Ladies of Nerditude

Well, listeners, the time has come for the Ladies to say “bye (for now)” and travel some new roads. The last seven years have seen us through all sorts of ups, downs, conventions, new fandoms, and baking mishaps. Join as as we look back before moving forward.

Seven years of episodes and yet the Ladies have never talked about The Legend of Sleepy Hollow? Time to fix that. From the early colonial tale by Washington Irving to the Horseman making appearances in recently released books, we cover the timeline and scope of this beloved American (and perhaps British) tale. *SPOILERS* for various versions of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow including the original short story, the Disney movie, and the 1999 TIm Burton film.

Baking is art, and for those of us who can't do, we like to stare in awe. With cooler temperatures outside come pastries hot out of the oven and all of the baking shows that are Halloween-themed. Let's discuss (and maybe try to figure out why our brownies never come out right).

After years of waiting, fans were given a new season of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett's creation “Good Omens” on Amazon Prime. Venturing away from the original material, Aziraphale and Crowley are now free agents who can live as they see fit. That is, until a former archangel shows up with no memory. This supersized episode should be approached with an open mind, as it deals with themes of religion, sexuality, gender, and similar. *SPOILERS* for the book and Seasons 1 and 2 of the show

After years of waiting, fans were given a new season of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett's creation “Good Omens” on Amazon Prime. Venturing away from the original material, Aziraphale and Crowley are now free agents who can live as they see fit. That is, until a former archangel shows up with no memory. This supersized episode should be approached with an open mind, as it deals with themes of religion, sexuality, gender, and similar. *SPOILERS* for the book and Seasons 1 and 2 of the show

Disney returns to the cinema with another take on their ride: The Haunted Mansion. Starring LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito and others, this star-packed film may be spooky- but not for the right reasons. *SPOILERS* for all versions of The Haunted Mansion, including the rides

Disney returns to the cinema with another take on their ride: The Haunted Mansion. Starring LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito and others, this star-packed film may be spooky- but not for the right reasons. *SPOILERS* for all versions of The Haunted Mansion, including the rides

This summer's (nearly) unexpected smash hit “Barbie”, directed by Greta Gerwig, has breathed new life into Mattel's world. With a diverse cast of Barbies and Kens (and one Allan), Barbieland is near Utopia. So what happens when Stereotypical Barbie starts to have dark thoughts? It's time to head to the Real World for answers! What could go wrong? *SPOILERS* for Barbie

This summer's (nearly) unexpected smash hit “Barbie”, directed by Greta Gerwig, has breathed new life into Mattel's world. With a diverse cast of Barbies and Kens (and one Allan), Barbieland is near Utopia. So what happens when Stereotypical Barbie starts to have dark thoughts? It's time to head to the Real World for answers! What could go wrong? *SPOILERS* for Barbie

Indiana Jones sets out on his final adventure- is it everything fans can hope for? He's back fighting Nazis, riding horses in unexpected places, and chasing down an artifact that could change the course of history. Even heroes have their struggles- can Indy overcome his to get the ending he deserves? *SPOILERS* for the final film and some light spoilers for the other 4 films as well

Indiana Jones sets out on his final adventure- is it everything fans can hope for? He's back fighting Nazis, riding horses in unexpected places, and chasing down an artifact that could change the course of history. Even heroes have their struggles- can Indy overcome his to get the ending he deserves? *SPOILERS* for the final film and some light spoilers for the other 4 films as well

After a wonderful summer break, the Ladies return to the convention circuit by attending Creation Entertainment's Salute to Supernatural in San Francisco. How have cons changed since the pandemic? How are they the same? How amazing was everyone's hair during their panels? Click here and find out.

After a wonderful summer break, the Ladies return to the convention circuit by attending Creation Entertainment's Salute to Supernatural in San Francisco. How have cons changed since the pandemic? How are they the same? How amazing was everyone's hair during their panels? Click here and find out.

