Episode 56: Beauty is in the Eye of Truth

They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder—but what does that say about the beholder? In an exploration of this year’s Best Picture, The Shape of Water, Derek & Laurel examine its structural similarities to the tale as old as time, Beauty & the Beast. Aesthetic philosophy, Enlightenment politics, and civil unrest all find their way into the discussion as we try to understand what makes a fairy tale for our troubled times. Come on in, the water’s fine.

Episode 55: Problem-Free Philosophy

Last week we began a conversation about what makes a good king. To continue probing the possible answers, we had to go back to one of our favorite monarchs in storytelling, The Lion King. In this episode, Derek and Laurel explore the connections (and departures) of the Lion King and Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the historical roots of the political systems laid out in the animated classic, and the ultimate philosophical messages it leaves us with. It may seem easy and ideal to say “no worries” for the rest of your days, but of course, we know there is no problem-free philosophy. Be prepared for a sensational podcast.

Episode 54: The Panther is Dead, Long Live the Panther

What makes a great king? The archetype of the king is an age-old convention in storytelling, and we can find answers to that question in Arthurian legend, Shakespeare, Disney, and Tolkien. But let’s look to the Marvel Cinematic Universe once more to try and understand how that question informs its latest installment “Black Panther.” Join Derek & Laurel on this journey from Oakland to Wakanda as we demystify the makings of great monarchs—and how the answer to that question has changed in the modern world.

Bonus Episode: Oscar Round Up!

Derek and Laurel breakdown their picks for this years Oscars

Episode 53: See You Later, Alligator

Is there a soul? One of the oldest questions humankind has ever asked works its way through almost all of our stories in some form or another. But it’s a question that pops up continually in the popular Netflix series, Black Mirror. A vision of a technological future that often devolves into dystopia, Black Mirror pits humanity against machine-learning tech, sentient digital copies, and transferred consciousness on a frequent basis. We’re taking this question up with a quieter episode though. Season Four’s Crocodile asks about whether we have a soul, not as opposed to a robot, but as opposed to the rest of the animals. And if we have a soul, what happens when it’s corrupted?

Episode 52: In Love and War

Here’s looking at you, podcast. Listen as Derek and Laurel examine the politics, tragedy and love, of cinema’s greatest love story, Casablanca. Inspired by Valentine’s day, and the notion that society’s greatest virtue is love, Casablanca asks if the problems of little people amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world. Maybe as Rick says, they don’t. Or Maybe its the only thing that does matter. Maybe beauty will save us. Maybe we are doomed. One thing that is certain, this is a podcast you don’t want to miss!

Episode 51: Champs

As Philadelphia-based podcasters, we’re understandably pretty high on the Eagles’ Super Bowl Victory. But the game that brings a country together one Sunday each year is more than a game when viewed through the lens of sporting history and the idea of cultural identity. This week, Derek and Laurel look to one of the great sport stories, which also has roots in scrappy Philadelphia: Rocky. As a character, as a symbol of America, as a perseverant fighter, Rocky Balboa has inspired a generation of sports fans and cinema junkies alike. Join us as we explore the underlying moral philosophy and artistic heritage of America’s favorite underdog.

****CORRECTION: Derek is acutely aware that dentology is not a word. Painfully aware. However, when Derek recorded the above episode, he fucked up and misspoke deontology (a word whose roots go back to Ancient Greece), which is the moral system he was referring to. Feel free to tweet at him #dentologyshame for the rest of his life.****

Episode 50: Never Trust A Faun

Have you ever walked into the edge of the woods and wondered if the shadows moved? Was it a fairy, a faun? Ever considered the possibility that a magical realm lived just outside the grasp of humanity? On this, the 50th episode of the Midnight Myth, Derek and Laurel go back to the fairytales and myths that have shaped human existence as they discuss Guillermo del Toro’s 2006 masterpiece, Pan’s Labyrinth. Del Toro expertly intertwines the politics of 1944 Spain with magical realism, delighting our senses while challenging the conventions of traditional fairytale paradigms. The underworld, princesses and monsters get reinvented as they are juxtaposed to the reality of fascism and the oppression of dictatorship. 

Thank you to all of Midnight Myth listeners, without you, we would have never made it to 50 episodes!