The Protagonist Podcast

Description Returning guest Branden Ushio joins Joe to talk about the Isaac Asimov short story “Runaround.” This short story is the first instance of Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics being used in any of his stories. These Laws have become … Continue reading →

Description Returning guest Kestra Darowski joins Joe to discuss the Disney animated film The Emperor’s New Groove. This episode has some of the most surprising behind-the-scenes trivia discussion of any story we have ever discussed! What happened during the development … Continue reading →

Description Returning guest Norman Mitchell joins Joe to discuss Freiren from the anime series Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. The series is an adaptation of a manga series and explores what life is like for Frieren, an elf who had a … Continue reading →

Description Returning guest Christopher “Mav” Maverick joins Joe to discuss a classic Marvel Comics story, “Kraven’s Last Hunt.” Written by J.M. DeMatteis with pencils by Mike Zeck and inks by Bob McLeod, this storyline tells about Kraven’s final hunt (for … Continue reading →

Description First-time guest David Bloomberg joins returning guest Kate Darowski and Joe to discuss the best seasons of Survivor. We’re each building a Mount Rushmore of Survivor Seasons, so at the end of the podcast you have 12 seasons of … Continue reading →

Description Returning guest Rachel Armstron joins Joe to discuss the film Arrival. Starring Amy Adams as Louise Banks, Arrival is an adaption of Ted Chiang’s short story “Story of Your Life.” The contemplative film explores issues of language, aliens, and … Continue reading →

Description Returning guest Virginia McAlister joins Joe to discuss William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. We talk about the play’s history (it’s wild), it’s place in our culture (it’s everywhere), and, of course, dig into the characters themselves (they’re super-interesting). Support … Continue reading →

Description Returning guest Kestra Darowski joins Joe to discuss the long-running tv show Grey’s Anatomy. We’re discussing the pilot, “A Hard Day’s Night,” which aired in 2005. We discuss the characters we meet in this episode and the long-term success … Continue reading →

Description First-time guest Ryan North to discuss a comic book he wrote, Fantastic Four #19, “The Perfect Storm.” Ryan North is known for the webcomic Dinosaur Comics, as well as writing for Marvel Comics and other comic companies. In his … Continue reading →

Description Returning guest Kevin Anthony joins Joe to discuss the value of silliness, absurdity, and comedy. We talk about shows like Taskmaster and comedians like James Acaster as we have an open-ended conversation about what makes us laugh and why … Continue reading →

Description Returning guest Kjerste Christensen joins Joe to discuss the 2022 film Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris. Starring Lesley Manville as Ada Harris, the film is an adaptation of a 1958 novel. It tells the story of a war-widow, Mrs. … Continue reading →

Description He’s back! Protagonist Podcast co-founder Todd Mack joins Joe to discuss the Jorge Luis Borges’ short story “La Biblioteca de Babel.” This is more of a thought experiment masquerading as a short story, but we find plenty to discuss. … Continue reading →

Description Producer Andrew and Joe are discussing the classic Hanna-Barbera show The Flintstones. Presenting a traditional family sitcom in a prehistoric setting, this one of the most successful series from the iconic cartoon studio. Support Patreon Show Notes The Flintstones … Continue reading →

Description Returning guest Rachel Armstrong joins Joe to discuss the classic graphic novel Persepolis. Created by Marjane Satrapi, this autobiographical graphic novel tells the story of her life in Iran after the Islamic Revolution. Persepolis is told in two parts, … Continue reading →

Description Returning guests Wayne Wise and Chris “Mav” Maverick from The VoxPopcast join Producer Andrew and Joe for a game of building Mount Rushmores. This time we’re choosing groups of four pop culture creators. We each draft creators that we … Continue reading →

Description Returning guest John Darowski joins Joe to discuss one of the most iconic films ever made, Citizen Kane. We discuss Orson Welles’ career, the quality of the film itself, and the impact its had on the movie industry. Support … Continue reading →

