Media/Lit

Randy and guest host ⁠Maria Giddings⁠ are joined by Doug Lief , host of the Nostalgium Arcanum podcast, to discuss one of the biggest television events of all time: Star Trek: The Next Generation two-parter “The Best of Both Worlds.” Kris is off on assignment for this episode, but worry not! He beams up to wish us luck and he will be back in the host chair next week!  After exploring Doug’s histor...

Randy and Kris are joined by amateur musician Tyrone Stokley to discuss Kendrick Lamar’s Pulitzer Prize-winning album, DAMN. (2017). The hosts dig into Tyrone’s personal and emotional connection to the material before unpacking the album on thematic, stylistic, ethical, and even spiritual levels.  Next, the team identifies some of their top tracks. They explain how each one stands out from the pac...

In this episode, Randy and Kris are joined by Pop Break podcasters Bill Bodkin and Alex Marcus to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the first Guardians of the Galaxy film by pitching full concepts and soundtracks for a hypothetical new installment in this beloved MCU franchise. Bill is the editor-in-chief of The Pop Break digital entertainment magazine, and Alex is the director of the Pop Break po...

This Media/Lit sound bite brings you a quick preview of our upcoming coverage of the Guardians of the Galaxy 10th anniversary with special guests Bill Bodkin and Alex Marcus of ⁠The Pop Break⁠ . In this brief sound bite that was cut for time, Bill and Alex find themselves on a quick tangent about the Guardians of the Galaxy Disney theme park rides. Randy seeks vacation advice. Please enjoy this so...

This Media/Lit sound bite brings you a taste of our coverage of The Owl House for "Saturday Morning Adventures" on The Pop Break podcast feed. In this brief sound bite, Randy, Kris, and Pop Break television editor Avani Goswami discuss a few additional fandom ships that we had to cut for time from the fourth installment of our Owl House retrospective. Most notably, the hosts discuss the...

Randy and Kris have a heck of a lot of content for you this week, just not in the form of a new episode of Media/Lit . In this update, Randy checks in to make sure you check out Media/Lit 's four-episode guest-hosting gig on "Saturday Morning Adventures" for The Pop Break ! Your Media/Lit hosts teamed up with Pop Break TV editor Avani Goswami for a full retrospective on Disney's The Owl House . Ra...

In this episode, Randy and Kris are joined by an all star panel to discuss the the instant impact of the recent X-Men '97 series. We chat with returning guest John Aspler, an academic with a PhD in ethics/neuroscience and a passion for media analysis. We also welcome Blake Coleman, a law enforcement officer, comic book fan, and the inspiration behind Media/Lit's Equilibrium (2002) episode!...

Kris and Randy are here for a minisode about minisodes. Specifically, the seven Bluey minisodes that dropped in July 2024! They work together to rank the episodes and explore how they reflect what the Media/Lit crew values in their Bluey content. Things get a bit chaotic over some big discrepancies in the host rankings, but Randy ends up singing "It's Raining Tacos" before the dust s...

Randy and Kris are joined by Abby Greiner, a lover of fandoms, a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine, and a crafter of artisanal dragon eggs! Abby is here to chat about formative fantasy property The Dark Crystal (1982), a film that has left a profound mark on her style, interests, and hobbies. The guys also weigh in with their thoughts after watching this classic for the very first time....

Randy and Kris bring you Media/Lit's first ever television draft ! For this very special occasion, they've assembled a team of peers for the cause: playwright Neil Martin, writer Maria Giddings (Twitter: @DreadandDonuts ), and English teacher Stevie Miles Gonzalez (Instagram: steviemileswords) to recreate the vibe of Nick at Nite's Block Party Summer and draft their favorite TV classic...

Randy and Kris are joined by prolific podcaster and master of cosplay, the one and only Amanda Rivas ! Amanda visits the show to chat about The Crow (1994), a film that has left a profound mark on her values, style, and relationships. The guys also weigh in with their personal connections to the film.  After Randy takes some time to help his two buddies bond over their shared love for costumes and...

