The Rotating Cast Files: Carnivale

The Rotating Cast Files: Carnivale

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Welcome to The Rotating Cast Files, a podcast where we watch and discuss every episode of [INSERT TV SHOW], spoiler free. Follow on Twitter @CastFiles Email us at TheeCastFiles@gmail.com Music by Hal Six Logo by @OokaArt

Kristen Riley and Daive Reed


    • Apr 5, 2023 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 56m AVG DURATION
    • 99 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from The Rotating Cast Files: Carnivale

    Carnivale: Season 1 Episode 7 - The River

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2023 69:51


    Justin goes on a vision quest. Ben throws a fit. Stumpy and Libby decide to leave for Hollywood. Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed Edited by Daive Reed Thanks for being here and if you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and subscribe. Or, even easier, tell people about us! It really helps us out.  Find us on Twitter and Instagram @CastFiles We also auto-post on YouTube, if that's your streaming service of choice, or if you like closed captions.  And finally, email us at TheRotatingCastFiles@gmail.com   Content Warnings -

    Carnivale: Season 1 Episode 6 - Pick A Number

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 29, 2023 43:20


    In the follow up to Babylon we are all upset and cry a bunch. I also call Ronald D Moore a bunch of names because he made me feel bad feelings. I really hope he writes more for the series. Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed Edited by Daive Reed Thanks for being here and if you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and subscribe. Or, even easier, tell people about us! It really helps us out.  Find us on Twitter and Instagram @CastFiles We also auto-post on YouTube, if that's your streaming service of choice, or if you like closed captions.  And finally, email us at TheRotatingCastFiles@gmail.com   Content Warnings -

    Carnivale: Season 1 Episode 5 - Babylon

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2023 44:09


    Babylon is finally upon us. Will it swallow us whole as Lodz warned or will we just have a nice time with the creepy bartender? Only time will tell. (No it won't, leave immediately). Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed Edited by Daive Reed Thanks for being here and if you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and subscribe. Or, even easier, tell people about us! It really helps us out.  Find us on Twitter and Instagram @CastFiles We also auto-post on YouTube, if that's your streaming service of choice, or if you like closed captions.  And finally, email us at TheRotatingCastFiles@gmail.com   Content Warnings: Death, adult themes --------- “...And on her forehead, a name was written, a mystery. ‘Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth…” The carnival rolls into Babylon, a tapped-out silver-mining town with a luckless history - and few visible inhabitants. Samson looks to raise morale by treating the troupe to a night at a local car in town, while Sofie and Libby take in a film. Finally, a group of restless miners arrives just in time for the evening cooch show - and the latest tragedy to befall Carnivale.    We open with Justin squatting and praying in the wreckage of the ministry/orphanage. In his prayer, he mentions Babylon as we fade to a man walking down the road as the carnival approaches. Jonesy and Samson stop to talk to the guy and it's apparent something is amiss.  The roadman has an Irish accent and Samson asks if he's from Babylon. He looks taken aback but reconsiders and says yes. Jonesy tells him there's nothing behind them but 50 miles of sand and sidewinders, which is the way the man is headed. He asks if they're a carnival and when they confirm he says they've been waiting for them for a long time. Samson asks “how's that?” but he just smiles and walks off.  Welcome to Babylon. We should not stop here even for a moment.  Rita Sue being Rita Sue hollers “hey handsome” at him as they pass.  The carnival arrives in Babylon and it's clear that no one is happy about being there. Dora Mae says Rita Sue says Babylon is cursed. Ruthie says it's just a place. Gecko counters with “just a place no other carnival will play.” Samson tells them to set up, but Rita Sue rightly points out there's no one around for them to play to. He counters that if that were true they wouldn't be here, would they?  Immediately Samson goes to confront Management about why they're there. He demands management tell him something he can share with the crew, but management is silent.  Jonesy and his crew are setting up. Gecko is begging to stop by El Paso, which isn't going to happen apparently. The crew is telling Jonesy they're going to wire to another show for work and Jonesy calls them some 1930s name that showcases how little he cares. Ben's working, but sees Lodz's trailer and beelines it past Jonesy to the trailer. It's like he was pulled to it. Lodz is shaking in his bed. They call it “the clangs”.  “You have an infallible, if irritating, gift for stating the obvious.” Ruthie breaks it up by telling Ben to go back to work. She calls Lodz on his bullshit and threatens him if he keeps messing with Ben. “I will tear your pecker off like a piece of French bread.” Sofie argues with Apollonia over her recent sexual encounter during the dust storm. Sofie says she liked it, liked the way he held her. Which, I saw that scene, did not occur. Apollonia warns or threatens or suggests she might be pregnant. Sofie says he didn't knock her up because that only happens in dime novels. Wouldn't that be great if true? But, of course, now she's worried that she may be pregnant.  Fortunately, when Sofie leaves the trailer she sees the Dreyfuss women practicing. They're also bickering because everyone is on edge and that's what you do with families. Also fortunate, as Sofie approaches Dora Mea storms off and Rita Sue is distracted by Stumpy hanging a torn banner.  It's obvious these two don't spend much time together when Sofie decides to sit and stay for a cigarette. Sofie asks Libby how you can tell if you're pregnant which leads to the discovery that no one knows but at least Libby tells Sofie to require a rubber next time. I don't think Sofie knows what that looks like or where to get them, but maybe she and Libby will be best friends and Sofie can learn.  Dora Mea shocks the hell out of Ben while he's shaving, even going so far as to lean in for a kiss. It's obvious he's the most fun to play with since he's the new guy and a prude.  a person who is or claims to be easily shocked by matters relating to sex or nudity.: "the sex was so ambiguous and romantic that none but a prude could find it objectionable". synonyms: puritan, prig, killjoy, moral zealot/fanatic, moralist, Mrs. Grundy, Grundy, old maid, schoolmarm, pietist, Victorian, priggish person, bluenose, goody-goody, goody two shoes, holy Joe, holy Willie, Miss Prim Jonesy is still furious with Samson but they haven't discussed it, even on that 50 miles of sun and dirt drive, but Jonesy tells Samson he needs to do something now or people will start leaving. So, in an effort to prevent many of the rousties from deserting, Samson takes them out on the town for the night. Unfortunately, what that means is one nearly abandoned bar with the man from the road as a bartender. When Samson says, looks like you didn't make it out of town, he cryptically responds, never does.  Rather than go to the bar, Sofie and Libby dress up for a night at the movies. They approach the theater but it appears closed. Sofie, reluctant to turn back yet, suggest they may be early. Inside, they find a small counter with candy. As Sofie reaches for a few bars another creepy man appears from around the corner and catches them. Libby distracts him so Sofie can steal the candy. He confirms they're with the carnival before putting on a silent movie.  As the movie plays they talk about sex. The man is watching and listening.  At the bar, there's actually music now so everyone is dancing. Dora Mae is flirting with the bartender who says the town doesn't come in here. Everyone's dancing and having a good time, Libby and Sofie arrive after the movie to join in. Ben is getting annihilated at a table by himself until Ruthie asks if he wants to dance. Jonesy is also sitting alone, watching.  The creepy as fuck townsmen with lust in their eyes are being goddamn creeps. As the night carries on and slow dancing starts Libby and Sofie are still dancing. Jonesy asks to cut in. It's a gut-wrenching scene. Libby is amazing though, she knows the cues and as she politely brushes Jonesy off with a smile she also dances Sofie's back to him. Jonesy wanders to the bathroom. Ben stumbles in.  “You can go to hell.” “Where do you think we are, farm boy?” Ben stumbles off alone into the dark. Tensions are still high in the morning.  No one seems to notice Ben's absence the next morning, except for Ruthie. When Lodz learns of it, he employs Lila to take him on an undisclosed errand. Cut to Sofie, Libby, and Dora Mea at the breakfast table. We learn Libby “fell off the roof” so the blow-off is all Dora Mea's tonight. Apollonia is butting in as Libby and Sofie enjoy each other and Sofie has to run off.  Now Ben, who has apparently just woken up in total darkness, flicks his Zippo to discover that he's in an abandoned and seemingly sealed-off mine shaft in the Babylon mine. It's reminiscent of Justin's vision trip he played on Iris's last episode. Soft hands, hard rock.  Night falls -  Meanwhile, Lodz sits alone outside in the wilderness at night, and he may or may not be able to hear Ben screaming for help. The carnival opens for evening business. At first, there's no one. Samson says to Jonesy, give it time. Jonesy makes a snide remark about management. “What kind of spider crawled up your ass?” Then we hear a horse or horses pull up and see lanterns in the distance. This. Is. Bad. The horses are the only thing making any noise.  The crowd that descends on the carnival is extremely large and composed almost entirely of sullen-faced, grey-suited, dirty miners.  Samson is unnerved and tells Stumpy to cancel Dora Mae's blow-off (i.e. she keeps her panties on). It's a full house so Stumpy wants to do the blow-off because that tends to mean more tips. As the show continues we hear some men saying things so we know they aren't ghosts or whatever.  Jonesy is out at the Ferris wheel. When two filthy men get into his cart he asks for their tickets. When they don't give them up, but the rest of the folks are hollering to get started, he refuses to lock them in and instead holds the accelerator to as fast as it will go. Hilarious if I didn't fully expect this thing to fall apart at some point.  Sofie is reading the Tarot cards for her mother. The miner wants to know when he'll hit high dirt. Sofie does the thing where she tells him the cards are unclear rather than whatever Apollonia actually said, which was probably “he's fucked”, so the miner gets up to leave but Apollonia has Sofie ask the miner if he knows the name "Scudder." The miner does and relates that Scudder worked the mine several years prior and that Scudder had killed Carl Butridge with a pickaxe. Apollonia declines to explain the incident or its relevance to her daughter. Down in the mine shaft, Ben has stumbled across a pickaxe, just as Scudder, dressed as a miner, comes round the corner. Scudder is silent. Ben chases him, finally getting him to stop when he yells, “I know who you are.” Scudder replies, “but do you know what that means?”  In light of Ben's silence, Scudder sets off down the tunnel. Ben can't keep up, and soon collapses when he finds the lifeless body of Carl Butridge, pickaxe still lodged in his chest. Back at the cooch show, Rita Sue is unconvinced about Samson's warning. She says they've worked tougher crowds and has Stumpy call for the men who will pay an extra $0.50 to see the final show. Dora Mae is going to do the blowoff. Both the Babylon barkeeper and the local projectionist are in the crowd. We hover on Stumpy as he watches the crowd go through the second curtain. He looks uncertain, but it's tough to say whether this is because he believes Samson or because he's watching for Samson so they don't get caught.  Back at the Ferris wheel, Jonesy proceeds to get drunk while those original minors are still flying around and around. Someone yells “you wanna fight?” or something which is rich because they are literally at his mercy. Miners on the ground end up beating to snot out of Jonesy as another person stops the wheel.  Samson arrives and breaks up the fight, then tells Jonesy to leave since they had a deal. (He wasn't supposed to drink on the job). Jonesy stumbles off into the dark.  Dora Mae is in the middle of her blow-off - Stumpy and Rita Sue standing by - A full-blown handstand, are you kidding me? Impressive.  As she lands out of her handstand the miners rush the stage, grabbing her and dragging her toward them. She's terrified and calls out, “Daddy!” Stumpy rushes to help her and she runs off the back of the stage as the tent collapses. Dora Mae is cut on the way out.  Next, we see her she's outside a tent, in a robe, hyperventilating. That must have been terrifying. Rita Sue stands silently by while Stumpy brings her ointment to keep it front getting puss-y, which is a very hard word to write down… Dora Mea thanks him and Rita Sue appears to be fighting grief, guilt, and anger but remaining silent. Dora Mea looks up toward the camera like she's looking toward someone just as Rita Sue slips around the tent after Stumpy, leaving her alone. Back to Ben, the least interesting storyline in this episode. He's still in his cave.  Ben has relit his Zippo and discovered a series of letters carved in the wooden beams supporting the mine: AVATARAVATARAVATAR. He copies "TARAVATARA" onto his arm in charcoal.  Ben takes Burtridge's headlamp, lights it, and sets off in search of Scudder. Get ready: Jonesy, staggering up the hillside outside of the carnival, comes across a tree and we can see legs dangling from it. It's Dora Mea, you can see her shoes with the little heel and the white ankle socks. You can also see the blood from her cut - if not additional trauma - has run all the way down her legs to her socks.  Jonesy pauses, slowly looking up at her face. He vomits. Next, we see him stumbling through the carnival carrying Dora Mae. Ruthie sees him and tells him to lay her down “over here” while laying out her jacket for him to put her on.  Rita Sue notices and runs over. Screaming only the screams of someone experiencing a part of themselves actually dying.  Dora Mea's throat was cut and the word "Harlot" was carved into her forehead. We hear Brother Justin saying over the scene: “...And on her forehead, a name was written, a mystery. ‘Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth…” SONG: The World Is a Beautiful Place and I Am No Longer Afraid to Die, “January 10th, 2014” (2015) Championing female vigilantism in a world rife with male violence, “January 10, 2014” is a rogue entry to the emo canon, centered on women but not from the vantage point of the male gaze. It brings together two stories: The first is the true story of Diana, Hunter of Bus Drivers, who murdered two late-night shuttle-bus drivers in response to decades of sexual violence on the women of Juárez, Mexico, due to the indifference of the police. The second is Diana, the Roman goddess of the hunt – a protective force associated with, among other things, wild animals, woodland, the underworld, fertility, and childbirth. It's an ambitious concept but, in its own idealistic way, rewrites a common narrative — both within emo and the world at large — that seeks to confine women to one of two categories: “victim” or “evil.” By contrast, “January 10th, 2014” holds women up as beacons of bravery and strength and vigilante action as worthy of thanks. While it feels fairly deflating that the examples chosen are ones of abject desperation and myth, it works within the utopian framework of the song, whose soaring post-rock-influenced landscape communicates its vision better from within clouds. However, what really elevates “January 10, 2014” are the dueling vocals and the passing of the most affecting lines — “Are you afraid of me now?” — to keyboardist Katie Shanholtzer-Dvorak, which brings a much-needed sense of agency to a genre that often deprives women of it whether it means to or not. —Emma Garland  

