February 24, 2022
I'd like to believe I'd eventually find the space in my life to sit down and write a proper review of Station Eleven, but since it's been nearly two months between podcast newsletters let's put that idea to rest and just satisfy my urge to say thank you right here (because truly, that's more my style as a reviewer anyway - to express gratitude publically). No spoilers - it's just an excellently produced story with a lot of dark spots which still allows for hope and humanity. It's a pandemic story and a post-apocalyptic story, but it's really a story's story and the experience of watching feels like reading a well-written novel (which makes sense, because it was adapted from one!). I felt respected as a viewer and both fulfilled by the ending while simultaneously wanting to experience more of these characters and the often very messed up world they were forced to navigate. I could talk about it at length but can't find more words to write at the moment. And thank you for coming to my Ted talk? Wait, it's just my opinion on something that is potentially culturally relevant? Or does that cliché have to be grandstanding over something trivial? Is television trivial even if it's really good television? These are bigger questions that my pod-piping operation is not equipped to answer, and likely questions my pod-piping audience are not here to digest. So take it away, The List!
THE LIST
I was gripped from the early minutes of this episode, especially since I had not come across this story (which apparently made a splash with an extensive written piece a few years back). But I imagine even if you have heard the one about the Klan memorabilia in the police officer’s house, experiencing it via the TAL treatment will add some depth. Fair warning - if you embark on this journey there is a high likelihood that you won’t be able to stop yourself from listening to part 2 ("A City Walks Into an Investigation”).
I really like music, but tbh I probably like podcasts more. That means that while I seek out new music, I have a ton of fairly large blind spots - mainly with music you might find on the radio (because, you know, a car with an aux cord is just a large podcast listening machine). I’m also not on TikTok. All this conspired against me, leading to my ignorance of ‘We Don't Talk About Bruno’ and it’s massive success. A friend mentioned that a song from Encanto was shaping up to be one of Disney's all-time most popular tunes, and even then I may have guessed two or three other tracks before landing on 'We Don't Talk About Bruno.' The song has been stuck in my head ever since listening to this episode, and now I definitely understand what I was missing.
Did you ever wonder why there are so many Spider-Man movies? Well look no further than this episode of Planet Money to reveal how the Spider-Verse is as intertwined with comic books as it is with capitalism. But in a fun way!
‘Crazymaking' would be one word to describe these stories of the backlash to the backlash - after the widespread call for racial equality in the summer of 2020, 2021 and onward have been rife with 180 degree pearl-clutching. People do some crazy things at the mere suggestion that something about the way someone else views the world might not square with one's own self conception. Yes, this is materially about preciousness around the idea of critical race theory, but I also took it in as a dispiriting meditation on how inflexible people can be with stories we tell ourselves.
This lesson in video game history made me lose some faith in humans while also reminding me they/we aren’t all bad. At the end of the episode Willa Paskin puts it brilliantly; to paraphrase, it's tempting to write this off as the 1980s being a different time and people not knowing any better. But the real triumph is that even then, people did know better and spoke out.
This is a perfectly fine installment of Flash Forward, which lovers of animals and the robo-curious alike are sure to appreciate. But I'm mostly including it here to give a shout out as this is the final episode of the show. I've said it before and will probably continue to say it even when Rose Eveleth isn't dutifully cranking out show after show - Flash Forward is the perfect show for the genre of podcasting. It is speculative journalism with elements of fiction, grounded in rigorous preparation and never lacking a verve and ever-so-perfectly calculated amount of quirkiness to keep things light while still taking them seriously. RIP, Flash Forward, or happy hiatus from podcasting, and all the best to Rose with whatever she’s got cooking in the possible or not so possible future.
HONORABLE MENTION
SOMETHING NEW
How to Proceed
I am a very slow reader. My affinity for book culture (very high!) is also inversely correlated with the actual amount of time I spend reading (disappointingly, perpetually low!). Browsing bookstores or libraries is a slice of heaven, and yet the amount of books I read in a year barely cracks double digits. The last thing I need is to hear from interesting authors who will introduce me to more titles. But actually, this podcast - guided by Linn Ullmann and House of Literature in Oslo - may be exactly the cure for a world awash in amazing books. The structure is a familiar one - each episode features a renowned guest, and the host and featured author engage in a conversation. It really flows freely with casual discourse that inevitably turns into an author offering insight on the nature of their own work or of writing and reading more broadly. It satisfies an itch I’ve had since working at a bookstore in high school and memorizing the best sellers list - yet another avenue of book-adjacent fodder that doesn’t require the discipline of sitting down and reading something from cover to cover. And as tempting as it may be to cherry pick familiar names, I’d endorse starting at the beginning and working through each episode sequentially. The show seems to have concluded with just 14 authors in total, so it’s not a huge lift. Oh, and episodes are linked with each author asking the next author a question relating to their work - another bonus for those willing to listen in order.
I am a very slow reader. My affinity for book culture (very high!) is also inversely correlated with the actual amount of time I spend reading (disappointingly, perpetually low!). Browsing bookstores or libraries is a slice of heaven, and yet the amount of books I read in a year barely cracks double digits. The last thing I need is to hear from interesting authors who will introduce me to more titles. But actually, this podcast - guided by Linn Ullmann and House of Literature in Oslo - may be exactly the cure for a world awash in amazing books. The structure is a familiar one - each episode features a renowned guest, and the host and featured author engage in a conversation. It really flows freely with casual discourse that inevitably turns into an author offering insight on the nature of their own work or of writing and reading more broadly. It satisfies an itch I’ve had since working at a bookstore in high school and memorizing the best sellers list - yet another avenue of book-adjacent fodder that doesn’t require the discipline of sitting down and reading something from cover to cover. And as tempting as it may be to cherry pick familiar names, I’d endorse starting at the beginning and working through each episode sequentially. The show seems to have concluded with just 14 authors in total, so it’s not a huge lift. Oh, and episodes are linked with each author asking the next author a question relating to their work - another bonus for those willing to listen in order.
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