Pop Culture Historians: Recent Episodes
Ryan Ritter
Two friends discuss the history of their favorite pieces of pop culture from the very beginning. They’re currently working on a watch through Classic Doctor Who as well as the history of American superhero movies.
Just in time for DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE, it’s our episode all about X2! Marvel at the increased scope from Part 1, revel in the pulpy performance from Brian Cox, and be astounded at the in-costume fight the cast had with director Bryan Singer. Be a god among insects and listen along with us!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians are seeing red! We dive back into the filmography of Guillermo del Toro and break down 2004’s HELLBOY! We discuss how well Ron Perlman’s first round in the horns holds up after two decades. We also, somehow, discuss Star Trek: Nemesis and Arrested Development. Listen along with us as we march forth through our chronological look at the superhero film genre!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians get booksmart with 2003’s THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN! Also known as LXG, this 2003 Sean Connery vehicle raises an interesting question: what happens when a movie is less interesting than the chaos that created it? Topics include: the feud between Connery and director Stephen Norrington, the horrible Dorian Gray one-liners and the filmography of Sam Mendes.
This week, we dive right into one of the more divisive superhero flicks of the 21st century. Ang Lee’s 2003 HULK movie is of the wildest swings the genre has ever offered, but is Eric Bana’s lone turn in the purple pants a boom or a bust? Listen and find out what we thought! Hint: we’re split!
This week, we cook in Hell’s Kitchen. It’s time to dive into 2003’s DAREDEVIL! Marvel as we compare the theatrical and director’s cut! Awe at the multiple Evanescence needle drops! Be mystified at the chemistry between Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner!
This week, we reach new heights with Sam Raimi’s 2002 SPIDER-MAN! It broke box-office records in 2002 and set the stage for superhero cultural dominance for decades to come, but how does Tobey Maguire’s first run in the suit stack up in 2024? Spoilers: SPIDER-MAN is still spectacular. Listen along as we break down the winding production history as well as explore the question: has anybody done it better since?
This week, our favorite half-vampire returns in BLADE II and he’s brought Ron Perlman and Guillermo del Toro with him! Topics in this episode include: del Toro’s approach to guiding this sequel, the pros and cons of the action-first ethos, and the Crystal Method.
This week, we begin our next season by diving into the superhero movies of the 2000’s. We start with M. Night Shyamalan’s UNBREAKABLE, a movie that seemed like a relatively big deal in 2000, and somewhat forgotten now. Topics include: the weird peaks and valleys of Shyamalan’s career, the legacy of Bruce Willis and the weird power of the twist ending.
It’s award season over on the Pop Culture Historians this week! Let’s take a look back at Classic Doctor Who Season Five and determine the best and worst it had to offer. Best Guest Star, Worst Special Effect, Best Villain, Season MVP…they’re all up for grabs. Who will win? Listen and find out!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians watch as Classic Doctor Who Season Five ends not with a bang, but with a whimper. Is THE WHEEL IN SPACE as bad as its reputation? Why do the Cybermen hatch from eggs now? Why don’t people just drop-kick those Cybermats? All these questions and more will be explored in this episode!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians find themselves underwater with FURY FROM THE DEEP! Topics include: the relatively recent animation and how the serial loses something in the translation, the departure of a companion and Jimmy’s 2012 Halloween costume.
This week, the Yeti return in THE WEB OF FEAR! Topics include: the awful animation of the missing Episode 3, the joy of seeing Deborah Watling reunite with her father, and the emotionally complicated resolution. Plus…Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart enters the chat!
This week…no, you’re not seeing double. That’s TWO Patrick Troughtons in the six-part THE ENEMY OF THE WORLD. Topics discussed include: Troughton’s double role as the Doctor and the villainous Ramon Salamander, the chilling ending, and the serial’s overall re-evaluation since its episode recovery.
This week, the Pop Culture Historians keep their snow suits on to review THE ICE WARRIORS! Topics include: Peter Barkworth’s incredible guest role, the thematic pull between man and machine, and the serial’s weird cliffhangers.
This week, bundle up because we’re breaking down THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMEN! Is this mostly-missing six-part story better or worse in animation form? How many ways can we mispronounce the name Padmasambhava? Also, can some great stuff at the end mask the fact that much of this serial is…kind of boring? Listen along and find out!
It’s been a bit, but finally the Patrick Troughton Era continues on Pop Culture Historians! We’ve finally reached Season Five, which begins with a classic: the Cybermen have returned! What did we think of this well-regarded four part serial? What makes a Cybermen story different from the Daleks? Did Frazer Hines hit on the producer’s wife? Listen along and find out the answers!
We’re back! Before we dive into Classic Doctor Who Season Five, let’s take a look back at one of the most unique stories of Season Four, THE UNDERWATER MENACE! Topics include: the pros and cons of the new animation, what we can glean from a second watch, the campy brilliance of Joseph Furst, and which version of the story we would recommend to a first time viewer.
