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High conflict at work rarely announces itself. By the time it becomes a formal HR complaint or a leadership crisis, the patterns were visible much earlier—and the tools most organizations rely on to stay fair often make things worse, not better.Bill Eddy, LCSW, JD, and Megan Hunter, MBA, co-founders of the High Conflict Institute in Scottsdale, Arizona, are joined by Michael Lomax, JD, HCI speaker, trainer, and attorney, for Part 2 of a four-part workplace series. They break down the WEB method for early conflict assessment—Words, Emotions, Behavior—and explain why HR's focus on neutrality and incident-by-incident handling can inadvertently protect the person driving the conflict while penalizing the target.It's All Your Fault is produced by TruStory FM.Full Show Notes & ResourcesSubmit Questions | Bookstore | WebsiteWatch this episode on YouTubeImportant Notice: Our discussions focus on behavioral patterns rather than diagnoses. For specific legal or therapeutic guidance, please consult qualified professionals in your area. (00:00) - Welcome to It's All Your Fault (01:48) - Assessing Workplace Conflict Early and Accurately (04:53) - Potential Costs of Getting It Wrong (09:13) - Patterns of Behavior (18:56) - Documenting Impact (20:38) - Personality Disorders (21:57) - Reactivity Drives Response (25:29) - Managing Difficult HCPs (31:02) - What to Assess First (35:30) - Wrap Up

Movie of the Year: 2006BrickThe Brick podcast episode of Movie of the Year arrives just in time to appreciate one of 2006's most audacious genre experiments. Ryan, Mike, and Greg are joined by Pete Wright of TruStory FM to dig into Rian Johnson's neo-noir debut, a film that transplants the hard-boiled world of Dashiell Hammett into the hallways and parking lots of a Southern California high school. Few films from this era take a bigger swing, and fewer still land it this cleanly.About Brick (2006)Brick is a neo-noir mystery thriller written, edited, and directed by Rian Johnson in his feature directorial debut. The film opened in New York and Los Angeles on April 7, 2006, distributed by Focus Features. It stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Brendan Frye, a teenage loner who pushes his way into the criminal underworld of his high school to investigate the disappearance -- and eventual murder -- of his ex-girlfriend Emily, played by Emilie de Ravin. The supporting cast includes Lukas Haas as the drug kingpin known only as the Pin, Nora Zehetner as the duplicitous Laura, Noah Fleiss as the enforcer Tug, and Richard Roundtree as a vice principal navigating the chaos from the margins.Johnson wrote the first draft in 1997 immediately after graduating from USC School of Cinematic Arts. He spent the next seven years trying to get it made, with every financier asking him to set it in college instead of high school. He ultimately raised approximately $450,000 from friends and family, shot the film in 20 days, and spent three months rehearsing with the cast beforehand. The score -- inventive and deeply atmospheric -- was composed by Johnson's cousin Nathan Johnson using traditional instruments alongside improvised ones including filing cabinets, kitchen utensils, and tack pianos, all recorded on an Apple PowerBook.The film drew on hardboiled classics, particularly the novels of Dashiell Hammett, and won the Special Jury Prize for Originality of Vision at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. It holds an 80% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and earned three stars from Roger Ebert, who called it a rich source of dialogue and behavior. You can read Ebert's full review at RogerEbert.com. Brick has since become a cult classic and a clear blueprint for Johnson's later work on Knives Out.Find the full cast and crew listing at Brick on IMDb.Guest Panelist: Pete WrightPete Wright is a podcaster, author, educator, and co-founder of TruStory FM, a podcast production network he has built over more than three decades in media. He has logged thousands of episodes across more than three dozen shows covering film, ADHD, creative process, brand storytelling, and the craft of audio production. His work spans journalism, corporate communications, and graduate-level teaching, where he spent fifteen years working with students on storytelling and media production.Among his best-known projects is The Next Reel Film Podcast, a deep-dive film discussion series that serves as his primary film-critical home. He also co-hosts Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast alongside Nikki Kinzer, an award-winning show with over a million annual downloads and 29 seasons of episodes since its 2010 launch. In 2024, Pete and Nikki co-authored Unapologetically ADHD: A Step-by-Step Framework for Everyday Planning on Your Terms, a practical guide grown directly from the podcast's community and themes. His debut science fiction novella, Lattice, was published in 2026. Pete's most recent podcast venture is Headstone, a personal series about legacy, memory, and the stories we leave behind. He is based in Portland, Oregon. This Brick podcast episode marks his first appearance on Movie of the Year.Brick Podcast Discussion: Noir in High SchoolThe central creative gamble of Brick is not simply that it applies film noir conventions to a high school setting. More precisely, it applies them without irony. Johnson made a deliberate choice to play every scene completely straight, and the cast follows his lead without a single wink at the camera. Consequently, the absurdity of the premise becomes the engine of the film's tension rather than its release valve.This Brick podcast opens with a foundational question: does the noir-in-high-school conceit actually work? The genre's grammar depends heavily on power asymmetry, corruption, and the lone investigator operating outside institutional structures. High school provides all three. Brendan's relationship with the vice principal mirrors the classic detective's uneasy truce with law enforcement. The Pin's basement headquarters functions as the smoky back room. The femme fatale and the enforcer play their archetypal roles without adjustment.Johnson drew specifically on the novels of Dashiell Hammett -- particularly the Continental Op stories -- and encouraged his cast to read Hammett rather than watch noir films. He wanted the stylistic choices to come from the source material, not from imitation of existing screen adaptations. That decision gives Brick a distinctive texture. Moreover, the dialogue mixes actual period noir slang with invented high school vernacular in a way that creates its own self-consistent world. As Roger Ebert noted, the story never fully clarifies itself while it unfolds, but it delivers a rich supply of behavior and incident along the way.Genre Bending: What the Brick 2006 Film Is Actually DoingBrick belongs to a specific 2006 moment when genre recombination was operating at a high creative pitch. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang had landed the previous year playing similar games with noir self-awareness. Sin City had arrived with a maximalist visual approach to the same source material. Brick chose a third path: minimal budget, straight-faced commitment, and an insistence that the formal constraints of the genre could do meaningful emotional work if you simply trusted them.The genre-bending discussion on this Brick podcast examines how Johnson uses the noir framework not as homage but as architecture. The structure of a hardboiled mystery -- the inciting mystery, the series of contacts, the betrayal, the revelation -- maps onto adolescent social hierarchies with surprising precision. Furthermore, the paranoia endemic to the genre translates naturally into the heightened social surveillance of high school life, where everyone watches everyone and information is currency.The Spaghetti Western and Anime InfluencesJohnson has cited Sergio Leone's Spaghetti Westerns and Shinichiro Watanabe's Cowboy Bebop as visual influences alongside the noir literary tradition. That combination matters, because it explains why Brick never feels purely retro. The film's rhythm and its relationship to violence carry a different energy than classic noir. Notably, Johnson used shoes as a design element for each character, treating footwear as an immediate visual shorthand for who each person is. It's a small detail that reflects how thoroughly he thought through every layer of the film's visual language.Additionally, the score by Nathan Johnson uses invented instruments -- wine-o-phones, tack pianos, kitchen utensils -- to create an atmosphere that nods to classic noir without reproducing it. The result is a film that works as genre exercise, coming-of-age story, and tone poem simultaneously.The Treatment of Women in BrickNoir has always had a complicated relationship with its female characters, and Brick inherits that complication without fully interrogating it. Emily exists primarily as a body -- a mystery to be solved, a loss to be avenged. She drives the entire plot but occupies very little of the film's actual screen time. Laura is more present, but her function remains rooted in the femme fatale archetype: beautiful, manipulative, ultimately revealed as the architect of the tragedy.The Brick podcast addresses this directly. Does Johnson's decision to play the genre completely straight mean he also reproduces its blind spots uncritically? The case for the defense is that Brick is a formal exercise, and the female characters serve genre functions that the film deliberately signals as such. The case against is that signaling an archetype and interrogating it are different things, and Brick largely declines to do the latter.Moreover, the pregnancy subplot -- Emily is pregnant with Tug's child, a revelation that triggers her murder -- adds a layer of consequence to the female characters' bodies that the film handles with notable brevity. It functions as a plot mechanism more than a human reality. The discussion examines how this choice shapes the film's emotional center, which ultimately rests entirely with Brendan's grief and not with Emily's life or Laura's survival.Nevertheless, Nora Zehetner's performance as Laura earns genuine complexity within the constraints the script gives her. The hosts explore whether that performance transcends the archetype or simply executes it with exceptional skill.Rushmore: 2006 It BoysThe Taste Buds carve out space in this episode for a Rushmore segment dedicated to the It Boys of 2006 -- the young male actors whose stars were ascending in that specific cultural moment. Brick arrives at a fascinating point in Joseph Gordon-Levitt's career trajectory, before Inception and The Dark Knight Rises made him a mainstream anchor, when he was still operating in the cult-film

Long before sustainability, ESG, and stakeholder capitalism entered the business mainstream, Jeffrey Hollender was building a company founded on the belief that business could serve both people and the planet.In this episode of Purpose 360, Carol Cone welcomes Jeffrey Hollender, co-founder and former CEO of Seventh Generation, and her fellow pioneer of the purpose movement for a candid conversation about his new book, Built for a Better World, and the remarkable story behind Seventh Generation. Together they explore the realities of building a mission-driven company before the market was ready, the role of transparency in earning consumer trust, the challenges of scaling culture during rapid growth, and the difficult lessons Jeffrey learned about investors, governance, and leadership.Jeffrey also reflects on employee ownership, activist business leadership, and the boardroom decisions that ultimately led to his departure from the company he founded. Along the way, he shares why today's purpose-driven businesses must think beyond products and profits to address the broader impact they have on people, communities, and the planet.Purpose 360 is produced by TruStory FM.Full Show Notes & Resources HereView on YouTube Here (00:00) - Welcome to Purpose 360 (00:13) - Meet Jeffrey Hollender (03:49) - Jeffrey's Background (07:03) - Seventh Generation (09:51) - The Early Years (11:06) - The Name (12:59) - Built for a Better World (16:45) - Albertson's Example (19:31) - Role of Employees (21:26) - Company Machinations (23:58) - Moderating Growth (26:58) - Learning Through Activism (29:13) - Going Too Radical (31:12) - Working with a Board (33:51) - Getting Terminated (35:56) - The Role of Family (38:37) - What Companies Get Wrong About Purpose (40:53) - Speed Round (42:17) - Last Words (43:07) - Wrap Up

Workplace conflict is costing US businesses $359 billion a year—and behind a disproportionate share of that damage is high conflict behavior: the kind that ignores limits, escalates faster than most leaders expect, and doesn't respond to the usual playbook. This is part one of a four-part series on high conflict in the workplace, with Bill Eddy, LCSW, JD, Megan Hunter, MBA, and Michael Lomax, JD—lawyer, mediator, and senior speaker and trainer with the High Conflict Institute since 2011.Bill, Megan, and Michael unpack why conflict is surging right now—generational shifts, pandemic fallout, social media polarization, and AI giving people who demonstrate high conflict behavior entirely new tools—and make the case for why prevention has to come before the crisis, not after. If your organization is still treating conflict as something HR handles case by case, this episode is the place to start.It's All Your Fault is produced by TruStory FM.Full Show Notes & ResourcesSubmit a Question | Bookstore | WebsiteWatch this episode on YouTubeImportant Notice: Our discussions focus on behavioral patterns rather than diagnoses. For specific legal or therapeutic guidance, please consult qualified professionals in your area. (00:00) - Welcome to It's All Your Fault (01:29) - Why Workplace Conflict Is Rising (02:57) - Trends Driving Workplace Conflict (04:50) - Employees Changing Job Expectations (07:15) - Affects of Social Media (08:59) - Organizational Design and Friction (11:57) - Make Work About Work (14:32) - Divisive vs. Unifying Issues (17:16) - When an HCP Is Involved (20:29) - When the Organization Isn't Aware (23:55) - Leaders Avoid Conflict (27:42) - Role Playing (29:00) - Growing Comfortable (31:25) - One Thing to Say (32:55) - Wrap Up

He-Man was always camp. The loincloth, the harness, the flexing, the pink tunic, Masters of the Universe was masculinity as WWE spectacle.. The 2026 film knew this, it just couldn't decide what to do about it. Host Matthew Fox welcomes Pete Wright of The Next Reel Film Podcast on TruStory FM to dig into why this movie feels like five films playing simultaneously, why the Barbie comparison is more complicated than it looks, and what a genuinely great He-Man movie would have required of its filmmakers.There's real craft on display; Idris Elba anchoring chaos, Jared Leto's Skeletor going full Shakespearean villain, moments of nostalgia that land exactly right. But the movie sets up a father-son arc about masculinity and emotional bravery, then resolves it with a half-hearted deathbed forgiveness scene that changes nothing. It gestures at He-Man's campy legacy and then gets embarrassed by it. It makes Adam an HR rep with empathy skills, then turns those skills into a punchline. The movie knew what it wanted to say. It just didn't have the nerve to say it.We also get into the full Mattel pipeline — Polly Pocket, Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots, Magic 8-Ball as a horror comedy — and the nostalgia properties we'd actually pay to see: Gummi Bears, Darkwing Duck, and what Scooby-Doo keeps getting right that everyone else gets wrong.Full Show Notes and Resources**************************************************************************This episode is a production of Superhero Ethics, an Ethical Panda podcast and part of the TruStory FM Entertainment Podcast Network. Check out our website to find out more about this show and our sister podcast Star Wars Generations.We want to hear from you! Keep up with our latest news and send us feedback, questions, or comments via social media or email.TikTok · Twitter/X · Instagram · Facebook · EmailJoin the conversation in the Star Wars Generations and Superhero Ethics channels on the TruStory FM Discord.Want even more content while supporting the podcast? Become a member! For $5 a month or $55 a year you get access to bonus episodes and bonus content at the end of most episodes — and you can even give membership as a gift. Sign up here.You can also support us through our sponsors:Purchase a lightsaber from Level Up Sabers, run by friend of the podcast Neighborhood Master Alan.Use Audible for audiobooks. Sign up for a one-year membership or gift one through this link.Purchase any media discussed this week through our sponsored links.

