Hugging And Learning

Join Chelsea and Andrew as they re-watch the classic Very Special Episodes of TV sitcoms from the 70s, 80s, and 90s that we loved as kids, and explore what they have to say to us as adults.

It Was A Disaster 10/31/2021

It Was A Disaster Like a mummy, or a vampire, or any number of monsters that rise at Halloween — WE’RE BACK!!! It’s Chelsea and Andy’s favorite time of year, and we couldn’t resist getting together for an impromptu surprise episode. Join us as we deep-dive into the cursed nonsense that is The Paul Lynde Halloween Special. We’ve got witches, we’ve got truckers, we’ve got disco, we’ve got special guest appearances from everybody from Betty White to KISS. Join us, so you can help us prevent this from ever ha /episode/index/show/huggingandlearning/id/20964926

The Most Special Episode, Part 2 12/04/2020

The Most Special Episode, Part 2 We’ve come to the end of the rainbow, friends and colleagues. It’s been a fantastic 101-episode-long ride, and we’re so happy that you came along. Before we ride off into the sunset (jk, it’s a pandemic, we never leave our apartments), we’d like to wrassle one last VSE with you — part two of the accursed BICYCLE MAN. It’s got all the icky feelings and inappropriate jokes of part one, with 200% more police detectives. Come along. /episode/index/show/huggingandlearning/id/17061404

The Most Special Episode, Part 1 11/27/2020

The Most Special Episode, Part 1 The time has finally come. In this most cursed year of this darkest timeline, we must re-watch and re-evaluate one of the most cursed VSEs of all time. The one that started it all — which is apt, because after 100 episodes, we have nearly come to the end of the Hugging & Learning rainbow. Join Chelsea, Andrew, and Miles for the penultimate episode of our podcast, as we evaluate what, if anything, we have to learn from this bone-chilling tv artifact today. /episode/index/show/huggingandlearning/id/16971668

Emotional Rollycoaster: Part 2 11/06/2020

Emotional Rollycoaster: Part 2 “Welcome to Hamilton High, where all the students major in drugs!” H&L is back with a real classic of the “Just Say No” genre. We’ve got an earnest protagonist, we’ve got grade-A freakouts, we’ve got future Oscar winners judo-kicking out of second-story windows. Will CARING SO MUCH triumph over indifference, drugs, and swimming? Or will yet another suburban teen succumb to his poorly-defined life pressures and terrible taste in friends? Join us to find out! /episode/index/show/huggingandlearning/id/16703933

Ep 098: Emotional Rollycoaster: Part 1 10/31/2020

Ep 098: Emotional Rollycoaster: Part 1 “Welcome to Hamilton High, where all the students major in drugs!” H&L is back with a real classic of the “Just Say No” genre. We’ve got an earnest protagonist, we’ve got grade-A freakouts, we’ve got future Oscar winners judo-kicking out of second-story windows. Will CARING SO MUCH triumph over indifference, drugs, and swimming? Or will yet another suburban teen succumb to his poorly-defined life pressures and terrible taste in friends? Join us to find out! /episode/index/show/huggingandlearning/id/16627460

Momchiatrist and the Conference of Secrets 08/21/2020

Momchiatrist and the Conference of Secrets Won’t someone please hug Terry? He moves like a ghost through his own life; in the words of his sister, “he’s just kinda there.” When Terry goes punk, it’s not so much rebellious as inevitable. But, wait! What does this mean for Mom’s big anti-punker conference?! Is this an afterschool special FOR MOMS?? Join Chelsea, Andrew, long-suffering Terry, some of The Weirz, and the psychiatrist from Space Jam as we decipher what, if anything, we can learn from an afterschool special about the waning day /episode/index/show/huggingandlearning/id/15699167

Murder, She Twote 08/14/2020

Murder, She Twote What’s the only thing more fun that a lighthearted came of Clue with friends? Only a high-stakes reality TV version of the game that strangers take way too seriously! Come with us on a journey back to 2013, when ABC turned a half-built mansion into CSI: Beverly Hills, at almost unfathomable cost and with mediocre results. The game… is murder! But somehow, as always, it all comes back to Melora Hardin. /episode/index/show/huggingandlearning/id/15608834

Saved By the Cowbell 08/07/2020

Saved By the Cowbell It’s a little wild and a little strange that this is our first HEY DUDE episode. And it’s a doozy of a debut — this is the LOST episode of the beloved Nickelodeon show. “Lost,” you say? Imagine if Sam Shepard wrote most of an episode of this light teen comedy, and you’ll soon figure out why. Join us for a deep dive into the fraught interpersonal relationships of the adult children of alcoholics, and also stinky feet jokes. /episode/index/show/huggingandlearning/id/15522905

Jesus Koala 07/31/2020

Jesus Koala Have you ever heard of Gospel Bill? If not, let’s close that #blessed chapter of your life. Join Andrew, Chelsea, and the rest of the Dry Gulch Gang as we attempt to keep the devil out of our thoughts from way down deep inside God’s pouch. Confused? Don’t worry. We are, too. /episode/index/show/huggingandlearning/id/15417041

