Never the Twins Shall Meet: Recent Episodes

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Description: This week, we’re back to talk about the new novel Grafting by Rylan Hynes, a heartfelt love story about a man who returns home to inherit his family’s apple orchard–and confronts the memory of his boyhood romance with the son of the local Methodist minister. Topics of discussion include rural queer stories, nonlinear narratives, a lot of apple symbolism, and a lengthy tangent about Brokeback Mountain.

Media Mentioned:

• Barbie dir. Greta Gerwig
• Billy Elliot dir. Stephen Daldry
• Half Man (TV show)
• Hamnet dir. Chloe Zhao
• Wasp’s Nest by Kat Stoddard
• The Philadelphia Story dir. George Cukor
• The Isle in the Silver Sea by Tasha Suri
• The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow
• Margo’s Got Money Troubles (TV show)
• Wreck (TV show)
• A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (TV show)
• A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
• Grafting by Rylan Hynes
• Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
• Far From You by Tess Sharpe
• Real Queer America by Samantha Allen
• Wake the Bones by Elizabeth Kilcoyne
• Saltburn dir. Emerald Fennell
• The Pomegranate Gate by Ariel Kaplan
• Red White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
• The Christophers dir. Stephen Soderberg
• The Thirty Names of Night by Zeyn Joukhadar
• The Watermelon Woman by Cheryl Dunye
• The Dangerous Kingdom of Love by Neil Blackmore
• The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
• Brokeback Mountain dir. Ang Lee
• Sort Of (TV show)
• When Harry Met Sally dir. Rob Reiner
• Dracula by Bram Stoker
• National Anthem dir. Luke Gilford
• The History of Sound dir. Oliver Hermanus
• On Swift Horses dir. Daniel Minahan
• God’s Own Country dir. Frances Lee
• Cactus Pears dir. Rohan Kanawade
• Heated Rivalry (TV show)
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
• The Monster at the End of this Book by Jon Stone

Content Warnings: Discussions of homophobia and domestic abuse.

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This week, our podcast is back from the dead (much like a resurrected dinosaur) to discuss our favorite books of 2025. Better late than never! Topics include dubious metaphors about pickles, popular books that lived up to the hype, and the dangers of library discard sales.

Content Warnings: Mentions of the Troubles, parental death, plague, transphobia, drug addiction, slavery, and sexual assault.

Media Mentioned:

• Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart
• Half Man (TV show)
• Widow’s Bay (TV show)
• Feast While You Can by Mikaella Clement and Onjuli Datta
• Episode 52: You’re Invited to the Bone Temple Rave
• Episode 51: We Don’t Know Anything About Hockey
• The Fair Folk Trilogy by Lyra Selene
• Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin
• An African History of Africa by Zeinab Badawi
• Africa Is Not a Country by Dipo Faloyin
• The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
• The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones
• The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty
• Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu
• The Starling House by Alix E. Harrow
• The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow
• Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake
• The Thousand Eyes by A.K. Larkwood
• Gods of the Wyrdwood by R.J. Barker
• The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon
• These Violent Delights by Micah Nemeverer
• Idlewild by James Frankie Thomas
• Rope dir. Alfred Hitchcock
• Murderbot (TV show)
• The Maid and the Crocodile by Jordan Ifueko
• Working on a Song by Anais Mitchell
• A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvie Cathrall
• Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe
• Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley
• Daisy Jones and the Six (TV show)
• Mother Mary dir. David Lowery
• Woodworking by Emily St. James
• Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman
• As Many Souls as Stars by Natasha Siegel
• Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe
• The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson
• Lover in Color by Bolu Babalola
• Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang
• The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov
• The Transgender Issue by Shon Faye
• Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe
• The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden
• Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
• The Good Lord Bird by James McBride
• The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
• Alligator Tears by Edgar Gomez
• High Risk Homosexual by Edgar Gomez
• H is for Hawk by Helen McDonald
• Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann
• The Sheep Detectives dir. Kyle Balda
• Lady Chatterly’s Lover by D.H. Lawrence
• Private Rites by Julia Armfield
• Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow
• To Clutch a Razor by Veronica Roth
• Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid
• Ladies in Hating by Alexandra Vasti
• Ordinary Love by Marie Rutkoski
• The Death I Gave Him by Em X. Liu
• Anima Rising by Christopher Moore
• Monsters and Mainframes by Barbara Truelove
• Sundial by Catriona Ward
• Red X by David Demchuck
• I Like to Watch by Emily Nussbaum
• Personal Attention Roleplay H. Felix Chau Bradley
• We Don’t Yet Know Ourselves by Fintan O’Toole
• A Rare Find by Joanna Lowell
• Florenzer by Phil Melanson
• The Duke by Anna Cowan
• The Subtle Art of Folding Space by John Chu
• Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
• Spirits Abroad by Zen Cho
• A Dark & Drowning Tide by Allison Saft
• Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens

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This week, we’re back to discuss the post-apocalyptic zombie film 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. Directed by Nia DaCosta, the newest installment in the 28 Days Later franchise explores a quarantined version of England overrun with a rage virus and the dangerous cult that takes root in the lawless environment. Topics of discussion include the film’s portrayal of violence versus kindness, how the film fits into the existing franchise, and Jack O’Connell’s unhinged performance as the villain.

Content warnings: discussions of fictional violence, death, and cults; brief mention of real-life sexual abuse

Media mentioned:

• The 2026 Winter Olympics
• The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow
• Come Home to My Heart by Riley Redgate
• A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (TV show)
• A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms by George R.R. Martin
• The Serpent Gates duology by A.K Larkwood
• Episode 48: 28 Zombies Later
• 28 Days Later dir. Danny Boyle
• 28 Weeks Later dir. Juan Carlos Fresnadillo
• 28 Years Later dir. Danny Boyle
• The Marvels dir. Nia DaCosta
• Hedda dir. Nia Dacosta
• Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen
• Little Woods dir. Nia DaCosta
• Candyman dir. Nia DaCosta
• Solo: A Star Wars Story dir. Ron Howard
• The Green Knight dir. David Lowery
• Sinners dir. Ryan Coogler
• Episode 47: Literary Death Match Recap
• Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D.H. Lawrence
• Lady Chatterley’s Lover dir. Laure de Clement-Tonnerre
• Starred Up dir. David Mackenzie
• In the Flesh (TV show)
• Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix
• Schindler’s List dir. Steven Spielberg

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For our first episode of 2026, we're discussing Heated Rivalry, the horny hockey romance show that recently took the internet by a storm. Topics include the compelling main relationship, our thoughts on the romance genre and book adaptations, and why we think the show was so successful. (And whether tuna melts are disgusting or a normal food.) And no, we did not learn anything more about hockey in preparation for this podcast!

Content Warnings: Discussions of homophobia and racism in professional sports environments.

Media mentioned:

• The Mighty Nein (TV show)
• Critical Role
• H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald
• Gosford Park (2001) dir. Robert Altman
• The Roma: A Traveling History by Madeline Potter
• Game Changers Series by Rachel Reid
• The Shots You Take by Rachel Reid
• Letterkenny (TV show)
• Shoresy (TV show)
• On Swift Horses (2025) dir. Daniel Minahan
• The History of Sound (2025) dir. Oliver Hermanus
• When Harry Met Sally (1989) dir. Rob Reiner
• Bridgerton (TV show)
• Pride and Prejudice (2005) dir. Joe Wright
• The Borgias (TV show)
• Yellowjackets (TV show)
• Conclave (2024) dir. Edward Berger
• Wildhood dir. Bretten Hannam
• Nope dir. Jordan Peele
• Normal People (show)
• Severance (TV show)
• The Pitt (TV show)
• Fire Island dir. Andrew Ahn
• Femme (2023) dir. Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping
• Nobody Wants This (TV show)
• Rye Lane dir. Raine Allen Miller
• Brokeback Mountain dir. Ang Lee
• Maurice by E.M. Forster
• Experienced by Kate Young
• The Last Binding Trilogy by Freya Marske
• We Live in Time dir. John Crowley

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It may be winter holiday season, but we are still firmly in Halloween mode! Coming a mere month and a half late, it’s our spooky season round-up of all the bloody, bone-chilling, or unnerving books and movies we immersed ourselves in for the month of October. Topics of discussion include how to put a fresh spin on classic horror tropes, the overwhelming number of Stephen King adaptations out this year, and, of course, the perils of evil basements.

