Second Breakfast with Cam & Maggie
-- thoughts, theories, and literary analysis -- chapter-by-chapter fantasy discussions
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Ken Russell's The Devils
10/20/2026
Ken Russell's The Devils
The most controversial and censored movie of 1971 has finally been restored to its full glory — and it might just be the greatest Faust fable of all time. Vanessa Rengrave’s Sister Jeanne is easily the best Mephistopheles ever put to screen, and Oliver Reed’s Grandier is an operatic, literally mustache-twirling Faustus. In this episode, we’re breaking out the Marlowe to do a full-bodied analysis of Ken Russell’s The Devils through a Faustian lens. Topics include: offscreen contracts, implied terms, the effect that a hundred Mephistopheles have on one Faustus, Ken Russell’s brutal interpretation of Faustus’ final exclamation, the titular pluralism that defines this reading of Marlowe, and, more broadly, the unrivaled cultural staying power of the Faust mythology. LINKS: , , , , Feedback & Theories: 00:00 The Faustian Lens 03:56 Many Mephistopheles 06:00 Offscreen Contract 10:06 Debating the Marriage 16:04 Dragged Down to Hell 17:07 Faustus’ Final Line 20:06 The Mock Crucifixion 21:21 Parade(s) of the Seven Deadly Sins 23:31 Looking for Lucifer 25:06 Sister Jeanne Analysis 28:16 Populist Plurality 30:19 Slight of Hand Tragedy 31:36 Why Faustus Matters t33:16 Closing Thoughts
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What Happens When You Watch Too Many Movies
10/16/2026
What Happens When You Watch Too Many Movies
Maggie did the math and concluded that we see about 200 movies a year. In this conceptual episode, we’re trying to figure out how that ridiculous fact has changed us, how we think about movies, and how we talk about works of art on this show. The answers are a kaleidoscope of good, bad, personal, and academic. And yes, before you ask, we do at one point passionately reflect upon Jason Statham’s The Beekeeper. LINKS: , , , , Feedback & Theories: 00:00 Introduction 01:20 Burnout 05:56 Fandom 11:13 Mediocrity 14:28 Curiosity 20:31 Ritual 24:35 Reflection 30:37 Context 39:09 Appreciation 43:14 Closing Thoughts
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Digger
10/13/2026
Digger
Digger is far and away the most thought provoking movie of the year. Ignore the critics and the box office, find the biggest screen you can, and make up your own mind. In this episode, we’re focusing in on the film’s incredibly complex and compelling navigation of satire — which has at least five distinct angles. We examine the film’s central ‘misdirection monologue’ to disentangle these critiques, before working through our own interpretations of the moment. Then we engage with some of the (misguided) reaction to the film, including the absurd idea that this movie is just “satire about satire”. Cam spirals through half a dozen works of satire that this film seems to be in open conversation with, and then we ask some essential / unanswerable questions: What is the point of satire? What makes a work of satire a ‘success’? And what might that ending mean? There is so much to talk about with this one, so grab a shovel and dig in! LINKS: , , , , Feedback & Theories: 00:00 Introduction 02:23 Five Layers of Satire 05:23 The Misdirection Monologue 16:04 Our Interpretations 22:46 “Satire About Satire” 24:47 What is the Point? 28:56 Wag the Dog 31:03 Eddington 32:13 The Death of Stalin 33:11 I Love Boosters 34:03 Vice 35:14 Bugonia 35:46 Debating the Ending 38:00 Metrics of Success 43:47 The Danger of Parody 45:12 Cast & Crew 48:40 Top Gun 49:50 Birdman 50:57 Anna Karenina 52:37 Oppenheimer / The Odyssey 53:24 Megalopolis 54:02 Closing Thoughts
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A Clash of Kings, Vol. 18 [Jon 4 / Bran 5]
10/09/2026
A Clash of Kings, Vol. 18 [Jon 4 / Bran 5]
The Reeds have returned to terrorize Bran with dire, vague prophecies — and in this episode, we’re going to follow their lead and explore all the horror, fantasy, and philosophical dread we can find. Maggie charts prophecy and prayer through the sudden resurgence of the supernatural. Cam rediscovers our old Macbeth theory, but through a brand new lens. GRRM’s Macbeth isn’t Ned Stark, or the Starks in general, but the castle itself. Winterfell seems to have come alive in the aftermath of Renly’s death, and we work together to craft a theory about ghosts, gods, dreams that makes sense of all the reawakened magic that is crackling through Westeros. LINKS: , , , , Feedback & Theories: 00:00 A Milestone Episode 02:01 Recap of Chapters 21:25 Supernatural Couplet 27:44 Prophecy & Prayer 34:53 Direwolf Dilemma 40:59 Macbeth Returns 43:33 A Haunted House 51:25 Refining the Theory 55:36 Reawakened Magic 01:00:10 The New Binary 01:04:50 Closing Thoughts