    Carnivale: Season 1 Episode 4 - Black Blizzard

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 15, 2023 69:47


    The topsoil of 10,000 farms decides to ruin everybody's day. Pretty rude. Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed Edited by Daive Reed Please rate, review, and subscribe.  Find us on Twitter and Instagram @CastFiles   Content Warnings - death, adult themes   This opening shot is gorgeous! Everything is brown, but they're situated near mountains. Mountains we will never see again.  We zoom in and see Ben working on a car. Probably stealing carburetors before it was cool. The conjoined twins are in the background doing their morning stretches. Ben sees them and is fascinated.  Lodz is being fancy in his trailer with his absinthe, performing his own rendition of Jurassic Park. He seems thrilled about it.  Sofie and her mother argue in their trailer about Sofie's habit of going to town to have a little fun. She says she never lets it go too far and she's not lying. Apollonia doesn't want her to go and slams the door to prevent her, or at least make her point even more apparent. We get a premonition that something is to come. Before Sofie forces the door open she says “what are you talking about? It's a beautiful day.” FORESHADOW. Samson is getting all dolled up in the management trailer. As he leaves we see through the curtain where management was, and it's yanked closed.  Ben is getting food from the hottest server at the circus. He sits with someone I've never noticed before, who pointedly gets up and sits at another table. Why? Weren't we all thrilled about Ben last episode? Is it because that woman died in Tipton? At a nearby table, all of our remaining characters are seated. Gecko complains about the heat and the shade while sitting in the shade. Lila riles everyone up by saying a nearby road leads to Babylon. Libby says she heard 3 rousties were strung up there in ‘32. Dora Mea says it wasn't rousties it was freaks - two pinheads and an albino. Apparently, Gecko is albino-phobic.  Next, we see Jonesy following Samson through the carnival grounds. He's worried that his men are going to bolt, everyone's been jumpy since they went off course.  Samson says it's not his call, it's management. Jonesy says maybe he could talk to management. His men stand behind him, encouraging him. This is what we call foreshadowing.  Samson shuts it down and walks away. Jonesy follows him to the car. He tells Jonesy he expects everything to be set up by the time he returns. Jonesy shouts to his men to get back to work. No one's thrilled. 

