part of until the past few years, our Millennial Falcons, if you will. For Rhonda, that's romance novels, and for Erin it's Star Wars.In our introductory episode, we discuss our histories with our respective Millennial Falcons, why we feel it took us so long to engage with them, and how we feel about those fandoms now. We also talk a little about what we are currently watching and reading.
2025-06-151h 05Pop DNAThe Office: Mockumentary Now!In the finale of our The Office series and of our regular season, we look at the show's ties to popular media that came both before and after.Erin did a deep dive into the history of the mockumentary, and you won't believe what the first one was!We also discuss some well-known mockumentary films, like This is Spinal Tap and Best in Show, and works that use mockumentary elements, such as When Harry Met Sally and Arrested Development.Then we explore the stylistic impact of The Office on subsequent American comedy, touching...
2025-04-231h 19Pop DNAThe Office: Workplace RomanceIn part four of our discussion of The Office, we dive in to the various romance storylines the show featured, and how we feel about them!From the classic sitcom "will-they-or-won't-they" tension between Jim and Pam, to Michael and Holly's second chance romance, to the hilariously toxic relationship between Kelly and Ryan, there's a little something for everyone. (Erin's personal favorite is, of course, Dwangela.)Our exploration veers into a series of hot takes on romance novel tropes like enemies to lovers, mutual pining, and love triangles, and you know how Rhonda feels about love...
2025-04-091h 48Pop DNAThe Office: How to Be Likeable“Do I need to be liked? Absolutely not. I like to be liked. I enjoy being liked. I have to be liked. But it's not like this compulsive need to be liked, like my need to be praised.” –Michael ScottLikeability plays a huge role in how characters on The Office relate to one another, and how we as the audience perceive them. Discuss!This episode also features our second Finer Things Club meeting, in which we talk about the novel The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende and Rhonda...
2025-03-201h 38Pop DNAThe Office: A Dystopian WorkplaceDespite its undercurrent of warmth and optimism, The Office (US) went to some pretty dystopian places in its explorations of the workplace--which were really just reflections of the boring dystopia of our reality.In this episode, we look at how The Office fits within the context of Workplace Dystopian media, works such as Superstore, Office Space, Sorry to Bother You, and Silicon Valley. We also place The Office head-to-head with the most popular workplace dystopia on TV right now, Severance. Our discussion delves into how corporate companies like Dunder Mifflin and Lumon, and those in...
2025-02-251h 25Pop DNABONUS: The Best of 2024!Our yearly tradition of discussing our favorite movies and TV, plus a little music and books, is back!
We had every intention of talking about Wickiator/Glicked, but there's really no story there. There's Wicked, which we talked about for far longer than we intended because we had so many thoughts, and then there's Gladiator, which... was a movie.
We also talked about some common themes we noticed in the media we were drawn to in the past year, plus a few pieces that were just a little disappointing.
Things...
2025-01-061h 51Pop DNADune | Book-to-Screen ClubWe wrap up our summer book-to-screen club series with the science fiction classic that inadvertently sparked a thousand sandworm popcorn bucket memes.
Our discussion topics include Dune's influence on and connections to other staples of the science fiction and fantasy genres such as Star Wars, Wheel of Time, and A Song of Ice and Fire; how the recent Villeneuve films interpret certain aspects of the story and characters; and how the book explores girlhood (because it actually kinda does).
ALSO: Rhonda goes on a rant about the stupidity of...
2024-07-231h 09Pop DNABONUS! Tayoncé: Cowboys, Poets, and the Golden Age of Women in PopFor Rhonda's Birthday Bonus we're talking COWBOY CARTER and THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT. Why are both of these albums' titles styled in all caps?
Our conversation explores our initial reactions to and top five tracks from each album, as well as some interesting parallels between these two bodies of work. How does Beyoncé break genre boundaries on COWBOY CARTER? How does Taylor explore her relationship with art and fame on THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT? And how do both albums further the cultural discussion of women driving their own narratives?
We also talk about the bigger p...
2024-05-081h 57Pop DNABarbie: Who Are We Kidding? We're All Depression BarbieIf you thought we were going to let it slide that Depression Barbie's comfort show is the 1995 BBC Pride and Prejudice, you thought wrong.
We're digging in to some possible literary inspirations and parallels for the Barbie movie, looking specifically at Christian/Catholic creation theology and how much Greta Gerwig may have been influenced by the work of Jane Austen. We also talk about who we would choose if we could recast Ken, and follow up with a coda to our discussion of gender dynamics in Barbie Land from last week.
Further Reading:
...
2024-04-1054 minPop DNABarbie: When You Think of Sparkle, You Think of Female Agency.We are back from a long, semi-unplanned hiatus, but don't worry, there's still plenty more Barbie to talk about! This week we look at how both Barbie Land and Stereotypical Barbie's perspective in the film explore gender and femininity.
How does Barbie Land fit into the context of women-dominated societies in other fictional works?
How does Barbie as a film both defy and uphold patriarchal beauty standards?
And how does Barbie as a character help us as women and feminine people explore how we can define femininity and identity for ourselves?
2024-04-031h 12Pop DNABarbie: Now I Am Become Irrepressible Thoughts of Death BarbieHi Barbies! We have sooooo much to talk about in this three-parter, so we squished some background discussion of fashion dolls and the cultural mythos of Barbie into this first episode. We also have some thoughts on the Barbenheimer phenomenon, the Barbie movie as a capitalist product, and our own experiences playing with Barbies as children. Then we give a brief overview of some other topics we want to dive into in our next two episodes and take a quiz to find out which Barbies we are (but, as happens quite often, the quiz was wrong).
This...
2024-02-1456 minPop DNABONUS! Commentary: Addams Family Values (1993)Happy Halloween!
As a coda to our Wednesday series, we decided to watch an iconic movie from our childhoods and talk over it!
Tangents include the research Rhonda did about the house in Practical Magic before we visited the town where it was filmed for Galentine's Day, the summer camp Erin worked at one summer that reminded her of Wednesday's summer camp in really uncomfortable ways, and the prolific career of Joan Cusack, among other things.
The commentary starts at around 8:50.
We've been making this show for five years now and...
2023-10-311h 43Pop DNABONUS! In Our Fleabag Era But Make it Not Self-Destructive (also Happy Birthday to Erin)To celebrate Erin's (slightly belated) birthday we're deep diving into the most perfect television show ever created that also has a character named Bus Rat.
Questions we discuss:
What does the character of the camera represent within the narrative?
What does the final scene of the series tell us about Fleabag's relationships with her loved ones, herself, and whatever the camera represents?
Why don't any of Fleabag's boyfriends have actual names?
Are we in our Fleabag era?
We also tell you about our favorite...
2023-08-121h 31Pop DNATaylor Swift: The Eras Tour (Erin and Rhonda's Version)This week we're diving in to the evolution of Taylor Swift, and we've got graphs!
