A Bit Much

Loyalties and alliances are constantly tested and renegotiated as the last remaining humans try to ensure their survival in a mostly-dead world. We discuss the treatment of addiction as a moral failing, who decides what's an acceptable loss, and Monty's commitment to hydrofarming.   Music: Reloaded by Savfk www.youtube.com/savfkmusic www.facebook.com/savfkmusic Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

After a nice, long, unannounced and somewhat unintended break, Jenna and Megan are back at it, analyzing and agonizing over our favorite morally fraught television program. We talk about Diyoza, the new villain and ultimate pragmatist; the fanatic gladiator cult that Octavia built and is desperately trying to maintain now that they're out of the bunker; and how the relationships that Clarke and Bellamy have formed over the intervening six years shape their current motivations.   Music: Reloaded by Savfk www.youtube.com/savfkmusic www.facebook.com/savfkmusic Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

It's been six years since the world ended AGAIN, and our favorite characters are back at it, trying to save their friends and keep the human race alive. We discuss Clarke's mythologizing of her own life, the reversal of roles when a new threat from space appears, Octavia's violent judicial system, and most importantly, Bellamy's new facial hair.   Music: Reloaded by Savfk www.youtube.com/savfkmusic  www.facebook.com/savfkmusic Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

As Season Four - and the surface of the earth - comes to a fiery end, characters are scrambling to figure out how they'll survive the next 5+ years of nuclear fallout. Octavia experiences the burden of leadership for the first time. Jaha's ego and entitlement cause problems, AGAIN. A ragtag team of young adults decide to escape to space for a bit, but someone has to make a sacrifice for them to succeed. Content warning for suicide attempt, 42:03 - 43:24.   Music: Reloaded by Savfk www.youtube.com/savfkmusic www.facebook.com/savfkmusic Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

It's Octavia's time to shine as she enters the conclave to fight for Skaikru. Through her cooperation with other warriors, her memory of Lincoln's beliefs, and her witnessing how far Luna has fallen, she comes to a radical decision about how humanity will survive this new apocalypse. And then she's immediately betrayed by her own people, which feels about right for this show. We discuss the Hunger Games vibes, the convenience of the number 100, a tense standoff between the Clarke and Bellamy, and the unfortunately predictable loss of a major character.  Content warning for suicide/suicide pact from 50:10 - 58:45   Music: Reloaded by Savfk www.youtube.com/savfkmusic www.facebook.com/savfkmusic Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In the last days before the arrival of a deadly radiation wave, our characters are faced with fewer and fewer options for survival. We discuss Jaha's conspiracy theories, Monty's admirable commitment to his friends, Octavia's extremely brief attempt to give up fighting, and how Clarke just keeps trying to become Commander to solve problems. We are also joined by Josette of Brody Quest, mostly so she could defend Murphy. Content warning for a suicide attempt at 29:00 -  29:40, and mentions of a suicide pact throughout.   Music: Reloaded by Savfk www.youtube.com/savfkmusic www.facebook.com/savfkmusic Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In these episodes, a series of increasingly unfortunate events cause the characters to become more and more desperate for a plan to survive the encroaching nuclear radiation. Jasper provides levity through pranks and Dr. Seuss quotes. Luna insists on continuing to be an obstacle. Kane and Abby act as parental figures to these traumatized young people. Raven gets a case of Limitless Brain, but it has its consequences. And, of course, Clarke cuts Bellamy off during an emotional conversation, because this show wants us to suffer, too.   Music: Reloaded by Savfk www.youtube.com/savfkmusic www.facebook.com/savfkmusic Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Our friends from the 100 may have just solved one apocalypse, but as Season 4 begins they're faced with another one, as well as several smaller yet more immediate crises. These kids just can't catch a break, huh? Skaikru tries to maintain good relations with the grounders, while racing to create safe shelter against a nuclear fallout, and managing who knows key information about the impending threat. Also, there's the most romantic scene ever created in fiction, which mostly involves characters writing each other's names down. Content warning: we discuss a suicide attempt from 20:23 - 22:04, and make brief mention of sexual coercion from 59:58 - 1:00:28.   Music: Reloaded by Savfk www.youtube.com/savfkmusic www.facebook.com/savfkmusic Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

