No Improvement Podcast 👯 Episode 35

No Improvement is a sort-of-funny talk show that explores the vast, untapped potential of TV shows, books, films, and more. Quill & Slate blog runners Thelonia and Tia review—and then reimagine—the stories you know and love until you can barely recognize them anymore. Hopefully in a good way. And if not, well, we hope you are still entertained.

In the 35th episode of No Improvement, we watch and discuss the first two episodes of Stranger Things (Season 2) and talk about what we liked, what we didn't like, and how we would improve it, with such excellent notes as: more mullets, less denim, all the eggos, and how even though we miss Barb, she's living her best life in Riverdale now.

Next week, we will be discussing episodes 3 and 4 of season 2 of Stranger Things.

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All in Good Storytime 📚 Episode 20

All in Good Storytime is an interactive, bookish, book club podcast hosted by Alanna, Katya, and Tia. To join the club, make sure you're following us on Twitter to get updates on what book we're reading and to what chapter we are reading through (or what anime we're watching and what episode we are watching through), and listen to the podcast here or on iTunes (see link below) to join in on the discussion. And don't forget to read along!

In the 20th episode of All in Good Storytime, we debate whether Jimmy is completely pathetic trash or trash that is worth our sympathy. We continue by hypothesizing whether this dystopian future is merely capitalism run amok. We contrast the differences between the humanities-driven Jimmy and the science-centered Crake and what judgments their characters make about the state of their society. Finally, we lament how Oryx was essentially absent in this section, but in her brief appearance she shuts down Jimmy's attempt to make her feel sympathy for him and his sad life.

Next week, we will be reading chapters 11 through the end of Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood.

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Black Mirror 🔮 Episodes Ranked



Written by Thelonia & Tia


Black Mirror will be back for its fourth season before the end of this year (there is no specific release date out as of right now), so we thought that—while we wait—we might as well release our definitive ranking of all the Black Mirror episodes so far (seasons 1-3).

We'll be going in reverse order, starting with the episode we thought was the worst, and moving toward our number one pick. Let's do it!

All in Good Storytime 📚 Episode 19

All in Good Storytime is an interactive, bookish, book club podcast hosted by Alanna, Katya, and Tia. To join the club, make sure you're following us on Twitter to get updates on what book we're reading and to what chapter we are reading through (or what anime we're watching and what episode we are watching through), and listen to the podcast here or on iTunes (see link below) to join in on the discussion. And don't forget to read along!

In the 19th episode of All in Good Storytime, we begin reading Oryx and Crake, the 2003 speculative fiction novel by Margaret Atwood. In these first six chapters, we are introduced to Snowman, aka Jimmy, who is the only one left of his kind in a post-apocalyptic future. His only company is the mysterious children of Crake who regard him as their teacher. Through flashbacks, we learn about Snowman's previous life as Jimmy. During his tumultuous childhood, Jimmy meets Crake, a mysterious and intelligent boy who eventually becomes his close friend. Together, they play violent video games and watch a lot of disturbing porn and executions. Finally, we are introduced to Oryx when Jimmy sees her in child pornography. The section ends with Oryx sharing her story of how she ended up in that position.

In this episode, we discuss our initial impressions to Snowman/Jimmy, Oryx, and Crake. We start out by analyzing the name "Snowman," which Jimmy has given himself, and what this unusual name signifies about his character. Next, we give a broad overview of the multitude of metaphors present in this book from Adam and Eve to a general warning about the costs of scientific progress. We question whether the compounds our characters are living in are truly the only real safe havens left in the world, or if they are being manipulated through fear into staying there. We dissect the nature of Jimmy and Oryx's relationship and chastise his reactions to her childhood abuse. We end by questioning whether or not Jimmy's mom really ran away or if his dad just turned her into a human-rakunk chimera.

Next week, we will be reading chapters 7-10 of Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood.