Over the course of her 17-year career, Swift has evolved as an artist and as a public figure, with distinct "eras" emerging in her music and aesthetic. We take a look at her early career as a teen country music artist, her transition to pop, and her deepening explorations and fine-tuning within both genres to find her current adult artistic voice.
Find the timeline and word cloud images we discussed on our Instagram, and maybe hang out a bit.
2023-05-131h 08Pop DNABONUS: We Finally Made An Entire Episode About TwilightIt's Rhonda's Birthday Bonus, so she roped Erin into talking about Twilight! As long-time listeners know, Rhonda is contractually obligated to bring up Twilight at regular intervals, and after this episode her quota will be met for quite some time.
In our scholarly and insightful discussion, we talk about every Twilight consumer's burning question: Team Edward or Team Jacob? We also talk about our personal experiences with the books and movies, theorize about what makes the series so compelling to so many, and even (casually) dip into the literary history connected to Twilight.
We also...
2023-04-291h 17Pop DNAA League of Their Own: Seventh Inning StretchWe wrap up our series on A League of Their Own this week by discussing romance!
Erin gives us a rundown on the documentary A Secret Love, which chronicles the real-life love story of Rockford Peach Terry Donahue and her lifelong partner Patricia Henschel. Then Rhonda deep-dives into the reference made to Pride and Prejudice in the first episode of the show, and how this reference foreshadows or contextualizes the romance storylines.
Further Reading:
We also found this article on parallels with another literary reference, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn...
2023-04-2247 minPop DNATo All the Boys I've Loved Before: Distance Makes the Heart Grow FonderWrapping up our series on To All The Boys, we look at how psychology and long distances affect the relationships in the films as well as in real life. Erin of course dips into her psychology expertise to talk about the vulnerability cycle in relationships, and how we see this play out especially in Lara Jean and Peter's story. And Rhonda breaks down some of the locations used in the films, from the Pacific Northwest, to Seoul, to NYC, looking at how setting informs the characters and story.
Further Reading:
The Vulnerability Cycle in human re...
2023-02-2554 minPop DNAStranger Things: Make America Demogorgon AgainPart 2 of our Stranger Things discussion dives into the DND lore, especially the monsters (because that's Erin's brand), from which the show draws inspiration (or even straight-up copies, it's a little murky). We also look at Stranger Things as a piece of nostalgia media, and discuss why viewing the past through such a rosy lens can be dangerous, especially when considering how the political and social messaging reads to a modern audience.
For further reading:
Every Dungeons and Dragons Monster Referenced
More about the Demogorgon
The Parks and Rec clip we...
2023-01-211h 08Pop DNAStranger Things: An Upside Down FandomWe are launching a three-part series dissecting your favorite 1980s-nostalgia-bait Netflix series (that Erin loves and Rhonda... doesn't love), Stranger Things!
In this first part, we look at the unique placement of Stranger Things and its fandom within main stream pop culture. From the show's homages to DND and sci-fi/horror fans, to the recent evolution in the online fandom through social media platforms like TikTok. Yes, we're talking about the "Chrissy, Wake Up" TikTok remix song.
We also give a very brief snapshot of other topics we want to explore in this series, like cu...
2023-01-1454 minPop DNABONUS: The Best of 2022!Happy New Year! In this bonus episode we discuss trends we noticed in the media of 2022, as well as themes and through lines that emerged in our favorite works. From the more abstract like exploring characters' vulnerability as a strength, to themes that are almost genres in themselves, like Rich People Nonsense™. We also look ahead to things we're excited to watch in 2023, and give a quick peek at what's on the itinerary for Pop DNA this year!
Erin's Best of 2022:
A League of their Own
The Woman in the House…
Couples Therapy
Alon...
2023-01-062h 14Pop DNAThe Woman in the House Across the Street From the Girl in the Window: How Do We Abbreviate This?We found the Netflix limited series The Woman in the House Across the Street From the Girl in the Window (which we will hereafter abbreviate as The Woman in the House...) to be utterly delightful. So we are diving in to this series with an overview of some fun topics we plan to discuss, like the nature of parody as commentary, the evolution of the thriller and suspense genres, and of course Rhonda is going to bring in Jane Austen somehow...
It's going to be a fun time!
2022-11-1241 minPop DNALovecraft Country: We Need A MomentHappy October and welcome to our Spooky Season discussion of the HBO series Lovecraft Country, based on the novel of the same name. In part 1, as usual, we give you an overview of the topics we plan to explore in-depth in the coming weeks. A few of those topics are:
The psychology of fear and why we like horror
The horror genre as a medium to comment on race and racism
"Death of the Author," and how we can reconcile and transform the artistic works of terrible people
We also want to bring a little levity so...
2022-10-0133 minPop DNAGilmore Girls (Revisited): Oy With the Poodles Already!We wrap up our Gilmore Girls Revisited series this week with look at the pop culture sensibility of the show, from ASP's reference-laced writing style and her approach to character and story, to the show's impact on subsequent pop culture and references in other media.
Like, remember when Mindy watched Gilmore Girls with Danny's mom on The Mindy Project and described seemingly alt-universe storylines? Just one of the many ways the show has worked its way into the cultural zeitgeist.
We also reveal the results of our "Which Character Are You" quiz; Erin is a...
2022-09-2458 minPop DNAGilmore Girls (Revisited): Women of Questionable MoralsThis week we dig in to Gilmore Girls' relationship with politics, identity, privilege, and morality. We explore the parallels in the American political climate between the original run of the show and the premiere of A Year in the Life, look at some of our favorite moments when the characters discuss politics, and wonder how Rory feels about Hilary Clinton now...
We also take a deeper look at the choices both Rory and Lorelai make that may cause viewers to stop rooting for them, as well as the show's shortcomings in failing to acknowledge their place of...
2022-09-1746 minPop DNABONUS: Women of New York On Screen, 1900-1970It's Erin's birthday! For her Birthday Bonus she has brought us a selection of women's stories in media that all take place in New York City in the first few decades of the 20th century, from Funny Girl, to Brooklyn, to The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
What throughlines do we find in these women's journeys? How does the setting of New York City become an integral part of these stories? What can these media works tell us about the era in which they portray, and what can they tell us about our current time?
Follow us o...
2022-07-301h 09
Pop DNABONUS: Fantasy, Femininity, and PowerIt's Rhonda's Birthday Bonus, and we are talking Superheroes, Sorceresses, Space Wizards, and other powerful women in fantasy media!
We explore the relationship between power (like literal superpower/magic/the Force/etc.) and femininity in the narratives of some of our favorite fantasy and sci-fi heroines, from Alina in Shadow and Bone, to Katniss in The Hunger Games, to Diana in the Wonder Woman films, to Rey in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, and more.
How does media portray these powerful women and their relationship with femininity? And what does this portrayal say about how ou...