    Carnivale: Season 1 Episode 3 - Tipton

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2023 53:37


    Pack up the babies! Grab the old ladies! Everyone knows, everyone goes, Brother Benjamin St John's Show! Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed Edited by Daive Reed Thanks for being here and if you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and subscribe. Or, even easier, tell people about us! It really helps us out.  Find us on Twitter and Instagram @CastFiles We also auto-post on YouTube, if that's your streaming service of choice, or if you like closed captions.  And finally, email us at TheRotatingCastFiles@gmail.com   Trigger Warnings: Death, evangelism, complex boundaries between siblings   Summary Carnivàle shows up in Tipton as a funeral is in progress. Most of the mourners turn away from the coffin and watch the carnival come into town. One fancy guy seems pretty pissed.  The carnival is setting up as Samson reads off a list for purchases in the town. Samson tells Hawkins to go with Jonesy. Jonesy has never worked this town. They used to have a circuit until Hawkins showed up. Which doesn't make sense yet.  Samson has the carnival setting up. The angry, fancy guy comes over. Lyle Donovan, Tipton's sheriff, comes to find Samson. They shoot the shit for a bit, but Lyle sucks and tells Samson he's not going to allow it. “Because the town is too poor” but probably because Lyle sucks.   The two have known each other for a long time, but Donovan refuses to let Samson set up the carnival since Donovan doesn't want his people being cheated out of what little money they have left.  Paying for entertainment is not the same thing as being cheated, you moron. And if they gamble? That's on them.  In town, it's obvious how bad off the town is. There's hardly any food and no water, even the cows are dehydrated. It's definitely bad. Jonesy haggles over barely corn while Ben sees a truck with the Big Sky Farms sign on it.  Just then, the little girl he healed before identifies Ben as a healer. Jonesy pulls up in the truck as the town is being wild and calls over the ruckus to Ben to get into the truck.  In a nice juxtaposition, the poor migrants from Minten have a new place of worship. Justin and his congregation are having a great time at Chen's. Justin and Iris are trying to get everyone on key, but we know I don't want that. Justin preaches that people who God hates are better believers than the ones who don't have it as hard or something.  Eleanor gives God credit when shaking Justin's hand and Justin replies that it isn't a miracle, just a lot of hard work. Honestly, I want to hear more people say that. Take credit for your hard work!  Some council members show up and want a “nickel tour”. Iris says “well well.” Jonesy arrives and says Ben was being called Jesus. Samson isn't interested because the carnival has been kicked out. BUT Jonesy has an idea. Samson stages a faith-healing revival in order to circumvent Donovan's edict. Samson plays the organized religion game and talks to the reverend, spinning a cute tale and promising 50% to this guy's church. There's a catholic church down the road, and Samson says “why don't we let the Catholics take care of the Catholics?” The game is on.  After gaining the support of Tipton's reverend, we get a great shot of Stumpy's born-again speech. His daughters are dressed up, collecting coins in plates, and looking very "respectable". Quotes because respectability is a patriarchal construct.  Samson is confronted by Lyle and uses the great “freedom of religion” bullshit we're all being persecuted under today. It's a great comparison between what's happening in Tipton and Minten. The poor folks are being taken by religion. Lila is dressing Ben, putting product in his hair. Ruthie, Gabriel, and Samson walk in. Samson asks who dressed him, Lodz? Because he's styled exactly like The Gentleman Geek. Ruthie says it's like seeing a ghost and Samson shoos her out.  Ben gets all high-strung, as is his #1 characteristic., and says he's not going to do it. He tries to leave, but Gabriel physically stops him. Samson says it's not an option to leave.  Stumpy's speech is incredible.  I always love these stories, because they're humble brags of how much sinning someone has gotten up to in their lives and it kind of makes you jealous.  As he ends it, his story for introducing Ben is that he was struck down and Ben brought him back, which turned his sinning light around.  Samson sits behind Lila and Lodz, mentioning the tux was a mean trick. Lodz is thrilled.  Gabriel looks dapper in his gray suit.  Stumpy calls for healing, and people want healing. He calls for a woman in the back, in a wheelchair, Gabriel brings her and the chair to the stage. She has stomach cancer, it's in her spine and keeps her legs from working. Ben is absolutely freaking out. Finally, the woman reveals her face - because Ben is a big dummy and can't tell it's Ruthie - as Stumpy leads the crowd in a chant of Jesus, Jesus!  Ben finally touches her and she performs, the crowd goes wild. Lila in the background shouts the loudest. It's all very good and honestly, exactly what revivals are so…no hard feelings.  We get another dream sequence. It's the diner song with the terrible lyrics. Ben wakes up and Samson announces that, due to the incredible success of the revival show, they now have fresh eggs, bacon, and orange juice.  The rousties send Ben off for more orange juice, while getting a refill he asks Sofie about her mom. Appolonia isn't great, but at least she's talking.  Ben says he has something that needs doing in town. He'd seen a  sign for “Big Sky Farms” and needed to investigate. Samson gives him access to the car.  Ben is late for his own show chasing leads.  When he gets back, he asks if there's been a wreck. But it's all the folks here for the revival show. As he walks toward the carnival a woman with a sandwich board sign recognizes him, Ben is swarmed and Gabe ends up carrying him off.  Back at Chin's, now the migrant church, the council members - Munson and Templeton - are getting their “dime tour” though you know they used to be regulars here. Justin is showing them the boys' dorms, which is almost complete. The girls' dorm, across the hall, is already complete. Justin calls Iris over, she's wearing one of those designs that grown women had to wear that make them look shapeless like dolls, and she asks if Carroll Templeton was the other Templeton cousin, no it was his nephew. She gives her condolences.  This awful Tempelton says he wishes Justin would've come to them first. When Justin says he'd love their support in the future, the other guy has to speak up.  It's all stupid politics. That guy gets to tell him the demo was planned for this whole block. They offer Justin a run-down place outside of town, in exchange for “this cracker box”. Templeton threatens Justin, which will turn out just fine. I'm sure.  Justin walks out, sweating. Iris rushes out after him, trying to calm the situation. When Justin yells “no!” the older Templeton starts to choke. He's led out by his dumb cronies. Iris starts to realize there's a connection. It's probably the hottest her brother has looked to her in a while.  Sofie tends to Appollonia. Appy says he needs her, Sofie isn't thrilled, but Ben shows up asking for help. Sofie gives him a “disguise” and tells him to wait in the truck. She ends up driving him to the house.  It's in need of a paint job and a good porch sweeping. He knocks on the door and asks to see Ms. Donovan. At first, he's told she's indisposed, but then is let inside.  Sofie is dismissed, politely. Ben shows Becca Donovan the pictures. She knows Scudder, they were lovers at one time, and she knew about Flora. Becca also tells him the rules of the game. Take a life to give a life. If Ben hasn't figured this out already, I swear.  Regardless, Becca knows about the dreams. His daddy had the gift/curse. Because everything is a story about fathers and sons.  Lyle shows up and bodily throws Ben out.  Sofie drives them back and asks questions that Ben refuses to answer so she kicks him out of the car.  He yells “crazy damn bitch” and she backs up and says to his face “what'd you call me?” He actually repeats himself, which most people wouldn't, but refuses to get in. He walks away, in the finest clothes he's ever worn.  Later that evening, Samson is waiting for Ben to return, Since he hasn't yet, they have a standby.  We cut back to Sofie and Ben in a weird little standoff. Eventually, Sofie asks if she can have a cigarette, and Ben replies “can I drive?” So they make up.  Back at the revival with the stand in Ben, Doramea comes up with bloody legs. She was run over by a thresher.  It's all going fine until the sheriff walks in. Cops are always looking out for only themselves. But honestly, it's the draw of religion too. Hope, whether it's false or not, is still hope.  He demands the healer heal his ailing mother instead of the thrasher victim. But he also knows the healer stand-in isn't the healer they've been sold. Fortunately, Ben shows up. He asks about the rules. He's worried because he knows if he does it someone or something will die. He tells the cop to move back. But Becca tells him no, don't touch me. She's not willing to kill someone else for her sake. Ben alerts the crowd, telling them to remember she said she doesn't want to be healed. He asks about Scudder, she informs him that Scudder was in Babylon after he was with her, then she dies.  Later that night, Samson demands to know what Ben would've done if she hadn't stopped him. I'm not sure he wants to know. He ends up punishing Ben with latrine duty.  Another comparison you may have already picked up is between Norman and Samson. They both refer to their charges as children - "little girl" vs "children".  As they're leaving, Jonesy asks where. Samson gives directions. Jonesy says, damn that'll take us mighty close to Babylon. Samson replies, no that'll take us to Babylon.  On a bicycle. 

    Carnivale: Season 1 Episode 2 - After the Ball Is Over

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2023 75:09


    Ben gets sent on a wild goose chase but it turns out that the goose isn't so wild. Justin learns a fun, new trick he can do. And we are all left with a sense of foreboding. Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed Edited by Daive Reed Thanks for being here and if you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and subscribe. Or, even easier, tell people about us! It really helps us out.  Find us on Twitter and Instagram @CastFiles We also auto-post on YouTube, if that's your streaming service of choice, or if you like closed captions.  And finally, email us at TheRotatingCastFiles@gmail.com   Content Warnings - pedophilia suggested, suicide The Recap Love me or leave me plays on the sound system in the diner.  The lyrics are disagreeable from start to finish and absolutely distract me from what's happening, which is… Justin walks into a diner and sits on a stool at the counter. Ben walks in and sits next to Justin. The two men don't acknowledge each other's presence.  After a few minutes, Scudder, dressed in a black tuxedo and top hat, walks in and sits at the booth behind Ben and Justin. Ben and Justin watch him intently in the mirror above the counter.  Eventually, Belyakov, previously seen in both Ben and Justin's dreams chasing Scudder during World War 1, enters the diner and sits across from Scudder at the booth.  The waitress moves over to Belyakov and Scudder and comments ominously, "Every prophet in his house." Scudder and Balyakov raise their wine glasses in a toast. As the glasses clink, the large window that Scudder and the soldier are seated next to explodes inward, showering the four men in shards of glass. The dream ends. Ben and Justin wake suddenly from the shared dream. Ben goes to wash and gets harassed by the Dryfuss ladies - Libby and Rita Sue. It's pretty fun. Because, as I said while watching, it's not dangerous.  Sofie and Appolonia argue.  Jonesy is assigning men to work for the morning and sends Ben to clean out the baggage trailer, a carnival joke since the baggage trailer doesn't exist.  Ben, however, finds a run-down trailer filled with baggage which he proceeds to dig through on the pretense of cleaning it. I love luggage with all those stickers - the real thing, not the Home Goods version. I'd go through it too, you know, for organizing purposes.  He finds a suitcase containing not only Scudder's top hat (which Ben pops), but also Scudder's trademark black tuxedo (which is spattered with blood).  In an old cigar box, he finds an old photo of his mom standing in front of a truck with the label "Big Sky Farms." He exclaims and the wind closes the door, so he pulls out a zippo. A definite fire hazard. Heading back through the carnival Samson asks where he's been hiding. Samson shares the joke, but Ben was in the trailer. He shows Samson the photo to prove it since taking him to the non-existent trailer proved fruitless.  Samson lies about not recognizing the picture, and so does Ben. Samson wants to hold onto it, but Ben pockets it. On the back of the picture is written "H.S. and Flo." He pockets it.  Samson goes to the management trailer and finds the picture in the photo album. He asks management, who's behind a curtain, “what the hell are you up to?”  Cut to Justin, who's getting ready for work and making me realize just how little I understand about men's clothing. Why doesn't that second shirt have a back? When he wears the overcoat, you can't see it anyway. Why?  Also, staring at your sister's nipples is probably frowned upon by parts of the bible.  At church, we have my favorite singer, Eleanor's son. Eleanor has been “set right”. I love that he says he enjoyed parts of the service when Justin asks. He's so honest! The rich folks are unhappy with the migrants and make it known to Justin. Lunch at the carnival. The cooch family - “No one wants to see a lumberjack dance the cooch.” I do.  Jonesy is pissed about Babe Ruth. But not really.  Ben and Sofie sit together for lunch.  Lodz and Lyla discuss Sofie and Ben. Lyla makes comments about teaching new puppy tricks.  At the diner from the dreams, Justin and Norman, and Iris.  Back at the carnival, Appolonia won't read the cards for Sophie, so rather than lie or make something up, she turns everyone away. As she's leaving the trailer she runs into Ben, Ben gets pulled over by Ruthie to fetch Gabriel's wrist cuffs. In her trailer, he smells her perfume. He's smitten.  At Justin and Iris's, the wealthy folks come by. Mainly they want to kick out the migrants. But Templeton isn't ready for what's about to happen. Justin gets ahead of him and requests Templeton give him The Chin's. Templeton tries to laugh it off and offers $50 for a tent. Templeton tells Justin no, Justin gets pissed, especially when Templeton takes the Lord's name in vain. Justin touches him, the room goes black and the woman from Mr. Chin's shows up and transports them to Chin's. Inside we see sex, drugs, gambling, and exploitation of all kinds. Templeton asks “anything new on the menu? “ Which is gross even before you know what he's requesting. He gets keys to room 4, Justin still holding on to the other Templeton forces him to watch.  Iris walks in with the lemonade and we're all back at the house.  After the carnival, Jonesy shows us how he has a lifelong crush on someone he's known since before she hit puberty which is a real problem. Sofie tries to let him down easily.  Gecko and Dora mea  Lodz airs his concerns about Ben to Samson, who maintains that Ben is just a harmless rube.  Lodz counters by saying that he saw Scudder in Ben's dreams. Samson doesn't care, because Scudder's dead and has been for years.  Lodz isn't convinced and asks Samson to bring the matter to Management since Mgmt hasn't listened to Lodz since St Louis.  He also suggests that Samson take the carnival south instead of the usual northward course. Samson disagrees and leaves the trailer. Samson sees Jonesy dismiss everyone and watches as Ben stumbles around to find a place to sleep. The “rousties” seem to bed down wherever they can.  Lodz goes to Appolonia, trying to convince her to let him in. She is obviously angry about it, and so is Sophie when she walks in and kicks him out. Sophie asks if she's ok, Appolonia throws a porcelain cup at her and she storms out.  We see Ben bedding down under a truck, then his WWI nightmares again in which a Russian soldier is stalking Scudder from No Man's Land. The bear shows up. Ben wakes abruptly.  He sees a mobile Apollonia approaching, she reaches her hand out and he takes it. She gasps and whispers "You're the one,". At the same time, Sofie returns to the trailer and finds her mother missing. She yells Mama! And Appolonia collapses into Ben's arms.  The situation, when Sofie discovers it, is misconstrued and Ben is beaten until Samson manages to calm things down. He has everyone stop punching Ben and gets others to help Appolonia back inside. Sofie can't hear her anymore. She's scared.  And finally, Samson announces that the carnival will be moving south instead of north. Lodz smirks. Ruthie, who forcibly made Gabriel stop hitting Ben, also kind of forcefully patches Ben up - she's in charge of these two boys and neither can argue that. Gabriel sits outside as Ruthie applies ointment and checks his ribs. She makes sure there are no hard feelings against Gabe. Ben says there aren't. He shows her the picture, she knows who Flora was but didn't know her personally.  Ruthie explains that the woman is Scudder's old "sweetie," and that Scudder traveled with Carnivàle and performed as the Gentleman Geek, wearing his trademark black tuxedo.  She confirms that Scudder might have been in World War 1 and informs Ben that Scudder was drunk. Ben reveals to Ruthie that the woman in the picture is his mother, Flora Hawkins. Ruthie now has a whole lot of spotty history snap into place. She lets Ben take his picture and the one she had of Scudder. As Ben leaves Ruthie calls Gabriel back inside. See? We all know who's in charge.  In Mintern, Justin gets Chin's. Templeton is like every other wealthy and influential person, a fucking coward. He ends his life, leaving behind a family during the great depression to fend for themselves.  Justin returns home, high on power, and looks longingly at his sleeping sister before turning off the radio and awakening her. He tells her everything and she's silent and then seems to be quietly thrilled. This makes Justin cry, she comforts him in a way that could be sibling-like but somehow is suggestive of more.  Later, we see Justin return to his room to self-flagellate. That's not a euphemism. Actually, it probably is. Iris hears him from the living room.  In the final scene, the carnival is wrapping up. Ben sees the little hat and vest from the bear in his nightmares attached to the side of management's trailer.  