Description Returning guest Kjerste Christensen joins Joe to discuss the classic novel The Secret Garden. Written by Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden tells the story of an orphaned girl finding healing and friendship when she tends to a secret … Continue reading →

Description Returning guest Kate Reid joins Joe to discuss Claire Dunphy from Modern Family. We look at episodes from the first and last seasons to see how the show evolves across all its seasons. We focus on Claire as a … Continue reading →

Description First-time guest LeUyen Pham and returning guest Gene Luen Yang join Joe to discuss their graphic novel Lunar New Year Love Story. This graphic novel tells the story of Valentina, a teenage girl who is navigating relationships while also … Continue reading →

Description Returning guest John Darowski joins Joe to discuss how evolving technologies change the stories that are produced and consumed in a culture. We use film as an easily understood example of this effect, but touch on how our means … Continue reading →

Description It’s our annual Groundhog Day rewatch. Join Nicole Freim, Chris “Mav” Maverick, Producer Andrew and Joe as we discuss our latest viewing of one of the best films ever made.

Description Returning guests Nicole Freim and Chris “Mav” Maverick join Joe to discuss the John Hughes’ film The Breakfast Club. Starring several members of the Brat Pack of up-and-coming actors and actresses, this film signaled a change in how teenagers … Continue reading →

Description Producer Andrew joins Joe to talk about “To Build a Fire” by Jack London. The classic short story about a man foolishly making a trek into the Yukon territory after being warned not to lets us explore ideas like … Continue reading →

Description Returning guest John Darowski joins Joe to discuss the iconic tv series Columbo. We discuss the odd and long production history of the show, how Peter Falk embodies the character, and the unique twist the franchise has on the … Continue reading →

Description It’s our annual Fantasy Box Office game! As a look ahead at the films coming out in 2025, Producer Andrew and Joe are drafting teams of movies that will be released this year. They will each get the films’ … Continue reading →

Description First-time guest Josh Allen (the middle grade book author, not the NFL quarterback) joins Joe to discuss Bryan Lee O’Malley’s graphic novel series Scott Pilgrim. We talk about the unique nature of the story and its world, how unlikable … Continue reading →

Description Producer Andrew joins Joe to discuss a couple classic short stories that are set during the holiday season. The Gift of the Magi sees gift-giving go awry for a couple while they see how much they love one another, … Continue reading →

Description Returning Protagonist Podcast co-founder Todd Mack joins Joe and Producer Andrew for their tenth annual Christmas Special. Producer Andrew has sent Todd and Joe a list of seven real titles for recently produced Christmas movies, and we have to … Continue reading →

Description Returning guest John Darowski joins Joe to discuss Alison and Mike Cooper from the BBC sitcom Ghosts. Starring Charlotte Ritchie and Kiell Smith-Bynoe, the sitcom features a woman who can see the ghosts of people from various eras of … Continue reading →

It’s our second annual TTRPG as Kevin Anthony is back to GM a festive adventure. Norman Mitchell, Producer Andrew, and Joe are the players as they attempt to navigate the Christmas-themed role-playing world that has been prepared for them.

Description First-time guest Emily Darowski joins Joe discuss the romantic comedy You’ve Got Mail. Starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, this is the second pairing of these two leads in a film directed by Nora Ephron. Set in the late … Continue reading →

Description Returning guest John Darowski joins Joe to talk about a Thanksgiving themed issue of Power Pack. Power Pack featured a group of four young siblings who gained powers. They become friends with various superheroes in the Marvel universe. In … Continue reading →

Description Returning guest Rachel Armstrong joins Joe to discuss the tv show Shetland. This is a BBC crime procedural set on the Shetland Islands that began airing in 2013. In the U.S. it has aired as part of Masterpiece Mysteries. … Continue reading →

Description Returning guest Kestra Darowski joins Producer Andrew and Joe to discuss Miguel Rivera from Coco. This Pixar film tells the story of a boy who accidentally travels to the land of the dead and must seek out help from … Continue reading →

Description Returning Protagonist Podcast co-founder Todd Mack joins Producer Andrew and Joe for a Halloween draft. We’ve been given various sets of parameters and must draft characters from folklore and pop culture for each situation.

