Things discussed in this episode:

• Peak TV Is Over, Welcome to Trough TV by Sam Adams (Slate)
• The Enshittification of TikTok by Cory Doctorow (Wired) 

Then we discuss this upcoming summer movie season, including which movies we're excited to see on the big and the films we're approaching with skepticism. (35:00) 

Loann's multiverse book recommendations:

• The Peripheral by Charles Gibson
• The Doors of Eden by Adrian Tchaikovsky 

Art's multiverse movie recommendations:

• Triangle 
• Coherence

Other things of interest talked about in this episode:

Recursion by Blake Crouch 

The Sundered World by Michael Moorecock

The Man in the High Castle by Phillip K. Dick

Loann is relieved that Sense8 will have a life beyond the cliffhanger ending of this most recent season, while Art thrills to the women of GLOW - the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling.

We talk about how shows and movies deal with the immediate aftermath of the apocalypse as Loann chats about the third season of Fear the Walking Dead and Art contrasts and compares that with the recent film It Comes at Night. 

And lastly, Art and Loann talk about the books they've been reading this summer. 

Things discussed in this episode:

Sens8 (Netflix series)

Sens8 To Receive a Two Hour Finale Special on Netflix - Variety

GLOW (Netflix Series)

G.L.O.W. - The Story of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (Documentary)

Fear the Walking Dead

It Comes at Night

The Southern Reach Trilogy by Jeff VanderMeer:

• Book 1 Annihilation
• Book 2 Authority
• Book 3 Acceptance

Before the Fall by Noah Hawley

The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware

Margaret Atwood's novel, published in the 1980's is now a hit series for Hulu starring Elizabeth Moss. 

We talk about the novel and the adaptation - how they differ, how they are the same, and what the story means to us today. 

Discussed in this episode:

Mary McCarthy's 1996 review of the novel in the The New York Times

The Handmaid's Tale is a Warning to Conservative Women - Sarah Jones, New Republic

Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood

This movie was high on both our lists of most anticipated summer movies, and we've both seen it and are ready to weigh in. 

In this show we also talk about Wonder Woman in the culture- her history and what was riding on the success of this latest incarnation of America's first female superhero!

*We do not  spoil any major plot points, surprises or twists. However, as always, we do warn listeners that do we review the movie in depth. We don't reveal anything much beyond what people could gather from watching a trailer for the film, or reading a typical movie review. If you're a moviegoer who doesn't even like watching trailers, come back and listen to our discussion after you've seen the movie! 

Things discussed in this podcast: 

The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore

Intro music by Maeve.

We each list our top five movies we are looking forward to this summer! 

Also, Art has been reliving the O.J. Simpson Trial days with the documentary O.J. Simpson Made In America and the dramatized series American Crime Story: The People Versus O.J. Simpson, along with reading the definitive book on the trial, Jeffrey Toobin's The Run of His Life: The People Versus O.J. Simpson.  Loann has been watching The Magicians.

WARNING: We are not spoilery, we give away no major plot points or surprises, but we do talk about the film in total. As we say in the show itself: If you still have not seen the movie, and you are the type of person who doesn't even like to see trailers or read reviews, then you may want to come back to this episode after you've seen Rogue One.

Also Loann has been watching a crime thriller series from Denmark called Department Q. Art recently binged Brit Marling's new Netflix series The OA

Reading list:

Of Course Rogue One is Political - David Sims, The Atlantic

And then each of us talk about our top five most memorable times at the movies. Sad, embarrassing, funny and uplifting, our movie experiences span across the globe and our lives. 

Featured discussion topic:

Is It Curtains for the Big Screen? - Financial Times

Music by MaeveMusic

That's right, these are the big, spectacular popcorn movies that are great to see with an audience looking to have a great time! 

And then we talk about some of culture we've been consuming lately. Loann checked out the new adaptation of J.G. Ballard's High-Rise. And Art ventured into the horror-thriller realm with two recent films about people trapped in remote areas - Green Room and The Forest. 

Warning: Though we are a spoiler-free podcast in general, we do spoil some classic works of literature and few classic movies in this episode. We also talk about the Walking Dead season finale from this year as well as some other recent movies and television series, but we don't talk specifically enough to give anything away. If you like to remain completely spoiler-free in your entertainment consumption, consider yourself fairly warned! 

Featured discussions:

The Walking Dead

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 and Part 2

Sherlock (BBC series)

Featured discussion topics:

Better Living Through Criticism by A. O. Scott

An extract of Scott's book in The Guardian

Daredevil

Deadpool

Between the World and Me by Ta Nahesi Coates

The Bazarre of Bad Dreams by Stephen King

Son of Saul

Featured discussion:

• Ant Man

• Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation

• True Detective

• Sens8

Other things discussed:

• George R.R. Martin's feelings on Marvel Villians
• The Trinity Syndrome
• Daredevil
• Cedar Rapids 
• Going Clear (The Scientology Documentary)
• The Hunt
• Hannibal

Summer movies discussed this episode:

• Avengers: Age of Ultron
  
• Jurassic World
• Mad Max: Fury Road
  
• Minions
• Love and Mercy
  

Other things discussed:

A Million Ways to Die in the West

Ted & Ted 2

Seth Mcfarlane sings Cyndi Lauper's hits as Stewie and Peter Griffin.

It Follows

Supercut video of cell phones not working in movies.

Also, we talk about what we've consuming culturally. 

Loann has finished David Mitchell's new novel The Bone Clocks and Art was really taken with the movie Frank, starring Michael Fassbender in a mask for the entire movie.

Reading List:

What Happened to Original Movies Aimed at Adults? by Richard Brody

Reading list:

Can Books Cross Borders?  By Tim Parks 

We're losing all our Strong Female Characters to Trinity Syndrome  By Tasha Robinson

We also discuss what our cultural consumption over the past few weeks.

Reading List:

Against YA; Should Adults Be Embarassed to Read Children's Books 

Can Conservatives Be Funny? By Frank Rich

Also, we give our impressions of two new summer movies: Godzilla and X-Men: Days of Future Past.

Links of Note:

New York Times on Trigger Warnings.

Novelist Jay Caspian Kahn on the effect of trigger warnings on artists.

We also talk about how the summer movie season starts earlier every year. And we recommend some books we've read recently.

Here is a link to the chart of how Godzilla has grown over the years.

Music in this episode is from Maeve. 

Also, it has been the summer of big show trials around the country, including here in Boston. We discuss some of the bigger ones.

And we talk about what culture we've been consuming.

And we look at the emerging success of Netflix Original Series, such as House of Cards, Hemlock Grove, Arrested Development and the brand new Orange is the New Black.

Also, we catch up on the summer movie season, discussing some of the films each of us has seen.

We also chat about what culture we've been consuming lately.

Finally, Art and Loann discuss their recent cultural consumption.