As Season 3 comes to an end, our favorite characters face increasingly dangerous and high-stakes challenges, making one last ditch effort after another to save themselves and their loved ones. Bellamy shows some growth, Murphy is a reluctant hero, Monty faces a familiar tragedy, and it once again falls to Clarke to make decisions that affect all of humanity. Ultimately, they might be able to defeat ALIE - but will that be the end of their troubles?   Music: Reloaded by Savfk www.youtube.com/savfkmusic  www.facebook.com/savfkmusic Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

As we move into the back half of Season 3, the threat of ALIE is ever-growing, while her ethical considerations seem to disappear. We get to flashback to the 100 as naive teen criminals and see how much they've all changed. An old enemy makes a surprise return, and is finally defeated once and for all. Also, we get excited about a Bellarke heart-to-heart, of course.   Music: Reloaded by Savfk www.youtube.com/savfkmusic www.facebook.com/savfkmusic Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

This episode of A Bit Much has some heavy stuff, which is saying something, considering what is typical for The 100. We talk about major character deaths, and the way that these characters' sexual and racial identities complicate their deaths. We discuss the echoes of previous authoritarian leaderships from the show. We witness how ALIE "gets around" free will through coersion. There's some cool spy stuff though! So it's not all bad!  Content warning: we discuss an instance of dubious consent to sex from 54:41 - 56:07.   Music: Reloaded by Savfk www.youtube.com/savfkmusic  www.facebook.com/savfkmusicCreative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Everything kind of takes a turn for the worse here. Clarke convinces Lexa to take a controversial stance, Raven joins a cult, and Bellamy makes some deeply out-of-character choices. On the bright side, there is a really cool trial-by-combat scene.   Music: Reloaded by Savfk www.youtube.com/savfkmusic www.facebook.com/savfkmusic Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

War among the clans is impending, the threat of a creepy AI is spreading, and the brief peace enjoyed by the Arkadians seems to be crumbling. There's a lot going on at the start of season 3, and most of it does not bode well for the future. We discuss a musical cameo, the casual inclusion of queer representation, and a disappointing use of a new character.   Music: Reloaded by Savfk www.youtube.com/savfkmusic www.facebook.com/savfkmusic Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

As season two concludes, the characters must all grapple with what their moral standards are and what they're willing to do to protect themselves and the people they love. We discuss trust and betrayal, guilt and innocence, and the significant impact of Clarke's personal relationships.   Music: Reloaded by Savfk www.youtube.com/savfkmusic www.facebook.com/savfkmusic Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Things heat up as the Arkadians struggle to maintain an alliance with the grounders, and life in Mount Weather becomes increasingly dangerous for the 47. Clarke tries to become more cold-hearted. Murphy decides to believe in something, for once. Jasper and Monty step up as leaders and have some badass moments. Content warning: There are vague mentions to an attempted sexual assault in the novel from 59:20 - 1:00:09.   Music: Reloaded by Savfk www.youtube.com/savfkmusic www.facebook.com/savfkmusic Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Welcome to the Finn Collins show, where we talk about the highs and lows (but mostly lows) of Finn's character arc. Other topics of discussion include zombies, badass power struggles, and Book!Octavia's bad habit of nearly being murdered.   Music: Reloaded by Savfk www.youtube.com/savfkmusic www.facebook.com/savfkmusic Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The second season starts in true The 100 fashion - messy, complex, with heavy themes and high adrenaline. The book also gets more complicated and messy, but not in a good way. We discuss the clash of different societies, the making and breaking of alliances, the unfortunate sacrifice of character in service of plot, and just how freaking annoying Jaha is.   Music: "Reloaded" and "The Interpretation of Dreams" by Savfk www.youtube.com/savfkmusic www.facebook.com/savfkmusic Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