Media Mentioned

• Peter Hujar’s Day dir. Ira Sachs
• Predator: Badlands dir. Dan Trachtenberg
• Prey dir. Dan Trachtenberg
• When Among Crows & To Clutch a Razor by Veronica Roth
• On Swift Horses by Shannon Pufahl
• On Swift Horses dir. Daniel Minahan
• Down Cemetery Road (TV show)
• The Good Lord Bird by James McBride
• Near Dark dir. Kathryn Bigelow
• Raging Grace dir. Paris Zarcilla
• Caveat dir. Damian McCarthy
• Oddity dir. Damian McCarthy
• The Long Walk dir. Francis Lawrence
• The Hunger Games dir. Francis Lawrence
• On Writing by Stephen King
• Rye Lane dir. Raine Allen-Miller
• Alien: Romulus dir. Fede Álvarez
• Late Night With the Devil Colin and Cameron Cairnes
• Murderbot (TV show)
• Fréwaka dir. Aislinn Clarke
• The Witch dir. Robert Eggers
• Ready or Not dir. Matt Bettinelli and Tyler Gillett
• Ready or Not: Here I Come dir. Matt Bettinelli and Tyler Gillett
• Enola Holmes & Enola Holmes 2 dir. Harry Bradbeer
• Now You See Me: Now You Don’t dir. Ruben Fleischer
• The Monkey dir. Osgood Perkins
• Life of Chuck dir. Mike Flanagan
• It: Welcome to Derry (TV show)
• The Running Man dir. Edgar Wright
• Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
• The Black Phone 2 dir. Scott Derrickson
• Abraham’s Boys dir. Natasha Kermani
• Longlegs dir. Osgood Perkins
• The Silence of the Lambs dir. Jonathan Demme
• Keeper dir. Osgood Perkins
• Nope dir. Jordan Peele
• Get Out dir. Jordan Peele
• Us dir. Jordan Peele
• Hustlers dir. Lorene Scafaria
• His House dir. Remi Weekes
• Frankenstein dir. Guillermo del Toro
• Pan’s Labyrinth dir. Guillermo del Toro
• Crimson Peak dir. Guillermo del Toro
• Pacific Rim dir. Guillermo del Toro
• Hellboy dir. Guillermo del Toro
• Wuthering Heights dir. Emerald Fennell
• We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
• The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
• Boys, Beasts, and Men by Sam J. Miller
• Blackfish City by Sam J. Miller
• If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio
• Graveyard Shift by M.L. Rio
• Hot Wax by M.L. Rio
• Hazelthorn by C.G. Drews
• The Corruption of Hollis Brown by K. Ancrum
• The Outside by Ada Hoffmann
• Knock Knock Open Wide by Neil Sharpson
• Bored Gay Werewolf by Tony Santorella
• Moth Dark by Kika Hatzopoulou
• Hellboy II: The Golden Army dir. Guillermo del Toro
• Motheater by Linda Codega
• Lucky Day by Chuck Tingle
• My Darling Dreadful Thing by Johanna van Veen
• Drowned Maiden’s Hair by Laura Amy Schlitz
• Ladies in Hating by Alexandra Vasti
• Halifax Hellions by Alexandra Vasti
• Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker

Content warnings: discussions of murder, death, COVID-19, anti-Asian hate crimes

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In this episode, we discuss our summer in terms of movie-going, from big superhero blockbusters to contemplative indie dramas. Topics include our evolving taste in films, the benefit of cheap afternoon matinee tickets, and our weakness for cute animals sidekicks.

Content warnings: mentions of violence and death, racism, alcoholism, sexual assault, and homophobia.

Media Mentioned:

• Episode 48 – 28 Zombies Later
• The Pitt (TV show)
• Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy
• A Legionnaire’s Guide to Love and Peace by Emily Skrutskie
• Catwoman: Lonely City by Cliff Chiang
• 28 Years Later dir. Danny Boyle
• Superman dir. James Gunn
• X-Men: First Class dir. Matthew Vaughn
• Guardians of the Galaxy dir. James Gunn
• The Suicide Squad dir. James Gunn
• Upright (TV show)
• KPop Demon Hunters dir. Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans
• The Life of Chuck dir. Mike Flanagan
• On Writing by Stephen King
• The Phoenician Scheme dir. Wes Anderson
• Strictly Ballroom dir. Baz Luhrmann
• Rushmore dir. Wes Anderson
• Moonrise Kingdom dir. Wes Anderson
• Asteroid City dir. Wes Anderson
• A Quiet Place: Day One dir. Michael Sarnoski
• Fantastic Four: First Steps dir. Matt Shakman
• Gladiator II dir. Ridley Scott
• Episode 41 – There’s No Place Like Rome
• Wakanda Forever dir. Ryan Coogler
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings dir. Destin Daniel Cretton
• Furiosa dir. George Miller
• Fantastic Four (2015) dir. Josh Trank
• Fantastic Four by Ryan North
• Fantastic Four by Jonathan Hickman
• Lord of Misrule dir. William Brent Bell
• Near Dark dir. Kathryn Bigelow
• In the Summers dir. Alessandra Lacorazza
• Dune (1984) dir. David Lynch
• Honey, Don’t! dir. Ethan Coen
• Drive Away Dolls dir. Ethan Coen
• Fargo dir. Joel and Ethan Coen
• Knives Out dir. Rian Johnson
• Jurassic Park dir. Steven Spielberg
• The Dark Knight dir. Christopher Nolan

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In a shocking departure from our vampire-obsessed podcast, this week we’re talking about zombies! Revisiting Danny Boyle’s cult-class film 28 Days Later, its awful sequel 28 Weeks Later, and the tonally surprising third installment 28 Years Later, we discuss the evolution of zombie media, social commentary in apocalyptic settings, and child protagonists in horror.

Media mentioned:

• Silvercloak by L.K. Steven
• The Order dir. Justin Kurzel
• Idlewild by James Frankie Thomas
• The Deviant by James Tynion IV
• On Swift Horses by Shannon Pufahl
• Say Nothing (TV show)
• Unearthed (documentary)
• Near Dark dir. Kathryn Bigelow
• Wildhood dir. Bretten Hannam
• Doctor Who
• True Detective: Night Country
• The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey
• Anna and the Apocalypse dir. John McPhail
• Oppenheimer dir. Christopher Nolan
• Pacific Rim dir. Guillermo del Toro
• Once Upon a Time (TV show)
• A Quiet Place: Day One dir. Michael Sarnoski
• Romeo + Juliet dir. Baz Luhrmann
• Nosferatu dir. Robert Eggers
• The Suicide Squad dir. James Gunn
• Mad Max dir. George Miller
• A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
• Sinners dir. Ryan Coogler
• 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple dir. Nia DaCosta
• The Marvels dir. Nia DaCosta
• Ex Machina dir. Alex Garland
• Warfare dir. Ray Mendoza
• Annihilation dir. Alex Garland

Content warnings: discussions of disease, violence, death, suicide, slavery, attempted sexual assault and forced pregnancy, parental abuse, cancer, terminal illness.

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In this follow-up episode to our previously announced literary death match competition, we discuss how our month of reading played out. Who won the competition? What were our favorite reads? Will we ever recover from the air of paranoia and competition that infiltrated our household? The answer to these questions and more await!

Media Mentioned:

• Careme (TV show)
• The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson
• The Pitt (TV show)
• Idlewild by James Frankie Thomas
• The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
• Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake
• Evocation by S.T. Gibson
• A Dark and Drowning Tide by Allison Saft
• Enter, Ghost by Isabella Hammad
• The Scapegoat by Lucy Hughes Hallett
• Cracked Spines podcast
• An African History of Africa by Zeinad Badawi
• The Vanished Birds by Simon Jimenez
• Longbourn by Jo Baker
• The Rooster House by Victoria Belim
• Raised by Wolves anthology
• Eyes Guts Throats Bones by Moira Fowley
• This Love Lotte Jeffs
• One Day by David Nicholls
• Here, the World Entire by Anwen Kya Hayward
• Here by Wislawa Szymborska
• The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting by KJ Charles
• The Duke at Hazard by KJ Charles
• Maurice by E.M Forster
• Any Other City by Hazel Jane Plante
• Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman
• Triple Sec by T.J. Alexander
• The Ninety-Ninth Bride by Catherine Faris King
• Last Seen Online by Wren James
• The Wise and the Wicked by Rebecca Podos
• How to Gut a Fish by Sheila Armstrong
• In These Hallowed Halls edited by Marie O’Regan and Patrick Kane
• The Secret History by Donna Tartt
• That’s What She Said by Eleanor Pilcher
• Passing Strange by Ellen KlagesPeach Pit: Sixteen Stories of Unsavory Women edited by Molly Llewellyn and Kristel Buckley
• Mint and Melancholy Nazik Adam
• Greenteeth by Molly O’Neill
• Let the Dead by Dylan Brennan
• Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
• Uncommon Charm by Emily Bergslien and Kat Weaver
• Passing by Nella Larsen
• Tha Vanishing Half by Britt Bennet
• Sixteen Souls by Rosie Talbot
• All Systems Red by Martha Wells
• Fifty Beasts to Break Your Heart by GennaRose Nethercott
• Love in Color by Bolu Babalola
• The Office of Historical Corrections by Danielle Evans
• The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater
• Sleepless Volume 1 by Sarah Vaughn and Leila del Duca

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This week, we’re back to discuss Ryan Coogler’s musical horror film, Sinners. Following a pair of gangster brothers in the 1930s who return home to rural Mississippi to open a juke joint and find themselves facing down a supernatural horror. Blending horror, history, and blues music, it’s a rich and complex film that we also had an absolute blast watching. Topics of discussion include the film’s use of music, its historical setting, use of vampire lore, and recommendations for similar media.