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Verity
10/06/2026
Verity
Verity has a fantastic premise and some jaw-dropping twists. We both devoured the book. But then we read the ending, which backpedals and defangs everything that’s interesting about the story’s most interesting character. And then there’s the brand new epilogue, which unwids the central drama even further. And THEN there’s the movie, which doubles down on all of these problems until there are no fun wrinkles left. No texture, no intrigue, no unlikable characters. In this episode, we’re tracing this strange, compounding “nesting dolls” problem across multiple editions of the book and the recent film adaptation. How does a promising erotic thriller premise end up as a movie that is neither erotic nor thrilling? LINKS: , , , , Feedback & Theories: 00:00 Impressions 04:46 The Ending 11:21 The Epilogue 15:47 The Movie 18:56 The Actors 19:28 The Setting 22:05 Overall Theory 23:21 Alternate Endings 24:26 Ambiguity 27:25 Closing Thoughts
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Hope
10/02/2026
Hope
This might be the most difficult-to-describe movie of the year. It’s Mad Max: Fury Road meets Curb Your Enthusiasm with a lot of Independence Day thrown in there, but then at the end it kinda turns into Avatar? We can guarantee you that you’ve never seen anything like this, and that it will be one of the most energizing and entertaining theatrical experiences you have this year. Topics include: the secret delights of (occasionally) bad CGI, unexpected genre mashups, evolving creature design, how to portray / maintain urgency onscreen, the relationship between action and emotion, and the important role that absurdity can play in grounding a narrative. LINKS: , , , , Feedback & Theories: 00:00 Introduction / Impressions 01:53 Genre Mashup 03:00 Controversial Effects 06:27 Creature Design 07:55 A Sense of Momentum 10:52 B-Movie Absurdity 13:23 Action & Emotion 14:51 The Ending (No Spoilers) 16:00 Closing Thoughts
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Diablo IV [Season of Hell's Legacy]
09/29/2026
Diablo IV [Season of Hell's Legacy]
As we discover in this episode, Maggie loves change and Cam hates change. Guess how we each feel about the big news out of Blizzcon? Diablo IV just dropped the best season they’ve ever made but also kind of put the game out to pasture. Diablo V was announced. Destiny 2 was brought back from the dead. It’s a lot to talk about, in addition to our traditional state of the game check-in, analysis of the seasonal campaign, respective class updates, and wrap-up questions about the future of the franchise. LINKS: , , , , Feedback & Theories: 00:00 Emotional Whiplash 06:44 Conflicted Impressions 13:46 State of the Game 21:48 Seasonal Campaign 26:50 Class Update: Warlock 29:44 Class Update: Necromancer 32:15 Diablo V Wishlist 39:04 The End of Diablo IV 43:03 Closing Thoughts
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A Clash of Kings, Vol. 17 [Sansa 3, Catelyn 4]
09/25/2026
A Clash of Kings, Vol. 17 [Sansa 3, Catelyn 4]
The shadow baby has finally arrived, and with it, the tragic end of Renly Baratheon — except that none of it goes the way we expected it to. In this episode, we dig deep into the first ever explicitly supernatural ‘act of god’ in this series, only to find that the god in question might not be the Lord of Light at all. Maggie tracks the hit rate of prayer in Westeros and searches for narrative ghosts. Cam questions the duality and prominence of Stannis Baratheon. We work together to uncover the couplet comparisons between these two chapters and develop an overarching theory about the God of Death that involves a particularly illuminating metaphor about email forwarding. LINKS: , , , , Feedback & Theories: 00:00 Fantasy Updates 01:48 Recap of Chapters 13:44 Roly Poly Renly 17:38 The Villain of ACOK 24:25 Divine Right, Redux 28:04 The Duality of Stannis 29:19 The Least Worst Option 31:15 Couplets & Crimes 32:38 Troubling Deaf Heaven 38:13 Who Killed Renly? 44:05 The Narrative Ghost 46:30 Depictions of Tragedy 49:50 Closing Thoughts