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No Improvement Podcast 👯 Episode 34

No Improvement is a sort-of-funny talk show that explores the vast, untapped potential of TV shows, books, films, and more. Quill & Slate blog runners Thelonia and Tia review—and then reimagine—the stories you know and love until you can barely recognize them anymore. Hopefully in a good way. And if not, well, we hope you are still entertained.

In the 34th episode of No Improvement, we take a look at the film The Exorcist and talk about what we liked, what we didn't like, and how we would improve it.

Next week, we will be watching episodes 1 and 2 of season 2 of Stranger Things.

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Horror Movies to Watch this Halloween 2.0 ✌




      

Written by Thelonia


It's Halloween month, which mean it's now, once again, socially acceptable to watch as many horror movies as your mind can take. We're continuing from last year's Halloween horror movie compilation list to give you recommendations on what to watch to get spoopy this October season (or, if you're like me, all year round).

All in Good Storytime 📚 Episode 18

All in Good Storytime is an interactive, bookish, book club podcast hosted by Alanna, Katya, and Tia. To join the club, make sure you're following us on Twitter to get updates on what book we're reading and to what chapter we are reading through (or what anime we're watching and what episode we are watching through), and listen to the podcast here or on iTunes (see link below) to join in on the discussion. And don't forget to read along!

In the 18th episode of All in Good Storytime, we finish reading Human Acts by Han Kang, as translated by Deborah Smith. These last three chapters centered on Seon-ju's time as a factory worker, how Dong-ho's mother carried on with her grief, and Han Kang's personal connection to Dong-ho and the Gwangju Uprising. We continue discussing the far-reaching ramifications of grief and trauma and share our thoughts on how the chapter focusing on Dong-ho's mother was arguably the saddest one in the book. Finally, we discuss the pervasive question surrounding bodies, and what exactly it means to be human, that is evident in the book. We do this by examining Seon-ju's relationship to her body following her torture, what the prisoner believes his captors were trying to accomplish with their abuse, and how Jeong-dae's spirit was only set free once his connection to his body was destroyed. We end by sharing our final thoughts on the book and its effectiveness in communicating a powerful story about a painful past.

Next week, we will be reading chapters 1-6 of Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood.

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Blade Runner 2049 🤔 Film Review






      

Written by Thelonia & Tia


The aesthetic impact of Blade Runner (1982) on science fiction cannot be overstated enough. Though it was met with mixed reviews, almost every major sci-fi film has tried to replicate Blade Runner aesthetically, with its mixture of neo-noir cityscapes that blend technology with automated and multicultural individuals.

The film did however become a quick cult classic, leading to years of rumors about possible sequels (to mixed derision and anticipation). And yet, more than three decades later, here it is: Blade Runner 2049 (2017), taking place, itself, three decades after its predecessor. Does it (and can it) live up to the hype of the original?

No Improvement Podcast 👯 Episode 33



No Improvement is a sort-of-funny talk show that explores the vast, untapped potential of TV shows, books, films, and more. Quill & Slate blog runners Thelonia and Tia review—and then reimagine—the stories you know and love until you can barely recognize them anymore. Hopefully in a good way. And if not, well, we hope you are still entertained.

In the 33rd episode of No Improvement, we take a look at the film Train to Busan and talk about what we liked, what we didn't like, and how we would improve it.

Next week, we will be watching The Exorcist (1973).

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🤷‍♀️ Who's that Riverdale character like? 🤷‍♂️


Written by Tia


"Who does that Riverdale character remind you of?" It's the question I can't stop asking. If you're anything like me, you've very quickly gotten obsessed with the new CW show Riverdale, and can't help but compare it to other (trashy, whoops) teen favorites like Pretty Little Liars and Teen Wolf.

Don't get me wrong—I love these shows deeply. But I do so with awareness of their use of cliches and cheesy, impossible-to-believe moments. Honestly, the best part of these shows is often their flair for the dramatic and indulgence in cheese! It's what makes them truly fun to watch.