Content warnings: discussions of segregation, racism, murder, lynching, forced religious conversion

Media Mentioned

• Episode 44 – Literary Death Match
• Slow Horses (TV show)
• Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman
• Any Other City by Hazel Jane Plante
• Little Blue Encyclopedia (For Vivian) by Hazel Jane Plante
• Bonus Track dir. Julia Jackman
• Sing Street dir. John Carney
• The 100 Nights of Hero by Isabel Greenberg
• Black Panther dir. Ryan Coogler
• Black Panther: Wakanda Forever dir. Ryan Coogler
• Creed dir. Ryan Coogler
• Queen of Katwe dir. Mira Nair
• Fruitvale Station dir. Ryan Coogler
• Robert Johnson (musician)
• “Me & the Devil” by Soap & Skin
• West Side Story (movie/musical)
• Anna and the Apocalypse dir. John MCPhail
• How to Blow Up a Pipeline dir. Daniel Goldhaber
• Mickey-17 dir, Bong Joon Ho
• “Doubling Up: How ‘Sinners’ and Other Movies Multiply One Actor” by Esther Zuckerman for the New York Times
• Anora dir. Sean Baker
• Poor Things dir. Yorgos Lanthimos
• This Film Is Not Yet Rated dir. Kirby Dick
• Nickel Boys dir. RaMell Ross
• “Ryan Coogler’s Road to Sinners” by Jelani Cobb for the New Yorker
• “Ryan Coogler Didn’t Want to Hide Anymore” by David Sims for the Atlantic
• Puss in Boots: The Last Wish dir. Joel Crawford
• The Vourdalak dir. Adrien Beau
• The Last Voyage of the Demeter dir. André Øvredal
• AMC’s Interview With the Vampire
• Blue Eye Samurai (TV show)
• Geeshie Wiley (musician)
• “The Ballad of Geeshie and Elvie” by John Jeremiah Sullivan for the New York Times
• Rhiannon Giddens (musician)
• A Complete Unknown dir. James Mangold
• Get Out dir. Jordan Peele
• Oddity dir. Damian McCarthy
• “Let’s Talk About the Irish Music in Sinners” by Leah Schnelbach for Reactor
• Dracula by Bram Stoker
• This is England dir. Shane Meadows
• Lord of the Rings: Return of the King dir. Peter Jackson
• Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark
• The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle
• American Ghoul by Michelle McGill-Vargas
• The Ballad of Perilous Graves by Alex Jennings
• Lovers Rock dir. Steve McQueen
• Artie and the Wolf Moon by Olivia Stephens
• Abbott by Saladin Ahmed
• Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse
• Daughters of Jubilation by Kara Lee Corthron
• The Diviners by Libba Bray
• My Heart Struck Sorrow by John Honor Jacobs published in A Lush and Seething Hell
• Castlevania: Nocturne
• Lone Women by Victor LaValle
• Trouble the Saints by Alaya Dawn Johnson
• Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope

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This week, we’re back to talk about Bong Joon Ho’s recent science fiction dark comedy, Mickey-17. It stars Robert Pattinson as Mickey Barnes, a disposable employee sent on a space expedition where he dies and is recloned again and again. Topics of discussion include the film’s satirical commentary on capitalism, some fascinating acting choices from the cast, and ugly-cute aliens. Lulu also tries not to bring up Twilight a lot and kind of fails.

Media mentioned:

• The Wheel of Time (TV series)
• The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan
• The Notorious Virtues by Alwyn Hamilton
• Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins
• The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
• Episode 36 – The Ballad of Cabbages and Coursework
• All the Bad Apples by Moïra Fowley-Doyle
• Widows dir. Steve McQueen
• Mickey-7 by Edward Ashton
• Snowpiercer dir. Bong Joon Ho
• Parasite dir. Bong Joon Ho
• Mad Max: Fury dir. George Miller
• Fargo dir. Ethan and Joel Coen
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire dir. Mike Newell
• The Boy and the Heron dir. Hayao Miyazaki
• Twilight (film franchise)
• High Life dir. Claire Denis
• Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker dir. JJ Abrams
• Poor Things dir. Yorgos Lanthimos
• The Incredible Hulk dir. Louis Leterrier
• Black Panther dir. Ryan Coogler
• Hereditary dir. Ari Aster
• Hearts Beat Loud dir. Brett Haley
• Minari dir. Isaac Lee Chung
• The Borgias (TV show)
• The Count of Monte Cristo dir. Matthieu Delaporte and Alexandre de La Patellière
• A Streetcar Named Desire (2023 production)
• Firebrand dir. Karim Aïnouz
• Severance (TV series)
• Dune 2 dir. Denis Villenueve
• Okja dir. Bong Joon Ho
• Beowulf
• Blade Runner dir. Ridley Scott
• Fire Island dir. Andrew Ahn
• Episode 27 – More Pride and Less Prejudice

Content warnings: discussions of death, human experimentation, and evil capitalism

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This week, we’ve decided to be arbitrarily competitive! Tune in to listen to us discuss the literary death match we’ve decided to embark on in the month of May, plus how our reading has gone so far in 2025. Will our podcast survive this competition? Only time will tell!

Media Mentioned

• Cracked Spines (podcast)
• Woodworking by Emily St. James
• The Death I Gave Him by Em X. Liu
• Hamlet by William Shakespeare
• The Maid and the Crocodile by Jordan Ifueko
• Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko
• Metal From Heaven by august clarke
• Sick Kids in Love by Hannah Moskowitz
• Headliners by Lucy Parker
• A Bloomy Head by J. Winifred Butterworth
• Personal Attention Roleplay by H. Felix Chau Bradley
• The Lesser Dead by Christopher Buehlman
• AMC’s Interview With the Vampire
• Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley
• Projections by S.E. Porter
• The Indian Card by Carrie Lowry Schuettpelz
• I Like to Watch by Emily Nussbaum
• True Detective
• The Bluestockings by Susanna Gibson
• Shakespeare’s Sisters by Ramie Targoff
• The History of Sound by Ben Shattuck
• The History of Sound dir. Oliver Hermanus (upcoming film)
• Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang
• The Hummingbird Killer by Finn Longman
• Captain America: The Winter Soldier dir. Anthony Russo and Joe Russo
• Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad
• Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelopee
• Sinners dir. Ryan Coogler
• A Dark and Drowning Tide by Allison Saft
• Evocation by S.T. Gibson
• A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson
• An Education in Malice by S.T. Gibson
• Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake
• What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
• Mexican by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
• Cosmo Sheldrake (musician)

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This week, we’re back with a definitely-on-time episode about our favorite books of 2024! Tune in for spine-chilling horror, characters that consume us, compelling nonfiction, and much more.

For the full list of media mentioned in this episode, visit our website neverthetwinsshallmeet.com

Content warnings:

• Mentions of suicidal ideation (24:30-27:00)
• Mentions of slavery and racism (34:00-39:30)
• Mentions of cancer (1:00:00:30-1:02:00)
• Mentions of murder and slavery (1:03:30-1:08:55)
• Mentions of fascism and transphobia (1:15:30–1:20:35)
• Mentions of Nazi Germany (1:46:33-1:47:30)
• Mentions of antisemitism (1:51:50-1:52:20)

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Coming to you several months late, this week’s episode is a round-up of all the horror and generally spooky literature that we read in the month of October. Topics of discussion include female rage in the gothic genre, the blending of real history and supernatural horror, and how most college campus elevators are probably haunted.

Content warnings: discussions of domestic abuse, serial killers, and the AIDs epidemic

Media mentioned

• The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door by H.G. Parry
• Upright (TV show)
• Woodworking by Emily St. James
• Severance (TV show)
• Episode 40 – Spooky Season Special
• Episode 41 – There’s No Place Like Rome
• Take All of Us by Natalie Leif
• The Girl With All the Gifts by M.R. Carey
• Love Will Tear Us Apart by Alaya Dawn Johnson
• Delicious Monsters by Liselle Sambury
• The House That Whispers by Lin Thompson
• Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
• Here in the Night by Rebecca Turkewitz
• American Ghoul by Michelle McGill-Vargas
• The September House by Carissa Orlando
• Haunt Sweet Home by Sarah Pinsker
• “Where Oaken Hearts Do Gather” by Sarah Pinsker
• Don’t Let the Forest In by C.G. Drews
• “The V*mpire” by P.H. Lee at reactor.com
• Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
• Dracula by Bram Stoker
• The Path of Thorns by A.G. Slatter
• All the Murmuring Bones by A.G. Slatter
• Red X by David Demchuk
• Witch by Jen Silverman

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Happy New Year! We’re starting 2025 off with our longest episode yet, discussing the two Hollywood blockbuster behemoths of fall 2024: Wicked: Part 1 and Gladiator II. Topics of discussion include stage-to-screen adaptations, lesbian subtext, costume design, the perils of sequels, and a significant amount of complaining about historical inaccuracies. Spoilers abound for both movies, as well as the entirety of Wicked the musical and, randomly, Stranger Things season four. Our review of Wicked takes up the first half of the podcast while our discussion of Gladiator II starts at the 1:12:46 mark.