It's come down to the final two films in The Hunger Games franchise, and the final showdown between the Mockingjay and President Snow. Will Katniss and the remaining rebels be able to defeat the Capitol and free Panem? *TRIGGER WARNINGS* apply for violence, substance use, PTSD, and other adult themes. *SPOILERS* for the final book and films 3 and 4, Mockingjay, in this last of our super-sized episodes before our summer break

It's come down to the final two films in The Hunger Games franchise, and the final showdown between the Mockingjay and President Snow. Will Katniss and the remaining rebels be able to defeat the Capitol and free Panem? *TRIGGER WARNINGS* apply for violence, substance use, PTSD, and other adult themes. *SPOILERS* for the final book and films 3 and 4, Mockingjay, in this last of our super-sized episodes before our summer break

The Ladies take on the Quarter Quell as they review and dissect the film “Catching Fire” based off the book of the same name in the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. *TRIGGER WARNINGS* apply for discussion of violence, trauma, PTSD, alcoholism, drug use, and other adult themes. *SPOILERS* for the second book and film, Catching Fire

The Ladies take on the Quarter Quell as they review and dissect the film “Catching Fire” based off the book of the same name in the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. *TRIGGER WARNINGS* apply for discussion of violence, trauma, PTSD, alcoholism, drug use, and other adult themes. *SPOILERS* for the second book and film, Catching Fire

Do you remember being in high school? That was a rough time for most of us, but the silver lining is that we didn't live in Panem, the fictional setting of The Hunger Games. In this super-sized episode, the Ladies discuss the first book and film in the franchise- one as a newcomer and one as a someone who has been with the story since publication. *TRIGGER WARNINGS* apply for violence and similar topics. *SPOILERS* for the first book and film of The Hunger Games series

Do you remember being in high school? That was a rough time for most of us, but the silver lining is that we didn't live in Panem, the fictional setting of The Hunger Games. In this super-sized episode, the Ladies discuss the first book and film in the franchise- one as a newcomer and one as a someone who has been with the story since publication. *TRIGGER WARNINGS* apply for violence and similar topics. *SPOILERS* for the first book and film of The Hunger Games series

Sometimes all a person wants is to be entertained, or to be told a familiar story with a unique angle. Enter 2023's “Renfield”, following the modern journey of personal growth and bug-eating-heroics of Dracula's most famous minion. This film has been panned by critics- but should it be? Even with Nicholas Cage in a velvet suit? *SPOILERS* for Renfield and the Dracula story

Sometimes all a person wants is to be entertained, or to be told a familiar story with a unique angle. Enter 2023's “Renfield”, following the modern journey of personal growth and bug-eating-heroics of Dracula's most famous minion. This film has been panned by critics- but should it be? Even with Nicholas Cage in a velvet suit? *SPOILERS* for Renfield and the Dracula story

Joe Goldberg- we mean Will Bettelheim- no, wait, Jonathan Moore- has crossed the Atlantic in search of Marienne after the conclusion Netflix's season 3 of “You”. Settling into a literature professorship and an assortment of new rich friends, he has found himself in the genre he hates most: Whodunnit. Let's discuss. *SPOILERS* through S4 of You, plus a bit for Dexter and Fight Club

Joe Goldberg- we mean Will Bettelheim- no, wait, Jonathan Moore- has crossed the Atlantic in search of Marienne after the conclusion Netflix's season 3 of “You”. Settling into a literature professorship and an assortment of new rich friends, he has found himself in the genre he hates most: Whodunnit. Let's discuss. *SPOILERS* through S4 of You, plus a bit for Dexter and Fight Club

Before heading across the pond with Joe Goldberg, we need to remember what made him take that leap. In season 3 of Netflix's "You", Joe deals with the aftermath of Forty Quinn's death, marrying Love, and becoming a father- and it is suburban mommy-blogger/bros in the woods hell. Joe and Love no longer wolf each other... what are two serial killers to do? *SPOILERS* through season 3 of You

Before heading across the pond with Joe Goldberg, we need to remember what made him take that leap. In season 3 of Netflix's "You", Joe deals with the aftermath of Forty Quinn's death, marrying Love, and becoming a father- and it is suburban mommy-blogger/bros in the woods hell. Joe and Love no longer wolf each other... what are two serial killers to do? *SPOILERS* through season 3 of You

The Ladies discuss Marvel Studios' latest outing at the cinema. Ant-Man and the Wasp have been living fairly normal lives since the events of Endgame, but there's trouble lurking in the basement of Hank Pym's house. Cassie Lang has accidentally sent out a signal to the Quantum Realm, and Janet van Dyne hasn't let on how much actually happened while she was trapped there. With so many plot points and possibilities, how is it that this might be one of the few Marvel films that flopped? *SPOILERS* for the newest Ant-Man film and really, the whole MCU to this point

The Ladies discuss Marvel Studios' latest outing at the cinema. Ant-Man and the Wasp have been living fairly normal lives since the events of Endgame, but there's trouble lurking in the basement of Hank Pym's house. Cassie Lang has accidentally sent out a signal to the Quantum Realm, and Janet van Dyne hasn't let on how much actually happened while she was trapped there. With so many plot points and possibilities, how is it that this might be one of the few Marvel films that flopped? *SPOILERS* for the newest Ant-Man film and really, the whole MCU to this point

