The Protagonist Podcast
601 episodes — Page 6 of 13
Citizen V and the Thunderbolts from Thunderbolts (comic 1997)
Description Joe and Producer Andrew are talking about the Marvel comic book series from Kurt Busiek and Mark Bagley. Citizen V, Meteorite, Mach-1, Songbird, Atlas, and Techno are a new team of superheroes who are out to fill a void … Continue reading →
Joe Banks and Dede/Angelica/Patricia from Joe Versus the Volcano (film 1990)
Description First-time guest Merlin Salisbury joins Joe to discuss the film Joe Versus the Volcano. The first Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan pairing is an absurdist screwball romantic comedy about a man trying to briefly live life to the fullest … Continue reading →
Essun, Damay, and Syenite from The Fifth Season (novel 2015)
Description Joe is joined by returning guest Charly Kueks to discuss Essun, Damaya, and Syenite from the N.K. Jemisin’s novel The Fifth Season. This is the first book in a fantasy series trilogy, and Jemisin’s series is the only time … Continue reading →
Truth or Lie: Children’s Media (special 2021)
Description Returning guest John Darowski joins Joe and Andrew to play Truth or Lie: Children’s Media. Everyone chooses an existing piece of children’s media and then presents two facts about it. The others have to guess which is the truth … Continue reading →
Characters from Record of Ragnarok (TV 2021)
Description Returning guest Norman Mitchell joins Joe and Producer Andrew to discuss the anime series Record of Ragnarok. The gods are ready to destroy all humans but before they do humans have a chance to defend themselves. There will be … Continue reading →
Miyamoto Usagi from Usagi Yojimbo (comic 1984)
Description Returning guest John Darowski joins Joe to discuss the long-running comic book series Usagi Yojimbo. Created by the legendary writer/artist Stan Sakai, the series features anthropomorphic characters set in a world based on 1600s Japan. Miyamoto Usagi—a long-eared rabbit—is … Continue reading →
Rick O’Connell and Evelyn Carnahan in The Mummy (film 1999)
Description Joe and Producer Andrew are discussing the 1999 film The Mummy, starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz. This loose adaptation of the 1932 film of the same name channels the romantic adventure style of Indiana Jones to produce a fantastic blockbuster … Continue reading →
Television Elevator Pitches (special 2021)
Description Returning guest Cavan Helps joins Joe for a game of Elevator Pitch. The mythical Protagonist Podcast channel is looking for content, and Joe and Cavan go head to head pitching ideas. Andrew will greenlight one of the options, and … Continue reading →
Merle Highchurch, Taako, and Magnus Burnsides from The Adventure Zone: Murder on the Rockport Limited (comic 2019)
Description All-star guests Nik English and Branden Ushio join Joe to discuss the graphic novel The Adventure Zone: Murder on the Rockport Limited. Adapting story arcs from The Adventure Zone podcast in which the McElroy brothers (& father) play Dungeons … Continue reading →
Captain Janeway, Seven of Nine, and the Doctor in Star Trek: Voyager (TV 1995)
Description Joe and Producer Andrew are talking about another Star Trek series (we’re not a Star Trek podcast, but we do love Star Trek). Star Trek: Voyager premiered in 1995, and we’re discussing the episodes “The Gift” and “Latent Image.” … Continue reading →
Characters from Picnic in the Ruins (novel 2021)
Description Returning guest Todd Robert Petersen joins Joe to discuss his novel Picnic in the Ruins. The novel tells the story of several people getting caught up in a web of antiquities theft and murder, with very few understanding why. … Continue reading →
The ensemble cast from Universe Journey (narrative podcast 2016)
Description First-time guest Jerome Wetzel joins Joe to discuss a segment from the It’s All Been Done Radio Hour podcast. It’s All Been Done Radio Hour features several recurring segments that are performed live in front an audience and then … Continue reading →
Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde from Zootopia (film 2016)
Description Returning guest Hannah Rogers joins Joe to discuss the Disney animated film Zootopia. We discuss the surprising trivia about the film’s long development and various titles around the world, the roles the characters represent, and the larger social issues … Continue reading →
