Season two of the Handmaids Tale concluded last week with an epic finale that saw our heroine, June, make a controversial decision. Expanding on the first-person limited world of Margaret Atwood’s novel, the Hulu series, and this season in particular, brought us into the minds and hearts of characters in every strata of Gileadian society. In this podcast, Derek and Laurel examine the effect that has on us as viewers, and how the vastness of the Handmaid’s Tale works to break down the boundaries imposed on women, and everyone in a fascist regime. Why does June make the choice she makes? We’ll answer that question and more as we seek to understand how a character—or a society—can change.
Episode 70: Outside In
The Pixar train continues to roll here at the Midnight Myth, where this week, we’re picking apart the science and magic of Inside Out. Watching the coming-of-age of a young girl through the eyes and oculus of her tiny, anthropomorphized neurotransmitters, we’re got pressing questions about what the movie says about us, our emotions, and our role in the universe. We’ll compare Inside Out to classic forms and conventions of storytelling while diving into the complex and fascinating world of emotional theory.
Episode 69: Pixar Special
There is a power in all of us, waiting to be tapped into, and it is unlocked through the magic of human emotion. This week’s episode is dedicated to celebrating one of the Hollywood’s greatest studios: Pixar. In a part game, part analysis, and part fresh take into The Incredibles 2, Derek and Laurel cherish and toast the animation studio which brings man, woman, and child together for a nice song and good cry.
Episode 68: That's Incredible!
The arrival of Pixar’s long-awaited sequel to ‘The Incredibles’ has us itching to revisit the beloved family of superheroes. Turning a critical eye to the story of the Parr family and their secret identities, we’ll explore each character’s journey toward becoming fully actualized beings—with or without superpowers. For a kids’ movie, ‘The Incredibles’ digs into surprisingly mature subject matter, like suburban dissatisfaction, political ideologies, and gender roles. We’ll do our best to leave no stone unturned in this analysis. No capes!
Episode 67: Return Ye, Children of Men
Yes, the world may actually be going straight to hell. But what can we learn from the onslaught of inhuman behavior to the weakest of us happening at the American-Mexican border? To understand what makes immigrants enemies and how to combat the dehumanization of refugees, Derek and Laurel turn to the 2006 masterpiece of film, Children of Men directed by Alfonso Cuarón. While the movie may have had lackluster box-office sales, the artistic impact of a filmic world bent on militarizing its borders while on the brink of the apocalypse can tell us much about our own dilemmas. Content warning: this episode gets heavy—we discuss the realities and atrocities taking place at the border. Join us for a no-holds-barred discussion about real life imitating art, and the cost of giving up one’s humanity to save it.
Episode 66: Your Words Are Poison
We live in strange times, in which the truth and fantasy are sometimes blurred, sometimes synonymous. Here on the Midnight Myth, we often look to our stories are guides to cope with our troubled social, political, or moral questions. Today, we explore the theme of corruption through the iconic and epic fantasy series the Lord of the Rings. They say power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. This holds true for the characters that populate Middle Earth, who struggle against evil magic jewelry, the ever-flowing tide of darkness, and seemingly innocuous--but insidious--language
Episode 65: What Ever Happened to Gary Cooper?
Eleven years after the iconic, genius, frustrating, scintillating, upsetting finale—the cut-to-black heard round the world, we’re jumping headfirst into the underworld of New Jersey crime, and into the den of the Sopranos. HBO’s critically acclaimed series captured viewers instantly by asking a simple question: what if a mob boss went to therapy? But instead of turning it into a punchline, the show used that springboard to open up questions about humanity, mental illness, family, and the American Dream. Now Derek and Laurel pull apart the characters, the influences, and the ultimate successes and failures of the series that brought epic, romantic stories back down to earth. Brief lessons on Italian Opera, the theatrical form Commedia dell’Arte, and the most famous thought experiment in quantum mechanics.
The Boomerangerang: Star Wars Edition
It’s good to be back in the studio with a new Boomerangerang—an all-game, all-debate, all-awesome back and forth starring your favorite Star Wars heroes, villains, and unexpected side characters. Join us as we explore the merits of Jar Jar Binks as a web developer, Admiral Holdo as an international diplomat, or Darth Vader as a travel agent. Pick a side, make an argument, and enjoy.