Supercontext: an autopsy of media

This 1958 Orson Welles' picture has been called the last of the classic film noir era. We discuss Welles' approach to filmmaking, his conflicts with the movie studio and the thematic tensions displayed by the genre at the time. Oh, and Charlton Heston's makeup. That gets a good 10 minutes. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affil...

This British comedy series is a deconstruction of humor in a jazz-like improvisation. We discuss Lee's persona, the BBC's decision-making process and the fine lines between self-absorption, art and masturbation. In fact, we take a masturbation metaphor way too far. So brace yourselves. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate...

This independent comedy/fantasy comic book series wasn't intended to be for kids necessarily, but because of how savvily Jeff Smith marketed his self-publishing business, it became a hit for all-ages. We discuss  Bone 's impact on the library market, as well as its struggles with female representation and censorship. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by pur...

This mainstream television series may be about the afterlife, but it also serves as a platform for defining our morality here in the real world. We discuss the team behind its creation and how they crafted a narrative that avoids political correctness, while teaching us about ethics and positivity in a time of political trauma. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the...

This 2011 award-winning work of literary fiction has been celebrated by everyone from academics to Rolling Stone . But we look at it in light of its cultural expectations, from a "high brow" publisher, to its timidity about engaging with ethnically diverse characters. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: A Visit Fr...

This 1967 movie was called "the death of cinema" by its creator, and operated as a critique of both capitalism and mainstream films. We try to understand how a man as notoriously malicious as Godard was to his cast and crew, could also use this platform to argue for a better world.   Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate s...

This debut EP from a legendary Boston punk band has been held in critical reverence for over 30 years. We look to how the songs were written, recorded and distributed to try to unpack what it all does (or doesn't) mean. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: Signals, Calls, and Marches Mission: Control! 24 Hour Party...

This comic about archaeologists uncovering the secret history of pop culture took Warren Ellis and John Cassaday 10 years to complete. We discuss its interrogation of genre, intellectual property and history, in light of the cyclical nature of the comics industry some 20 years after the project started. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it thr...

This Amazon television show is about comedian Tig Notaro dealing with tragedy in her Mississippi hometown. But we discuss how its theme of demystifying the South was partially derailed by the corporate pivoting of its distributor and the sexual misconduct of some of its producers. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate stor...

This first part in the Jerry Cornelius saga is literary science-fiction that challenges the politics of its time through transgression. But we find eerie parallels to our current zeitgeist and wonder if Cornelius is the perfect device to question our thoughts about subversion and morality. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affil...

  This psychological thriller about an unethical photojournalist has us asking all kinds of questions. Are we complicit in the horrible narratives of the news? Do supportive families enable creative storytelling? And if the qualities of a villain are synonymous with "success" now, how do we tell the difference between a good guy and a bad guy?   Interested in the media we discussed this episode? P...

This deconstruction of the superhero genre was mired in legal debacles and intellectual property battles for decades before we could get a chance to read it. We look at that convoluted history, in light of Alan Moore's attempt to reimagine and criticize the themes of superhero comics. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate...

This eighteen-hour continuation of a beloved twenty-five year old television series evokes emotions of both love and hate. So we discuss how Mark Frost, David Lynch and Showtime made and distributed this project while adhering to the original themes of good-versus-evil and unconventional storytelling. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it throu...

This treatise on climate change argues that we should just accept that our civilization is going to die. We might survive however, by remembering our cultural heritage. We discuss Scranton's experience at war, as well as the variety of reactions to his claim that we should just confront our own mortality, even when we're posting to social media. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? P...

We discuss the history of this influential record in light of the band's breakup and subsequent reformation. We also examine their rhetoric of anti-capitalism in relation to the production and distribution of this album. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: The Shape of Punk to Come Plays Pretty For Baby The Lipsti...

This 2008 military film claims to be about realism and a soldier's addiction to war. But we learn that despite writer Mark Boal and director Kathryn Bigelow's best intentions, it doesn't accurately reflect the experience of veterans. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: The Hurt Locker Near Dark Blue Steel Point Br...

This 12-year running comedy game show features celebrities from the entertainment industry celebrating their love of cinema. But it's also a fascinating intersection between business and marijuana culture. We discuss its trajectory alongside the legalization of the drug here in parts of the United States.   Check out Doug Loves Movies here .   Additional Resources: Podcast Review: Doug Loves Movie...

This controversial comic series about terrorism and identity politics predicts a dystopia that not everyone is willing to agree with. We look at the angry arguments from both Howard Chaykin and his detractors about whether this is artistic expression or just shock value. And... we ask what no one else seems to address. Does Chaykin's story successfully meet its intended goal? Interested in the med...

As long-time listeners know, one of our hosts is moving across the country, and our production schedule has been disrupted. To ease the transition, this week's Supercontext is a shortened, totally subjective chat about what media we have been consuming and enjoying. If anything caught your interest, please consider buying through our Amazon links below to support the show! PROSE Newsletters:  Warr...

We look into the story behind-the-scenes of this surprisingly profound comic: from Ferris' struggle with West Nile virus, to the book's seizure en route through the Panama Canal. In addition, we discuss Ferris' theme of "personal monster dilemmas" and how the process of creating this was like melting valuable dross from gold. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the sh...

This memoir by a music icon was expected to be a tell-all about scandal and betrayal. But we discuss how it's actually about defense mechanisms that give the illusion of cool confidence. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: Girl in a Band 1991: The Year Punk Broke Sonic Youth The Messthetics Motherfucker The Purkin...

As long-time listeners know, one of our hosts is moving across the country, and our production schedule has been disrupted. To ease the transition, this week's Supercontext is a shortened, totally subjective chat about what media we have been consuming and enjoying. If anything caught your interest, please consider buying through our Amazon links below to support the show! PROSE After The People L...

This 2017 film, written and directed by Taylor Sheridan, is trying to be a respectful crime drama set on a Native American reservation. We discuss Sheridan's mission and choices, as well as the criticism and praise it received for its depiction. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: Wind River Skinwalkers Stephen Gr...

Jen Kirkman is a prolific comedian, known for her acerbic, dry wit. We look at her 2015 Netflix special and wonder what it says about mainstream lifestyles and life after forty. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: I'm Gonna Die Alone (And I Feel Fine) The Unspeakable: And Other Subjects of Discussion Nikki Glaser...

This graphic novel, by one of the elder statesmen of comics, pushed the medium into new formats, genres and methods of distribution. We discuss how Eisner used a very personal tragedy to create it, as well as its unique representation of Jewish American identity. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: A Contract With...