This special episode of Purpose 360 was recorded live at the Engage for Good conference, and host Carol Cone continues her conversations with leaders shaping the future of corporate purpose, nonprofit partnerships, employee engagement, and social impact strategy.Carol Cone is joined by Bryan Klopack of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Nathan Measom of the American Red Cross, Deborah Barge of The Trevor Project, Sarah Knott of Hasbro, and Kari Hayden Pendoley of Impact Savvy. At Engage for Good, they join leaders across philanthropy, nonprofit leadership, advocacy, and corporate purpose to exchange ideas, challenge assumptions, and explore how organizations can create more meaningful and integrated approaches to impact.These featured leaders share how they build partnerships that create value for both businesses and communities, engage employees as powerful drivers of purpose, and respond to evolving social needs with creativity and commitment. They discuss workforce development, mentorship, mental health, disaster response, and stakeholder engagement, but they return repeatedly to one central idea: lasting impact starts with listening, grows through authentic relationships, and strengthens through long-term commitment.Together, these conversations capture the candid, practical, and forward-looking insights for anyone who wants to strengthen communities, engage stakeholders, and advance purpose in a rapidly changing environment.Purpose 360 is produced by TruStory FM.Full Show Notes & Resources (00:00) - Welcome to Purpose 360 (00:13) - Engage for Good Conference Part 2 (02:21) - Bryan Klopack • Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (14:55) - Nathan Measom • American Red Cross (19:21) - Deborah Barge • Trevor Project (30:36) - Sarah Knott • Hasbro (31:14) - Wrap Up (32:18) - Kari Hayden Pendoley • Impact Savvy

High conflict relationships can leave you grieving something most people don't recognize as a real loss — not just the person, but the relationship you always hoped you could have. When someone in your life consistently cannot offer the empathy, accountability, or closeness you need, the question stops being "how do I fix this?" and starts being "how do I accept what this actually is?"Bill Eddy, LCSW, JD, and Megan Hunter, MBA, co-founders of the High Conflict Institute in Scottsdale, Arizona, walk through the five stages of grief as they apply to high conflict relationships, why high conflict people get stuck in anger while those around them keep cycling, and how to make the practical decision between limited contact and no contact. They cover what to do with guilt and shame when pulling back, why sharing your feelings with a high conflict person usually backfires, and the self-affirmation strategies that interrupt the shame spiral.It's All Your Fault is produced by TruStory FM.Full Show Notes & ResourcesSubmit Questions | Bookstore | WebsiteWatch this episode on YouTubeImportant Notice: Our discussions focus on behavioral patterns rather than diagnoses. For specific legal or therapeutic guidance, please consult qualified professionals in your area. (00:00) - Welcome to It's All Your Fault (00:48) - Accepting It Won't Become What You'd Hoped (02:13) - Why Do People Stay? (07:59) - Five Stages of Grieving Process (09:52) - Criteria for Choosing No-Contact Path (13:36) - Watch Your Expectations (18:45) - Getting Through It (24:43) - Wrap Up

Nobody Gets Off This Staircase: Krissy, Nathan, and Pete Take On The UntouchablesWelcome to this episode of The Most Excellent 80s Movies. Hosts Krissy Lenz and Nathan Blackwell are joined by special guest Pete Wright—podcast impresario and pod boss at TruStory FM—to dig into Brian De Palma's The Untouchables (1987), where the real question isn't whether Al Capone goes down, but how far a straight-arrow fed is willing to bend to make it happen.The central tension here is a juicy one: Kevin Costner's deliberately bland Elliot Ness surrounded by Sean Connery's full-voltage Obi-Wan energy and Andy Garcia's silk-jacketed handsomeness. Is Costner's wooden earnestness a character choice or just… Costner being Costner? The gang has feelings. Meanwhile, Pete makes a compelling case that David Mamet is at his very best when someone else is in the director's chair—and that De Palma's camera (hello, split diopter) transforms stilted period dialogue into something genuinely cinematic.What keeps the conversation sparking is the sheer audacity of the filmmaking: an improvised staircase sequence that became the movie's most iconic scene, Armani-clad gangsters that make everyone want to buy overcoats for a city they don't live in, and a baby carriage that shows up twice in two consecutive episodes of the pod. The episode stays premise-level throughout, so you can jump in clean and still feel every gut punch.TruStory FM | Membership (early, ad-free access + bonus content): Join | Socials: Facebook | Instagram | Bluesky | Learn more about the hosts: Neighborhood Comedy Theatre | Squishy StudiosIf you could only pick one scene from this movie to show someone who'd never seen it, which one would you choose—and why? ---Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.

Social impact is moving out of standalone CSR departments and into the center of how organizations think about leadership, culture, talent, and innovation. Recorded live at the Engage for Good conference, this special episode of Purpose 360 brings listeners inside conversations shaping the present and future of the industry.Engage for Good brings together leaders across philanthropy, nonprofit leadership, advocacy, and corporate purpose to exchange ideas, challenge assumptions, and explore how organizations can create more meaningful and integrated approaches to impact.Host Carol Cone sits down with Nancy Molenda and Brittany Cruickshank of Mattel, Karoline Katus of the Obama Foundation, Navid Ladha of OnPurpose Careers, and Jorge Alvarez of Active Minds for conversations about embedding social impact into business strategy, cultivating values-based leadership, redefining mission-driven careers, and building long-term partnerships rooted in trust and collaboration. Together, the conversations capture the candid, practical, and forward-looking insights that emerge when leaders committed to social impact come together to share what's working, what's changing, and what's next.Purpose 360 is produced by TruStory FM.Full Show Notes & Resources (00:00) - Welcome to Purpose 360 (00:13) - Engage for Good Part 1 (02:35) - Nancy Molenda & Brittany Cruickshank • Mattel (15:28) - Karoline Katus • Obama Foundation (19:49) - Navid Ladha • OnPurpose Careers (23:58) - Jorge Alvarez • Active Minds (35:38) - Wrap Up

Fear of retaliation keeps many people trapped in high conflict relationships long after they know they need to leave. Emotional explosions, smear campaigns, threats involving children, financial punishment, legal warfare — the threat of what might happen when you finally say the words can feel more paralyzing than staying. The Betty Broderick case is an extreme example, but the dynamic it illustrates — unmanaged emotions, all-or-nothing thinking, and escalating revenge — shows up in milder forms in relationships every day.Bill Eddy, LCSW, JD, and Megan Hunter, MBA, co-founders of the High Conflict Institute, walk through what a safer, stepwise exit actually looks like — and why an abrupt in-person announcement is the most dangerous approach. They cover the biggest mistakes people make when leaving, how to document behavior and prepare for false allegations before they happen, and what courts and police actually respond to when you present your situation.It's All Your Fault is produced by TruStory FM.Full Show Notes & ResourcesSubmit Questions | Bookstore | WebsiteWatch this episode on YouTubeImportant Notice: Our discussions focus on behavioral patterns rather than diagnoses. For specific legal or therapeutic guidance, please consult qualified professionals in your area. (00:00) - Welcome to It's All Your Fault (02:26) - Betty Broderick Case (11:01) - Why People Are Afraid to Leave Relationships with HCPs (14:04) - Mistakes When Trying to Leave (17:06) - Creating Escalations (20:11) - When It's Not a Marriage (21:48) - Getting Prepared (28:04) - Giving Warning (28:47) - If on the Fence (30:17) - Wrap Up

When someone in a high conflict situation gets upset, the instinct is to explain, correct, or reason with them — and that almost always makes things worse. The reason isn't a mystery anymore: it's neuroscience. Validation doesn't just make people feel better; it quiets the amygdala's threat response and activates the part of the brain responsible for regulating emotions. An EAR statement — something showing empathy, attention, or respect — is the fastest way to get there.Bill Eddy, LCSW, JD, and Megan Hunter, MBA, co-founders of the High Conflict Institute, connect recent brain research to the EAR statement framework — covering why tone of voice affects the vagus nerve, how to calm yourself before calming someone else, and when EAR statements shouldn't be used at all.It's All Your Fault is produced by TruStory FM.Full Show Notes & ResourcesSubmit Questions | Full Show Notes | Bookstore | WebsiteWatch this episode on YouTubeImportant Notice: Our discussions focus on behavioral patterns rather than diagnoses. For specific legal or therapeutic guidance, please consult qualified professionals in your area. (00:00) - Welcome to It's All Your Fault (00:49) - Validation (02:39) - Psychology Today Article (06:14) - Polyvagal Theory (11:08) - Why Harder for Some? (14:58) - How Do We Validate? (16:33) - Encouraging Statements (19:02) - Invalidation (21:42) - Example (24:00) - We Are in Charge of Ourselves (28:16) - When EAR Statements Won't Work (32:53) - High Conflict Situations (34:40) - Wrap Up

When a high conflict person says it's all your fault, most reasonable people do something predictable — they start wondering what they did wrong. That instinct toward self-reflection is healthy in most relationships. With high conflict people, it becomes a trap.Bill Eddy, LCSW, JD, and Megan Hunter, MBA, co-founders of the High Conflict Institute, unpack why high conflict personalities blame with an intensity that triggers your brain's threat-detection system — and why that intensity is precisely what makes you absorb guilt that isn't yours. They cover how to reality-test yourself when the blame lands hard, what to expect when you finally set a limit, and how to sit with the backlash without retreating into self-doubt.It's All Your Fault is produced by TruStory FM.Full Show Notes & ResourcesSubmit Questions | Full Show Notes | Bookstore | WebsiteWatch this episode on YouTubeImportant Notice: Our discussions focus on behavioral patterns rather than diagnoses. For specific legal or therapeutic guidance, please consult qualified professionals in your area. (00:00) - Welcome to It's All Your Fault (00:43) - It's NOT Your Fault (02:22) - Why Do HCPs Blame? (07:00) - Absorbing Guilt (13:31) - Example (17:36) - Setting Limits and Potential Backlash (19:28) - Why HCPs Escalate (24:20) - Grow Used to Uncomfortable Feelings (26:29) - Knowing When It's Not Safe (28:28) - Key Takeaways (29:27) - Wrap Up

High conflict cases have a well-documented credibility problem: the person with high conflict personality traits walks into the lawyer's office, the HR department, or the courtroom looking calm and composed. The person who has been responding to years of escalation walks in looking emotional, reactive, and hard to follow. Without a framework for recognizing this pattern, systems can unintentionally reward the behavior driving the conflict—and penalize the person trying to respond to it.Bill Eddy, LCSW, JD, and Megan Hunter, MBA, co-founders of the High Conflict Institute, walk through the biggest mistakes people make when presenting high conflict concerns to lawyers, HR, courts, and adult protective services—and offer a concrete strategy for making those concerns land. They cover why chronological storytelling buries the most critical information, how to work with professionals who don't yet see what's happening, and what to do if you've already vented or lost your cool.It's All Your Fault is produced by TruStory FM.Full Show Notes & ResourcesSubmit Questions | Full Show Notes | Bookstore | WebsiteWatch this episode on YouTubeImportant Notice: Our discussions focus on behavioral patterns rather than diagnoses. For specific legal or therapeutic guidance, please consult qualified professionals in your area. (00:00) - Welcome to It's All Your Fault (00:50) - When No One Else Sees It (03:19) - Why Do HCPs Come Across Credible? (07:55) - Biggest Mistakes (13:43) - Connecting Behaviors to Laws (19:28) - Repairing After Venting (23:52) - Takeaways (24:36) - In Legal Case (27:00) - Wrap Up

