The Latecomers

Episode Notes Cherokee City Georgia is where we set our wretched scene – which is actually quite beautiful and skillfully directed by child murderer (or just teacher, coach and dad) Jason Bateman. Two episodes in and everything we think we learn in the first half an hour is undone in the second half an hour – and then things get weird. Join us as we watch 2020’s The Outsider.   Recommendations:  A...

Episode Notes We’re wrapping up Castle Rock this week. We discuss the ethics, aggression and communication styles of possession, what is and is not wrong with Joy, where’d The Kid go, how great Tim Robbins is,  Lizzy Caplan’s performance and what happened to Nadia and Abdi and Chance, oh my!   Recommendations:  Shadow on the Cloud (Hulu), Those Who Wish Me Dead (HBO Max) and the Anthropocene Revie...

Episode Notes We get a second historical episodes in as much time and we finally see what’s really going on and who has taken over Ace and so many of the town. Angel makes an appearance and all we were told about his character from the first season turn to ashes in our mouths – because they were lies! Annie makes some odd choices – especially for her. Amity is a real witch (the one from Castle Roc...

Episode Notes We’ve reached 100 – the world of Stephen King Adaptations is seemingly endless and this week we delve into the creamy center of season 2 of Castle Rock and we find out some of the hows and whys of the Ingalls family – aliases abound and a familiar King face emerges. We discuss inappropriate parent-daughter relationships, the chemical changes in a depressed body, narcissism and so muc...

Episode Notes In our 99th Stephen King episode we get into the meat of Castle Rock Season 2. Tables are turned on Annie, Joy’s eyes and mind are opened, Pop makes some decisions that aren’t his to make, Nadia makes some discoveries, and Ace builds a gang. There’s a lot going on – join us to talk about it!   Recommendations:  After Hours (HBO Max); Ink Masters (Yes – still - Netflix/Paramount+); Th...

Episode Notes We head back to the great white north (eastern version) as we dig in to the second season of Castle Rock. Lizzy Caplan channels Kathy Bates as a young Annie Wilkes and is luminous as our slant protagonist. A prequel that takes place after the happenings on Misery, placed in modern day Castle Rock and Jerusalem’s Lot with a cavalcade of shady but familiar characters around her. Join u...

Episode Notes This week, we know we were supposed to be revisiting the Mercedes-verse but due to technical difficulties instead we revisit one of our favorite places – the Overlook! We watched the Director’s cut, which blessed us with 25 extra minutes of character insights. We discuss the blending of King’s books with Kubrick’s film and are generally grateful that the Overlook was still standing f...

Episode Notes We’re getting creepy with a father son duet this week as we discuss In the Tall Grass from 2019. Patrick Wilson – yes, that Patrick Wilson – leads a no-star cast in this Netflix production that has us questioning time, continuums, mandrakes, and salespeople. Join us on the ride!   Recommendations:  Killer’s Kiss (Available to rent digitally on most platforms) The One (Netflix) Next u...

Episode Notes This week we discuss the second half of the theatrical It adaptation and why it can’t quite live up to the first half. We wax poetic about some fantastic casting, some bold choices and some heinous violence, and then we wonder at the speed and silliness of the climax. We compare favorite characters and put ourselves in their shoes. It’s a fun watch and a funner discussion, so join us...

Episode Notes Back to Maine and some poor choices as we discuss the 2019 remake of Pet Sematary. We compare the stylistic and narrative choices this adaptation made, what works, what doesn’t and what’s wrong with Rachel. Amity definitely calls Church Gage and vice versa – but can you blame her? I submit that you cannot as that cat could be called anything and Gage is both barely a name and barely...

Episode Notes We put a wrap to season 2 of Mr. Mercedes. Any medical questions you have? Don’t worry, the writers also have the same questions. Legal questions? You aren’t alone there either. There was a lot to do in two hours, and David E. Kelly is unafraid of plot holes. He’ll even point them out for you. Does it sound like we didn’t like it? We did! Surprise! Listen to here the details.   Recom...

Episode Notes The penultimate episode of Season 2 of Mr. Mercedes and we get into some of the whys and make predictions on what’s to come. We hold our breath for Al, for Holly, and for men in general under the yoke of toxic masculinity. Join us as we ease in to the final lap of the season.   Recommendations:  Nadia Bakes (Netflix)   Next up: Mr. Mercedes Season 2 Episodes 7 & 8 (Free with comm...

