Cover to Credits

This episode we return to the works of Jon Krakauer to discuss Into Thin Air, the true story of a group of climbers ascending Everest when tragedy strikes. We're cheating a bit this episode, however, because Everest — despite being based on the same events — isn't technically an adaptation of Into Thin Air, but this unique situation gives us plenty to discuss, along with the rigors of high altitude climbing, the horror story vibes of the novel, and the ethical dilemma of sprinkling fiction into a "true story" of tragic events.

This episode, we return to a new season among the Ton with the third season of Bridgerton, based on the novel Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn. We examine the many new relationships this season of the show, and the unfortunate return of least favorite character from the books: problematic male love interest. We're also discussing glow ups, hot air balloons, sleeves and the Benedict arc we've all been waiting for!

This episode, we conclude our discussion on the new Dune films, directed by Denis Villeneuve and based on the acclaimed novel by Frank Herbert. We discuss creepy murderous children, ask 'what's the deal with lasguns?', and Ian attempts to correct the internet on who Tim Blake Nelson almost played in the film. There's a lot to unpack in this story, so we hope you enjoy this extra long episode!

The time has come! The prophecy foretold! This episode we get to discuss Part One of the new adaptation of Frank Herbert's Dune, directed by Denis Villeneuve! This novel broke so much new ground in science fiction that it still feels like it's pushing boundaries over fifty years later, and Denis Villeneuve brings this story to life with amazing visuals and effects. This episode we're discussing spies, warfare, economics, prophecies, and the new fragrance by Zendaya; blood on a knife!

This episode we look at a classic Hitchcock film, The Birds, based on a short story by Daphne Dumaurier. Although the story is short, it establishes the general premise for the story, but the movie's shift from post-war England to California diverges the subtext of the two versions! We look at the horrors of this premise, the cutting edge visual effects and take a deep dive into the subtext of the film!

This episode we look at one of the most famous and unsettling characters of 20th century literature, Tom Ripley, in the novel The Talented Mr. Ripley, written by Patricia Highsmith with the film adaptation directed by Anthony Minghella. This is a story of obsession, murder and identity, but also terrible plans, blunt objects, speedos and a waste of Cate Blanchett! But which version will we choose? Listen to find out!

This episode we look at the first adaptation of a Jack Reacher story with the film... Jack Reacher! Starring Tom Cruise and adapted from the Lee Child novel, One Shot. We get to discuss so many things this episode, like Tom Cruise, Tom Cruise's height, and what an asshole Tom Cruise is in this film! We also talk about our beloved hometown Pittsburgh, Russian conspiracies a lot about boat shoes!

This episode we get to discuss the only adaptation in Quentin Tarantino's filmography, Jackie Brown, based on the novel Rum Punch by Elmore Leonard! This story of crime and likable anti-heroes feels typical for Tarantino, so it's surprising how faithful it is to the source material, but we still have plenty to discuss, including genre influences, fantastic performances and THE MALL!

This episode we look at the new adaptation of The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan on Disney Plus, created by Rick Riordan himself and Jonathan E. Steinberg. This beloved series explores Greek mythology in a string of wacky hi jinks with the goal of uncovering a massive conspiracy among the Gods. We discuss the humor of the novel, the impeccable casting of the show and some pretty fantastic choreography and visual effects.

This episode we discuss the long awaited adaptation of Killers of the Flower Moon, written by David Grann and directed by Martin Scorsese! This story depicts the real life horrors faced by the Osage tribe in the 1920's when they were murdered for their oil money. The book reads like a detective mystery (at points) and yet the movie took a different approach, putting the relationship between Ernest and Mollie at the center. But how do these two versions compare? And which did we prefer? Hit 'Play' to find out!

This episode we look at the classic Alice Walker novel and Steven Spielberg film The Color Purple. The story of Celie and her struggles as a black women in the early 1900's is full of hardships, but there's also plenty of humor and triumph as well, leading us into discussions on everything from intersectional feminism and queer representation, to Kitchen Nightmares and celebrity feuds.

This episode we look at a popular, contemporary romance novel, Red, White & Royal Blue, and the recent Amazon film adaptation directed by Matthew Lopez. We're discussing classic rom-com tropes, a bi-sexual crisis, and asking the big questions, like "Do the members of the Royal Family know how to ride a bike?"