I first heard of the CW show Crazy Ex-Girlfriend when I saw an advertisement for it at the subway station nearest my apartment. The poster featured a woman in a pink dress holding a heart-shaped balloon, the show’s title beside her in the boldest typeface possible: CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND.Beneath that, a rogue feminist had pasted a sticker, one I’ve seen plastered to many different subway displays — usually plastic surgery ads with language implying that if you have boobs, they probably aren’t big enough. The sticker says: This insults women. I looked at the ad for a few moments more, thought, ‘huh, I guess that’s true,’ and continued on my way.
It wasn’t until a few months later that I listened to an episode of Pop Culture Happy Hour — one of my most trusted sources for recommendations — and learned, to my surprise, that Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is not an insult to women at all. In fact, it’s kind of the opposite.
It’s been more than a year since then, and with its third season premiering later this month, Rachel Bloom’s absurdist musical comedy Crazy Ex-Girlfriend has wormed its way into the hearts of many, myself (and Emmy voters) included. However, despite the show’s critical acclaim, there are still quite a few people who haven’t watched it and don’t plan to anytime soon, either because they have preconceived notions about it based on the title (like I used to), or because there is, quite frankly, a shitload of good television to catch up on, and the CW doesn’t have the best track record when it comes to “peak TV.”
So, if you’re one of those people who has yet to give Crazy Ex-Girlfriend a chance, I am writing this for YOU — to convince you that if you aren’t watching it yet, you really, really should be. You can find my top five reasons after the cut.
Minisode #6: We All Float / Stephen King's IT
Minisode #6: We All Float / Stephen King's IT
Join your favorite squad of "losers" on a journey through the sewers of Derry, Maine as we discuss the 2017 film adaptation of Stephen King's IT. How does Bill Skarsgård's Pennywise compare to Tim Curry's performance in the 1990 miniseries? Why did director Andrés Muschietti give Mike's character so little to do? How many clowns is TOO many clowns? Listen now for our thoughts, and don't worry — you'll float too.
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Read moreA mother! scorned: Darren Aronofsky’s Failed Feminism
Perhaps the best thing about this season of American Horror Story was the two-minute trailer for mother!, Oscar-winning filmmaker Darren Aronofsky’s newest project. The preview promises a psychological thriller starring Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem as a couple who live in a beautiful, secluded mansion, which—to the dismay of Lawrence (the eponymous Mother) and the delight of Bardem (known only as Him)—is soon invaded by two strangers played by Ed Harris and Michelle Pfieffer (credited as Man and Woman, respectively).
Friday afternoon we went into the theater knowing little more than this basic premise and that the movie was meant to be an artful, fatalistic meditation on the destructive and irredeemable nature of mankind. Mother! picks up on themes of religious failure and climatic disaster introduced in Aronofsky’s previous film, the remarkably unremarkable Biblical epic Noah. In his latest project, Aronofsky returns to Judeo-Christian mythology for inspiration, this time with a heavy-handed Biblical allegory about humanity’s destruction of the earth. Even so, with a title like mother!, one might reasonably expect to see a film more obviously concerned with women. In a recent interview, Lawrence describes the movie as “incredibly feminist,” but suggests it’s “much bigger,” echoing Aronofsky’s insistence that the film engages with universal allegories that are “not male or female, it’s all of us.” But what we actually get is a (probably not very self-aware) film about how men use women.
Beyond the cut are many, many spoilers. You have been warned.
Let Me Stop You Right There: Overcoming Mansplaining in Gimlet Media's Homecoming
Ten minutes and forty seconds into the first episode of the Homecoming podcast, David Schwimmer deadpans: “Heidi, I’m gonna stop you right there.”
It’s a situation that many women have found themselves in countless times — their expert opinions being overridden by mansplainers. In Homecoming, the role of women — in particular, Heidi Bergman — is pivotal, deeply frustrating, and also true to life. In this way, Homecoming is a show that makes the point of view of women a dynamic and realistic one.
Read moreBSG #6: A Lotta Lotto / Fates & Furies
BSG #6: A Lotta Lotto / Fates & Furies
Can you ever truly know your spouse? The Book Squad tackles relationship conundrums and more as we discuss Lauren Groff’s novel Fates and Furies. There’s even a special guest appearance by Ask-A-Man favorite Joe! Plus: We weigh in on BiP/The next Bachelor, read listener feedback about movies that are better than the books, and reveal the lucky winner of a signed copy of Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder!
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Read moreMinisode #5: Sorting Orphans / Interview with Laurel Snyder
Minisode #5: Sorting Orphans / Interview with Laurel Snyder
The Book Squad supports Susan in the next step of her Harry Potter journey: her official sorting! Find out what house she gets and what the other Squad members are. Plus, Emily interviews Laurel Snyder, author of Orphan Island. They discuss where the idea for the book came from, YA and middle-grade literature, books that make you think, and, of course, pets! Be sure to enter our giveaway contest to win a signed copy of Orphan Island!
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Read moreBSG #5: The Book is Always Better: The Girl with All the Gifts
BSG #5: The Book is Always Better: The Girl with All the Gifts
Special guest Adam joins the squad for a discussion of M. R. Carey's The Girl with All the Gifts. We talk zombie tropes, narrative style, and what it means to be human. We also talk about the movie, which we were led to believe would be better than it was. Plus: five-minute Bachelorette thoughts, what's on the BSG blog, and what's happening in our next minisode (spoiler alert: we've got our first author interview!).
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Read moreMinisode #4: Hate-pisode: The Couple Next Door
Minisode #4: Hate-pisode: The Couple Next Door
The Book Squad finally exorcises our anger over The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena, the book we love to hate, in our first ever hate-pisode. This book has everything: baby kidnapping, shoddy detective work, kinky sex games, and, of course, Zoloft. Listen as we throw shade at the mistreatment of mental illness, flat characters, non-thrilling "thriller" twists, and that batshit crazy ending. We even do some dramatic readings of the most ridiculous scenes and read some GoodReads reviews. Plus, what's on the BSG blog and what we're reading next!
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Read moreBSG #4: A Tale of Group Parenting, Romance, and BBQ / Perfect Little World
BSG #4: A Tale of Group Parenting, Romance, and BBQ / Perfect Little World
BBQ. Child Psychology. Group Parenting. Kevin Wilson's Perfect Little World has just about everything, but the Squad would really like some more reality show-style trash, please. Join the Squad as we discuss the novel's characters, pacing, and of course, the significance of the almighty BBQ. Plus, the Squad tells you what we're into lately and answers listener questions on Horrorstör and The Handmaid's Tale. Stick around for hot takes on which Fiennes brother is the superior one and why dry weddings are the worst.
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Read moreIf You Don’t Laugh, You’ll Scream: True Crime, Anxiety, and Facing Danger With Humor
The Witches’ Castle
Source: News and Tribune
When I was 16 years old, two of my coworkers at the local public pool told me about the Witches’ Castle. The eerie, supposedly haunted structure was located in Utica, Indiana, just a few miles away from my hometown. The two girls were stunned that I’d never heard of it, especially since it was one stop on the all-night torture-and-beating spree of 12-year-old Shanda Sharer in 1992 – a night that ended with her brutal murder. The Witches’ Castle already had lore surrounding it, but after Shanda’s murder, it became a local legend.
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