Episode Notes Did you know that a magnet causes a brain earthquake? This and other scientific breakthroughs brought to you in this installment of Mr. Mercedes. We discuss the trauma of being directed topless by Robocop, the trauma of sweetness of Al, and the trauma of corporate overlords. We question, again, the roles of women within this show and where there are points of light. This season is re...

Episode Notes Hoping for and mostly getting an upswing coming into this season. Women continue to get short shrift, but we agree Sadie gets maybe the best option she had, which is quite the indictment. Brady’s making up visitors and Bill is teaching Holly how to stalk – legally. We’re still holding out hope for this season like Lou is holding out hope for Steph and Cora is holding out hope for a p...

Episode Notes CW Sexual assault   We set off on out exploration of season 2 of Mr. Mercedes. Lemuel doesn’t like the title character, which makes it a rough go. We seem to have switched genre from crime thriller to sci-fi medical thriller. We ask why the makers of this show hate masturbation so much. We ponder the existence of The Company in this iteration of the King-o-verse, we talk the hidden h...

Episode Notes The Kid is Henry! Henry is Henry! Henry was the Kid! We are all Henry! We get lost in time. It’s a whirlwind as we discuss the conclusion of Season 1 of Castle Rock. It’s getting timey-wimey whether Lemuel likes it or not. We discuss how portals work, how morals work, whose side we should be on, the rest of the Easter eggs, twists in narrative, and our final thoughts.   Recommendatio...

Episode Notes Apologies if there are speed issues with this episode (half was recorded in high speed – unclear how) but hopefully it’s not terrible to listen to – maybe shades of chipmunk? It’s because we talk about time non-linearly - Amity reads a poem she composed by simply writing the narrative of episode 7 - she tries to walk us through the plot of The Queen and trouble ensues as our story fo...

Episode Notes We talk a moment about the state of the nation prior to diving back in to the creamy center of this series. There’s a lot of cognitive testing and sound talk here, as well as some juicy goss from Jackie and heinous accusations from Molly. Henry follows himself into the woods while Alan follows the Kid’s breadcrumbs and Ruth follows her own. The roads are coming together and the inter...

Episode Notes This week Amity is joined by a “guest host” as we dive further into Castle Rock. What’s in Molly’s head? How many deaths are recorded regularly in this town? What is that woman doing to Molly’s hair? Can I get a gig at this cool alt theater? These are just some of the questions we ask as we continue to puzzle out the mystery of The Kid.   Recommendations:  Run (Hulu), Bridgerton (Net...

Episode Notes We end this year with a beginning as we start into the first season of Castle Rock. Excited to see the characters from Stephen King’s work and the actors from prior Stephen King Adaptations coming together to make an easter egg heavy series full of scares and surprises. We are introduced to Henry Deaver, our hero, the Kid, our antihero??? and a myriad of characters surrounding them t...

Episode Notes When you are working out and having lunch with the corpse of your mother, no matter how psychotic you are, it turns out it makes you realize your situation is untenable. It is that realization that leads us into the endgame for Brady and Bill. Brady has a plan or two, Bill thinks he’s at the center, and Josh has a fall from grace. Holly comes through in a way no one saw coming, and i...

Episode Notes Things really come to a head in these two episodes – our penultimate watch of the season. Car bombs, rat poison and capitalism all come after the women in the show. We have some bright lights with Holly and Jerome making the most adorable crime fighters since the power puff girls. We’ve got two more episodes to see if Bill can take down Brady or if things are going to keep coming up...

Episode Notes We talk incest – and why we don’t need to see it over again (like, we didn’t forget) and then discuss how bad a boss Brady really has. This town is populated by villains and we meet some more of them with go-bags full of sex toys and finally we get to meet a ray of light in this cess-pool with the entrance of Holly Gibney. There’s a lot to talk about in these two episodes – so join u...

Episode Notes CW: Incest   This week we discuss the women that surround our male protagonist and antagonist in Mr. Mercedes – how they fit into the story, how they are used, how they use, and how they fit into the King oeuvre of women generally. Some spectacular actresses in roles that run the gamut from tired and stereotypical to strong, nuanced and awesome. We also follow the guys in their journ...

Episode Notes This week we start on our next multi-episode project Mr. Mercedes. Once we tracked it down (on Peacock and purchasable on Amazon), we dive into the story of Ret Det Bill Hodges and his nemesis, weirdo Brady Hartsfield. We discuss how to show details in a visual medium rather than just monologuing exposition, the sexiness of Holland Taylor and the meaning of “presenting as a lesbian.”...