When addiction and high conflict personality traits both show up in a custody case, the usual advice stops working. Vague parenting plans become weapons. Standard timelines get exploited. Courts aren't designed to manage what's happening daily between two households—and the divorce itself is often just the beginning.Bill Eddy, LCSW, JD, and Megan Hunter, MBA, co-founders of the High Conflict Institute, lay out what actually works: parenting plans built with iron-clad specificity, consequences written into agreements before problems happen, relapse protocols, objective safety safeguards for young children, and the assertive court strategy Bill describes as the most effective approach—not aggressive, not passive, but steady and information-forward.It's All Your Fault is produced by TruStory FM.Full Show Notes & ResourcesSubmit Questions | Full Show Notes | Bookstore | WebsiteWatch this episode on YouTubeImportant Notice: Our discussions focus on behavioral patterns rather than diagnoses. For specific legal or therapeutic guidance, please consult qualified professionals in your area. (00:00) - Welcome to It's All Your Fault (00:56) - Part 2: High Conflict Behavior, Addiction, and Child Custody (02:00) - Parenting Plans (05:58) - When Reluctant to Change (08:27) - Being Prepared (10:05) - Don't Reward the Pushing (13:59) - Build Consequences into Agreements (18:24) - With Younger Children (22:15) - Professional Involvement (26:33) - Top Mistakes (30:17) - Wrap Up

High conflict custody cases are hard enough—but when one parent also demonstrates antisocial personality traits alongside addiction and a pattern of long-term deception, standard parenting plans fall short in ways that can leave a child at real risk. Antisocial personality disorder appears in family court more often than most people realize, and it requires a fundamentally different approach to court orders, parenting plans, and relapse planning.Bill Eddy, LCSW, JD, and Megan Hunter, MBA, co-founders of the High Conflict Institute in Scottsdale, Arizona, walk through how to recognize the pattern, what to actually say to a family court judge, and how to build a relapse plan directly into a custody agreement as a court order. They also cover monitoring options, supervised contact, and why no-contact orders should be extremely rare. This is part one of a two-part conversation.It's All Your Fault is produced by TruStory FM.Full Show Notes & ResourcesSubmit Questions | Full Show Notes | Bookstore | WebsiteWatch this episode on YouTubeImportant Notice: Our discussions focus on behavioral patterns rather than diagnoses. For specific legal or therapeutic guidance, please consult qualified professionals in your area. (00:00) - Welcome to It's All Your Fault (00:58) - High Conflict Behavior, Addiction, and Child Custody (01:49) - Case Setup (04:00) - Pattern Recognition (08:50) - Traits (10:05) - Feined Connection (11:58) - What to Do (15:04) - Back to the Case (22:08) - Monitoring Services (23:40) - Parenting Plan (27:11) - No Contact Order? (29:43) - Defining More Extreme Personalities (33:16) - Wrap Up

Dearly Beloved, We Are Gathered Here to Talk About Purple Rain Welcome to this episode of The Most Excellent 80s Movies Podcast. Hosts Krissy Lenz (comedian and director at Neighborhood Comedy Theatre) and Nathan Blackwell (independent filmmaker at Squishy Studios) are joined this week by not one but two returning special guests—podcaster and writer Kyle Olson and podcast producer and improv impresario Pete Wright—to dig into one of the most electric, beguiling, and undeniably Prince films ever committed to celluloid: Purple Rain (1984).Neither Krissy nor Nathan had ever seen the movie before this episode—a confession that earns them some gentle ribbing from the two superfans across the table. What unfolds is a warm, funny, and genuinely insightful conversation about Prince as performer, The Kid as character, and what it means to watch a film that is less a story and more a time capsule from another world.

A heist on a crime-syndicate planet, a “Duel of the Fates” needle drop that hasn't been heard since The Phantom Menace, and a Sith lord who barely has to break a sweat... Maul is off to a hell of a start. Matthew and Alex welcome TruStory FM co-owner Pete Wright to break down the first two episodes of the new animated series, set in the lawless underworld of Janix at the dawn of the Empire.The conversation covers the Blade Runner-meets-cop-noir world-building, the “sandwich prequel” problem of writing a character whose beginning and end we already know, and the big question: can Maul sustain eight episodes as a title character? Matthew makes the case that Maul is a Cassandra figure — he sees Palpatine's plan clearly and completely, but his methods mean no one will listen to him. Meanwhile, Pete brings a sharp outside perspective on what the show owes to Andor's willingness to let crime politics breathe.There's also spirited debate over Devin Izara and her Jedi master, whether the show's hallway fight scene has earned its place in a now-crowded genre, and where Crimson Dawn fits into Maul's long game — because Palpatine, as it turns out, is playing Candyland, and the outcome was never really in doubt.Star Wars Generations**************************************************************************This episode is a production of Star Wars Generations, an Ethical Panda podcast and part of the TruStory FM Entertainment Podcast Network. Check out our website to find out more about this show and our sister podcast Superhero Ethics.We want to hear from you! Keep up with our latest news and send us feedback, questions, or comments via social media or email.TikTok · Twitter/X · Instagram · Facebook · EmailTo learn more about co-host Erin and her incredible cosplay: Instagram · TikTokJoin the conversation in the Star Wars Generations and Superhero Ethics channels on the TruStory FM Discord.Want even more content while supporting the podcast? Become a member! For $5 a month or $55 a year you get access to bonus episodes and bonus content at the end of most episodes — and you can even give membership as a gift. Sign up here.You can also support us through our sponsors:Purchase a lightsaber from Level Up Sabers, run by friend of the podcast Neighborhood Master Alan.Use Audible for audiobooks. Sign up for a one-year membership or gift one through this link.Purchase any media discussed this week through our sponsored links.

Superheroes can bench-press buildings, but they almost never have a healthy relationship with their parents. For this episode of Superhero Ethics Matthew is joined by Pete Wright and Mandy Kaplan to dig into why legacy pressure, attachment injury, and the need for a parent's approval are the real origin stories behind so many of our favorite heroes and villains.Pete breaks down the three narrative engines that power nearly every superhero parental arc, while Matthew and Mandy trace them through Batman's idealized dead father, Tony Stark's lifelong chase for Howard's love, Lex Luthor's impossible battle to escape a name nobody will let him shed, and the Rogue story as a parable about parents terrified of who their child is. The conversation also surfaces a pointed question about whose emotional journey superhero stories choose to follow — and why Leia's reckoning with Darth Vader has been so thoroughly sidelined compared to Luke's.Mandy brings a newcomer's eye that keeps the conversation honest, Pete brings decades of comics knowledge, and Matthew ties it all back to the real thing; we relate to Tony Stark not because we're billionaires, but because we've all had a fraught relationship with a parent. This one hits differently if you have.Previous Conversation Topics Mentioned in This EpisodeStar Wars GenerationsStar Wars: Bloodlines by Claudia GrayStar Wars original trilogy — Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader's father-son arcSuperhero EthicsMoon Knight (Disney+)Daredevil (Netflix)Wonder Man (Disney+) — Matthew's strong recommendationJessica JonesParenthood (1989 film)These are the voices you want in this conversation — pull up a chair and listen.About Pete WrightPete Wright is a veteran broadcaster and media consultant with a 30-year career spanning journalism, brand storytelling, and podcasting. He is a co-founder of TruStory FM, where he hosts and produces podcasts that blend education, entertainment, and human-centered communication.About Mandy KaplanMandy Kaplan is a multi-talented actress, voice-over artist, and writer whose voice can be heard in hundreds of commercials, video games, and audiobooks. She hosts Make Me a Nerd, where friends introduce her to their fandoms, and co-hosts Once and Future Parent, chronicling the adventure of raising — and being raised by — a high schooler.Connect with Mandy: Make Me a Nerd on TruStory FMLinksStar Wars GenerationsConnect with Matthew: matthew@theethicalpanda.com · TikTok · Facebook · Instagram · Twitter/XThe Next ReelMovies We Like**************************************************************************This episode is a production of Superhero Ethics, an Ethical Panda podcast and part of the TruStory FM Entertainment Podcast Network. Check out our website to find out more about this show and our sister podcast Star Wars Generations.We want to hear from you! Keep up with our latest news and send us feedback, questions, or comments via social media or email.TikTok · Twitter/X · Instagram · Facebook · EmailJoin the conversation in the Star Wars Generations and Superhero Ethics channels on the TruStory FM Discord.Want even more content while supporting the podcast? Become a member! For $5 a month or $55 a year you get access to bonus episodes and bonus content at the end of most episodes — and you can even give membership as a gift. Sign up here.You can also support us through our sponsors:Purchase a lightsaber from Level Up Sabers, run by friend of the podcast Neighborhood Master Alan.Use Audible for audiobooks. Sign up for a one-year membership or gift one through this link.Purchase any media discussed this week through our sponsored links.

What does "best" actually mean when the Oscars put it on a ballot — and who gets to decide? Matthew sits down with Andy Nelson, co-founder of the TruStory FM family of podcasts, to pull apart the machinery of awards season: how guild voting shapes nominations, why campaigns matter as much as performances, and whether the whole system is rewarding craft or just rewarding whoever threw the better party.Before they get to Oscar strategy, they open with a timely and honest conversation about the BAFTA controversy involving John Davidson — an executive producer with Tourette's syndrome — and what the institution's response revealed about the difference between intent and harm. From there the conversation moves across category fraud (how films like The Favourite and Green Book gamed the lead vs. supporting divide), the impossible split between "Golden" from K-pop Demon Hunter and "I Lied to You" from Sinners as competing definitions of best song, and why genre films still fight for Oscar legitimacy decades after Star Wars got its first nomination.Andy ultimately defends award season as a cultural time capsule — imperfect, political, and very human, but still one of the best tools we have for asking: what did this moment in film actually mean?More about Andy | The Next Reel | Cinema Scope | Movies We Like**************************************************************************This episode is a production of Superhero Ethics, an Ethical Panda podcast and part of the TruStory FM Entertainment Podcast Network. Check out our website to find out more about this show and our sister podcast Star Wars Generations.We want to hear from you! Keep up with our latest news and send us feedback, questions, or comments via social media or email.TikTok · Twitter/X · Instagram · Facebook · EmailJoin the conversation in the Star Wars Generations and Superhero Ethics channels on the TruStory FM Discord.Want even more content while supporting the podcast? Become a member! For $5 a month or $55 a year you get access to bonus episodes and bonus content at the end of most episodes — and you can even give membership as a gift. Sign up here.You can also support us through our sponsors:Purchase a lightsaber from Level Up Sabers, run by friend of the podcast Neighborhood Master Alan.Use Audible for audiobooks. Sign up for a one-year membership or gift one through this link.Purchase any media discussed this week through our sponsored links.

Groundhog Dean: Reliving Tuesday's Deaths on RepeatREBROADCASTWelcome to this episode of Gank That Drank: A Supernatural Drinking Game Podcast. Krissy Lenz and Nate McWhortor tackle one of Supernatural's most beloved episodes—S3 E11 "Mystery Spot"—where Sam watches Dean die over and over again in a time loop nightmare. Heat of the moment? More like heat of the trauma. Grab your hot sauce, cue up Asia, and prepare to waterfall through Dean's gargling sessions as the hosts break down this quintessential monster-of-the-week turned emotional gut-punch.Time Loops, Tricksters, and Tragic TuesdaysThe episode follows Sam trapped in a Groundhog Day scenario where every Tuesday ends with Dean's death—shot, crushed by falling furniture, choking on sausage, electrocuted, even mauled by a dog. The hosts dissect how the repetition builds dread while maintaining Supernatural's signature humor, praising Jared Padalecki's exhausting emotional performance and Jensen Ackles' consistent chipper energy. When Sam finally identifies the culprit—Richard Speight Jr.'s trickster enjoying strawberry syrup instead of his usual maple—the reveal shifts from comedy to tragedy. The trickster's lesson about not sacrificing themselves for each other hits hard, especially when Sam experiences six months without Dean. Krissy and Nate explore the trickster's later identity as the archangel Gabriel and debate whether this retroactive reveal enhances or complicates the character's motivations.The Drinking Game RulesRules included drinking for every "Heat of the Moment" play (11 times!), waterfalling during Dean's gargling sessions, Sam catching hot sauce, X-Files references, syrup swaps, the trickster reveal, Huey Lewis appearances, and Bobby's phone calls—totaling 27 drinks that perfectly captured the episode's repetitive structure.Additional Highlights:The flamingo-themed hotel bathroom deserves its own appreciationDean's inappropriate 2008-era jokes haven't aged well ("Travis Bickle in a skirt")This was reportedly one of Padalecki's least favorite episodes to film due to a week of crying scenesThe relief of hearing "Back in Time" instead of "Heat of the Moment" hits differentNate's theory: Gabriel isn't the first trickster—he's wearing the dead trickster's identityFinal ThoughtsKrissy and Nate agree "Mystery Spot" showcases Supernatural at its creative peak, taking a familiar TV trope and infusing it with genuine heartbreak. The episode works because of the acting chemistry and directorial choices that differentiate each repeated Tuesday while showing Sam's deterioration. It's both hilariously repetitive and devastating—a perfect encapsulation of what makes this show endure.Connect With UsLearn more about Gank That Drank and the TruStory FM network at trustory.fm. Want early, ad-free access plus bonus content? Join as a member at trustory.fm/join.Find the hosts at Neighborhood Comedy Theatre in downtown Mesa, Arizona—located between awesome chicken and sandwich spots (and that eternally-closed Butaholics).Follow us: Facebook | Instagram | BlueskyWhat would you do if you had to watch your loved one die over and over? Tell us your "Mystery Spot" thoughts on social media! ---Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.