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Resident Evil
09/22/2026
Resident Evil
Expectations are the trap of all adaptations. This Resident Evil movie lives in many shadows: the beloved game series, the false impression that the trailers gave that this was a very straightforward scary movie, and the towering legacy of Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead. But the wonderful thing is that this movie is still fantastic. Even if it’s not ‘the scariest movie of the year,’ it might just be the best horror comedy of this century — and the very first one to truly speak to our modern sensibility. Put another way, this movie often feels like a Twitch streamer playing a horror game, and the effect is both incredibly immersive and wholly unique. LINKS: , , , , Feedback & Theories: 00:00 Theater Heckling 01:38 First Impressions 09:29 Jump Scares 11:20 Fear Factor 14:21 Very Short And Too Long 18:29 The Fury Road Comparison 20:34 The Non-Gamer Perspective 23:10 Game Design Onscreen 24:50 The Gamer Perspective 27:27 Loose But Faithful Adaptation 30:34 Austin Abrams & Aaron Paul 32:04 Marty Supreme 33:00 The Evil Dead Comparison 36:29 Twitch Era Horror Comedy 42:14 Buried Themes 44:13 Zach Cregger Check-In 45:17 SPOILER ALERT: The Ending 50:52 Closing Thoughts
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Parasomnia
09/18/2026
Parasomnia
Parasomnia terrified me in a way that I haven’t felt since Oddity. This movie feels like it was made in a lab to appeal to us specifically, as a mashup of Insidious 1 & 2, Hell House LLC., The Blair Witch Project. James Ross II has created a powerhouse work of indie horror with remarkable emotional investment, under-your-skin creature design, a grounded and restrained directorial style, and some deliciously upsetting body horror. LINKS: , , , , Feedback & Theories: 00:00 Impressions 02:12 Insidious / Hell House 04:20 Emotional Stakes 07:48 Creature Design 11:24 Fear Factor 14:02 Closing Thoughts
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Buddy
09/15/2026
Buddy
It’s never a bad thing for an indie horror to be ambitious, and Buddy is as bonkers and delightful as it is uneven. In this episode, we’re trying to figure out why the conceit of this movie was so effective for us — and why the experience suffered when the movie moved beyond its premise. Topics include: three act structure, Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey, a spirited carpet tangent, and the jaw dropping commitment of Cristin Milioti. LINKS: , , , , Feedback & Theories: 00:00 Impressions 02:10 A Story of Thirds 09:25 Our Core Dilemma 12:46 The Gimmick Problem 15:26 Blood & Honey 16:59 Closing Thoughts
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A Clash of Kings, Vol. 16 [Arya 7, Catelyn 3]
09/11/2026
A Clash of Kings, Vol. 16 [Arya 7, Catelyn 3]
Neither Renly nor Stannis Baratheon ever sit the Iron Throne, but could things have turned out differently if they had worked together? In this episode, we’re chasing down a what-if question that involves Catelyn Stark’s talent for diplomacy, the long shadow of Robert Baratheon, and the history of a castle that might be more magic than stone. Elsewhere, Cam examines the increased villiany of these chapters alongside the new complicity of our favorite characters, before searching for some supernatural precedent for the (infamous) forthcoming shadow baby. Maggie takes a closer look at the legend of Durran and the mystical origins of Storm’s End. We work together consider the evolving identities, personas, and crises of Arya Stark in the context of her declaration that she’s becoming a living ghost. Finally, our long-time couplet theory faces its most serious test yet, and explodes into a much larger, trickier narrative device. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: 00:00 Bloody Mummers 03:20 Recap of Chapters 21:02 Lost Cause Diplomacy 30:33 A Glut of Villains 37:51 Shadow Baby Precedent 41:08 Chosen One Gold Rush 45:45 Castle or Metaphor? 51:50 The Ghosts of Arya Stark 58:30 Compare / Contrast 01:02:28 The Universal Couplet 01:07:56 Closing Thoughts
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The Future of The Lost Episodes
09/08/2026
The Future of The Lost Episodes
In this episode, we're giving you a quick programming update about the (exciting) future of The Lost Episodes. We also take a look back at Summerween 2026, discuss some behind-the-scenes ideas we've been having, and formally ask for your horror recommendations! LINKS: , , , , Feedback & Theories:
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It Ends
09/04/2026
It Ends
Indie horror is an endless stream of new ideas, new voices, and scrappy, ingenious storytelling — and “It Ends” is the latest hidden gem delight that we’re here to break down and celebrate. Think of this one as an intoxicating blend of The Long Walk, The Blair Witch Project, and Six Feet Under. Topics include: naturalistic dialogue, sustained metaphors, the relationship between runtime / music / sound design, genre innovation, restrained creature design, and an extended, spoiler-filled discussion about the film’s ending, title, and central metaphor. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: 00:00 Introduction 01:53 First Impressions 07:41 Runtime & Music 12:36 Stephen King 15:18 The Blair Witch Project 17:51 Six Feet Under 22:04 Backrooms / Hadestown 24:57 Genre Innovations 31:08 Creature Design 33:03 SPOILERS: Ending & Title 35:26 SPOILERS: Central Metaphor 43:39 Punctum 46:55 Closing Thoughts
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Terrifier
09/01/2026
Terrifier
In this episode, we are revisiting Terrifier in an attempt to understand what makes this movie so so SO much scarier than any of the sequels. Along the way we will discuss the challenges of an 85-minute movie, Paul Wiley’s incredible score, an avalanche of (favorable) comparisons to the original Saw and Halloween films, and what innovations this story brings to the slasher subgenre. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: 00:00 Introduction 01:22 Second Impressions 05:15 Runtime & Music 07:27 Halloween 12:15 Saw 15:35 Other Horror Echoes 16:27 Genre Innovations 21:00 Creature Design 24:05 The Scariest Terrifier 29:32 Art vs. Artist 32:03 Punctum 35:46 Closing Thoughts
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A Clash of Kings, Vol. 15 [Bran 4 / Tyrion 7]
08/28/2026
A Clash of Kings, Vol. 15 [Bran 4 / Tyrion 7]
With these two chapters — a barrage of prophetic dreams, couplets within couplets, and philosophical debates — it is safe to say that A Clash of Kings has officially hit its stride. Maggie’s Dream Corner returns to make sense of winged wolves and bloodstained metaphors. Cam revisits our discussion of franchise villains to tackle the tricky concept of premeditated evil. We work together to parse the mysteries of Maester Luwin's strange take on magic, and track the many pitfalls of the worst job in King’s Landing: the Hand of the King. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: 00:00 House of the Dragon 01:58 Recap of Chapters 16:35 Cascading Couplets 20:45 Two Shadow Kings 23:18 Grey Meat 25:52 Grey Wind 27:45 Grey Chains 33:00 Maesters & Magic 38:27 Hand(s) of the King 46:13 Caution & Control 48:38 Villainy Revisited 54:57 Premeditated Evil 01:00:37 Closing Thoughts
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The Odyssey
08/25/2026
The Odyssey
The Odyssey is almost too massive and influential to discuss in one podcast, but we’re gonna do our best. In this overstuffed episode, we are breaking down all the spectacle, substance, and surprises of this gut-punch of a movie. Topics include: the effect of format across IMAX / 70mm / D-BOX, the relationship between runtime and pacing, Ludwig Göransson’s electric score, an analysis of the Trojan Horse through the frame of GRRM’s Red Wedding, echoes between Homer and Tolkien, an argument that Homer invented almost every subgenre of horror, Nolan’s powerfully indirect approach to creature design, an avalanche of comparisons to Oppenheimer, and a very special segment with Tristan where we go deep on the tricky art of adaptation. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: 00:00 Introduction 01:24 The Trial of IMAX 04:12 Impressions 13:37 Runtime & Pacing 22:33 Music 23:38 The Red Wedding 28:16 Lord of the Rings 29:26 The Grey Havens 31:21 The Scouring of the Shire 34:03 Homer Invented Horror 42:04 Matt Damon 45:06 Creature Design 48:37 Magic in the Margins 55:39 Oppenheimer Comparison 01:04:03 Historical Accuracy 01:10:14 Adaptation 01:44:50 Closing Thoughts
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House of the Dragon [Season Three]
08/21/2026
House of the Dragon [Season Three]
