Adaptive Difficulty

Zach Cregger's wild ride filled us with a dark curiosity to see where this venerable film franchise began, but there's no beating around the bush: Resident Evil (2002) is not good. Join us as we wander aimlessly through some sci-fi themed hallways and weigh the moral cost of sacrificing ourselves to save the audience from the lab licker that is this viewing experience. Other works discusse...

Haven't we all really wanted to experience a place that made us feel at home? So, what if it's a nightmarish hellscape of endless walls and corridors. As long as it makes you feel better that's all that matters right? Join us this week as we discuss Kane Parson's 2026 film Backrooms from A24 based on his own web series (as "Kane Pixels") of the same name and the broader creepypasta. Works discusse...

This one is a little something different. Here, Josh and I come together to engage in a little daydreaming about what adaptations we wish actually existed. Music: 'Cavalcade Of Stars' by Aaron Paul Low on #Uppbeat https://uppbeat.io/c/aaron-paul-low

We braved our local multiplexes and shambled through their creaking doors to take in Zach Cregger's brand new adaptation of the Resident Evil game series. We discuss our impressions playing the storied franchise, its balance of terror and action, and the almost intangible things Cregger was able to capture about the game playing experience.

That Paddington sure loves marmalade! HAHAHA! We apologize for the audio quality, but it seems everyone's favorite bear somehow managed to get some marmalade into Josh's microphone. Anyway, join us as we discuss the 1958 children's classic A Bear Called Paddington, written by Michael Bond, and its 2014 adaptation Paddington, directed by Paul King. Also, a dog can serve as a US Supreme...

Our hosts rub their two little grey cells together to get to the bottom of Kenneth Branagh's adaptation of Agatha Christie's seminal mystery novel, Murder on the Orient Express. Right when Josh Gad thinks he's gotten away with it, there's just one more thing... Topics addressed: Woke Hercule Poirot, Scrooge: A Star Wars Story, Jesus Christ Follow us on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/pro...

We're back! and so is Odysseus and boy does he look mad. I'm sure glad I never coveted his wife. Join us for our final sojourn in the world of Ancient Greece with this discussion of Books 17-24 and several adaptations. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/bitmode/walls

Sorry about this, folks, but life happens. We'll get back on track as soon as possible.

The Odyssey (2026) is really the Dark Souls II of Greek epic poem adaptations, if you think about it. Join us as we journey our way across Greece to find our way home alongside Matt Damon, Anne Hathway, Tom Holland, and many more in this epic retelling of Homer's Odyssey directed by Christopher Nolan. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/benjamin-botkin/dauntless

Mars Attacks! We interrupt this broadcast of Hot Greek Summer to tell you that aliens have landed and their kind of sexy? or maybe not? All we know is that we can't move on until we deal with this threat. We have enlisted the aid of Hard Ticket, who have kindly sent aid to our small world by way of Tristan Moore, to help us tackle H.G. Wells 1898 book The War of the Worlds, Byron Haskin's...

Tell me about a complicated story Muse, tell me how its how its adaptations wandered and were lost   Just ahead of Christopher Nolan's huge IMAX interpretation of The Odyssey, we are starting Hot Greek Summer off with Books 1 through 8 of the ancient epic. We dive into our thoughts on the first third of this tale before getting into how a variety of movies, TV shows and novels have taken on the ch...

We all just want to be accepted for who we are, and, sometimes, the person we love the most and so desperately want to be accepted and embraced by refuses us. It's a heartbreak of the profoundest sort. Join us this week as we discuss Maurice , the 1987 film, directed by James Ivory, based on the E. M. Forster novel Maurice , which was written from 1913-1914, but only published posthumously in 1971...

Where's Michael when you need him? Twice the technology goblins attacked, so my audio is a little rough (Josh's audio is fine), but it's still a good conversation and debate about how expectations can shape an adaptation's reception. I tried my hardest to clean it up, so I can remain proud of that. Join us for our discussion on Crazy Rich Asians , at 2018 film directed by Jon M. Ch...