This week, we return to reflect on the season that was and hand out awards for our favorite and least favorite moments from the superhero movies of 1996 to 2000! Topics include: the best villain, the most dated reference, the MVP of the back half of the 90’s and…is Pamela Anderson dead? Who are we thinking of?
This week, we conclude our walk through the superhero movies of the 90’s by entering the new millennium! The original X-MEN is lean and narrow in focus, but the themes it explores might be even more relevant now than they were twenty-five years ago. What music star really wanted to be Professor X? Also, who else would have wanted to see a Kathryn Bigelow directed version of this starring Bob Hoskins? Finally, is this the canonical start of the MCU now? All this AND MORE will be explored!
This week, we’ve reached 1999’s superhero comedy MYSTERY MEN! A bomb upon its release, this Ben Stiller-led ensemble has become somewhat of a cult classic. But how good is it? Is it too long? Does its mix of comedic styles help or hurt? Who’s the real MVP of this movie? All this and more will be discussed on this week’s episode! Remember: all that glitters is gold.
This week, the Pop Culture Historians reach the top of the fuckin’ food chain! We have reached 1998’s BLADE, arguably the movie that kicked off the current wave of superhero movies that is only now beginning to crest. We discuss Wesley Snipes’ input in the role, some alternate castings for Blade, the show Terriers, as well as the state of vampires in the late 90’s. We promise we don’t even make one “this sucks” joke.
This week, the Pop Culture Historians put on the suit and break down the pseudo-Spielberg STAR KID! Joseph Mazello jumps from Jurassic Park to Waverly Street to learn all about facing your fears with the help of an alien suit named Cy. We discuss this movie’s aggressive average-ness and decide: is this even a superhero movie?
This week…CAN YOU DIG IT? 1997’s STEEL features Shaq as a metallic Superman, Annabeth Gish as a paraplegic, Judd Nelson in full on autopilot, and Richard Roundtree as a man who lives in a junkyard. What’s not to love? Well…the Pop Culture Historians will definitely let you know.
This week, the Pop Culture Historians go to hell! It’s SPAWN week here, in all its 1997 screensaver CGI glory. Topics include: does John Leguizamo have one funny line? Why did they use real maggots for that pizza scene? How cute is the dog? And, seriously, what happened with the visuals on this one? Make the descent with us!
This week, the day has come. We cover the movie that Kevin Feige has called the most important superhero movie ever made, 1997’s BATMAN AND ROBIN. Is this legendary bomb as bad as its reputation suggests? Is Arnold Schwarzenegger secretly pretty good in this? How checked out is George Clooney? Was Coolio really going to play the Scarecrow in a theoretical BATMAN 5? All these questions and more will be…well, not answered, but at least discussed. Also, stay tuned after the credits for a special surprise!
Happy Halloween, boos and ghouls. Tonight, in our special bonus episode, we take this All Hallows’ Eve to take a look back at the season that was. We reflect on the higher-than-expected quality of the twelve movies we reviewed this season, we rank them, then decide…should any of them be Essentials?
It’s werewolf week here on Pop Culture Historians as we wrap up our look back at the Classic Universal Monster Sequels! First up, Henry Hull is the WEREWOLF OF LONDON. Does the first werewolf movie of note hold up after all these years? Then, the main event, the crossover event of the 20th century: FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLF MAN. Lon Chaney. Bela Lugosi. Who will win? Listen and find out! In between, we stick to the theme in our Intermission Special and rank our favorite vampires.
This week, we welcome Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi back to the Universal Monster party in our Frankenstein Sequel Series! First up, SON OF FRANKENSTEIN must live up to the lofty expectations of the previous BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN and must do it without James Whale. Bela Lugosi shines as Ygor but does the rest of the movie live up? Next, we rank our favorite Halloween commercials during our Intermission Special! Finally, THE GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN brings us Lon Chaney’s first try in the neck bolts. Can he possibly live up to Karloff’s iconic performance? Listen along and find out!
Welcome back, boos and ghouls! This week, the Pop Culture Historians dive into the first two classic Dracula sequels! First up, it’s the sapphic DRACULA’s DAUGHTER. We fawn over Gloria Holden and question over how much of its subtext was intentional. Next, Lon Chaney is Alucard in SON OF DRACULA. Can he hold a candle to Bela Lugosi? Listen along and find out! In between, we rank our favorite Halloween creatures in our Intermission Special!
This week, we dig into the first two MUMMY sequels. First, we discuss the tonal change in 1940’s THE MUMMY’S HAND from its predecessor, even if it doesn’t have Boris Karloff anymore. Then, in our Intermission Special. We rank our top movie villains! Finally, we wrap it all up by lamenting the state of THE MUMMY’S TOMB, an hour-long movie that has FIFTEEN minutes of flashback clips in the beginning. Does it ever recover? Listen and find out!
