The Playlist

This week, Josh and Dietrich dive into building a playlist for one of their favorite directors, Quentin Tarantino. Dietrich looks at a podcast that dissects the ways film scripts are built, as well as a video game that matches the surreal and exuberant tone that has defined Tarantino's work. Josh raves about a brilliant author, an incredible and hysterical film celebrating the best and worst of blaxploitation movies, and wildly cheats by selecting the films of an entire nation as his third choice. It works, but still... cheating. In addition, Jost talks about an astonishing book by Bari Wood and a extraordinary video game about exploration and a looping timeline, and Dietrich attempts to review five books in five minutes, with predictably stressful results. You can send any questions or comments to playlistquestions@gmail.com.

This week, Josh and Dietrich are thrilled to bring you the first of what they're calling the Playlist B-Sides, a series of playlists built with the actual subject of the playlist! For our first interview, we're joined by the exceptional and hysterical author Mary Roach. In a writing career that's seen her mugged by monkeys, pestering special forces soldiers about diarrhea, and watching people hump inside an MRI machine for science, Mary's writing has spanned six New York Times bestselling books, ranging from how we handle corpses to how we poop in space. Today, you can hear her talk about her new book Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law, dealing with stubborn government officials, scandalizing her agent, and eagerly venturing forth to find a macaque to mug her, all while providing a unique look at some of the work that has inspired her remarkable career. 

This week, Josh and Dietrich attempt something quite different: a playlist about understanding and coping with mental health issues. It's a huge challenge for the pair, who approach it from different angles. Josh looks at work that has portrayed struggles with depression and anxiety, from the astonishing Melancholia to the grim, heartfelt, and moving HBO series The Leftovers. Dietrich discusses media that has helped him better understand the struggle faced by those coping with mental illness, including a webcomic that handles science fiction and trans rights equally deftly, and a video game that uses familiar mechanics to discuss the challenge of staying mentally healthy. Finally, they debate whether the Pixar film Inside Out belongs on this list. In addition, Josh raves about an astonishing urban fantasy novel, Dietrich looks at the newest title from the author of The Martian, and they discuss a movie Dietrich adores and Josh is dying to see. You can send questions or comments to playlistquestions@gmail.com.

On this episode, Josh and Dietrich assemble one of the strangest playlists yet: one based on the chaotic gleeful mayhem of professional wrestling. They look at the way archetypes from the WWE line up with the insanity of the Mad Max films and the video game Saints Row 3, discuss the physical and mental toll taken on those who perform as wrestlers as portrayed in GLOW and seen on Beyond the Mat, and close out by explaining all the ways that wrestling shares commonalities with the legendary role playing game Dungeons and Dragons. In addition, Josh revisits a surreal trilogy of films that always made the strangest choice, Dietrich raves about a new podcast recommendation, and they include a bonus section at the end looking at the highs and lows of the latest season of The Adventure Zone. You can send questions of comments to playlistquestions@gmail.com.

This week, Josh and Dietrich delve deep into their nerdy, nerdy pasts to explore media inspired by the themes, ideas, and stories of the iconic series Star Trek: The Next Generation. They talk about the extraordinary worldbuilding of the Mass Effect trilogy, the surreal and alien experiences in A Rendezvous with Rama, the sheer imagination of the explorations in the Bobiverse series, and the richly flawed characters of the Battlestar Galactica reboot. They wrap up with a board game recommendation that is a bit off the beaten path. In addition, Josh recommends a wonderful pair of stories by one of their favorite authors, and Dietrich looks at a pair of brutally difficult video games about surviving in the harshest of environments. You can send questions or comments to playlistquestions@gmail.com.

This week, Josh's significantly better half joins us to help us put together a playlist based on the hit series Bridgerton that will actually give you some solid suggestions. She discusses several excellent television series, including Reign, Outlander, and Sanditon, as well as the new film adaptation of Little Women. Dietrich and Josh attempt to throw a few suggestions into the ring as well, with Dietrich raving about the outstanding The Great, Josh recommending an excellent novel by Mackenzi Lee, and they wrap up with a contentious discussion about a new Sherlock Holmes adaptation. In addition, they discuss a new Sarah Langdon book, a surreal entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and more. You can send questions or comments to playlistquestions@gmail.com.

This week, Josh and Dietrich take a look at the recent Netflix phenomenon The Queen's Gambit, building a playlist off this remarkable miniseries about a young chess prodigy. Dietrich scandalizes pretty much anyone who knows sports with his claim of one of the best sports films. Josh looks at one of the few television series that can match The Queen's Gambit for style and setting. The pair discuss a controversial science fiction classic, a film that also tackles the intersection of genius and mental health, and Dietrich wraps up with some suggestions should this show have inspired you to pick up a pawn or two. In addition, Josh talks about a series of crime novels set in a different country, Dietrich raves about a French heist series, and the two discuss the latest film from Pixar. You can send questions or comments to playlistquestions@gmail.com.

