Magical Murder Kingdom

This week Lauren & David discover the dark side of humanity in a journey through the dangerous jungles of Africa and the perilous prairies of North America. What do Tarzan and Pocahontas have to teach us about the nightmares of colonization and the hypocrisy of white saviors?

This week Lauren & David explore the historic adventures of the powerful, gender-bending heroine, Mulan, and the deceitful deeds and gory justice of our favorite thieving squatter, Goldilocks.

This week Lauren & David uncover the dark story of child slavery in Pete's Dragon, and take a treacherous journey deep into history with our favorite orphaned dinosaurs in The Land Before Time. 

This week Lauren & David give a tribute to the spookiest of filmmakers, Time Burton, highlighting the creepy tales of a decapitated villain hell-bent on revenge and the diabolical antics of a ghost trying to escape the netherworld by marrying a teenage goth.

This week Lauren & David explore the horrifying tale of a young girl's journey through the dark woods of adolescence to face off with a Big Bad Wolf, and another's harrowing escape from the clutches of a sorceress who trapped her in a tower to steal the magic of her youth. 

This week Lauren & David go on a long and winding journey to uncover the deadly secrets of The Last Unicorn and the bloody history of Cinderella.

In the first episode of Season 2, Lauren & David discuss the wicked side of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and The Snow Queen's tangled web of deceit. What do these tales have to teach us about the dangers of setting out into the world on a journey to find what you've lost?

This week Lauren & David explore the dangerous world of Pinocchio. What does this tale have to teach us about lying, kidnapping, animal-morphology, child abuse, torture and murder? We'll see you when you wish upon a star!

This week Lauren & David explore the controversial world of Br'er Rabbit. What role does this tale with ancient origins play in modern society, and what can it teach us about the systemic structures that keep racism and slavery alive? We'll see you once upon a nightmare!

This week Lauren & David explore the tiny adventures of Thumbelina as she searches for love in all the wrong places. What does this tale have to teach us about kidnapping, arranged marriage, and the timeless moral of sticking to your own kind? We'll see you once upon a nightmare!

This week Lauren and David bring you a special Halloween episode dedicated to Witches! Lauren explores the hilariously spooky world of Hocus Pocus, and David takes us on a magically murderous ride through witch history! We'll see you once upon a nightmare!

This week Lauren & David explore the traumatic childhood of our favorite magical elephant, Dumbo. What lessons about bullying, slavery and life as an orphan does this tale have to teach us? We'll see you once upon a nightmare!

This week Lauren & David explore the dangerous world of Jack and the Beanstalk. What does this ancient tale and its numerous reinventions have to teach us about thievery, murder and giants? We'll see you once upon a nightmare!

This week Lauren & David explore the short life and gruesome death of Princess Anastasia and her royal family. What horrors are hiding behind one of our favorite animated films of the 90s?   We'll see you once upon a nightmare...

This week Lauren & David take a treacherous but somewhat predictable journey to find the Grimm brother's Golden Bird. What does this tale have to teach us about taking advice from strangers, and will we finally learn the answer to the ever important question: "What does the fox say?" We'll see you once upon a time.

After a 3 week break, Lauren & David are back to explore the terrifying world of The Brave Little Toaster. What lessons does this toaster's adventure have to teach us about friendship & proper appliance maintenance? ...not to mention the dangers of pirates, rats & Stolkhom syndrome?   We'll see you once upon a nightmare!

This week Lauren & David explore the ridiculous world of the Princess Bride. What lessons on true love, marriage (mawage), and murder does this adventure-packed fairy tale have to teach us?   We'll see you once upon a nightmare!

This week Lauren & David explore Goofy's problematic history and modern transformation. What does a clumsy animated dog have to teach us about racism, sexism, single parenting and the importance of being true to who you are?

This week Lauren & David explore the rat infested history of The Pied Piper, and the traumas of a town that lost all of its children. Could this tale be based on real events, and what lessons does a magical piping kidnapper have to teach us about keeping our promises or facing the consequences?   We'll see you once upon a time!

This week Lauren & David explore the dangerous backyard world of A Bug's Life. What can this story and its Aesop Fable origins teach us about bullying, murder, hoarding, slavery, and the importance of ingenuity?    We'll see you once upon a nightmare!

This week Lauren and David explore Babar's wonderful world of colonialism. What lessons does this gentrified elephant have to teach us about hunting, childhood trauma, and imperialism?   We'll see you once upon a nightmare!

This week Lauren & David explore The Princess and the Frog & The Frog Prince. What can these fairytales teach us about greed, lies, racial stereotypes and the importance of strong female role models?   We'll see you once upon a nightmare!

This week Lauren & David explore the dark history of Snow White. From the Grimm Brothers to Disney and beyond, what can we learn about jealousy, trusting strangers, poison and the magical healing powers of activated carbon?   We'll see you once upon a nightmare!

This week Lauren & David explore the dark history of the infamous, conniving Rumpelstiltskin. What lessons can he teach us about child endangerment & spinning lies into gold?   We'll see you once upon a nightmare!

This week Lauren & David bring you an eXXXtra special episode covering the gruesome murder of Alan Shalleck, director of the Curious George TV series. What dark & devious things will we find behind the curtain of one of our beloved childhood cartoons? Sex, Nazis, wig-snatching, spanking and murder all play a role in this twisted true crime tale.   We'll see you once upon a nightmare!

This week Lauren & David explore the land of the dead.  What can Coco teach us about life & death, and the importance of family ties?    We'll see you once upon a nightmare!

This week Lauren & David explore the deep sea terror of brutal murder by a terrifying serial killer, the kidnapping of a physically handicapped child, and an exhausting rescue aided by a beloved friend with mental illness.  We'll see you once upon a nightmare.

This week Lauren & David explore the dark origins of the Aladdin story, and conspiracies surrounding the 1992 Disney movie. What horrifying characters will we find in ancient Arabic folklore, and what darkness is hiding beneath the colorful animations of one of our favorite childhood movies?   We'll see you once upon a nightmare!

This week David walks Lauren and the listeners through Shrek, and the origins of ogres in mythology, folklore and some of our favorite fairy tales. Is this movie ogre-rated?! We don't think so! We'll see you once upon a nightmare!

This week Lauren walks David and the listeners through the horrors of Coraline, a magical children's tale of an alternate world where everyone sews bottons over their eyes, your friends might have their mouths sewn into a smile, and your mom is actually a giant spider obsessed with stealing your soul. Sounds charming. We'll see you once upon a nightmare!

This week Lauren & David explore 101 Dalmatians & Hansel and Gretel. What can Cruella teach us about proper pet care & the importance of adoption, and why are we telling our children cute stories about child abandonment, cannibalism and murder?   We’ll see you once upon a nightmare.

This week Lauren & David explore the dark side of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. What was Victor Hugo trying to say about religion, love, beauty and outcasts? Why did Disney adapt this horrific tale into an animated feature for children, and did they make it better or worse?

This week Lauren & David explore the dark origins of Sleeping Beauty. What can the gods, ogres and fairies of folklore & mythology teach us about consent, murder, necrophilia, canabilism and rape? Get ready for a wild ride through history!

This week Lauren & David explore the dark side of Moana & The Fox and the Hound.  How does Moana stack up against Polynesian culture, and what is The Fox and the Hound really trying to tell us about life, love and friendship? 

This week Lauren & David explore Neverland's dark side with Peter Pan, Hook, Wendy, Tinkerbell and the rest of the island's residents. What does Peter Pan teach us about baby teeth and the dangers of child endagerment and kidnapping?