Sunglasses, Skull Faces, and the Longest Fight Scene EverREBROADCASTWelcome to this episode of The Most Excellent 80s Movies Podcast! Hosts Krissy Lenz and Nathan Blackwell are joined by returning guest Adam Marshall Rini to dissect John Carpenter's 1988 cult classic They Live. What starts as a simple tale of a drifter looking for work quickly transforms into a mind-bending sci-fi commentary on consumerism, Reaganomics, and subliminal control—once Roddy Piper finds those magical sunglasses, of course. But is this film a masterpiece of political satire or just "Noam Chomsky for 14-year-olds"? The hosts debate whether They Live is best enjoyed with tacos and beer or if it's essential viewing for understanding capitalism's grip on society.The conversation flows from the film's jarring tonal shifts—peaceful drifter to trigger-happy action hero in minutes—to that infamous alley fight scene that seems to go on longer than the movie itself. Krissy experiences the film with fresh eyes and finds herself both fascinated and bewildered by its pacing, while Nathan and Adam appreciate it as a "beer and taco movie" that hits different emotional notes depending on your age when you first watch it. They explore Carpenter's knack for making outsiders the heroes, the shocking violence of the police raid scenes, and why casting a professional wrestler was the perfect choice to reach a teenage audience. The panel also wrestles with the film's abrupt ending and that peculiar final shot that seems designed purely to earn its R rating.Additional Highlights:The group debates whether the sunglasses actually get you high or just tax your brain with information overloadDiscussion of how They Live influenced everything from Shepard Fairey's "Obey" artwork to South Park episodesAnalysis of why Keith David elevates every scene he's in, even when he's being forced to wear sunglasses against his willExamination of the film's stark division between the haves and have-nots, with no middle class in sightThe revelation that this screenplay follows textbook structure, hitting its major plot point at exactly the 30-minute markThe hosts land on vastly different ratings: Nathan gives it 8 pairs of sunglasses as a fun genre piece, Adam awards it an honorary 14 for its cultural importance to young minds, and Krissy settles on 5—acknowledging its significance while admitting it's just not for her. Their deep cut recommendations range from the video game Fallout: New Vegas to Noam Chomsky's Understanding Power to Green Day's “American Idiot,” proving this film's influence extends far beyond cinema.Learn More:Discover more about the podcast and TruStory FM at trustory.fm. Members get early, ad-free access to episodes plus exclusive bonus content—join at trustory.fm/join. Connect with the show on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky. Check out the hosts' creative work at Neighborhood Comedy Theatre and Squishy Studios.Have you ever wondered what you'd do if you found sunglasses that revealed hidden messages everywhere? Would you immediately start a revolution or just try to convince your skeptical best friend? ---Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.

Amazons, Affairs, and Awkward Parenting: Dean's Wild Night OutWelcome to this episode of Gank That Drank: A Supernatural Drinking Game Podcast, where hosts Krissy Lenz and Nate McWhortor dive into Season 7, Episode 13 of Supernatural—"The Slice Girls." What starts as Dean's one-night stand at the Cobalt Room quickly escalates into a literal parenting nightmare when his hookup with Lydia results in a daughter who ages faster than a time-lapse video. Meanwhile, the boys are hunting a killer who's been slicing and dicing men across Seattle, leaving behind mysterious symbols and non-human DNA. Spoiler alert: the two cases are very much connected.Krissy and Nate break down this mythology-heavy monster-of-the-week episode, discussing everything from the awkward AC/DC sex scene soundtrack to the heartbreaking final confrontation between Dean and his daughter Emma. They explore the parallels to Dean's earlier decision to kill Amy, debate whether the episode's international title "Father's Day" (Vatertag in German) would've been better, and appreciate how Supernatural sandwiches compelling standalone stories into its Leviathan-heavy season. The hosts also celebrate guest star Harry Groener as the eccentric Professor Morrison, recognizing him from his iconic role as the Mayor in Buffy the Vampire Slayer.Drinking Game Highlights:Take a drink when someone gets sliced and diced (2 times)Drink when Bobby is referenced (8-12 times depending on your counting method)Sip when Sam or Dean talk on the phone (4 times)Drink when Dean hits Bobby's flask (4 times)Take a shot when a baby is born (bonus rule!)Additional Thoughts:The Amazon mythology gets a creepy cult twist with flesh-eating rituals and rapid agingDean's mini-fridge situation is depressing: craft singles, half a burrito, and two beersThe close-up cinematography during the bar scene was... a choiceDetective Charlene's red-eyed reveal needed more build-upIn retrospect, drinking every time Emma ages would've been the perfect ruleKrissy gives this drinking game 4 out of 5 gold daggers, while Nate awards it 3 out of 5, noting it needed just one more drinking cue to reach perfection. Both agree that Season 7 continues to deliver quality episodes, proving why it's considered one of Supernatural's wheelhouse seasons alongside Season 5.Ready for More? Head to TruStory FM to explore our full catalog of episodes. Become a member at trustory.fm/join for early, ad-free access to episodes plus exclusive bonus content where Krissy and Nate chat about this and that.See the Hosts Live! Catch Krissy and Nate performing at Neighborhood Comedy Theatre in downtown Mesa, Arizona—shows every Friday and Saturday at 7:30 PM!Connect With Us:FacebookInstagramBlueskyWant to hear more from Krissy? Check out The Most Excellent 80s Movies Podcast, where she revisits beloved (and overlooked) 80s films with grown-up eyes.Keep ganking those drinks, save people, hunt things—and as always, be excellent to each other and party on, dudes! ---Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.

May the Schwartz Be With You: A Spaceballs Deep DiveWelcome to this episode of The Most Excellent 80s Movies Podcast! Hosts Krissy Lenz and Nathan Blackwell are joined by special guest Adam Marshall Rini to close out Season 8 with Mel Brooks' 1987 sci-fi parody Spaceballs. The trio explores whether this childhood favorite still holds up with "grown-up eyes," debating everything from Rick Moranis' concussed helmet performance to Pizza the Hut's grotesque puppet design. Spoiler alert: opinions are divided, with ratings ranging from a nostalgic seven cans of Perri-Air down to a disappointed four.What Really Works (and What Doesn't)The hosts agree that Spaceballs operates on a hit-or-miss ratio—about 50-50, which they concede is pretty solid for parody films. Nathan finds himself pleasantly surprised by how much heart the film retains compared to other spoofs, noting that Mel Brooks maintains character development even while throwing jokes at the wall. The merchandising gags, the "now/then" video scene, and Rick Moranis playing with dolls all earn praise as moments that still land decades later. However, Adam feels the weight of having seen Brooks' masterpieces like Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein, making Spaceballs feel disappointingly broad by comparison.Nostalgia vs. RealityThe conversation reveals how much expectation shapes our viewing experience. Nathan went in prepared to groan but found genuine enjoyment, while Adam's fond childhood memories collided with adult disappointment. Krissy appreciates the film's innocent, joyful approach to parody—it celebrates Star Wars rather than targeting it with edgy mockery. The group also notes how many dated references (Ford Galaxy cars, Michael Winslow's radar sounds) create an unintentional time capsule effect that's now charming rather than topical.Additional Highlights:The film's constant exposition and repeated revelations feel either intentionally melodramatic or surprisingly sloppyGeorge Lucas loved the movie and allowed Brooks to park the Millennium Falcon at the dinerBill Pullman's face-plant sound effect and Mel Brooks buckling a bear into a space pod remain comedy goldThe Yuma, Arizona sand dunes provided the perfect backdrop for the desert planet scenesWatching double features of Mel Brooks films reveals his decline from Blazing Saddles through Robin Hood: Men in TightsFinal VerdictDespite mixed ratings, the hosts agree Spaceballs remains a revisitable piece of 80s comedy—even if it doesn't quite reach the heights of Brooks' earlier work. Whether it's a prince or just Prince Valium depends entirely on what you bring to it.Ready to dive deeper? Head to TruStory FM to explore more episodes and learn about the network. Members get early, ad-free access plus exclusive bonus content—join at trustory.fm/join.Connect with the podcast on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky.Learn more about the hosts at Neighborhood Comedy Theatre and Squishy Studios.What's your take on Mel Brooks' parody style—does it hold up better than other 80s spoofs? ---Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.

Fangs, Feels, and Fake IDs: A Twilight Parody Done RightWelcome to this episode of Gank That Drank: A Supernatural Drinking Game Podcast! Hosts Krissy Lenz and Nate McWhortor are joined by special guest Mandy Kaplan (podcaster, voice actor, and self-proclaimed genius) to tackle one of Supernatural's most delightfully campy episodes—Season 6, Episode 5, "Live Free or TwiHard." If you've ever wondered what happens when the Winchester brothers meet sparkly vampire culture, this is the episode for you. Spoiler alert: it involves fake IDs, poetry-writing bloodsuckers, and Dean getting turned into a vampire while Sam just... watches.The trio breaks down the drinking game rules (teeth sightings, deaths, Twilight references, and the iconic "Sammy" rule) before diving into a hilarious recap of an episode that winks so hard at Twilight it practically needs eye drops. From Kristen and Robert's cringe-worthy meet-cute at a vampire bar to Dean's sexy brooding over Lisa's bed, the hosts celebrate Supernatural's ability to parody while still delivering genuine drama and emotion. Mandy brings fresh eyes to the series, catching references and noting the episode's surprisingly homoerotic undertones—because when Boris tells Dean "you're pretty," we're all thinking it. The conversation flows from Jensen Ackles' questionable dental hygiene in close-up to the heartbreaking reality of Soulless Sam's betrayal, proving that even the campiest episodes pack an emotional punch.In This Episode:The gang debates whether Dean standing over a vampire's severed head is his sexiest moment (spoiler: opinions vary wildly)Mandy experiences the joy and confusion of watching Soulless Sam be a total dick without contextA deep dive into Supernatural's flexible vampire rules—because apparently you can cure vampirism, but only sometimesWhy Robert from the vampire nest deserves his own spinoff in the What We Do in the Shadows universeThe realization that Samuel and Sam having the same name is unnecessarily confusingThe episode earns high praise from all three participants, with ratings ranging from 4.5 to 5 fangs—er, things—out of 5. Next up: Season 7, Episode 13, "Slice Girls," which promises babies, daggers, and Dean's ongoing struggle with alcoholism.Gank That Drank is a podcast where creativity meets craft beer (or White Claw, or Chardonnay—no judgment). Want to hear more from Krissy and Nate? Catch them live at the Neighborhood Comedy Theatre in downtown Mesa, Arizona, every Friday and Saturday at 7:30 PM. Check out Mandy's podcast Make Me a Nerd and Once and Future Parent wherever fine podcasts are stored.Ready to join the hunt? Head to TruStory FM to explore more episodes, and become a member at trustory.fm/join for early, ad-free access plus exclusive bonus content. Connect with the hosts on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky—and remember: be excellent to each other and party on, dudes! ---Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.

Angels, Werewolves, and Holiday MayhemWelcome to this episode of Gank That Drank: A Supernatural Drinking Game Podcast! Hosts Nate McWhortor and Krissy Lenz tackle Supernatural Season 14, Episode 9, "The Spear" — a mid-season finale packed with mythology, returning characters, and enough traumatic head injuries to make your own head spin. This holiday-adjacent episode sees Michael (in a new vessel) recruiting monsters for a sinister plan while the Winchesters scramble to stop him with the help of an unlikely ally: retired hunter-turned-dentist Garth.Nate and Krissy dissect Michael's elaborate trap, which involves archangel grace cocktails, a mysterious egg, Dark World Kaia's spear, and enough espionage attempts to make James Bond cringe. They marvel at Garth's well-meaning but catastrophically bad undercover work, debate the tonal whiplash of mixing Seinfeld-esque comedy music with apocalyptic stakes, and celebrate Jensen Ackles' masterful performance as Michael. The episode culminates in a devastating twist that leaves Dean trapped and the spear destroyed — and the hosts immediately spoil the next episode's incredible hook because they couldn't help themselves.The drinking game features rules for Michael Eyes (the hero rule), traumatic head injuries, decapitations (aka "the full Ichabod"), and various holiday references. While the game lands at a respectable three out of five spears due to several one-off rules, the hosts disagree on their final counts — Krissy catches 11 instances of Michael Eyes to Nate's eight, proving once again that this rule requires serious attention. Special highlights include Cass saying "cookie-tacular" and Dean's festive "Merry frickin' Christmas."Additional Highlights:Garth's thumbs-up moment deserves its own gif libraryThe recycling plant exterior shot was criminally underutilized for how cool it lookedDark World Kaia's motivation remains frustratingly vague, but her spear gets a moment to shine (before being snapped in half)Exciting announcement: The podcast's first-ever guest, Mandy Kaplan from Make Me a Nerd, will join for Season 6, Episode 5, "Live Free or Twihard"Bonus content explores favorite spin-offs — both successful and failed — inspired by this backdoor pilot-adjacent episodeNate and Krissy agree that Supernatural's "The Spear" delivers as a mythology-heavy mid-season finale, even if the tone occasionally veers into confusing territory. Jensen Ackles' portrayal of Michael remains a series highlight, and that final twist stings exactly as intended. The episode earns three out of five spears for its drinking game potential, but five out of five for emotional devastation.Connect with Gank That Drank:Learn more about the show and the TruStory FM network at trustory.fm. Want episodes early and ad-free, plus exclusive bonus content? Become a member!Follow along on social media:Facebook | Instagram | BlueskyMeet the hosts at Neighborhood Comedy Theatre in downtown Mesa, Arizona!What's your favorite Supernatural mid-season finale twist? ---Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.