With this show especially, now that I've really dedicated good time to watching similar teen shows across the spectrum of Gossip Girl to Shadowhunters, I can't help but compare Riverdale characters to characters from other shows. Of course, that is not to say that any of these characters are copies of each other in any way, but rather that these characters draw on similar tropes, and thus are undeniably comparable in some way.

However, I will admit that I have a tendency to think people have more similarities than they do differences (which, it turns out, is very divisive when it comes to saying actors look or seem like each other). But if you're relaxed enough to say that you think Nina Dobrev and Victoria Justice have more similarities than differences, then you'll be game for this post.

Anyway, here are some of the biggest comparisons I can't help but make:

All in Good Storytime 📚 Episode 17

All in Good Storytime is an interactive, bookish, book club podcast hosted by Alanna, Katya, and Tia. To join the club, make sure you're following us on Twitter to get updates on what book we're reading and to what chapter we are reading through (or what anime we're watching and what episode we are watching through), and listen to the podcast here or on iTunes (see link below) to join in on the discussion. And don't forget to read along!

In the 17th episode of All in Good Storytime, we continue reading Human Acts by Han Kang, as translated by Deborah Smith. We begin by discussing the influence of censorship on the survivors of the Gwangju uprising. We talk about different responses to censorship and the effects they have on highlighting the nature of an oppressive regime. We touch on the recurring theme of how survivors deal with trauma while examining an editor's response to police brutality and a former prisoner's reflection on his past torture. Finally, we share our thoughts on how the children's defeat was due in part to how compassionate they were. While the children couldn't bring themselves to fire a single bullet knowing it would result in someone's death, the adults relished in being as violent as possible.

Next week we will be reading sections 5 through the end of Human Acts by Han Kang.

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No Improvement Podcast 👯 Episode 32



No Improvement is a sort-of-funny talk show that explores the vast, untapped potential of TV shows, books, films, and more. Quill & Slate blog runners Thelonia and Tia review—and then reimagine—the stories you know and love until you can barely recognize them anymore. Hopefully in a good way. And if not, well, we hope you are still entertained.

In the 32nd episode of No Improvement, we take a look at the film The Witch and talk about what we liked, what we didn't like, and how we would improve it.

Next week, we will be watching Train to Busan (2016).

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All in Good Storytime 📚 Episode 16

All in Good Storytime is an interactive, bookish, book club podcast hosted by Alanna, Katya, and Tia. To join the club, make sure you're following us on Twitter to get updates on what book we're reading and to what chapter we are reading through (or what anime we're watching and what episode we are watching through), and listen to the podcast here or on iTunes (see link below) to join in on the discussion. And don't forget to read along!

In the 16th episode of All in Good Storytime, we begin reading Human Acts by Han Kang as translated by Deborah Smith. We begin by explaining the historical background of the Gwangju uprising. In these sections we are introduced to Dong-ho, and then his best friend Jeong-dae. We experience the violence of the uprising through flashbacks and slowly learn how Dong-ho ended up in being in charge of the growing number of unclaimed corpses being stored in their town's gym. Later, the story is told from the perspective of Jeong-dae, who was among the first to die. We continue by discussing the use of the second person point of view in the first chapter as an immersive technique to bridge the boundary between the historical and the emotional. We end by explaining our reactions to the differing descriptions and treatment of bodies in the two chapters.

Next week we will be reading sections 3 and 4 of Human Acts by Han Kang.

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No Improvement Podcast 👯 Episode 31



No Improvement is a sort-of-funny talk show that explores the vast, untapped potential of TV shows, books, films, and more. Quill & Slate blog runners Thelonia and Tia review—and then reimagine—the stories you know and love until you can barely recognize them anymore. Hopefully in a good way. And if not, well, we hope you are still entertained.

In the 31st episode of No Improvement, we take a look at the recent Goosebumps movie and talk about what we liked, what we didn't like, and how we would improve it.

Next week, we will be watching The Witch (2015).

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