Estradiol Illusions

We're back! ITM talks about some personal news that rocked her post-Rankin/Bass holiday festivities. Breakups are terrible. Transgender people can go through much of our lives thinking we're unlovable, which certainly does not reflect reality. ITM offers some reflections that might be useful for trans or cis people in similar boats. There's always a new adventure on the horizon, as long as you kee...

Our journey into the Rankin/Bass cinematic universe continues with the 1985 special The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus their final production to use traditional stop-motion animation. Based on L. Frank Baum's 1902 novel of the same name, the film is a pretty bizarre Santa origin story that often feels more like a riff on The Lord of the Rings than holiday entertainment. Despite it's weirdly co...

Our holiday coverage continues with A Mister Brothers' Christmas, the 2008 follow-up to the 1974 gem The Year Without a Santa Claus. Featuring returning voices Mickey Rooney and George S. Irving as Santa Claus and Heat Miser, the film aims to recapture the magic of the Rankin/Bass stop-motion classics. Unfortunately, the film never quite comes together as anything more than a nostalgia production...

We're back in the Muppets Extended Universe with the 2002 television film It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie. With a plot that's strikingly similar to the 2011 cinematic film The Muppets, adult-themed humor, and some uneven celebrity cameos from NBC Universal properties, the film occupies a weird place in Muppets lore. A strong performance from Joan Cusack goes a long way toward buoying a pr...

Into the weeds of the Rankin/Bass holiday catalog! Pinocchio’s Christmas is a bizarre special, serving as both an adaption of the 1883 novel and a more traditional Santa-infused holiday narrative. There is a lot going on, with multiple villains and plotlines converging on the poor wooden boy. Ian does her best to unpack it all.   Be sure to check out all of our holiday-themed episodes!

We are continuing our Rankin/Bass coverage with the 1968 classic The Little Drummer Boy. Aaron starts off our story as a misanthropic troubadour performing for an audience of none, only to be changed by the healing power of laughter after pounding his drum until a newborn baby saved his lamb. Ian isn’t sure what to make of her affection for Ben Haramad, the closest thing the special has to a villa...

Holiday coverage continues! Join Ian as she unpacks the trainwreck known as Rudolph's Shiny New Year, where everyone's favorite bullied reindeer is tasked with saving time itself. From the Archipelago of Last Years to Eon the Terrible, nothing here makes any sense. The people in power continue to pick on young children, presenting the sensible question of whether time should be saved. Be sure to c...

Our holiday coverage continues! Ian & Tara talk about the 2008 TV special, A Muppet Christmas: Letters to Santa, currently available on Disney+. With strong writing, music from The Muppet Christmas Carol lyricist Paul Williams, and fun celebrity cameos from Uma Thurman, Jesse L. Martin, Whoopi Goldberg, and Nathan Lane, Letters to Santa is a very entertaining way to get into the Christmas spirit. ...

When a cold wind blows it chills you, chills you to the bone! Ian is joined by her sister Barbara "Bibble" Malone for an episode dedicated to the definitive holiday classic. Born out of tragedy after the losses of Jim Henson & Richard Hunt, the Muppet troupe banded together to produce one of their finest works. From Michael Caine's iconic performance to Paul Williams' chilling music, The Muppet Ch...

We are delighted to kick off our holiday coverage with Archie Kao, star of the new film Christmas at the Ranch from Tello Films. Archie is also known to international audiences for his roles on shows such as Power Rangers: Lost Galaxy, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and Chicago P.D. Archie & Ian talk about Christmas at the Ranch's thoroughly inclusive LGBTQ narrative, Archie's experiences making...

Back on the Island of Sodor! Rusty to the Rescue introduces the narrow gauge engines and Stepney, the Bluebell Engine who’s maybe lying about liking bluebells in order to escape the scrapyard. Some of the new engines we meet receive new names by the end of the tape, a very confusing dynamic for this series’ young target demographic. Ian & Tarabelle dissect the complexities of these small new engin...

We are back in Angel Grove. Joined by special guest Kennedy Cooper for an in-depth discussion of one of the weirdest seasons in Power Rangers history. Upgrading the Dinozords to the Thunderzords rendered much of the "Zyuranger 2" zord footage unusable, instead spliced together often with mixed results. Season two featured plenty of great two-part gems, including the iconic "White Light," which int...