This week, another spooky Universal Monster Sequel Double Feature! First up, THE INVISIBLE MAN RETURNS swaps out Claude Rains for Vincent Price. Does it…actually make the follow-up superior? Next, during our Intermission Special, we break down our favorite Halloween costumes we’ve ever worn! Finally, we struggle to find something, anything at all to say about the screwball comedy THE INVISIBLE WOMAN.
This Halloween, the Pop Culture Historians are tackling as many Classic Universal Monster sequels as we can! This week, the two follow-ups to THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON. Is there anything left to mine from one of the last Universal Monsters? Or should these have stayed six feet under? Listen along and find out! Also, in a new Intermission Special, we rank our top three Halloween decorations!
This week, we return to the gothic nightmare of the Crow franchise by digging into the much maligned sequel, 1996’s CROW: CITY OF ANGELS! Iggy Pop sure is doing…something, but beyond that, is there anything salvageable about this barely-feature length follow-up? We also explore the filmography, for better or for worse, of David S. Goyer. Finally, we announce our Halloween programming for 2023. Listen along with us!
This week, a returning champion is covered on the pod! 1996’s THE PHANTOM marks the return of Lee Falk’s most famous creation to the silver screen after the 1943 film serial. And…look, it’s competent, you get some good old-fashioned stunt work, you get a classic weird Billy Zane performance. But…this is basically an episode all about Treat Williams and the villainous Xander Drax. Listen along and enjoy!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians return to the 90’s to put on their capes and cowls and work their way through the superhero movie genre. However, they’re faced with an immediate crisis: does 1996’s BARB WIRE even count as a superhero movie? Also, was this the only year Pamela Anderson could have possibly starred in this? Finally, is this…is this movie just a trashy CASABLANCA? All this and more will be answered this week!
This week, let’s take a look back at the season that was with another round of awards all about Classic Doctor Who Season Four! Best moments from each serial are chosen. We also determine the Best Guest Star, Best Villain, Best and Worst Serial and, as always, we crown an MVP. Bonus: we rank the first six Dalek stories.
This week, the Pop Culture Historians break format ever so slightly by reviewing something from the past ten years! It’s the BBC Original AN ADVENTURE IN SPACE AND TIME! Now that our show has completed the William Hartnell era of Doctor Who, this seemed like a great time to watch this TV movie all about his time as the titular time lord. With a star studded cast (David Bradley! Jessica Raine! Brian Cox!), this sentimental flick has its heart on its sleeve. But can it’s somewhat corporate nature ever allow it to be better than fine? Listen along and find out!
This week, it’s a series wrap on the Daleks…for now. Ryan (a Doctor Who novice) and Jimmy (a Doctor Who expert) break down THE EVIL OF THE DALEKS, the mostly incredible (and mostly missing) seven-part serial that closed out Classic Doctor Who Season Four AND was meant to spin off the Daleks permanently. Would this have sufficed as a finale? Listen along and decide for yourself!
Welcome back to The Pop Culture Historians and their Classic Doctor Who Watch/Rewatch! Ryan is a Who novice and watching for the first time, and Jimmy is the expert, and rewatching once again! This week, they meet THE FACELESS ONES and are impressed that this six part story set in Gatwick Airport could be so effective. And, of course, we discuss Ben and Polly taking a departing flight off the show. You can find the Anneke Wills interview referenced here: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3rqmfl
This week, the Pop Culture Historians face THE MACRA TERROR! This four-part, completely missing story all about denying the evil that lives below is potent, timely, and contains just enough goofiness to make this a Season Four highlight. Plus, it’s the first story to genuinely give Jamie something to do! What’s not to like? Check this episode out…it’s a gas!
This week…you want the moon? The Pop Culture Historians will give you the moon! This time, we’re on THE MOONBASE, a four-part, partly missing Classic Doctor Who story. It marks the return of a popular villain, it’s tight and to the point, the animation’s pretty good. Yet, did it leave one of us a little wanting? We also discuss the Second Doctor era’s penchant for “base under siege” stories. Reminder: Jimmy is a Doctor Who expert, while Ryan’s never seen the show. Between the two of them, you’re bound to find someone at your level of Doctor Who fandom.
Welcome back to our watch-through of Classic Doctor Who Season Four! Ryan has never seen the show, while Jimmy has seen it all, making this a perfect show for both Who novices and experts alike! This week, we go under the sea to meet THE UNDERWATER MENACE! Not an especially beloved serial, do the camp elements, paired with Joseph Furst going completely off the rails, enough to salvage some of it? Listen along and find out! You can also find the Furst interview mentioned in the episode here: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3n5lz6
This week, we’re grabbing our passports and heading to Scotland to hang with THE HIGHLANDERS! This completely missing four-part story both marks an ending (of the purely historical Doctor Who stories, at least for some time) and a beginning (of the Jamie McCrimmon era). Does the utilizing of Patrick Troughton’s physical comedy skills get neutered in the present due to the fact that we can’t see it? Listen along and decide for yourself!
This week, a new era begins. We break down the very first Second Doctor story, THE POWER OF THE DALEKS! How do our companions deal with this massive change? Heck, how do we? Also, do the Daleks seem a little…docile to you? What’s going on there? Listen and find out! Plus, we formally introduce Patrick Troughton to the history of Doctor Who.