2022-04-301h 26Pop DNANew Girl: The Best Kind of Girl is a Quirky GirlOur New Girl series wraps up with a look at the show's predecessors and contemporaries in women-centered sitcoms. We look at favorites from I Love Lucy, to Murphy Brown, to The Mindy Project, to Insecure, and how each of these shares common threads with New Girl.
We also discuss the "quirky" persona of Zooey Deschanel that prevailed in the late 2000s/early 2010s. We talk about how this public perception informed our reading of the Jess Day character, and how it may have (read: definitely did) lead to unfair public judgement of Deschanel and her work.
2022-04-231h 01Pop DNANew Girl: Ex-GirlfriendsTheory: New Girl is actually a show about breakups.
This week we dive in to all the relationships, breakups, and make-ups that the storylines of New Girl were often built around. We mostly focus on Jess + Nick and Cece + Schmidt, plus the other relationships of all four characters, and Erin pulls out her marriage and family therapist education to look at these relationships from a psychological standpoint.
We also wonder if Jess and Nick were intended to be end game from the beginning, and if Liz Meriwether would ever want to be a guest on ou...
2022-04-1945 minPop DNAThe Matrix: Nag Hammadi is Where They Found the Gnostic GospelsThis week our discussion of The Matrix veers into those topics you're not supposed to discuss at a dinner party: politics, as explored through the films' connections with Erin's current anime obsessions; and religion, specifically Rhonda's experiences watching The Matrix at her church youth group in 2004.
Read more about The Animatrix here, and about the 1980s anime that influenced The Matrix here. The Matrix Fandom Wiki has just tiny bit of content on the religious symbolism, but this BBC News article goes a lot more in-depth. Anyone want to read The Gospel Reloaded and r...
2022-03-1937 minPop DNABONUS! The Best Media of 2021Happy New Year to all! We decided to kick off this year with a long, rambling discussion of our favorite TV, movies, and books of 2021.
Erin's List:
Arcane
Kevin Can Eff Himself
The Wheel of Time
Abbot Elementary
The Grand Crew
The French Dispatch
Breaking News in Yuba County
Nine Perfect Strangers
The Chair
Rhonda's List:
Station Eleven
WandaVision
For the Wolf
The Green Knight
The Love Hypothesis
The Sex Lives of College Girls
Only Murders in the Building
Passing
Black Widow, Shang-Chi, and Eternals
Join us next week to kick off our Devil Wears Prada series, and follow us on...
2022-01-081h 49Pop DNAA Wrinkle in Time: Creatures and DystopiasThis week we ask a very important question: what genre is A Wrinkle in Time? Science fiction, fantasy, or something else?
Erin lays out some evidence with an exploration of the different alien creatures we meet and planets we visit, and the concept of a tesseract as seen in real-life theoretical physics and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Then Rhonda dives into what exactly defines these genres anyway.
We also look at Wrinkle through the lens of the work of other speculative fiction authors Ursula K. Le Guin and N. K...
2021-12-111h 00Pop DNAShadow and Bone: Saints and DyadsThis week we look at the Ravkan religion, or Worship of the Saints, in Shadow and Bone, and how this belief system and Leigh Bardugo’s own Jewish background inform the world of the Grishaverse.
We also draw comparisons from Alina’s relationships with both Mal and the Darkling to similar character pairings in other media works--and Rhonda finally states once and for all where she stands on Reylo.
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter and visit ThePopDNA.blog for links to everything we talk about!
2021-10-1635 minPop DNAShadow and Bone: Mapping MagicJoin us as we enter the Shadow Fold and dive into the Netflix series, and book series it’s based on, Shadow and Bone!
Part one of our discussion looks at the world Leigh Bardugo has created with the Grishaverse, from her approach to world building (and how it compares to other fantasy authors’ approaches), to her inspirations, to the fascinating magic system of The Small Science.
Rhonda misquotes Arthur C. Clarke and Erin admirably restrains herself from getting nerdy about the Grishaverse monsters known as the Volcra, so we’re...
2021-10-0254 minPop DNABONUS: Canadian Comedy ReduxToss a looney to your comedian! It's time for a deep dive into obscure Canadian comedy!
It's Erin’s birthday, and we thought what better way to celebrate than a Birthday Bonus Episode about obscure Canadian comedy! From Canadian sketch comedy, to the films of Christopher Guest, to the great Canadian TV comedies Slings & Arrows and Schitt's Creek, plus our favorite actors and comedians who hail from the North, we've got a lot to talk about, eh.
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and find links to everything we dis...
2021-07-311h 08Pop DNABONUS! The British Monarchy Cinematic UniverseIt's Rhonda's Birthday Bonus so we're talking about one of her favorite media franchises, the BMCU! In the British Monarchy Cinematic Universe Tony Blair looks exactly like Michael Sheen.
We're geeking out over movies and TV shows about British royals, from The Favourite, to The Crown, to the Lifetime original Harry and Meghan: A Royal Romance. We also discuss the current state of the British Monarchy from our expert opinions (Oprah should be the Queen), and the various lights in which the BMCU has portrayed generations of the royal family. And because BuzzFeed has...
2021-05-011h 27Pop DNAWandaVision: The Unreliable Male GazeWe're wrapping up this topic and a little sad about it! This week we take a look at three different lenses through which we can view the story, characters, and messages in WandaVision: the unreliable narrator; the psychology of grief; and the Male vs. Female Gazes
Join us next week for Rhonda's Birthday Bonus! Follow us on Twitter and Instagram and visit ThePopDNA.blog for links to everything we discuss!
2021-04-2443 min2021-04-1900 minPop DNAWandaVision LIVE(stream): The Heroine's Journey featuring Girls With SabersWe've created a false reality to talk about WandaVision this month!Here's the recording of our March 20 Livestream with our friends Emrys and Luthien of Girls With Sabers!We took a deep dive into the Heroine's Journey in WandaVision, looking at how psychology and mythos intertwine throughout Wanda's story.We also drew connections to other heroines in literature and pop culture, and speculated what the future might hold for Wanda, Vision, Monica, and our other favorite characters.Find Girls...
2021-04-021h 23Pop DNAPirates of the Caribbean: Keira Knightley in CorsetsThis week we are discussing one of Rhonda's favorite things to talk about: corsets!
Why is Hollywood so obsessed with the idea of corsets as symbols of patriarchal oppression?
Why does Keira Knightley wear so many corsets in her movies?
Is Elizabeth Swann a feminist icon?
Also, remember like two months ago when people on TikTok were really into sea chanties?
Follow us on social media and visit ThePopDNA.blog for links to everything we discuss!
