Episode 94A: Locksley

We have all heard the stories, seen the movies, read the children’s books, about Medieval England’s daring outlaw, who steals from the rich to give to the poor. Join us for part one of a two episode series, as we discuss the folk origins of Robin Hood. From the beer guzzling Friar Tuck to the notorious Sheriff of Nottingham, Derek and Laurel explore the long history of this enigmatic folk hero. How did a few ballads and festivals of Medieval England become one of the most prolific heroes of all time? Head to Sherwood Forest, put on your green hoods, and notch an arrow as you don’t want to miss this stunning deep dive into this bonafide legend. 

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Episode 93: I Defy You, Stars

Valentine’s Day is nearly upon us! To celebrate the spirit of the day of love, The Midnight Myth goes back to the middle ages and the Renaissance. That’s right, it’s a Shakespeare episode. We’re dishing up historical context and analysis for one of the most important pieces of literature ever written: Romeo & Juliet. An early work in the bard’s long line of tragedies, comedies, and histories, Romeo & Juliet can be viewed as the work that invented our modern understanding of love. And the poet himself may be the man who invented modern man. All this and more in a very special Midnight Myth episode for lovers, fools, poets, and madmen.

Sources

Images are Amazon affiliate links, meaning if you buy the item through our link, a small percentage will go to the podcast. Thank you for your support!

Episode 78: O Captain! My Captain!

This week on the Midnight Myth Podcast, we look to the film Dead Poets Society, the lessons it hopes to teach, and the new significance it has taken on in the years since the death of its star, Robin Williams. We examine the themes that his character John Keating recognizes and hopes to impart to his students: carpe diem! Gather ye rosebuds while ye may! Sound thy barbaric yawp. We recognize that our perspective has shifted when we watch this film. We are, in a way, looking down from standing atop our desks, watching for the signs, trying to understand why a great talent, great artist, and great man would take his own life. We follow that question into the characters of DPS, who must ask themselves the same. We wonder what’s most important—the art or the artist? The legacy or the life?

Episode 77: My Dear Watson

We spend a lot of time here at the Midnight Myth discussing heroes, villains, epic adventures, and feats of derring-do. But it’s easy to lose sight of those characters just outside the realm of glory, just to the right of the protagonist, propping them up in times of need. This week, we’re talking about the sidekick—through the eyes of one of the greatest sidekicks in all of storytelling, Dr. John Watson. As he accompanies the great detective Sherlock Holmes and chronicles their adventures, Watson may seem like a lesser man, but time and again proves himself essential to Holmes’ success. We’re taking a close look at the pilot episode of the BBC series Sherlock, ‘A Study in Pink,’ to break down what makes Watson both so ordinary and so exceptional.

Episode 73: 5 by 5

Great rivalries throughout the ages: Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy, Black Swan and White Swan, Black Panther and Killmonger, Batman and the Joker… but few rivalries have the intensity, longevity, or singularity as the one between Buffy Summers and Faith Lehane. Two girls in all the world, chosen to defeat the vampires, the demons, and the forces of darkness, when two slayers come head to head, it’s a clash of destinies. Fresh off the announcement of a Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot, Derek and Laurel unpack one of television’s most fraught relationships. Friends, enemies, or frenemies, Buffy and Faith give us the perfect literary foils, supernatural doppelgängers, and philosophical opposites. We’ll dig into Ancient Greek Cynicism, Kantian ethics, 19th century literature and more as we unravel the ties that bind the two slayers together.

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 34: Mockingbirds and Jabberjays

On this week’s episode, we step into the strange dystopian world of the Hunger Games Trilogy. By tracking the evolution of the films themselves and their thematic intentions, Derek & Laurel draw real-world conclusions about the horror of war, the collective amnesia of humanity, and why revolutions fail. Spoilers within for the Hunger Games films, Rogue One, and V for Vendetta!

Episode 18: Woman Inherits The Earth

Sloths are cute. I mean, they are really really cute. Do yourself a favor, and google cute sloth videos. This brings us to this weeks episode where the 90s classic “Jurassic Park” is discussed. We are re-imagining the blockbuster classic as an intellectual treatise on the role humanity has on biological systems, as we grapple with manmade climate change. Derek & Laurel trace the evolution of the age-old conflict between man and nature, exploring Jurassic Park’s modern man vs. nature narrative (and its parallels to Mary Shelley’s classic story, Frankenstein). The debate is palpable, and reminds us of the many false actors in today’s turbulent climate change discourse. But don’t let it bum you out, cause there will always be sloths on the internet. At least, I hope.