But Why Tho?

This week, Alex, Kyle, and Charles discuss photorealism in video games, whether and when it has its place, and whatever is going on with Nvidia's DLSS 5 as AI slop takes over all of our art.

This week, Alex, Kate, and Matt discuss conventions, how their locations have made them more and more inaccessible, unaffordable, and worse, and why more conventions need to be held in more geographically diverse locations (especially the South).

This week, Alex talks to the team at Wizards of the Coast behind Magic: The Gathering's new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universes Beyond Set: Eric Engelhard – Senior Game Designer and Set Design Lead, Stephanie Chung – Art Director, and Crystal Frazier – Senior Narrative Game Designer and Worldbuilding Lead. They take a deep dive into the set, from how the art style was decided on, how the set bo...

This week, Alex and Kate talk about how to be good people and neighbors in an age of constant horrors, war, and disappearings. They draw from the examples of Mr. Rogers, Ms. Rachel, the people of Minneapolis, and our own staff to try and find hope and action in dark times.

This week, Alex, Kate, Sarah, and Allyson talk about the Netflix documentary series, Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model. They discuss the docuseries, the toxicity inherent in America's Next Top Model, and how watching it impacted them, including eating disorders, on-screen representation, and much more.

This week, Alex and Kate talk about the rise of performative consumerism as a form of moralization and how it manifests from Tumblr to Bad Bunny's halftime show. Plus a reminder about some of the politics of some of the most misunderstood musicians. We aren't just the things we consume; go be a community!

This week, Alex, Jason, and Kyle discuss the Muppets, their legacy and impact, what iterations of the Muppets have worked and why, and of course, how they'd like to see the Muppets used in the future.

This week, Alex and Jason talk about the classic depiction≠endorsement argument. They talk about how a lack of media literacy leads to the misconception and when depicting unsavory things is meant to make you think versus when it's unintentionally depicting.

This week, Alex, Kate, and Jason draft their favorite things from different corners of pop culture from 2025. The categories are TV/Film, Books/Comics, Music, Video Games, and Favorite Moments. The picks range from well-known hits to a trifecta of country/folk musicians.

To close out 2025, Alex leads Kate, Matt, and Jason in some trivia about the year in pop culture, diving into conversations about manners at the movie theater, sub-contracting in video games, the number of teeth on a Labubu, and more.

This week, Alex, Swara, and Charles discuss the Wrapped phenomenon, its intended and unintended consequences, and where they draw lines on engaging with them, personally.

This week, Alex, Adrian, and Charles talk about worldbuilding, continuity, when it's a fun expansion of our understanding of a universe, and when it becomes a source of gatekeeping or overwhelm in a story. Plus, is there a fine line to draw between scrutinizing a timeline and over-analyzing it? And at the end of the day, does any of it really matter?

This week, Alex, Kate, and Neysha talk about adaptations, why we're constantly going back to the same wells for stories, the impact of a good reinterpretation, and how they appreciate when an adaptation has a unique take or perspective on a story.

This week we're talking all about the Predator matters. From comics to films and the lore that its steeped in - yes, even AVP - we dig into why this film that began with Jean-Claude Van Damme in a read monster suit jumping over logs became one of the cornerstones of action and science fiction in the 1980s, 90s, and today. Adrian leads us through the history of the franchise, its technical effects...

This week, Alex and Kate discuss brain rot, what it is, how it's destroying literacy and culture, and ultimately how it helps the rise of fascism, even if some of it is innocuous too. Plus, they have no idea what 6-7 means.

This week, Alex, Kate, and guest Byron McKoy from Frightday.com discuss true crime and how Shelby Oaks was completely recut between its original festival release and its theatrical release before diving into a slasher killers vs survivors bracket.

This week, Alex and Kate talk about horror franchises, when they do and don't work, why they've been around since the beginning of cinema, and which ones they've enjoyed the most.

This week, Alex, Kate, and guest Paul Klein discuss The Rocky Horror Picture Show in honor of its 50th anniversary. They discuss the legacy of the movie and its countless shadow cast productions, its impact on representation for queer and non-queer viewers alike, and why we shouldn't expect "perfect" representation from our media.

100 episodes into the "new era" of But Why Tho? The Podcast, Alex, Kate, and Matt talk about why But Why Tho matters, the topics and themes we harp on most often, and what we hope people will continue getting out of the show.

This week, Alex and Adrian talk about the hype cycle in media, how it can backfire on companies, create toxic fandoms, and still keep people excited for releases long after they're initially announced.

This week, Alex and Kate discuss Labubus, the appeal of collectibles that others dismiss, and how women have to perform gender more with expensive products than men do.

This week, Alex, Kate, and guest Jason Fannelli discuss sports video games, the communities that build around them, the benefits of having more than just one company making them at a time, and why an annual cycle is actually important for keeping the games relevant and immersive.

This week, Alex, Swara, and Kyle discuss genre, its utility in determining what to consume, its shortcomings as an aspect of marketing, and the malleability that genre needs to remain fresh and relevant. Plus, why AI art can never express emotion.

This week, Alex, Kate, and Matt discuss whether liking nerdy things is childish, why it's important to understand what age demographic media is made and marketed for, and how it all gets harder when stories refuse to ever end.

This week, Alex, Kate, and Jason discuss the seminal 2004 Green Day album, American Idiot, its meaning at the time, its impact on music and culture since, and where to find good, politically salient music today.