2021-03-2747 minPop DNAPirates of the Caribbean: Keira Knightley in CorsetsWe are dedicating the month of March to the most successful theme-park-ride-turned-movie ever, Pirates of the Caribbean.EPISODE NOTES: To wrap up this series, we're talking about what Rhonda loves to talk about most: corsets.How did corsets become Hollywood shorthand for patriarchal oppression?And why has Keira Knightley worn so many of them in her movies?Is Elizabeth Swann a feminist icon?Also, remember a few weeks ago when sea shanties were huge...
2021-03-2647 minPop DNAPirates of the Caribbean: Privateers and Pirate CodesWe are dedicating the month of March to the most successful theme-park-ride-turned-movie ever, Pirates of the Caribbean.
EPISODE NOTES: This week we are looking at some of the real-life pirates who may have inspired characters in the Pirates of the Caribbean films, from badass women pirates like Anne Bonny and Mary Read, to the possible basis for Captain Jack Sparrow, the pirate John/Jack "Sparrow" Ward.
We also take a look at some real pirate codes-they're really more like guidelines than actual rules-and find them surprisingly democratic?
Join us LIVE on YouTube March 20 as we talk WandaVistion with our friends...
2021-03-1941 minPop DNAPirates of the Caribbean: Davy Jones' LockerWe are dedicating the month of March to the most successful theme-park-ride-turned-movie ever, Pirates of the Caribbean.
EPISODE NOTES: This week are walking the plank and diving in to the lore and mythology of the sea that Pirates of the Caribbean draws upon, from Davy Jones, to the Kraken, to ghost sailors and pirate codes. We also look at the novel responsible for most of our pop culture pirate "canon," and that indirectly inspired the Pirates film series in more ways than one: Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island.
Connect with us on social media, and find links to everything we...
2021-03-1243 minPop DNAPirates of the Caribbean: Avast Me Hearties!We are dedicating the month of March to the most successful theme-park-ride-turned-movie ever, Pirates of the Caribbean.
EPISODE NOTES: Kicking off this discussion, we talked about our first experiences with both the ride and the film series, embarrassing middle school sleepover stories and all (or maybe I edited those out...). We also discussed the cultural tendency to gloss over the real history of piracy and normalize the horrors of colonialism, and how this is especially done in stories for children, but, you know, in a fun way!
Connect with us on social media, and find links to everything we discuss...
2021-03-0533 minPop DNABlack Panther: Happy Black Future Month!We are celebrating Black History Month in the U.S. with a four-part discussion of Black Panther!
EPISODE NOTES: To wrap up this series, we are looking to the future! We look into how Black Panther has interacted with education and been incorporated into the classroom at every level, influencing future generations. We also look at the Afrofuturism movement in art and literature, how its tenets are expressed in the Black Panther film, and how this movement's ideas can and do interact with the future of equity and justice in our society.
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, visit ThePopDNA...
2021-02-2634 minPop DNABlack Panther: The Hero We NeededWe are celebrating Black History Month in the U.S. with a four-part discussion of Black Panther!
EPISODE NOTES: This week we sat down with Derrick and Perry of the Superhero Cinephiles podcast to get their expert opinions on Black Panther! We discussed the many approaches to storytelling in the comics, and how those approaches were combined in the film, plus thoughts on how the superhero genre is evolving and what these heroes mean to us, and to new audiences.
Listen to Superhero Cinephiles wherever you get your podcasts! Follow us on Twitter and Instagram and visit ThePopDNA.blog for...
2021-02-1950 minPop DNABlack Panther: Representation MattersWe are celebrating Black History Month in the U.S. with a four-part discussion of Black Panther!
This week we got the chance to talk with author, speaker, and educator Tayo Rockson about his perspective on the Black Panther comics and film as a Nigerian American who grew up all over the world. We discuss favorite characters, thoughts on Black Panther 2, and the incredible power of seeing ourselves represented as heroes.
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram and check out ThePopDNA.blog for links to everything we talk about!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
2021-02-1229 minPop DNABlack Panther: Heroes and HeroinesWe are celebrating Black History Month in the U.S. with a four-part discussion of Black Panther!
To kick off our Black Panther series, we look at the source comics for the MCU film, discussing Ta-Nehisi Coates' writing of the series, and how several characters changed from the comics to the movie. We also look at how Black Panther fits—and doesn't—into both the Hero's and Heroine's Journey cycles.
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram and check out ThePopDNA.blog for links to everything we talk about!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
2021-02-0538 minPop DNABONUS! The First Annual Pop DNA Film Awards!The results are in and it's finally time for the Pop DNA Film Awards!
2020 was an unprecedented year in movies, so what better time to premiere our very own film awards show! Listen to the end for bloopers from the past year's episodes!
Special thanks to all our award presenters: Lydia Sigwarth, Lizy Simonen, Claire and Amanda of Fictional Hangover, Ayana of The Vintage Guidebook, Luthien of Girls With Sabers, Kyna of Historical AF, Kristen of MTMEIK and Elvis Lives, Gerard of That Random Podcast, and most of all, thank YOU listeners and voters for making this bonus episode possible...
2021-01-291h 56Pop DNAHamilton: History Has Its Eyes on UsNew year, new series! We are talking about the smash-hit Broadway musical and film Hamilton all January.
To wrap up this series, we're zooming out to take a look at Hamilton in its historical context, from how it portrays the history of early America, to how that history interacts with our present moment. We also talk about some of our favorite Hamilton references in pop culture, and of course reveal our results of the "Which Character Are You?" quiz.
Connect with us on social media, and listen next week for the Pop DNA Film Awards!
See acast.com/p...
2021-01-2342 minPop DNAHamilton: Write Like You're Running Out of TimeNew year, new series! We are talking about the smash-hit Broadway musical and film Hamilton all January.
I think we can all agree that Lin-Manuel Miranda is a great writer. This week we are looking at how his lyric writing has developed over the years, and at a certain TV show that was hugely influential on his writing in Hamilton and other works. Did you guess the TV show? Listen now to find out!
Connect with us on social media and visit ThePopDNA.blog for links to everything we talk about!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and o...
2021-01-1650 minPop DNAHamilton: Waiting in the WingsNew year, new series! We are talking about the smash hit Broadway musical and film Hamilton all January long!
EPISODE NOTES: This week we are looking at how Hamilton handles two vital elements of musical theater: costume design and choreography. We discuss how both of these elements draw inspiration from the historical source material, but also incorporate contemporary influences that highlight the show's modern relevancy.
Connect with us on social media for details on how to support the Costume Industry Coalition, and tell us your guess answer to our trivia question!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and o...
2021-01-0839 minPop DNAHamilton: Who Tells Your Story?New year, new series! We are talking about the smash hit Broadway musical and film Hamilton all January long!
EPISODE NOTES: We are kicking off 2021 and our Hamilton series with a look at the show's relationship with the theater, from its unique journey to Broadway and our TV screens, to its ties to theatrical tradition dating back to the days of Shakespeare! (You didn't really think we WOULDN'T talk about Shakespeare, did you?)
