The Protagonist Podcast
601 episodes — Page 7 of 13
Protagonist Podcast #301: Rudyard Funn, Antigone Funn, and Eric Chapman in Wooden Overcoats (Podcast 2015) “We put the body in the coffin in the ground on time.”
Description Returning guest John Darowski joins Joe to discuss the narrative podcast Wooden Overcoats. This comedic podcast tells the story of competing funeral homes on a small island named Piffling that sits in the English Channel. British macabre humor, eccentric … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #300: Troy & Gabriella from High School Musical 2 AND Mal & friends from Descendants (films 2007 and 2015) “What time is it?”
Description Todd Mack is back for our special 300th episode. What else could we discuss at such a momentous milestone but a double feature of Kenny-Ortega-directed Disney Channel movies? We address the popularity of both franchises, dig into the sequel … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #299: Ivy Walker in The Village (film 2004) “The world moves for love.”
Description Producer Andrew joins Joe to discuss the Ivy Walker (played by Bryce Dallas Howard) from the film The Village. M. Night Shyamalan’s films have a mixed reputation, but this film holds up well and has some very moments that … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #298: Dorothy from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Comic 2009) “Can you help me find my way?”
Description Producer Andrew joins Joe to talk about the Marvel comic book mini-series The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Adapted from L. Frank Baum’s novel by Eric Shanower and Scottie Young, the series tells the story of Dorothy trying to return … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #297: Zoey Clarke from Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist (TV 2020) “This power is wasted on you.”
Description Returning guest Kestra Darowski joins Joe and Producer Andrew to discuss Zoey Clarke from the new television series Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist. This creative new series is a jukebox musical, where the main character can hear the people around her … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #296: Star Trek Novel Truth or Lie (special 2020)
Description Returning guest Kjerste Christensen and Cavan Helps join Joe to play a game called Truth or Lie: Star Trek Novel Edition. Each round, we present the title of a real Star Trek Novel, then read a real summary and … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #295: Characters from The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (film 2002) “There’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it’s worth fighting for.”
Description Returning guests Cassandra Fredrickson and Norman Mitchell join Joe to discuss The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. As the hosts of The Lord of the Rings Minute Podcast, they are experts in discussing this film and have … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #294: The Protagonist of Cursed Pirate Girl (comic 2010) “That girl is out of her mind!”
Description Returning guest John Darowski joins Joe to discuss Jeremy Bastian’s comic book Cursed Pirate Girl. They discuss how Bastian’s storytelling aligns so well with the comic book medium, address the fine detail in his art, and talk about what … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #293: Izuku Midoriya from My Hero Academia (TV 2016) “Young man, you too can become a hero.”
Description All-star guest Branden Ushio joins Joe to discuss Izuku Midoriya from the anime series My Hero Academia. We’re discussing the first 4 episodes of the series, which is set in a world where many people have superpowers, but Izuku … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #292: Amelia Peabody, Emerson, and Ramses in Lion in the Valley (novel 1986) “Another dead body. Every year it is the same.”
Description Producer Andrew joins Joe to discussLion in the Valley, another Amelia Peabody mystery novel,. After thoroughly enjoying the first book in this series (which we discussed in episode #229), we’re tackling the fourth novel featuring Amelia Peabody, her irascible … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #291: Brody, Quint, and Hooper in Jaws (film 1975) “You’re gonna need a bigger boat.”
Description Returning guest Todd Petersen joins Joe to discuss the characters at the center Jaws. Steven Spielberg’s iconic Summer blockbuster holds up as a film, but also transformed the film industry in several ways. We discuss the film’s impact on … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #290 Blink and the team from Exiles (comic 2001) “The bad news is that you’ve come undone in time.”
Description Producer Andrew joins Joe to discuss a Marvel comic about characters from alternate realities hopping into various timelines to solve a crisis and save the multiverse. It’s a strange concept, but characters, mission, and stakes are set up with … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #289: Fairy Tale Mash Up II (special 2020)
Description All-Star guest Kjerste Christensen joins Joe and Andrew to play another round of Fairy Tale Mash Up. What happens when you take a familiar fairy tale, but try to blend it in with the tropes and conventions of another … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #288: Verity Lambert, Waris Hussein, and William Hartnell from An Adventure in Space and Time (film 2013) “Just go forward in all your beliefs and prove to me that I am not mistaken in mine.”