We’ve finally got Tristan back to investigate the tumultuous third season of House of the Dragon. Has the writing improved? Has the acting fallen off? What’s with the ‘portrait mode’ directing this season? In this episode, we’re trying to look at the show from both perspectives: as tv watchers and book readers. We’re also taking a closer look at each major character to examine their arc and performance, and celebrate some surprising new favorites. Aegon! Ormund! Gwayne! Finally, we close things out by revisiting the tensions between this creative team and George R. R. Martin, which seem to continue (and escalate) with a nasty little dig buried in the season finale. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: 00:00 Introduction 01:00 Impressions 17:54 The TV Watcher POV 36:23 The Book Reader POV 49:59 Rhaenyra 57:02 Aegon 01:09:57 Alicent 01:13:06 Mysaria 01:17:57 Ormund 01:21:55 Supporting Cast 01:25:56 Character Death 01:29:23 Gwayne 01:33:26 Beware the Butterflies 01:36:03 Closing Thoughts
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One Night Only
08/18/2026
One Night Only
It’s about damn time Cam had another stupid theory about a movie. This time, he’s arguing that One Night Only is a rom-com remake of our favorite Christmas movie, Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut. Come all ye skeptical, this is one for the ages! LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories:
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A Clash of Kings, Vol. 14 [Arya 6 / Daenerys 2]
08/14/2026
A Clash of Kings, Vol. 14 [Arya 6 / Daenerys 2]
Across genre fiction, “the chosen one” always becomes a cautionary tale. So what does it mean that GRRM dramatizes the unsuccessful reigns of an endless number of Targaryens who all believe that they have the divine warrant to rule the Seven Kingdoms? In this episode, we’re exploring the theology of narcissism that empowers strongmen and emphatically makes the case against any sort of hereditary rule. Maggie explores the remarkable similarities and differences between Arya and Dany to find out why their equally impassioned and aggrieved stories end in such different places. Cam takes a closer look at the problem of evil, particularly the unseen and excused evils of the world that don’t garner nearly enough outrage of philosophical attention, but still have the power to crumble a kingdom from within. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: 00:00 Camel Confusion (Redux) 02:47 Recap of Chapters 21:33 A Theology of Narcissism 30:54 The Myth of The Chosen One 37:11 Couplet or Contrast? 45:55 Maggie's Bird Corner 50:06 The Problem of (Excused) Evil 01:00:40 Closing Thoughts
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Friday the 13th (2009)
08/11/2026
Friday the 13th (2009)
What does it mean to call a horror movie a “guilty pleasure”? Why do we caveat our feelings about incredibly entertaining, funny, well-made movies by calling them “trashy “or emphasizing that they are “just a remake”? In this episode, we’re not just analyzing but celebrating the glorious 2009 remake of Friday the 13th. Topics include: our glowing second impressions after a rewatch, the power of good lighting, a debate about sexuality / sex negativity / the male gaze, and what happens when you extend a cold open to become something more like a short film. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: 00:00 Angry YouTube Commenter 02:23 Camp Miasma 03:57 2000’s Period Piece 07:42 Humor & Sexuality 12:25 Puritanical Horror Tropes 14:26 Reverence of the Original 16:39 Remakes vs. Legacy Sequels 17:32 The Power of Lighting 19:19 Memorable vs. Quotable 22:02 Production Design 23:32 The Role of Archetypes 26:25 Runtime 28:13 Rob Zombie’s Halloween 31:33 David Fincher & James Wan 32:11 The Original Friday the 13th 34:06 Revolutionizing the Cold Open 36:10 Opening Credits Lore Drop 37:41 Sex Negativity Debate 44:24 Creature Design 46:09 Theory Introductions 47:15 “Trashy” Horror 50:54 “Guilty Pleasure” 58:30 Camp Miasma Tangent 01:00:07 Why We Love Horror 01:01:53 Punctum 01:04:41 Closing Thoughts
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Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma
08/07/2026
Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma
Jane Schoenbrun has done something absolutely extraordinary with their latest film, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma. This is a horror movie by horror fans for horror fans that is also about being a horror fan. The density, the efficiency, the provocation — there is so much to love here, and even more to discuss! This is a fantastic slasher movie just as much as it is a rigorous academic dissection of the slasher genre. It might even end up being our favorite “meta” horror movie ever made. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: 00:00 VHS Worship 02:00 Fandom vs. Analysis 05:35 Text vs. Subtext 08:52 Fun Factor 11:15 Metatextual Storytelling 15:44 Curiosity in Horror 20:46 Gillian Anderson 23:00 Closing Thoughts