Is there a more profound line in all of the English canon than "Dorky chicks like you turn me on too"? Jane Austen could never (or maybe she could). Join us as we discuss the 2002film Scooby Doo, written by James Gunn, based on the Scooby Doo franchise that began in 1969. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/dope

You gotta love high school! The dances, the football games, the reification of capitalistic principles. Join us as we discuss 2004's A Cinderella Story , directed by Mark Rosman, written by Leigh Dunlap, and starring Hilary Duff and Chad Michael Murray; it is an adaptation of the 1697 French tale "Cinderella" by Charles Perault Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbea...

A pirate's life for me - except for the part where I don't like being wet. Or chased by skeletons, I guess. Join us as we set sail on the high seas, exploring the legendary treasure that is Pirates of the Caribbean , a 2003 film, based on a Disney theme park ride. Drink up me 'earties, yo ho Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/benjamin-botkin/dauntless

Some may say this is a short episode, but it looks perfectly average to me. Join us for an episode of NewPodPlus. We are returning to the the world of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice ; this time we're exploring a somewhat strange adaptation. It's a card game called Marrying Mr. Darcy. The game was designed by Erika Svanoe, and Erik Evensen was in charge of the art and graphic design of the game....

There are some bold questions in this episode, challenging ones. For example, does HAL watch everything in the ship? Also, there is a giant space baby. Join us as we explore Stanley Kubrick's 1968 masterpiece 2001 : A Space Odyssey , that was developed in tandem with Arthur C. Clark's 1968 book of the same name.

Shrek is love, Shrek is life, but who was Shrek before he was an all-star? In this episode, we discuss the hit 2001 film Shrek (loosely) based on the 1990 children's book Shrek! by William Steig. Here is the link that Josh discussed in this episode: https://mx.nthu.edu.tw/~katchen/Shrek/shrekbranch.htm

There's nothing like watching erotica with strangers in a theatre. Wuthering Heights (2026) is also nothing like the book. Well, not nothing; it certainly bears some resemblance, but it's like if the book were half-hidden in the dense fog of a remote English moor. Join us as we discuss the hot and fresh (pun intended) 2026 Wuthering Heights movie, directed and written by Emeral Fennell, based on E...

Come to root for your favorite, stay to see just how far Charlie and the Chocolate Factory can go against all odds. The awards season heats up now that Adaptive Difficulty has weighed in! We crown winners and losers among our episodes, and christen the Best Adaptation for the year in a drag-out bracket brawl. License code: CBIKOUNEIFQL78EA

Do not cite the podcast to me, Witch! I was there when it was recorded. Put on your giant fur coat and grab your Turkish delight to settle in for this wide-ranging discussion of C.S. Lewis's fairy tale turned theatrical sort-of-epic. Topics include the role of women in the book compared to the movie, Edmund's major character changes, and whether the movie tie-in video game is secretly an underrate...

New Year! New Pod Plus. Some creative works are so inspiring and wonderful that people keep adapting it. New Pod Plus is our way of exploring those many adaptations. We thought it best to start this new string of shorter episodes with something truly worthy of discussion and consideration. That's right, it's Tom & Jerry & The Wizard of Oz , an "interesting" rendition of The Wizard of Oz ....

Empire? I hardly know her. But seriously, who doesn't like The Empire Strikes Back ? It's very close to a perfect movie, for the most part, but is the novel a perfect book? It has to be better than the last Star Wars book, right? Join us as we celebrate the holiday season with our own Star Wars Holiday Special. This time we are diving into The Empire Strikes Back, George Lucas's 1980 blockbuster s...

It's a truth universally acknowledged that two men in possession of microphones must be in search of a podcast. And we found it. Join us as we experience 2005's Pride and Prejudice , staring Keira Knightley based on Jane Austen's 1813 Pride and Prejudice. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/cory-alstad/watching-her-step License code: DXLH7S4T8WGREL69