Mental Health in TV & Film: Yikes! From 'Psycho' to '13 Reasons Why'

After a little unplanned hiatus, Popculty is BACK with Part 2 of our Halloween crossover event! Friend of the pod and Spooky & Gay co-host Carver Casey joins me once again to slice and dice Ari Aster's second film, Midsommar-- the one we actually liked (mostly)! Is it a 'good for her' movie? Cult propaganda? A surprisingly cathartic exploration of grief? We've got thoughts! Plus, side-trips into final girls, the dark history of dance marathons, and of course, Florence Pugh supremacy.

Carver's horror recs:
Next of Kin (1982) dir. Tony Williams
12-Hour Shift (2020) dir. Brea Grant
Pet (2016) dir. Carles Torrens [TW: Not for the squeamish!]

SJ's horror recs:
Evil (4 seasons, Paramount+)
Dead Ringers (1 season, Amazon Prime)
The Last of Us (1 season, HBO/Max)
Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022) dir. Halina Reijn
Fear Street trilogy (2021) dir. Leigh Janiak

References:

• Midsommar, except it's just Dani looking at Christian like he's the shittiest boyfriend ever, set to Wii music
• Florence Pugh on the Off Menu podcast
• The Grim, Depression-Era Origins of Dance Marathons - Atlas Obscura
• Atlas Obscura podcast: Hargaberget

Follow Carver on TikTok.

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It's a two-part Halloween crossover event! Carver Casey of the Spooky & Gay with Carver & Jay podcast joins me to talk personal histories of horror and whether the films of A24 auteur darling Ari Aster are all they're cracked up to be. In this episode, we turn our queer lens on Hereditary - Transmasculine allegory or transphobic trash? Listen to find out where we land, and join us next week for Part 2, when we tackle his follow-up folk horror classic Midsommar!

Article discussed: Trans Horror Stories and Society's Fear of the Transmasculine Body - Sasha Geffen (Them.)

Women-Directed Horror Recs:

• Raw (2016) dir. Julia Ducournau
• Good Manners/As Boas Maneiras (2017) dir. Juliana Rojas & Marco Dutra
• A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night (2014) dir. Ana Lily Amirpour
• Carmilla (2019) dir. Emily Harris
• Fear Street trilogy (2021) dir. Leigh Janiak [ Netflix]
• The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020) [Netflix]
• Lovecraft Country (2020) [HBO Max]
• Brand New Cherry Flavor (2021) [Netflix]
• Evil (2019 - ) [Paramount+]

Follow Carver on Twitter and TikTok.

Spooky synth outro music by Ross Bugden.

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When the critically-acclaimed TV series Killing Eve shocked viewers by ending with the oldest homophobic trope known as Bury Your Gays, it re-opened old wounds for the LGBTQ+ community. But fans are turning their betrayal into action, to ensure the next generation of queer viewers get to see happy endings for the characters they love - and themselves.

Take action:

• Donate: Help the Killing Eve Billboard Project reach their goal
• View: The Killing Eve Open Letter Project
• Email: AMC+ and BBC America - Cancel your subscriptions and tell them why

References:

• The Harmful Trope That's Still Haunting Queer TV - AJ Willingham (CNN)
• Killing Eve Chose Cruelty - Angelica Jade Bastien (Vulture)
• Villanelle's Real Killer? Miserable British Puritanism - Adi Tantimedh (Bleeding Cool)
• The Killing Eve Finale Was Violent in the Worst Way - Jocelyn (Writing Through the Night)
• The Psychological Impact of the Killing Eve Series Finale - Jan E. Estrellado, PhD. (Psychology Today)
• The Trevor Project memorial fund

Thank you:
Viktorija (@anevolutionarynecessity)
@loving-villanelle
@alicia_desousa
@bertimic
@bigswisses
@ke_sufferer
@fkacernes
anon and @horde-princess
@killingeveeditx
@doks-aux

Intro music by Gossip. Outro music by Chvrches.
Logo by Max Badger.

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From director Cate Shortland's gritty cinematic style to stars Florence Pugh and Scarlett Johansson calling B.S. on sexist jokes, how the women behind this summer's Black Widow salvaged Natasha Romanoff from the male gaze of the MCU and made an intimate family drama/comedy/tragedy under the guise of a superhero movie. Plus, the Scar-Jo v. Disney lawsuit that may have inspired the  IATSE strike threatening to shut down Hollywood. Oh, and how is everyone's movie theater anxiety these days?

Videos for this episode are coming soon!! Keep an eye out for them on Instagram and our brand new Youtube channel!

Leave the show a review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes and I'll send you this book with my chapter on chosen family as a thank-you!

TRIGGER WARNING: Some discussion of child trafficking (14:25 - 15:36) and forced hysterectomies (24:56 - 25:23).