    Carnivale: Season 1 Episode 1 - Milfay

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2023 52:01


    It's the Great Depression and we're meeting our new cast of friends. It's very dusty, possibly magical, kind of fun, and a bit depressing. Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed Edited by Daive Reed Thanks for being here and if you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and subscribe. Or, even easier, tell people about us! It really helps us out.  Find us on Twitter and Instagram @CastFiles We also auto-post on YouTube, if that's your streaming service of choice, or if you like closed captions.  And finally, email us at TheRotatingCastFiles@gmail.com   SHOW NOTES   Set Up: In the midst of the Dust Bowl, a traveling carnival roams from town to town scratching out a living. And a Methodist minister regains his faith in the lord after seeing amazing visions. Trigger Warnings: Sexual assault, human death, animal cruelty and death, child exploitation.   Opening Lines: Samson: Before the beginning, after the great war between Heaven and Hell, God created the Earth, and gave dominion over it to the crafty ape he called man. And to each generation, there was born a creature of light and a creature of darkness. And great armies clashed by night in the ancient war between good and evil. There was magic then, nobility, and unimaginable cruelty. And so it was. Until the day that a false sun exploded over Trinity, and man traded away wonder for reason.   Summary: Nightmare sequence. In Ben's opening dream, we see, various:Scudder being chased by the Usher through a cornfield Scudder retreating from Bruno the bear in World War 1 a hand (possibly Ben's or Boffo's) holding a Templar ring (probably Boffo's) bearing the motto "In Hoc Signo Vinces" ("By this sign you shall conquer" in Latin) Scudder, in a black tuxedo, and Belyakov face each other in the diner Sofie turning over the Magician during Ben's tarot reading the funeral procession in Tipton Ruthie with a snake during one of her acts Scudder popping his top hat a dead lamb a photo of the Babylon mining crew, focusing in on Scudder's picture Apollonia's rape by the Tattooed Man a picture of Felix's gun on a pillow next to four bullets a picture of Lobster Girl from Gunderson Ben wakes up from a dream with no arms or legs more scenes from the trench during World War 1, featuring Belyakov aiming at Scudder a shot of Dora Mae's funeral On a barren farm in the middle of a dust storm a young man, Ben Hawkins, watches over his dying mother. He reaches for her when she has a coughing fit and she pulls away, disgusted. "Don't touch me," she says before dying.  It's fine. This probably won't impact the rest of his life.  Outside, a group of trucks rolls down the highway. They stop to find Hawkins digging in the rock-hard ground with a man on a bulldozer shouting at him.  Samson, the co-manager of a traveling carnival, bets his right-hand man, Jonesy, that the man on the bulldozer "squashes" Hawkin's meager resistance. Jonesy takes the bet and gets out of the truck to help.  He realizes that Hawkins is trying to bury his mother and, after the bulldozer guy comes over to see what's up and finds out, Jonesy asks if he has shovels and has the carnival roustabouts help. The eclectic troupe, including conjoined twins, a giant, and a bearded lady, hold a small burial service for the deceased.  The bulldozer man waits for the burial and funeral to complete, which is good of him, then destroys the house.  As Samson and the gang try to decide what to do with Hawkins, a car is approaching and Ben collapses, so Ruthie has Gabriel carry Ben. In Mintern, California, Brother Justin Crowe delivers a sermon on the devil. An older woman, Eleanor, is listening to the sermon and as the plate is passed she reaches in and makes eye contact with the plate holder, to distract him. She takes money from the plate, but Iris, Crowe's sister, sees her. As Eleanor tries to leave during a song Iris stops her. Iris is terrifying.  Justin talks to Eleanor in his home after the service, Iris leaves the room and Eleanor tries to talk herself out of the situation. Justin confronts her and suddenly she starts coughing up gold coins. Brother Justin takes it as a sign from god and asks her to pray with him. In the commentary, they say how the original was more in control of the situation and essentially made this happen. I appreciate that they tempered him and made him more complex to start, so he has a place to go. If he started badly, where would we go? It's very dramatic and the coins disappear, but the whole scene is played as though it occurred to both of them, not just as a vision from Brother Justin. Iris had left the room, so did not witness this.  On the road, Samson and Jonesy are listening to the radio, we're driving by families and groups on the side of the road. It's showing a swath of the population during this time period. We get a glimpse of the folks in the town with the shot from the kids' room. Bunk beds and both kids scurry to the window to watch the carnival arrive in the night. They're so excited.  Ben is passed out in Lila, the bearded lady, and Professor Lodz's truck. I love the hooka. It feels so fancy. The two are discussing their strange passenger and Lila asks Lodz, the carnival's mentalist, to tell her what Hawkins is dreaming about.  I love the dynamic of these two immediately. It's obvious they're comfortable together, have a teasing relationship, and like to push one another. I'm sure it will all stay exactly this way.  Lodz gives in and touches Ben's forehead. He starts to convulse and sees strange flashes of two men, one in a tuxedo and the other in a military uniform, in a restaurant, a man with a huge tree tattooed on his chest in a cornfield, what looks like WWI, and a bear with a tiny hat.  Lila pulls Lodz away and he collapses after whispering, "Scudder." In the morning Ben meets the odd cast of characters and tries to hightail it back to town. We get to see the carnival being set up. In the commentary, they discuss how difficult it was to shoot these scenes because we have to imagine which portion or percentage of the carnival is set up at that point in time.  We meet Sofie and Apollonia in a quick scene. We know Sofie is a tarot reader and her mother appears catatonic, however, they can communicate, somehow. Sofie speaks aloud, whether for our benefit or because that's how it works, but Appolonia doesn't speak aloud. She will throw tarot cards if she's frustrated.  On Ben's way out of the trailer, he wraps himself in a flowery robe (they'd undressed and washed his clothes while he was out). He gets his clothes and leaves the carnival. Sofie catches up with him on the road, but he's not exactly thrilled to be there. He's rude so she drives off to town. This next scene is really sad, with the tent city and the grieving woman. It's set up in a way that he gets through to the grieving woman but we don't know if it's magical or not. This scene is so heartbreaking.  Sofie continues on to town. Ben walks up to the gas station and notices Sophie's vehicle. He hears screaming from inside and rushes in to find two men trying to rape Sofie. He helps attack her attackers and they escape going back to camp.  Jonesy sees them arrive, Sofie's torn clothes and fast exit from the vehicle make it obvious what happened, but not who instigated it. Jonesy doesn't come off well here, but Sofie is more aware of the world they live in than Jonesy is.  Meanwhile, Samson tries to convince Ben to stay on with the carnival. Samson is amazing in this scene. Ben walks off. We see him come back though and Samson continues to chat him up while Ben eats.  That night Ben walks the carnival, now in full brilliance, and sees all the happiness it brings. We see hand-painted banners, a lighted midway, rides, and acts. He also sees Jonesy being super sweet with the girl in the little red wagon.  Next, he wanders to the coochie show. The commenters had a field day talking about adding this family. After the cooch show, Ben realizes there's also sex work involved and is scandalized! Sofie brings Ben his jacket, and they chat. Ben says he's not a “carnie”.  Another nightmare. Foreshadowing.  Back in California, Brother Justin has a similar nightmare to Ben's and goes for a walk.  He walks through town, then through a migrant camp. He arrives in from Mr. Chin's. Neon lights and all! He's approached by a woman enticing him to go inside, but he grabs her and she slaps him away.  It starts to snow and then rain blood.  As he watches the sign it burns out except for a small cross in the middle. He drops to his knees and weeps. The snow and blood are gone, and the street in is present-day with people milling around.  The next morning Ben helps pack up the carnival and lets Sofie read his cards.  She decides to read his past and as she turns the cards Ben has flashbacks of his mother.  In his flashback, she is screaming at a younger version of himself for digging up a dead cat and when she pulls it from him it springs to life. Horrified she says he has been marked by the devil. Later when she is dying he tries to touch her, to heal her, and she shrinks away, grabbing a cross.  Sofie sees that Ben is visibly distraught and she asks what he sees, she can't see his visions - only what the cards indicate. Or actually, what the cards and her mother say to her.  He's flashing back to his childhood when he's holding a kitten and his mother tries to take it from him. Rightly, as far as she knows since the kitten had been buried for 3 days at that point. She takes it from him, but it's not dead anymore. It ends badly.  He tells Sofie he doesn't see anything and tells her to continue.  She turns the last card and tells him that he has a great gift that he has kept secret, squandered. She asks what he is hiding and he stammers "nothing" and runs away. He comes to a neighboring field of crops and weeps. A little girl asks why he is crying and he looks up to find a disabled girl, who we saw earlier enjoying the carnival. She says her mother says the carnival folk is marked. Ben says they're just people.  He asks if it hurts, meaning her legs, and she says yes. Samson hollers at him to ask if he's coming along. Ben ignores him and Samson says, whatever let's go.  Ben leans down and touches the little girl's legs. As he concentrates the field around them starts to shrink and die.  He runs off towards the carnival as it leaves and jumps in the last truck. The little girl stands up and runs toward her house, the field around her is dying as she goes. Miracles ain't free, as the commenters say.  As much as Ben was trying to help, during the dust bowl and Great Depression, the family probably would've been better off with that food. We've seen this girl a few times in this episode and have no reason to believe she was unhappy, or really worse off than anyone else. 