As the first season comes to a close, tensions raise on all sides - matters of personal drama, warfare, and survival all become more urgent. We meet new characters and are reintroduced to old ones. Characters are put in increasingly tough situations and make drastic choices. The world of The 100 expands as we learn more about the ground and its various inhabitants - but we end the season with more questions than answers.   Music: Reloaded by Savfk www.youtube.com/savfkmusic www.facebook.com/savfkmusic Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this episode, Megan and Jenna look at the middle of Season 1 (and a few book chapters, which are...inconsequential). We discuss the introduction (and conclusion) of a new villain, the parallel between Bellamy and Kane as they begin feeling guilty over their actions, and the profoundly bad foundation for the relationship between the 100 and the Grounders.   Music: Reloaded by Savfk www.youtube.com/savfkmusic www.facebook.com/savfkmusic Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In The 100, it's 97 years after a nuclear apocalypse, and the only known living humans live on a space station called the Ark. When once again facing the threat of extinction, the leaders of the Ark decide to send one hundred juvenile delinquents to the surface of the Earth to test whether it is habitable yet. Intrigue, death, romance, politics, and hijinks ensue. Megan and Jenna look at the start of this story and discuss unnecessary kissing, hope versus practicality, and descending into mob rule.   Follow us on Twitter!   Music: Reloaded by Savfk www.youtube.com/savfkmusic www.facebook.com/savfkmusic Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

It's the beginning of a new era. In this announcement episode, we discuss the future of A Bit Much.   Music: Up In My Jam (All Of A Sudden) by Kubbi https://soundcloud.com/kubbi Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Reloaded by Savfk www.youtube.com/savfkmusic www.facebook.com/savfkmusic Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/tDexBj46oNI

A Bit Much is two years old! And in podcast years, that's like, twelve. To celebrate this anniversary, we decided to look back on the greatest movies that we've watched for this podcast - and to argue over exactly which movies those are. Which ones will make the cut? How will we compromise when it comes to our own personal taste in stories? How does one even compare movies so different as Brokeback Mountain and The Princess Diaries??   Music: Happy Rock by BENSOUND http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Up In My Jam (All Of A Sudden) by Kubbi https://soundcloud.com/kubbi Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/tDexBj46oNI

A Separate Peace tells a nuanced story about friendship, jealousy, and wartime. We discuss queer readings, underlying savagery, and the merging of identities. We also complain about the amount of pastoral descriptions of New England.   Music: Happy Rock by BENSOUND http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Up In My Jam (All Of A Sudden) by Kubbi https://soundcloud.com/kubbi Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/tDexBj46oNI

For this special, face-to-face recording, we chose a story that's had a big impact on our lives and on the genre it popularized: The Hunger Games. It's a story that takes an outlandish concept and gives it an intense emotional truth. We talk about the disconnect between those in power and those they oppress, the value of noble ideals versus survival at any cost, and how acts borne solely out of emotion can be perceived as political and revolutionary.   Music: Happy Rock by BENSOUND http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Up In My Jam (All Of A Sudden) by Kubbi https://soundcloud.com/kubbi Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/tDexBj46oNI

Sol Yurick's 1965 novel The Warriors depicts the harsh and incomprehensible realities of gang life for young men in New York City. The movie adaptation removes much of the violence and adds a lot of camp. Jenna insists we discuss an ancient Greek story. Megan expresses abject terror at the idea of walking through subway tunnels. We both enjoy watching the protagonists be tricked by women. Content warning: Discussion of rape, sexual assault, and murder from 6:42 - 13:17.   Music: Happy Rock by BENSOUND http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Up In My Jam (All Of A Sudden) by Kubbi https://soundcloud.com/kubbi Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/tDexBj46oNI

To All the Boys I've Loved Before has everything we could ask for - a fake dating plot, complicated family dynamics, and beautiful 20-something leading actors. Both the book and movie have their strengths and weaknesses, but they were both a ton of fun. Megan works through her prejudices against certain genres. Jenna complains that characters aren't good enough at lying. We both emphasize the overwhelming terror of opening up to someone.   Music: Happy Rock by BENSOUND http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Up In My Jam (All Of A Sudden) by Kubbi https://soundcloud.com/kubbi Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/tDexBj46oNI

Silver Linings Playbook is a story about family, romance, mental illness, books on a high school English syllabus, violence, and the Philadelphia Eagles. The novel does an excellent job of interweaving themes and subplots through the eyes of a deeply unreliable narrator. The Oscar-winning movie has its moments, but also feels unnecessarily dramatic at times. Jenna asks what kind of stories should be made into films. Megan tells us what the most perfectly-sized state in America is.   Music: Happy Rock by BENSOUND http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Brain on Fire, a memoir about a young woman who suffered from a rare autoimmune disease that ravaged her brain for a month, can be summed up with the following quote from this episode: "We all have dumb brains, and that's...terrifying." We talk about investigating one's own past, the pitfalls of the movie adaptation's focus, and what a clock looks like.   Music: Happy Rock by BENSOUND http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Up In My Jam (All Of A Sudden) by Kubbi https://soundcloud.com/kubbi Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/tDexBj46oNI

