The Boiled Leather Audio Hour: Recent Episodes
Sean T. Collins & Stefan Sasse
Hi everyone,
as a special treat, we're publishing the latest episode for our subscriber-exclusive podcast for everyone! If you want to listen to the other and the following reviews, join the Patreon!
Why did the Yi Ti build gigantic forts? Where did Azor Ahai really come from? Join us to not get any answers!
We're nearing the end. Not that anyone expected it when 1989 rolled around, but hindsight is a bitch.
We talk about the big event, of course, but there's also a huge discussion about the worth of flashbacks and we even add a little addendum about the new trailer for the third season of House of the Dragon!
We review the third episode of a show that's just getting stronger every week, and giving you some sound structural reasons as to why!
We are reviewing the first episode of the Dunk&Egg saga! Follow us along interpreting the new Laughing Storm and Dunk's extremely serious naivitée and wonder with us whether it matters how tall he actually is.
Without any reason in HBO's programming schedule whatsoever, we tackle the "Hedge Knight" and its value system.
In our 11th episode of the subseries about the history of the divided Germany, we're looking at East Germany from 1973 to 1989 - the era named after its charismatic, relatable leader, Erich Honecker.
In this episode, I take Grant Piercy, better known as Heathen King, to task. We talk about revenge in ASOIAF and in the real world, as well. Find his books online!
It is the day of days - we're tackling one of the biggest chapters yet. Who are the three heads of the dragon? What are the betrayals? Who's the grey-lipped man on a ship? The false dragon? We're talking about none of that. Instead, we're taking the deep dive into what this chapter actually MEANS.
Is there good and evil in ASOIAF, or is just a morally grey mass and mess? I take this up with Quinn the GM, who made a very instructive video essay on it that I really wanted to discuss in depth.
Today, we're taking a look at the detente between West and East Germany. What were the factors breaking the deadlock in domestic and international politics? How did it happen? And, most importantly, was it a success?
Jon's death comes as a big surprise for first-time readers, and not because it's sprung on you but because Martin is a damn good writer. We explain all the ways of why and how.
We’re talking about the Whispering Wood, and come off with one fundamental insight: GRRM is a good writer.
I’m talking to Artyom Nichipurov from Wolffdesigna Games, a Latvian firm that’s most famous for the excellent “Guards of Atlantis II”, a tabletop adaptation of the MOBA game experience. If you don’t know what any of this means, no worry, I got you covered - the first seven minutes of the episode explain what MOBAs are and how GoA2 specifically functions so you can understand the episode. If you already know, feel free to jump to minute 7.26 for the episode proper.
Today, we're talking about the period from 1966 to 1974. Witness the Grand Coalition and the coming into power of Willy Brandt, heading the first SPD government of the Federal Republic with his slogan of "daring more democracy".
Today, we’re covering the first half of the history of the Democratic Republic of Germany - or East Germany, to its friends. From the earliest days of popular insurrection to the construction of the Berlin Wall and the twilight days of Ulbricht’s reign, we have you covered.
In our ongoing series on the best moments of the series, we take apart the Bridge of Dream sequence, which provides us with some unusualy challenges - we don't really know where any of this leads, so this is more meta and speculative as usual.
Today, we're looking at why the CDU could rule for 20 years in the early German republic. There's a good combination of electoral shenanigans, foreign policy questions and old Nazis involved.
From the Berlin airlift to the Berlin wall, this episodes covers Germany’s capital (and the capital of spies) from wall to wall.
Everyone and their mother knows Dungeons&Dragons, at least in concept. But few people know the most important German roleplaying game, “The Dark Eye.” With professor Adrian Daub of Stanford, I talk about this game that’s near and dear to my heart - and maybe yours too, soon.
This is our 200th episode. Of course we wanted to do something special. George R. R. Martin asked us if he could guest host, but we were too busy, so we settled on doing the Red Wedding. We hope that’s ok.
We’re back again! With Jim McGeehin, I talk about the founding of not one but two German states. We’ll have a look at why we’re creating two states instead of one and how these two shape out. You might want to reference the following two diagrams, but it’s not essential. We keep it light on the legalese.
After 11 months, we’re back talking the history of the divided Germany! After looking at western Germany last time round, this time, we’re taking the deep dive into East Germany 1946 to 1948 and ask ourselves how to succesfully build socialism in Germany.
The season finale is here! Sean and I have a slightly different view about it, but as is our wont, we agree on a lot, and the show stays superb even though Sean left a bit disappointed.
There’s a lot of dragons this episode, and we’re comparing the show to Better Call Saul, The Americans and Halt and Catch Fire, because that makes a lot of sense - as you’ll learn listening!
Three days, and there’s good news (even earlier if you’re a Patreon!): HotD is STILL one of the best things on TV right now. This episode, characters, actors and dialogue writing are front and center, and the scenes are so damn good we cannot shut up about if for an hour.
“House of the Dragon” continues to be excellent in this laid-back but still incredibly rich and textured episode. We discuss shot compositions, nightmares, thin places and politics, all in one podcast!
The dragons danced and died, but Stefan skipped town. Yet Sean is not flying solo! Friend of the show Gretchen Felker-Martin, the acclaimed horror novelist behind Manhunt and Cuckoo, joins the Illustrious Co-host for a conversation about the most spectacular, violent, important episode of House of the Dragon yet. Join the ol’ Cut to Black team as they discuss this fantasy landmark!
This may just be the best episode of a great show yet. Sean and I discuss why in exhaustive and euphoric detail. Also, more detail than you wanted about full-frontal blowjobs, but the show started it.
Now we’re in episode 2. Who won? Ser Arryk or Ser Erryk? We’re not confused. Because we care about themes.
You didn’t think we’d miss this, right? Weekly episodes, from now on, on the regular channel! Listen to us how we discuss the most important thing in season 2: the new title sequence. And some other stuff, like child murder.
We finally did it and continue the “Best of ASOIAF” series. It’s a crowd pleaser, Daenerys’ “Dracarys” moment, which also marked a turning point for Emilia Clarke in the series. But we are digging deeper: why is it such a crowd pleaser, and what does it mean? What does it portend for Dany? Follow us into the deep dive and fry some slavers.