Fan Theories (special 2021)
Description Joe is joined by returning guests Kjerste Christensen and Todd Petersen to play a game about Fan Theories. Each has selected some fan theories about popular media and prepared a set of clues to reveal what the fan theory … Continue reading →
Storm in Uncanny X-Men #159 (comic 1982) WITH SPECIAL GUEST Chris Claremont
Description Legendary comic book writer Chris Claremont joins Joe to talk about the character of Storm from the X-Men comic books. We’re discussing Uncanny X-Men #159, written by Chris Claremont with pencils by Bill Sienkiewicz, inks by Bob Wiacek, letters by Tom … Continue reading →
Number Six from The Prisoner (TV 1967)
“I am not a number! I am a free man!” Description Producer Andrew joins Joe to discuss the classic British tv show The Prisoner. Patrick McGoohan played Number Six, spy who quits his job and is then kidnapped and taken to … Continue reading →
Ann Dorrit from Little Dorrit (novel 1855-1857)
Description Returning guest Hannah Rogers joins Joe to discuss a classic novel by Charles Dickens. Little Dorrit tells the story of a girl who was born and raised in a debtor’s prison and her family’s struggles with poverty and then also … Continue reading →
The Muppets, Jim Hawkins, and Long John Silver in Muppet Treasure Island (film 1996)
“Who hired this crew?” Description Returning guest Charly Kuecks joins Joe and Producer Andrew to talk about Muppet Treasure Island, a very loose adaptation of the Robert Louis Stevenson novel from 1883. There’s a lot of time spent singing the … Continue reading →
So Many X-Men (special 2021)
Description Returning guest Chris “Mav” Maverick joins Joe to play a game about the many, many X-Men characters in Marvel comics. Producer Andrew has selected a series of scenarios the X-Men might find themselves in. Then, Mav and Joe each … Continue reading →
Sparks Nevada, Croach the Tracker, Rebecca Rose Rushmore, and the Red Plains Rider from The Thrilling Adventure Hour (podcast 2005)
Description First time guest Hal Lublin joins Joe and returning guest John Darowski to discuss Sparks Nevada, Croach the Tracker, Rebecca Rose Rushmore, and the Red Plains Rider from The Thrilling Adventure Hour. The Thrilling Adventure Hour, a staged production … Continue reading →
Hi and Ed McDunnough from Raising Arizona (film 1987)
“Maybe it was Utah.” Description All-Star guest Todd Petersen joins Joe to discuss one of the early Coen Brothers films, Raising Arizona. This off-beat comedy sees an ex-con named Hi (Nicolas Cage) and an ex-cop named Ed (Holly Hunter) who … Continue reading →
Vash and Wolfwood in Trigun (TV 1998)
Description “I’m like a hunter of peace.” Returning all-star guest Norman Mitchell joins Joe to discuss Vash and Wolfwood from the anime series Trigun. The anime is based on the popular manga series created by Yasuhiro Nightow. Topics of discussion … Continue reading →
“Circular Ruins” and “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” (Short stories, 1890 and 1940)
Description Protagonist Podcast co-founder Todd Mack is back to discuss two short stories. “Circular Ruins” is by Jorge Luis Borges and tells the story of a wizard conjuring a being from his dreams. “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge is … Continue reading →
Aspirational Entertainment (special 2021)
Description All-Star guest Kjerste Christensen joins Joe to talk about aspirational media. We have a free-flowing conversation about the topic, and touch on issues of cultural literacy, what media is good for us to consume, and what media we still … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast: Ben from Night of the Living Dead (film 1968) “The unburied dead are coming back to life…”
Description Joe and Producer Andrew are talking about Ben from the 1968 film Night of the Living Dead. This classic film is often cited as the first zombie film, and we talk about its place in pop culture history, its … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast: Roberta and Superman from Superman Smashes the Klan (comic 2019) “If you might be able to help another person, you ought to at least try.”