Media Mentioned:

• The Gentlemen on Netflix
• Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe
• Cursebreakers by Madeline Nakamura
• Anna and the Apocalypse dir. John McPhail
• The Outrun dir. Nora Fingscheidt
• Bird dir. Andrea Arnold
• The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
• Wicked by Gregory Maguire
• The Divergent movies
• West Side Story dir. Stephen Spielberg
• Widows dir. Steve McQueen
• Victorious (TV show)
• Bridgerton
• Crashing (TV show)
• The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy
• The Fall dir. Tarsem Singh
• Everything Everywhere All at Once dir. Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert
• Kaos (TV show)
• Eragon by Christopher Paolini
• Thistlefoot by Gennarose Nethercott
• Gladiator dir. Ridley Scott
• A Quiet Place: Day One dir. Michael Sarnoski
• Normal People (2020)
• All of Us Strangers dir. Andrew Haigh
• Aftersun dir. Charlotte Wells
• The Last of Us (TV show)
• The Mandalorian
• Much Ado About Nothing dir. Kenneth Brannagh
• Stranger Things
• The Fear Street Trilogy
• Episode 34–Saltblah
• House of the Dragon (2022–)
• A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum by Emma Southon
• A Rome of One’s Own by Emma Southon
• Macbeth by William Shakespeare
• “It Was an Enormous Task: Gladiator II’s Costume Designers on Outfitting Ridley Scott’s Roman Epic (and Getting Denzel to Wear Those Little Earrings) by Elaina Patton for Vogue
• Napoleon dir. Ridley Scott
• Kingdom of Heaven dir. Ridley Scott

Content Warnings: discussions of slavery, death, violence, homophobia, ableism, colonialism, and fascism.

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Happy holidays! Today we’re returning with a seasonally inappropriate episode on Halloween. In the month of October, we challenged ourselves to have a spooky good time and watch some horror movies. Topics include vampires (so many vampires), the joys and terrors of watching scary movies, and the beautiful but terrifyingly haunted nation of Ireland. (Despite the over-eager opening of this episode, we did not get around to discussing horror literature. Stay tuned!)

Media mentioned:

• Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
• Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
• The Dangerous Kingdom of Love by Neil Blackmore
• Arcane (2021-2024)
• The Poppy War trilogy by RF Kuang
• High Life dir. Claire Denis
• The Moth Diaries dir. Mary Harron
• Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan LeFanu
• Dracula by Bram Stoker
• Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
• Marina and the Diamonds
• American Psycho dir. Mary Harron
• Last Voyage of the Demeter dir. André Øvredal
• Dracula Daily (internet phenomenon)
• Renfield dir. Christ McKay
• The Company of Wolves dir. Neil Jordan
• Interview With the Vampire dir. Neil Jordan
• The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter
• Labyrinth dir. Jim Henson
• Byzantium dir. Neil Jordan
• Pride and Prejudice and Zombies dir. Burr Steers
• Maleficent dir. Robert Stromberg
• Elementary (2012-2019)
• Only Lovers Left Alive dir. Jim Jarmusch
• What We Do in the Shadows
• Belle dir. Amma Asante
• All You Need is Death dir. Paul Duane
• Lankum (band)
• Beetlejuice dir. Tim Burton
• Beetlejuice Beetlejuice dir. Tim Burton
• Coraline dir. Henry Selick
• The Nightmare Before Christmas dir. Henry Selick
• Wendell and Wild dir. Henry Selick
• Now You See Me dir. Louis Leterrier
• Dumbo dir. Tim Burton
• Wednesday (2022-)
• Mamma Mia dir. Phyllida Lloyd
• Chloe and Jame dir. Drew Burnett Gregory
• Psycho dir. Alfred Hitchcock
• The Silence of the Lambs dir. Jonathan Demme
• Jennifer’s Body dir. Karyn Kusama
• Oddity dir. Damian McCarthy
• Dracula dir. Todd Browning
• Nosferatu dir. Robert Eggers
• The Vourdalak dir. Adrien Beau
• The Family of the Vourdalak by Aleksey Tolstoy
• BBC Trignometry

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This week, we return from our lengthy and unplanned hiatus with the world’s! nichest! episode! That’s right, we’re talking about Among Others by Jo Walton, Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater, and Tam Lin by Pamela Dean, three fantasy novels set on school campuses that blend faerie folklore and coming-of-age stories. Topics of discussion include how each book puts their own spin on the supernatural and the folkloric, tragically canceled book series, reproductive rights, and where on a college campus you’re most likely to run into a faerie. (And yes, this episode was meant to be released several months ago, as our discussion at the beginning indicates. Oops.)

Other media mentioned

• Greta and Valdin by Rebecca K Reilly
• La Chimera dir. Alica Rohrwacher
• Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John le Carre
• Challengers dir. Luca Guadagnino
• Dead Boy Detectives (Netflix show)
• You Let Me In by Camilla Bruce (creepy faerie book Lulu couldn’t remember the name of)
• The Wicker King by K. Ancrum
• Aye and Gomorrah by Samuel R. Delany
• Catwings by Ursula K. Le Guin
• The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater
• Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
• The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
• Chime by franny billingsley
• The Hounds of Ulster by Maggie Stiefvater
• Apotheosis (concept, not katabasis)
• A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin
• StarCrossed by elizabeth bunce
• The Oracles of Delphi Keep by Victoria Laurie
• How to Train Your Dragon
• Lord of the Rings (film & books)
• Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones
• A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
• An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson

Content warnings: discussions of sibling death, parental abuse, a car crash, pregnancy and abortion, suicide, and dubious sexual consent

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This week is all about the spooky ancestral homes as we talk about And Don’t Look Back by Rebecca Barrow and All the Dead Lie Down by Kyrie McCauley, two young adult novels about family homes and the dark secrets they hide. Topics include what constitutes a haunted house (does there have to be a literal ghost?), twisty mysteries, and the inherent queerness of the gothic genre.

(Also, as you may have guessed, we did NOT release this episode before traveling internationally despite our optimism about doing so in this recording.)

Media Mentioned:

• Shogun (2024)
• Dungeon Meshi
• The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri
• Our Hideous Progeny by C.E. McGill
• Burning Girls and Other Stories by Veronica Schanoes
• Tramps (2016) dir. Adam Leon
• Bad Things Happen Here by Rebecca Barrow
• Episode 26: Bad Things at the Beach
• The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe
• The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
• Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
• Episode 18: Reduce Reuse Reanimate

Content Warnings: Discussions of parental death, animal death, domestic abuse, murder, drowning

As always, you can learn more at our website, neverthetwinsshallmeet.com

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This week, we’re taking a trip to 1950s Italy as we discuss Patricia Highsmith’s classic thriller The Talented Mr. Ripley and its acclaimed 1999 adaptation directed by Anthony Minghella. Topics of discussion include the novel’s iconic con artist protagonist, the twisty plot, homoerotic subtext, and how Minghella put his own spin on the themes and characters.

Media Mentioned

• Scrapper (2023) dir. Charlotte Regan (note: Lulu was wrong, the lead actress’s name is actually Lola Campbell, not Lola Chambers)
• Aftersun (2022) dir. Charlotte Wells
• The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow
• Dune by Frank Herbert
• The Artful Dodger (2023), starring Thomas Brodie-Sangster, David Thewliss, and Maia Mitchell
• Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
• Saltburn (2023) dir. Emerald Fennell
• Do Revenge (2022)
• These Violent Delights by Micah Nemerever
• The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
• “Patricia Highsmith” by Richard Brooks for the Guardian
• The Bourne Identity movies
• Nimona by N.D. Stevenson
• Sorry to Bother You (2018) dir. Boots Riley
• The Celluloid Closet (1995) dir. Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman
• Hannibal (2013-2015)
• King Arthur: Legend of the Sword dir. Guy Ritchie
• Ripley (upcoming Netflix show)
• BBC Sherlock
• And Don’t Look Back by Rebecca Barrow
• All the Dead Lie Down by Kyrie McCauley

Content Warnings: discussions of antisemitism, racism, murder, violence, homophobia, gaslighting, suicide, and classism.

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We’re back this week to talk about the latest Hunger Games movie, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Topics include our relationship with the famous dystopian franchise, how the movie compares to the book, why we find prequels and villain protagonists compelling, and a detour through Enlightenment philosophy.