In a special, political episode, I talk with political operative Frank Spring about the upcoming presidential elections. If you don’t want politics from me, stay away from this episode :) You have been warned.
Sean has written a list of the top ten TV shows of 2023 (https://decider.com/2023/12/29/sean-t-collinss-top-10-tv-shows-of-2023/), and we’re here to talk about it. Take it as your to-do-list, nod along or vehemently disagree!
Oppenheimer has been released on BlueRay. Having missed it in cinema and after covering Barbie with Sean, I’ll now took BLAH veteran and nuclear deterrence expert Tim Westmyer to debate why Oppenheimer is such a good movie, to clear up some of the technical questions and to have a deeper look at the genesis of nuclear weapons as portrayed by Christopher Nolan.
Ridley Scott’s new epic “Napoleon” sure is divisive and polarizing. It takes two historians to get the definitive judgement on the movie, and it’s greatly helped that we are in agreement: this movie is either way too short or way too long. Either one.
With Zero Hour dealt with, we’re looking at how the Western Allies laid the foundations for the democratization of Western Germany. From the foundation of parties to the Marshall Plan, the Allies were not exactly on the same page.
Jim and I started a new subseries in our ongoing coverage of German history. This time, we will cover the divided Germany after World War II up until reunification. In our first installment, we set the scene in 1945, directly after the war. How did Germany look, and how was its outlook? And what is the myth of Zero Hour?
With board game designer Bryan Kromrey, I talk about the adaptation of the famous RTS “Company of Heroes”, how the modern Kickstarter economy works and how his process for a second edition went.
Origin stories are a Hollywood trope. Oftentimes, they’re rote and uninteresting, but if done right, they can recontextualize and enrich characters you never thought would rise above mid-level anti-hero-badassery. Case in point: the Hound, who gives the speech of a lifetime to Sansa in “A Game of Thrones”.
Finally, we’re in the home stretch. From the peace of Brest-Litovsk to the Kaiserschlacht offensive to the breakdown of the Central Powers and the winding down of the war in the fall, we’re doing the whole picture.
In the next installment of our ongoing series, we talk about Bran’s Dream from AGOT, Bran III. It’s a testament to Martin’s abilities as a gardener as well as to our ability to constantly reinterpret the source text.
We continue into the year 1917! This time, our focus is not on tactics, strategy, weapons and stuff but on the epochal events of the Russian Revolution and the American entry into the war.
We’re continuing the story of World War I with the year 1916. The battles of Verdun and the Somme are the most famous, and we’re giving them the space they deserve, but the Romanian campaign, the Brusilov offensive and the Battle of Jutland also get their share. To top it off, we delve into the politics of the year, which may surprise you in how consequential they were.
It was only a question of time until we hit one of the most profound and meaningful pieces of text in the whole ASOIAF corpus, but we did it! Sean and I talk Septon Meribald’s “broken men” speech. Follow us along hitting you over the head with deep in-text-analysis.
This is special episode. I have been challenged by Kienn Joiaf to defend my assertion that Lyanna Stark is the Knight of the Laughing Tree and to disprove their theory that in truth it is Eddard Stark. That theory is laid out here, but I will summarize it in the episode - and then take it apart. It’s not a kind thing to do that to a Podator, but we are rebels, so we rebel. Or something to that effect. Oh, and here’s the link to all Supreme Court of Westeros episodes.
We’re continuing the story of World War I with the year 1915. From the massive loss of human lives in the big offensives, the Western stalemate and the breakthrough in the East, to technological innovations like aerial bombardment and poison gas to the political sphere, we have it all.
We are finally here: World War I has broken out, and now it’s off to the military history. But not so fast! Before you think we’re down to discussing which caliber of gun is superior to which, let me assure you: we take the big view, and look at how politics and war intersect and why the war isn’t over by christmas, but rather evolving into something else entirely.
Sean and I are on record being huge fans of the German series “Dark”. Their creators now published their follow-up work, “1899”, streaming on Netflix. However, lighting doesn’t strike twice, and the show doesn’t manage to live up to its predecessor. We analyze what went wrong and why it’s still worth the watch.
Greek myths and medieval novels provide a rich tapestry of themes and inspiration that inspire literature for centuries now. Reason enough for us here at the Boiled Leather Audio Hour to go to that well and drink deep. I recruited Mattea Barbagallo for this, who expertly talks about Greek myth and medieval novels and how they pertain to our beloved saga.
The finale is out! We get a funeral, a rom-com between two fascists, a prison break, a child marriage, police shooting unarmed civilians, a terrorist, a failed assassination attempt and I’m sure I’m missing something else - but what does it matter, for all men must die, and I’ve seen Andor season 1! What a marvelous show.
I reviewed Netflix’ adaptation of “All Quiet on the Western Front” for the Patreon already, but now I want to do an in-depth-look with an expert and see whether my criticisms hold any merit. Aside from the new movie, we talk about the 1979 and 1930 adaptations, critically comparing them, “1917” and “At Journey’s End” and why World War I is so difficult an area for storytelling in general.
What is this? A review of Andor? Isn’t this supposed to be exclusive to the Boiled Leather Audio Moment? Yes, of course. But christmas is coming early! We’re publishing the last two episode reviews of this great show, because we assume everyone should be watching it right now. If you don’t, start right now. And pledge on the Momentalist level to listen to the full back catalogue of BLAM episodes, including all our episode reviews for this great show! Plus, this episode features the announcement of the next big step for the Boiled Leather Audio Hour. You’ll never guess what it is!
It’s been a long time since episode 151, but after the gruelling regime of covering three shows (HotD, LOTRTROP and Andor) simultaneously for weeks on end, we need to get back to our regular, light-hearted fare. This week, Jim McGeehin and I am covering the July crisis, the beginning of World War I. The good thing is that this topic has almost no contemporary relevance whatsoever…ah, shit.
Not only did the Boiled Leather Audio Hour produce a roundtable about the finale, the regular episode with Sean T. Collin was produced as well! If my audio sounds a bit worse than usual, that’s because I had to record on a laptop. Sorry for that!
The first season has come to a close! Before you get to enjoy the final review that Sean and I do together, I have a special treat for you: a roundtable discussion coming live from the “City of Dragons”, Caceres, where the King’s Landing scenes are filmed and where I met up with Elio Garcia and Matteo Barbagallo to discuss what we saw!
