Episode 52: Silicon Valley

This week, Morgan and Gavia discuss the HBO sitcom Silicon Valley. Topics discussed include, but are not limited to, how the show has changed over time, its painfully accurate satire of Silicon Valley culture, its depiction of male sexuality, and the irresistible genius of Zach Woods.

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Episode 51: Spider-Man: Homecoming

This week, Gavia and Morgan discuss the latest reboot of Spider-Man, Spider-Man: Homecoming. Topics discussed include, but are not limited to, the film's refreshing teen spirit, Peter's similarities to Miles Morales, Tom Holland's boundless charm, and how it fits into the greater MCU and the superhero landscape as a whole.

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Episode 49: Wonder Woman

Morgan and Gavia return from a hiatus to discuss the blockbuster of the summer, Patty Jenkins' extended universe-saving Wonder Woman. Topics discussed include: how the film compares to other superhero origin stories, its refreshing earnestness, the pluses and minuses of the WWI setting, Gal Gadot and Chris Pine's winning charm, and the glorious sight of Robin Wright murdering a bunch of dudes.

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Episode 48: American Gods

This week, Gavia and Morgan discuss the new adaptation of Neil Gaiman's classic fantasy novel American Gods. Topics include changes from the book, the show's distinctive style, how it compares to showrunner Bryan Fuller's cult hit Hannibal, and its treatment of race and religion.

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Episode 47: Alien: Covenant

This week, Gavia and Morgan discuss Alien: Covenant, the latest installment in Ridley Scott's ever-growing Alien franchise. Topics discussed include how blockbusters have changed in the last forty years, practical vs. digital effects, and the indelible pairing of Fassbender and Fassbender.

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Episode 45: Romy and Michele's High School Reunion

This week, Gavia and Morgan discuss the cult classic Romy and Michele's High School Reunion in honor of its twentieth anniversary. Topics include the film's refreshing narrative structure, its surreal costume design, and its celebration of ditziness.

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Episode 43: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

This week, Morgan and Gavia discuss Frank Capra's 1939 classic Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Topics include, but are not limited to, how the film's message reads today, that filibuster sequence, The Power of Jimmy Stewart, and why Jean Arthur can't catch a break.

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Episode 39: 2017 (2016?) Oscar Pod

Morgan and Gavia return to discuss the most important cultural event of the year... the Academy Awards. First, they run through likely winners (and deserving losers) in every category, from sound editing to best picture; then, they take reader questions. Happy Oscar watching!

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Episode 38: Jackie

In this week's episode, Morgan and Gavia discuss Pablo Larraín's new film Jackie, starring Natalie Portman as Jackie Kennedy. Topics include the film's deviation from standard biopic structure, its relationship with history (and what it says about history), Natalie Portman's performance, Mica Levi's score, and why female-led films don't do better at the Oscars.

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Episode 37: Yuri on Ice

This week, Gavia and Morgan finally discuss what is truly Gavia's pop culture obsession of the moment: the figure skating anime that has taken the world by storm, Yuri on Ice. Topics include the show's relationship to real-life figure skating culture and technique, its thoughtful depiction of anxiety, its multiple narrators, and more.

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Episode 36: Sherlock, Series 4

This week, Gavia and Morgan dive into the latest (and last?) season of the BBC's tarnished crown jewel, Sherlock. When did the show go south, and how? Is a text affair a real affair or not (answer: yes)? And, most pressingly, will Steven Moffat ever write a plausible female character again (answer: no)?

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Episode 35: Assassin's Creed

Morgan and Gavia start 2017 off with a bang with a full-throated endorsement of the Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard vehicle Assassin's Creed. Topics discussed include: sensible office-wear, Patsy Cline, Google Maps inside your brain, Jeremy Irons doing his Jeremy Irons thing, and, of course, parkour.

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Episode 34: Passengers

In their last episode of the year, Morgan and Gavia ruminate on Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence's sci-fi romance Passengers, the best-worst film of the year. Questions include: How did this happen? Does Chris Pratt know he's playing a psychopath? Why does Jennifer Lawrence's skin look like that? Has Morten Tyldum ever watched a movie set in space before? And so on, and so forth.

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