A Sensory Overload of Cyberpunk: Akira Takes Over Neo TokyoWelcome to this episode of The Most Excellent 80s Movies Podcast, where hosts Krissy Lenz and Nathan Blackwell are joined by special guest David Westlake to dive headfirst into Katsuhiro Otomo's groundbreaking 1988 anime masterpiece Akira. Buckle up—this one goes hard from frame one.Neo Tokyo Never Stood a ChanceThe crew tackles one of cinema's most ambitious and visually stunning films—a post-apocalyptic cyberpunk epic that defies easy explanation. Set 30 years after a catastrophic explosion that reshaped Tokyo, Akira follows biker gang leader Kaneda and his friend Tetsuo as they stumble into a military conspiracy involving psychic children, a mysterious godlike force, and power that no human was ever meant to wield.Krissy admits she was completely lost for most of the viewing experience, frantically taking notes and cross-referencing Wikipedia. Yet this confusion becomes part of the film's brilliance—Akira deliberately withholds exposition, letting mystery and ambiguity drive the narrative forward. The hosts wrestle with whether they enjoyed the experience, ultimately concluding that enjoyment isn't quite the right word. Instead, they felt changed by it.Nathan emphasizes that the film's true genius lies in its exploration of unchecked power and human inadequacy. Through Tetsuo's tragic arc—reminiscent of Anakin Skywalker's descent—the film asks a haunting question: what happens when a being with the emotional maturity of an angry teenager suddenly gains godlike abilities? The answer is absolute chaos. The violence is visceral, the destruction is relentless, and the moral landscape is deliberately murky. This isn't a film designed to comfort you; it's designed to challenge and provoke.David, experiencing Akira for the first time, identifies it as a foundational text for anime—a starting point that established countless tropes still used today. He notes how the film's aesthetic choices, from the distinctive art style to the passionate name-calling during intense moments, have become codified anime conventions. The hosts agree that while the character of Kaneda isn't particularly likable (he treats nearly everyone poorly), his cool motorcycle and sense of responsibility create an engaging protagonist despite his flaws.What Makes Akira Essential CinemaVisual Innovation: The animation is a technical revolutionPhilosophical Depth: Genuine philosophical inquiry about human nature, power, and moreMoral Ambiguity: Nearly every character exists in shades of grayGateway to Serious Storytelling: The perfect film for those ready for more challenging, adult narrativesA Masterclass in Trailer Difficulty: How do you sell this movie? The VerdictDavid appreciates the mystery, ambiguity, and groundbreaking artistry while wishing for a more likable lead character beyond his iconic bike and sense of duty. Nathan recognizes this as stunning cinema on an action, writing, and thematic level. While he won't rewatch it as frequently as lighter fare, he calls it the perfect gateway for curious teenagers seeking philosophical, intense storytelling. And Krissy feels genuinely changed by the experience, acknowledging that Akira is now part of her, informing her perspective going forward. This is a film, not just a movie—and one she'd enthusiastically recommend, though she'd warn viewers to put their phones away.Stay Excellent, Downtown MesaWant to catch David and Krissy performing? Visit Neighborhood Comedy Theatre in downtown Mesa. Check out Nathan's filmmaking work, including the feature film The Last Movie Ever Made, at his website. Krissy also co-hosts Gank That Drank, a supernatural drinking game podcast on TruStory FM.Join the CommunityLike what you heard? Become a member to get episodes a week early, ad-free access, and exclusive bonus content—like this episode's discussion of favorite animated films and shows beyond Akira. Rate, review, and subscribe wherever you listen. Tell your friends, your neighbors, and yes—even your local biker gang. Every five-star review helps immensely.Connect with us:Facebook | Instagram | BlueskyFor 80s movie lovers: Have you experienced Akira, and if so—did it blow your mind or confuse you senseless? Drop a comment and let us know what you thought of this cyberpunk classic. ---Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.

Welcome to Wayward Territory!Welcome to this episode of Gank That Drank: A Supernatural Drinking Game Podcast! Join hosts Nate McWhortor and Krissy Lenz as they dive into Season 10, Episode 8 of Supernatural—"Hibbing 911." This fan-favorite episode features the dynamic duo of Sheriff Jody Mills (Kim Rhodes) and Sheriff Donna Hanscum (Briana Buckmaster) teaming up at a sheriff's retreat in Hibbing, Minnesota, where things quickly go from dull seminars to deadly vampires.Nate and Krissy break down the awkward first meeting between the no-nonsense Jody and the cheerfully persistent Donna, whose clashing personalities create both tension and comedic gold. They discuss Donna's terrible ex-husband Doug (who earns multiple "Doug is a douche" drinks), the boys' lighter role in this episode, and that satisfying moment when Donna finally gets to decapitate a vampire. The hosts celebrate this as a true "Wayward Sisters" origin story, showcasing two of their favorite recurring characters in an episode that works perfectly as a standalone adventure—no extensive Supernatural knowledge required.The drinking game rules kept things lively with standout categories like "Donnaisms" (14 drinks!), sheriff mentions (a whopping 29 times!), and decapitations (3 total). Special highlights include the hosts' discussion of Jody's initial mean-girl treatment of Donna, the bond between these two sheriffs who each carry their own pain, and how this episode balances humor with genuine character development.Other topics explored:Nate's recent bat encounter at the Omaha Zoo (complete with bat poop)The unnecessary misogyny both sheriffs face throughout the episodeWhy the vampire nest's motivation didn't quite make senseThe hilarious moment when everyone finds creative ways to cut through their ropes during the climaxRating the drinking game 4 out of 5 decapitated vampiresThe episode wraps with a preview of their next review: Season 3, Episode 3, "A Bad Day at Black Rock"—Nate's favorite episode from that season, which they previously performed live at Phoenix Fan Fusion with an unforgettable audience participation moment.Final thoughts? Both hosts agree this is a perfect boys-light episode that showcases why Kim Rhodes and Briana Buckmaster are forces to be reckoned with at Supernatural conventions—and in the hearts of fans everywhere.Want more Gank That Drank? Head to TruStory FM to explore the full catalog and learn about membership benefits including early, ad-free access and exclusive bonus content. Join the community at trustory.fm/join.Connect with the hosts: Find Nate and Krissy performing at Neighborhood Comedy Theatre in downtown Mesa, Arizona, and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky.What's your favorite Jody and Donna moment from Supernatural? ---Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.

Gymnastics Meets Carnage: Gymkata (1985)Welcome to this episode of The Most Excellent 80s Movies Podcast! Hosts Krissy Lenz and Nathan Blackwell pommel horse their way through one of the most wonderfully absurd action films of the 1980s—Gymkata (1985). Starring real-life Olympic gymnast Kurt Thomas in his feature film debut (and finale), this Cold War curiosity follows a gymnast-martial artist sent on a CIA mission to win "the game" in the fictional country of Parmistan. The prize? The perfect location for a Star Wars satellite defense system. The obstacles? Rope courses, arrow-wielding guards, and an entire village populated by actual asylum patients armed with pitchforks.The hosts dive into the film's bizarre logic, from the conveniently placed pommel horse in a village alley to the princess who somehow knows martial arts despite never mentioning it. They discuss the film's missed opportunities—why didn't they establish the international competitors better? Why does no one ever say "Gymkata" in the actual movie? And most importantly, why does Jonathan's dad get shot with arrows twice? Both Krissy and Nathan agree that while Gymkata delivers entertaining absurdity, it doesn't quite reach the legendary heights of so-bad-it's-great classics like Miami Connection or Ninja III: The Domination. Still, it's a fun ride through 1980s action cheese.Additional Highlights:The film was directed by Robert Clouse, who also directed Enter the Dragon—a sobering career trajectoryKurt Thomas performs genuinely impressive gymnastics throughout, even if the premise is ridiculousThe "game" has confusing rules that even the characters don't seem to understandThe movie ends with a freeze frame and text explaining the satellite placement rather than showingRating: 6.5 pitchforks out of 10—worth a watch with the right expectationsFinal ThoughtsBoth hosts land on a 6.5 rating, agreeing that Gymkata offers solid entertainment without hitting truly bananas territory. It's a honeydew melon of bad movies—pleasant enough but not the fruit you'd choose first. Nathan recommends exploring Neil Breen's filmography, particularly Fateful Findings, for those seeking more ego-driven cinema. Krissy suggests experiencing Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights for a real-life village-of-crazies adventure.Learn More:Discover more about The Most Excellent 80s Movies Podcast and the TruStory FM network at trustory.fm. Want early, ad-free episodes plus exclusive bonus content? Become a member at trustory.fm/join.Connect With Us on Facebook, Instagram, or BlueskyAbout the Hosts:Krissy Lenz directs at Neighborhood Comedy Theatre in downtown Mesa, Arizona. Nathan Blackwell creates films with Squishy Studios.What's your favorite so-bad-it's-good 80s action movie? ---Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.

Hollywood Babylon: Ghosts, Meta Jokes, and Die Hard ReferencesWelcome to this episode of Gank That Drank: A Supernatural Drinking Game Podcast! Join hosts Krissy Lenz and Nate McWhortor as they dive into Supernatural Season 2, Episode 18, "Hollywood Babylon"—a meta-filled romp through a haunted movie set where Dean Winchester discovers his natural calling as a production assistant. This episode originally aired April 19, 2007, and remains one of Nate's most-watched favorites for good reason.When a horror film production on Stage 9 becomes plagued by actual supernatural deaths, Sam and Dean go undercover to investigate. What follows is a love letter to bad horror movies, industry in-jokes, and the show's willingness to poke fun at itself. From Gilmore Girls references (complete with a close-up of Jared Padalecki) to jokes about filming in Vancouver, this episode established Supernatural's self-aware tone early in its 15-year run. Dean flirts with scream queen Tara Benchley, discovers a disgruntled screenwriter is using real summoning rituals, and delivers an iconic Die Hard reference—"Come out to the coast, we'll have a few laughs"—that earns a drink multiplier in the game.The drinking game rules included taking a drink for screams, "son of a bitch" utterances, ghost appearances, Dean eating or flirting, and death scenes. The real challenge? Keeping track of all those screams. Krissy counted four; Nate estimated ten. Both hosts agreed the ghost appearances and screams carried the game, though some rules only triggered once or twice. The episode's highlight remains its commentary on Hollywood's creative process—a bitter writer uses occult knowledge to make ghosts murder for him after executives ruin his script. As Sam points out, "You find out there's an afterlife and this is what you do with it?"Additional Highlights:The boys never explain how Sam's 2007 camera phone can see ghosts (and never use this trick again)Don Stark (Bob from That '70s Show) plays the ill-fated producer who meets his end via industrial fanDean's genuine enthusiasm for terrible horror movies and celebrity spotting shows his softer sideThe episode features an Enochian summoning ritual—yet the show still pretends angels aren't realKrissy rated the drinking game 2 out of 5 mini Philly cheesesteaks; Nate gave it 4 out of 5Krissy and Nate celebrate how "Hollywood Babylon" set the template for Supernatural's meta episodes throughout its entire run—from "The French Mistake" to "Scooby Natural" to "Fan Fiction." The willingness to not take itself too seriously became the show's secret weapon, separating it from procedural dramas and making it endearing for 15 seasons. Next up: Season 10, Episode 13, "Hibbing 911," featuring Sheriff Jody Mills with rules including drinking whenever someone says "sheriff" (good luck with that one).Want more Gank That Drank? Become a member for just $5/month at trustory.fm/join to get episodes a week early, completely ad-free, plus exclusive bonus content. Learn more about the show and the TruStory FM network at trustory.fm.Connect with the hosts: See Krissy and Nate perform live at the Neighborhood Comedy Theatre in downtown Mesa, Arizona! Shows Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30 PM. Visit nctphoenix.com for tickets and showtimes.Follow us on social media: Facebook | Instagram | BlueskyCheck out Krissy's other podcast: Most Excellent 80s Movies Podcast covers everything from ninja films shot in Tempe to cult classics—a perfect companion for Supernatural fans who love pop culture deep dives.What's your favorite meta moment from Supernatural's 15-season run? ---Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.