The Green Council finally has arrived! People get murdered, smallfolk massacred, a king gets lost, factions betrayed, convictions challenged, all against the backdrop of incredibly sharp writing and great acting. Is there anything more you could want? We don’t think so!
What’s more relaxing than a nice family dinner? Maybe a wedding at the Twins. In this episode, the showrunners manage to make a dinner into one of the most tense scenes on TV in months. This show continues to impress, and it’s incredible how much so.
The newest episode of House of the Dragon is out, and so is our podcast! We’re covering a sad funeral, a nice family meeting, a kid finding a new pet, a grandfather loves his grandchildren. After that, we’re diving into the stupidest discourse surrounding the show: was it too dark? Not thematically. Literally.
It’s ten years since the last episode, but lucky for everyone, only in narrated time. We meet up with new actresses, aged-up actors and a shit-ton of new characters for a very plot-heavy episode that really does some heavy lifting and proves that the high-stakes gamble this show takes is paying off, big time.
Trigger warning: There’s a rather intense debate about death in childbirth and its artistic expression near the end.
The fifth episode of “House of the Dragon” came out, and the show is still great. It’s one of the best shows out there right now, no question, and it might break in the pantheon of all-time stars. HBO still has its mojo, and we’re telling you what we got from this episode! Expect some mooning mixed in the serious analysis and interpretation. That the latter are even possible is also testament to the strength of the material. But we discuss that.
Last week we asked whether episode 3 was the best episode yet, and it was at the time. Now it’s been dethroned, and the new heir is episode 4! Sean and I produce our shortest review yet because this was just such a good hour of television that we can only marvel at the many things done right and engage into some details. You will still get a lot out of it, as did we, but when stuff is really good, sometimes you just have to lean back and enjoy.
Is this the best “House of the Dragon” episode yet? Granted, it’s only three episodes in, but this is shaping out to be one of the best shows an air right now. Sean and Stefan really gush about how good it is, what themes it develops, how it works structurally and what seeds it sows for the rest of the story.
We did it! Sean and I coordinated our schedules and join our forces once again to talk “House of the Dragon”. This time, it’s episode 2. Is it better or worse than episode 1? It’s almost a moot discussion since the show remains pretty strong.
The House of the Dragon is finally here! Sean and I have written our own reviews (here and here), but now comes the great synthesis of what we think about episode 1. We’re doing the deep dive: characters, actors, production, violence, storytelling, prophecy, real-world issues - you’ll get it all!
When Bran was thrown out the window by Jaime Lannister, this marked the first real signal that something was different about this series. Today, Sean and I explore as to why this is and what makes this scene special. Plus, we can use the word "defenestration”, which doesn’t get enough usage in common parlance.
The Disney+ Miniseries “Obi-Wan Kenobi” starring Ewan McGregor just concluded its six-episode run. We are talking about why it was a show that exists but doesn’t really rise beyond that. Where does the strange lack of suspense, meaning and emotion stem from? All this, and more, in the current BLAH episode.
We are returing to our new series on our favorite moments in A Song of Ice and Fire. After Sean’s pick of the Tower of Joy last time, this time Stefan chooses The Knight of the Laughing Tree, the most influential and important story in the story that’s told in ASOIAF. What does it tell us about Bran, about the history, about the meta and about so many other things? Who is the Knight of the Laughing Tree? Ok, just kidding, it’s Lyanna. But the other questions are really interesting!
After we followed Bismarck’s delicate attempt at maintaining European balance in the favor of German foreign policy interests, we now watch it all crash down as Kaiser Wilhelm II takes the reigns and infuses some panage into the whole thing. Listen to us discuss why France, Britain and Russia are drawing together - and whether or not it could’ve been avoided.
Sean and I start a new series, analyzing our favorite moments of the series. This week is about the Tower of Joy.
Bismarck famously refused to engage in colonialism, only to do an about-face in the 1880s to create the third-largest colonial empire of the world. It didn’t do much good. A drain financially, utterly indefensible and diplomatically a heavy burden, it weakened Germany, rather than strengthening it. Nor did it bring any good to the colonized; rather the opposite. The first German genocide was perpetrated on Namibian soil, and it would not be the last. Listen to us discussing this dark topic of history.
Bismarck felt, in the colloquial French of the times, the "cauchemar des coalitions", the nightmare of coalitions. He wanted to keep the peace, but a peace on his terms. Was this ever possible, or was Bismarck's artful foreign policy in the end only kicking the can down the road, leading to the inevitable breakdown? Listen to find out!
Amazon produced a gigantic fantasy series in the hopes of upstaging Game of Thrones - or at least its own "Lord of the Rings The Rings of Power". Did they succeed?
The first political conflict of the Kaiserriech is upon us! The Kulturkampf, the first and titular culture war, against the catholic church and the suppression of the social democrats are major factors.
We are ten years old! Almost everyone who is someone in nerddom came over to talk to me and say some kind words.
With the Kaiserreich now founded, Jim and I take a look under the hood and dissect its constitutional framework.
To talk about his famous blog series, I invited Bret back over to talk about the myths mentioned in the title.
One of the most popular series right now is "The Boys", which is rather toxic. So what's the whole deal about?
After we looked at the political unification process, we're now looking at the more martially oriented one.
Jim and I start a new sub-series on our "history of Germany" bigger series, looking where it all began: in the Kaiserreich.
With Bret Deveraux, I'm talking about RTS and their stories. Come back to the Tiberium Wars with us!
After we explored the role that magical creatures play in ASOIAF in episode 131, it’s time to look at other fantastical elements. From magical portals to telepathy, from blood sacrifice to Asshai and the Wall itself, we explore the role magic plays in the greater narrative.
Do Snarks and Grumpkins exist? Do Squishers? If they did, what would it mean? And what have the Brothers Grimm to do with it? Are direwolves monsters or animals? What's the deal with the Others? And, most importantly, why are monsters in this story in the first place? All this, and more, in the current episode of the Boiled Leather Audio Hour!
It has been a wild week. After all that casting news of “House of the Dragon”, the new bid-budget HBO show on the Dance of the Dragons, we not only got news about a Broadway theatrical play about the Tourney at Harrenhal, but also about three (!) other shows being in development as well as an animated (!) show, all set in Westeros.
