New episode! We talk about the original Hot Priest (ok vicar) as we cover the pilot episode of Grantchester. We do interchange ‘priest’ with ‘vicar’ and ‘reverend’ so be prepared for that; we can’t help our past indoctrination. We discuss swearing in front of our parents, pitch a new TV show (with great titles), speculate about what is in a Victoria sponge, and again, talk about how great dogs are. Katy is still pretending to know more about British TV than she does, Carrie longs to take a brisk chilly walk in an English field, Maddy hashtags in real life, and Mack gives a Skype performance for the ages. We also get confused by pronunciations, try to report crimes to Alexa, talk extensively about hot older people, debate if Amanda is a Manic Pixie Dream Girl and discuss the changing rate of crimes solved through the decades. Maddy tries a Tim Allen impression and Carrie owes Katy a quarter – it’s a fun one! Go live your best life Chris Evans!

Originally recorded February 2018

TW: Suicide, sex workers and outdated terms, beheading

CORRECTION SECTION: 

-We were raised Catholic and use the term ‘priest’ liberally. We know he’s an Anglican vicar.

-King Charles I was executed

-We did record this before James Norton left the show which is why we don’t talk about it.

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New episode out now and It. Gets. Real. We discuss the 1995 film Se7en, a modern day morality play about an everyman violently casting judgement on a sinful society . . . or maybe just a ‘90s thriller with Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman?

We discuss whether or not we would survive an apocalypse, how the city is basically Gotham, how the killer was kinda brilliant with how he timed out his whole plan for months, and randomly discover that none of us have seen Lethal Weapon. 

Katy laments the cracking of book spines, Carrie drops some medieval literature knowledge, Maddy tries to get us to fully confess our sins, and Mack gets angry about Polaroids (again).

We also discuss the despicable amount of littering, how useful switchblades are, the best place to shoot someone non-lethally, and the most important box in cinema history?

Maddy really dug into the movie “with my brain” and comes up with some excellent insights, sparking some deeper discussion of morality and society. This one is a bit heavier in terms of content matter, so keep that in mind. Enjoy! Originally recorded January 2018.

TW: Serial killers, violent murders, rape, forced self mutilation, vomiting, forced suicide

CORRECTION SECTION: 

-There is not a director’s cut, but there are a number of alternate endings/versions of scenes for various country releases and TV edits.

-We cannot confirm if Kevin Spacey does the voice of the photographer but no one else is credited.

-Here is a link to a whole discussion of the etymology of “dick” meaning a private detective. It has a murky history but was definitely used starting in the late 19th century and may have come from underworld slang.

-A reliquary, shrine, or châsse, is the name of “a container for holy relics”. A monstrance, or ostensorium, is the name of a vessel that holds an “object of piety”, most commonly the consecrated Eucharistic host but sometimes also saintly relics.

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New episode out now! Take a break from the drafty English manors and the drizzly Pacific Northwest and head on down to the sunny, breezy island of Saint-Marie. We watched season one, episode five of Death in Paradise, “Spot the Difference” and got caught in a twisty plot—that half of us figured out twenty minutes in. We discuss the lackadaisical nature of island law enforcement (who gives suspects alcohol?), how we would live on a murder island with exorbitantly high crime rates if rent was free, the weirdly charming analog police work, and how we don’t understand how patents work. Katy is traumatized by the destruction of dishware, Carrie does not believe in numbering episodes, Maddy is really into chickens, and Mack thought there would be more white dudes with cornrows. We also talk about how all Hollywood teenagers are like twenty-five, how everyone is too nice to DI Poole (or DI Cool if you’re Maddy) when he’s just grumpy all the time, if we would subscribe to “Murder Monthly,” and come up with our Family Motto: “Like The Von Trapps But Weird.” Listen for our Anakin Skywalker impressions and more talk about bathroom facilities than you would think! Originally recorded January 2018. 

TW: Murder, stabbing, bathroom humor

Bonus Extra Special Episode Out Now! It’s Friday the 13th and the Knives are Out! SPOILERS ABOUND! We watched the still-in-theaters Rian Johnson film Knives Out and discuss this excellent subversion of/update to the classic whodunit. We talk about the difference in audience reactions in different theaters, how much fun the actors seemed to be having, how the movie misrepresents the publishing industry and how great dogs still are. Katy accidentally saw it three times, Carrie tried to be unbiased but was predisposed to loving this film (not least of all because of Pretty Boy Chris EvansTM), Maddy is accidentally cosplaying as Jamie Lee Curtis, and Mack shares weird mechanic theories. We also discuss the amazing design and the look of the film, Daniel Craig’s welcome scenery chewing and accent (and striking eyes), and how our familiarity with the mystery genre caused us to look for clues and expect twists, which possibly detracted from the experience. Carrie reads out interview quotes from the director and Maddy gets mad about medication viscosity . And finally we discuss how arrogance was the downfall of the true villain, and how a kind heart is the key. Stick around until the end for a special bonus surprise and some Hot Takes from the medical field! Put on a cozy sweater and enjoy our discussion of our highest rated entity so far!