Golden Wonka 07/24/2020

Golden Wonka What could be better than an episode of THE GOLDEN GIRLS in These Troubling Times™? How about an episode TGG that’s also THE WIRE, a rom/com, and a George Clooney vehicle all at once?! This week, we explore the twists and turns of a singular episode of sitcom television, and also launch our GoFundMe campaign to raise the $3MIL we need to purchase the Golden Girls house, which has just come on the LA real estate market. We’re doing important work over here. Join us. /episode/index/show/huggingandlearning/id/15333011

Alan Thicke Cinematic Universe 07/10/2020

Alan Thicke Cinematic Universe The first time you do anything is complex — the first time you have sex, the first time you learn your boyfriend’s real name, the first time you’re low-key slut-shamed by the boarding school friends you are too old to still be living with in your 20s. Will Natalie navigate the choppy waters of this new life phase with grace and strength? Will Jo voice a value judgement on her friend’s decisions? Will the origins of this random Australian child ever be made known to us? Tune in to find out! /episode/index/show/huggingandlearning/id/15148673

I Am The Fright Zone 07/03/2020

I Am The Fright Zone Y’all… did you know the Netflix SHE-RA reboot is like, really really awesome?! This week, we’re back on Etheria for a way more nuanced plot and character discussion than we’ve ever had about this world. It’s almost like this show isn’t a half-hour commercial for toys! Join Chelsea, Andrew, Adora, and the other Princesses of Power (one of whom is Friend of the Pod Vella Lovell) as we do some actual learning in this time of virtual hugging /episode/index/show/huggingandlearning/id/15064793

Did I Hear Calculus? 06/26/2020

Did I Hear Calculus? Figuring out if most VSEs of DIFF’RENT STROKES did more harm or more good, requires a degree in advanced mathematics. This one is no exception. Did we learn something about street buskers with epilepsy? Sure. But at what societal cost? All this and more will be pondered at length. /episode/index/show/huggingandlearning/id/14973197

Miloš! 06/19/2020

Miloš! Ah, THE OFFICE. So loveable. So quotable. So still finding its footing in this episode (but that’s a great thing!). Come along with three perennial OFFICE re-watchers as we join the ultimate fan of hugging and foe of learning — Michael Scott — and the rest of our heart’s coworkers on Diversity Training Day. Buckle up. /episode/index/show/huggingandlearning/id/14885663

Emmy for Child Endangerment 06/12/2020

Emmy for Child Endangerment Welcome to Bonanza City, where a group of 40 children will be allowed to form their own society — as long as it adheres exactly to the parameters laid out by the producers. In the early days of reality TV, it was quite literally the Wild West, and no one knows that better than the parents who signed waivers that absolved CBS of responsibility should their children literally die. It’s sinister as hell here in Kid Nation, and we all have a lot to learn. /episode/index/show/huggingandlearning/id/14795351

Melanate Your Feed 06/05/2020

Melanate Your Feed If you were going to spend an hour this week listening to Hugging and Learning, we’d like to encourage you to listen/subscribe to one of the following comedy/pop culture podcasts instead: /episode/index/show/huggingandlearning/id/14704094

Booksack: Child Noir 05/29/2020

Booksack: Child Noir It’s 1991, PSA and VSEs are all the rage, but one show dares to be different: EERIE, INDIANA — TWIN PEAKS for TWEENS. If you remember this show (which ran for a single season and was a nearly-perfect ratings bomb), you probably remember it fondly. Join Chelsea, Andrew, and Very Special Guest Allie Fireel as we plumb the depths of this smart, layered show to arrive at a unanimous conclusion: NBC was not ready. /episode/index/show/huggingandlearning/id/14610860

No. Problem!! 05/22/2020

No. Problem!! We hate to break it to you, but if your childhood recollections of Gordon Shumway include character traits like “loveable,” “caring,” or “friendly,” you might want to rewatch ALF. Preferably with a good snack or a stiff drink close at hand. Join your hosts, Ronald Reagan (not really), Harry Shearer (yes really) and a very callus and unfeeling extraterrestrial as we debate nuclear disarmament and the addition of a second phone line as equally-weighted issues in the life of the Tanner family. /episode/index/show/huggingandlearning/id/14523593

Miseri Bears 05/15/2020

Miseri Bears Can mythical anthropomorphic bears have sensitive, consent-filled filled relationships with the visually impaired? Don’t get your hopes up. Join Chelsea, Andrew, Miles, Tummi Gummi, Duke Igthorn, and (Ka)Trina the shepherdess on an adventure where we learn a lot about self-sufficiency and nothing at all about sensitivity. /episode/index/show/huggingandlearning/id/14426879