Do these shows excite us? Maybe? Do we have thoughts on them and the decision making process or the artistic potential? Definitely!
I watched Twin Peaks for the first time, and boy was it weird. I'm talking to strangeness expert Sean about it.
We're taking a little holiday from Westeros and talk about how stories are told in political campaigns. I have two campaign experts with me for this.
The shock of the Depression might have shaken the republic, but it's brought down by forces from within.
We look at the societal structure of the Weimar Republic, which is essentially torn between past and future. You know, like every society ever.
Characters get taught a lot by mentors. We start a new series on all of the teachers of Ice and Fire.
The year 1923 was the make-or-break year of Weimar. Surprisingly, the republic was kept.
With Clint and Merry, I talk about "The Sworn Sword", everyone's favorite Dunk&Egg novella.
Jim McGeehin and I start a new series about German history. We start with the Weimar Republic, talking about its genesis in the revolution of 1918/19.
There are a lot of plagues and diseases, especially in Feastdance. I'm bringing in Steven to analyze them.
Capitalism and communism, who doesn't want to talk about it? Steven Attewell for sure does!
I did this already with bookshelfstud, but there's no reason not to repeat it with my esteemed colleague.
After "A Storm of Swords", a lot of mediocre people come into power. We talk about that.
With campaign expert Marcus A. Roberts, I take another look at the elections of Ice and Fire.
To celebrate Sean ending his hiatus, we're going through all TWOW chapters again, starting with Theon. It's been a few years, and it'll be interesting how our perspectives changed.
You cannot only examine locations, but the very geography itself. Martin isn't exactly putting a huge emphasis on realism here, so let's discover inconsistencies!
WIth Bookshelfstud I talk about the big themes and what ASOIAF is really about, viewed over the whole series.
With prolific history blogger and fantasy nerd Bret Deveraux I talk about how to square the circle between realism and storytelling necessity.
The series finally concluded! I talk about it with Sean T. Collins, who comes out of hiatus again for it.
There are a lot of elections going on in ASOIAF. I'm talking to elections expert Marcus A. Roberts.
You will be surprised that I'm talking about myths and symbolism with their foremost expert.
With Elio, I'm talking about whether Cersei always was like this or if she became this way courtesy of Tywin.
The title of "A Feast for Crows" lends itself to much more interpretation than one could assume.
With Jim, I'm talking about games. Since this isn't strictly an ASOIAF episode, it gets a special counting number.
With the team of History of Ice and Fire, I talk about all sorts of weird stuff from the fringes of the magical.
Sean is on hiatus, so I invite a roster of guest stars. We start off with Emmet Booth to talk about why "A Dance with Dragons" is the best of the five first novels.
We talk about all POVs - before the story officially starts. What did Eddard do before he became Hand? And so on.
Yet another Star Wars movie came out. We talk about it and how clever it is of Disney to drown us in these.
Apart from ultra-violence, Starship Troopers and Rambo don't seem to share much, but you may be surprised.
Because you've been so good we share yet another Patreon episode, in which we talk about whether the Hound could be Azor Ahai. Spoiler: no.
We share another exclusive from the Patreon, where we talk about the 2006 movie "Children of Men".
We break our pledge and talk about politics again, because this moment in time is unprecedented. This time will be last, though.
We return to Star Wars, talking about the prequel trilogy, which is actually better than you remember.
For the first time ever, we do a political episode and talk about the US elections. This will be a one-off.
After the North and Essos, we tackle the South and try to predict how it will go in TWOW.
We give you the second part of our narrative analysis as a present - if you want more of this, join the Patreon?
Did you know we have a Patreon? We share this formerly exclusive episode with you, talking about Ice and Blackfyre, the most famous swords of the saga.
How best to analyze theories? We have a narrative approach that we believe in and want to share that with you.
We start a new series in which we invite prominent fans of ASOIAF and talk about their favorite angles. This time, it's Slate columnist Jamelle Bouie.
After "The Princess and the Queen", we discuss the second novella that gives us the prequel story.
Not an ASOIAF sample chapter, but a sample chapter nonetheless! We get a sneak peak into Aegon from "The World of Ice and Fire".
Will wonders never cease? George R. R. Martin released another sample chapter, this time on his own homepage. We're with Arya again!
Yet another sample chapter dropped, this time from the "Ice and Fire" app. Strange places, but welcome surprises.
We talk with the author of "The Meereenese Blot", Adam Feldman, who made quite the impression on fandom.
Rather unexpectedly, the new paperback edition of "A Dance with Dragons" contained a new Barristan sample chapter.
George R. R. Martin published a new novella, taking us into the Dance of the Dragons. We take history expert Steven Attewell to task.
With Jamin, I host the Supreme Court of Westeros on the Nerdstream Era. Today, we take the format live and invite Sean to help out!
Even more women of Westeros! This time, it's Catelyn and Dany, which seem to have nothing in common, but they don't know us.
Not one, but two books came out, and we talk about them! The Lands of Ice and Fire is, of course, more a map collection than book, but "A Flight of Sorrows" is an essay collection that yours truly also contributed to.
After Sansa and Cersei, we pair Brienne and Asha in this episode. You will find out why.
In our second episode about prophecies, we look specifically into their geopolitical impact.
In this episode, we tackle one of the most interesting female relationships in the series.
Elio and Linda wrote a great essay about Romanticism in ASOIAF for the "Beyond the Wall" essay series. We're here to talk to them about it.
After we tackled violence against children, we approach another heavy topic: the role of rape in the story.
Prophecies obviously play a huge part in ASOIAF. This is the first time we talk about them on this show.
George R. R. Martin released a sample chapter for "The Winds of Winter", Theon I! Together with Amin, we talk about it.
In this episode we tackle the possibilities and necessities of political reform in Westeros.
In our very first episode, we tackle the question of what honor is exactly in Westeros.
After 11 months, we’re back talking the history of the divided Germany! After looking at western Germany last time around, this time, we’re taking the deep dive into East Germany 1946 to 1948 and ask ourselves how to succesfully build socialism in Germany.
Download the episode!
The season finale is here! Sean and I have a slightly different view about it, but as is our wont, we agree on a lot, and the show stays superb even though Sean left a bit disappointed.