Reader, Adele Varens has had enough. Honestly, given the events of "Jane Eyre" and the time period she's living in, can you blame her? Author Betsy Cornwell rights a considerable literary wrong: the romanticizing of Mr. Edward Rochester. A story of vengeance, class, nationalism, lies, and the struggle for women to find their own independence in a time and place where that was nearly impossible, "Reader, I Murdered Him" delivers a heroic Villainess we can all get behind. *SPOILERS* for Jane Eyre and Cornwell's book

Reader, Adele Varens has had enough. Honestly, given the events of "Jane Eyre" and the time period she's living in, can you blame her? Author Betsy Cornwell rights a considerable literary wrong: the romanticizing of Mr. Edward Rochester. A story of vengeance, class, nationalism, lies, and the struggle for women to find their own independence in a time and place where that was nearly impossible, "Reader, I Murdered Him" delivers a heroic Villainess we can all get behind. *SPOILERS* for Jane Eyre and Cornwell's book

Disney+ has released "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" on their platform and it's time for the Ladies to discuss. Wakanda has lost its king and guardian and is working to move forward and heal while the outside world comes for its vibranium. Wakanda also finds itself with a potential new threat lurking beneath the waves and another teenage genius needing their help. *SPOILERS* for Wakanda Forever and, really, the whole MCU

Disney+ has released "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" on their platform and it's time for the Ladies to discuss. Wakanda has lost its king and guardian and is working to move forward and heal while the outside world comes for its vibranium. Wakanda also finds itself with a potential new threat lurking beneath the waves and another teenage genius needing their help. *SPOILERS* for Wakanda Forever and, really, the whole MCU

Hello world, it's 2023! We are cautiously optimistic. Let's discuss all the positives coming our way in Nerddom- new Marvel movies, fascinating books, and angels and demons and pirates returning to the small screen. What are you excited for?

Hello world, it's 2023! We are cautiously optimistic. Let's discuss all the positives coming our way in Nerddom- new Marvel movies, fascinating books, and angels and demons and pirates returning to the small screen. What are you excited for?

Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell tap-dancing in Victorian garb while singing about Christmas? What could go wrong? Oh, wait... This episode delves into the AppleTV original movie "Spirited", based on Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol". Also starring Octavia Spencer, Sunita Mani, and Tracy Morgan, will this movie become a fixture of the Holiday Movie Pantheon? *SPOILERS* for A Christmas Carol and Spirited

Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell tap-dancing in Victorian garb while singing about Christmas? What could go wrong? Oh, wait... This episode delves into the AppleTV original movie "Spirited", based on Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol". Also starring Octavia Spencer, Sunita Mani, and Tracy Morgan, will this movie become a fixture of the Holiday Movie Pantheon? *SPOILERS* for A Christmas Carol and Spirited

It's the holidays and that means time for family- The Addams Family. Netflix's “Wednesday” is slaying records and inspiring a new generation of outcasts. Tim Burton focuses the series on Wednesday Addams and her time at Nevermore Academy, where she is hunted, haunted, and is the target of an attempted murder (she is having a great time). The Ladies compare and contrast Jenna Ortega's take on the eldest Addams child to her previous iterations, and dive into the plot, monsters, and homages of “Wednesday”. Leave no Thing unturned- *SPOILERS* ahead for anything Addams.

It's the holidays and that means time for family- The Addams Family. Netflix's “Wednesday” is slaying records and inspiring a new generation of outcasts. Tim Burton focuses the series on Wednesday Addams and her time at Nevermore Academy, where she is hunted, haunted, and is the target of an attempted murder (she is having a great time). The Ladies compare and contrast Jenna Ortega's take on the eldest Addams child to her previous iterations, and dive into the plot, monsters, and homages of “Wednesday”. Leave no Thing unturned- *SPOILERS* ahead for anything Addams.

Merry Christmas from The Guardians of the Galaxy, who are on a mission to revive Quill's holiday spirit! Drax and Mantis decide the best thing to do is unite Quill with his hero: Kevin Bacon. What could go wrong? Turns out... plenty. *SPOILERS* for the MCU.

Merry Christmas from The Guardians of the Galaxy, who are on a mission to revive Quill's holiday spirit! Drax and Mantis decide the best thing to do is unite Quill with his hero: Kevin Bacon. What could go wrong? Turns out... plenty. *SPOILERS* for the MCU.

