Our Latest Podcasts

It’s time for Claire and Kyle to begin our next pairing:  Jirel of Joiry by C.L. Moore and Outlander by Diana Gabaldon! This week we focus on the sword and sorcery heroine of pulp magazines, Jirel, one of fantasy’s first female protagonists written by a female author. In our history segment, Kyle walks us through some of the first female fantasy authors including 17th century aristocrat, Margaret Cavendish, and beloved Little Women author, Louisa May Alcott (!!). Claire’s production segment picks up from there, describing the life and career of C.L. Moore before getting into the origin and growth of pulp fiction, and Weird Tales, the magazine that launched Moore’s career. Our hosts conclude with a discussion of why they paired Jirel of Joiry with Outlander, their reaction to Jirel, and the audience for her 85 year old pulp stories today.

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After a lengthy break for the holidays, Kyle and Claire ring in the New Year by talking about the Netflix original series, The Dragon Prince. Kyle begins by further exploring a topic we began in our last episode – how the morals of the day are reflected in children’s animation. He picks up after Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and takes us through Nickelodeon’s Avatar: the Last Airbender. Next, it’s Claire’s turn to break down how the show’s creators went from working in executive positions at Riot Games to getting their new animation project funded by Netflix, and how Netflix uses its subscriber data to tailor make original content for its viewers. Our hosts conclude with a full discussion of our pairing, (if they pair well at all) and how learning more about Snow White and The Dragon Prince influenced their reactions to both.

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The team at DSRA couldn’t be more excited to delve into children’s animation! We’re pairing Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs with Netflix’s The Dragon Prince. Claire starts us off by comparing the original Grimm’s Brothers tale to Disney’s version and discusses how children’s tales, no matter when they were written, reflect the morals and values of the society around them. James talks about Disney’s early career, how Steam Boat Willy changed sound in animation and the arduous, expensive process behind making Snow White. Our hosts conclude with their thoughts on the film, the experience of seeing it in 1937, and how impressive Lucille La Verne’s Queen is.

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As part of our new episode format, we’re pairing up our Frankenstein episode with one about Jurassic Park. Kyle begins with a comparison of the characters in the movies versus the novels. He then goes on to describe the ways that scientists have manipulated life for the past two hundred years regardless of initial taboos. Claire starts her segment with a look at Michael Crichton’s evolution into a writer and how his early career as a doctor affected his work. She then explains how the special effects used for the original Jurassic Park changed movie making forever. Our hosts conclude with a discussion of common themes and their thoughts on the films and books.

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This week Kyle and Claire get to discuss a foundational work of science fiction. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. Joining them are Jen and Meg from the podcast, The Indoorswomen! Courtesy of our guests, we kick the episode off with a delightful segment called “What Are We Drinking?” and follow it up with a game of “TV Trope Roulette”. Next, it’s time for a bit of history and production. Claire explains why Frankenstein is considered the original work of science fiction and how the genre’s existence is rooted in major movements of ideas and technology. Kyle details the life of Mary Shelley and the unusual circumstances and company that led to her story’s creation. Afterwards we enjoy a group discussion of monster tropes derived from Frankenstein, notable adaptations of the classic work, and our thoughts on the original.

You can check out episodes of Jen and Meg’s podcast here. And you can learn more about Meg and her book, Red Tea, here.

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Claire and Kyle are tired, sweaty, and full of bittersweet elation as they return from 3 days of New York City Comic Con and all of its wonders. It is with a heavy heart (and light wallet) that they recap some of the wonderful panels and discussions that they witnessed while attending America’s largest comic convention in this unconventional DSRA episode. Claire talks about the panel for Netflix’s The Dragon Prince a future DSRA topic, and the buzz surrounding the show and her love of its creator’s former work. Kyle goes into the joy of seeing the creators of The Venture Bros. and the life lessons imparted on him from there. The two hosts also discuss the upcoming Amazon show (and future DSRA topic), Good Omens, the satirical novel written by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett that will be the coming to Amazon Prime in 2019. And if that’s not nerdy enough for you, they also attended a panel on Critical Role, a show which consists of voice actors sitting around a table playing Dungeons & Dragons (another future episode topic). The hosts round out their discussion of NYCC by relating their experience at multiple different SciFi/Fantasy book panels helmed by the movers and shakers in the field today. Their fears, anxieties, what they are trying to accomplish as they make their mark on an ever changing genre.

But wait, there’s more! Claire and Kyle end the episode with an announcement on their future plans for the podcast and how it will soon evolve. Oh yes, change is in the air…

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