Download the episode
There’s a lot of dragons this episode, and we’re comparing the show to Better Call Saul, The Americans and Halt and Catch Fire, because that makes a lot of sense - as you’ll learn listening!
Download the episode!
Three days, and there’s good news (even earlier if you’re a Patreon!): HotD is STILL one of the best things on TV right now. This episode, characters, actors and dialogue writing are front and center, and the scenes are so damn good we cannot shut up about if for an hour.
Download the episode!
Podcast RSS feed.
Stefan on Twitter.
Stefan’s blog.
“House of the Dragon” continues to be excellent in this laid-back but still incredibly rich and textured episode. We discuss shot compositions, nightmares, thin places and politics, all in one podcast!
Download the episode!
Podcast RSS feed.
Stefan on Twitter.
Stefan’s blog.
The dragons danced and died, but Stefan skipped town. Yet Sean is not flying solo! Friend of the show Gretchen Felker-Martin, the acclaimed horror novelist behind Manhunt and Cuckoo, joins the Illustrious Co-host for a conversation about the most spectacular, violent, important episode of House of the Dragon yet. Join the ol’ Cut to Black team as they discuss this fantasy landmark!
Download the episode!
This may just be the best episode of a great show yet. Sean and I discuss why in exhaustive and euphoric detail. Also, more detail than you wanted about full-frontal blowjobs, but the show started it.
Download the episode!
Podcast RSS feed.
Stefan on Twitter.
Stefan’s blog.
Now we’re in episode 2. Who won? Ser Arryk or Ser Erryk? We’re not confused. Because we care about themes.
Download the episode!
We finally did it and continue the “Best of ASOIAF” series. It’s a crowd pleaser, Daenerys’ “Dracarys” moment, which also marked a turning point for Emilia Clarke in the series. But we are digging deeper: why is it such a crowd pleaser, and what does it mean? What does it portend for Dany? Follow us into the deep dive and fry some slavers.
Download the episode!
Torrent
Our iTunes page.
Previous episodes.
Podcast RSS feed.
Stefan on Twitter.
Stefan’s blog.
Sean on Twitter.
You didn’t think we’d miss this, right? Weekly episodes, from now on, on the regular channel! Listen to us how we discuss the most important thing in season 2: the new title sequence. And some other stuff, like child murder.
Download the episode!
Torrent
Our iTunes page.
Previous episodes.
Podcast RSS feed.
Stefan on Twitter.
Stefan’s blog.
Sean on Twitter.
In a special, political episode, I talk with political operative Frank Spring about the upcoming presidential elections. If you don’t want politics from me, stay away from this episode :) You have been warned.
Download the episode!
Torrent
Our iTunes page.
Previous episodes.
Podcast RSS feed.
Stefan on Twitter. Stefan on Bluesky. Stefan’s blog.
Sean has written a list of the top ten TV shows of 2023 (https://decider.com/2023/12/29/sean-t-collinss-top-10-tv-shows-of-2023/), and we’re here to talk about it. Take it as your to-do-list, nod along or vehemently disagree!
Download the episode!
Torrent
Our iTunes page.
Previous episodes.
Podcast RSS feed.
Stefan on Twitter.
Stefan’s blog.
Sean on Twitter.
Oppenheimer has been released on BlueRay. Having missed it in cinema and after covering Barbie with Sean, I’ll now took BLAH veteran and nuclear deterrence expert Tim Westmyer to debate why Oppenheimer is such a good movie, to clear up some of the technical questions and to have a deeper look at the genesis of nuclear weapons as portrayed by Christopher Nolan.
Download the episode!
Torrent
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Stefan’s blog here.
Ridley Scott’s new epic “Napoleon” sure is divisive and polarizing. It takes two historians to get the definitive judgement on the movie, and it’s greatly helped that we are in agreement: this movie is either way too short or way too long. Either one.
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BLAH 184 | A Tale of Two Germanies - Democratization, with Jim McGeehinWith Zero Hour dealt with, we’re looking at how the Western Allies laid the foundations for the democratization of Western Germany. From the foundation of parties to the Marshall Plan, the Allies were not exactly on the same page.
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In a crossover with Javi Marcos, you’re getting an episode in which he interviews me.
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Jim and I started a new subseries in our ongoing coverage of German history. This time, we will cover the divided Germany after World War II up until reunification. In our first installment, we set the scene in 1945, directly after the war. How did Germany look, and how was its outlook? And what is the myth of Zero Hour?
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In a surprise twist, we make a BLAC episode available for everyone! Enjoy, and if you do, pledge at the Conversationalist level and get access to 47 other episodes and everything that will come after!
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With board game designer Bryan Kromrey, I talk about the adaptation of the famous RTS “Company of Heroes”, how the modern Kickstarter economy works and how his process for a second edition went.
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Origin stories are a Hollywood trope. Oftentimes, they’re rote and uninteresting, but if done right, they can recontextualize and enrich characters you never thought would rise above mid-level anti-hero-badassery. Case in point: the Hound, who gives the speech of a lifetime to Sansa in “A Game of Thrones”.
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Finally, we’re in the home stretch. From the peace of Brest-Litovsk to the Kaiserschlacht offensive to the breakdown of the Central Powers and the winding down of the war in the fall, we’re doing the whole picture.
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In the next installment of our ongoing series, we talk about Bran’s Dream from AGOT, Bran III. It’s a testament to Martin’s abilities as a gardener as well as to our ability to constantly reinterpret the source text.
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We continue into the year 1917! This time, our focus is not on tactics, strategy, weapons and stuff but on the epochal events of the Russian Revolution and the American entry into the war.
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We’re continuing the story of World War I with the year 1916. The battles of Verdun and the Somme are the most famous, and we’re giving them the space they deserve, but the Romanian campaign, the Brusilov offensive and the Battle of Jutland also get their share. To top it off, we delve into the politics of the year, which may surprise you in how consequential they were.
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It was only a question of time until we hit one of the most profound and meaningful pieces of text in the whole ASOIAF corpus, but we did it! Sean and I talk Septon Meribald’s “broken men” speech. Follow us along hitting you over the head with deep in-text-analysis.