This week, a special bonus episode all about the First Doctor! Now that we’ve reached the end of William Hartnell’s run as the titular Doctor Who, we take a look back at his time on the show. We determine his best companion, we rank our favorite First Doctor stories and discuss the actor’s legacy on the program. All this and more!
This week…perhaps the most important serial in terms of DOCTOR WHO’s history. It’s THE TENTH PLANET, and with it comes the end of an era. We both gain a new recurring villain (the Cybermen), but we also lose our main star for the first time. We discuss the Doctor’s first regeneration, the history behind the decision to recast William Hartnell and the weird lucky breaks that recoded the show’s DNA forever.
This week, the Pop Culture Historians return to the TARDIS to kick off our coverage of Classic Doctor Who Season Four! Ryan has never seen Doctor Who, while Jimmy has seen it all. Together, they’ll tackle THE SMUGGLERS! The Ben and Polly era begins in earnest, but does the completely missing status of this four-part story hurt its quality? Listen and find out!
This week, we take a look back at the season that was with The Blinkies! Named after our favorite superhero character, Blinkie McQuade, this semi-annual awards ceremony determines the best and worst of the movies we covered the past few weeks. Most Dated Reference, Best Use of Superpowers, Best Villain, Best and Worst Movie and Season MVP are all up for grabs! Also…is BIRDMAN a superhero movie? Thanks to all for listening along with us this season. We’ll be back in a couple of weeks with Classic Doctor Who Season Four coverage!
This week, we’re diving into a movie so huge we needed a third person to help us out. From the SCENE AND HEARD podcast and the Arroyo Film Club, Greg Kleinschmidt joins the Pop Culture Historians to deconstruct 1995’s BATMAN FOREVER! Does Jim Carrey almost take over the film? Did Bono really try to sneak himself into the movie? Is there a single funny line in this entire thing? Finally, despite all this, is Joel Schumacher’s first Batflick secretly…pretty good? All this and more will be definitively answered this week!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians enter the world of 90’s comedy with BLANKMAN! We both agree that Damon Wayans’ way too broad performance sinks the whole thing, but does this Batman riff have anything to offer? How do David Alan Grier and Jon Polito fare? Also, another original credits song! All this and more!
This week, we’re diving deep into 1994’s THE SHADOW! For the first time in awhile, the Pop Culture Historians are deeply split on a movie. Is it a unexpected visual marvel? Or is it a star-studded cast elevating a very weak script? Can it be both? Only The Shadow knows!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians rise from the dead to review THE CROW! A monumentally difficult movie to assess, both because of the tragedy that inspired the source material and the horrible accident that happened on set, they do their best to sift through both the good and the bad of what this Alex Proyas action film has to offer.
This week, we return to the world of Bruce Wayne with 1993’s BATMAN: MASK OF THE PHANTASM! We discuss our histories with the animated series it spawned from, we go into the making of the film (with a little assist from Thom Pinto, one of the voice actors on this project, who you can find at www.thompinto.com) and finally…does it live up to his reputation as secretly the best Batman movie of all?
This week, before BLACK PANTHER, before BLADE, there was…THE METEOR MAN! Robert Townsend makes genre history by making a superhero movie for a very different audience than before. This labor of love has its heart in the right place, but is it funny? Well…..topics include: the depiction of teachers in film, the stacked cast, and the ultimate SNL What If! You can check out the referenced Shondaland article here: https://www.shondaland.com/live/a22641376/looking-back-at-the-meteor-man-with-robert-townsend/
This week, the Pop Culture Historians travel back in time to break down TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES 3! The first superhero franchise of the 90’s runs completely out of gas (and charm) in this threequel. Topics include: the new (and worse) Turtle effects, whether or not the 2007 movie is supposed to be the fourth in this series, and…how do you pick an MVP of a movie you didn’t like?
This week, it’s Christmas in March as the Pop Culture Historians break down Tim Burton’s second and final Batman movie, 1992’s BATMAN RETURNS! Subjects include: why Burton ended up a victim of his own success, the sliding scale of why movies are considered “dark”, a very strange Sean Young TV appearance, and how Christmassy this summer blockbuster really is. This is one you definitely don’t want to miss!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians take to the skies as they break down 1991’s THE ROCKETEER! Listen as they marvel over the stellar cast (save for one crucial mistake at the top), join as they explore the history of the Rocketeer as a character, and tolerate as they take on tangents regarding Jamie Foxx and the chronological cut of LOST. The full movie is on Disney Plus, so watch along with us!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians break down their second Turtles movie in three weeks, as they seek to learn The Secret of the Ooze! Topics include: how this movie is actually sort of an improvement on the original, casting changes, Vanilla Ice, and the Manningcast (obviously). Go ninja, go!
