Pop Enlightenments

In this final episode of its second season, the Pop Enlightenments podcast explores the strange world of eighteenth-century castrati and how they've been portrayed in popular culture of recent decades. Emrys is again joined by Brianna Robertson-Kirkland to discuss the film Farinelli (1994), Anne Rice's novel Cry to Heaven (1982), the play Farinelli and the King (2015) and the BBC's Casanova (2005).

In this episode, Emrys welcomes historical musicologist, Dr Brianna Robertson-Kirkland, to discuss how eighteenth-century music is used in historical drama. Shows and films covered include Master and Commander (2003), The Favourite (2019), Outlander (2014-) and Versailles (2015-18).

For this bumper-sized episode, Emrys is joined by Dr Stephanie Howard-Smith to talk about how the eighteenth century has been represented in recent video games. Pop cultural sources include the Assassin's Creed franchise and 2018 narrative game, The Council.

In this episode, Emrys and Adam mark the two-hundredth anniversary of Peterloo by discussing screen portrayals of the massacre and by thinking about the role of eighteenth-century history in modern politics more generally. Among the pop cultural artefacts under discussion are Sharpe's Justice (1997) and Mike Leigh's Peterloo (2018).

In this episode, Emrys welcomes back Adam James Smith to celebrate the three-hundredth anniversary of the publication of Robinson Crusoe. Among the novel's many pop cultural legacies, they discuss a board game, a 2016 animated adaptation and a range of science-fiction works inspired directly or indirectly by Crusoe's adventures.

In this episode, Emrys welcomes Dr Maddy Pelling to the podcast to talk about recent TV dramas (Banished, Outlander, Turn: Washington's Spies) in light of the #MeToo movement. Please note: the episode includes discussion of sensitive topics including sexual assault.

For the second episode of our second season, Emrys and Ellen Brewster discuss Blackadder the Third and Uncle Bertie's Botanarium, posing the all-important question: what's so funny about the eighteenth century?

In this first episode of our second season, Emrys welcomes Ellen Brewster of Oxford University to talk about The Favourite and eighteenth-century royalty on the big screen.

In the last episode of season 1, Emrys chats with Taylin Nelson about the legacy of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, and screen representations of Mary Shelley herself.

In episode seven, Emrys and Adam discuss small-screen representations of eighteenth-century crime, including legal dramas Garrow's Law and City of Vice. Music is Nine to Five by Scomber featuring audiotechnica

Adam James Smith returns to discuss the theme of Jacobitism in pop cultural sources including the Outlander TV series. Emrys confesses his own Jacobite sympathies. Music is Nine to Five by Scomber featuring audiotechnica

Emrys and Corrina discuss recent attempts to put a more ethnically diverse eighteenth century on our screens and to acknowledge the historic abomination of the slave trade. Music is Nine to Five by Scomber featuring audiotechnica

Emrys is joined this time by guest, Corrina Readioff, to discuss magical and supernatural eighteenth centuries, particularly in novels by Zen Cho and Naomi Novik. Music is Nine to Five by Scomber featuring audiotechnica.

In this episode, Emrys and Adam explore the theme of time travel as its applies to representations of eighteenth-century culture. Discussion focuses on Brian Aldiss's weird and wonderful novel, Frankenstein Unbound, as well as a foray by Doctor Who to the court of King Louis XV.

Again joined by Adam James Smith, Emrys discusses the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise, its accomplishments and its historical blind spots. Music is Nine to Five by Scomber featuring audiotechnica

In this introductory episode, Emrys discusses the enduring appeal of eighteenth-century culture with guest, Dr Adam James Smith, examining the finer details of a 2016 IKEA advert along the way. Music is Nine to Five by Scomber featuring audiotechnica