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This is special episode. I have been challenged by Kienn Joiaf to defend my assertion that Lyanna Stark is the Knight of the Laughing Tree and to disprove their theory that in truth it is Eddard Stark. That theory is laid out here, but I will summarize it in the episode - and then take it apart. It’s not a kind thing to do that to a Podator, but we are rebels, so we rebel. Or something to that effect. Oh, and here’s the link to all Supreme Court of Westeros episodes.
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We’re continuing the story of World War I with the year 1915. From the massive loss of human lives in the big offensives, the Western stalemate and the breakthrough in the East, to technological innovations like aerial bombardement and poison gas to the political sphere, we have it all.
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We are finally here: World War I has broken out, and now it’s off to the military history. But not so fast! Before you think we’re down to discussing which caliber of gun is superior to which, let me assure you: we take the big view, and look at how politics and war intersect and why the war isn’t over by christmas, but rather evolving into something else entirely.
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Greek myths and medieval novels provide a rich tapestry of themes and inspiration that inspire literature for centuries now. Reason enough for us here at the Boiled Leather Audio Hour to go to that well and drink deep. I recruited Mattea Barbagallo for this, who expertly talks about Greek myth and medieval novels and how they pertain to our beloved saga.
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Sean and I are on record being huge fans of the German series “Dark”. Their creators now published their follow-up work, “1899”, streaming on Netflix. However, lighting doesn’t strike twice, and the show doesn’t manage to live up to its predecessor. We analyze what went wrong and why it’s still worth the watch.
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Greek myths and medieval novels provide a rich tapestry of themes and inspiration that inspire literature for centuries now. Reason enough for us here at the Boiled Leather Audio Hour to go to that well and drink deep. I recruited Mattea Barbagallo for this, who expertly talks about Greek myth and medieval novels and how they pertain to our beloved saga.
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I reviewed Netflix’ adaptation of “All Quiet on the Western Front” for the Patreon already, but now I want to do an in-depth-look with an expert and see whether my criticisms hold any merit. Aside from the new movie, we talk about the 1979 and 1930 adaptations, critically comparing them, “1917” and “At Journey’s End” and why World War I is so difficult an area for storytelling in general.
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CAUTION: The original upload contained episode 167 with Andor ep 11 again. This should be correct now.
The finale is out! We get a funeral, a rom-com between two fascists, a prison break, a child marriage, police shooting unarmed civilians, a terrorist, a failed assassination attempt and I’m sure I’m missing something else - but what does it matter, for all men must die, and I’ve seen Andor season 1! What a marvellous show.
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Blaze
I reviewed Netflix’ adaptation of “All Quiet on the Western Front” for the Patreon already, but now I want to do an in-depth-look with an expert and see whether my criticisms hold any merit. Aside from the new movie, we talk about the 1979 and 1930 adaptations, critically comparing them, “1917” and “At Journey’s End” and why World War I is so difficult an area for storytelling in general.
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What is this? A review of Andor? Isn’t this supposed to be exclusive to the Boiled Leather Audio Moment? Yes, of course. But christmas is coming early! We’re publishing the last two episode reviews of this great show, because we assume everyone should be watching it right now. If you don’t, start right now. And pledge on the Momentalist level to listen to the full back catalogue of BLAM episodes, including all our episode reviews for this great show! Plus, this episode features the announcement of the next big step for the Boiled Leather Audio Hour. You’ll never guess what it is!
Seriously, you won’t. It’s that wild.
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It’s been a long time since episode 151, but after the gruelling regime of covering three shows (HotD, LOTRTROP and Andor) simultaneously for weeks on end, we need to get back to our regular, light-hearted fare. This week, Jim McGeehin and I am covering the July crisis, the beginning of World War I. The good thing is that this topic has almost no contemporary relevance whatsoever…ah, shit.
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Not only did the Boiled Leather Audio Hour produce a roundtable about the finale, the regular episode with Sean T. Collin was produced as well! If my audio sounds a bit worse than usual, that’s because I had to record on a laptop. Sorry for that!
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The first season has come to a close! Before you get to enjoy the final review that Sean and I do together, I have a special treat for you: a roundtable discussion coming live from the “City of Dragons”, Caceres, where the King’s Landing scenes are filmed and where I met up with Elio Garcia and Matteo Barbagallo to discuss what we saw!
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The Green Council finally has arrived! People get murdered, smallfolk massacred, a king gets lost, factions betrayed, convictions challenged, all against the backdrop of incredibly sharp writing and great acting. Is there anything more you could want? We don’t think so!
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What’s more relaxing than a nice family dinner? Maybe a wedding at the Twins. In this episode, the showrunners manage to make a dinner into one of the most tense scenes on TV in months. This show continues to impress, and it’s incredible how much so.
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The newest episode of House of the Dragon is out, and so is our podcast! We’re covering a sad funeral, a nice family meeting, a kid finding a new pet, a grandfather loves his grandchildren. After that, we’re diving into the stupidest discourse surrounding the show: was it too dark? Not thematically. Literally.
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It’s ten years since the last episode, but lucky for everyone, only in narrated time. We meet up with new actresses, aged-up actors and a shit-ton of new characters for a very plot-heavy episode that really does some heavy lifting and proves that the high-stakes gamble this show takes is paying off, big time.
Trigger warning: There’s a rather intense debate about death in childbirth and its artistic expression near the end.
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The fifth episode of “House of the Dragon” came out, and the show is still great. It’s one of the best shows out there right now, no question, and it might break in the pantheon of all-time stars. HBO still has its mojo, and we’re telling you what we got from this episode! Expect some mooning mixed in the serious analysis and interpretation. That the latter are even possible is also testament to the strength of the material. But we discuss that.
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Last week we asked whether episode 3 was the best episode yet, and it was at the time. Now it’s been dethroned, and the new heir is episode 4! Sean and I produce our shortest review yet because this was just such a good hour of television that we can only marvel at the many things done right and engage into some details. You will still get a lot out of it, as did we, but when stuff is really good, sometimes you just have to lean back and enjoy.
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Is this the best “House of the Dragon” episode yet? Granted, it’s only three episodes in, but this is shaping out to be one of the best shows an air right now. Sean and Stefan really gush about how good it is, what themes it develops, how it works structurally and what seeds it sows for the rest of the story.