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Obsession
08/04/2026
Obsession
Horror has always been a philosophical genre. From Frankenstein and Faustus to The Thing and The Exorcist, the scariest stories have always explored questions of identity, consciousness, death, and the afterlife. Curry Barker’s Obsession is a proud addition to that canon. In this episode, we’re doing an extraordinarily deep dive into the philosophy of the movie. Specifically, we’re looking at the idea of the two Nikkis — the character as she was before Bear made his fateful wish, and whatever she became afterwards. We consider the relationship between Nikki and “Other Nikki” in terms of replacement and possession, with all sorts of clues and monkey wrenches from the text to make things difficult. Expect tangents about souls, teleportation, purgatory, Saw traps, and the off-screen but heavily implied One Wish Willow factory. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: 00:00 Introduction / Thesis 05:11 The Two Nikkis 06:30 Replacement 17:23 Possession 30:46 Which Theory is Correct? 35:58 A Clue From the Text 41:25 Closing Thoughts
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A Clash of Kings, Vol. 13 [Theon 2 / Tyrion 6]
07/31/2026
A Clash of Kings, Vol. 13 [Theon 2 / Tyrion 6]
King’s Landing is full of bad people. In this episode, we’re taking a closer look at some of the most dangerous power players in the viper’s nest at the heart of Westeros. Is Tyrion becoming the villain of A Clash of Kings? Is Maester Pycelle the worst person in the history of the realm? Why is everyone so afraid of Robb Stark and treating him like a White-Walker-level threat? And why oh why do we hate the Greyjoys more than the rest of them put together? LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: 00:00 Hating the Greyjoys 02:08 Recap of Chapters 18:15 The Bloody Hand 27:43 A Couplet of Cruelty 32:06 The Stark Threat 46:12 Hierarchy of Evil 54:30 Closing Thoughts
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Jennifer's Body
07/28/2026
Jennifer's Body
Jennifer’s Body asks the moviegoing audience an important question: what if Regina George was a Deadite? In this episode, we explore the Mean Girls & Evil Dead roots of this movie, before going deeper into its clear influence on modern horror hits like Obsession. Cam makes a detour to investigate the Faustian lineage of most of these films. Maggie explores the innovations that Jennifer’s Body brings to half a dozen horror subgenres. We work together to analyze the fascinating choice to make a horror movie’s signature creature design just be Megan Fox, which leads us into a larger discussion about both the horror of beauty and even the (often queer) horror of female friendship. Finally, we consider the potential and pitfalls of legacy sequels. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: 00:00 Introduction 03:35 Rewatch Impressions 08:17 Mean Girls Meets Evil Dead 10:24 Obsession 16:58 Doctor Faustus 21:58 Subgenre Innovations 32:38 Creature Design 34:45 The Horror of Beauty 43:23 Female Friendship & Queer Horror 01:02:09 Closing (Sequel) Thoughts
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Doom: Revelations
07/24/2026
Doom: Revelations
Doom: Revelations is so much more than an expansion. In this episode, we passionately argue that this is in fact the fifth modern Doom game in the last decade, an endlessly inventive, engaging, and replayable game in its own right that officially elevates the modern era of Doom into the same conversation as Halo during the Bungie years. Topics include: an ever-evolving endgame, signature weapons, the challenges of FPS boss fights, the secret to replayable campaigns, and how this game is a sequel to every single modern Doom game at the same time. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: 00:00 Thesis / Impressions 04:10 Late Stage God of War 07:13 Destiny 2 (Art Direction) 08:30 Dark Souls (Difficulty) 10:59 The Ethos of Modern Doom 14:02 Signature Weapons 17:03 Uniquely Good Boss Fights 18:51 The Secrets of Replayability 21:25 Endless Endgame 27:18 Sequel to Eternal / Ancient Gods 29:41 Sequel to The Dark Ages 33:47 The Elephant in the Room 37:09 The Successor to Halo 40:09 Episode 666 / Closing Thoughts