Connect with us on social media and listen to our Film Awards Bonus Episode January 30th!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
2021-01-0140 minPop DNAThe Witcher: At the Edge of the WorldToss a coin to your podcast hosts because we're talking about The Witcher this month!
To conclude the series, we're zooming out for a look at the world Sapkowski created around his original short story. We explore several of the most interesting elements of the world of The Witcher, including all the different types of monsters, the music and lore of the bards, and how The Law of Surprise would actually hold up in court.
We conclude the series, as usual, with our results of the "which character are you?" quiz, and we are not at all surprised by them.
...
2020-12-2546 minPop DNAThe Witcher: A Humble Bard and a SorceressToss a coin to your podcast hosts because we're talking about The Witcher this month!
Part 3 is all about the fascinating characters of The Witcher and their relationships with one another. We also explore several concepts in the context of this fantasy world that have huge impacts on the characters, like friendship, humor, and the ever-present struggle against the patriarchy.
Follow us on social media for information on how to vote for the First Annual Pop DNA Film Awards!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
2020-12-1832 minPop DNAThe Witcher: A Friend of HumanityToss a coin to your podcast hosts because we're talking about The Witcher this month!
EPISODE NOTES: Why is the timeline of The Witcher TV series so confusing? We attempt to answer that in part 2, linking back to our discussion of the source material in part 1. We also look at Geralt's origins as a Witcher and how those origins are explored in the video games and the series.
Follow us on social media for information on how to vote for the First Annual Pop DNA Film Awards!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
2020-12-1129 minPop DNAThe Witcher: Something Ends, Something BeginsToss a coin to your podcast hosts because we're talking about The Witcher this month!
EPISODE NOTES: In part 1, we explore the books, short stories, and video games that inspired the Netflix series, plus talk about our initial thoughts on the show and our hopes for its second season.
Follow us on social media for information on how to vote for the First Annual Pop DNA Film Awards!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
2020-12-0433 minPop DNAParks and Recreation: Gazebo? More Like Gazoinksbo!All November long, we're talking about our favorite sitcom about local government, Parks and Rec!
EPISODE NOTES: We are wrapping up our Parks and Rec discussion with a look at Pawnee's local history and how the show has made its way into our cultural lexicon, from Galentine's Day to Treat Yo'self and everything in between! (We recorded this before the US Presidential Election so some of our expressed anxieties are outdated.)
Follow us on social media for information on how to vote for the First Annual Pop DNA Film Awards!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out i...
2020-11-2737 minPop DNAParks and Recreation: Doobie, Doobie, Doo!All November long, we're talking about our favorite sitcom about local government, Parks and Rec!
EPISODE NOTES: We are so excited to welcome professor, writer, and member of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation, Darren Lone Fight as our guest for part 3. Darren stopped by to discuss Ken Hotate, the Wamapoke tribe, and Native representation on Parks and Rec, plus give his perspective on this comfort show that predicted the future.
Follow us on social media for information on how to vote for the First Annual Pop DNA Film Awards!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out i...
2020-11-2028 minPop DNAParks and Recreation: Pawnee: The Greatest Town in AmericaAll November long, we're talking about our favorite sitcom about local government, Parks and Rec!
EPISODE NOTES: We discuss all things Pawnee, Indiana and its citizens in part 2 of the series. From the eccentricities of small town life, to the foibles and successes of local government, we look at how the people of Pawnee are the heart and soul of the town—especially one particular person named Leslie Knope.
Follow us on social media for information on how to vote for the First Annual Pop DNA Film Awards!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
2020-11-1332 minPop DNAParks and Recreation: LIT-erally the Best Show Ever!All November long, we're talking about our favorite sitcom about local government, Parks and Rec!
EPISODE NOTES: In part 1, we talk about how Parks and Rec was foundational to our friendship, trace the origins of many cast members to the improv group The Upright Citizens; Brigade, and take a moment to honor one of the writers of the series, the late Harris Whittels. Li'l Sebastian would approve.
Follow us on social media for information on how to vote for the First Annual Pop DNA Film Awards!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
2020-11-0635 minPop DNABONUS! Geek Out: Gothic Fiction Pod-iversary Halloween Spook-tacular!!!Is the title of this episode too long? Probably. But we're celebrating two years of Pop DNA with our favorite and most seasonally appropriate fiction genre!
This super-sized bonus episode contains haunted houses, spooky paintings, secret passages, possibly villainous love interests, and a whole lot of tangents that are only marginally related to the topic of discussion. We look at the history of Gothic fiction, from classics like The Mysteries of Udolpho and Jane Eyre, to current favorite movies, comics, and even video games that use Gothic conventions in fun ways. Happy Halloween!
See acast.com/privacy for p...
2020-10-302h 24Pop DNAThe Dark Knight: LegacyIt's Frickin' Bats! This month we're discussing the iconic Batman films, the Dark Knight Trilogy.
The fourth and final part of our Dark Knight discussion, unlike the Dark Knight movies, is much more on the lighter side. We talk about how Batman Begins was a turning point for Batman onscreen, and for superhero stories and film in general.
We also geek out over references to Batman in our favorite pop culture works, and discuss our results from the "Which Batman Character Are You?" quiz.
Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook and read our blog at ThePopDNA.blog!
S...
2020-10-2338 minPop DNAThe Dark Knight: Heroes and VillainsIt's Frickin' Bats! This month we're discussing the iconic Batman films, the Dark Knight Trilogy.
In Part 3 we get very philosophical about the nature of heroes and villains. We explore how in the Dark Knight universe, a hero and a villain are two sides of the same coin, and both are larger-than-life personas taken on by flawed, ordinary people.
We also look at Batman and Bruce Wayne's deep connections to the classic Byronic Hero and characters in the same tradition, like Heathcliff, James Bond, and, yes, Edward Cullen, because as we know Rhonda is contractually obligated to reference Twilight once...
2020-10-1630 minPop DNAThe Dark Knight: Femme Fatales and MadmenIt's Frickin' Bats! This month we're discussing the iconic Batman films, the Dark Knight Trilogy.
This week we are digging in to how the trilogy treats its female characters (spoiler: not great), which leads us to an exploration of the classic film noir character trope, the femme fatale. We also look at the films' and comics' use of violence, and the symbiotic relationship between Batman and the Joker. And Erin finally gets to talk about The Lego Batman Movie.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram and read our blog at ThePopDNA.blog!
See acast.com/privacy for pr...
2020-10-0939 minPop DNAThe Dark Knight: Origin StoriesIt's Frickin' Bats! This month we're discussing the iconic Batman films, the Dark Knight Trilogy.
EPISODE NOTES: Part one is all about origin stories: Batman's, the Joker's, the films' themselves, and our own beginnings as Batman fans. We also wonder how many more times we'll have to see Bruce Wayne's parents murdered, and how many more actors will win Oscars for portraying the Joker. Bets are on! Or should we say BATS are on...