In 2008, Stephenie Meyer took a break from sexy vampire stories and published an adult sci-fi novel. It had some potentially fascinating ethical quandaries, a fair amount of problematic ideas surrounding romance, and some concepts that were beat for beat identical to what occurred in the Twilight Saga. We revisit a bit from last episode, pitch our bisexual rewrite of the story, and disparage some bad acting.   Music: Happy Rock by BENSOUND http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Up In My Jam (All Of A Sudden) by Kubbi https://soundcloud.com/kubbi Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/tDexBj46oNI

Dumplin' tells the story of Willowdean Dickson, a Texan teenager who participates in a beauty pageant in order to prove to herself and the world that there's nothing she can't do. It's full of humor and heart, but also unabashedly tackles difficult topics around fatness, societal pressures, and grief. We discuss the fascinating nuances portrayed in the book, the realistic depiction of life in high school, and the intense secondhand embarrassment of watching someone mess up a magic trick in front of an audience.   Music: Happy Rock by BENSOUND http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Up In My Jam (All Of A Sudden) by Kubbi https://soundcloud.com/kubbi Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/tDexBj46oNI

Stardust weaves a beautiful and complex story drawing on fairytale lore, but also incorporates mature concepts. Jenna complains about some dollar-store plastic flowers. Megan is cheated by Jeff Bezos. We are both suckers for a good love story and an adorable young Charlie Cox.   ----more---- Music: Happy Rock by BENSOUND http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Up In My Jam (All Of A Sudden) by Kubbi https://soundcloud.com/kubbi Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/tDexBj46oNI

The Danish Girl is a fictionalized retelling of the life of Lili Elbe, a trans woman in 1920's Europe, and one of the first people to undergo sex reassignment surgeries. We talk a lot about identity and gender, what is biographical versus what is imagined, and how vehemently we disagree on the importance of setting. Jenna highlights the worst visual metaphor she has ever seen, and Megan explains the joy of being part of the queer community.   Content warnings: surgery, reproductive organs, transphobia and homophobia, violence against trans people, death.   ----more---- Music:   Happy Rock by BENSOUND http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Up In My Jam (All Of A Sudden) by Kubbi https://soundcloud.com/kubbi Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/tDexBj46oNI

In this episode we dip back into Jane Austen's oeuvre and discuss Sense and Sensibility. Topics include How to Tell a Man is a Scoundrel, the romantic power of locks of hair, and medical practices of the early 19th century.   Music: Happy Rock by BENSOUND http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Up In My Jam (All Of A Sudden) by Kubbi https://soundcloud.com/kubbi Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/tDexBj46oNI

In this episode, we discuss Roald Dahl's Fantastic Mr Fox, and Wes Anderson's more expansive take on the story. Megan points out that even humans are animals. Jenna praises some incredible lines from the movie. We discuss the fascinating complexity of many characters, and question just how fantastic Mr. Fox is.   ----more---- Music: Happy Rock by BENSOUND http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Up In My Jam (All Of A Sudden) by Kubbi https://soundcloud.com/kubbi Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/tDexBj46oNI

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is about four teenage friends who go their separate ways for the summer, each experiencing their own trials and triumphs, and remaining connected by a pair of potentially-magic jeans. Jenna finds some linguistic issues to get upset about. Megan feels called out by how passive-aggressive one character is. Neither of us can remember exactly what species of rodent played a pivotal role in the novel. Content Warning: This story includes topics such as terminal illness, depression and suicide, and sex between a 19-year-old and an underage teenager.   Music: Happy Rock by BENSOUND http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Up In My Jam (All Of A Sudden) by Kubbi https://soundcloud.com/kubbi Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/tDexBj46oNI