    Crazyhead: Season 1 Episode 6 - Beaver With A Chainsaw

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2023 45:34


    It's the finale of Crazyhead! Find out what happens with the ladies and what we're doing next. Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed Edited by Daive Reed Thanks for being here and if you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and subscribe. Or, even easier, tell people about us! It really helps us out.  Find us on Twitter and Instagram @CastFiles We also auto-post on YouTube, if that's your streaming service of choice, or if you like closed captions.  And finally, email us at TheRotatingCastFiles@gmail.com

    Crazyhead: Season 1 Episode 5 - Downward Facing Dog

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2023 57:55


    Amy is worried about Harry but Daive thinks it's going to be a-ok. Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed Edited by Daive Reed Thanks for being here and if you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and subscribe. Or, even easier, tell people about us! It really helps us out.  Find us on Twitter and Instagram @CastFiles We also auto-post on YouTube, if that's your streaming service of choice, or if you like closed captions.  And finally, email us at TheRotatingCastFiles@gmail.com   The podcast that was mentioned in the episode - Congressional Dish

    Crazyhead: Season 1 Episode 4 - Penguin or Cow?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2023 56:08


    The gang tries to come up with a plan to free Suzanne but falls into Callum's trap. But Amy and Tyler finally get jiggy! Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed Edited by Daive Reed Thanks for being here and if you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and subscribe. Or, even easier, tell people about us! It really helps us out.  Find us on Twitter and Instagram @CastFiles We also auto-post on YouTube, if that's your streaming service of choice, or if you like closed captions.  And finally, email us at TheRotatingCastFiles@gmail.com

    Crazyhead: Season 1 Episode 3 - Shave the Cat

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2023 61:09


    The gang goes out for a nice relaxing camping trip and meet a new friend. Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed Edited by Daive Reed Thanks for being here and if you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and subscribe. Or, even easier, tell people about us! It really helps us out.  Find us on Twitter and Instagram @CastFiles We also auto-post on YouTube, if that's your streaming service of choice, or if you like closed captions.  And finally, email us at TheRotatingCastFiles@gmail.com

    Crazyhead: Season 1 Episode 2 - A Pine Fresh Scent

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 18, 2023 45:25


    The ladies get chauffeured around town by Jake who senses that they aren't being entirely honest with him. Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed Edited by Daive Reed Thanks for being here and if you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and subscribe. Or, even easier, tell people about us! It really helps us out.  Find us on Twitter and Instagram @CastFiles We also auto-post on YouTube, if that's your streaming service of choice, or if you like closed captions.  And finally, email us at TheRotatingCastFiles@gmail.com

    Crazyhead: Season 1 Episode 1 - A Very Trippy Horse

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 11, 2023 73:49


    It's our first episode of Crazyhead and we're starting BIG... as in poles... if you know what we mean. ;) Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed Edited by Daive Reed Thanks for being here and if you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and subscribe. Or, even easier, tell people about us! It really helps us out.  Find us on Twitter and Instagram @CastFiles We also auto-post on YouTube, if that's your streaming service of choice, or if you like closed captions.  And finally, email us at TheRotatingCastFiles@gmail.com

    The X-Files Season 3 Wrap Up

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 21, 2022 41:51


    We have reached the end of season 3 so let's talk about it. And maybe some other surprises as well. Produced and pseudo-researched by Kristen Riley. Produced and pseudo-edited by Daive Reed. Thanks for being here and if you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and subscribe. Or, even easier, tell people about us! It really helps us out.  Find us on Twitter and Instagram @CastFiles Check out The Cast Files playlist on Spotify. We also auto-post on YouTube, if that's your streaming service of choice, or if you like closed captions.  And finally, email us at TheeCastFiles@gmail.com Music by Hal Six  Logo by @OokaArt

    The X-Files: Season 3 Episode 24 - Talitha Cumi

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 14, 2022 63:03


    It's the season finale and things are jumping off. We've got the return of the alien bounty hunter and a few old faces return. Produced and pseudo-researched by Kristen Riley. Produced and pseudo-edited by Daive Reed. Thanks for being here and if you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and subscribe. Or, even easier, tell people about us! It really helps us out.  Find us on Twitter and Instagram @CastFiles Check out The Cast Files playlist on Spotify. We also auto-post on YouTube, if that's your streaming service of choice, or if you like closed captions.  And finally, email us at TheeCastFiles@gmail.com Music by Hal Six  Logo by @OokaArt   Show Notes: At a fast food restaurant, fresh salads, a man is complaining. He's obviously been laid off. Timely. He then pulls out a gun, taking everyone inside hostage, except the children who are too dumb to take care of themselves so maybe let one parent leave with them.  Another man tries unsuccessfully to get him to calm down, but he shoots three people whom he notices trying to escape before being shot by snipers outside. These snipers made great time, the woman behind the counter called as he drew his gun and they were immediately setting up outside. Maybe fresh salads is right next to the cop house? The shooter says, “I'm going to die” and the other man says “no one's going to die.” Then lays on hands and cures his bullet wound. He also cleans up the blood stains better than hydrogen peroxide. So, look for this guy next time you find yourself flipping through infomercials. It really works! ---- Favorite production note: William B. Davis was a championship-level water skier! ---- Where is Krycek??? 

    The X-Files: Season 3 Episode 23 - Wetwired

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 7, 2022 47:29


    Mulder (correctly) tells us that TV doesn't make you violent but Scully proves that Fox News is the exception that proves the rule. Produced and pseudo-researched by Kristen Riley. Produced and pseudo-edited by Daive Reed. Thanks for being here and if you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and subscribe. Or, even easier, tell people about us! It really helps us out.  Find us on Twitter and Instagram @CastFiles Check out The Cast Files playlist on Spotify. We also auto-post on YouTube, if that's your streaming service of choice, or if you like closed captions.  And finally, email us at TheeCastFiles@gmail.com Music by Hal Six  Logo by @OokaArt ---- Cold open with a guy burying another guy. Turns out he's seeing the same man in everyone. Naturally, I think of something else we've recently watched, Frailty. But, this is TXF and the cold open so of course, the dude is killing people including his wife. Mulder is given a newspaper article about a number of people who became psychotic and murdered several people by the Plain-Clothed Man.  One man killed five people, all believing them to be the same man. Mulder and Scully travel to see this man, who is in a psychiatric hospital now under the care of Dr. Stroman. He gets violently upset and throws a chair upon seeing a news show about a war criminal in the former Yugoslavia. Mulder and Scully travel to the man's house where they find two boys watching a movie on the man's television.   ---- Where is Krycek? 

    The X-Files: Season 3 Episode 22 - Quagmire

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2022 47:26


    You can't convince a couple of people in Florida that an alligator is indiscriminately killing people. That dog... yes. Produced and pseudo-researched by Kristen Riley. Produced and pseudo-edited by Daive Reed. Thanks for being here and if you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and subscribe. Or, even easier, tell people about us! It really helps us out.  Find us on Twitter and Instagram @CastFiles Check out The Cast Files playlist on Spotify. We also auto-post on YouTube, if that's your streaming service of choice, or if you like closed captions.  And finally, email us at TheeCastFiles@gmail.com Music by Hal Six  Logo by @OokaArt ---- In Millikan, Georgia, a guy catches a very docile frog. Biologists Paul Farraday and Forest Ranger William Bailey argue about nature and the decreasing frog population. Dr. Faraday told Bailey that nature should be preserved, not only for future generations but also out of respect. But unbeknownst to Faraday, Bailey HATES frogs.  Bailey leaves Farraday by the lake, but as he reaches his truck he notices his beeper is missing. Bailey goes looking for a missing beeper, somewhere, but not where he was just standing with Farraday because we don't see Farraday in the cold open again, and Bailey ends up getting dragged into the lake by an unseen creature and killed. Close-up shot of the frogs he so hates. I hope this one frog is our antagonist for the episode.  ---- Man, I love frogs.   