Description Returning guest Scott Carelli joins us to discuss Verity Lambert, Waris Hussein, and William Hartnell from the television film An Adventure in Space and Time. Telling the origin of the iconic British sci-fi series Doctor Who, the film deftly … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #287: “The Most Dangerous Game” and “The Lottery (Short stories, 1924 & 1948) “It isn’t fair, it isn’t right!”
Description Returning guest Kate Darowski joins Joe to discuss to classic American short stories: Richard Connell’s “The Most Dangerous Game” and Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery.” These two stories have had significant impact on American popular culture, with later stories like … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #286: Sydney Bristow in Alias (TV 2002) “The truth changes everything.”
Description Returning guest Virginia McCalister joins Joe to discuss Sydney Bristow from the television series Alias. The spy series had many twists and turns, and we’re talking about the character at the heart of it all. Sydney Bristow was played … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #285: Timothy Harrison and Nathan from Spider-Man comics (1984 and 2019) “He’s worried he won’t get up again.”
Description Returning guest John Darowski joins Joe and Producer Andrew to discuss two Spider-Man comic books. In 1984’s “The Kid Who Collects Spider-Man” from Amazing Spider-Man #248, Spider-Man meets a boy named Tim Harrison who is a huge fan of … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #284: Apocalypse Survival Draft (special 2020)
Description Todd Mack is back to join Joe and All-Star guest Todd Petersen to play Survival Apocalypse Draft. We selected the classic roles that you seen in post-apocalyptic fiction (Leader, Doctor, Troublemaker with a Heart of Gold, etc.) and we … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #283: David, Ellie, and Benji from The Other Side of Solitary (screenplay 2020) “Maybe you could meet in the middle.”
Description Returning guest Scott Carelli joins Joe to discuss a screenplay titled The Other Side of Solitary, written by Scott Carelli and Nick Jimenez. The Other Side of Solitary is the story of two people who self-isolate inside their homes … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #282: Character types in Survivor (TV 2000) “The tribe has spoken.”
Description Returning guest Kate Darowski joins Joe to talk about one the most impactful television shows of this century. Across 20 years and 40 seasons, there are certain types of people who are presented on the series (after editing to … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #281: Kengi Koiso, Natsuki Shinohara, and Granny from Summers Wars (film 2009) “Quitting won’t do you any good. You have to work for an answer.”
Description Joe is joined by returning guest John Darowski to discuss Kengi Koiso, Natsuki Shinohara, and Granny from the anime film Summer Wars. Directed by Mamoru Hosada, Summer Wars tells the story of a shy math genius who must do … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #280: Characters from The Wheel of Time: The Eye of the World (novel 1990) “The Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills.”
Description Joe is joined by first-time guest Lauren Roundy to discuss the first book in The Wheel of Time series, The Eye of the World. This has been one of our most requested topics, and we hope you enjoy the … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #279: The cast of Person of Interest (TV 2011) “Chess is just a game. Real people aren’t pieces.”
Description Joe and Andrew are talking about Person of Interest, a crime drama that aired on CBS from 2011-2016. With the sci-fi twist of an artificial intelligence that guides a group of heroes, Person of Interest explored issues of society’s … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #278 Katie in Seconds (graphic novel 2014) “1. Write your mistake 2. Ingest one mushroom 3. Go to sleep 4. Wake anew”
Description All-star guest Kjerste Christensen is back to discuss Katie from the graphic novel Seconds by Bryan Lee O’Malley. Topics of discussion include the blending of the mundane and the extraordinary, what makes Katie work so well as a protagonist, … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #277: Susan Vance and David Huxley in Bringing Up Baby (film 1938) “In moments of quiet I’m strangely drawn to you, but, well, there haven’t been any quiet moments.”