This week, we dive deep into Sam Raimi’s first foray into the superhero genre, 1990’s DARKMAN! Questions explored include: why is this such a footnote in Raimi’s career? Is Liam Neeson putting in a great performance, or is it just the novelty of seeing him play such an over-the-top guy? Finally, what Seagal movie was “take you to the bank” from? All this and more on this week’s Pop Culture Historians!
This week, our chronological coverage of 90’s superhero movies begins in earnest with TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES! Dive in with us as we go through the history of the Turtles, break down how the movie came to be, then determine whether someone who has never seen it (i.e. Ryan) can still enjoy it as an adult, or if you just had to be there (like Jimmy). Cowabunga!
This week, it’s awards season! The Pop Culture Historians look back on Classic Doctor Who Season Three and select their favorite moment from each serial of this inconsistent year. They also identify the Best Guest Star, Worst Cliffhanger, and wrap things up with their vote for Season MVP. At the end, a little look at what’s to come for the show.
This week, it’s movie time! We return once again to the Peter Cushing movie Who universe with the second (and final) Hammer Dr. Who movie. Glory at the very strange title, revel at the Technicolor, then decide for yourself whether this was an improvement over either the original TV serial, or the first movie. As far as we’re concerned…well, it’s complicated. You can watch the movie on BritBox right now!
This week, Season Three of Classic Doctor Who winds down with a visit from THE WAR MACHINES. 60’s London! A cool AI villain! ANOTHER companion departure! What’s not to love (besides that last one)? The best part: it’s all available on BritBox! How does this season closer stack up to the rest of this up-and-down season? Listen along and find out with us!
This week, Doctor Who meets THE SAVAGES! In this completely missing four part serial, we say goodbye once again to a companion. How does this exit stack up against the increasing number of past departures? Also, how good is Frederick Jaeger’s impression of William Hartnell? All this and more on this week’s POP CULTURE HISTORIANS!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians go to the Old West to hang out with THE GUNFIGHTERS! Classic Doctor Who does its first American Western story and allows for William Hartnell to do a little broad comedy. However, do the bad accents and atrocious song do enough to hang the serial entirely? The entire serial can be found on BritBox!
This week, just in time for the day after Christmas….it’s THE CELESTIAL TOYMAKER! Michael Gough puts in a bravura performance as the titular villain, but does the behind-the-scenes turmoil compromise the story beyond all hope? Also, why are all the characters really annoying? Also, also, Ryan has beef with Dodo. All this and more is explored on this episode of POP CULTURE HISTORIANS!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians enter THE ARK! The good news: this serial has been completely preserved and is available on BritBox! The bad news: does this four-part story told in two parts fall apart halfway through? Listen as Ryan and Jimmy work their way through a serial that seems to suffer from behind-the-scenes chaos. We also formally introduce Dodo Chaplet as the Doctor’s new companion! Check it out!
This week, Season Three of Classic Doctor Who goes even further into somber territory with THE MASSACRE! This austere four-part story features Steven basically on his own, and a dual role for William Hartnell. But is the fact that the episodes are completely missing mean something is lost in the translation? Find out for yourself this week with The Pop Culture Historians!
This week, we complete our mega-breakdown of the twelve-part serial THE DALEK’S MASTER PLAN! We first take a look back at Dennis Spooner’s contributions to early Doctor Who and rank his stories. We then break down episodes 7 through 12 of this ambitious storyline. Luckily, this includes DOCTOR WHO’S first Christmas episode! Enjoy as our characters take a break from the action to run around a movie set in 1960’s London before toasting to the holiday. All this, plus the conclusion of THE DALEKS’ MASTER PLAN! What more do you need!
This week…..it’s finally here! It’s THE DALEKS’ MASTER PLAN! A serial so huge it’s going to take us two weeks to go through the whole thing! This Monday, we’re giving our initial thoughts on this humongous twelve part story, then breaking down the first six episodes. Is this the best Dalek story of all time? Was it worth all the drama behind the scenes it caused? Was a surprise death secretly underwhelming? Finally, and most importantly….are Bret and Sara officially companions? All this and more will be answered definitively on this week’s Pop Culture Historians!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians take a break from the Daleks with the historical serial THE MYTH MAKERS! Is the Doctor for the creation of the Trojan horse? Is Vicki the first companion to have an unsatisfying departure? Is this four-part story still effective despite being completely missing? Listen this week to find out!
This week, a fairly brief episode as the Pop Culture Historians begin a MISSION TO THE UNKNOWN! We break down the reason for Doctor Who’s only “one-episode” serial, as well as discuss how well it sets up the upcoming mega-story THE DALEKS’ MASTER PLAN. As the episode is completely missing, we also discuss an amazing refilming done by the students of the University of Central Lancashire, which can be found on YouTube!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians continue their watch-through of the William Hartnell era of Doctor Who with the four part (mostly missing) serial GALAXY 4! The story and quality may be the net average for this era of the show, but a recent animation of its three missing episodes may elevate the entire viewing experience overall. Also, we dive into the turmoil behind the scenes that is starting to brew. Classic Doctor Who Season Three coverage has commenced!