References:

• Lucrecia Martel Turned Down Black Widow After Marvel Told Her 'Don't Worry' About Action Scenes - IndieWire
• Scarlett Johansson and Florence Pugh on Finding Sisterhood on Black Widow (video) - Variety
• Scarlett Johansson on Woody Allen - The Hollywood Reporter
• Cate Shortland Turned Down Directing Black Widow. So Scarlett Johansson Called Her on Zoom - Variety
• The Sexist Black Widow Joke Salvaged by Nicole Holofcener - Little White Lies
• Florence Pugh Pushed for Black Widow's 'Involuntary Hysterectomy' Clapback after Reading the Original Script - Polygon
• Scarlett Johansson and Florence Pugh on Black Widow Fighting Poses - The Hollywood Reporter
• Hair Ties and No Heels: The Evolution of the Female Superhero Costume is Finally Here  - Entertainment Weekly
• Dear Carolyn: What Should Adults Do When They Don't Like Their Parents?  - The Washington Post
• TimesUp Condemns Disney for "Gendered Character Attack" on Scarlett Johansson in her Disney Lawsuit - Deadline
• When it Comes to Paying Comic Book Writers, Marvel is the Real Villain -

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With the pandemic wreaking havoc on our collective sanity, what better time to talk about mental health representation in media! Licensed Social Worker and friend of the show Megan Wykhuis is back to lay out the Seven Big Bad Mental Illness Tropes that movies/TV just can't get enough of. Then we go hard on some classic but problematic faves, Hollywood's misguided obsession with "crazy"/violent white men, and the most irresponsible show ever to air (can you guess?)!

Next time, for contrast, we'll rave about our favorite *positive* portrayals of mental illness (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend! The Magicians! My Mad Fat Diary!) and debate a few that are...er, complicated.

What are some of your favorite shows/movies/characters dealing with mental illness or addiction? Let me know and we might share your thoughts in the next episode! Tweet @popculty, or send a voice memo/email to podcast@popculty.blog.

CONTENT WARNING: Discussion of mental illness throughout, some discussion of addiction (~00:40:30 - 00:46:30), brief mentions of sexual assault, brief mentions of mass/school shootings, moderate-heavy discussion of suicide/self-harm (~00:57:30 - 01:10:00).

If you are in crisis, please reach out to one of the support organizations below:

• NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) helpline: 800-950-NAMI
• RAINN (Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network) Sexual Assault Hotline: 800-656-HOPE
• SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP

References:

• From 'Split' to 'Psycho': Why Cinema Fails Dissociative Identity Disorder - The Guardian
• Mind Over Pop Culture: 'Fatal Attraction' - Mental Health America
• Glenn Close Regrets How 'Fatal Attraction' Portrayed Mental Illness - The Mercury News
• Release of '13 Reasons Why' Associated with Increase in Youth Suicide Rates - NIH (National Institutes of Health)

Follow Popculty on Tumblr, Twitter, and Instagram for all the news and commentary on the underrepresented pop culture you care about!

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One year ago, the Jessica Jones series finale brought the entire Marvel/Netflix Universe to an end. In the  final  part of this retrospective, SJ and Bethany break down the highs (Hellcat!) and lows (#TrishWalkerDeservedBetter) of the third season. We put our backgrounds in criminology and sociology to use, looking at the history of women's anger/violence and why TV just can't seem to  let powerful female characters live (*ahemGoT*). Author Reuben “Tihi” Hayslett returns to weigh in on the show's lasting impact for survivors of abuse. 

TRIGGER WARNING: Some discussion of abuse.
If you need help, please reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline:  

• @ndvh on Twitter
• CALL 1-800-799-7233
• TTY 1-800-787-3224
• chat: thehotline.org

Thank you again to Reuben “Tihi” Hayslett for sharing his story with us. Read his essay, We Don’t Need Another Hero: How Netflix’s Jessica Jones Saved My Life, and his collection of short stories, Dark Corners.

References:
Marvel's Jessica Jones Directed by Krysten Ritter - Netflix behind-the-scenes video
Rachael Taylor Deals with Trish Walker's Inner Demons in Marvel's Jessica Jones - interview

Credits:
Jessica Jones main title written by Sean Callery; cover performed by L'Orchestra Cinematique. Check out more of their awesome covers on Youtube and their album Geek Tunes.
All series clips property of Marvel and ABC Studios.
Logo by Max Badger.

Follow Popculty on Tumblr, Twitter, and Instagram for all the news and commentary on the underrepresented pop culture you care about!

Follow Popculty on Tumblr, Twitter and Instagram, and watch video episodes on our brand-new Youtube channel!

In the second part of our Jessica Jones retrospective, sociologist/friend of the show Bethany digs into the series' queer subtext with me (#Trishica) and David Tennant as Kilgrave. We relive the life-giving season one finale (Jessica did that!) and the game-changing second season finale (Trish did that!). Special guest, author Reuben “Tihi” Hayslett, shares his own story about intimate partner violence in We Don’t Need Another Hero: How Netflix’s Jessica Jones Saved My Life.

