Pretty Much Pop: A Culture Podcast

Mark is joined by rhetorician/educator Michelle Parrinello-Cason, Chris Sunami ( The Pop Culture Philosopher ), and award-winning former journalist Kera Mashek to discuss the recently concluded NBC drama created by Dan Fogelman. Is it just comfort food, or a stark portrayal of diverse human struggles? For more, visit prettymuchpop.com . Hear bonus content for this episode at patreon.com/prettymuch...

In light of the recent release of Matt Reeves' film The Batman , we consider the strange alternation of darkness and camp that is Batman. Is he even a super hero? What's with his rogues' gallery? What's with DC's anti-world-building? Mark is joined by philosophy prof/NY Times entertainment writer Lawrence Ware , improv comedian/educator Anthony LeBlanc , and Marketing Over Coffee host John J. Wall...

Mark is joined by comedian Matty Goldberg ; filmmaker/podcaster Rolando Nieves ; and comedy juggler Josh Casey to discuss the franchise that began in 2000 in light of the new film Jackass Forever. This is perhaps our sole remaining form of popular entertainment that relies on sheer physicality, without the gamesmanship of sports. What's the appeal of this divisive extreme stunt/comedy revue? For m...

We discuss Art Spiegelman's Maus (1980-91) and other war-related graphic novels like Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis (2000) and George Takei’s They Called Us Enemy (2019). Mark is joined by comics scholar Vi Burlew , comics blerd / acting coach Anthony LeBlanc, and comedian / graphic novelist Daniel Lobell. For more, visit prettymuchpop.com . Hear bonus content for this episode at patreon.com/prettym...

Are protest songs effective, either as protest or songs? Four songwriters including your host Mark Linsenmayer , Lilli Lewis , Rod Picott , and PMP's audio engineer Tyler Hislop discuss how protest works in various musical genres, who it's aimed at, and when it goes wrong. Has the day of the protest song passed, or is it alive and well? For more, visit prettymuchpop.com . Hear bonus content for th...

Mark is joined Lawrence Ware , Sarahlyn Bruck and Michael Paskaru to talk about the Showtime TV horror-dramedy shows inspired by Jeff Lindsay's novels, in light of the revival show Dexter: New Blood . People loved this character so much that they were very mad that he didn't die at the end of the show's initial run (2006-2013). What was the appeal of this killing-the-killers show? Love of justice?...

Comedian Genevieve Joy , philosopher/NY Times entertainment writer Lawrence Ware , and novelist Sarahlyn Bruck join your host Mark to discuss how we deal with entertainers like R. Kelly, Michael Jackson, Woody Allen, et al. We all watched W. Kamau Bell's Showtime documentary We Need to Talk About Cosby . Can we separate the art from the artist? For more, visit prettymuchpop.com . Hear bonus conten...

In light of Death on the Nile , we discuss the continuing appearance of the works of the world's most successful mystery writer in film and TV. Mark is joined by repeat guests Sarahlyn Bruck , Al Baker , and Nicole Pometti to discuss the recent Kenneth Branagh films, the Sarah Phelps TV adaptations (like The ABC Murders ), the Poirot BBC TV series, and earlier films. For more, visit prettymuchpop....

Supergiant's Hades is now the first video game ever to have won a Hugo award and has set a new standard in the Roguelike genre. What is this genre, and what makes Hades unique? With guests Jamie Madigan from psychologyofgames.com , Al Baker, and Tyler Hislop. For more, visit prettymuchpop.com . Hear bonus content for this episode at patreon.com/prettymuchpop or by subscribing via Apple Podcasts to...

Animator/musician David Heatley , comedian Daniel Lobell , and academic/ 3anuts author Daniel Leonard join your host Mark Linsenmayer to discuss Charlie Brown and his author Charles Schulz from Peanuts' 1950 inception through the classic TV specials through to the various post-mortem products still emerging. For more, visit prettymuchpop.com . Hear bonus content for this episode at patreon.com/pre...

Author Noah Berlatsky (who just published The Best Greatest Albums of All Time Ever ), musical artist Mobley , and The Hustle podcast host Jon Lamoreaux to discuss canonization, music curation, and the album as a format. We react in part to the update of Rolling Stone's 500 Best Albums of All Time . For more, visit prettymuchpop.com . Hear bonus content for this episode at patreon.com/prettymuchpo...

Did it make sense for Steven Spielberg to remake one of our nation's most beloved musicals (with music by Bernstein and Sondheim!), attempting to fix the parts that did not age well politically? Is the new version a modern classic or a doomed Frankenstein? Your host Mark Linsenmayer is joined by Broadway scholar, theater critic, and actor Ron Fassler ; Remakes, Reboots, and Revivals co-host Nicole...