Description Joe is joined by Producer Andrew to discuss Susan Vance and David Huxley in the 1938 film Bringing Up Baby. Topics of discussion include Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant’s performances as Susan and David, the absurdity of the plot, … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #276 Martin Banks from Off to be the Wizard (novel 2013) “He had spent a lot of time thinking about himself and had come to the conclusion that he was definitely not self-absorbed.”
Description All-star guest Branden Ushio is back to discuss Martin Banks from Off to the Wizard, the first book in the Magic 2.0 series by Scott Meyer. Topics of discussion include how narrative surprises work in this story, how the … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #275: Flora Buckman and Ulysses from Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventure (novel 2013) “I promise to always turn back toward you.”
Description It’s a special bonus episode of The Protagonist Podcast for anyone who needs a little more entertainment in their lives right now. Joe’s daughter Lizzie got permission to do a podcast episode as a book report for her fifth … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #274: Ash Ketchum in Pokemon (TV 1998) “Helping Butterfree to grow, Ash just might have grown himself.”
Description Joe is joined by special guest Michael Meehan to discuss Ash Ketchum from the tv show Pokemon. Topics of discussion include the breadth and depth of the Pokemon fandom, what makes Ash stand out from other characters in the … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #273: Death and Mao Xiaolian in East of West (comic 2013) “You should fear her as much as you fear him.”
Description Returning guest Norman Mitchell joins Joe to discuss Death and Mao Xiaolian from the comic book series East of West. Written by Jonathan Hickman with art by Nick Dragotta, East of West tells a post/pre-apocalyptic story that mashes several … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #272: Jack v. Jack (special 2020)
Description Returning guest Chris “Mav” Maverick joins Joe and Andrew to play a new game they’re calling Jack v. Jack. Joe and Mav each have teams of characters named Jack from fiction, and Andrew has made up several scenarios. Andrew … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #271: Fa Mulan in Mulan (film 1998) “I did it to save my father!”
Description Returning guest Kestra Darowski joins Joe and Andrew to discuss Fa Mulan from the 1998 Disney animated film Mulan. Topics of discussion include other projects that were in development before Mulan took shape, the themes of the movie, and … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #270: Emma Woodhouse from Emma (novel 1815) “If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more.”
Description Returning guest Virginia McAlister joins Joe to talk about one of Jane Austen’s classic novels, Emma. Topics of discussion include what makes this protagonist unique, the positive and negative qualities of the characters, and why Austen loves balls in … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #269: Harvey Specter and Mike Ross from Suits (TV 2011) “You’re afraid you might have to admit you’re not as smart as you think you are.”
Description Joe is joined by special guest George Tsakiridis to discuss Harvey Specter and Mike Ross from the television series Suits. Created by Aaron Korsh, the show stars Gabriel Macht as Harvey Specter and Patrick J. Adams as Mike Ross. … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #268: Characters from Rust (graphic novels 2011-2018) “The war was full of darkness.”
Description Joe and Producer Andrew discuss the graphic novel Rust by Royden Lepp. Topics of discussion include the art style in the series, the themes of moving forward vs. looking back, and the singular voice that told the story. Support … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #267: Batman and Robin from Batman: The Movie (film 1966) “Some days you just can’t get rid of a bomb.”
Description Returning guest Nik English joins Joe to discuss the classic 1966 film Batman: The Movie. Topics of discussion include the long-legacy of the 1960’s Batman tv series, the deliberate cheesy absurdity of the franchise, and memorable moments from the … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #266: Luna, Xan, and others from The Girl Who Drank the Moon (novel 2016) “Knowledge is power, but it is a terrible power when it is hoarded and hidden.”
Description Joe is joined by returning guest Sara Santana to discuss the novel The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill. Topics of discussion include how the story functions like a puzzle, how stories can teach truth or manipulate, … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #265: Fantasy Box Office 2020
Description Joe and Producer Andrew play Fantasy Box Office for 2020. First up, they reveal the winner of the 2019 contest, then they make picks and preview the films that are coming out in the next year. Support Patreon
Protagonist Podcast #264: Phryne Fisher in Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries (tv 2012) “Nothing that matters is easy.”