Dick Van Dyke Move 05/08/2020

Dick Van Dyke Move This episode has it all: accidental wife-punching, a small drug overdose, thirty-five glorious seconds of verbal gymnastics, the Mary Tyler More Physical Comedy Spetacular — and that’s BEFORE we get to the special message about prescription drug abuse! They don’t make ’em like this anymore, folks. Come on in (and look out for that ottoman)! /episode/index/show/huggingandlearning/id/14311610

Just An Old Plant 05/01/2020

Just An Old Plant Would you like to be on drugs right now, but you’ve run out, and your dealer won’t come within six feet of you? We have the solution: THUNDERCATS. Join Chelsea, Andrew, Miles, and all fourteen citizens of Third Earth as we test the drug tolerance of cat/human hybrids (very low) and our own ability to drag a moral kicking and screaming out of a cartoon (top-notch). /episode/index/show/huggingandlearning/id/14226455

A Johnny Dakota Joint 04/24/2020

A Johnny Dakota Joint The hypocrisy really stacks up like a layer cake in this meta anti-anti-drug-PSA episode of SAVED BY THE BELL. Let us break it all down for you: the unsubstantiated rumors, the real-life relationships, the bizarre writing choices, and that head-scratcher of an ending. After we delve into this, you’ll be saying, “Thanks, Guy.” And you’ll really mean it. /episode/index/show/huggingandlearning/id/14104382

Kids, Emancipated 04/17/2020

Kids, Emancipated It’s a world of song, dance, wonder, and a conspicuous absence of parents and child labor laws. It’s the world of KIDS, INC! But there is trouble in paradise — tiny new kid Robin is facing bullying by some local toughs. What can the other kids do to help? Why is Billy Blanks here? Who wrote this weird song we can’t find anywhere on the internet? All these questions, and many more, will be given their due. /episode/index/show/huggingandlearning/id/14017139

a-POD-calypse 04/10/2020

a-POD-calypse It’s the end times, and all bets are off! Welcome to Season 4 of Hugging & Learning — the gas leak season. We’re kicking off this free-for-all with a discussion of a show near and dear to our hearts, and a premise that just hits a little different these days. Join Chelsea, Andrew, Miles, Leslie Knope, Anne Perkins, and the disease-ridden citizens of Pawnee as we discuss things that now ring nostalgic (gathering in large groups) and horrifying (kissing a person with the flu). /episode/index/show/huggingandlearning/id/13837481

Sick Sugarburn 03/13/2020

Sick Sugarburn Julia Sugarbaker takes on her most formidable opponent yet: the U.S. Constitution! Is pornography protected under free speech? Is it obscenity, or capitalism, or both? And what does TROOP BEVERLY HILLS have to do with any of this? Join your hosts, the women of Sugarbaker and Associates, Anthony, and a very aggrieved newsman in our Season 3 finale to find out! /episode/index/show/huggingandlearning/id/13533440

Fully Buggin’ 03/06/2020

Fully Buggin’ Very Special Guest Vella Lovell joins us this week to dive deep into the most shocking travesty of the 90s: the breakup of Zack Morris and Kelly Kapowski. We get into it: Is Zack a possessive creep? Who’s responsible for HR at the The Max? How does live singing in a TV show work? And what’s the thing about Jeff? Spoiler: the questions are myriad and the answers are few. /episode/index/show/huggingandlearning/id/13437044

Step by Step Off! 02/28/2020

Step by Step Off! It’s a race against time, as this episodes tries to identify, diagnose, and provide study solutions to a character with a learning disorder, while making sure we get full B and C plots about uppity preschool teachers and nerds in love. Does it sound like too much for one episode? You wish! This is the 90s — nothing is impossible! Join us for perhaps our first episode of Hugging and Learning that’s actually about LEARNING! /episode/index/show/huggingandlearning/id/13333379

All the Way Awful 02/21/2020

All the Way Awful Many of the very special episodes we’ve watched thus far have been misguided, off-putting, and tone-deaf — but never has one outright assaulted us before today! Back in 1982, child stars were just disposable puppets and consent was a foreign concept. Give this a listen if you dare, but be forewarned: you’ll become an accessory to this mess as well. /episode/index/show/huggingandlearning/id/13238465

Boob-Hinge 02/14/2020

Boob-Hinge Did you even know that boobs have hinges? Or that cotton “gin” is short for cotton “engine”? Or that one is supposed to wear turtlenecks to Make Out Parties, no matter how insane the final outfit result may be? For a half-hour sitcom, BLOSSOM is very heavy on the learning this week. Join us for an exceptionally educational episode, and don’t worry if you’ve never been to a Make Out Party. Andy hasn’t either. /episode/index/show/huggingandlearning/id/13143581

Time Capsule of Bad Ideas 02/07/2020

Time Capsule of Bad Ideas Is it possible to love video games TOO MUCH? This is question we ask ourselves daily, and now we’ll attempt to answer it with the help of a bunch of sitcom writers who seem never to have played one. Join Chelsea, Andy, Miles, Willis, Arnold, and the rest of the Space Suckers as we plumb the depths of arcade-based addiction and platitude-based parenting. /episode/index/show/huggingandlearning/id/13047329

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