Not Quite Great Books: a TV podcast

39. The Americans 2x13, ”Echo,” with Jon Keller

Strap in, folks, Jon Keller is back for the season 2 finale, “Echo,” and this is an episode you do not want to miss! Together, your hosts take the major reveals of the show piece by piece, starting with Fred’s mission in the cold open, Paige’s protest experience, and the impromptu family trip to a motel in the middle of nowhere before they (over?) analyze the Jared reveal and Nina’s removal. Jon and John debate Arkadii’s awareness about Oleg and Nina’s relationship, and then delight in a Gorbachev/Oleg comparison. In a shocking turn of events, Danielle is relieved, at least momentarily, by the return of Claudia, but this just offers further opportunity to reflect on the new recruit program and the fate of Paige. In the Cave, Keller is coerced (in a friendly way) into a wonderful analysis of Tocqueville’s relationship to The Americans, and all three offer some solid TheoryShips. What a doozy to end this season!

38. The Americans 2x12, ”Operation Chronicle”

On this week’s episode, “Operation Chronicle,” John and Danielle try to make sense of all the different forms of escalation taking place in the series. They first follow Larrick as his actions impact Philip and Elizabeth, Paige, Jared, and Fred, before shifting gears to think about the escalation between Arkadii, Nina, Oleg, and Stan. Though distinct, your hosts consider how spying both enables and limits the abilities of different characters to make connections. John logs some questions for Danielle in the Dossier, and your hosts come up with their own codes words/phrases to use in case of a spying-related emergency. To round out this intense episode, Danielle invokes Sophocles’ Antigone in the Cave before John introduces a new Cave-adjacent segment, TheoryShip.

37. Moon Knight 1x6, ”Gods and Monsters”

We did it - we made it to the end of our Marvel run!! For the final episode of Moon Knight, John and Danielle tackle the main plot points - Ammit/Khonshu and Layla/Marc/Steven/Harrow fights, the binding of Harrow, and the Jake Loughly reveal - before turning to a lengthy (understatement!) discussion of questions of binaries, expectations, and their overall enjoyment of this series and Marvel properties more generally. They offer some sweet and prickly roses and thorns from their experience chatting about Marvel and MK together. After subjecting John to multiple sessions with fellow-MCU lovers, Danielle clears space for John to quintuple down on complaint corner (with ample pushback of course) by bringing Horkheimer into The Cave. Join your favorite political theorists-turned-podcast hosts as they debate pop culture, art, and aesthetic judgment for one final time this season!

36. The Americans 2x11, ”Stealth”

Things are really coming to a head season 2 - Danielle and John work together to make sense of the rising levels of tension and intensity they see in The Americans Season 2 Episode 11, “Stealth.” They ask about Kate’s fate, her relationship to Jared, and how this all impacts Philip and Elizabeth’s relationship. They also marvel over the centrality of Nina’s role in everything, which of course includes a brief sojourn into depressed-Stan land, and a detour into Stan’s FBI comic books, and whether/how those are connected to MacGruff the Crime Dog (maybe only in Danielle’s brain). Focusing on Nina’s role more broadly, Danielle offers a brief gloss of Sharon Krause’s work on agency in The Cave. On a lighter note, we get a brief Harry Styles reference and John, as always, prompts a chat on the series’ aesthetic choices.

35. Moon Knight 1x5, ”Asylum”, with Nick Carnes

Buckle up, NQGB fans - John and Danielle are joined by the brilliant Dr. Nick Carnes. Nick is the co-editor of The Politics and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, along with former repeat-guest of the podcast, Dr. Lilly Goren. Together, they consider how the show helps us think about the hero/antihero divide before diving deep into how the show represents trauma, violence, and DID, and how the Egyptian setting/cosmology impacts the choices and representations. The discussion is wide-ranging and flush with takes, both on Moon Knight, but also on the broader MCU. Nick offers his favorite Marvel easter egg from this ep, and your three co-hosts chat about weird Marvel, marvel over Oscar Isaac (again, because why not?), and Nick shouts out the origin of Steven’s name. Then, John and Danielle clear the floor for Nick to lay out his grand-theory of the MCU before plugging the upcoming academic volume. And don’t worry, in this episode where some VERY traumatic stuff happens in a cave, your hosts seize the opportunity to find Plato in the Cave. It’s a jam-packed episode - enjoy!