For our Halloween episode, we discuss Shutter Island, a psychological thriller about an investigation at a psychiatric facility where something is not quite right. We cover subjects like the power of love, cycles of violence, and interpretations of reality. Ultimately, trauma might have been the true villain all along. Content warning: It's a horror story with a lot of of heavy topics, such as - a lot of death, including the death of children; mentions of World War II and concentration camps; suicidal tendencies; mental illness and the dehumanization of the mentally ill. Jenna's recall of historical events she knows almost nothing about is less than perfect - here's the Wikipedia page for the Dachau liberation reprisals for more comprehensive, accurate info. ----more----   Music: Happy Rock by BENSOUND http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Up In My Jam (All Of A Sudden) by Kubbi https://soundcloud.com/kubbi Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/tDexBj46oNI

Nightflyers is a sci-fi novella written by George R. R. Martin, adapted into a movie in 1987. We discuss Martin's masterful world-building, get into some ethical conundrums involving clones, and try to determine how space works, armed only with the knowledge that pop culture has given us.   Music: Happy Rock by BENSOUND http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Up In My Jam (All Of A Sudden) by Kubbi https://soundcloud.com/kubbi Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/tDexBj46oNI

Brokeback Mountain was a critically acclaimed and groundbreaking movie that was ruthlessly ridiculed by many middle schoolers. It's a story about two men who fall in love, and the deep dissatisfaction that their relationship will always evoke due to their circumstances. We discuss the inability to identify as something you have no concept of, the motivating power of fear, and how romantic tending to a wound can be. Megan forgets the word "visible." Jenna recounts the terribly awkward way in which she viewed the movie.   Music: Happy Rock by BENSOUND http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Up In My Jam (All Of A Sudden) by Kubbi https://soundcloud.com/kubbi Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/tDexBj46oNI

In this anniversarial episode of A Bit Much, we take on the joy and terror of The Lightning Thief. This first entry in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series is an excellent book for all ages, with a movie adaptation that, except for a single humorous line, is pretty painful to watch. Jenna appreciates the narrative use of prophesy. Megan gets upset by an excessively convenient map. ----more---- Music:  Happy Rock by BENSOUND http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Up In My Jam (All Of A Sudden) by Kubbi https://soundcloud.com/kubbi Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/tDexBj46oNI

Wild is a memoir that tells of Cheryl Strayed hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in order to fix her mess of a life. It's a story about resilience, forgiveness, and blisters. Like, a lot of blisters, and a variety of other physical ailments. Jenna reminds us of some sad scenes. Megan longs for Snapple lemonade. We consider whether this kind of venture will always result in personal epiphany. Content warning: this story deals with heavy themes that we discuss throughout, including drug use, death (of people and animals), and the potential threat of sexual assault. ----more---- Music: Happy Rock by BENSOUND http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Up In My Jam (All Of A Sudden) by Kubbi https://soundcloud.com/kubbi Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/tDexBj46oNI

Money! Parties! Complicated interpersonal relationships! Mob activity! The Great Gatsby has all this and more. Megan appreciates the problem with having human attachments. Jenna will not shut up about how much she likes this book. Follow us on Twitter (and you might get a prize!) ----more---- Music: Happy Rock by BENSOUND http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Up In My Jam (All Of A Sudden) by Kubbi https://soundcloud.com/kubbi Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/tDexBj46oNI

In this episode on Beautiful Creatures, we talk a lot about potential - such as the potential that Lena might turn into a Dark witch, or the potential that this could have been a great story, if it wasn't bogged down by small-town politics, high school stereotypes, and a lack of narrative satisfaction. Megan posits that turning evil might not be that bad, all things considered. Jenna summarizes the plot of The Music Man, and it's relevant, I swear. ----more---- Music: Happy Rock by BENSOUND http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Up In My Jam (All Of A Sudden) by Kubbi https://soundcloud.com/kubbi Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/tDexBj46oNI

Are you a woman who's confident, but unaware of it? Are you a man who uses Tupperware and will someday build a house with your bare hands? Then you'll feel right at home in this novel by Nicholas Sparks. Jenna takes issue with some medical details. Megan doesn't trust the puppies. We are probably unnecessarily mean to both the author and the leading actors. Content warning: For part of this story, a character is in a coma, so we discuss medical/hospital-related things. We also briefly talk about some workplace sexual harassment that happens in the book, from about 39:15 to 42:30. You can now listen to us on RadioPublic! ----more---- Music: Happy Rock by BENSOUND http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Up In My Jam (All Of A Sudden) by Kubbi https://soundcloud.com/kubbi Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/tDexBj46oNI