Next time in our final JJ episode: Sallinger, Hellcat, and THAT series finale.

Please help us reach our Patreon goal, to keep this show going! Become a Supergirl-level patron or higher by May 15th, and get a signed copy of my new book Girl of Steel: Essays on Television's Supergirl and Fourth-Wave Feminism! 

TRIGGER WARNINGS: General discussion of sexual assault and domestic abuse.
If you are quarantined with an abuser, or in a dangerous home situation, please reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline: 

• @ndvh on Twitter
• CALL 1-800-799-7233
• TTY 1-800-787-3224
• Chat: thehotline.org

Explicit content: Some language throughout, brief sexual references.

Thank you to Reuben “Tihi” Hayslett for sharing his story with us. Check out his collection of short stories, Dark Corners.

Featured Interviews:
GoldDerby interview with Krysten Ritter
Cast interview with Entertainment Weekly
BUILD Series interview with Rachael Taylor and Krysten Ritter

Credits:
Jessica Jones main title written by Sean Callery; cover performed by L'Orchestra Cinematique. Check out more of their awesome covers on Youtube and their album Geek Tunes.
All series clips property of Marvel and ABC Studios.
Logo by Max Badger.

Follow Popculty on Tumblr, Twitter, and Instagram for all the news and commentary on the underrepresented pop culture you care about!

Follow Popculty on Tumblr, Twitter and Instagram, and watch video episodes on our brand-new Youtube channel!

It's finally here: The first episode in our epic 3-part Jessica Jones debrief!!

In this first part, we'll talk about why Jessica was such a revelation in the TV landscape back in 2015 and how she has impacted culture since. Then we'll share listener stories on what the show has meant to them.

We're just getting started! Join us next week for Part 2, when we'll talk queer subtext, David Tennant as Kilgrave, and season two!

Don't miss out on the bonus episode! Support the show for just $2 a month and get Part 4 of this series, exclusively for patrons! (Trust me, you'll want it by the time you finish that series finale...)

TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR THIS EPISODE: Mentions of sexual assault; discussion of alcoholism and child abuse. If you need someone to talk to about anything brought up in this episode, please call 800-656-HOPE or visit rainn.org.

References:

• Marvel's Jessica Jones Episode 1 Preview at NYCC Was Absolute Fire, So Get Stoked - Bustle
• These are the Jessica Jones Articles You're Looking For: A Masterpost - Popculty Blog
• We Don't Need Another Hero: How Netflix's Jessica Jones Saved My Life - Reuben Hayslett, The Mary Sue (We'll be discussing this essay with the author in Part 2)
• Agent Carter and the status of female superheroes in 2015 - Popculty Blog

Credits:
Jessica Jones main title written by Sean Callery; cover performed by L'Orchestra Cinematique. Check out more of their awesome covers on Youtube and their album Geek Tunes.
All series clips property of Marvel and ABC Studios.
Logo by Max Badger.

Follow Popculty on Tumblr, Twitter, and Instagram for all the news and commentary on the underrepresented pop culture you care about!

Follow Popculty on Tumblr, Twitter and Instagram, and watch video episodes on our brand-new Youtube channel!

First, an announcement: The Popculty Podcast Patreon is now live, just in time for the season of giving! Check out all the perks you can get for showing your support! xo

But lesbihonest, the reason we're all here: THAT WONDER WOMAN 1984 TRAILER. Have you recovered yet?? Nope? Me neither. Gotta geek. We break down the big reveals from CCXP last weekend, and get hyped for Lasso of Truth realness, the return of Steve Trevor, and Kristen Wiig as Cheetah!

Credits:
Wonder Woman 1984 trailer courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.
Logo by Max Badger.

Follow Popculty on Tumblr, Twitter, and Instagram for all the news and commentary on the underrepresented pop culture you care about!

Follow Popculty on Tumblr, Twitter and Instagram, and watch video episodes on our brand-new Youtube channel!

It's an all-TV episode! On the eve of the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards, we run down what's nominated and who we're pulling for (#GiveAmyAdamsAnEmmyYouCowards). Jam-packed with dozens of TV recommendations, plus a fond farewell to some of our favorites (R.I.P. Broad City and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), and some overdue recognition for O.G.s Jane Fonda and Gilda Radnor in the documentary category.

Join us next time when I chat with a nuclear engineer about the HBO series Chernobyl! #science

References:

• Full Emmys 2019 Nominee List
• Watch all 100+ Crazy Ex-Girlfriend songs here.
• You Must Remember This : Jean Seberg & Jane Fonda
• Read Rec: "Let Liv Tyler Go to Space" by Rachel Handler
• Listen Rec: Beach Bunny - "Prom Queen"

Follow Popculty on Tumblr, Twitter, and Instagram for all the news and commentary on the underrepresented pop culture you care about!

Logo by Max Badger.

Follow Popculty on Tumblr, Twitter and Instagram, and watch video episodes on our brand-new Youtube channel!