Syllabus

This week, Ashby and Coco, along with the entirety of the Bravoverse, tune in to Part 1 of the Summer House reunion. In this episode, we get into Lindsay Hubbard’s ascendance to Evil Queen (complimentary) of Summer House , why everyone needs to learn about codependency, the true value of female friendships, and what they hope to see from the show in the future (spoiler: it does not include West!)...

This week, Coco shares reflections on being a childfree woman in this current moment: at the intersection of far-right pronatalism and declining birthrate panic. We tease out the various stereotypes about women* without children and explore the role they play in our culture. Coco shares some of her favorite childfree representation – from essays to film to people on the internet – and why they are...

Ashby and Coco continue their reading journey with spring’s hottest novel, Yesteryear, by Caro Claire Burke, who also co-hosts the incredible Diabolical Lies podcast.  Burke’s novel dives into the world of one “tradwife” influencer’s journey – and boy is it a journey!! – tracing how her early perceptions of other women, her experiences of marriage and motherhood, and her family origin story shape...

First off, a quick apology: this week’s episode was recorded on slightly different equipment than usual, which led to some audio issues. Thank you for your patience! Ashby and Coco read Adult Braces: Driving Myself Sane by Lindy West. Like, actually read the book! And only after that do they dive into the surrounding discourse, arriving at a central question: how can women share their experiences...

Scandal This week, Coco takes Ashby on a two-part journey through Summer House , introducing her to her friends (and frenemies) who love to party in the Hamptons. Though Ashby hasn’t seen the show, she’s a quick study when it comes to cultural discourse and brings a fresh perspective to the house and its many players. In full transparency, we recorded the first episode – focused on Kyle’s toxic be...

Kyle & Amanda  This week, Coco takes Ashby on a two-part journey through Summer House , introducing her to her friends (and frenemies) who love to party in the Hamptons. Though Ashby hasn’t seen the show, she’s a quick study when it comes to cultural discourse and brings a fresh perspective to the house and its many players. In full transparency, we recorded the first episode – focused on Kyle...

In this special Women’s History Month episode, Ashby and Coco dive into the work of three transformative women: Angela Davis, Assata Shakur, and Greta Thunberg. They unpack their complicated feelings about Feminism™ and look to the ideas of women so often branded “radical” to find something genuinely powerful. Using quotes from three books: Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and...

This week, Ashby and Coco talk about their big picture Oscar feelings, go through the nominees for Best Picture, and shoutout a few films that didn’t get quite enough awards season love. They spend a little time discussing what makes Hamnet special, and Ashby makes a bold pitch for how to fix the Oscars.  As always, join us at syllabuspod.substack.com for all of the references made in this episode...

This week, Ashby and Coco shift into grad school discussion mode as they dive into two excellent essays: “ Within the Pretense of No Pretense ” by Greg Jackson, originally published in The Point, and “ An Age of Hyperabundance ” by Laura Preston from n+1. If you love a good “brain buzz,” go ahead and check out these incredible pieces, and pick up a copy of The Best American Essays 2025 , curated b...

Happy Valentine’s Day and welcome to the House of Woodcock.  This week, Ashby and Coco watch Phantom Thread , a movie Coco has been thinking about it since she saw it back in 2017. They dig into feminist criticisms of PTA, ADHD crashouts, and the power of some truly delulu determination. Coco finds a way to yet again bring up Sally Rooney and Southern Charm , and Ashby continues to hold Coco accou...

This week, Ashby and Coco watch Heated Rivalry , and while they definitively do not think you need more takes from straight ladies in the suburbs, they unfortunately have the mics and the time, so here you go! We get into our favorite rom com moments from the show, explore our feelings about seeing sex portrayed on screen, and Ashby reveals her truly surprising #1 takeaway. While we might not have...

This week, Ashby and Coco watch two excellent movies, D(e)ad and Sentimental Value , that explore the complex relationships between fathers and their adult daughters. What do these two very different movies have in common? A lot, it turns out! Get excited for themes like codependence! grief! sisterhood! and, of course, interior design (Ashby simply needs to talk about the houses, okay). We adored...

This week, Ashby and Coco are in the Rec Room, recapping some of their favorite purchases, media, and lessons learned from 2025, as well as exploring some hopes for 2026. They get into how housework is a “moral neutral,” that kind things can be funny, too!, that healing takes time, and that it’s not cool to be an adult “chicken nugget kid.” And a warning: Pinterest is body dysmorphia but for your...