    The X-Files: Season 3 Episode 21 - Avatar

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 23, 2022 47:32


    In which we fail to mention that Amanda Tapping is in this so it's another SG-1 crossover and we figure out who is actually behind everything. Produced and pseudo-researched by Kristen Riley. Produced and pseudo-edited by Daive Reed. Thanks for being here and if you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and subscribe. Or, even easier, tell people about us! It really helps us out.  Find us on Twitter and Instagram @CastFiles Check out The Cast Files playlist on Spotify. We also auto-post on YouTube, if that's your streaming service of choice, or if you like closed captions.  And finally, email us at TheeCastFiles@gmail.com Music by Hal Six  Logo by @OokaArt ---- Skinner is debating whether or not to sign divorce papers. His lawyer urges him to, reminding him that the city clerk expected it ten minutes ago. He ultimately refuses to sign, putting it off until tomorrow.  It's been 17 years, she can wait on him one more night.  Later, Skinner is having a drink at the bar in the Ambassador Hotel where he meets a woman, Carina Sayles. They chit-chat a bit, it's pretty innocuous, but the two get a room together for the night. Skinner wakes up after a nightmare/vision of his lover turning into an old woman to find Sayles dead beside him. Specifically, her head has been turned completely around. He didn't sign the divorce papers because he wanted to cheat on his wife one last time.  ---- Kristen has a field day with this one. 

    Special Report: Betty and Barney Hill Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2022 68:55


    We finish up our report and give our takeaways. And after letting it sink in more Daive agrees with Kristen's theory, even if he was hesitant during the recording. Produced and pseudo-researched by Kristen Riley. Produced and pseudo-edited by Daive Reed. Thanks for being here and if you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and subscribe. Or, even easier, tell people about us! It really helps us out.  Find us on Twitter and Instagram @CastFiles Check out The Cast Files playlist on Spotify. We also auto-post on YouTube, if that's your streaming service of choice, or if you like closed captions.  And finally, email us at TheeCastFiles@gmail.com Music by Hal Six  Logo by @OokaArt ---- The Hills took a last-minute, multi-day road trip from their home to Niagra Falls, up through Montreal, and back home. Most of what they recall, or what they recalled prior to hypnosis, is pretty typical stuff. Long drives, worrying about where to stay that would allow the dog, stopping at diners, getting directions you can't understand, getting off track then back on track. Standard stuff.  ---- Kristen's take: Late one night, the Hills were traveling home to get ahead of the hurricane. During one of their stops, some assholes took note of the Hills and got ahead of them on the road. Later in the night, on an unfamiliar road, the assholes created a roadblock and harassed, or worse, the Hills. (Probably worse, with the torn dress and dragged dress shoes).  But that's not an interesting story, or one easy to recon with because no one would've been on their side in that instance. But, aliens? YES! 

    Special Report: Betty and Barney Hill Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2022 46:42


    Kristen fell down a UFO abduction rabbit hole and we get to learn what she dug up. Produced and pseudo-researched by Kristen Riley. Produced and pseudo-edited by Daive Reed. Thanks for being here and if you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and subscribe. Or, even easier, tell people about us! It really helps us out.  Find us on Twitter and Instagram @CastFiles Check out The Cast Files playlist on Spotify. We also auto-post on YouTube, if that's your streaming service of choice, or if you like closed captions.  And finally, email us at TheeCastFiles@gmail.com Music by Hal Six  Logo by @OokaArt

    The X-Files: Season 3 Episode 20 - Jose Chung From Outer Space

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2022 58:03


    Everybody has a story to tell in this one and who's to say who can be believed? Hopefully us since we're doing a podcast about it. Produced and pseudo-researched by Kristen Riley. Produced and pseudo-edited by Daive Reed. Thanks for being here and if you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and subscribe. Or, even easier, tell people about us! It really helps us out.  Find us on Twitter and Instagram @CastFiles Check out The Cast Files playlist on Spotify. We also auto-post on YouTube, if that's your streaming service of choice, or if you like closed captions.  And finally, email us at TheeCastFiles@gmail.com Music by Hal Six  Logo by @OokaArt ---- Humorous opening shot a tribute to Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977), with the bottom of the cherry picker basket reminiscent of Imperial Star Destroyer. In Klass County, Washington, the power is out and we see a teenaged couple, Red Flag Harold and Chrissy, are returning from a date one evening. After their car suddenly stops, they see a UFO and pass out, then they are captured by a pair of grey aliens.    However, the grey aliens are themselves soon confronted by a giant, single-eyed third alien from another race, at which point the panicking greys address each other in English. One is named “Jack”.   Alien type count, what are we at now? Purity Control Predator Cockroach Black oil/entity Bounty hunter guy ---- Also, check out the next two episodes where Kristen falls into a rabbit hole of Betty and Barney Hill and basically comes up with an alternate explanation. 

    The X-Files: Season 3 Episode 19 - Hell Money

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 2, 2022 61:15


    Some great acting by some great guest stars. There, that's some nice words about the episode. Produced and pseudo-researched by Kristen Riley. Produced and pseudo-edited by Daive Reed. Thanks for being here and if you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and subscribe. Or, even easier, tell people about us! It really helps us out.  Find us on Twitter and Instagram @CastFiles Check out The Cast Files playlist on Spotify. We also auto-post on YouTube, if that's your streaming service of choice, or if you like closed captions.  And finally, email us at TheeCastFiles@gmail.com Music by Hal Six  Logo by @OokaArt ---- Amid a hectic Chinese street festival at night, a young man, Johnny Lo, runs through San Francisco's Chinatown.  He hurries into a darkened alley and up a flight of back stairs to an apartment door, pausing to examine the newly-painted white Chinese lettering on the door.  Once inside, he is confronted by a man hidden in the shadow who, in Cantonese, insists that he must pay.  In desperation, Lo stabs the man, who bloodily falls to the floor. Lo then turns to see three masked figures standing before him. ---- Learning stuff! OPOs are non-profit organizations responsible for the procurement of organs for transplantation. They are the entities legally permitted to recover organs from deceased donors and also provide support to donor families, clinical management of organ donors, and professional and public education about organ donation.  

    The X-Files: Season 3 Episode 18 - Teso dos Bichos

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2022 37:57


    Another racially shaky episode that we're not really the people to comment on but we're going to try anyway. Produced and pseudo-researched by Kristen Riley. Produced and pseudo-edited by Daive Reed. Thanks for being here and if you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and subscribe. Or, even easier, tell people about us! It really helps us out.  Find us on Twitter and Instagram @CastFiles Check out The Cast Files playlist on Spotify. We also auto-post on YouTube, if that's your streaming service of choice, or if you like closed captions.  And finally, email us at TheeCastFiles@gmail.com Music by Hal Six  Logo by @OokaArt ---- The episode opens on an archeological dig in the Ecuadorian highlands, indicating it will be a doozy of cultural appropriation.  In fact, Production Note: After the episode aired, the network found out that 'bichos' also means 'balls' in Colombia and Venezuela. Apparently, John Shiban, nor anyone else, knew that when he wrote the episode. Google translate says it means “bugs” but further research proves bichos is vulgar in many countries. Amazing.  Some of the excavators unearth an urn, called an Amaru, with the skeleton inside. They alert the Drs to the discovery and Dr. Bilac (bee-lack)  (bee-lack) explains why they cannot take it with them. It's sacred and Dr. Roosevelt actually says “I thought you understood and could handle these people.” I, for one, am looking forward to his death here in the open. 

    The X-Files: Season 3 Episode 17 - Pusher

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2022 52:38


    A smooth talker has everyone acting a fool. Eventually including Fox Mulder. Produced and pseudo-researched by Kristen Riley. Produced and pseudo-edited by Daive Reed. Thanks for being here and if you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and subscribe. Or, even easier, tell people about us! It really helps us out.  ---- Robert Patrick Modell is seen purchasing a large supply of "Carbo Boost" energy drinks at a supermarket. Can you imagine? Drinking carbs on purpose?!?!?! J/k. I actually connect with Modell in this scene, this is me at Trader Joe's. As he checks out he sees a pic of our boy, the fluke man, and laughs to himself. So far, this guy shops like I do. Humming to himself, carrying a hand cart when he should've just gotten a push cart, laughing at tabloid headlines, it's our buddy The Flukeman!!! That's where our similarities end, unfortunately.  Find us on Twitter and Instagram @CastFiles Check out The Cast Files playlist on Spotify. We also auto-post on YouTube, if that's your streaming service of choice, or if you like closed captions.  And finally, email us at TheeCastFiles@gmail.com Music by Hal Six  Logo by @OokaArt

    The X-Files: Season 3 Episode 16 - Apocrypha

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2022 49:23


    Alex Krycek has the goo and a mission. CSM is unsurprised and that sort of surprises us. Produced and pseudo-researched by Kristen Riley. Produced and pseudo-edited by Daive Reed. Thanks for being here and if you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and subscribe. Or, even easier, tell people about us! It really helps us out.  Find us on Twitter and Instagram @CastFiles Check out The Cast Files playlist on Spotify. We also auto-post on YouTube, if that's your streaming service of choice, or if you like closed captions.  And finally, email us at TheeCastFiles@gmail.com Music by Hal Six  Logo by @OokaArt ---- (Kristen doing an impression) MAN: "The navy...wanted to hear my story. They said I owed it to the dead, to tell them the truth. I told them where to stick the truth. I'm the last man who knows who killed the men aboard that submarine, who knows it was a suicide mission but I'll burn in hell before I tell the murderers who sent us there." ---- Did You Know: Police sketches: ​​Hard statistics are difficult to come by, but some research suggests that facial sketches or composite pictures of suspected criminals are useful less than 20% of the time. Other studies put the percentage even lower – maybe as low as 8%

    The X-Files: Season 3 Episode 15 - Piper Maru

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 5, 2022 60:05


    This is one that leaves you guessing about everything except how happy we are to see Alex Krycek. Produced and pseudo-researched by Kristen Riley. Produced and pseudo-edited by Daive Reed. Thanks for being here and if you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and subscribe. Or, even easier, tell people about us! It really helps us out.  Find us on Twitter and Instagram @CastFiles Check out The Cast Files playlist on Spotify. We also auto-post on YouTube, if that's your streaming service of choice, or if you like closed captions.  And finally, email us at TheeCastFiles@gmail.com Music by Hal Six  Logo by @OokaArt Show Notes! This week we have an X-philer's dream! A two-parter, myth-arch that keeps you guessing! We mention Piper Maru, Gillian Anderson's daughter, and her site. I'd be remise to mention MICHAEL BUBLE is in this episode. You know, the bubbly water commercial guy ;)  We also revisit The Blessing Way. If you don't care for PodBean as your podcast catcher, we're available wherever you listen to podcasts. In case, you're blanking on which episode that was, it's the season 3 premier! Ad Daive says, "Mulder goes on a... vision quest? Scully walks to her mom's. And we wonder how long of a walk was that." Honestly, just go watch this two-parter. It's totally worth it. Nicholas Lea returns in all his gorgeous glory. Daive is starting to come around ;)  Gotta say, this is my favorite X-files two-parter or double feature since season 1's Squeeze/Tooms double feature.    What's your favorite X Files two-parter? Who are your favorite TXF recurring characters? Are you going to see Nicholas Lea in Canada this month at the X-Files Fan Fest?      

