In this episode I compare the book Black Narcissus, by podcast fave Rumer Godden, and its two screen adaptations from 1947 and 2020. Their chronological order correlates exactly with the order of my esteem, which is pretty handy. Throughout, I prove the point of both Terry Pratchett and William James when they suspected that the indignation of an atheist can be as strong a brand of belief as the faith of a religious adherent. In other words, there's more to nuns than sexual repressi...

In this episode I compare the books Station Eleven, by Emily St John Mandel, and Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury. I deplore Bradbury's grimdark death of hope and laud St John Mandel's paradoxically inspiring hope after death (of people and civilisation). In terms of guidebooks for surviving the tech apocalypse, only one need apply. Timestamps: 00:50 Introduction; or, Dude, Where's My Brain? 13:30 Station Eleven; or, Hope Punk Among The Ruins 25:15 Fahrenheit 451; or, Reading Doesn't Mean...

In this episode I compare the fairytale retellings of Cinderella in 1998’s Ever After and the imaginatively-named Cinderella of 2015. I ponder how a film as rife with historical inaccuracy as Ever After still gets crowned my all-time queen of the Aschenputtels. I ponder, more pointedly, how a film as rife with potential as Cinderella still turned out so unremittingly banal. Timestamps: 00:50 Introduction; or, Enter The Enchanted Forest Of My Childhood Fairytale Faves 14:45 Ever Aft...

In this episode I compare the college romances of the dreamy Circle of Friends, by Maeve Binchy, and the nihilistic nightmare Normal People, by Sally Rooney. What proves to be most galling is not, as I thought, that Rooney is heaped with laurels for ripping off romance tropes wholesale, but that Normal People is actually a lot better than I remembered. Beautiful World Where Are You is genuinely great! And there goes my formula. Still, nothing can replace Circle of Friends in my heart, and I m...

In this episode I compare the historical satires The Death of Stalin, which is one of my favourite films, and Jojo Rabbit, which isn’t even my favourite film by Taika Waititi. I indulge in several digressions to show off the background reading I had to do to understand my own opinions on these films; I’m sure Jonathan Swift would have something suitably blighting to say about that. Timestamps: 00:50 Introduction; or, How Satire Makes Good Comfort Food 12:15 The Death of Stalin; or, A ...

In this episode I compare the Regency romances The Grand Sophy, by pink of the Ton Georgette Heyer, and The Duke and I, by barque of frailty Julia Quinn. I pull caps by suggesting that Quinn is too smoky by half, and indeed makes a cake of herself in her attempt to render the sexual mores of the Regency period. Meanwhile Heyer remains a Top-of-the-Trees in her splendid evocation of a bygone era, backed up with extensive research, which render her a regular out and outer. By the end you’ll fin...

In this episode I compare the teachers of two movies, Mona Lisa Smile’s firebrand Catherine Watson and Dead Poets Society’s damp squib John Keating. I treat the listener to my half-baked opinions on the philosophy of education, as well as throwing scorn on the discrepancy between the stakes of both movies. Timestamps: 00:50 Introduction; or, Let Me Tell You My Thoughts On Modern Art (And Education) 11: 24 Mona Lisa Smile; or, A Trojan Horse Book Report On The Feminine Mystique 21:42 ...

In this episode I compare the books Assassin’s Apprentice, by Robin Hobb, and Raymond E Fiest’s The Magician. After pointing out that they’re basically the same story, I proceed to explain how they’re completely different, by ripping The Magician to shreds and using the confetti to throw a parade for Assassin’s Apprentice. Timestamps: 00:50 Introduction; or, This Segue About George Eliot Has A Point, I Swear 11:29 Assassin’s Apprentice; or, If The Divine Right Of Kings Focused On The...

In this episode I compare the 1998 films Shakespeare in Love and Saving Private Ryan. I wax lyrical about the minor character of Philip Henslowe, and Queen Elizabeth’s ahistorical ruff situation. I then cast serious doubt on the moral core of Saving Private Ryan, which I suspect to be red, white, and imperialist blue, under all that distracting khaki. Timestamps: 00:50 Introduction; or, A Lukewarm Goop Appreciation Post 03:25 Shakespeare in Love; or, I Out Myself As A Baffleck Stan 16:20 ...

This short introductory episode lays out my stall for the grand plan of the podcast. I explain the concept: pitting a story I loved against one I hated, and stacking the deck so the one I love wins. I outline the personal biases and preferences that colour all my opinions, so that listeners have an understanding of why I think the mad things that I do. Timestamps: 00:50 Compare and Contrast 02:25 Artists and Audiences 06:29 My Bias, My Stance On Spoilers, and What The Heck Is That Title ...