This week, Josh and Dietrich tackle one of their most difficult playlists yet, in no small part because the inspiration is the most unique television show in the last few years. The Good Place featured a mix of philosophical thought and hysterical comedy, all presented with a honest yet unfailingly optimistic look at the human condition. Josh talks about a movie revolving around the idea of justifying your existence on Earth, while Dietrich explores a show that was as popular as its ending was divisive. They look at the remarkable novel Reincarnation Blues, another optimistic comedy by creator Mike Schur, and wrap up with a classic film that got added at the last minute. You can send questions or comments to playlistquestions@gmail.com. 

This week, Josh and Dietrich discuss Eldrich horror, which has seen an explosion in popularity over the last few years. The pair discusses the unfortunate history of the genre, particularly in its founding author, and looks at ways modern creators have explored how to make it their own, while simultaneously addressing the racial issues inherent in the genre. Josh raves about Clive Barker and a storytelling podcast that brings the Elder Gods to the Ozarks. Dietrich looks at a short story pitting one of the unfathomable terrors against the greatest mind in the western canon, and an HBO series that uses Eldritch terror to highlight racism in the Jim Crow era. In addition, Josh raves about the second book by one of his favorite authors, and Dietrich explains what he'd rather be doing instead of this podcast. (Editor's Note: An unfortunate glitch resulted in the last few minutes of the recording being lost, particularly the discussion on the astonishing podcast Old Gods of Appalachia. We can't recommend this storytelling podcast enough, and hope you'll check it out on your own.) You can send questions or comments to playlistquestions@gmail.com.

This week, Josh and Dietrich are joined by an old friend, as Christopher Merchant decides to sit in on a difficult and challenging episode. How do you find storytelling about the police that still feels acceptable given recent events? The trio discuss the difficulty of the old tropes of "the cop that breaks all the rules" in an era highlighting the ugliest in police violence, and try to find stories that look at police through a more honest lens. The examine a dystopian film, a comedy that faces the darker side of policing, and debate whether the iconic David Simon series still holds up as the hallmark of police dramas. In addition, Josh talks about James Ellroy, Christ is published in a new San Francisco literary journal, and Dietrich talks about easily the most esoteric and bizarre thing they've ever touched upon. You can send questions or comments to playlistquestions@gmail.com.

Emerging from the dark apocalyptic reality in which we've all somehow found ourselves, Josh and Dietrich return to regular podcasting. This week, the pair explores extraordinary storytelling by various People of Color, highlighting some of the best creators in the business today. Josh raves about the brilliance of James Baldwin and Spike Lee, Dietrich looks at the best science-fiction and fantasy author working today, and they discuss board game designers, musicians, comedians, and more that you should be exploring. In addition, Josh catches up to one of the biggest achievements in video game storytelling, and Dietrich raves about a book that mashes Agatha Christie together with Groundhog Day. You can send questions to playlistquestions@gmail.com

Well, hello there. It's been a while. Between tornadoes, pandemics, and the world kind of melting down, The Playlist has been on a bit of a hiatus, but Josh and Dietrich took a moment to record a special episode talking about the challenge of finding media to keep us going through the most difficult year that either of us can remember. Dietrich discusses the way stress can actually leave us feeling unwilling to explore new stories, and the comfort of revisiting reliable authors like Stephen King. Josh talks about a favorite author releasing his newest novel chapter by chapter to help distract us during these times, and finding routine in this new normal. In addition, they talk about the joy of What We Do In The Shadows, the depressingly relevant world of The Wire, a quiet game about island living that's providing a much-needed solace, and more. We hope you all are staying safe and taking care of each other, and we will begin to get back to a normal schedule as soon as possible.

This week, Josh and Dietrich work to assemble a playlist for both fans of Harry Potter, and for those looking for an alternative to Harry Potter. They talk about the friendship and joyful sense of adventure that permeate these stories, and how Stranger Things taps into that same sense of wonder. Josh raves about the pain of growing up in the adventure game Oxenfree, while Dietrich looks at the growing sense of menace and serialized storytelling of the best of the Star Trek franchise. Josh discusses the beauty and imagination of the Studio Ghibli films, and they both acknowledge the trilogy of books that are the natural successor to Harry Potter. In addition, they discuss the masterful graphic novel Locke and Key, and Dietrich talks about the novels of T. Kingfisher. You can send questions or comments to playlistquestions@gmail.com. 