    The X-Files: Season 3 Episode 14 - Grotesque

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 28, 2022 44:11


    Everybody is stressing out our boy in this one. He's not handling it very well. (Kristen Note: No one's surprised!) Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed Follow on Twitter @CastFiles Email us at TheeCastFiles@gmail.com https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-cast-files Music by Hal Six  Logo by @OokaArt   Show Notes Hurricane Ian is on his way! So, that's top of mind here. We might be as stressed as Daive's fav boy, Mulder. J/K we aren't hallucinating gargoyles. The amateurs win again! Woot! This is the episode that leaned HEAVILY on foreshadowing and I had a blast pointing it out throughout the recap. Sadly, D wanted it to be about a gargoyle for real, and honestly, that's not what this show is about.  We talk about libraries (they're great, get a card if you can. Libraries offer audiobooks, magazines, digital copies, and all kinds of cool resources that wouldn't be available if we tried to make libraries a thing today - take advantage!).  We discuss dream interpretation! I was obsessed with this as a teen. I still have very vivid dreams and nightmares, but no longer own a dream dictionary.  We also discuss the gross concept that some people still have that in order to understand a person you must become them, but they do not apply that to an unhoused person of a different background, instead it's always something awful and violent and used as an excuse.  Was this a good episode? It wasn't a bad episode. Did I enjoy it? Yes.  Xx Kristen   Resources:  Monsters of the Week: The Complete Critical Companion to The X-Files by Zack Handlen & Emily Todd Vanderwerff Dream Interpretation     

    The X-Files: Season 3 Episode 13 - Syzygy

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2022 56:32


    The coolest girls in school get disrespected by everybody and have to pay the price.   Produced and pseudo-researched by Kristen Riley. Produced and edited by Daive Reed. Engage with us! Twitter: @CastFiles Instagram: thecastfiles Email:t TheeCastFiles@gmail.com https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-cast-files Music by Hal Six  Logo by @OokaArt   So, Syzygy. What can I say? It sounds like what the Boze speaker used to say when D would connect his phone - then named Ziggy. I did look up the term, which real and the definition is as follows: Syzygy is a straight-line configuration of three celestial bodies. Syzygy is also a term used by Carl Jung to mean a union of opposites. I swear, any time Jung is referenced these days I reminisce about Pysch 101 and how I was going to become a therapist. But life didn't work that way so now I'm reading a book called The Myth of Repressed Memory and another called Quantum Bigfoot and trying to figure out a way to create content around them so I can do actual research and then share it with y'all. It's not helping people 1:1 but it's something. I think. Let me know if you'd be interested in a mini-series... Anyway, back to Syzygy. What can I say except Boom Da Boom? Go check out Daive's playlist he updates weekly but rarely mentions. There's a great song for this week :) Other things...sex kits for cars. Wheeler-Nicholson and Duchovny having so much on-screen chemistry I wasn't shocked they actually dated for a time. A short bit about the satanic panic - also a point of fascination for me (and everyone). The coolest teenage witches/satanists/planet pawns I've ever seen.  It's a good episode. We had a lot of fun. Go listen if you haven't yet. Which would be wild if you've read this whole thing but not listened.  Oh! and if you could rate and/or review or share your favorite episode with someone that would help us a lot. We've been doing this mostly as a hobby for a bit, but I'd like to get us a second mic and start exploring deeper topics (like repressed memory, cryptids, satanic panic, etc) so support would go a long way in helping us create more.  Thanks so much for listening and reading. Xx Kristen 

    The X-Files: Season 3 Episode 12 - War of the Coprophages

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 14, 2022 52:15


    A series of coincidental deaths blesses us with meeting Dr. Bambi Berenbaum who gets Mulder all horned up and causes Daive's untimely demise. Produced and pseudo-researched by Kristen Riley. Produced and edited by Daive Reed. Follow on Twitter @CastFiles Email us at TheeCastFiles@gmail.com https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-cast-files Music by Hal Six  Logo by @OokaArt   SHOW NOTES: Writer Darin Morgan was inspired to write the episode after he saw the cover of a magazine that featured insect-like robots designed by roboticist and author Rodney Brooks. One of the robots, called Genghis, was a six-legged insect-like robot inspired by insects who have limited brain functions but possess tremendous functionality.   In "Intelligence without representation" Brooks explains his theories, it's a very interesting read. I quite like the line" Out of the local chaos of their interactions there emerges, in the eye of an observer, a coherent pattern of behavior. There is no central purposeful focus of control. Minsky gives a similar account of how human behavior is generated." (Brooks pg 149) I like the flow of this episode, we go from a very scientific basis to another moral panic (specifially Jenkem) in a matter of minutes. It's a good mash-up of what the show tries to represent as a whole.  Finally, I want to touch on Kim Manners and Debbie Cove. Cove is the show's animal trainer. Shout out to her for keeping all but one cockroach alive through production. Apparently, that one cockroach died of old age! Manners seems to have fun with the set animals as well, with several cast and crew recalling how he would "direct" the bucket of cockroaches. Brilliant.  Another episode in your feed. Enjoy!   Xx Kristen

    The X-Files: Season 3 Episode 11 - Revelations

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2022 58:01


    R Lee Ermey stars in the cold open and Daive's new most hated villian ruins that for us. Produced and pseudo-researched by Kristen Riley. Produced and edited by Daive Reed. Follow on Twitter @CastFiles Email us at TheeCastFiles@gmail.com https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-cast-files Music by Hal Six  Logo by @OokaArt   SHOW NOTES! This episode goes deep into a comment that Chris Carter made some time ago about how an episode about stigmata "deals with faith, not religion with a capital 'R' or Catholicism with a capital 'C'". Mostly about how absurd that is. Especially as this episode became a minor storyline milestone in the exploration of Scully's faith as a Roman Catholic.  Still, if you're interested in R. Lee Ermey, like David is. Or stigmata and lightly researched details on the Catholic church, like me, this is a fun episode.  Oh, we discuss boiling cow urine for a ridiculous amount of time. Apparently, they did that in The 13th Warrior? A movie Daive swears by.  I realized upon relistening I didn't give the author of the stigmata paper I referenced. Looking back, I still can't find the name, but here's the resource if you want to check it out: Blood, Gender and Power in Christiantity and Judaism.  Turns out, it's not a thesis paper either. Just a project, based on the URL. I wonder what kind of grade they received. Also, in the episode I didn't reference Judaism, so I went back and Ctrl + F "Judaism" on the project. 0/0 results. Interesting title. So, I researched "non-Christian stigmatics" and the Stigmata wikipedia page. Nothing on Judaism. Now I'm really curious about that title. I wish there was contact information connected to the project... The rest of the episode explores sainthood, references: How to Become a Saint, and how Michael Berryman is a phenomenal actor who shouldn't have been typecast.  So, join us. And let me know what if you wrote that project. I'm super curious.     

    The X-Files: Season 3 Episode 10 - 731

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2022 41:39


    We're on a train! We're on a train! Take a good long look at the mothefuckin train! Produced and psuedo-researched by Kristen Riley. Produced and edited by Daive Reed. Follow on Twitter @CastFiles Email us at TheeCastFiles@gmail.com https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-cast-files Music by Hal Six  Logo by @OokaArt   Production Notes: Look, if you saw Pontypool, you know. If you didn't, you should! We should do a live Twitter or Instagram or whatever watch, wouldn't that be insane???

    The X-Files: Season 3 Episode 9 - Nisei

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2022 46:59


    This episode has it all! Trains! Aliens! Being released two days after my birthday! Something for everyone really. Produced and pseudo-researched by Kristen Riley. Produced and edited by Daive Reed. Follow on Twitter @CastFiles Email us at TheeCastFiles@gmail.com https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-cast-files Music by Hal Six  Logo by @OokaArt   SHOW NOTES: Starting today with a word and a definition, since we and the majority of our listeners are located in the US. Nisei ("second generation") is a Japanese-language term used in countries in North America and South America to specify the children born to Japanese immigrants (who are called Issei) in their new country. Now we all know a little bit more. Yay! We also dive into Unit 731 in another attempt by The X-Files to discuss World War 2. This time, they focus on Unit 731 which was a covert bio and chemical warfare R&D branch of the Imperial Japanese Army. Unsurprisingly, that branch tested on human subjects, dehumanizing them in order to ... experiement? I'm not sure, once you get to a certain level of "science" it doesn't feel scientific any longer. Somewhere before you begin referring to your living subjects as "logs" is where stopping would be preferable.  BUT, also unsurprisingly, the United States gave clemency to some war criminals in order to gain access to their research. In fact, the Unit 731 "researchers" who were arrested by the United States were secretly given immunity in exchange for the data gathered during their human experiments. I wish US public schools taught this stuff.  Anyway, on a more fun note. After referencing that Robert Ito was in The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension David decided we should watch it. It was...an early 80s sci-fi joint, that's for sure! Very strange.  Oh, and sorry for referencing Pontypool forever.  Xx   Kristen