Mark is joined by Brian Hirt, Erica Spyres, and Mark's son Abe Linsenmayer. With the release of The Matrix Resurrections, we talk through the franchise as a whole. What made the first one remarkable, and does that a bar that any sequel can reach? We talk through the choices that fed into the new film, why people don't seem to care about their matrix families, the endless fight scenes, and more.  F...

Popular shows have commented on wealth inequality by showing how dire the situation is for the poor and/or how disconnected and clueless the rich are. How effective is this type of social commentary? Mark is joined by philosopher and NY Times writer Lawrence Ware , novelist and writing professor Sarahlyn Bruck , and educator with a rhetoric doctorate Michelle Parrinello-Cason . For more, visit pre...

Mark is joined by musician David Brookings , Gig Gab host Dave Hamilton, and OpenCulture writer Colin Marshall to discuss Peter Jackson's documentary Get Back and the enduring popularity of The Beatles. For more, visit prettymuchpop.com . Hear bonus content for this episode at patreon.com/prettymuchpop or by subscribing via Apple Podcasts to the Mark Lintertainment Channel . Sponsors : Book a top-...

Mark is joined by Brian Hirt, Erin Conrad, and Brian Casey to discuss the new film, the old ones, and the book series. Is it really adaptable given the deep lore and the vast time jumps? For more, visit prettymuchpop.com . Hear bonus content for this episode at patreon.com/prettymuchpop or by subscribing via Apple Podcasts to the Mark Lintertainment Channel . Sponsors : Book a top-rated doctor by...

In light of the release of The Last Duel , we talk about the trope of the honor-resolving duel in movies and TV. Mark and guest co-host Dylan Casey from PEL are joined by Clif Mark, host of the Good in Theory podcast . We touch on The Duelists, A Knight's Tale, The Duelist and The Duel (two 2016 films), Dune, Hamilton , and philosophers like Hegel and Nietzsche. For more, visit prettymuchpop.com ....

As board games are becoming increasingly popular with adults, we ask: What's the relationship between a board game's mechanics and its narrative? Does the "message" of a board game matter? Mark is joined by game designer Tommy Maranges , educator Michelle Parrinello-Cason , and ex-philosopher Al Baker to talk about re-skinning games, designing player experiences, play styles, game complexity, and...

Mark Linsenmayer is joined by Tim Quirk of Too Much Joy, Aaron David Gleason , and Chris Sunami to talk about what makes a cult band. We touch on artists like Tom Waits, Velvet Underground, Big Star, XTC, and The Cure. For more, visit prettymuchpop.com . Hear bonus content for this episode at patreon.com/prettymuchpop or by subscribing via Apple Podcasts to the Mark Lintertainment Channel . Sponso...

Mark discusses how Internet culture has changed stand-up with three comedians: past guests Rodney Ramsey and Daniel Lobell , plus Dena Jackson . How have YouTube, social media, and virtual spaces changed the way comedians work? We talk about story-telling vs. one-liners, repping your hometown, comedy cliques, surviving negativity, and more. For more, visit prettymuchpop.com . Hear bonus content fo...

Mark is joined by novelist Sarahlyn Bruck and playwright Kayla Dryesse to discuss the conventions, evolution, and influence of daytime soaps. Are they actually terrible, or is critical dismissal of them largely sexist? Are prestige TV shows like Downton Abbey and White Orchid really just soaps in disguise? For more, visit prettymuchpop.com . Hear bonus content for this episode at patreon.com/prett...

With the recent theatrical release of The Green Knight , Mark and Brian along with Den of Geek's David Crow and the very British Al Baker consider the range of cinematic Arthuriana, including Excalibur (1981), Camelot (1967), King Arthur (2004), King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017), First Knight (1995), Sword of the Valiant (1983), Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (1973), and Monty Python and th...

"Queering" doesn't just mean adding LGBTQ+ representation to games; it's disruption of norms through added player freedom. Mark and guest co-host Tyler engage game designer Naomi Clark on sandbox games, character creation, how games train us, glitches, speed runs, and more, touching on The Sims, The Last of Us, Cyberbpunk, Mass Effect, and her own games like Sissyfight 2000 and the card game Conse...

While PMP is on hiatus for a couple of weeks, hear about Mark's new podcast. You can listen to full episodes of the show at philosophyimprov.com or subscribe via Apple , Audible , Stitcher , Spotify , or however you get your podcasts.

After 101 episodes and a bit over two years, Mark, Erica, and Brian reflect on what we've learned and set a course for the future. What have we determined about how and why we consume? What's the relation between consumption and creativity? For more, visit prettymuchpop.com . Hear bonus content for this episode at patreon.com/prettymuchpop . Sponsor : Get a loan to lower your monthly payments at U...