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
2020-10-0231 minPop DNARiverdale: RepresentationWe're kicking off Season 3 and our new episode format with a 4-part series on everyone's second favorite comic book-based teen drama, Riverdale!
In the fourth and final part of our Riverdale series, we look at how the show portrays--or doesn't--marginalized characters, including characters of color and characters who experience mental illness. These are some heavier topics, so Content Warning for discussions of mental illness and racially coded violence.
We close out the series on a lighter note by taking the "Which Riverdale Character Are You?" quiz. Spoiler: one of us is Betty and the other is Veronica. Can you guess...
2020-09-2532 minPop DNARiverdale: Character StudiesWe're kicking off Season 3 and our new episode format with a 4-part series on everyone's second favorite comic book-based teen drama, Riverdale!
EPISODE NOTES: In Part 3 of our Riverdale series, we dive into the show's characters and their many facets. We dig a little deeper into the literary discussion we started in part 2 by looking at the themes and devices used to distinguish and develop Riverdale's teens. We also explore the psychological implications of perfection as experienced by several of the female characters.
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
2020-09-1833 minPop DNARiverdale: Media and Literature ConnectionsWe're kicking off Season 3 and our new episode format with a 4-part series on everyone's second favorite comic book-based teen drama, Riverdale!
EPISODE NOTES: Part 2 is all about what Pop DNA does best: connections with literature and media! We look at the many film and TV references made on Riverdale and the media it's drawn inspiration from, like campy teen horror movies such as Friday the 13th, and stylized noir TV series like Twin Peaks. We also discuss the literary references made on the show, from Truman Capote to Jane Eyre.
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and o...
2020-09-1243 minPop DNARiverdale: Comic Book OriginsWe're kicking off Season 3 and our new episode format with a 4-part series on everyone's second favorite comic book-based teen drama, Riverdale!
EPISODE NOTES: In Part 1, we give some background on the show, then talk about our first experiences and some initial thoughts, and then delve into the Archie Comics that the series is based on. We also look at how the show's comic book source material has influenced its writing and design.
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
2020-09-0533 min
Pop DNACinderella LIVE(stream)! - LIT Summer Vol. 2In our final LIT Summer episode of 2020, and our Season 2 finale, we look at the classic folktale "Cinderella" in its many iterations: from the earliest versions of the story from Ancient Greece and China, to the 1950 Disney animated film, to the many modern interpretations.We also discuss the universal themes of the story, like perseverance, hope, and justice, and the tale's significance in discourse on feminism and race. It's a bibbidy-bobbidy-boo of a time!Look for news about Season 3 on our social media!Subscribe to us on ITUNES, STITCHER, SPOTIFY, RADIOPUBLIC or your...
2020-08-221h 46
Pop DNAMuch Ado About Nothing - LIT Summer Vol. 2One of our favorite Shakespearean comedies, Much Ado About Nothing has made a huge impact on literature and pop culture!EPISODE NOTES: Much Ado's beloved bickering couple, Beatrice and Benedick, have inspired dozens of other hate-to-love romances in fiction, from Pride & Prejudice, to Star Wars, to some of the biggest sitcoms and romantic comedies.Our discussion also meanders around our favorite film and stage productions of the play, our thoughts on the play's themes of gender roles and mistaken identities, and that one Shakespeare conspiracy theory that won't seem to go away. It's a fun...
2020-07-261h 51
Pop DNABONUS! Commentary: The Princess Switch (2018)It's Christmas in July again, and we're celebrating with a commentary track for this modern Christmas classic! We're talking over the 2018 Netflix original film The Princess Switch, starring Vanessa Hudgens. It wouldn't be Erin and Rhonda Talk Over Movies without some tangents, musings, and ideas for other completely unrelated projects. Enjoy, and Merry Christmas in July!Subscribe to us on ITUNES, STITCHER, SPOTIFY, RADIOPUBLIC or your podcatcher of choice.Find us on FACEBOOK, TWITTER or INSTAGRAMYOU CAN READ OUR BLOG HERE: THEPOPDNA.BLOG
See acast.com/privacy for privacy a...
2020-07-111h 54
Pop DNAJane Eyre Part 2 - LIT Summer Vol. 2LIT(erature) Summer is back! This time we're starting out with a 2-oarter on the Charlotte Bronte classic Jane Eyre.The second half of our Jane Eyre discussion gets into the novel's gothic elements as seen through the lenses of feminism and race. We also go back to our ongoing conversation about the Heroine's Journey, looking at pop culture heroines, like Rey, Moana, Lorelai Gilmore, and Dorothy, that have followed in Jane Eyre's footsteps.Subscribe to us on ITUNES, STITCHER, SPOTIFY, RADIOPUBLIC or your podcatcher of choice.Find us on FACEBOOK, TWITTER or...
2020-06-271h 24
Pop DNAJane Eyre Part 1 - LIT Summer Vol. 2In part 1 we get into the story recap and Bronte's background and influences. We also discuss some notable adaptations, including the Jane Eyre stage musical (who knew that existed???) and several popular novels that put a new spin on the story.Subscribe to us on ITUNES, STITCHER, SPOTIFY, RADIOPUBLIC or your podcatcher of choice.Find us on FACEBOOK, TWITTER or INSTAGRAMYOU CAN READ OUR BLOG HERE: THEPOPDNA.BLOG
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
2020-06-241h 12
Pop DNACrazy Ex-GirlfriendWe're wrapping up our regular season with the very on-brand-for-us Crazy Ex-Girlfriend!EPISODE NOTES: The brilliant TV series draws influence from Musical Theater and Romantic Comedies, as well as honestly and respectfully tackling some important mental health issues, all of which we explore. CW: Discussion of mental illness. Find links to everything we discuss at ThePopDNA.blog and stay tuned for our Special Edition (Northern Hemisphere) Summer Series, coming soon! Subscribe to us on ITUNES, STITCHER, SPOTIFY, RADIOPUBLIC or your podcatcher of choice.Find us on FACEBOOK, TWITTER or INSTAGRAMYOU...
2020-05-231h 40
Pop DNABONUS! Saturday Night Live, Laugh, LoveIt's Rhonda's birthday so it's time for a Bonus Episode celebrating all our favorite things about SNL!EPISODE NOTES: Live from our houses, it's Pop DNA! We decided to talk about all our favorite Saturday Night Live sketches, cast members, and hosts, past and present. We also dig a little into the history of the show and why we think it's lasted so long, plus a special guest stops by!Subscribe to us on ITUNES, STITCHER, SPOTIFY, RADIOPUBLIC or your podcatcher of choice.Find us on FACEBOOK, TWITTER or INSTAGRAMYOU...