We are back in Westeros! Jim McGeehin returns to the show for a wide-ranging discussion on Storm’s End, the Stormlands, and the region’s significance within ASOIAF. George R.R. Martin’s worldbuilding is so rich that we can do an entire podcast episode about a mundane topic with relatively little bearing on the overall narrative. Lots of talk on Robert’s Rebellion, The War of the Five Kings, and (f...

It's morphin time! Grab your spandex and your zord, it's time for an in-depth look at one at a pivotal piece of 90s popular culture. Ian and special guest Colin George-Babb explore the first season, full of iconic monsters and the tropes that have come to define the series in the decades since its premiere. Ian and Colin discuss the origins of the series and what they love about this fabulous firs...

The Reign of X is upon us! Ian and special guest Ed Carroll try to cover the wide range from House of X #1 through Inferno #1 in one hour. This episode is designed to be a "local comic book shop" style chat about the Krakoan era, what worked and what hasn't worked, and some predictions for the end of Jonathan Hickman's iconic run. Spoiler warnings: Inferno #1 is discussed. Knowledge of all the var...

A new documentary about Alanis Morissette's iconic album Jagged Little Pill premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. Morissette herself is not happy with director Alison Klayman's work on Jagged. Ian has seen the doc and finds the whole saga a bit perplexing. Ian's review of the documentary from TIFF: https://ianthomasmalone.com/2021/09/tiff-review-jagged/ The Deadline article referen...

ITM has a comedy special out! Ian wanted to share some thoughts about why she wanted to make a trans-themed comedy album. She's a little rusty after taking the summer off from podcasting, but very happy to have the special finally out in the world. Confessions From My New Vagina is available on all major music streaming websites. Spotify Apple Music Amazon Music Thank you for your support. Please...

Happy Pride Month everyone! We are joined today by Michelle Handelman, director of the 1995 classic film BloodSisters: Leather, Dykes And Sadomasochism, which follows the vibrant leatherdyke scene in San Francisco. Michelle talks about the legacy of the film and its continued relevance, especially as the subject of "kink at Pride" causes its annual faux controversy. Michelle also shares plenty of...

We are back on the Enterprise-D, and also the Enterprise-C. Tasha Yar faced a tragically silly death in "Skin of Evil," marvelously analyzed on this humble podcast . Natty Strange is back to help us assess the return of everyone's favorite lesbian chief of security and her weird relationship with Shooter McGavin.    You can follow Nat on Twitter  @nuns_on_film . Be sure to check out her new Star T...

We are delighted to welcome Nicole Hirsch Whitaker to the show to talk about her work as co-director of photography for the new Netflix series Jupiter's Legacy. Nicole shares plenty of insights from behind the scenes and the way she worked to shape the show's unique aesthetic in the crowded superhero landscape. Ian & Nicole also talk about the challenges of framing a series with a giant spoiler th...

We are delighted to welcome filmmaker Jessica Ellis for an in-depth conversation about her new film What Lies West, a delightful coming of age movie shot in Jessica's hometown Sonoma County. Jessica shares many insights into indie filmmaking, along with some valuable perspectives on Disneyland and the LA sandwich scene.   What Lies West comes out May 11th on VOD & DVD. You can learn more about the...

New feature at Estradiol Illusions! Take a trip with us back to Downton Abbey for an in-depth look at one of the show's most fascinating characters. After being introduced as the show's primary antagonist in season one, Thomas Barrow largely sheaths his villainous inclinations, growing to become a figure with great depth. Ian explores Barrow's full series arc and the ways he gradually endeared him...

We are delighted to welcome Michael McElhatton to the show to talk about his new film The Last Right, a beautiful Irish road movie. April also marks the tenth anniversary of the premiere of Game of Thrones, where Michael played Roose Bolton, who's either an arch-villain or a pretty decent guy depending on how you feel about a certain dinner party hosted by Walder Frey. Michael shares plenty of tho...

March 31st is International Transgender Day of Visibility. Ian would really like to see the day switched to Transgender Day of Action or Day of Hiring a Trans Person. Trans people are visible. Trans people don't need additional visibility. Trans people need equity. More than 80 anti-transgender bills have been introduced in state legislatures across the country in 2021 alone. Tennessee, Arkansas,...

We are back on the Island of Sodor for another edition of TTTE & Chill, the number one Thomas the Tank Engine recap show in the world. Percy’s Ghostly Trick is a sentimental favorite tape. Ian & Tara break down the intricacies of Percy’s prank, Douglas’ daring rescue of Oliver, the infamous “Thanksgiving” episode, and the handling of the regatta medical emergency in All at Sea.   This tape covers...