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We did it! Sean and I coordinated our schedules and join our forces once again to talk “House of the Dragon”. This time, it’s episode 2. Is it better or worse than episode 1? It’s almost a moot discussion since the show remains pretty strong.
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The House of the Dragon is finally here! Sean and I have written our own reviews (here and here), but now comes the great synthesis of what we think about episode 1. We’re doing the deep dive: characters, actors, production, violence, storytelling, prophecy, real-world issues - you’ll get it all!
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When Bran was thrown out the window by Jaime Lannister, this marked the first real signal that something was different about this series. Today, Sean and I explore as to why this is and what makes this scene special. Plus, we can use the word “defenestration”, which doesn’t get enough usage in common parlance.
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The Disney+ Miniseries “Obi-Wan Kenobi” starring Ewan McGregor just concluded its six-episode run. We are talking about why it was a show that exists but doesn’t really rise beyond that. Where does the strange lack of suspense, meaning and emotion stem from? All this, and more, in the current BLAH episode.
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We are returing to our new series on our favorite moments in A Song of Ice and Fire. After Sean’s pick of the Tower of Joy last time, this time Stefan chooses The Knight of the Laughing Tree, the most influential and important story in the story that’s told in ASOIAF. What does it tell us about Bran, about the history, about the meta and about so many other things? Who is the Knight of the Laughing Tree? Ok, just kidding, it’s Lyanna. But the other questions are really interesting!
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In this brand new series, Sean T. Collins and I delve back into our favorite fantasy series and talk about our favorite moments. Starting off, how could it be otherwise, is the infamous scene from the Tower of Joy.
What does it tell us about the characters? What about the narrative structure? How does it inform what came after? What does it tell us? So many questions! We provide our answers.
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After we followed Bismarck’s delicate attempt at maintaining European balance in the favor of German foreign policy interests, we now watch it all crash down as Kaiser Wilhelm II takes the reigns and infuses some panage into the whole thing. Listen to us discuss why France, Britain and Russia are drawing together - and whether or not it could’ve been avoided.
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Bismarck famously refused to engage in colonialism, only to do an about-face in the 1880s to create the third-largest colonial empire of the world. It didn’t do much good. A drain financially, utterly indefensible and diplomatically a heavy burden, it weakened Germany, rather than strengthening it. Nor did it bring any good to the colonized; rather the opposite. The first German genocide was perpetrated on Namibian soil, and it would not be the last. Listen to us discussing this dark topic of history.
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Bismarck felt, in the colloquial French of the times, the “cauchemar des coalitions”, the nightmare of coalitions. He wanted to keep the peace, but a peace on his terms. Was this ever possible, or was Bismarck’s artful foreign policy in the end only kicking the can down the road, leading to the inevitable breakdown? Listen to find out!
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(This is a repost because the original didn’t show up in the feed for some reason)
The famous science-fiction epic by James S. A. Corey is now finished, with the ninth and final novel having been published in late 2021. Time to take stock and talk about this series. Is it any good? What is its draw? How does it compare to other novelized epics? With me to talk about this topic is Tim Westmyer, host of the Super Critical Podcast, where I recently talked with him about nuclear weapons in The Expanse and Battlestar Galactica.
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The little known fantasy saga “The Wheel of Time” was picked up by niche channel Amazon Prime and made into a small-budget show of checks notes 80 million dollars, which is small compared to the checks notes again 500 million Amazon paid for the first season of the upcoming “Lord of the Rings” series. What a time we live in!
Sean T. Collins and I take you through a tour of the TV adaption of “The Wheel of Time”, talking about what worked and what didn’t and why we arrive at a solid B- for the show. Spoilers abound, of course, and word of warning: neither of us read the book.
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The famous science-fiction epic by James S. A. Corey is now finished, with the ninth and final novel having been published in late 2021. Time to take stock and talk about this series. Is it any good? What is its draw? How does it compare to other novelized epics?
With me to talk about this topic is Tim Westmyer, host of the Super Critical Podcast, where I recently talked with him about nuclear weapons in The Expanse and Battlestar Galactica.
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In the latest episode of our Kaiserreich series, we talk about the three great domestic fights that the ruling conservatives fought in the Kaiserreich: political catholicism (the titular Kulturkampf), social democracy and feminism. All these presented challenges to the authority of the status quo, and all of them were fought vigorously. All these fights failed and left these movements stronger than they had started.
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The Boiled Leather Audio Hour is 10 years old! Congratulating yourselves isn’t a courteous thing to do, we know. But on a podcast, there’s little choice in how to do this, since we have to record, don’t we? And so, Sean and I delve deep into the memory lane.
But of course, we cannot keep this a completely navel-gazing affair. And so, I invited a lot of people over to celebrate with us. Amin Javadi, Steven Attewell, Jim McGeehin, Aziz, Manu, Clint and Merry, Joe Magician and Bookshelfstud are all here to take part in the festivities and to discuss a variety of topics.
This is the longest running show to date, and I have learned one thing: I suck as a moderator. Please forgive my bad transitions and just enjoy the different segments. Happy Birthday to us!
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After waging the Wars of Unification last time, Jim and I now brace a battlefield on an entirely different sort: the smoke-filled backrooms of parliaments. We are following the creation of the German state not on the battlefield, but on the parchment, as the constitution of 1867 is crafted and then ammended into the constitution of 1871. For good measure, we also look at how the constitution develops and changes over time and find some valuable lessons in all of this.
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After talking about Dune in our Conversationalist-exclusive episode with Sean T. Collins, I’m returning once more to the rolling sands of Arrakis to take a deeper look at the material. After having an expert for movies and storytelling with me last time, this time, I’m bringing one for questions of history and warfare: Bret Deveraux, who was kind enough to join me once again.
A few months ago, he published his series on the so-called “Fremen Mirage” on his blog, in which he harshly critized the notion that living in desolate lands makes you superior or even a good fighter. He also had some thoughts on the anti-colonial narrative the new Dune-movie pushes, and so I invited him to talk in more detail about this.
As ever with Bret, we also dive deep into other fascinating areas, like the political system of the Dune universe and why it’s great world building, how the fighting styles and technology inform each other and so on and so forth. At some point, the proverbial hour was reached, but I’m sure we could have talkes about even more stuff!
