Episode 123: Timey Wimey | Doctor Who's Weeping Angels, Theology & Quantum Theory

Don't blink. Don't even blink. Blink and you're dead. They are fast, faster than you can believe. Don't turn your back, don't look away, and don't blink. Good luck.

On this, the illustrious day of the anniversary of Derek & Laurel’s marriage, we’re going back to the story universe that brought us together in the first place: the BBC’s Doctor Who. In a new episode format, we’ll turn our unblinking eye to the occurrences of a particular Doctor Who monster: the Weeping Angels. First appearing in the episode Blink and in several subsequent episodes and stories, the Weeping Angels terrify in a way unique among the series’ villains. Taking the form of a comforting image, they can move lightning fast, but only when they’re not being observed. We’ll dive into the iconography and theology of angels (angelology, in fact), and the quantum physics behind the Angels’ ability in this fun new installment.

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Midnight Myth Time Machine | Episode 16: The Memory Game | Stranger Things & the Science of Nostalgia

Welcome to the Midnight Myth Time Machine! This episode was originally published in 2017.

Man, it sure feels good when movies and tv remind me of my youth. What’s that called again? Nostalgia. Listen as Derek and Laurel deconstruct nostalgia as a story mechanic. To uncover how it can be utilized effectively, Derek and Laurel focus on the Netflix original series, Stranger Things and look at episode 5, The Flea and the Acrobat. We also explore the weaponization of nostalgia, which can be a manipulative tool in storytelling and in politics. Watch out for Midnight Myth boomerangs, because this episode will having you flying past the moon with lovable creatures in your bike basket before you know it!

Midnight Myth Time Machine | Episode 10: Punk Rock Justice

Welcome to the Midnight Myth Time Machine! We’re republishing our back catalog to make our older episodes widely available. This episode originally aired in 2017.

Derek and Laurel are back at it again, inspired by the FX series “The People vs OJ Simpson.” They contextualize justice as a story, one that evolves through time and cultural relativity. Beginning in Ancient Greece, where mythology and justice merged as one, Derek and Laurel follow the thread to Marvel Studio’s Captain America: Civil War.

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Midnight Myth Time Machine | Episode 3: Detected | Sherlock Holmes & Detective Stories

It’s the Midnight Myth Time Machine! We’re publishing our back catalog week by week, and this is Episode 3: Detected. It originally aired in February of 2017 and explored our fascination with detective stories. With a special emphasis on the best-loved detective in fiction—Sherlock Holmes—we’ll interpret the clues and uncover the truth about why detective stories continue to be told. Join the investigation by hopping in the time machine with us.

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Episode 111: Creature Feature

We’re just days from the premiere of Stranger Things 3 on Netflix, so we’re going back through the first two seasons to demystify the many monsters of the Upside Down. Drawing on the mythological inspiration for the Demogorgon, the role of Dungeons & Dragons in shaping the imagination, and the long history of monsters in the movies, this episode seeks to understand why we create monstrous beasts to contend with. Most importantly, we’ll explore how Stranger Things gives us a model of monster that realizes the intangible depths of childhood trauma—and gives us a model for how to fight back. Brief cameos from Godzilla, Frankenstein, King Kong, and more as we read listener responses to our “favorite classic monster” Twitter poll!

Support us at www.patreon.com/midnightmyth

Check out our new merch store for Midnight Myth, Boomerangerang, and Wheel of Ka tees and totes! Save 15% on march through 7/6 with the code ‘SOLSTICE’

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If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a rating or review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen!

Sources

If you enjoyed this episode, check out some of our sources and inspiration! Images are affiliate links, meaning if you purchase the item, a percentage will go to the podcast. Thanks for your support!

Episode 65: What Ever Happened to Gary Cooper?

Eleven years after the iconic, genius, frustrating, scintillating, upsetting finale—the cut-to-black heard round the world, we’re jumping headfirst into the underworld of New Jersey crime, and into the den of the Sopranos. HBO’s critically acclaimed series captured viewers instantly by asking a simple question: what if a mob boss went to therapy? But instead of turning it into a punchline, the show used that springboard to open up questions about humanity, mental illness, family, and the American Dream. Now Derek and Laurel pull apart the characters, the influences, and the ultimate successes and failures of the series that brought epic, romantic stories back down to earth. Brief lessons on Italian Opera, the theatrical form Commedia dell’Arte, and the most famous thought experiment in quantum mechanics.

Episode 63: A Balm in Gilead

How did we get here? Where are we going? The future may seem an abstract concept, a faraway thing, but every action we take, every word we set down in the present determines the outcomes and intricacies of our world to come. This week, we pull apart some of the religious references in Hulu’s hit series The Handmaid’s Tale to further understand the message the story is really telling. We’ll discuss Offred’s journey so far, what we’ve learned about Gileadian social structure, and the sacred texts upon which this new country is based. Under his eye.

Episode 62: These Violent Delights

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Have you every questioned the nature your reality, or podcast? Per chance you should…Listen this week as The Midnight Myth applies its thoughtful analysis to the HBO hit series West World. Central to West World is the idea of the "west", a frontier, a lawless land ripe for civilized folk to come and claim— if they are tough enough to keep it. Amid the moral questions of artificial intelligence and a world created where humans can cater to every lustful wish and violent desire, is a narrative of America. This week Derek and Laurel seek to understand the narrative, from Ancient Rome, to Enlightenment Politics, and everything in between and hereafter.