Happy Halloween! Why not celebrate with the Pop Culture Historians? Join as we wrap up our month-long tribute to the Universal Classic Monster Universe with the last two movies in the Essentials list. First up, 1943’s THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA! Does this decidedly non-horror Technicolor film deserve more credit after being overshadowed by the 1925 original and the 80’s musical juggernaut waiting in the wings? Next, we marvel at CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON’s underwater sequences and its blend of 50’s sci-fi camp and genuine uncanny valley horror. In between, we list out our Halloween night movie essentials. Finally, we give our definitive ranking of the Universal Monster Movie Essentials. Backed by science! Intro/outro music from White Bat Audio!
This week: two all-time classics for the Halloween season. First up: James Whale, Boris Karloff and Colin Clive return for the first Universal Monster sequel, BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN! Does Elsa Lanchester steal the show in an insanely low amount of screen time? Does the movie as a whole live up to its “one of the greatest ever” reputation? Next, THE WOLF MAN presents us with a different kind of leading man in Lon Chaney Jr. Does its potent mental illness metaphor offset its muddled use of Bela Lugosi? All this, plus another intermission bonus: favorite Halloween TV episodes! Intro and outro music from White Bat Audio!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians continue their tribute to the Essential Universal Monster movies with another double feature! Is 1932’s THE MUMMY the first one of these to be bested by a subsequent remake? Also, we marvel at the special effects and the star performance at the center of 1933’s THE INVISIBLE MAN! Plus, a breakdown of our favorite Halloween tunes! All this and so much more. Opening music from White Bat Audio.
This week, the Pop Culture Historians begin their tribute to the Essential Universal Monster movies! First up: 1931’s DRACULA. Bela Lugosi’s iconic performance holds up almost 100 years later, but does the rest of the film? Next, it’s 1931’s FRANKENSTEIN. How amazing is Boris Karloff, eh? And does it say anything about the time these movies were made that the horror derives from unnatural extension of life? In between, we have an Intermission Special! What’s YOUR favorite Halloween candy?
This is it, the most important time of the year. Time for some awards and superlatives! This week, the Pop Culture Historians take a look back at the 11 movies they’ve covered this season and sort out the best from the worst? Who will be the Best Villain? Which movie was the very worst? And who will win the coveted MVP award? Tune in to find out! Bonus for sticking through to the end: learn what we’re doing on the show for the rest of October!
This week, perhaps our biggest episode yet! It’s a feature-length breakdown of Tim Burton’s first BATMAN movie! How does Michael Keaton’s performance as Bruce Wayne hold up? Is Jack’s Joker under-appreciated in 2022? Why is Robert Wuhl in this? All of these questions and more will be authoritatively answered in this action-packed episode!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians’ journey through Superman concludes (for now!) with Cannon Films’ SUPERMAN IV: THE QUEST FOR PEACE. Debates include: whether this is the worst Superman movie ever made, the feasibility of Superman’s plan to chuck the world’s nuclear weapons into the sun, and whether or not the reported extra 45 minutes would have made this movie any better.
This week, the Pop Culture Historians dig deep into the original Superman film franchise with this attempt at a spinoff, 1984’s SUPERGIRL! This Helen Slater-led movie boasts an all-star cast including Peter O’Toole, Faye Dunaway and Brenda Vaccaro. But is it any good? Well, no. But does it pull of its interesting mix of superhero film, witch caper and college movie? Also no.
This week, the Pop Culture Historians finally break down SUPERMAN III, an early shorthand for franchise bloat. Gene Hackman is replaced by Robert Vaughn and Richard Pryor, Margot Kidder is sidelined for Annette O’Toole, and the charm of the first two SUPERMAN installments is junked for misplaced comedy. Besides that, it’s great!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians meet SWAMP THING! This 1982 Wes Craven film is many things, but…is it even technically a superhero film? This, plus much, much more gets discussed. The full movie is currently on YouTube if you want to watch along. The only way out is through!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians do a deep dive into 1981’s CONDORMAN. Beloved by some, forgotten by most, this Michael Crawford family vehicle represents a piece of Disney history not often reflected on. But is it any good? Listen this week and find out (no, it is not)!
This week, Superman returns for our first sequel, 1980’s SUPERMAN RETURNS. We dive back into the behind the scenes drama, discuss whether Richard Lester’s contributions help or hurt and determine this movie’s MVP. Will the Pop Culture Historians kneel before Zod? Listen this week and find out!
This week, there’s a HERO AT LARGE and he’s played by John Ritter! The Pop Culture Historians discuss this MGM family movie that sees a loser actor become a hero overnight. Is this less popular movie a forgotten classic, or best left forgotten? Can the Pop Culture Historians run out of things to say before the hour is done? Find out this week! The full movie can be found on YouTube.