TW: Suicide, vomiting, blood, knives

CORRECTIONS: 

-Katy meant Kate Warne not Kate Walsh. Warne was the first female Pinkerton detective.

-Dictionary.com: “The Rashomon effect refers to an instance when the same event is described in significantly different (often contradictory) ways by different people who were involved.”

-It’s Sam THE Eagle, not Sam Eagle
-The O’Brien clan DOES have a tartan registered with the Scottish Register of Tartans…in 1995.

It’s time to spend the summer in Gravity Falls! We watched the third episode of season one “Headhunters” and unpacked a surprising amount of detail from a 22-minute episode of animated television. The four of us talk about the mechanics of ax handling, when kids learn about John Wilkes Booth, how amazing dogs are and how much we want Ducktective to be real. (Like, so much). Katy extols the virtues of Coolio’s cookbook, Carrie takes offense to miner discrimination, Maddy discovers she has goat blindness and Mack disparages the writing of LOST. We also discuss local boat accidents, the possibility of woolly mammoths trampling around in Boston and how we all say “hors d’oeuvre” differently in our heads even though we know the proper pronunciation (Horse divorce? Really?). Enjoy! Originally recorded November 2017. SERIES SPOILERS

SPECIAL NOTE: We do mention the mechanics of Santa Claus, so please listen with caution around little ones and those for whom you want to preserve some magic. 

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“Let’s talk about cannibalism!” We go full book club and talk about our first mystery/thriller read – The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris! We try to avoid talking about the filmed version as we all read the book, so instead we talk about murder houses and whether we’d live in them (even if they are prime Chicago real estate), the mechanics of reading about/picturing book characters and how we love dogs so, so much. Katy defends the Tower of London, Carrie thinks everyone is just too smart for real life, Maddy has a crisis of identity, and Mack realizes he doesn’t understand the feminine mind (spoiler: just get a dog). We also discuss how much we hate Chilton, proper FBI protocol, and what being “on the juice” means. Pour yourself a big Amarone and enjoy! Originally recorded October 2017.

PLEASE NOTE: We do talk about the trans community a little and the historical language used to describe it, and how the characters in the book delineate between Buffalo Bill’s behavior and the behavior of transgender people. For more information please visit sites like the National Center for Transgender Equality and GLAAD.

TW: Cannibalism, serial killers, skinning humans, animal cruelty

Correction Section: 

Roald Dahl did write the screenplay for both the fifth Bond film You Only Live Twice (1967) and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968), and Ian Fleming did write the original novels for both of those. However, Fleming did not adapt anything of Dahl’s for film like Katy thought.

William Petersen (Grissom from CSI) does play Will Graham in Manhunter (1986), the film adaptation of Red Dragon. Carrie was right. -AS ALWAYS -C.O.

Let’s-Get-Criminal! We watch season five, episode sixteen of Criminal Minds, “Mosley Lane” and wow… do we talk about things other than the episode. We play What’s-That-Actor-From-Again?, discuss some unfortunate dated hair choices from both ourselves and the actors, and really talk some shit about CSI: Miami for people who’ve never really watched it. Katy says “muffin buffalo” more than once because it’s fun, Carrie gives creepy kidnapping advice, Maddy reminds us of high school literature class, and Mack really explores his Admiral Akbar impression. Also, some of the time we can’t hear Carrie but you, the listener, can! It’s like she’s temporarily a ghost! OooooooOOOOoooooo! Originally (expertly) recorded September 2017.

TW: Suicide, death of children, kidnapping of children, cremating of children

Correction Section: 

Katy meant Joan Crawford not Joan Collins.

Back to the British crime procedural! For our eighth episode we watched season two, episode four of Rosemary and Thyme, “The Invisible Worm.” We talk about the “vaguely sexual flower opening” of the opening titles and one of us gets very excited about Scarborough Fair. Katy pretends to know more about the British school system than she actually does, Carrie spends her first Joke Buck, Maddy loves Judi Dench, and Mack makes up fake sponsor ads. We also discuss plant genitalia and reproduction, have a Twin Peaks interlude, talk about our family nicknames and give advice to murderers. Maddy spills her beer and Mack owes us each $1! It’s a bonkers one! Originally recorded August 2017.

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TW: Guns, suicide, assault 

Correction Section:

Mack is not correct in his pronunciation of “unrequited.”