34. The Americans 2x10, ”Yousaf”

This week, John and Danielle consider the fall-out of multiple series’ events as it unfolds in The Americans Season 2 Episode 10, “Yousef.” In this ep, the past is rearing back with a vengeance, resulting in some pretty serious consequences. Within this framework, they also think together about the relationship between sex and death, both in this ep and throughout the series, and especially how this manifests in the scenes with Annalise, Yousef, and Javid. John asks Danielle for some S2 predictions in the Dossier, and shouts out a few memorable Russian phrases, making his past Russian teachers proud! This ep celebrates the return of Wig Talk, with a lengthy detour into 80s fashion choices and hair in Borrowed Nostalgia. John rounds out their discussion with a stellar gloss of Rosa Luxemburg in the Cave. Come for the stories about waffles in the Hanley house, stay for the way your hosts weave together many threads in this loaded episode!

33. Moon Knight 1x4, ”The Tomb”

Back for another installment of their Moon Knight deep dive, John and Danielle go it alone this week. Together, starting at the end, they ask what is real, and contemplate what to make of the sanitarium scene. John offers some surprise entries for his own Dossier, and Danielle offers some Marvelsplaining about the god statues in the pyramid. Your hosts agree to disagree about the level of ridiculousness regarding the Alexander the Great reveal, and Danielle delights in bringing some JL Austin in the Cave. Of course, they can’t resist the opportunity to watch and react to Oscar Isaac singing his Hippopotamus song - though only tangentially related to the ep, a fun time all around in any case!

32. The Americans 2x9, ”Martial Eagle,” with Lilly Goren

This week, John and Danielle are joined by their first MCU/Americans crossover guest, Lilly Goren! You last heard Lilly on Loki Episode 5 “Journey into Mystery” - now she’s back with your hosts for The Americans Season 2 Episode 9, “Martial Eagle.” This episode has so much going on, so John and Danielle are thrilled to have Lilly help untangle the different plot points. Together, they consider the role of deception throughout the episode - from the opening mission to the base, Paige’s continued obsession with church, and even between Sandi and Stan. They ask about Philip’s own personal journey throughout the series thus far, and contemplate Philip’s comment that this is easier for Elizabeth. In Glas, Lilly points out some powerful classical music cues, and together they consider the interaction between Stan and Gaad. We learn that Oliver North himself helped write this episode, and in the Cave, we get a powerful two-fer: Lilly offers some Nietzsche while John sneaks in some ‘Wages for Housework’. Don’t miss this one!
 
(Sorry about the audio quality and barking dogs in this one!)
 
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

31. Moon Knight 1x3, ”The Friendly Type,” with Regan Levitte

Danielle and John are joined by their first Moon Knight guest host, Regan Levitte, John’s colleague and friend! Together, they consider the potential contribution of the MCU to contemporary culture, and they declare NQGB a Layla stan podcast. John asks some solid question in Marvelsplaining, and Regan regales everyone with a fascinating discussion of fanfiction, remixing, and the generative potential of a feminist entry point into MCU properties. In the Cave, Regan, John and Danielle dig deeper and link their broader discussion to questions of the monomyth (a la Joseph Campbell) and Edgar Rice Burroughs’ colonialist thinking. Come for the quips about a shirtless Oscar Isaac, stay for the queer feminist thoughtfulness that weaves its way throughout this episode!
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
 
Show notes:
"A Girl and Her Taser" and "How to Win Friends, Crash Cymbals, and Fail at Asking Her Out" at AO3
Transformative Works and Cultures journal
The Winterowd references are to Chapter 1, "The Classical Tradition in Composition/Rhetoric," in The Contemporary Writer (1975/1981)
"DID System Reacts to Moon Knight | Episodes 1&2" by braiDIDbunch
"The Marvel Cinematic Universe isn't Art" by Patrick Marlborough, at VICE

30. The Americans 2x8, ”New Car”

Back on their own again this week, John and Danielle tackle The Americans S2E8, “New Car.” They structure their discussion around the way each major plot thread poses a question about the relationship between pure ideology and lived experience. They explore this tension through Philip’s flashy new purchase, relationships to capitalism, the conflict with Larrick, and even around the challenges with Henry. John has some pressing questions for Danielle in the Dossier, and in the Cave, your hosts meet Mark Fisher to discuss the link between this ep’s questions and capitalist realism. There’s also a healthy does of 80s (anti?) nostalgia around Martha’s questionable breakfast choices and Reagan’s CPAC speech. The tensions are rising in The Americans but your podcast hosts keep it cool (cooler than they would be as spies)!