Supercontext: an autopsy of media

The Elmore Leonard character “Raylan Givens” from JUSTIFIED speaks to Charlie and Christian. For some reason he makes us feel safe and in control. Is he a barometer for the current state of America? iTunes direct link Google Play direct link Additional Resources: The Gunslinging Wit of Raylan Givens The Justified Cast on Raylan Givens, Son of a Bitch

In an unusually giddy, slaphappy episode, Charlie & Christian try to understand how Game of Thrones' sixth season was made. When does an adaptation stop being an adaptation? What happens when it passes -- and surpasses -- its source material? n an unusually giddy, slaphappy episode, Charlie & Christian try to understand how Game of Thrones’ sixth season was made. When does an adaptation stop being an adaptation? What happens when it passes – and surpasses – its source material? iTunes direct link Google Play direct link Additional Resources: Last Year (Winds of Winter) post by George R.R. Martin

Is media better when its creators have total control? We look at the first volume of SAGA and explore issues of ownership, censorship and salesmanship with this near perfect comic book. iTunes direct link Google Play direct link Additional Resources ‘Saga’: Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples Bring a Stellar Sci-Fi Comic Into the World [Interview]  INTERVIEW: Brian K. Vaughan on the first SAGA collection Comics Writer Brian K. Vaughan Talks Saga, Diversity, and Fixing Injustice in the Industry

Quentin Tarantino's either an idiot savant or a savvy businessman with his latest film The Hateful Eight. So we cover script leaks, film stock, Black Lives Matter protests, police boycotts and much more about the making of this film to figure out why it's so damn compelling.   Quentin Tarantino’s either an idiot savant or a savvy businessman with his latest film The Hateful Eight. So we cover script leaks, film stock, Black Lives Matter protests, police boycotts and much more about the making of this film to figure out why it’s so damn compelling.     iTunes direct link Google Play direct link Additional resources: How Quentin Tarantino Resurrected Ultra Panavision 70 for ‘The Hateful Eight’ Who leaked the Hateful Eight script and almost killed Quentin Tarantino’s movie? ‘The Hateful Eight’ Ending Comparison: How Does the Movie Differ from the Original Script? Ennio Morricone Goes Inside ‘Hateful Eight’ Soundtrack Ennio Morricone Tells the Secrets of His Hateful Eight Soundtrack Quentin Tarantino set to shoot “Hateful Eight” in Colorado Why Quentin Tarantino Is Shooting Hateful Eight In Colorado And What He’ll Spend His Budget On Quentin Tarantino responds to police boycott calls: The complete conversation No, Police Boycotts Against Quentin Tarantino Didn’t Cause 'The Hateful Eight’ To Flop      

Are Radiohead the most accomplished "art rock" band of the early twenty-first century, as the Encyclopedia Britannica claims? Or are they savvy businessmen who've brilliantly marketed themselves for 20 years? Can they be both? In the title fight for Charlie's musical identity, Thom Yorke comes out swinging with every ounce of nihilistic ennui at his command.  iTunes direct link Google Play direct link Additional Resources “The Searchers: Radiohead’s Unquiet Revolution” “Radiohead Says Pay What You Want” “Everything In Its Right Place”  

"G.G. Allin could have been a Flannery O'Connor character." Charlie & Chris discuss the murderous short story "A Good Man Is Hard To Find" and the difference between an author's intent and a reader's response. Why isn't this considered a horror story? And is it punk rock? iTunes Direct Link Google Play Direct Link Additional Resources: Flannery O'Connor Reads “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” (1959) Flannery O'Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find”: Who’s the Real Misfit? Flannery O'Connor: Journey through the South, Old and New

What happens when you bring together Maria Bamford, the creator of Arrested Development, and a writer for South Park? You get a brilliant new comedy celebrating mental illness and pugs on Netflix.  iTunes Direct Link Google Play Direct Link Additional Resources: Why Maria Bamford’s ‘Lady Dynamite’ is 2016’s Must-See TV Show Maria Bamford’s Netflix Series Doesn’t Measure Up to Maria Bamford The Weird, Scary and Ingenious Brain of Maria Bamford

Does entertainment have a responsibility to historical accuracy? Christian & Charlie tackle a film about a book written by David Lipsky about an article that was never published about writer David Foster Wallace. We struggle with how to consume media when you object to the portrayal of a real-life subject you may have identified with. Additional Resources: David Foster Wallace’s family object to biopic The End of the Tour Why The End of the Tour isn’t really about my friend David Foster Wallace The Dead Cannot Consent The Rewriting of David Foster Wallace

Alan Moore and Jacen Burrows' horror graphic novel NEONOMICON is explicit, graphically violent, and filled with rape scenes. But is there something more to this award-winning HP Lovecraft homage/critique? And should it be banned from libraries? iTunes direct link Google Play direct link Additional Material: CBLDF Case Study: Neonomicon The Horror of Rape: Alan Moore, Lovecraft, and Neonomicon The Great Alan Moore Reread: Neonomicon Alan Moore’s Neonomicon censored by US library Alan Moore Gets Psychogeographical With Unearthing

"It's important to have a spirit animal who's an actual person," is this episode's pull quote. We discuss the making of Iggy Pop's album "The Idiot," David Bowie's role in its production, and how narratives can change music listening experiences. Google Play direct link iTunes direct link