Description Returning Protagonist Podcast co-founder Todd Mack joins Joe to discuss the 1938 radio drama performance of War of the Worlds. Orson Welles’s legendary broadcast is as famous for the urban legend around the panic it reportedly caused as it … Continue reading →

Description Returning guest Christopher “Mav” Maverick joins Joe to talk about Do A Powerbomb!, a comic book mini-series written and drawn by Daniel Warren Johnson with colors by Mike Spicer and letters by Rus Wooton. It tells the story of … Continue reading →

Description Returning guest Ravynn Stringfield joins Joe to discuss Lunella Lafayette from the tv show Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur tells the story of a teenage girl and her pet T-Rex who become superheroes. Support … Continue reading →

Description Returning guest Kestra Darowski joins Producer Andrew and Joe to talk about storytelling in musicals. We talk about unique aspects of the medium, the history of Broadway musicals, and the evolution of style in musicals. Support Patreon

Description Returning guest Allison Epstein joins Joe to discuss the novel Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. This reimagining of Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield is a coming-of-age story set in Appalachia in the 1990s and early 2000s. Support Patreon Show Notes … Continue reading →

Description Returning guest Henry Darowski joins Joe to discuss the film Lawrence of Arabia. Based on T.E. Lawrence’s autobiography, Lawrence of Arabia is one of the most iconic films ever made. Directed by David Lean, it stars Peter O’Toole as … Continue reading →

Description First-time guest Matthew Brake joins Joe to talk about Animal Man, a notable comic book run from the late 1980s by wrtier Grant Morrison and pencilers Chaz Truog and Paris Cullins. In this story, Animal Man becomes aware he … Continue reading →

Description Returning guest John Darowski joins Joe to talk about the classic television show Gilligan’s Island. We’re discussing two episodes, one in which a popular boy band appears on the island looking for a quiet place, and in the other … Continue reading →

Description Returning guests John Darowski and Virginia McAlister join Producer Andrew and Joe for a game of Star Trek Bridge Crew Draft. Each player can select characters from each tv version of Star Trek to fill out a crew. We … Continue reading →

Description Returning guest Nicole Freim joins Joe to discuss the first novel from the Dresden Files series. This long-running series by Jim Butcher are urban fantasy novels that use the tone of a boiled detective story. Harry Dresden is a … Continue reading →

Description Returning guest Nik English joins Joe to discuss Glass Onion, the second film starring Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc. This film sees Benoit Blanc solving a murder mystery on a billionaire’s private island. Support Patreon Show Notes Glass Onion … Continue reading →

Description Returning guest John Darowski joins Producer Andrew and Joe to discuss Daredevil, a Marvel comic book character created by Stan Lee and Bill Everett in 1964. Daredevil’s secret identity is Matt Murdock, a lawyer who had his other senses … Continue reading →

Description Returning guest Rachel Armstrong joins Joe to discuss the BBC murder mystery series Annika. Nicola Walker plays Annika Strandhead, a single mother who was just placed in charge of Glasgow’s new Marine Homicide Unit. Yes, she solves water murders … Continue reading →

Description For our special 500th episode, Protagonist Podcast co-founder Todd Mack returns to discuss two classic films with Joe: The Seven Samurai and The Magnificent Seven. The Seven Samurai is a 1954 film directed by Akira Kurosawa about farmers hiring … Continue reading →

Description Returning guest Cavan Helps joins Joe to discuss Ahsoka Tano from the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series. We discuss Ahsoka’s character arc through the show, and how she stands as an interesting contrast to Anakin Skywalker. Support … Continue reading →