Other Media Mentioned:

• Hannibal (2013-2015)
• The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
• Gods of the Wyrdwood by R.J. Barker
• Anatomy of a Fall dir. Justine Triet
• A Murder at the End of the World (2023)
• True Detective: Night Country
• We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian
• Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins
• Coriolanus by William Shakespeare
• West Side Story (2021) dir. Steven Spielberg
• Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes
• Second Treatise of Government by John Locke
• The Social Contract by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
• Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
• “Silver Springs” by Fleetwood Mac
• Wicked (2024) dir. John M. Chu
• Saltburn (2023) dir. Emerald Fennell

Content warnings: Discussions of death, violence, hanging, cannibalism and fascism

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Happy belated New Year! We return fashionably late with a behemoth of an episode to discuss each of our top 10 books of 2023, a few extra superlatives (scariest book, anyone?), and some reading goals for 2024. Tune in for fantasy fiction, gothic literature, romance novels, unexpected favorites, and only a little bit of human sacrifice.

(Also, Lulu would like to mention that she forgot to mention Emily Carroll’s works when discussing graphic novels, but they’re all very creepy and amazing. Additionally, we ran out of time for her to discuss poetry, but Native Guard by Natasha Trethewey, The Renunciations by Donika Kelly, and Water & Salt by Lena Khalaf Tuffaha were her favorite books of poetry read last year.)

Content warnings: discussions of slavery (27:47-31:05), domestic abuse (31:06-33:08), and depression/suicidal ideation (58:18-1:03:18)

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Our podcast is back, and we’re in our hater era! In this episode, we tackle the infamously divisive 2023 film Saltburn, a psychological thriller directed by Emerald Fennell and starring Barry Keoghan as Oliver Quick, an Oxford scholarship student invited to his wealthy friend’s summer estate, Saltburn, for a summer that takes a dark turn. (Spoiler alert: we didn't like it.) Topics discussed include the film’s muddled class commentary, our hatred of the film’s ending, and it’s intent to shock and upset the viewer.

Other Media Mentioned:

• Blue Eye Samurai (2023-)
• Starling House by Alix E. Harrow
• A Narrow Door by Joanne Harris
• The Holdovers (dir. Alexander Payne)
• Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
• Bellies by Nicola Dinan
• Promising Young Woman (dir. Emerald Fennell)
• The Eternals (dir. Chloe Zhao)
• The Banshees of Inisherin (dir. Martin McDonagh)
• Knives Out (dir. Rian Johnson)
• Parasite (dir. Bong Joon-ho)
• Can posh people write good slass satire? By Patrick Sproull for Dazed
• Romeo + Juliet (dir. Baz Luhrmann)
• Biting the Hand by Julia Lee
• Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
• Tripping Arcadia by Kit Mayquist
• These Violent Delights by Micah Nemerever
• Gentlemen and Players by Joanne Harris
• Temper by Layne Fargo
• They Never Learn by Layne Fargo
• Interview With the Vampire (2022–)

Content Warnings: Discussions of drug overdose, suicide, murder, classism, racism, manipulation, and sexual assault

Also, not actually related to the content of this episode, but if you are an American listener, we would like to invite you to call your representatives and demand a ceasefire in Israel and Palestine. 5calls.org makes it easy to do.

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We’re back for our first episode of the summer! In this one, we take a trip to post-Rome Britain to explore our fascination with a time period that is more myth than history. Going full history nerd, we take a look at three books set in Britain after the withdrawal of Roman imperial powers: Dark Earth by Rebecca Stott, Here Lies Arthur by Philip Reeve, and Sistersong by Lucy Holland. We discuss the possible origin of the King Arthur myth, queer medieval narratives, and the cultural diversity of Britain at this time–as well as wizards, warlords, and murder ballads.

Other Media Mentioned:

• Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman
• The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty
• Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
• Little Blue Encyclopedia for Vivian by Hazel Jane Plante
• The Thousand Eyes by A.K. Larkwood
• Bernard Cornwell’s books
• Spear by Nicola Griffith
• Perceval by Chretien de Troyes
• The Two Sisters by Steeleye Span
• On the Ruin and Conquest of Britain by Gildas
• History of the Kings of Britain by Geoffrey of Monmouth

Content Warnings:

Discussions of war, death, and body horror

Also 1) apologies for the distant car horn in a few moments and 2) our discussion of Here Lies Arthur involves talking about some characters who present as different genders over the course of the story and so has some varying pronoun usage.

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This week, we’ve got a guest on our podcast as author M.K. Lobb drops by to answer our questions about her young adult fantasy novel Seven Faceless Saints. Tune in to hear us discuss the real historical inspiration behind her fantasy world, the joys of writing angsty romance, and the importance of angry female characters. 

Media mentioned

• These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong
• Keep This To Yourself by Tom Ryan
• I Hope You’re Listening by Tom Ryan
• Karen McManus (YA mystery author)
• The Queen’s Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
• Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson
• Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Content warnings: discussions of war, PTSD, and murder

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In this episode, we take a deep dive into the character of John Constantine, DC’s infamous dirtbag warlock. Beginning with his iconic Hellblazer comic and going on to discuss his many movie and TV appearances, we tackle some of his most iconic storylines, how various adaptations do or don’t work, and why we find one British magician’s poor life choices so compelling.

Media mentioned:

• Lockwood & Co. (Netflix show)
• The Last of Us (HBO show)
• The Legend of Vox Machina (TV show)
• Seasparrow by Kristin Cashore
• Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott
• The Newsreader (TV show)
• Andor (TV show)
• The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
• Kindred by Octavia Butler
• Sandman by Neil Gaiman
• DC Pride Anthology (2021)
• Constantine: The Hellblazer by James Tynion IV and Ming Doyle
• Hellblazer: Original Sins by Jamie Delano
• DC Bombshells by Marguerite Bennett
• Swamp Thing by Alan Moore
• Constantine: All His Engines by Mike Carey
• The Girl with all the Gifts by M.R. Carey
• Constantine: City of Demons
• The Sandman episode 3: “Dream a Little Dream of Me”
• Legends of Tomorrow

Content warnings: lung cancer, suicide, child abuse, homophobia, biphobia, racism

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This week’s episode is a blast to the past as we delve into a new genre for this podcast: historical romance novels. Focusing on five novels–A Caribbean Heiress in Paris by Adriana Herrera, The Siren of Sussex by Mimi Matthews, The Queer Principles of Kit Webb by Cat Sebastian, The Duke Who Didn’t by Courtney Milan, and The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite–we delve into how they fit into the overall genre while crafting individual love stories that stand out on their own. We discuss some of our favorite romance tropes and how these books subvert them or play them straight, as well as examining the historical contexts a bit. Plus: seances, heists, and Worcestershire sauce.

Other media mentioned

• AMC’s Interview With the Vampire
• A Restless Truth by Freya Marske
• Honey and Spice by Bolu Babalola
• Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
• Winter Be My Shield by Jo Spurrier
• The Kingdoms by Natasha Pulley
• Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
• The Brown Sisters trilogy by Talia Hibbert
• Bridgerton (TV show)
• Belle (2013 movie)
• “Why Are So Many Novels Set in the Regency Period?” by Jess Romeo for JSTOR Daily
• Jane Austen
• Georgette Heyer
• Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho
• The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes Cat Sebastian

Content warnings: discussions of historical racism, sexism, colonialism, homophobia, and slavery, as well as two novels that deal with parental death

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This episode, we’re taking a turn into the classics by reviewing two retellings of Emily Brontë’s gothic novel Wuthering Heights: Black Spring by Alison Croggon and What Souls Are Made Of by Tasha Suri. We indulge our inner English majors by getting very excited about cycles of tragedy, ghosts, and doomed romance while also discussing how the novels put their own spin on a classic work of literature.

Other media mentioned

• The Rings of Power
• The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien
• House of the Dragon
• A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin
• Sistersong by Lucy Holland
• Only a Monster by Vanessa Len
• A League of Their Own (TV show)
• House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson
• Spear by Nicola Griffith
• AMC’s Interview With the Vampire (TV show)
• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
• Self-Made Boys by Anna-Marie McLemore
• The Books of Ambha by Tasha Suri
• The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri
• Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
• Wuthering Heights by Kate Bush

Content warnings: discussions of abuse, racism, murder, colonialism, famine, death

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Segueing into Spooky Season, this week we’re bringing a seasonally-appropriate episode on witchy books! Focusing on The Scapegracers by H.A. Clarke and Payback’s a Witch by Lana Harper, we discuss the different takes on witches in both novels, their representation of magic-wielding lesbian and bisexual women, and how supernatural elements are used to underscore and develop the character relationships. (And also how a drag show act served as the seed of inspiration for this episode.)

Content warnings: car crash, parental death, homophobia

Other media mentioned

• The Sandman (comic)
• Everything Everywhere All at Once
• The Duke Who Didn’t by Courtney Milan
• The Sandman (Netflix show)
• Silver Under Nightfall by Rin Chupeco
• Hellblazer by Jamie Delano
• The Scratch Daughter by H.A. Clarke (upcoming)
• The Lost Coast by A.R. Capetta
• Witch Week by Diana Wynne Jones

As always, you can learn more about our podcast at our website, neverthetwinsshallmeet.com

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The start of fall may be nearing, but we’re here to prolong summer with an episode on the movie Fire Island! A modern gay adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, it follows a group of friends on their annual summer vacation. Topics include how the movie updates the novel’s social commentary and class dynamics, what makes the iconic Elizabeth/Darcy relationship work, and how the film deviates from the source text in fun and interesting ways. Also, a lot of positive yelling about the romance.