This week, the Pop Culture Historians meet FLASH GORDON for the final time! Although its status as a superhero movie may be arguable, the amount of color and fun it provides isn’t, even if there is a crucial casting error at its core. DIIIIIVE into this week’s episode!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians cover the true beginning of the superhero genre, Richard Donner’s 1978 SUPERMAN! Marlon Brando and Christopher Reeve blow them away, but does the movie as a whole leave something on the table? Also, how was it possible the movie was good at all considering the considerable chaos behind the scenes? Ponder these super questions and more with the Pop Culture Historians this week!
The Pop Culture Historians welcome you to the next edition of the History of Superhero Films series! In this run of episodes, we take you “From Batman to Batman!” We start with BATMAN 1966, end with BATMAN 1989, and cover all the major releases in between! This week, we break down the 60’s camp classic BATMAN (1966), an extension of the beloved (if now misunderstood) TV series. We talk about how legitimately good the comedy writing is, break down the history behind the film, and note how the whole enterprise could have fallen apart entirely if Adam West hadn’t set the tone immediately. BATMAN 1966 is available for a fee on YouTube and Apple TV! Captain Quik commercial can be found here: https://youtu.be/yRNcoJtsZhg
It’s awards season time! The Pop Culture Historians cover the best moment from each Classic Doctor Who Season Two serial (plus the DR. WHO AND THE DALEKS movie!). As well, Best and Worst Cliffhanger, Best Individual Episode, Best Villain and MVP awards are all given out. All this, plus a sneak peek at what’s to come for the show, and MORE!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians break down the very first Doctor Who movie, 1965’s DR. WHO AND THE DALEKS (note the spelling of “Dr.”). Topics include: does Peter Cushing count as one of the official Doctors? Does adapting a seven-part TV serial into a 79 minute film actually make the story better? How cool is it to see the Daleks in color? And why did they change all of the characters’ personality? The movie is currently available on BritBox if you want to watch along!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians cover the final story in Classic Doctor Who Season Two, THE TIME MEDDLER. The world of Doctor Who gets expanded for the very first time with the arrival of The Monk. We welcome special guest star Peter Butterworth, we discuss the real-world educational value of this story concerning the Battle of Hastings and preview what’s next for Pop Culture Historians. The full serial can be found on BritBox!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians break down THE CHASE, a unique and memorable William Hartnell-era Doctor Who serial. This six-part story has it all: Daleks, the introduction of Peter Purves, the loss of two major cast members, plus guest stars ranging from Shakespeare and Abraham Lincoln to Frankenstein and Count Dracula. This story is as balls-to-the-wall as it gets, and we go almost two hours covering it all. This serial can be found on BritBox (and the UNEDITED first episode can be found at: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5531cm). You don’t want to miss this one!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians visit THE SPACE MUSEUM! Listen as we discuss how this First Doctor story gets off to such a great start, then falls apart almost immediately. Is it an intentional parody of Doctor Who tropes or just a muddled mess? Regardless, it contains maybe the single funniest William Hartnell moment in the show’s history. The entire serial can be found on BritBox!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians meet Shakespeare in the Park! Doctor Who, Vicki, Ian and Barbara find themselves in the middle of THE CRUSADE. Listen as we discuss the biggest guest star the show has had up to this point, Julian Glover, and ponder as we decide whether the fact that two of the four episodes are missing take away from an otherwise stellar First Doctor story. Both the existing and the reconstructed episodes can be found on Dailymotion!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians spend Memorial Day memorializing THE WEB PLANET. Not one of the most beloved William Hartnell serials, we nevertheless discuss the significant ambition behind this overlong story that ultimately falls well short of its intentions. We also talk about obnoxious beeping and silly character voices. All episodes of THE WEB PLANET can be found on BritBox!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians cover THE ROMANS, perhaps one of the finest William Hartnell Doctor Who serials of all time. Listen as we break down how this four episode run balances some very dark subject matter with some of the broadest comedy the show has done up to this point. The entire serial can be found on BritBox!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians welcome our first cast addition to Doctor Who in THE RESCUE! During this quick two-part story, we discuss our initial impressions of Maureen O’Brien’s Vicki. We also break down why this serial stood as the show’s highest rated until the 1970’s. All this and more this week!
This week, the Daleks return! A six-part serial, THE DALEK INVASION OF EARTH changes DOCTOR WHO forever, as the show seems to have its foundation altered going forward. The Pop Culture Historians analyze how far the Daleks have come as antagonists, as well as break down their feelings on our very first cast departure, someone who’s been with us since the very first scene. All six parts of this serial can be found on BritBox!
This week, the Doctor Returns! The Pop Culture Historians dive back into their Classic Who watch/rewatch with a quick three part serial where size truly does matter. As a bonus, we also review a lovingly reconstructed version of the original fourth episode. The serial can be found on BritBox, while the reconstructions can be found at https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2adecz and https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2adedp
This week, we take a look back at the serials we’ve reviewed in this run of episodes. We award best and worst cliffhangers, our favorite heroes and the biggest prizes of all: Best and Worst Serial! We also stumble upon a name for our end-of-season award show. Check it out!