Description First time guest Gene Luen Yang joins Joe to discuss the graphic novel Superman Smashes the Klan by Gene Luen Yang and Gurihiru. This comic book story is an updated tale inspired by a classic storyline from the Adventures … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast: Yoon Seri and Captain Ri Jeong-hyeok from Crash Landing on You (TV 2019) “This is really urgent.”
Description First-time guest Rachel Armstrong is joining us to discuss the Korean drama Crash Landing on You. This tv series tells the story of Yoon Seri, a South Korean woman who has a paragliding accident and lands in North Korea, … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast: Kaladin, Shallan, and Dalinar from The Way of Kings (novel 2010) “Life before Death. Strength before Weakness. Journey before Destination.”
Description Joe is joined by returning guest Tianna Homer to discuss the first book in Brandon Sanderson’s Starlight Archive series. The Way of Kings tells the stories of a slave named Kaladin, a desperate ward named Shallan, and a troubled … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast: Pop Culture Franchise Trivia (special 2021)
Description There are a LOT of pop culture franchises, but how well do you actually know them? Returning guest Chris “Mav” Maverick joins Joe in a trivia contest. Can you name all the subtitles of Transformers films? How many franchises … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast: Sam Baldwin and Annie Reed in Sleepless in Seattle (film 1993) “It was…magic.”
Description Returning guest Virginia McAlister joins Joe to discuss Sam Baldwin (Tom Hanks) and Annie Reed (Meg Ryan) in the 1993 film Sleepless in Seattle. We talk about Nora Ephron’s career, the film’s unique spin on romantic comedies, and the … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast: The midwives from Call the Midwife (TV 2012) “Midwifery is the very stuff of life.”
Description Returning guest Kjerste Christensen joins Joe to discuss the BBC series Call the Midwife. We’re primarily focusing on Jenny Lee (played by Jessica Raine) and Chummy Noakes (played by Miranda Hart). The series tells the story of a group … Continue reading →
Harry Houdini in Houdini: The Handcuff King (comic 2007) “Will anyone even remember me a hundred years from now?”
Description Joe and Producer Andrew are discussing the graphic novel Houdini: The Handcuff King by Jason Lutes and Nick Bertozzi. This graphic novel tells a day-in-the-life story of Houdini performing one of his classic escapes. We discuss Houdini’s reputation, the … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast: Characters from Good Country People (short story 1955) “I’m as good as you any day in the week.”
Description Joe and Producer Andrew are discussing a classic American short story by Flannery O’Connor. “Good Country People” tells the story of a couple rumor-mongers, an atheist, a con-man Bible salesman, and a stolen prosthetic leg. Support Patreon Show Notes … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast: Miles Morales in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse “Okay, let’s do this one last time.”
Description Scott Carelli joins Joe and Producer Andrew to discuss Miles Morales and other spider-people from Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. This animated film broke a lot of new ground in terms of animation style and also narrative style for a … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast Special Announcement 2021
Description The Protagonist Podcast is taking a very brief hiatus. We’ll be back on January 18th with our regular episodes!
Protagonist Podcast #316: Jerry Travers and Dale Tremont from Top Hat (film 1935) “How could I have ever fallen in love with a man like you?”
Description Returning guest Kyra Hunting joins Joe to discuss a golden age Hollywood musical. Top Hat stars the classic pairing of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in a screwball comedy with all the singing and dancing you would expect. This … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #315: Christmas Special 2020
Description It’s that time of year again! Todd Mack is back to join Joe for our annual Christmas Special. Producer Andrew has selected eight Christmas movies we’ve never seen, and base don the titles alone Todd and Joe each make … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #314: Kevin and Kate McCallister from Home Alone (film 1990) “Kevin!”