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Yes. I posted a complete archive on the Patreon, which you can find here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1g32ySJT3_bmBkFflIvSu6YyCp5q0Q16B?usp=sharing
There are quite a lot stories about superheroes gone bad on offer right now. Amazon Prime alone offers two currently: Invincible, which is a pretty good cartoon series bogged down by some issues, and The Boys, which has some good ideas but ends up as a heap of toxic nerddom.
I finished both available seasons of The Boys recently, and I felt the urgent need to talk about it. Luckily, DancingSean was available to throw in his considerable expertise and discuss the show with me. We have some spoilers, but those are necessary to explain the show so you can follow the episode even without having seen The Boys.
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In our second episode of the Kaiserreich series, we’re wading through blood and iron as the new nation state is formed in a series of unification wars.
Follow us through Denmark, Bohemia and France towards Versailles. Why does the European power system allow for these wars? Why are they over so quickly? How reckless was Bismarck, really?
All this, and more, in the second episode to “Kaiserreich”.
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Together with Aziz from History of Westeros I talk about the smattering of Fantasy and SciFi shows coming out in the final quarter of 2021. Foundation, Wheel of Time, The Witcher season 2, The Expanse season 6, The Expanse‘s final book, a Vikings spinoff, the Dune movie, some Star Wars shows (Star Wars: Visions, for example) and books, Hawkeye. Three different Star Trek shows. Dr. Who. Lucifer. The list goes on.
Are the studios and distributors just throwing stuff on the wall to see what sticks? And if so, will SciFi and Fantasy stick, or will they return to their status as box office poison they held for so long? Aziz and I venture into the weeds.
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We are starting a new series on the history of the Kaiserreich! But before we can actually go into the history of German unification, we need to find out what the German Question is and why it took almost 60 years to answer it.
We’re going through the German history from the French Revolution to the eve of the Unification Wars, explaining the nexus of liberalism and nationalism, the revolution of 1848 and Bismarck’s appearance on the stage.
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In the fourth and final part of our trilogy on the US presidents since FDR (don’t ask), Jim and I talk about presidential mythology and cults. From the New Deal to JFK, from “Morning in America” to “Yes we can”, we take apart mythologies, ask why cults develop and see if you really can shoot a guy on Fifth Avenue to make Watergate disappear.
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Ten episodes ago, I gathered political operatives and consultants Marcus A. Roberts and Frank Spring and talked about the narratives of politics. Today, we continue in this vein, looking at the language used, the framings employed and the tropes weaponized in politics today.
You can listen to Frank explaining why numbers don’t matter and it’s actually political malpractice to try and explain how you’re going to pay for stuff. You can listen to Marcus explaining to you why Marvel is wrong telling stories in the Multiverse and what that has to do with contemporary American politics. You can listen to me throwing out wild claims and asking stupid questions.
You can support us on Paypal (http://www.paypal.me/boiledleather) or on Patreon (http://www.patreon.com/boiledleatheraudiohour), where a lot of bonus material is available!
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In this epic final (?) instalment of our series on the American presidents, Jim and I end the Cold War with an assessment of George H. W. Bush, move over to the presidency of Bill Clinton and then try to answer the question of whether George W. Bush was the worst president of modern times. After that, we take an in-depth look at Obama’s presidency. We will not take a full measurement of Trump, as it’s too early for that - we’re already stretching it with Obama.
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In 1992, Westwood Studios created “Dune 2”, the first real time strategy game ever, spawning one of the most succesful genres ever. With “Command and Conquer” in 1995, they created one of the most succesful IPs of the era.
At the same time, Blizzard Entertaintment earned its merits with the “WarCraft” and “StarCraft” series, in a time before they gained behemoth size with their roleplaying IPs and their foray into first person shooters.
With historian Bret Deveraux, I venture deep into the history of these games. We examine the unique mentality of the times they were made, the innovations they brought and what remains from them today. Being teachers, of course we can’t shy away from drawing lessons as well. Buckle in, this is going to be quite a ride.
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After we explored the role that magical creatures play in ASOIAF in episode 131, it’s time to look at other fantastical elements. From magical portals to telepathy, from blood sacrifice to Asshai and the Wall itself, we explore the role magic plays in the greater narrative.
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After covering FDR to LBJ in our first episode, this two-parter now comes to a close with our in-depth look at the remaining presidencies. It’s a juicy episode of almost 2 hours, so we cover a lot of ground and manage to get to checks notes the end of the Reagan presidency. Ok, a three-parter then. This is our fate.
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Do Snarks and Grumkins exist? Do Squishers? If they did, what would it mean? And what have the Brothers Grimm to do with it? Are direwolves monsters or animals? What’s the deal with the Others? And, most importantly, why are monsters in this story in the first place? All this, and more, in the current episode of the Boiled Leather Audio Hour!
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It has been a wild week. After all that casting news of “House of the Dragon”, the new bid-budget HBO show on the Dance of the Dragons, we not only got news about a Broadway theatrical play about the Tourney at Harrenhal, but also about three (!) other shows being in development as well as an animated (!) show, all set in Westeros.
Do these shows excite us? Maybe? Do we have thoughts on them and the decision making process or the artistic potential? Definitely!
You can support us on Paypal (http://www.paypal.me/boiledleather) or on Patreon (http://www.patreon.com/boiledleatheraudiohour), where a lot of bonus material is available!
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We take a break from German history to do some American history! Since it’s silly to do rankings of the American presidents, we are opting for a chronological approach. But we’re still grading them of a sort. Instead of fruitlessly arguing who’s best, we are sorting by impact. Who left the biggest mark on US history?
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It’s weird (and that’s a word you’ll hear a lot in this podcast), but it took me until the time between years to finally watch Twin Peaks. And the one question I have since then is captured best in the acronym WTF.
So, naturally, I would ask Sean to take me through a guided tour. What exactly is Twin Peaks, and why is it so captivating? The episode is almost spoiler free, so you can still enjoy it if you have not yet seen the series and want to make up your mind, but of course, we’ll discuss it in full!
You can support us on Paypal (http://www.paypal.me/boiledleather) or on Patreon (http://www.patreon.com/boiledleatheraudiohour), where a lot of bonus material is available!
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