Other Media Mentioned:

• The Sandman by Neil Gaiman
• The Immortal Hulk by Al Ewing
• Never Ever Getting Back Together by Sophie Gonzales
• The Unbroken by C.L. Clark
• Wildhood (2021) dir. Bretten Hannam
• Lockwood and Co by Jonathan Stroud
• Seeing Ghosts by Kat Chow
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (many times!)
• Pride and Prejudice (2005) dir. Joe Wright
• Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016) dir. Burr Steers
• Heartstone by Elle Katharine White
• The Lizzie Bennet Diaries
• Pride by Ibi Zoboi
• The Murder of Mr. Wickham by Claudia Gray
• Jack of Hearts and Other Parts by Lev A.C. Rosen

Content Warnings: discussions of classism, anti-Asian racism, and revenge porn.

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It’s summer, and that means sunny weather, visits to the beach…and murder? This week’s episode is on two seaside mysteries, Bad Things Happen Here by Rebecca Barrow and I Killed Zoe Spanos by Kit Frick. Topics include mental health representation, balancing nuanced characters with twisty plots, and how the setting enhances both books. (Note: we do not spoil the big plot twists in either of these books.)

Media mentioned

• The Scapegracers by H.A. Clarke
• Queer As All Get Out: 10 People Who’ve Inspired Me by Shelby Criswell
• The Heartbreak Baker by A.R. Capetta
• The Widow of Rose House by Diana Biller
• Rooks and Ruin trilogy by Melissa Caruso
• Something That May Shock and Discredit You by Daniel Lavery
• Legion (TV show)
• You Don’t Know Me But I Know You by Rebecca Barrow
• This Is What It Feels Like by Rebecca Barrow
• I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuistion
• Knives Out (2019)

Content warnings

Murder, drowning, racism, mental health struggles including suicidal ideation and intrusive thoughts

You can learn more about Never the Twins Shall Meet at our website, neverthetwinsshallmeet.com

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We’re back! This week, we’re discussing A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske and and Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho, two novels that reimagine English history with a magical twist. Topics include wizard bureaucracy, ambitious women, and the way that both novels intertwine fantasy and history.

Other media mentioned:

• A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross
• Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)
• Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo
• Nimona by N.D. Stephenson
• Heartstopper (TV show)
• From Dust, a Flame by Rebecca Podos
• The Thirty Names of Night by Zeyn Joukhadar
• Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
• K.J. Charles’s books
• Jupiter Ascending
• The Fantasy Inn podcast
• Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
• Black Sails (TV show)
• The Brown Sisters Trilogy by Talia Hibbert
• The Drowned Country by Emily Tesh
• Knives Out
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
• The True Queen by Zen Cho
• The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo
• Legally Blonde
• The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
• Episode 21: Murder, Magic, and Making Different Histories

Content warnings: Discussions of historical homophobia, racism, sexism, slavery, and colonialism.

You can learn more about Never The Twins Shall Meet at our website, neverthetwinsshallmeet.com

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This week, we’re discussing the recent Netflix show Arcane! An animated blend of science fiction, fantasy, and crime drama, it’s also an adaptation of the video game League of Legends–something we know pretty much nothing about. However, we both still adored it. Topics include the show’s careful construction of inevitable tragedies, the complex cast of characters, the gorgeous animation, and one aspect where we think it stumbles.

Other Media Mentioned:

• Bad Things Happen Here by Rebecca Barrow (forthcoming June 2022)
• The Duchess War by Courtney Milan
• Druids: A Very Short Introduction by Barry Cunliffe
• Only Murders in the Building
• Yuri on Ice
• To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
• The Bone Key by Sarah Monette
• Turning Red (2022)
• The Batman (2022)
• Episode 15: Into the Batman-verse
• League of Legends
• Castlevania
• Critical Role
• Black Sails
• Wonder Woman (2017)
• James Bond
• Phantom of the Opera
• How Disfigured Villains Like “Wonder Woman’s” Dr. Poison Perpetuate Stigma by Alaina Leary for Teen Vogue

Content Warnings: discussions of murder, violence, emotionally abusive relationships, terminal illness, classism, and ableism.

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This week, we take a trip back to 1987 to discuss the horror-comedy movie The Lost Boys. Following a pair of brothers who move to a sunny California town plagued by vampires, the film includes a tangled love triangle, some inventive methods of murder, and a lot of 80s fashion. Topics of discussion include possible gay subtext, the deep-seated appeal of vampires, and why cinema needs more films about vampiric motorcycle gangs.

Other Media Mentioned:

• The Legend of Vox Machina
• Dungeons and Dragons
• The Heartbreak Bakery by A.R. Capetta
• The Witness for the Dead by Katherine Addison
• The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison
• Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh
• Arcane (2021-)
• Wylding Hall by Elizabeth Hand
• Little Thieves by Margaret Owen
• What We Do in the Shadows
• Dracula by Bram Stoker
• Episode 11: An Anthropological Study of Cohabitating Vampires
• Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
• Worn Stories on Netflix
• Small Changes Over Long Periods of Time by K.M Szpara
• Dead Collections by Isaac Fellan
• A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson
• Stranger Things (2016-)
• The Lost Girls by Sonia Hartl
• The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black
• Bit (2019)

Content Warnings: mentions of drug use, murder, a controlling/abusive relationship, all the blood-drinking stuff that comes with vampires.

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Step one: rob the rich. Step two: break a curse. Step three: interrogate your deep-seated childhood trauma. Who could this to-do list belong to? Why, none other than the protagonist of Little Thieves by Margaret Owen! This week, we dive into a delightful young adult fantasy retelling of the fairytale The Goose Girl following a teenage thief whose final heist goes terribly wrong. Topics include the hilarious and cynical protagonist, our love of a good heist story, the excellent romance, and the unexpected emotional depth through an exploration of childhood trauma.

Other Media Mentioned:

• BBC Starstruck
• Sh*t Cassandra Saw by Gwen E. Kirby
• Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
• The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
• Some By Virtue Fall by Alexandra Rowland
• The Liar’s Knot by M.A. Carrick
• The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
• The Merciful Crow by Margaret Owen
• Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong
• Dungeons and Dragons
• I Know What You Think of Me by Tim Kreider in the New York Times
• Saga by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples
• Painted Devils by Margaret Owen (forthcoming)
• Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson
• The Mask of Mirrors by M.A. Carrick

Content warnings: mentions of child abandonment and child abuse.

You can learn more about Never the Twins Shall Meet at our website, neverthetwinsshallmeet.com

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Happy Black History Month! This week, we’re discussing two historical fantasy novels by Black authors: A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark and The Conductors by Nicole Glover. Join us as we take a trip to nineteenth-century Philadelphia and twentieth-century Cairo and discuss compelling murder mystery plots, well-developed alternate histories featuring magic, and some unexpectedly lovely romances.

Other Media Mentioned:

• Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong
• Episode 11: Two Gangs, Both Alike in Dignity
• The Seven Husbands of Taylor Jenkins Reid
• The Legend of Vox Machina
• Critical Role
• Not My Problem by Ciara Smith
• Sort Of (HBO Max)
• Call Us What We Carry by Amanda Gorman
• A Dead Djinn in Cairo by P. Djèlí Clark
• The Haunting of Tram Car 015 by P. Djèlí Clark
• The Black God’s Drums by P. Djèlí Clark
• Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark
• Episode 17: Sourdough, Cinnamon Rolls, and Sorcery
• The Vocabulary of Freedom on the Underground Railroad Education Center website

Content warnings: discussions of murder, colonialism, anti-Black racism, and slavery

You can learn more about Never the Twins Shall Meet at our website neverthetwinsshallmeet.com

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What’s more terrifying than a supervillain? A superhero, of course! In our twentieth (!) episode, we’re taking a look at the dark side of superheroes through the novels Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots and The Refrigerator Monologues by Catherynne M. Valente. Topics include descents into villainy, misogyny in comic books, and whether the Joker pays his minions a fair wage.

Other Media Mentioned:

• Sword Stone Table edited by Swapna Krishna and Jenn Northington
• She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
• Little Thieves by Margaret Owen
• Arcane (2021) on Netflix
• Die by Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans
• A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark
• The Conductors by Nicole Glover
• What We Do in the Shadows (TV show)
• The Boys (TV show)
• Watchmen by Alan Moore
• Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice dir. Zack Snyder
• The Amazing Spider-Man 2 dir. Marc Webb
• Episode 10, X-Men X-travaganza
• The Dark Phoenix Saga by Chris Claremont
• Batman: The Animated Series
• Birds of Prey (2020) dir. Cathy Yan
• Harley Quinn animated series
• Harleen by Stjepan Šejić
• Netflix’s Daredevil TV show

Content warnings: mentions of violence, murder, medical horror and body horror, an abusive relationship, suicide, death of a child, and drug use.