Randy convenes the team for an emergency New to Who minisode to confront Kris for going off script and watching Ncuti Gatwa's premiere episode: "The Church On Ruby Road." Fortunately, Randy is quick to forgive and the duo chat a bit about the nature of a good Doctor Who companion. Finally, Randy asks Kris to watch a pivotal moment from The Sarah Jane Adventures and theorizes about ho...

Welcome to the second installment of New to Who : a recurring series in which Randy, a proud Whovian, guides Kris through his VERY FIRST experience watching Doctor Who ! In this episode, Randy and Kris travel back to the Tennant era for "Blink" (3.10) - possibly the most popular standalone episode of New Who. At the very least, it is one of the episodes most commonly suggested to up-and-...

Kris and Randy “assemble” for a minisode to acknowledge the “one blip” anniversary of Avengers: Endgame (2019). They count down their favorite emotional moments from the film after five years of reflection and several waves of new Marvel content. Ultimately, the hosts determine that this film is more than a collection of quips and flashy set pieces - it’s a treatise on healing. Please enjoy this e...

In this episode, Randy and Kris discuss Equilibrium (2002), a film that meant a heck of a lot to teenage Kris. Randy brings his insight as a first time viewer and relishes the opportunity to get to know his fellow host a little bit better. The hosts examine the finer points of "gun kata" and reflect on the film as a time capsule of 2002. They also try to figure out if there is any sort o...

Randy and Kris are joined by Madison Charbonneau, a longtime X-Files fan, who is here to introduce the Media/Lit hosts to one of the oldest and most celebrated fandoms of all time. But first, the hosts take some time to better understand what Madison's fandom means to her. Then, the trio discuss the iconic episode "Small Potatoes" (4.20). In addition to embracing the gags that define...

Kris and Randy hop on mic for their first ever Media/Lite minisode because their love for Australian television phenomenon Bluey transcends all podcast schedules and the April 14th global release of the season three finale, "The Sign," was an absolute tour de force. Once these two dads managed to dry their tears, they simply had no choice but to talk about how this "children's&q...

Randy and Kris are joined by social worker & therapist (and lifelong pal of Kris) Simon Jay to discuss Kurt Vonnegut’s account of his experience as a soldier, prisoner, and witness to a tragic massacre in the WWII memoir, “Wailing Shall Be in All Streets.” Randy and Simon form a fast friendship over their joint efforts to introduce Kris to the works of Kurt Vonnegut. After delving into everyon...

Welcome to the very first episode of LOST & Lit : a recurring series in which the hosts of Media/Lit explore their shared love for the television series LOST. In this episode, Randy and Kris are joined by John Aspler, who comes equipped with a PhD in ethics/neuroscience and a passion for media analysis and commentary! Together, the trio explore their history with LOST before delving into "Whit...

Randy and Kris are joined by playwright (and Randy’s cousin) Neil Martin to discuss Isaac Asimov’s short story, “The Feeling of Power.” They each take a brief tour through their history with Asimov and sci-fi literature in general before digging into their complicated relationships with technology; Kris even hits the others with a quiz in basic arithmetic to see if they can match wits with Myron A...

First, a proposal of sorts. Then, Randy and Kris explore why the soundtrack from Coyote Ugly (2000) is such a formative piece of media for Kris; the duo also bond over their shared love for road trips, pop music, and The Devil Went Down to Georgia. Finally, the hosts dive deep into the 4x platinum soundtrack. They track every high and low, propose new tracks that could have taken the album to the...

Welcome to the very first episode of New to Who : a recurring series in which Randy, a proud Whovian, guides Kris Ingersoll through his VERY FIRST experience watching Doctor Who ! In this episode, Randy and Kris test the notion that "Heaven Sent" (9.11) works as a standalone episode and a great introduction to The Doctor. They also explore their personal histories with science fiction, a...

In this episode, Kris Ingersoll visits the podcast to shine a light on one of his favorite films, Batman Returns (1992), and explore its influence on his life, interests, and values. Randy and Kris explore everything from nostalgia and childhood memories to cinematography and the duality of human nature. Whether you love Batman, Michelle Pfeiffer, or Happy Meals, this podcast is for you. Want to g...