    The X-Files: Season 3 Episode 8 - Oubliette

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2022 34:50


    Well this episode bummed us out. Produced and pseudo-researched by Kristen Riley. Produced and edited by Daive Reed.   Follow on Twitter @CastFiles Email us at TheeCastFiles@gmail.com https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-cast-files Music by Hal Six  Logo by @OokaArt   SHOW NOTES: Since this one was a bummer I wanted to reiterate my favorite anecdote, told by Jewel Staite about her co-star Michael Chieffo, who played her kidnapper and torturer in the episode.: "I do remember the man, Michael [Chieffo], who played my kidnapper was so lovely and so concerned that I would feel scared of him, I guess, or uncomfortable around him that he made an effort to be very sweet and warm with me, which my mom appreciated. I think my mom thought [it] was really classy of him." That was really nice, because this episode heavily played on an actual crime in which the girl did not survive. Polly Klaas was 12 when she was abducted and killed, her killer remains on death row today. Because of the similarities Fox's standards and practices was "uncomfortable" with the original screenplay because Amy Jacobs (Jewel Staite) was supposed to be 12 years old. The network decided it would be better if Amy was in her midteens so the production aged up her character to be 15. The actor, Staite, was 13 when she played the part.  Oh! And on the Spotify playlist this week, the one Daive is always adding to, I made a suggestion. Since this episode everyone is searching for Amy, I went with If U Seek Amy by Britney Spears. All my peers, you're welcome.    Xx Kristen

    The X-Files: Season 3 Episode 7 - The Walk

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 10, 2022 54:43


    This week we learn about Astral Projection+ and.... war bad? Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed Follow on Twitter @CastFiles Email us at TheeCastFiles@gmail.com https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-cast-files Music by Hal Six  Logo by @OokaArt   SHOW NOTES!!! Trigger Warning: Suicide and self-harm. This episode is rough, and weird, and will make you want to avoid all hot tubs for a while. There's a great cinematic scene - obviously death related since it's TXF -with shadow play in a pool. Very cool, highly recommend.  OMG, I forgot to mention, I couldn't bring myself to half research astral projection after stumbling into a Reddit thread re: Chernobyl and radiation. It was grand. I am also prone to distraction and tangents, but if this isn't your first episode, you already know that.  Finally, I do a short segment on Backmasking, which foreshadows more Satanic Panic in the TXF universe. Though it did give me background on where that rumor about Paul from The Beatles being dead and replaced or whatever. People really like dead but not dead rockstars.    Later! Kristen  

    The X-Files: Season 3 Episode 6 - 2Shy

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 3, 2022 66:18


    This is the internet that our parents warned us about in the 90's. Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed. DAIVE RAPS IN THIS ONE! Follow on Twitter @CastFiles Email us at TheeCastFiles@gmail.com https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-cast-files Music by Hal Six  Logo by @OokaArt   SHOW NOTES: This is the one where we discover all the body issues of the 90s are alive and well, although the average size of people IRL is so much different than Hollywood standards. I mean, we all know Hollywood standards aren't real world, except maybe Hollywood. Do they not get memos? I feel like there are tons of memos in Hollywood.  Anyway, we also get connections to Die Hard (whoo!) and mid-90s online dating.  I don't remember exactly when we got internet at home, I know junior high some time was American Online CD-Roms and not being able to talk on the phone while the dial-up was connected, but that was back when it was still thrilling to get an email.  I cannot imagine online dating at dial-up speed. But maybe we're all too fast-paced these days. It's all good though because here are my ship and survive for this week: Shipping: Ellen and her true self, one that's not bogged down by the bullshit of society. She's a baddass and I hope she realizes it.  Survival: Don't date.  Xx Kristen

    The X-Files: Season 3 Episode 5 - The List

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 27, 2022 53:33


    We have a very tasteful discussion about the death penalty that isn't insensitive at all. Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed Follow on Twitter @CastFiles Email us at TheeCastFiles@gmail.com https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-cast-files Music by Hal Six  Logo by @OokaArt   Show Notes I'm trying a thing, y'all. I have so many notes per episode in my Google Drive that I'm going to share a bit here.  HULU says: The agents investigate when a young boy's family is plagued by several tragic accidents.  Kristen says: David hasn't laughed so hard before or since the devastating cold open of this episode.  The Calusari is the episode that made the producers "agonize" over both the teaser AND the episode's overall bleakness.  Reminder: "The Calusari" is the only episode of the series to have received an explicit rating of "18" in the United Kingdom by the BBFC for "occasional strong horror" and themes involving "demonic possession" We love some religious tones!  References: Epidemiology of Munchausen syndrome by proxy, non-accidental poisoning, and non-accidental suffocation. R J McClure, P M Davis, S R Meadow, and J R Sibert Wikipedia: Calusari   

    The X-Files: Season 3 Episode 4 - Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2022 70:48


    Peter Boyle guest stars in probably the best episode yet! Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed Follow on Twitter @CastFiles Email us at TheeCastFiles@gmail.com https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-cast-files Music by Hal Six  Logo by @OokaArt   SHOW NOTES: As of 2022, this is the highest-rated episode of the series! Unfortunately, I forgot to write down where I referenced that! It doesn't matter though, because I agree so let's just say I rated it.  Peter Boyle is rad. The humor in this episode is everything.  I don't have much extra here. A bit on Chantilly lace and some trivia notes, but mostly it was just a fun episode all 'round.  Xx Kristen

    The X-Files: Season 3 Episode 3 - D.P.O.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 13, 2022 61:11


    He did not mean to blow Daive's mind but that shit happen to Jack Black all the time.   Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed Follow on Twitter @CastFiles Email us at TheeCastFiles@gmail.com https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-cast-files Music by Hal Six  Logo by @OokaArt ---- Nobody cooks like Aunt B. At a video arcade in Connerville, Oklahoma, two young men, Jack Hammond and Darin Peter Oswald, argue over a game of Virtua Fighter 2. Oswald is sweaty. I have a new way to survive, don't argue with sweaty people.  Production Note: Darin Oswald was named after X-Files writer Darin Morgan. Hammond pushes Oswald to the ground, after which the power in the arcade mysteriously shuts down—except for the jukebox, which plays "Ring the Bells" by James. When Jake Black tells Hammond he “shouldn't have done that,” Hammond says, “why not? What's he going to do?” Then Jake Black explains how toxic masculinity hurts us all. Just kidding.  This causes Hammond to leave, but when he goes outside to start his car, he finds the same song playing on the radio. He is then fatally electrocuted through the ignition. Oswald, who witnesses Hammond's death, returns to the game. Zero is unbothered by it all. 

    Bonus - Predator 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 6, 2022 82:38


    Remember way back in season one when Mulder almost made a friend? Well we made this episode to go along with that! Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed Follow on Twitter @CastFiles Email us at TheeCastFiles@gmail.com https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-cast-files Music by Hal Six  Logo by @OokaArt

    Bonus - The Thing

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2022 72:53


    Hello again everybody! We're going to be on our unexpected hiatus for two more weeks but we have some old bonus content for you. We originally recorded this to go with Season 1 Episode 8 Ice. We hope you enjoy it.   Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed Follow on Twitter @CastFiles Email us at TheeCastFiles@gmail.com https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-cast-files Music by Hal Six  Logo by @OokaArt

    Bonus - Would You Watch This? (Willy's Wonderland)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2022 71:20


    Kristen describes a movie to Daive that he has no interest in and doesn't know then asks "Would you watch this?" Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed Follow on Twitter @CastFiles Email us at TheeCastFiles@gmail.com https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-cast-files Music by Hal Six  Logo by @OokaArt                             This movie is Willy's Wonderland.

    The X-Files: Season 3 Episode 2 - Paper Clip

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2022 63:11


    If you couldn't tell by the title of this one, we've got some Nazis! But unfortunately he dies off screen. Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed Follow on Twitter @CastFiles Email us at TheeCastFiles@gmail.com https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-cast-files Music by Hal Six  Logo by @OokaArt ---- White buffalo = great Omens = Mulder is the one.

    The X-Files: Season 3 Episode 1 -The Blessing Way

    Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2022 48:33


    Mulder goes on a... vision quest? Scully walks to her mom's. And we wonder how long of a walk was that. Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed Follow on Twitter @CastFiles Email us at TheeCastFiles@gmail.com https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-cast-files Music by Hal Six  Logo by @OokaArt ---- Skip to the end. SHIPPED: Melissa and me, minus the hypnotherapist bs she seems like a pretty calming force to have around. It wouldn't have to be romantic since I know D ships her and Mulder. As her friend, I'm going to let that happen for a bit but ultimately talk her out of it. Mulder is a fuck boy.  SURVIVED: Have a cell phone and answer when my sister calls.

    The X-Files: Season 2 Wrap Up

    Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2022 45:22


    Season 2 is done and we're talking about all the things we liked about it. Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed Follow on Twitter @CastFiles Email us at TheeCastFiles@gmail.com https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-cast-files Music by Hal Six  Logo by @OokaArt

    We Interrupt This Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2022 2:23


    Unfortunately no episode this week due to audio difficulties. But have some fun information to share anyway.

    The X-Files: Season 2 Episode 25 - Anasazi

    Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2022 85:10


    Season 2 finale everybody! And boy oh boy did we go all out for it. And by all out I mean chaos. Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed Follow on Twitter @CastFiles Email us at TheeCastFiles@gmail.com https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-cast-files Music by Hal Six  Logo by @OokaArt

    The X-Files: Season 2 Episode 24 - Our Town

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2022 67:35


    Strange things are afoot in Dudley, Arkansas but Daive still explicitly trusts Gary Grubbs. Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed Follow on Twitter @CastFiles Email us at TheeCastFiles@gmail.com https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-cast-files Music by Hal Six  Logo by @OokaArt

    The X-Files: Season 2 Episode 23 - Soft Light

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2022 62:13


    Antonio from Wings needs some sleep. Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed Follow on Twitter @CastFiles Email us at TheeCastFiles@gmail.com https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-cast-files Music by Hal Six  Logo by @OokaArt

    The X-Files: Season 2 Episode 22 - F. Emasculata

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 13, 2022 46:30


    After several men in a prison die of a mysterious illness, Scully tries to discover the cause while Mulder attempts to find two escapees who could potentially spread the disease.

    The X-Files: Season 2 Episode 21 - The Calusari

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2022 61:44


    Spooky things happen to a State Department family and we pitch a show to Chris Carter. Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed Follow on Twitter @CastFiles Email us at TheeCastFiles@gmail.com https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-cast-files Music by Hal Six  Logo by @OokaArt

    The X-Files: Season 2 Episode 20 - Humbug

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2022 45:41


    Holy crap we are in Gibsonton Florida!!!!!! Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed Follow on Twitter @CastFiles Email us at TheeCastFiles@gmail.com https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-cast-files Music by Hal Six  Logo by @OokaArt

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