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This week, we’re diving into the King Arthur mythos! We discuss the book Legendborn by Tracy Deonn, an urban fantasy book that stars Bree Mathews, a Black teenage girl who discovers a secret society of demon-hunters descended from the Knights of the Round Table. Topics include our love of the fierce and complicated main character, Tracy Deonn’s scathing interrogation of racism in America, and how the book succeeds in making old myths feel new and unique.

Other media mentioned:

• For the Wolf by Hannah Whitten
• The Wheel of Time (2021)
• The Witcher (2019)
• Being Seen by Elsa Sjunneson
• The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling
• A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske
• A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark
• How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love With the Universe by Raquel Vazquez Gilliland
• Archivist Wasp by Nicole Kornher-Stace
• The Lost Boys (1987)
• Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots
• The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare
• Sabriel by Garth Nix
• Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn (forthcoming, release date has since been moved to November 2022)

Content warnings: discussions of the death of a parent, antiblack racism, slavery, rape, and generational trauma.

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It’s time to dive into all things undead! In this episode, we’re discussing two fantasy books about necromancers: Sabriel by Garth Nix and The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco. Is raising the dead an inherently evil kind of magic? What does it mean to have power over life and death? Plus: cat demons, descents into villainy, and the importance of a good, old-fashioned fantasy novel roadtrip.

Other media mentioned:

• Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater
• A Spindle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow
• A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
• Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
• Lirael by Garth Nix
• As You Like It by William Shakespeare
• Terciel and Elinor by Garth Nix
• Tamora Pierce’s books
• Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Content warnings: discussions of death and Islamophobic stereotypes in fiction.

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What do vampires, wizards, and baked goods have in common? They’re all featured in this week’s episode, of course! Today we’re discussing A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher and Sunshine by Robin McKinley, two fantasy novels starring heroines who call the kitchen home. Some topics covered include the integration of magic and baking in both books, the surprising ways they resonate with our current world, and the practical uses of magical baked goods in warfare. 

Other media mentioned

• The Addams Family (1991)
• A Dead Djinn in Cairo by P. Djèlí Clark
• The Devil Makes Three by Tori Bovalino
• Our Last Echoes by Kate Alice Marshall
• A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
• Hellblazer comics
• X-Men comics
• The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black
• Beauty by Robin McKinley
• The Circle of Magic series by Tamora Pierce

Content warnings: Discussions of murder, kidnapping, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic

You can learn more about Never the Twins Shall Meet at our website, neverthetwinsshallmeet.com

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This week, Pie and Lulu leave the realm of fantasy and science fiction for new territory. Turning our attention to two young adult coming-of-age stories, we discuss Perfect on Paper by Sophie Gonzales and Jack of Hearts (and Other Parts) by L.C. Rosen, two contemporary novels where the protagonist runs an advice column–yet is a bit of a disaster in their personal life. Topics include the exploration of LGBTQ+ identities in both novels, the difficulty of writing authentic teenagers, and the appeal of stories where the protagonist can seemingly fix any problems except their own.

Other media mentioned:

• How to be Ace: a Memoir of Growing Up Asexual by Rebecca Burgess
• Deep Secret by Diana Wynne Jones
• The Vast of Night (2019)
• Moon Knight by Jeff Lemire and Greg Smallwood
• Shadow of the Batgirl by Sarah Kuhn
• Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots
• Comic Book Couples Counseling podcast
• High School Musical
• Loveless by Alice Oseman
• The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde

Content warnings: discussions of homophobia, biphobia, stalking, blackmail, underage drinking, and drug use.

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This week, Pie and Lulu cross into an entirely new territory: the Batman mythos! We discuss the iconic DC Comics storyline Under the Red Hood and its animated movie adaptation, both about Jason Todd, a former Robin turned antagonist. Topics include our (lack of) prior knowledge about Batman comics, a haphazard rundown of the history of the Robin sidekicks, moral codes in superhero comics, and being unexpectedly sad about Batman and his adopted children.

Other Media Mentioned:

• Prospect (2018)
• The Mandalorian
• A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher
• Gotham Academy by Brendan Fletcher and Becky Cloonan
• Wild and Crooked by Leah Thomas
• Silk and Steel: A Queer Speculative Adventure Anthology edited by Janine A Southard
• Classic New Mutants by Chris Claremont
• New Teen Titans by Marv Wolfman and George Perez
• Midnighter by Steve Orlando
• Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
• Joker (2019)
• The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
• Wayne Family Adventures
• The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller
• A Death in the Family by Jim Starlin
• Batman: Hush by Jeff Loeb
• Birds of Prey (2020)
• CW’s Arrow
• Geek History Lesson podcast
• Boaty McBoatface
• Red Hood: The Lost Days by Judd Winick
• Supernatural
• Titans (2018)
• Batman by Grant Morrison
• Red Hood and the Outlaws by Scott Lobdell

Content warnings: mentions of murder and violence, death of a child, gun violence, drugs, and Nazis.

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This week, Pie and Lulu discuss the 2021 Marvel and DC Pride anthologies, which feature a variety of short comics about LGBT+ superheroes. Topics include the appearances of some of our favorite queer superheroes (hint: there’s a lot of X-Men), new and interesting characters we discovered thanks to these anthologies, and the state of LGBT+ representation in superhero comics in general.

Other Media Mentioned:

• Odd Spirits by S.T. Gibson
• 08 - An Anthropological Study of Cohabitating Vampires
• Night of the Mannequins by Stephen Graham Jones
• I, Claudia by Mary McCoy
• Sabriel by Garth Nix
• Suicide Squad: Bad Blood by Tom Taylor
• The Vast of Night (2019)
• Angela: Asgard’s Assassin by Kieron Gillen and Marguerite Bennett
• Midnighter by Steve Orlando
• Empyre by Al Ewing and Dan Slott
• Runaways (2003) by Brian K. Vaughn and Runaways (2017) by Rainbow Rowell
• Immortal Hulk by Al Ewing
• Academy X by Christina Weir and Nunzio DeFilippis
• X-Factor (2020-2021) by Leah Williams
• Young Avengers (2005) by Allan Heinberg and Young Avengers (2013) by Kieron Gillen
• New Mutants (1983) by Chris Claremont
• Dawn of X comics
• 10 - X-Men X-Travaganza
• New Mutants (2019) by Vita Ayala
• Batwoman by Marguerite Bennett
• DC Bombshells by Marguerite Bennett
• DC Future State comics
• CW Supergirl
• CW Legends of Tomorrow
• Doom Patrol (TV show)
• Bitches on Comics episode 100 - Centering on queer Brown people featuring Vita Ayala
• Beyond the Metaphor: Marvel’s Long Forgotten Trans Mutant by Dani Kinney for Women Write About Comics
• X-Factor’s Final Issue Was an Ugly Low Point for Marvel’s Queer Representation by Charles Pulliam-Moore for Gizmodo

Content Warnings:

Discussions of homophobia, biphobia, murder, a past abusive relationship, racism in comics, and sexual harassment by a comic book writer.

You can learn more about Never the Twins Shall Meet at our website, neverthetwinsshallmeet.com

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This week, we’re discussing the Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells. Focusing on the first of four science fiction novellas about a grumpy artificial intelligence and the humans it reluctantly comes to care about, we discuss the novellas' portrayal of free will, dehumanization under capitalism, and the importance of escapist media, all while marveling at how relatable a robot with a body count in the double digits can be. 

Other media mentioned:

• Jade City by Fonda Lee
• Star Eater by Kerstin Hall
• DC Bombshells by Marguerite Bennett
• Midnighter and Apollo by Steve Orlando
• Classic X-Men comics by Chris Claremont
• Becoming a Man: the Story of a Transition by P Carl
• The Raksura Chronicles by Martha Wells
• The Death of the Necromancer by Martha Wells

Content warnings: mentions of mass murder, violence, and kidnapping

You can learn more about Never the Twins Shall Meet at our website, neverthetwinsshallmeet.com

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This week, Pie and Lulu discuss Nghi Vo’s novel The Chosen and the Beautiful, a history fantasy retelling of The Great Gatsby starring Jordan Baker. Topics include the way Vo integrates magic into the classic novel, Jordan’s adaptational identity as a bisexual Vietnamese woman, and an overabundance of enthusiasm for the idea of demonic bargains.

Content warnings: discussions of racism and a murder-suicide

Other media mentioned:

• Uncanny X-Men by Chris Claremont
• Exit Strategy by Martha Wells
• The Gutter Prayer by Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan
• Perfect on Paper by Sophie Gonzales
• Teen Titans: Raven and Teen Titans: Beast Boy by Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo
• The Great Gatsby (2013) directed by Baz Luhrmann
• The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo
• Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
• The History of Papercutting and the Magic of The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo on Tor.com
• Self-Made Boys by Anna-Marie McLemore (coming fall 2022)

You can learn more about Never The Twins Shall Meet at our website, neverthetwinsshallmeet.com

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This week, Pie and Lulu travel to gang-ruled 1920s Shanghai to discuss These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong, a historical fantasy retelling of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Topics include the novel’s dramatic romance, the atmospheric historical setting, and how Gong puts her own spin on the classic tale of love and rivalry.