2020-05-092h 00
Pop DNAThor LIVE(stream)!Here's the recording of our Thor episode livestream!Our discussion of everyone's favorite God of Thunder dives into the history of the Marvel comics, the Norse myths that the stories and films are inspired by, and in our tradition of fact-checking fantasy worlds, even explores the science of Mjolnir and the Bifrost. Find info about our Virtual Film Fest on our social media, find links to everything we discussed at ThePopDNA.wordpress.com and be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel!Subscribe to us on ITUNES, STITCHER, SPOTIFY, RADIOPUBLIC or your podcatcher of choice.
2020-04-251h 13
Pop DNAJurassic Park with Emily RothWe're joined by filmmaker and storyteller Emily Roth to discuss everyone's favorite dinosaur/cloning movie!There's a lot of DNA in Jurassic Park, and not just from dinosaurs! The novel and film's "DNA" can be traced to real-life STEM breakthroughs and practices of the entertainment and tourism industries, and classic science fiction literature, starting with the mother of the genre, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Plus Emily gives us a filmmaker's perspective on the whole franchise!Find links to everything we discuss at ThePopDNA.blog, find our commentary for I, Frankenstein, plus other bonus content, at Patreon...
2020-03-211h 34
Pop DNARussian DollDoes it ever feel like you're reliving the same day over and over? You're not alone! In this episode we look into the history of time loop stories (including Groundhog Day), as well as the psychology of memory and deja vu, the mental health issues explored in the series, and Russian Doll's many connections to L. M. Montgomery's novel Emily of New Moon. (Content Warning for discussion of mental illness.) Find links to everything we discuss at ThePopDNA.blog and bonus content at Patreon.com/popdna.Subscribe to us on ITUNES, STITCHER, SPOTIFY, RADIOPUBLIC or your podcatcher...
2020-02-231h 32
Pop DNABONUS! Geek Out: Disney Princesses LIVE from NerdFaireConLive from NerdFaireCon 2020, we looked at the cultural and literary context of some of our favorite Disney Princesses!EPISODE NOTES: If we're live from a Con we have to cosplay, that's the rule! So, dressed as Megara (Erin) and Merida (Rhonda), we looked at the origins of our chosen princesses, plus the roots of Disney Princess films in general, from American musical theater, to world folklore, to how the cultural discourse around women's lives and agency has evolved since the early days of Disney.Special thanks to audience members Ellie and Josie for contributing to...
2020-02-0936 min
Pop DNABONUS! Star Wars Talk with Girls With SabersWe got the chance to chat with Emrys and Luthien of Girls With Sabers! They dive into their insights into the psychology and personalities of Star Wars characters and thoughts on the Heroine’s Journey, plus we all finally air all of our The Rise of Skywalker grievances. It’s a great time!Find Girls With Sabers on:YouTubeTwitterInstagramFacebookSubscribe to us on ITUNES, STITCHER, SPOTIFY, RADIOPUBLIC or your podcatcher of choice.Find us on FACEBOOK, TWITTER or INSTAGRAMYOU CAN...
2020-02-0556 min
Pop DNAStar Wars (Revisited)We missed a lot the first time around! Plus, the ending of the saga means this is the perfect time to revisit our discussion of the galaxy far, far away. We answer a few questions we had last time and look at new questions, such as:Does Rey complete her Hero's Journey?How did the Millennium Falcon maneuver through that asteroid field?And just how does the Galactic Senate even work?Find bonus content (including some for free!) at Patreon.com/popdna. May the Force be with you!Subscribe...
2020-01-261h 34
Pop DNAA Christmas PrinceHonestly, this episode was a long time coming. A Christmas Prince is rich in cultural influences, from the lives and loves of historical real-life royals, to classic fairy tales, to... investigative journalism, I guess?We also discuss other vitally important topics, like the dystopian alternate universe in which the movies take place and the cultural relevance of Volvos. (Volvo is not a sponsor of Pop DNA.)Our commentary for Netflix's The Knight Before Christmas is free on our Patreon page! Patreon.com/popdna Happy Holidays!Subscribe to us on ITUNES, STITCHER, SPOTIFY, RADIOPUBLIC...
2019-12-221h 39
Pop DNACaptain MarvelWe're back from Geek Girl Con and ready to talk about our adventures and the pop DNA of Captain Marvel! We even talked to Carol Danvers herself (well, some Captain Marvel cosplayers) to find out her thoughts. (There was a little cussing that we left in, to honor Carol.)We dive into the comics, looking at that whole DC/Marvel rivalry and how that plays into the history of the character. We also explore the psychology of Carol Danvers, plus the pop culture of the 1990s, classic science fiction novels, and the real-life US Air...
2019-11-231h 33
Pop DNAChilling Adventures of Sabrina with Kristen Barros and Jane WilliamsonWe've enlisted the help of fellow That's Not Canon podcasters Jane and Kristen for our discussion of everyone's favorite teenage witch. We dive into portrayals of witches on page and screen, witches and witchcraft throughout history, including the infamous Salem Witch Trials, and figure out which Sabrina character we each identify with.Further Reading:From Baba Yaga to Hermione Granger: why we’re spellbound by ‘witcherature’Weird Sisters and Wild WomenMacbeth, William ShakespeareThe Wizard of Oz, L. Frank BaumThe Lottery, Shirley Jackso...
2019-10-271h 27
Pop DNABONUS! Pod-iversary Special/Mindy Kaling Geek OutIt's been one whole year of Pop DNA! We're celebrating with this very special Bonus Episode, looking back on our journey so far and reflecting on the real reason we're here: Mindy Kaling.We discuss all our thoughts and feelings on the Kaling oeuvre, from her early theater days, to her landmark work on The Office and The Mindy Project, to her recent writing and producing credits and upcoming projects, to the role we would have written for her on Game of Thrones. Plus we eat donuts.Join the discussion at ThePopDNA.blog, on Twitter...
2019-10-131h 47
Pop DNAIndiana Jones with Keith WattsWelcome to Season Two! We are starting the season off with a bang and talking about everyone’s favorite professor, Indiana Jones, joined by Rhonda’s brother and longtime Indy fan Keith!We look into the film franchise’s roots in adventure serials from the 1930s, dabble in the history of archaeology, and discuss what the Nazis were really doing all that time, plus try our best to answer the burning question: is Kingdom of the Crystal Skull good?Young Indiana Jones ChroniclesSecret of the Incas“Premakes:” if Indiana Jones was made i...
2019-09-281h 21
Pop DNABeauty and the Beast – LIT(erature) SummerIt’s our last LIT(erature) Summer episode and the end of Season One! We’re looking at the original 18th Century French fairy tale Beauty and the Beast and trying (unsuccessfully) to not reference Disney. We delve into other Beast and Beauty tales and the lasting impact of the story on literature, film, and culture.Support the show on Patreon for as little as $1 a month.Further ReadingProminent Adaptations1987 TV series1991 Disney animated film1997 The Beautician and the Beast2011 Beastly2...