When Pranks Meet ParanormalWelcome to this episode of Gank That Drank: A Supernatural Drinking Game Podcast! Hosts Krissy Lenz and Nate McWhortor dive into Supernatural Season 1, Episode 17, "Hell House"—a fan-favorite episode that introduces the beloved ghost-hunting duo Ed and Harry while serving up equal parts scares and laughs. From Tibetan thought forms to ridiculous pranks between the Winchester brothers, this episode has it all, and our hosts break down every hilarious moment while playing along with their custom drinking game rules.In this episode, Krissy and Nate explore the genius of "Hell House," discussing how the episode perfectly captures Supernatural at its lightest and most entertaining. They analyze the Tulpa mythology, debate the questionable police work throughout the episode, and can't stop laughing about Dean's untouched broccoli. The hosts also dive into the escalating prank war between Sam and Dean—from harmless Spanish music surprises to dead fish in backseats—while wondering how Craig's girlfriend survived that hanging stunt. With their custom drinking game rules in full effect (including drinks for every "Mordecai," EMF usage, and Ghostbusters reference), this episode earns a perfect five rod-iron bullets rating.Episode Highlights:The introduction of Ed Zedmore and Harry Spangler, whose nerdy enthusiasm and questionable credentials make them instant classicsDean's unsafe driving habits strike again with his spoon-in-mouth photo prank on a sleeping SamCraig's elaborate haunted house hoax that accidentally manifests a real murderous ghostWhy burning down the Hell House actually makes perfect sense (mostly)Preview of next episode: Season 6, Episode 4, "Weekend at Bobby's"—as close as Supernatural gets to a bottle episodeLooking back at "Hell House" from 2006, the hosts celebrate how this episode perfectly balances humor with horror while establishing character dynamics that would define the series. Between debating funny names (Craig ranks in the top three), marveling at flip-phone technology, and appreciating the simple premise of an idea becoming real through collective belief, Krissy and Nate remind us why Season 1 remains so rewatchable.Join the Gank That Drank community! Learn more about the podcast and the TruStory FM network at trustory.fm. Want episodes early and ad-free, plus exclusive bonus content? Become a member at trustory.fm/join.Connect with the hosts on social media:FacebookInstagramBlueskySee Krissy and Nate perform live improv comedy every Friday and Saturday at the Neighborhood Comedy Theatre in downtown Mesa, Arizona! Visit nctphoenix.com for show details.What's your favorite Supernatural Season 1 episode, and which Winchester brother wins the ultimate prank war? ---Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.

When Ninjas Ruled the 80s: A Deep Dive into Daytime WarriorsWelcome to this episode of The Most Excellent 80s Movies Podcast. Prepare yourself for a crossover extravaganza as hosts Krissy Lenz and Nathan Blackwell team up with special guest Professor Dustin Morrow from The Long Rewind Podcast to tackle one of the 80s' most inexplicable obsessions—ninjas! This isn't just any ninja discussion; it's a deep exploration of Revenge of the Ninja (1983) and Ninja 3: The Domination (1984), two Canon Films masterpieces that defined the era's fascination with mystical warriors who apparently preferred fighting in broad daylight.The Canon Films Ninja RevolutionThe hosts dive into how Israeli production company Canon Films single-handedly weaponized America's ninja obsession, churning out genre-defining films starring Sho Kosugi—the first Asian actor to headline major American action films. From Salt Lake City doubling as Los Angeles to ninjas scaling palm trees to fight helicopters, these movies redefined what action cinema could be on a shoestring budget. Revenge of the Ninja emerges as the "Citizen Kane of ninja movies," featuring some of the most jaw-dropping stunt work ever captured on film, all accomplished with just a few fearless stunt performers and zero CGI.Possession, Aerobics, and V8 JuiceNinja 3: The Domination takes the conversation into even stranger territory, combining ninja action with Flashdance-inspired aerobics sequences and full-blown demonic possession. Lucinda Dickey's telecom worker/aerobics instructor becomes possessed by an evil ninja spirit, leading to some of the most bewildering cinema of the decade. The hosts explore how this unholy mashup of genres created something uniquely, unforgettably 80s—complete with neon-soaked apartments, Patrick Nagel paintings, and one of cinema's most disturbing love scenes involving tomato juice.Additional Highlights:The mystery of ninja costume storage capacity and infinite weapon suppliesWhy "daytime ninjas" were apparently a legitimate career pathCanon Films' breakneck production schedule that gave us three Lucinda Dickey movies in one yearThe Village People fight sequence that has to be seen to be believedHot tub death scenes as the ultimate 80s ninja execution methodFinal VerdictThe hosts agree these films represent peak 80s absurdity while delivering genuine thrills. Whether you're seeking unintentional comedy (Ninja 3) or surprisingly solid action filmmaking (Revenge of the Ninja), both movies offer essential viewing for understanding how ninjas conquered American pop culture one throwing star at a time.Connect & ExploreCheck out The Long Rewind podcastDiscover more about The Most Excellent 80s Movies Podcast and TruStory FM at trustory.fm. Want early, ad-free episodes plus exclusive bonus content? Join the community at trustory.fm/join.Follow the fun: Facebook | Instagram | BlueskyLearn more about the hosts' creative work: Neighborhood Comedy Theatre | Squishy StudiosWhat's your first memory of discovering ninjas in 80s pop culture? Was it through movies, toys, or those mysterious martial arts supply stores that seemed to exist in every strip mall? ---Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.

When Childhood Nostalgia Meets RealityKrissy Lenz and Nathan Blackwell are joined by special guest Jordan Collier to revisit the 1985 spy comedy Spies Like Us, starring Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd. What happens when a beloved childhood favorite gets the modern rewatch treatment? Sometimes the results are as bumbling as the protagonists themselves.The Verdict: When Memory Lane Takes a DetourOur hosts discovered that Spies Like Us suffers from an identity crisis—never quite deciding whether it wants to be silly slapstick or serious espionage. While Jordan and Nathan remembered loving the film as kids, their adult viewing revealed a movie that couldn't nail down its tone, leaving characters without clear motivations and comedy that felt more meandering than memorable. The film's training montages and "Doctor! Doctor!" scenes still delivered laughs, but the lack of genuine tension between Chase and Aykroyd's characters left much to be desired.The consensus? Spies Like Us earns a middling 5 to 5.5 missiles out of 10—a film that works better as a nostalgic memory than a current viewing experience. Sometimes childhood classics are best left in the vault of fond recollections.Additional Takeaways:The movie needed a third character to complete the comedic trioChevy Chase's character came across as surprisingly unlikable with modern eyesThe film's tonal shifts from broad comedy to serious nuclear warfare felt jarringDan Aykroyd's spy skills were inconsistent—sometimes brilliant, sometimes bumblingThe Bob Hope cameo represented the kind of absurdist comedy the film needed more ofConnect With the HostsLearn more about this show and the TruStory FM network at trustory.fm. Want early, ad-free episodes plus bonus content? Check out membership options at trustory.fm/join.Follow the podcast: Facebook | Instagram | BlueskySupport the hosts: Neighborhood Comedy Theatre | Squishy StudiosWhat's your take on rewatching childhood favorites? Do they hold up, or are some movies better left as treasured memories? ---Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.

This is A Fan-Favorite Rerun EpisodeIn this inspiring episode, I'm joined by two incredible guests, Pete Wright and Nikki Kinzer, the dynamic duo behind the new book, Unapologetically ADHD. With decades of combined experience in coaching, podcasting, and living with ADHD, Pete and Nikki share their unique journey of co-authoring their book and the lessons they've learned about failure, success, and working together as a team. We dive into their podcasting journey, strategies for navigating big projects, and how they've redefined ADHD productivity with compassion and practicality.Nikki Kinzer is a professional certified ADHD coach through the International Coaching Federation (ICF). She's been coaching adults with ADHD since 2010 and has built a business around supporting the ADHD community through coaching, teaching, and podcasting. She lives with her husband, Brad, in Springfield, Oregon. Pete Wright was diagnosed with ADHD when he was 28 and has spent the better part of his life since then studying and podcasting about his lived ADHD experience. He is a professional podcaster and co-founder of the TruStory FM podcast network. He's a former journalist, educator, and public relations executive and lives with his wife, Kira, in Portland, Oregon. Episode Highlights:[0:00] - Pete reflects on reprogramming how we view failure.[0:44] - Introducing Pete Wright and Nikki Kinzer, their backgrounds, and the new book.[2:35] - The origins of their podcast and the magic of their partnership.[7:15] - Nikki's journey into ADHD coaching and the transition to focusing on ADHD clients.[13:20] - Pete's perspective on working with a professional organizer and managing ADHD.[17:03] - How their second book came to life and what made the process smoother.[22:22] - Strategies they used to tackle challenges during the writing process.[29:01] - Key takeaways from Unapologetically ADHD for managing big projects.[37:37] - Pete's deep dive into routines, executive function, and strategic friction.[43:12] - Final reflections: reframing failure and embracing being unapologetically ADHD. Links & ResourcesVisit Pete and Nikki's website: takecontroladhd.comOrder their book, Unapologetically ADHD: https://takecontroladhd.com/adhdbook Listen to their podcast: Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. https://takecontroladhd.com/the-adhd-podcast Thank you for tuning into "SuccessFULL with ADHD." If this episode has impacted you, remember to rate, follow, share, and review our podcast. Your support helps us reach and help more individuals navigating their journeys with ADHD. 

Swing for the Fences: A Deep Dive into Bull DurhamWelcome to this episode of The Most Excellent 80s Movies Podcast! Join hosts Krissy Lenz and Nathan Blackwell as they welcome special guest Nate McWhortor—a self-proclaimed superfan—to discuss the 1988 baseball romance Bull Durham. This isn't your typical sports movie; it's a sultry, quotable journey through minor league baseball that explores love, mentorship, and the religion of America's pastime.The Church of BaseballThe hosts dive deep into what makes Bull Durham unique among sports films. Unlike major league fantasies, this movie captures the gritty reality of minor league baseball—from shitty buses to $20,000 salaries. Guest Nate McWhortor brings real-world perspective, having worked for the Montgomery Biscuits after college, inspired by this very film. The discussion reveals how writer-director Ron Shelton's own minor league experience creates authentic moments that resonate with anyone who's lived the unglamorous side of professional sports.The trio explores the film's adult themes and memorable dialogue, from Kevin Costner's gruff wisdom as Crash Davis to Susan Sarandon's Annie Savoy—a poetry-loving baseball groupie who mentors young players. They analyze the unique love triangle that develops and how the film balances romance with genuine baseball storytelling. The conversation touches on everything from the film's hard R rating to its Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay.Key Discussion Points:The authenticity of minor league baseball portrayal and its impact on small communitiesKevin Costner's evolution from leading man to "grumpy Costner" in this breakout roleThe film's adult themes and quotable dialogue that baseball fans still use todayHow Bull Durham differs from other 80s baseball movies like Major League and Field of DreamsThe unique perspective of having a female narrator in a male-dominated sports genreFinal VerdictThe hosts deliver their "garter ratings" with Nate giving his favorite film a perfect 10/10, while Krissy and Nathan both land on a respectable 7/10. Despite some pacing issues in the final act, everyone agrees the film holds up as both a baseball movie and a romance, though they warn it's definitely not for young viewers despite its quotable nature.Connect with the ShowDiscover more episodes and get early, ad-free access plus bonus content by becoming a member at trustory.fm/join. Learn more about the podcast and TruStory FM network at trustory.fm.Follow us: Facebook | Instagram | BlueskySupport our guests: Check out Nathan's films at Squishy Studios and catch both Krissy and Nate performing at Neighborhood Comedy Theatre in Mesa, Arizona.What's your favorite baseball movie quote that you still use in everyday conversation? ---Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.