This week on Syllabus, Ashby and Coco dive into Lily Allen’s latest album, West End Girl , while reflecting on a classic Anne Helen Petersen essay, Blue Marriage and the Terror of Divorce . They discuss what makes the album compelling, their feelings on celebrity divorce, and earnestly explore their own feelings about the expectations and compromises of marriage. Along the way, they reference Tayl...

This week on Syllabus , Ashby and Coco get cozy with some movie, book, and, yes, Dungeons and Dragons recommendations. They highlight some great audiobooks to keep you company during that home reno project, dive into the fascinating life of Mary Shelley, and debate whether Frankenstein’s creature’s latest incarnation is beautiful or cringe (you decide!). And Catholicism comes up a surprising amoun...

Show Notes for Part 2  This week on Syllabus , Ashby and Coco continue their conversation about work and all its complications. You can listen to Part 1 here .  In Part 2, they dive into the helpful concepts – many stemming from the great Anne Helen Petersen of Culture Study – that have been crucial to their evolution. They look toward the future and try to envision who they want to be and the typ...

This week on Syllabus , Ashby and Coco attempt to distill 5+ years of conversations down to a breezy couple of hours. Do they succeed? You can be the judge! They dive into the fraught waters of untangling their relationships to work: the role it plays in their lives, it’s impact on their egos and identities, and the compromises and questions it’s raised along the way.  In Part 1, they focus on the...

This week on Syllabus , Ashby and Coco remember the late Diane Keaton and celebrate her authenticity, her film legacy, and her certified icon status. From her unconventional path to her singular sense of style, they tip their (very large, black bowler) hat to her. We miss you already, Diane. They revisit The Godfather (it’s not just for dudes, though if a dude introduced you to it and that permane...

This week, Ashby and Coco ask: Will this fix it? In which they explore the the coping mechanisms, habits, and, yes, of course, purchases that we turn to in an attempt to fix “it.”  Now, if you are listening to this podcast, you’re probably familiar with “it” – you know, the anxious, icky feeling nagging at you. They reflect on the full spectrum of habits, tactics, and purchases they’ve tried – fro...

( Heads up: There's an extremely brief discussion toward the end of this episode of a sexual assault plot point in the film. Nothing graphic or detailed, but take care of yourself :) Show Notes:  This week, Ashby and Coco dive into Celine Song’s sophomore film, Materialists (2025) — a movie so bizarre that it simply had to be discussed. This episode is part film club, part vent session, and part a...

Show Notes: Part 2 A note about this episode: We had some recording issues that impacted the audio quality. Editor Ashby worked her magic, and the issue is barely noticeable; however, if there are little moments that sound strange, that’s why!  This week, Ashby and Coco continue their discussion of the novel Butter by Asako Yuzuki, brilliantly translated by Polly Barton. In this episode, they cove...

Butter: A Novel x Part 1 A note about this episode: We had some recording issues that impacted the audio quality. Editor Ashby worked her magic, and the issue is barely noticeable; however, if there are little moments that sound strange, that’s why!  This week, Ashby and Coco crack open the novel Butter by Asako Yuzuki, brilliantly translated by Polly Barton. They dive into themes of feminism, fri...

This week, Ashby and Coco crack open their podcast apps and their emotional archives to ask: Why do we listen to the shows we do? What podcasts have stuck with us? And what types of podcasts do we turn to for different moods? They reflect on how their podcast diets have evolved over the years and how they’ve shaped their thinking. From funny women they’d like to have a beer with to clear-eyed trut...

This week, Ashby and Coco (cautiously) enter the glitter-filled group chat to ask: What is a pop girlie? And who gets to be one? And will we ever stop being so worked up about them? (Not likely!) They dive into the politics, aesthetics, and the particularly millennial emotional baggage of the “pop girlie” archetype. We explore how today’s pop stars navigate image, empowerment, and exploitation wit...

This week on Syllabus Pod: Ashby and CoCo get personal about their lifelong relationships with comedy (and Ashby reveals a superpower). Whether you’re a fan of classic stand-up, warmhearted improv, or just love to discuss comedy, this episode is for you. They look back on their formative years—whether it was sneaking in Suzy Eddie Izzard specials while babysitting or sharing some laughs over a Jef...