Description All-star guest Kjerste Christensen joins Joe to talk about Phryne Fisher from the Australian tv series Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries. Topics of discussion adapting the book series to television, the gathering of the team around Phryne, and what makes … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #263: Beta Ray Bill in The Mighty Thor (comic 1983) “I have bested him. The hammer is mine.”
Description Joe and Producer Andrew discuss Beta Ray Bill, a cosmic Marvel comic book character created by Walt Simonson. Topics of discussion include the character’s origin and motivation, his unique appearance, and the twists on generic conventions Simonson uses to … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #262: Sherlock Holmes in The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle (short story, 1892) “My name is Sherlock Holmes. It is my business to know what other people don’t know.”
Description Joe is joined by special guest Britney Broyles to discuss one of the most iconic characters in popular culture, Sherlock Holmes. Using a Christmas-themed adventure written by Arthur Conan Doyle, topics of discussion include Sherlock’s characteristics, what is unique … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #261: Christmas Special 2019
Description It’s our annual Christmas Special! Producer Andrew sent Joe and Todd a list of seven Christmas movie titles they’ve never seen and they each made up a plot summary. They read their fake plots, Producer Andrew shares the real … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #260: Kevin Arnold and Winnie Cooper in The Wonder Years (TV 1988) “Memories are a way of holding onto things we love.”
Description Returning guest Nik English joins Joe to discuss the episode titled “Christmas” from the second season of The Wonder Years. Fred Savage played Kevin Arnold and Danica McKellar played Winnie Cooper in this coming-of-age series. Topics of discussion include … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #259: Emmet and Ma from Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas (TV movie, 1977) “A person’s got to take some chances or life will never come to nothing.”
Description Returning guest Chris “Mav” Maverick joins Joe to discuss the Jim Henson Christmas special, Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas. Topics of discussion include the magic of the puppetry, the story points that work best, and also how this inverted Gift … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #258 Thanksgiving Special 2019
Description Joe and Andrew are joined by returning guests to talk about what they’re thankful for when it comes to storytelling. Guests include Todd Mack, Virginia McCalister, Kjerste Christensen, Henry Darowski, Lena English, Mattathias Westwood, and Sara Santana. Thank you … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #257: Harry & friends from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (novel 2003) “Give her hell from us, Peeves!”
Description Returning guest Sara Santana joins Joe to talk about Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Topics of discussion include teenage angst, the palpable evil of Umbridge, and the consequences of Harry’s choices. Support Patreon Show Notes Harry … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #256 Characters from “A Very Scary Thought” (fan fiction) “We begin at the beginning…”
Description Joe and Andrew are discussion characters from a fan fiction story, “A Very Scary Thought,” written by Jim Bader. The story is inspired by the Manga series Ranma 1/2. Topics of discussion include audience expectations for fan fiction, what … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #255 The cast of A Quiet Place (film 2018) “I love you. I have always loved you.”
Description After recording our Halloween Special, Todd Mack and Todd Petersen stuck around to discuss the 2018 film A Quiet Place. Topics of discussion include what makes this film effective, the themes that make the film a special entry in … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #254: Halloween Special 2019
Description He’s back! Todd Mack joins Joe and returning guest Todd Petersen for the Protagonist Podcast Special 2019. This time, we let D&D dice rolls decided what story elements we have to brainstorm together to try and make a cohesive … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #253: Didi and Sexton from Death: The High Cost of Living (comic 1993) “It always ends. That’s what gives it value.”
Description Returning guest Chris Maverick joins Joe to discuss Didi and Sexton from the 1993 comic book mini-series “Death: The High Cost of Living” by Neil Gaiman and Chris Bachalo. Topics of discussion include the the Vertigo line of comics … Continue reading →
Protagonist Podcast #252: Conor O’Malley from A Monster Calls (movie 2016) “Here is the end of the tale.”
Description He’s back! Todd Mack joins Joe to discuss Conor O’Malley from the film A Monster Calls. Topics of discussion include explorations of grieving in fiction, the ambiguity of magic in this story, and the role the Monster has. Support … Continue reading →