Our beloved Derry Girls series has come to its conclusion and is now available, in its entirety, on Netflix. The Ladies discuss the show's completion, the characters' arcs, and finding laughter in hard times. Coupled with one Lady's tales of a recent trip to Northern Ireland, this episode reflects the power of story and how fiction and reality interact. *SPOILERS* for the entire series of Derry Girls

Our beloved Derry Girls series has come to its conclusion and is now available, in its entirety, on Netflix. The Ladies discuss the show's completion, the characters' arcs, and finding laughter in hard times. Coupled with one Lady's tales of a recent trip to Northern Ireland, this episode reflects the power of story and how fiction and reality interact. *SPOILERS* for the entire series of Derry Girls

29 years after their defeat by Dani, Allison and Max, The Sanderson Sisters are back and searching for revenge and power. Three new teens (Becca, Izzy, and Cassie) defend Salem and it's mayor. Billy Butcherson has had enough of the lies and Book has a mind of its own. Let's talk about our childhood getting punched in the face. *SPOILERS* for both films, and beware of plot holes.

29 years after their defeat by Dani, Allison and Max, The Sanderson Sisters are back and searching for revenge and power. Three new teens (Becca, Izzy, and Cassie) defend Salem and it's mayor. Billy Butcherson has had enough of the lies and Book has a mind of its own. Let's talk about our childhood getting punched in the face. *SPOILERS* for both films, and beware of plot holes.

Before Bram Stoker introduced the world to Dracula, another Irish author named J. Sheridan La Fanu brought another vampire out of the dark: Carmilla. Why has this terrifying woman been buried in the shadow of The Count? A surprisingly feminist story for the time, this gothic horror short features vampires, LGBTQ+ representation, spooky portraits, and a narrator with a personality. Let's take a bite out of this to kick off Spooky Season! *SPOILERS* for the 150-year-old novella

Before Bram Stoker introduced the world to Dracula, another Irish author named J. Sheridan La Fanu brought another vampire out of the dark: Carmilla. Why has this terrifying woman been buried in the shadow of The Count? A surprisingly feminist story for the time, this gothic horror short features vampires, LGBTQ+ representation, spooky portraits, and a narrator with a personality. Let's take a bite out of this to kick off Spooky Season! *SPOILERS* for the 150-year-old novella

Hobbits and hashbrowns, wizards and treacle tarts, hunters and roadside diners... many fandoms strongly connect to food, and store shelves are becoming jam-packed with toe-in cookbooks. Which ones are worth the price tags? Who are the target audiences? Fall usually sends many people back to the kitchen for family fun- so let's talk about the triumphs and travesties we have come across in The Cooking Fandom.

Hobbits and hashbrowns, wizards and treacle tarts, hunters and roadside diners... many fandoms strongly connect to food, and store shelves are becoming jam-packed with toe-in cookbooks. Which ones are worth the price tags? Who are the target audiences? Fall usually sends many people back to the kitchen for family fun- so let's talk about the triumphs and travesties we have come across in The Cooking Fandom.

To celebrate the return to school and Banned Books Week, the Ladies are looking at books within books, shows, and movies. From The Spiderwick Chronicles and The Bro Code to the works of Chuck Shurley (Supernatural) and Jane Villanueva (Jane the Virgin), there are books within media that move the story along and sometimes take on a life of their own.

To celebrate the return to school and Banned Books Week, the Ladies are looking at books within books, shows, and movies. From The Spiderwick Chronicles and The Bro Code to the works of Chuck Shurley (Supernatural) and Jane Villanueva (Jane the Virgin), there are books within media that move the story along and sometimes take on a life of their own.

Morpheus has ruled The Dreaming for eons, but when a magician captures him instead of his sibling, Death, worlds begin to crumble. After he escapes, he must find his stolen tools, repair the damage, capture rogue nightmares, and take his kingdom back. From the perspective of a Sandman newbie and a somewhat knowledgable Gaiman fan, the Ladies discuss Netflix's attempt to bring the story to life. Originally published as a comic series, The Sandman has also been made in an Audible presentation and a collected work. Which Dream is supreme? *SPOILERS* for The Sandman

Morpheus has ruled The Dreaming for eons, but when a magician captures him instead of his sibling, Death, worlds begin to crumble. After he escapes, he must find his stolen tools, repair the damage, capture rogue nightmares, and take his kingdom back. From the perspective of a Sandman newbie and a somewhat knowledgable Gaiman fan, the Ladies discuss Netflix's attempt to bring the story to life. Originally published as a comic series, The Sandman has also been made in an Audible presentation and a collected work. Which Dream is supreme? *SPOILERS* for The Sandman