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was C. S. Lewis's first story about Narnia, a magical alternate world that blends Christian and pagan concepts. In this episode, we discuss prophesy pitfalls, balk at the unexplored horror of returning to your child-body, and wonder if the moral of the story is that sometimes, kids, it is okay to kill people. ----more---- Music: Happy Rock by BENSOUND http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Up In My Jam (All Of A Sudden) by Kubbi https://soundcloud.com/kubbi Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/tDexBj46oNI

The Martian tells the story of Mark Watney, an astronaut stranded on Mars. It's scientifically detailed but completely ignores psychological probabilities. Megan wonders what Mark Watney's dating prospects are. Jenna gets upset about the fact that we're not going to the moon anymore. We debate whether a cheesy ending can be earned.   Andy Weir's story "The Egg": http://galactanet.com/oneoff/theegg_mod.html ----more----   Music: Happy Rock by BENSOUND http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Up In My Jam (All Of A Sudden) by Kubbi https://soundcloud.com/kubbi Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/tDexBj46oNI

Can you FEEL the ENERGY in this ROOM? Welcome to the first episode of A Bit Much in which the hosts are in the same physical location! We're here to talk about the 2006 movie She's the Man, and the Shakespeare play it is loosely based on. We talk about gender a lot (it's a crossdressing plot!). Megan reminisces on her soccer-playing days. Jenna is considerably less prepared than usual. We both fail to remember the characters from the B-plot. ----more----   A Bit Much is now on Stitcher!   Music: Happy Rock by BENSOUND http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Up In My Jam (All Of A Sudden) by Kubbi https://soundcloud.com/kubbi Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/tDexBj46oNI

Slaughterhouse-Five is the most notable of Kurt Vonnegut's novels, and tells the story of Billy Pilgrim as he hops around in time, reliving various points in his life. Megan agrees with the assertion that time is a construct. Jenna loves the comforting nihilism of "so it goes." We get a little too deep, but we also complain about dog continuity, so all-in-all it evens out. Content warning: this story heavily features World War II and the bombing of Dresden, so there's discussion of war-related violence throughout the episode, although we don't get too graphic. ----more---- Music: Happy Rock by BENSOUND http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Up In My Jam (All Of A Sudden) by Kubbi https://soundcloud.com/kubbi Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/tDexBj46oNI

Meg Cabot's The Princess Diaries was adapted into one of the most iconic movies of the early 2000s, which both of us adore. Our opinions on the book are less harmonious. Megan is always trying to fall in love. Jenna creates a new theory about Jock Names. We talk about our own character traits. Also, while recording this episode Megan lost some of her audio because she doesn't know how to manage space on her computer. So those missing minutes might have contained our funniest, most insightful conversation ever, but you'll never know because it's been lost to the void. ----more---- If you enjoyed listening, check out our blog or hit us up on Twitter!   Music: Happy Rock by BENSOUND http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Up In My Jam (All Of A Sudden) by Kubbi https://soundcloud.com/kubbi Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/tDexBj46oNI

Slumdog Millionaire and the book it was based on both deal with heavy themes like poverty, abuse, and discrimination. But there's also joy and humor and serendipity to be found in these stories. Jenna recalls Dev Patel's teenage years. Megan is a slut for destiny.  ----more---- Music: Happy Rock by BENSOUND http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Mrs. Dalloway is a modernist novel about the endless march of time and the things from our pasts that haunt us. It was also, unfortunately, published shortly after 1923, so it is still under copyright, and Megan cannot create a happier and more overtly bisexual rewrite.   ----more---- Follow A Bit Much on Twitter here!   Music: Happy Rock by BENSOUND http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Up In My Jam (All Of A Sudden) by Kubbi https://soundcloud.com/kubbi Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/tDexBj46oNI

Jenna and Megan, #1 Tony Fiorello fans, are here to talk about Colm Toibin's Brooklyn. We talk about the American Dream, Megan anticipates a nefarious betrayal, and we get into a heated argument about the relative ages of some secondary characters. ----more---- Music: Happy Rock by BENSOUND http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Up In My Jam (All Of A Sudden) by Kubbi https://soundcloud.com/kubbi Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/tDexBj46oNI