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Possum
07/21/2026
Possum
This episode is one of our ‘white whales’. Possum is a bonafide masterpiece of indie horror, one of the most haunting, symbolically-dense, and unnerving movies we’ve ever seen — and we think we’re finally up to the task of analyzing it properly. In this episode we’re diving deep into every single one of the film’s veiled metaphors: what is the puppet? who is the puppet? what does the title mean? We’re also exploring creature design, paradoxical runtimes, genre fusions, and a string of outlandish comparisons ranging from The Babadook to Wuthering Heights. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: 00:00 Intro / Outline 04:07 Second Impressions 11:56 Paradoxical Runtime 17:29 The Babadook 19:44 The Lighthouse 20:20 Hell House LLC 21:14 Wuthering Heights 23:25 Enemy 24:28 Grief Horror 27:00 Folk Horror 28:04 Classic Monster Movies 29:36 Creature Design 36:06 Who Kidnapped the Kid? 40:30 What is the Puppet? 51:44 What Does the Title Mean? 54:58 What is the Fox? 57:27 Punctum 01:01:47 Closing Thoughts
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A Clash of Kings, Vol. 12 [Catelyn 2 / Jon 3]
07/17/2026
A Clash of Kings, Vol. 12 [Catelyn 2 / Jon 3]
We have argued for a number of months now that A Clash of Kings was written in thematic couplets, and that has never been more true than it is in this discussion, which juxtaposes Jon and Catelyn to reveal their striking similarities. GRRM also uses the repeated structure of these two chapters to draw out some shocking implications: equating Stannis with the White Walkers and interrogating Catelyn’s treatment of Jon. Maggie investigates the endless blame game that stretches across these pages alongside a worryingly widespread trend of deferred responsibility. Cam revisits our “living ghosts” theory to figure out why all of our would-be kings feel like they’ve already lost the war. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: 00:00 Dunk & Egg 02:20 Recap of Chapters 20:46 Combative Couplets 28:31 Implication & Accusation 35:13 Deferred Responsibility 42:21 A Parade of Dead Kings 45:11 Five Faustian Bargains 50:15 Closing Thoughts
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Evil Dead Burn
07/14/2026
Evil Dead Burn
Evil Dead Burn is one of the best directed horror movies of the year. It’s gnarly, it’s fast, and it feels like it has something to prove. In this episode, we’re exploring every aspect of the gloriously mean-spirited hunger at the heart of this movie, as well as some problems with runtime, fear factor, and creature design. We also work through some unorthodox comparisons, ranging all the way from Krampus to Succession, before forming some theories about “half deadites” and then zooming out to consider the past and future of this beloved franchise. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: 00:00 Intro / Outline 02:03 First Impressions 10:07 Horror Sequels 13:25 Fear Factor 13:57 Runtime Problems 20:53 Krampus 22:15 Final Destination Bloodlines 22:53 Ready Or Not 23:41 Succession 25:42 Passenger 26:51 Inside 28:33 Genre Fusion 30:38 Franchise Innovations 33:10 Creature Design Woes 36:26 Will’s Final Form 37:55 Theory: The Half Deadite 42:43 Theory: Victim Blaming 47:07 Post Credits Scene 50:05 The Future of the Franchise 52:44 Is This Movie Funny? 54:14 Punctum 58:36 Closing Thoughts
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Diablo IV [Season of Death Awakening]
07/10/2026
Diablo IV [Season of Death Awakening]
Live service games are finicky and inconsistent, almost by definition. Unfortunately, this fourteenth season of Diablo IV is a major disappointment that feels consistently underbaked. In this episode, we’re doing our full “State of the Game” check-in covering everything from fun factor to the reliquary system, discussing the Helltide-heavy and narrative-light seasonal campaign, revisiting the Barbarian and Spiritborn classes, and then spitballing some ways that Diablo 4 could improve its topsy turvy seasonal model. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: 00:00 Intro / Outline 02:28 State of the Game 14:50 Seasonal Campaign 26:41 Class Update: Barbarian 29:28 Class Update: Spiritborn 33:20 Fixing The Seasonal Model 39:08 Closing Thoughts
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