Matthew and Riki welcome special guest Mandy Kaplan, comedian and host of the Make Me a Nerd podcast. They explore the journey of discovering nerd culture later in life, breaking down stereotypes about who gets to be a "nerd," and examining how mainstream and geek culture continue to merge in surprising ways.What defines someone as a "nerd" in today's culture?Mandy describes herself as a "mainstream mom" who loves Taylor Swift and Housewives but had always shied away from Star Wars, Star Trek, and other traditional nerd culture. Approaching 50, she decided to explore this world through her podcast, where guests introduce her to their favorite nerdy media. Matthew and Riki discuss how the definition of "nerd" has evolved, suggesting it's less about what you're interested in and more about how deeply you engage with it—whether that's creating charts about Star Trek planets or Top Chef recipes.How accessible should nerd media be to newcomers?The hosts discuss the balance between creating media for longtime fans versus welcoming newcomers. Mandy shares how she's learned to forgive herself for not understanding all the lore and background in some properties, instead focusing on the elements she can enjoy. They agree the best media works on multiple levels—like Sesame Street appealing to both children and adults—allowing both newcomers and devoted fans to find something meaningful.How has the perception of nerd culture changed over generations?Matthew reflects on growing up when nerds were socially ostracized, contrasting with today when Marvel movies dominate the box office. They discuss how the internet and streaming services have transformed nerd culture from niche to mainstream, creating communities for people who might not excel in traditional social settings. Riki points out how fantasy sports have bridged the traditional gap between "jocks" and "nerds."What unexpected connections do people find in nerd culture?The conversation highlights surprising moments of connection, like Mandy's encounter with a "Kardashian-looking" stranger who enthusiastically discussed the same fantasy novel she was reading. They explore how media that might seem designed for specific demographics often resonates across unexpected audiences when given a chance.Other topics discussed:The stigma attached to certain media and how it affects people's willingness to try new thingsHow streaming services have revolutionized access to niche contentThe philosophical and ethical questions embedded in science fiction and fantasyThe blurring lines between traditional "nerdy" activities and mainstream interestsThe gatekeeping sometimes found in fan communities and why it's problematicHow fantasy sports represent a form of nerdy engagement that's become widely acceptedShows like Severance and The Orville that surprised Mandy with their emotional depthThe Power of Curiosity Over JudgmentThe episode concludes with a reflection on approaching media with curiosity rather than judgment. Matthew quotes Ted Lasso's speech about being curious instead of judgmental, applying it to how we engage with different forms of entertainment. Mandy emphasizes how her podcast isn't about criticizing beloved franchises but finding what resonates personally, even in unexpected places. The hosts celebrate how nerd culture continues to expand and welcome new fans, creating connections across different interests and generations.Check out Mandy's podcast Make Me a Nerd, also on the TruStory FM podcast network. **************************************************************************This episode is a production of Superhero Ethics, a The Ethical Panda Podcast and part of the TruStory FM Entertainment Podcast Network. Check our our website to find out more about this and our sister podcast Star Wars Generations.We want to hear from you! You can keep up with our latest news, and send us feedback, questions, or comments via social media or email.Email: Matthew@TheEthicalPanda.comFacebook: TheEthicalPandaInstagram: TheEthicalPandaPodcastsTwitter: EthicalPanda77Or you can join jump into the Star Wars Generations and Superhero Ethics channels on the TruStory FM Discord.Want to get access to even more content while supporting the podcast? Become a member! For $5 a month, or $55 a year you get access to bonus episodes and bonus content at the end of most episodes. Sign up on the podcast's main page. You can even give membership as a gift!You can also support our podcasts through our sponsors:Purchase a lightsaber from Level Up Sabers run by friend of the podcast Neighborhood Master AlanUse Audible for audiobooks. Sign up for a one year membership or gift one through this link.Purchase any media discussed this week through our sponsored links.

In this inspiring episode, I'm joined by two incredible guests, Pete Wright and Nikki Kinzer, the dynamic duo behind the new book, Unapologetically ADHD. With decades of combined experience in coaching, podcasting, and living with ADHD, Pete and Nikki share their unique journey of co-authoring their book and the lessons they've learned about failure, success, and working together as a team. We dive into their podcasting journey, strategies for navigating big projects, and how they've redefined ADHD productivity with compassion and practicality.Nikki Kinzer is a professional certified ADHD coach through the International Coaching Federation (ICF). She's been coaching adults with ADHD since 2010 and has built a business around supporting the ADHD community through coaching, teaching, and podcasting. She lives with her husband, Brad, in Springfield, Oregon. Pete Wright was diagnosed with ADHD when he was 28 and has spent the better part of his life since then studying and podcasting about his lived ADHD experience. He is a professional podcaster and co-founder of the TruStory FM podcast network. He's a former journalist, educator, and public relations executive and lives with his wife, Kira, in Portland, Oregon. Episode Highlights:[0:00] - Pete reflects on reprogramming how we view failure.[0:44] - Introducing Pete Wright and Nikki Kinzer, their backgrounds, and the new book.[2:35] - The origins of their podcast and the magic of their partnership.[7:15] - Nikki's journey into ADHD coaching and the transition to focusing on ADHD clients.[13:20] - Pete's perspective on working with a professional organizer and managing ADHD.[17:03] - How their second book came to life and what made the process smoother.[22:22] - Strategies they used to tackle challenges during the writing process.[29:01] - Key takeaways from Unapologetically ADHD for managing big projects. [37:37] - Pete's deep dive into routines, executive function, and strategic friction. [43:12] - Final reflections: reframing failure and embracing being unapologetically ADHD. Links & ResourcesVisit Pete and Nikki's website: takecontroladhd.comOrder their book, Unapologetically ADHD: https://takecontroladhd.com/adhdbook Listen to their podcast: Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. https://takecontroladhd.com/the-adhd-podcast Thank you for tuning into "SuccessFULL with ADHD." If this episode has impacted you, remember to rate, follow, share, and review our podcast. Your support helps us reach and help more individuals navigating their journeys with ADHD. Want to be ‘SuccessFULL with ADHD' by Activating Your ADHD Potential?Order our 3x best-selling book/workbook for adults with ADHD ▶️ http://bit.ly/activateadhd

Paul and Matthew jump into the ethics of aging, mysteries, ‘cozy' storytelling and the ways that elder care is treated in media as we discuss the new Netflix show A Man on the Inside.Bonus member content about some of our other favorite mystery shows and movies.Here is a link to the book Paul mentioned! We've started the conversation. Now we want to hear from you!Want to continue the discussion with us? Agree or disagree with what we talked about, or add your own thoughts? We've got options for you!Email: ✉️ Matthew@TheEthicalPanda.com

Alex and Matthew discuss episodes 1-2 of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew!This was a rough week for us:  Erin was unavailable and Matthew was having tech problems, so this episode is a bit rough. Alex winds up carrying most of the episode (and does a great job) but have no fear we'll do a full recap with the gang and have things working a lot better next week!No bonus content this week. We've started the conversation. Now we want to hear from you!Want to continue the discussion with us? Agree or disagree with what we talked about, or add your own thoughts? We've got options for you!Discord: Join in the conversation about this podcast, my other podcast Superhero Ethics, as well as the rest of the TruStory.FM PodcastEmail: ✉️ swg@theethicalpanda.com

Join hosts Matthew and Riki as they analyze Netflix's Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance through the lens of ethics, narrative responsibility, the wider context of the Gundam story as a whole, and the implications of telling stories from the villains' perspective.This episode tackles a crucial question in modern media: When telling a story from an antagonist's perspective, what responsibility do creators have to make their moral stance clear? The hosts debate whether Requiem for Vengeance succeeds or fails at this task, with Matthew viewing it as an effective introduction to the broader Gundam universe, while Riki expresses serious concerns about its potential misinterpretation.How does historical context shape our understanding of fictional conflicts? The discussion explores how Gundam's Zeon forces draw from both Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan, raising questions about how media portrays historical villains and the risk of audiences misinterpreting or glorifying them.Can a story effectively humanize its villains without legitimizing their cause? The hosts examine protagonist Solari's character arc and debate whether her tragic choices serve the narrative or risk sending dangerous messages to viewers unfamiliar with Gundam's established canon.Other topics covered:The evolution of animation technology and its reception by different audiencesThe role of race and racism in the Gundam universeHow German imagery and references appear in animeThe challenges of creating prequels or new entry points to established franchisesThe ethical implications of child soldiers in warfareThe connection between vengeance, grief, and moral decision-makingWhether you're a longtime Gundam fan or completely new to the franchise, this episode examines how media can shape our understanding of conflict, justice, and the fine line between humanizing villains and valorizing their actions.Let us know your thoughts: Did you watch Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance? How did your prior knowledge (or lack thereof) of the Gundam universe affect your interpretation of the story? We've started the conversation. Now we want to hear from you!Want to continue the discussion with us? Agree or disagree with what we talked about, or add your own thoughts? We've got options for you!Email: ✉️ Matthew@TheEthicalPanda.com

In this spirited discussion of Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker, hosts Matthew, Alex, and Erin dive deep into the controversial conclusion of the Skywalker saga. From shocking revelations to questionable plot decisions, the hosts explore both the film's greatest strengths and most puzzling weaknesses, offering unique perspectives on why this final chapter divides fans so deeply.Did Emperor Palpatine's return undermine Anakin's sacrifice? The hosts tackle this contentious plot point, with Alex arguing that while the execution was flawed, having Palpatine as the ultimate puppet master makes thematic sense within the larger Star Wars story. They explore how subsequent Star Wars shows have actually helped retroactively justify this controversial choice.Was Rey's Palpatine heritage reveal worth undoing The Last Jedi's "nobody" twist? The discussion examines how this dramatic shift impacted Rey's character arc and the larger themes of the sequel trilogy, particularly the message about heroism coming from anywhere.Should Ben Solo have survived? The hosts debate the controversial ending, including the kiss between Rey and Ben, questioning whether his death was necessary and if it served the story effectively.Other key topics covered:How the rushed 16-hour timeline affected the film's pacing and credibilityThe underutilization of Rose Tico and the real-world circumstances that led to itThe mystery of Finn's unspoken message to ReyThe wasted potential of the Knights of RenThe surprising effectiveness of Hux as a spy and his abrupt deathThe visual spectacle of Exegol and the film's impressive set piecesThe powerful moment featuring voices of past JediLando's return and the revelation about Jannah's identityDespite its flaws, the hosts acknowledge the film's strengths as a fun adventure movie with stunning visuals and exciting moments. While it may not have stuck the landing as the conclusion to a nine-film saga, The Rise of Skywalker remains an entertaining, if divisive, entry in the Star Wars canon that continues to spark passionate discussion among fans. We've started the conversation. Now we want to hear from you!Want to continue the discussion with us? Agree or disagree with what we talked about, or add your own thoughts? We've got options for you!Discord: Join in the conversation about this podcast, my other podcast Superhero Ethics, as well as the rest of the TruStory.FM PodcastEmail: ✉️ swg@theethicalpanda.com

Join hosts Matthew Fox and special guest Paul Hoppe as they dive deep into Cobra Kai Season 6, Part 2, discussing how the hit series continues to raise the stakes - sometimes to absurd levels. From international tournaments to shocking character developments, this episode explores how the show both succeeds and stumbles in its attempt to go global.Is Cobra Kai getting too far from its roots? The hosts discuss how the show has evolved from its simple beginnings focused on local karate rivalries to an international tournament with increasingly dramatic stakes. They explore whether this expansion helps or hurts the core narrative that made the series special.What makes a realistic martial arts tournament? Drawing on Paul's extensive martial arts experience, the episode examines how the show's portrayal of competition differs from reality, particularly regarding safety protocols and fighter conduct. The hosts question the plausibility of full-contact matches without protective gear on elevated platforms.How does the show handle representation? The discussion delves into Cobra Kai's approach to international characters and Asian representation, examining both progress made and continuing challenges in how different cultures and martial arts styles are portrayed.Other topics covered:The complex dynamics between Johnny, Miguel, and RobbieThe controversial storyline involving Mr. Miyagi's pastCharacter development (or lack thereof) for new additions like Zara and KwonThe show's handling of serious themes vs high school dramaProduction challenges with aging young actorsThe implications of the season's shocking endingThe hosts conclude by speculating about what Part 3 might bring and whether the series can find its way back to the character-driven storytelling that made it successful. Note: No Bonus Content for members this week. We've started the conversation. Now we want to hear from you!Want to continue the discussion with us? Agree or disagree with what we talked about, or add your own thoughts? We've got options for you!Email: ✉️ Matthew@TheEthicalPanda.com

What sign is Han Solo?With Matthew & Alex unavailable, solo host Erin dives deep into her unique perspective on Solo: A Star Wars Story, offering a fresh take on the controversial Star Wars film. Erin explores why this often-criticized film holds a special place in her heart.Key Discussion Points:Does Alden Ehrenreich capture Harrison Ford's Han Solo?How does Qi'ra's character arc reflect the realities of survival? Erin explores the compelling dynamic between Han's romanticism and Qi'ra's pragmatic evolution.Why does the Kessel Run sequence work so well? Erin breaks down how this legendary feat lives up to expectations through stunning visuals and character dynamics.Other Topics Covered:The scene-stealing performance of Donald Glover as Lando CalrissianL3-37's revolutionary spirit and memorable quotesThe significance of Enfys Nest's reveal and the early rebellionClone Wars connections and Easter eggs throughout the filmThe complex mentor-mentee relationship between Beckett and HanThe origin of Han and Chewie's iconic partnershipDarth Maul's surprise appearance and implicationsAnd the most important question of all - what sign is Han Solo?In conclusion, Erin makes a compelling case for Solo as an entertaining space western that, while perhaps not perfectly aligned with Han's original trilogy character, offers enough thrilling sequences and compelling character moments to stand on its own merits. She suggests it might be the perfect Star Wars film to introduce casual fans to the broader universe.Matthew would like to register a word of protest that he is NOT old enough to have ever loved Celine Deon. We've started the conversation. Now we want to hear from you!Want to continue the discussion with us? Agree or disagree with what we talked about, or add your own thoughts? We've got options for you!Discord: Join in the conversation about this podcast, my other podcast Superhero Ethics, as well as the rest of the TruStory.FM PodcastEmail: ✉️ swg@theethicalpanda.com

