Not Quite Great Books: a TV podcast

65. The Young Pope, Episode Six, with Lucia Manzi

Gird yourself for miracles as John and Regan are joined by their colleague (and Italian politics expert, among many other skills) Lucia Manzi to discuss The Young Pope, Episode Six. Lucia's knowledge illumines the (Holy or not) spirit of the pod by putting Lenny's meeting with the Italian Prime Minister in the context of the Church's relationship to Italian politics and culture. Is Lenny an effective political actor and what is the show expressing through Lenny's political machinations? 
Lucia also joins to discuss Saints and Hot Priests, while Regan and John cover Andrew's dalliances, the tragedy of Angelo, and oh yeah a miracle immaculate birth? 
Don't drop the baby, listen to this podcast instead. 
This podcast was recorded during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the show being covered here wouldn’t exist. 
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

64. The Young Pope, Episode Five

Put on your finest tiara and reddest gloves and join Regan and John as they discuss The Young Pope Episode Five. They rightfully focus on what one of your hosts (guess who) calls one of the greatest TV scenes ever with Lenny's address to the cardinals, as Lenny would have it no other way. Can the audience both identify with Lenny's existential sadness and despise his speech? How do Esther and Voiello draw out different emotional registers of the show? 
Also covered: the weirdest and saddest seduction, visual flourishes and visual gags, papal athleisure, and feet talk. If fanaticism is love as Pope Pius XIII insists, show yours by listening to this NQGB ep. 
 
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

63. Billions 4x1, ”Chuck Rhoades’s Greatest Game”

Amy and John are back with the next installment of The One Percent series here on the NQGB, covering Billions Season 4, Episode 1. After dispensing with the villain origin story of this episode, they figure out whether this shallow show has anything interesting to say about capitalism, power, and gender. From the favors money can't buy to the worst dialogue written to an inexplicable John Malkovich performance to the NYC 1% core of the show, this episode has it all. 
Is Chuck Rhoades the Carrie Bradshaw of finance bros? Is he basically Amy Schiller? Tune in and find out.
 
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
 

62. Total Cinema, Baby: Barbie, Oppenheimer, and Mission Impossible

Welcome to Total Cinema, Baby, a Not Quite Great Books production! Danielle and John are BACK recounting their epic weekend partaking in the Barbenheimer cinema experience, and adding the latest Mission: Impossible to the mix for good measure. Join your hosts as they reunite to take in the cinema event of the summer. They set the scenes of their viewing experiences and the Big Picture-inspired origins of “Total Cinema, Baby” before diving into their takes on all three films. Keep in mind, this is a spoiler-filled podcast! First, they tackle Greta Gerwig’s Barbie (15:49), working through their takes, favorite jokes and scenes, and touching on what didn’t quite land. Then, they move on to the spectacle of Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer (52:59). They consider some of the film’s criticisms, offer analyses of the best performances, and talk about what scenes have stayed with each. John and Danielle then turn to the ridiculousness of Mission:Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1 (1:18:08), taking in the stunts, being in on the joke, and mostly, Tom Cruise running montages. This is a wild ride of an episode that includes Danielle dragging John for his Marvel takes (on a non-MCU podcast!?), brainstorming which scenes would hit best in Barbie-form (and vice versa), and of course, ends a trip into the Cave. Enjoy!
This podcast was recorded during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movies being covered here wouldn’t exist. 
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

61. The Young Pope, ”Episode Four”

You Must, You Must, You Must listen to this episode: Regan and John return for another Young Pope episode, taking this opportunity to focus on bodies and power in this episode and in Catholicism more broadly, as Esther becomes a central character of the show. This episode also helps us focus on how we emotionally relate -- and how Paolo Sorretino might expect his audience to relate -- to the psychic travails of the characters of the show. There are also saintly TikTok discussion, Tonnino Petola/Sheep Mary coverage, Voiello-Giorlamo questions, and dancing Greelanders! 
Check yourself for any stigmata and join us for another Popely episode. 
 
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

60. The Young Pope, ”Episode Three”

Regan and John are back for more Young Pope as they try to lift up God's weight through the magic of podcasting and the help of...*checks notes*...a stuffed deer? They puzzle through the ways that different members of Curia respond to Lenny's faith (or lackthereof) and wrestle with their own faith, wonder whether absence is indeed presence, and map out this episode's politicking.
There's still plenty of time for Esther conversation, introducing a new saintly quest, breaking down the title sequence, and the unabated continuation of Hot Priest Rating. Forget the body and blood, all you need is this podcast. 
 
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
 

59. The White Lotus 1x4, ”Recentering”

Amy Schiller joins John for the first in our *podcast voice* limited series, The One Percent, where we take seriously and frivolously shows that depict the lifestyles and political economy of the one percent (and adjacent). First up: The White Lotus, Season 1 Episode 4, "Recentering." 
Amy and John dive into the show's depiction of wealth, virtue, and self-soothing; explore Amy's Kitty/Shane-stanning and John's counter identification with Rachel, unpack the multiple Talmudic layers of interpretation the show opens up, spend time with Nietzsche, and of course, discuss non-profit management. Some of your favorite segments remain, while others emerge.
Because there is no ethical vacation under capitalism, join us instead. 
 
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
 

58. The Young Pope, ”Episode Two”

Kangaroos and severe speeches and emotional turmoil, oh my! John and summer 2023 co-host Regan are back for the second episode of Young Pope. They consider kangaroos and motherhood (seriously), Lenny's self-conflict as it plays out in his "invisible Pope" proclamation and remarkable address to the crowd of St. Peter's Square, Catholicism's relation to sex and the body, Voiello's attempts at charity, and Sister Mary's role in the Vatican. 
Meanwhile, Hot Priest Rating and Aquinas Time in The Cave continue, and they find plenty of time for digressions on Salinger bros, Harvard and the ivory tower, St. Anthony's patron saint duties, and much more.
No theodicy needed to confirm that this podcast on The Young Pope does exist. 
 
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

57. The Young Pope, ”Episode One”

John is joined by summer guest co-host Regan Levitte to worship at the altar of 2016's The Young Pope, which NQGB is covering this summer before returning to The Americans. Covering the first episode, they discuss the show's approach to Catholicism (and excavate their own lapsed Catholicism), examine the dream sequences, assess Lenny Belardo as the titular young Pope and Jude Law as Lenny Belardo, and more. 
The Danielle Dossier is rechristened with a new name suitable for Regan's  predictions, The Cave gets dedicated to everyone's favorite canonical Catholic political thinker, and Regan introduces a brand new segment centered on Jude Law's eternal hotness. 
Say thirteen Hail Marys and join Regan and John as they meet all your religious and TV criticism needs. Welcome to Hot Confessor Summer 2023. 
 
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

56. The Americans, Season 3 in review

After a whirlwind end to Season 3 of The Americans, Danielle and John pause to reflect on the season. What has changed about the show this season? Why did critics view this season as the one where The Americans reached its highest (Platonic?) form? How good is Danielle at the Dossier? Tune in as we discuss these, other pressing S3 questions, and somehow end up discussing Homeland, all before wishing Danielle farewell for the summer. 
Never fear, John will be back next week with a special guest to cover...well, you'll just have to listen (or check us out on Twitter).