2019-08-191h 24
Pop DNAHamlet LIVE! – LIT(erature) SummerFor our very first live show and second installment of LIT(erature) Summer, we explore the lasting cultural influence of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, from The Lion King, to Star Wars, to Jordan Peele’s Us, and more! We also delve a little into Shakespeare’s life, Hamlet’s major themes, and how much Erin loves the play and Rhonda hates it.Thanks to King’s Books for hosting us!Support the show on Patreon for as little as $1 a month.Subscribe to us on ITUNES, STITCHER, SPOTIFY, RADIOPUBLIC or your podcatcher...
2019-07-2455 min
Pop DNABONUS! Geek Out: Christmas in JulyWe are going full-on Hallmark Channel in this Christmas movie Geek Out episode! We look into what makes a movie a Christmas movie, what we consider the “classics,” and which ones you should never watch, plus we write our own movie to pitch to Hallmark. God Bless us Everyone!(Don’t forget about our live show! Go to our Facebook page for details!)LinksOrigins of Christmas in JulyHallmark’s Christmas in July programming scheduleChristmas movie tropes on TVTropesFandomentals blogLindy West’s hilariou...
2019-07-081h 28
Pop DNAPride & Prejudice – LIT(erature) SummerWelcome to LIT(erature) Summer! This is the first installment of our three-episode summer series looking at the lasting cultural impact of classic literature works.Jane Austen’s most famous novel has influenced modern pop culture in a myriad of ways, from its many popular film, TV, and other media adaptations, to current popular fiction, to basically being responsible for the romantic comedy film genre.LinksOur commentary for the 2005 filmA better story recap than oursJane Austen and the Marriage PlotWhy do we still lo...
2019-06-181h 26
Pop DNABONUS! Commentary: Pride & Prejudice (2005)Totally spontaneous commentary track in anticipation of our first LIT(erature) Summer episode, Pride & Prejudice. We know you want to hear all our P&P thoughts, from the gorgeous score, to all the men’s sideburns, to the strangely high number of hams, to Keira Knightley’s perfect fringe.Stream the movie here or buy the DVD here.Subscribe to us on ITUNES, STITCHER, SPOTIFY, RADIOPUBLIC or your podcatcher of choice.Find us on FACEBOOK, TWITTER or INSTAGRAMYOU CAN READ OUR BLOG HERE: THEPOPDNA.BLOG
See acast.com/p...
2019-06-122h 07
Pop DNAThe Lord of the RingsHope you’ve had your elevenses because we are travelling through Middle Earth this month, with our friend Rebecca and the Fellowship of the Ring! …and The Two Towers, and The Return of the King… We look at how Tolkien was influenced by his experience in WWI, his Catholic Faith, and mythology, as well as the psychology of the characters and the series’ lasting influence, from the hippies of the 1960s and 1970s to the popular fantasy fiction of today.Buy the booksLinksTolkien movie reviewThe Battle of the S...
2019-05-291h 10
Pop DNABONUS! Geek Out: We Need to Talk About HorrorBONUS EPISODE! We decided to talk about horror movies, in this our first official Geek Out episode! We discuss some of our favorite horror flicks, from the good to the so-bad-they’re-good to the ones with zombies. Listen at your own risk!A couple corrections:I mistakenly said in the episode that the novel The Woman in Black was written by Shirley Jackson; it was actually written by Susan Hill. Sorry, Susan.Also, in A Quiet Place you do get several very good looks at the monsters, but I apparently blocked that from my...
2019-05-191h 40
Pop DNABuffy the Vampire SlayerHigh School is Hell. Our discussion of Buffy’s Pop DNA explores the roots of vampire legends and literature, the show’s psychology and social commentary, and connections to our literary BFF, William Shakespeare. I officially have no more words. I slay all day.The Rise of Buffy StudiesBuffy’s page on TV TropesThe A. V. Club’s look at the 1992 filmThe legend of the (possibly) first vampireVampires, Burial, and Death by Paul BarberThe Evolution of Vampires in Literature“The Vampyre” b...
2019-04-171h 29
Pop DNAMean GirlsOn Wednesdays we wear pink! This month we break down Mean Girls’ Pop DNA, from the literary tradition of social satire in the work of Swift and Thackeray, to the roles of women in comedy and STEM fields, to the film’s place as a link in a long chain of teen comedies. So fetch!Fictional Hangover PodcastQueen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind WisemanPsychology of Mean Girls in adulthoodChicago Reader Mean Girls reviewJezebel article on Heathers vs. Mean GirlsBossypants by Tina Fey
2019-03-191h 05
Pop DNAThe Hunger Games Part 1 with Amber SteenmeyerThis one had to be a two-parter. We just had SOOOO many feelings to discuss!Links:Buy the books (We receive a small portion of the proceeds from sales through this link)The Hunger Games‘ 10th anniversary New York Times articleTeam Peeta or Team Gale?Why Katniss is a Feminist IconFull text of “The Lottery” by Shirley JacksonBattle Royale by Koushun TakamiPaste Magazine’s list of the 30 Best Dystopian Books of All TimeThe Giver by Lois...
2019-02-191h 04
Pop DNAStar WarsThis month Erin and Rhonda take on one of the biggest pop culture phenomena of our time: Star Wars. We discuss the saga’s connections to both the past and the future, through its ties to folklore and mythology, its profound influence on effects and technology in filmmaking, and the Shakespearean threads woven throughout the series, as well as our undying love for Han Solo and Poe Dameron. Listen now, and may the Force be with you.*Note: In the episode, I say that I believe that Star Wars Legends is a series of comic books that ta...
2019-01-1450 min
Pop DNAGilmore GirlsWe’re heading to Stars Hollow, Connecticut for episode 2 of Pop DNA. Erin and Rhonda talk about everyone’s favorite mother-daughter duo, Lorelai and Rory Gilmore, discussing Gilmore Girls’ ties to Tolstoy, Austen, and the history of the American Revolution, and also how we’re both unapologetically Team Jess. “Where you lead… I will follow…”Links:The Rory Gilmore Reading ChallengeBook references in A Year in the LifeAnna KareninaBlog post on one reader’s experience with Anna Karenina through the Rory Gilmore ChallengePride and Preju...
2018-11-1251 min
Pop DNAWonder WomanOur brand new podcast, Pop DNA, explores the literary and historical roots of your favorite movies and TV shows. In our first episode, your hosts Erin and Rhonda discuss how The Little Mermaid, Aristotle, and the early 20th Century women’s suffrage movement are all related to the 2017 film Wonder Woman, and also how we might both be in love with Gal Gadot.LinksMore about the AmazonsPhilosophy articles on Good and EvilEntertainment Weekly article about The Little Mermaid‘s influence on Wonder Woman‘s story
2018-10-2556 min