Description Joe and Producer Andrew are tackling a Christmas classic. We discuss the behind-the-scenes drama that occurred while making the film, the long-term success it has enjoyed, and also the comedy style that led to it becoming one of the … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #313: The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society from The Goes Wrong Show (TV 2019) “Who’s the real winner at Christmas? Amazon.”
Description This week, returning guest John Darowski joins Joe and Andrew to discuss “The Spirit of Christmas” from The Goes Wrong Show. When a small troupe of actors attempt to stage a Christmas play, everything that can go wrong does. … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #312: Jack in Samurai Jack (TV 2001) “I tore open a portal in time and flung him into the future…”
Description All-Star guest Nik English returns to discuss the animated series Samurai Jack. Joe and Nik talk about the unique style of the series, the strengths it demonstrates in visual storytelling, and the unexpected world that is built within the … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #311: Thanksgiving Special 2020
Description He’s back! Protagonist Podcast co-founder Todd Mack joins returning guest Todd Petersen, Joe, and Producer Andrew for a Thanksgiving 2020 special. Enjoy the listen, show gratitude, and be safe this week!
Protagonist Podcast #310: Arthur Dent in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (novel 1979) “Don’t panic.”
Description It’s the 42nd anniversary of the publication of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, so naturally we needed to cover it on the podcast. Returning guest John Darowski joins Joe to discuss the classic sci-fi comedy by Douglas Adams. … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #309: Luke Skywalker in Return of the Jedi (film 1983) “I am a Jedi, like my father before me.”
Description Returning guest Branden Ushio joins Joe to discuss the final film of the original Star Wars trilogy. We talk about trivia, great moments in the film, and discuss the film’s status in the Star Wars film series. Support Patreon … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #308: Kurt Wagner in Nightcrawler (comic 2004) “…the X-Men’s resident paranormal investigator.”
Description New guest Anna Peppard joins Joe to discuss one of the most popular characters from the X-Men franchise: Nightcrawler. A mutant with a demonic appearance and the power to teleport, Nightcrawler has most often been a part of team-oriented … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #307: Halloween Special 2020
Description They’re back! Todd Mack and Todd Petersen join Joe and Andrew for the annual Halloween Special. This year, we’re drafting teams to go back in time to fix 2020. What fixing 2020 actually means, well, we’re leaving that up … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #306: Liv Moore in iZombie (TV 2015) “This was my life before I died.”
Description First time guest Kyra Hunting joins Joe to discuss Liv Moore from the television show iZombie. A blend of the classic police procedural with the horror genre, Liv Moore is a zombie who eats the brains of murder victims. … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #305: Tavi and Amara from The Furies of Calderon (novel 2003) “No enterprise of greatness begins with treachery.”
Description Returning guest Branden Ushio joins Joe to discuss The Furies of Calderon, the first novel in a series by Jim Butcher. We discuss genre theory, the character types, and also what is more important, the concept for a story … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #304: The ensemble cast of Clue (film 1985) “Flames. Flames on the side of my face.”
Description Joe is joined by returning guests Lena and Nik English to discuss the classic dark comedy Clue. With a fantastic cast, a clever script, and a broad array of comedic styles, the film holds up very well. Show Notes … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #303: Hellboy (comic 1993) “Right Hand of Doom. What a life.”
Description Returning guest John Darowski joins Joe to discuss the character Hellboy from the comic books by creator Mike Mignola. The iconic hero is a demon destined to start the apocalypse, but he really doesn’t want to. This discussion covers … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #302: Walter White in Breaking Bad (TV 2008) “Chemistry is the study of matter. But I prefer to see it as the study of change.”
Description Returning guest George Tsakiridis joins Joe to discuss one of the most acclaimed television shows ever made. Created by Vince Gilligan, Breaking Bad follows the descent of Walter White from an average high school teach into a drug kingpin. … Continue reading →