Other media mentioned:

• In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado
• The Wicked and the Divine by Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie
• The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri
• The Books of Ambha by Tasha Suri
• Batman: Under the Red Hood by Judd Winnick
• Suicide Squad: Bad Blood by Tom Taylor
• Gotham Academy by Becky Cloonan and Brenden Fletcher
• The Green Knight (2021) directed by David Lowery
• Romeo + Juliet (1996) directed by Baz Lurhmann
• Romeo & Juliet (2013) directed by Carlo Carlei
• Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong

Content warnings: discussions historical colonialism and imperialism, medical horror, plagues/pandemics, self harm/suicide, and gang warfare

You can learn more about Never the Twins Shall Meet at our website.

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This week, Pie and Lulu explore their most literary and intellectual pastime during the pandemic: reading a lot of X-Men comics. Covering comics from the eighties to the present day, topics include favorite characters, underrated comic runs, and thoughts on the unusual current status quo of the X-Men. Oh, and also cosmic tragedies, coming out stories, and karaoke–you know, all the usual staples of superhero comics.

Comics discussed in-depth:

• Astonishing X-Men (2012-2013) by Marjorie Liu
• All-New Wolverine by Tom Taylor
• House of X/Powers of X by Jonathan Hickman
• Rictor and Shatterstar’s publication history
• Rogue and Gambit’s publication history
• Generation X by Christina Strain
• The Dark Phoenix Saga by Chris Claremont
• Iceman by Sina Grace
• Hellions by Zeb Wells

Other comics and media mentioned:

• Heathen by Natasha Alterici
• Uncomfortable Labels: My Life as a Gay Austistic Trans Woman by Laura Kate Dale
• These Feathered Flames by Alexandra Overy
• The Wolf and the Woodsman Ava Reid
• House of M by Brian Michael Bendis
• X-Force by Craig Kyle and Chris Yost
• X-Men: Season One by Dennis Hopeless
• All-New X-Men by Brian Michael Bendis
• Young Avengers: Children’s Crusade by Allan Heinburg
• New Mutants (1983) by Chris Claremont
• X-23: Innocence Lost by Craig Kyle
• X-23 by Marjorie Liu
• The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North
• New X-Men by Grant Morrison
• X-Factor Investigations by Peter David
• Rogue and Gambit: Ring of Fire by Kelly Thompson
• X-Men Gold by Marc Guggenheim
• Mr. and Mrs. X by Kelly Thompson
• Excalibur by Tini Howard
• Days of Future Past by Chris Claremont
• X of Swords by Jonathan Hickman and various others

Content warnings: Discussions of the Holocaust, racism in comics, (fictional) human experimentation, and homophobia

You can learn more about Never the Twins Shall Meet at our website.

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This week, it’s all about gothic vibes! Pie and Lulu take a look at two gothic-inspired novels: Down Comes the Night by Allison Saft and Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. We discuss the spooky atmospheres and isolated manor settings that both of the books share, as well as our love for the female protagonists. Also, why are we both afraid of mushrooms now? Listen to find out why!

Other media mentioned:

• Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars by Kai Cheng Thom
• X-Men: From the Ashes by Chris Claremont
• The Pearl Thief by Elizabeth Wein
• Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
• Made You Look (2020) dir. Barry Avrich
• A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft
• Fullmetal Alchemist
• The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Content warnings: discussions of eugenics, incest, racism, cannibalism, abuse, medical horror, gun violence, murder, and suicide

You can learn more about Never the Twins Shall Meet at our website.

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This week, Pie and Lulu take a dive into two very different takes on vampires: the 2014 comedy-mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows and S.T. Gibson’s gothic novella A Dowry of Blood. We discuss comedic versus traditional interpretations of vampires, immortal roommate drama, and how human the heart of vampire stories can really be.

Other media mentioned:

• The Deep by Rivers Solomon
• How Long ‘til Black Future Month? by N.K. Jemisin
• The Dig (2021)
• What We Do in the Shadows (TV show)

Content warnings: discussions of an abusive relationship and all the death/blood-drinking/murder that vampires entail.

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This week, Pie and Lulu dive into two fantasy novels featuring dead gods: Deeplight by Frances Hardinge and Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor. We discuss world-building, portrayals of fantasy religions, and how these books use the concept of dead divinities to explore the power of belief and storytelling.

Other Media Mentioned:

• Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
• The Queen’s Thief Series by Megan Whalen Turner
• The Inheritance Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin
• The Midnight Lie by Marie Rutkoski
• Eragon by Christopher Paolini
• Daredevil (Marvel comics)

Content warnings:

Discussions of murder, body horror, ableism, emotionally manipulative relationships, drowning, PTSD, slavery, genocide, infanticide, and rape.

You can learn more about Never the Twins Shall Meet at our website. 

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In a somewhat chaotic sixth episode, Pie and Lulu revisit their superhero comic nerd roots by rereading Young Avengers. A teenage superhero team originally created in 2005 by Allan Heinburg and Jim Cheung, members of the Young Avengers have gone on to become popular throughout the Marvel universe, starring in team books, solo stories, and epic comic crossovers. Starting back at the first run and reading all the way up to recent months, we discuss one of the most bonkers family trees at Marvel, LGBTQ+ representation in superhero comics, and the difficulties of life as a superpowered teen crimefighter, as well critiquing what has or hasn’t held up in the years since we first discovered these comics.

Content warnings: discussions of drug addiction, sexual assault, antiblack racism, human experimentation, depression, and suicidal ideation.

You can learn more about Never the Twins Shall Meet at our website.

Comics discussed in-depth:

Young Avengers (2005) by Allan Heinburg and Jim Cheung

Young Avengers: Children’s Crusade by Allan Heinburg and Jim Cheung

Young Avengers (2013) by Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie

Empyre by Al Ewing & various others

Lords of Empyre: Emperor Hulkling by Chip Zdarsky and Anthony Oliveira

King in Black: Wiccan and Hulkling by Tini Howard (correction: with art by Luciano Vecchio)

Other comics & media mentioned

I Hope You’re Listening by Tom Ryan

All-New Wolverine by by Tom Taylor

House of M by Brian Michael Bendis

Runaways by Brian K. Vaughn and Adrian Alphona

X-Factor Investigations by Peter David

Hawkeye by Matt Fraction

Vengeance by Joe Casey

Marvel Boy by Grant Morrison

New X-Men: Academy X by Nunzio DeFilippis and Christina Weir

The Wicked and the Divine by Kieron Gillen

America by Gabby Rivera

America Chavez: Made in the USA by Kalinda Vázquez

Guardians of the Galaxy by Al Ewing

X-Factor by Leah Williams

Marvel Voices: Pride anthology (upcoming)

Hawkeye by Kelly Thompson

West Coast Avengers by Kelly Thompson

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In this week's episode, Pie and Lulu exclaim their love for the fantasy novel The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood. Topics include how the novel melds science fiction and fantasy, its laugh-out-loud humor, our love of stories about the multiverse, the casual inclusion of gay and lesbian characters, and an over usage of the phrase "dubious wizard father figure."

Content warnings: mentions of murder, violence, cults, and human sacrifice.

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In this week's episode, Lulu and Pie take a dive into two mythology-infused superhero comics: Angela: Queen of Hel by Marguerite Bennett and Midnighter and Apollo by Steve Orlando. Topics include the way these two comics retell the classic myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, LGBTQ+ representation, demons made of ramen, and monopoly-playing supervillains.

Content warnings: discussions of death, slavery, homophobia, and human experimentation

You can learn more about Never the Twins Shall Meet at our website.

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In this week's episode, Pie and Lulu dive into three adaptations of Twelfth Night, Shakespeare's classic comedy: the National Theatre's 2017 production, the Public Works musical, and the web series Twelfth Grade (Or Whatever). Topics include how these adaptations explore the play's themes of gender and sexual fluidity, gay pirates, and why it's probably a bad idea to marry someone just because he looks like your crush.

Content warnings: discussions of homophobia and transphobia

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In anticipation of the upcoming Netflix adaptation, Pie and Lulu reread Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo and evaluate how it has held up over the years. We discuss the book’s romance, world-building, exploration of the Chosen One archetype, hopes and hesitations regarding the TV show, and our undying love for Genya Safin. 

Content warnings: emotionally manipulative relationships, ableism.

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In the first episode of Never the Twins Shall Meet, Pie and Lulu introduce themselves and discuss the depictions of selkies–seal shapeshifters from Celtic folklore–in Franny Billingsley's novel The Folk Keeper and the film Song of the Sea.

Content warnings for this episode include discussions of forced marriage and loss of a parent.