This week, Josh and Dietrich build a playlist around the demented holiday classic A Nightmare Before Christmas. Despite being a bit of a grouch about Christmas, Josh has always enjoyed the skewed gothic comedy of this tale of Halloween trying to steal the holidays, and recommends the Terry Pratchett classic Hogfather along side the anarchic glee of Gremlins. Dietrich talks about the ability of children to "embrace the weird", and looks to A Series of Unfortunate Events as a natural companion with the dark humor, style, and joyful mayhem. Josh wraps the discussion up with a brilliant masterpiece of a novel from Clive Barker, and finally, they both rave about the short-lived comedy Pushing Daisies. Next week, the pair will tackle the task of recommending the next great story for those who either love Harry Potter, or find the author problematic and want a different path to take. You can send questions or comments to playlistquestions@gmail.com.

This week, Josh and Dietrich construct a playlist based on the legendary tabletop roleplaying game Dungeons & Dragons. One of the more challenging playlists they've tackled, the pair look into the core of what's made this form of collaborative storytelling so popular. The challenge of assembling a team of diverse characters to tackle an objective inspired Josh to recommend the brilliant heist film The Killing by Stanley Kubrick. The joy of friends finding joy in a shared experience is reflected in the short-lived by wonderful television series Freaks and Geeks. For those who deeply love D&D, The Adventure Zone podcast and Orconomics by J. Zachary Pike are can't miss experiences, and the explosive action and plotting of Scott Lynch's short stories read like one-shot campaigns brought to brilliant life. If you have questions and/or comments, you can email us at playlistquestions@gmail.com.

This week, Josh and Dietrich respond to a listener's email to review the best storytelling across genres from 2010 to today. In film, the pair discuss the heartbreaking film The Florida Project, and the unparalleled mayhem of Mad Max: Fury Road. A novel about a grieving president and another about a detective in hell join the list, alongside two television shows that tackle grief and philosophy in completely different, but equally brilliant ways. They touch on their favorite games of the last ten years, and wrap up with an iconic album and a family that's grown a podcasting empire. You can send your suggestions for the best storytelling of the decade, as well as any other questions, to playlistquestions@gmail.com.

This week, Josh and Dietrich look at the extraordinary films of Jordan Peele, and attempt to build a playlist of stories that demonstrate that remarkable blending of genre and racial commentary. Josh talks about the film District 9, while Dietrich raves about Saladin Ahmed's Black Bolt. They discuss the haunting ending of horror classic Night of the Living Dead, as well as the exceptional work done by author Victor LaValle in adapting the writings of a bigot to reflect the brutal treatment of black Americans. Finally, the pair break their rule of only including established works by including the staggering debut of HBO's Watchmen. In addition, the pair talk about what's been good to them, including a podcast about one of the most problematic films in the Disney canon, a brilliantly designed mobile game, and a stunningly comprehensive book about how to rebuild civilization from the ground up. You can send questions or comments to playlistquestions@gmail.com.

This week, Josh and Dietrich take a frequent punching bag of theirs and build a playlist off of The Walking Dead. From a quietly devastating book about the end of all living things, to one of the finest examples of narrative storytelling in video games, to a novel about spontaneous combustion, the pair will provide you five new storytelling experiences in which to immerse yourself. This week's playlist includes: The Road by Cormac McCarthy, The Walking Dead video game by TellTale Games, The Dog Stars by Peter Heller, the cooperative board game Dead of Winter, and The Fireman by Joe Hill. In addition, Dietrich finishes up Brian Staveley's excellent fantasy trilogy, Josh is surprised by a book he never expected to enjoy, and the pair discuss The Adventure Zone: Amnesty podcast coming to an end. You can submit questions or suggestions at our website, http://www.theplaylistshow.com.

This week's playlist is based on the hit podcast "Serial", and includes the books The Innocent Man by John Grisham and In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, everything by David Simon, the Netflix series American Vandal, and the film All The President's Men. Next episode: A playlist based on The Walking Dead.

On the first ever episode of The Playlist podcast, Josh Mauthe (an English teacher with over a decade of book and film criticism under his belt) and Dietrich Stogner (a former journalist and author) assemble a playlist of movies, television, books, and even a video game for those who fell in love with the intrigue of Westeros. If you loved the political games and machinations, you can find your own in a complex and innovative PC game that simulates the legacy of a royal family through the ages. Did Game of Thrones sweep you away with its complex characters? The Sopranos did it first, and in many ways, did it better. By the end of this episode, you'll have a laundry list of incredible stories to experience in a wide range of media. Next week, Josh and Dietrich help those who fell in love with the innovative and fascinating podcast Serial find their next obsession. We'd like to thank Hazard to ya Booty for the use of our theme song, Funk Me Out off of the album Putcha Hand On It. Check them out, people. They're fantastic.