Matthew Fox and Riki Hayashi explore the profound philosophical themes and controversial endings of the influential anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion. From its groundbreaking original TV finale to the theatrical response film The End of Evangelion, we unpack how creator Hideaki Anno's personal struggles with depression shaped one of anime's most debated conclusions.What makes the controversial ending of Neon Genesis Evangelion so impactful? We examine how the series transforms from a traditional mecha anime into a deeply psychological exploration of depression, trauma, and self-acceptance. The final two episodes abandon conventional narrative for an internal journey into protagonist Shinji's psyche, culminating in a powerful message about choosing individual identity over collective consciousness.How does The End of Evangelion serve as both a response to fan backlash and an artistic statement? We discuss how the theatrical film offers a darker, more explicit version of the TV ending while incorporating actual death threats and hate mail the creators received. The movie provides closure for plot threads while still challenging audience expectations about what they want versus what the artist needs to express.Why does this series continue to resonate with audiences decades later? We explore how Anno's authentic portrayal of depression and journey toward self-acceptance created something far more profound than typical genre fare, even if it frustrated fans at the time.Other topics covered:The cultural context and potential issues around the show's use of Jewish & Christian imageryThe significance of the Human Instrumentality Project as a metaphor for social anxiety and isolationKey character arcs including Asuka, Misato, and KaworuProduction challenges and budget constraints that influenced the original endingParallels to modern fan backlash against subversive works like The Last JediThe series' complex exploration of sexuality and coming-of-age themesHow both endings ultimately convey similar messages about self-acceptance through different meansWhether you're a longtime Eva fan or newcomer to the series, this episode offers fresh insights into one of anime's most analyzed and debated conclusions. More than just a reaction to the ending, we examine how Evangelion's themes of depression, identity, and artistic integrity remain deeply relevant to modern audiences and creators. We've started the conversation. Now we want to hear from you!Want to continue the discussion with us? Agree or disagree with what we talked about, or add your own thoughts? We've got options for you!Email: ✉️ Matthew@TheEthicalPanda.com

Drew Maxey, (drewxdeficit on Twitter and TikTok) joins Riki and Matthew to discuss the political messaging of Watchmen, what it means for us today, and why it is so often misunderstood. We talk about the valorization by many fans of Rorschach that misses so much of his character, how the movie changed things, and Ozymandias' decision, among other topics. Then Matthew goes on a rant and Riki and Drew do their best to humor them. Drew Maxey is an educator who loves, teaches, and writes comics. His professional comics debut will be a short holiday story in the Batman Smells, Robin Laid an Egg anthology, released December 4th. He will talk about Watchmen until he's Dr. Manhattan blue in the face.To hear more of Drew's content about Watchmen and other topics, find him on TikTok & Instagram, or go here To get Drew's Watchmen Chapter 1 movie commentary, donate to the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund then email a receipt of your donation to Drew. We've started the conversation. Now we want to hear from you!Want to continue the discussion with us? Agree or disagree with what we talked about, or add your own thoughts? We've got options for you!Email: ✉️ Matthew@TheEthicalPanda.com

How does Star Wars help us understand resistance and maintain hope in challenging times? In this timely episode of Star Wars Generations, host Matthew welcomes back Paul Hoppe for a deep dive into the themes of rebellion, resistance, and the ongoing fight against oppression through the lens of Star Wars storytelling.The conversation explores how Star Wars has evolved from presenting "good versus evil" narratives to tackling more complex questions about resistance movements. How do people move from hopelessness to action? What makes someone willing to stand up against oppression? Through analysis of key moments from the original trilogy, The Last Jedi, Andor, and other Star Wars media, Matthew and Paul examine how the franchise portrays the messy realities of rebellion.A central focus emerges: what happens when hope seems lost and "no one is coming to help"? The hosts draw parallels between General Organa's abandoned call for aid in The Last Jedi and real-world movements for change, discussing how communities can maintain hope while acknowledging harsh realities.The discussion culminates in an analysis of Andor's groundbreaking portrayal of rebellion, examining how it presents multiple valid but conflicting approaches to fighting oppression through characters like Mon Mothma and Luthen Rael.Other key topics covered:The evolution of Imperial imagery and metaphors from the Original Trilogy to modern Star WarsHow Anakin's fall in the prequels mirrors modern authoritarian mindsetsThe role of fear and hope in both Star Wars storytelling and real resistance movementsComparisons between fictional rebellions and historical liberation movementsThe importance of community and collective action in effective resistanceThe complex moral choices faced by characters in Rogue One and AndorWhether you're a lifelong Star Wars fan seeking deeper meaning in the saga or someone looking for hope and inspiration in difficult times, this episode offers thoughtful perspectives on how Star Wars continues to help us process and understand the ongoing struggle between oppression and resistance.Note: This episode would normally have been released on Thursday, November 14th, but we decided to move it up given its relevance to recent events. You can support the podcast and purchase the various pieces of media we discussed this episode through the following links!Links:The Empire Strikes BackReturn of the JediThe Last JediFlotsam & Jetsam: No Place for DisgraceWe've started the conversation. Now we want to hear from you!Want to continue the discussion with us? Agree or disagree with what we talked about, or add your own thoughts? We've got options for you!Discord: Join in the conversation about this podcast, my other podcast Superhero Ethics, as well as the rest of the TruStory.FM PodcastEmail: ✉️ swg@theethicalpanda.com

The hosts of Star Wars Generations return for a deeper dive into The Last Jedi, tackling questions from listeners and exploring overlooked aspects of this controversial Star Wars film. From surprising character deaths to stunning visual moments, this episode examines both the triumphs and missed opportunities in Rian Johnson's contribution to the sequel trilogy.Was Supreme Leader Snoke's death a brilliant subversion or a wasteful plot twist? The hosts debate whether killing such a mysterious and menacing character in the second film of the trilogy was the right creative choice, especially given Andy Serkis' compelling performance and the questions left unanswered about Snoke's origins and power.How did Captain Phasma's early demise impact Finn's character arc? The discussion explores how the decision to eliminate Gwendoline Christie's chrome-armored commander may have undermined future storytelling possibilities, particularly regarding Finn's journey as a former stormtrooper.What made the Holdo Maneuver such a memorable moment? The hosts break down why this controversial scene, with its stunning visuals and effective use of silence, stands as one of the most impactful sequences in Star Wars cinema, despite debates about its logic within the universe.Other topics discussed:General Hux's character development and daddy issuesThe significance of Kylo Ren's decision to remain on the dark sideRey's preservation of the Jedi textsLuke's reaction to Han's deathThe hosts' personal experiences with cosplayDeleted scenes that could have enhanced character momentsThe episode concludes by highlighting how The Last Jedi, despite its divisive nature, delivers some of the sequel trilogy's strongest emotional moments and most striking visuals, even as it makes controversial choices with beloved characters and established lore.Bonus member content about Added Muscle by Paul Dini, the next chapter in From a Certain Point of View: A New Hope.Use these links to find the media we discussed and support the podcast!The Last JediTarkin#StarWars #TheLastJedi #StarWarsTheLastJedi #RianJohnson #KyloRen #podcast #StarWarsPodcastWe've started the conversation. Now we want to hear from you!Want to continue the discussion with us? Agree or disagree with what we talked about, or add your own thoughts? We've got options for you!Discord: Join in the conversation about this podcast, my other podcast Superhero Ethics, as well as the rest of the TruStory.FM PodcastEmail: ✉️ swg@theethicalpanda.com

REBROADCAST: Space: The Final Frontier. This concept has been integral to America's self-identity, symbolizing exploration and adventure—and the myriad issues arising from the perception of "undiscovered country" as land untouched by white man. Professor Matthew Wilhelm Kapell joins Paul and me to discuss the significance of the frontier and how Star Trek has interacted with this theme throughout its many iterations.We encountered some sound quality issues in this episode for which we apologize. We are committed to continuous improvement and aim to enhance the listening experience with each episode.Matthew Wilhelm Kapell boasts a diverse teaching portfolio, ranging from human genetics to film studies across institutions in California, Michigan, the UK, and currently at Pace University in New York City. He is the editor of an academic book series focusing on the study of digital and tabletop games. For more information on his publications and work, visit matthewkapell.com. His academic approach is mindful of the perspective that many narratives framed as "Hero's Journeys" are equally "Heroine's Ordeals." We've started the conversation. Now we want to hear from you!Want to continue the discussion with us? Agree or disagree with what we talked about, or add your own thoughts? We've got options for you!Email: ✉️ Matthew@TheEthicalPanda.com

Special Guest Paul Hoppe joins Riki and Matthew to explore the intersection of professional sports, fandom, and ethics, what makes us care deeply about "25 people playing with a ball hundreds of miles away."The conversation delves into fundamental questions about sports' role in society: Can athletics be a force for positive social change, as seen with Jackie Robinson breaking baseball's color barrier? Or does the commercialization of sports, exemplified by the Oakland A's controversial move to Las Vegas, betray fan communities? The hosts explore how the unscripted drama of sports creates powerful shared experiences, from healing after 9/11 to forging family bonds.When should athletes speak out on social issues? The hosts examine the contrast between LeBron James's advocacy for Black Lives Matter and Aaron Rodgers's false vaccine statements, discussing where to draw the line between personal expertise and platform responsibility.Other key topics covered:The ethics of public funding for private sports stadiumsSports team ownership models and their impact on communitiesThe evolution of Asian player representation in Major League BaseballThe problematic aspects of sports culture, from domestic violence to health risksThe intersection of sports with family dynamics and identityThe term "sportsball" and gatekeeping in fan communitiesOlympic moments that showcase athletic respect and sportsmanshipThe episode concludes by finding middle ground between uncritical fandom and complete rejection of sports, acknowledging that fans can appreciate athletics while remaining mindful of institutional problems. As Matthew notes, like religion, sports can be a source of both community good and systemic issues - the key is engaging thoughtfully rather than dismissing either extreme.Want to join the conversation about ethics in pop culture? Subscribe to Superhero Ethics and let us know what you think!Curious about the media we talked about? Want to help support the podcast? Use these links to purchase any of the following movies, books, or TV shows!LinksBull DurhamField of DreamsFriday Night LightsGet These Books through Our Bookshop.org Page1947: When All Hell Broke Loose in BaseballFriday Night LightsThe Fox Steals HomeWe've started the conversation. Now we want to hear from you!Want to continue the discussion with us? Agree or disagree with what we talked about, or add your own thoughts? We've got options for you!Email: ✉️ Matthew@TheEthicalPanda.com

Matthew Fox and Riki Hayashi explore the fascinating world of Terminator: Zero, a new anime series that breathes fresh life into the iconic Terminator franchise and challenges our perceptions of AI, time travel, and the very essence of humanity.Is Skynet truly the villain, or are humans the real threat? Matthew and Riki dissect the show's central premise, questioning the traditional narrative of AI as an inherent danger to humanity. They explore how Terminator: Zero presents a nuanced view of artificial intelligence through the character of Kokoro, a second AI created to combat Skynet.How does setting the story in Japan change the Terminator narrative? The hosts applaud the show's decision to move beyond the typical American-centric approach, offering a global perspective on the AI apocalypse. They discuss how this shift allows for fresh storytelling and character development.Can anime revitalize aging franchises? Matthew and Riki examine the benefits of using animation to tell complex sci-fi stories, particularly in terms of budget constraints and creative freedom. They ponder whether this approach could breathe new life into other beloved franchises.Other topics covered include:The evolution of time travel concepts in the Terminator franchiseThe quality of voice acting in anime dubs vs. subsEthical implications of creating AI with emotionsParallels between AI and historical human conflictsThe show's portrayal of gender roles in AI developmentWe've started the conversation. Now we want to hear from you!Want to continue the discussion with us? Agree or disagree with what we talked about, or add your own thoughts? We've got options for you!Email: ✉️ Matthew@TheEthicalPanda.com

The Horror of Being Human: Mike Flanagan's Masterful Approach to TerrorPrepare to be thrilled and chilled as we dive into the eerie world of Mike Flanagan's horror masterpieces! Join hosts Matthew Fox and Riki Hayashi, along with returning guest Danielle, aka (WrittenintheSW).What makes Mike Flanagan's horror so uniquely captivating? We explore how Flanagan uses supernatural elements as a lens to examine profound human experiences, from grief and trauma to faith and family dynamics. His ability to blend genuine scares with deep emotional resonance sets his work apart in the horror genre.How does Flanagan's Catholic background influence his storytelling? We discuss the religious themes in Midnight Mass and how they reflect broader questions about belief, manipulation, and the human condition. Danielle shares her perspective as someone raised Catholic, offering insights into the show's nuanced portrayal of faith.Key topics covered:The innovative cinematography techniques used in The Haunting of Hill HouseCharacter development and stellar performances across Flanagan's seriesThe brilliant adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's works in The Fall of the House of UsherFlanagan's approach to diverse representation and collaboration with actorsThe impact of Flanagan's work on the horror genre as a wholeFrom hidden ghosts to heartrending monologues, we break down the elements that make Flanagan's horror both terrifying and profoundly moving. Whether you're a die-hard horror fan or new to the genre, this episode offers a fascinating look at how horror can be used to explore the deepest aspects of human nature.Join us for a thought-provoking journey through Mike Flanagan's haunting universes and discover why his approach to horror continues to captivate audiences worldwide. We've started the conversation. Now we want to hear from you!Want to continue the discussion with us? Agree or disagree with what we talked about, or add your own thoughts? We've got options for you!Email: ✉️ Matthew@TheEthicalPanda.com