This week, we’ve reached a real milestone! First, the Pop Culture Historians break down the two Superman movie serials. We marvel at how good 1948’s SUPERMAN really was, and remake on how 1950’s ATOM MAN VS SUPERMAN introduces arguably one of the biggest supervillains ever. Finally, we dig into 1952’s SUPERMAN VS. THE MOLE MEN, a theatrical pilot to the 50’s television show. It’s George Reeves’ debut, folks! Truth, justice and the American way all await you this week on Pop Culture Historians!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians are visited by one of the biggest superheroes of them all, Batman! Listen as we reel from the WWII propaganda in BATMAN (1943), laugh as we discuss the cliffhangers of BATMAN AND ROBIN (1949) and consider as we find the virtues and highlights of both serials despite it all. Both serials are on YouTube! Follow us on Twitter (@pchistorians) and Instagram (@popculturehistorianspodcast) for more!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians meet a superhero legend, Captain America! In this version of the future leader of the Avengers, however, there’s no Steve Rogers. Instead, Cap is District Attorney Grant Gardner (Dick Purcell). The Historians pay their respects to Gail Richards (Lorna Gray), grimace at the bizarre and bleak ending, and marvel at an interesting special feature. The entire serial is currently up on YouTube!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians meet THE PHANTOM! We dive into this incredibly popular character’s first and only film serial, which yielded mixed results. Meet the evil Dr. Bremmer! See Tom Tyler return to action! Hear about the insane pseudo-sequel serial Columbia made after losing the rights to the character! All this and more this week on Pop Culture Historians! This serial is available in full on YouTube!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians dig into THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN MARVEL! The complicated histories of both the character’s name (who you may recognize today as Shazam) and the production of this Republic serial are discussed. As well, we get concerned by the bloodthirsty nature of Billy Batson’s alter-ego. We ALSO discover the existence of Hoppy the Marvel Bunny. We…cover a lot of ground this week. The serial can be found on YouTube!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians dive deep into THE GREEN HORNET (1940) and THE GREEN HORNET STRIKES AGAIN (1941)! The iconic theme music! The casting change from Gordon Jones to Warren Hull! The amazing career of Keye Luke! All of this and more this week! Both serials can be watched on YouTube!
Which serial from 1940 starring Victor Jory are the Pop Culture Historians diving into this week? Only THE SHADOW knows! Dazzle at the history of the character Lamont Cranston, aka The Shadow! Thrill as Ryan and Jimmy compare this Columbia serial against its predecessors MANDRAKE THE MAGICIAN and THE SPIDER’S WEB! Chill as they navigate exactly how to discuss Lamont Cranston’s OTHER alter-ego, the wildly racist Lin Chang! You can watch the whole serial on YouTube right now!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians meet MANDRAKE THE MAGICIAN! What happens when you take a King Features newspaper strip character with magic powers and just turn him into a parlor magician? The same thing that happens when you really want to cash in on the success of THE SPIDER’S WEB: you get a bad serial! Watch us struggle to come up with anything good to say about this Warren Hull led vehicle. The full serial can be found on YouTube!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians meet The Spider! Ryan and Jimmy break down 1938’s THE SPIDER’S WEB and 1941’s THE SPIDER RETURNS, a pair of superhero serials that introduce some noir and crime elements to the young genre. We also get introduced to amateur criminologist Richard Wentworth and his insane underworld alter-ego Blinky McQuade! You really, really don’t want to miss this one. Both serials can be found on YouTube if you want to watch along!
This week, the Pop Culture Historians follow up their Flash Gordon discussion with a breakdown of the 1939 Buck Rogers film serial. Topics of discussion include whether we liked this one-off adventure better than the Flash trilogy, and why we think this one didn’t seem to catch on as much with audiences at the time. The entire Buck Rogers serial can be found on the LongForgottenVideos YouTube channel! Follow us on @pchistorians on Twitter and @popculturehistorianspodcast on Instagram.
This week, the Pop Culture Historians start a new series, dedicated to the history of superheroes on film! We go as far as back as we can, to the arguable start of the genre, the Flash Gordon film serials (1936’s FLASH GORDON, 1938’s FLASH GORDON’S TRIP TO MARS and 1940’s FLASH GORDON CONQUERS THE UNIVERSE)! We discuss what old film serials were like, as well as our thoughts on whether this unofficial Flash Gordon trilogy has held up over the decades. If you’re curious, you can watch all three serials on YouTube. They can be found at either the Long Forgotten Videos channel (https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLESDrGLwFOLXT0jfvQVzzvQzEaV-3F13u) or the Demented Features channel (https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5m94w0uZewtRgdYe2SbPWES2tTBiWhAO).
In their debut episode, the Pop Culture Historians their first, way too ambitious project: deep diving into Classic Doctor Who, starting with the first season all the way back in 1963! Jimmy’s a Doctor Who mega fan, Ryan’s never seen an episode.