Fictional – "Wizard of Oz: Defying Gravity" (Part 1 of 3)

Hosts: Jason Weiser, Carissa Weiser
Date: September 17, 2025

Episode Overview

In this reimagining of L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Jason and Carissa Weiser bring the classic tale to life with wit, warmth, and Modern Midwest candor. The episode explores Dorothy's journey from the gray hardship of the Kansas plains into the bizarre, magical land of Oz. Along the way, the hosts provide comedic and insightful commentary, unpacking character motivations and the earnest absurdity that permeates Baum’s world. This is part one of a three-part adaptation.

Key Discussion Points & Story Beats

1. Life on the Plains: Grit, Grit, and a Cyclone

• Dorothy’s Kansas: Dorothy’s life in Kansas is painted as bleak, colorless, and cyclical. Aunt Em and Uncle Henry are worn by the unrelenting labor. “A cycle, a circle constantly turning. They rose, they worked, they ate, and then they slept, only to rise and work again.” (00:11)
• Introduction of Toto: Dorothy’s only joy is her dog Toto—who "didn't eat enough for Henry to protest."
• The Cyclone Arrives: Aunt Em spots gathering clouds. Instead of hope for rain, it’s a cyclone: “Cyclone, Henry!” (03:30) The urgency—and the cellar that “was literally a five-foot hole dug in the ground”—set up the coming adventure.

2. The House in the Sky

• Dorothy’s Peril and Boredom: Dorothy is swept, with Toto, aloft in her house. She marvels at the sight: “She was Icarus, seeing what quite possibly no human before her had.” (07:55) There's humor in her chief danger shifting from the cyclone to boredom, until Toto nearly floats out of the open hatch.
• Landing in Oz: Dorothy wakes to a changed world—a vibrant forest, far from Kansas’s endless gray.

3. Arrival in Munchkinland: A Most Noble Sorceress?

• A Bewildered Heroine: Greeted by three blue-clad Munchkin men and an elderly woman in white, Dorothy is hailed as a hero: “You are welcome, most noble sorceress…for having killed the Wicked Witch of the East…” (13:15)
• Dorothy’s Reluctance: She protests: “I didn’t kill anyone, I think. Kind of you to accuse me of that, though. Thanks.” (14:10)

4. Witches, Shoes, and Geography

• Witchy Exposition: The Good Witch of the North explains Oz’s balance: North and South witches are good, East and West are bad (now, just West is left). The hosts delight in the ambiguity of ‘good’—as the Witch cheerfully shakes “what remained of her estranged colleague’s flesh from the silver shoes.” (16:40)
• The Silver Shoes: Dorothy inherits the witch’s silver shoes, thoroughly cleaning them before use: “After she took the shoes down to the river and washed the witch out of them, and then washed them three more times, she put them on.” (24:50)
• Oz’s Isolation: Munchkinland and, by extension, all of Oz is surrounded by impassable desert. “There was no way she was walking home.” (20:30)

5. Setting Off Together: The Road to Emerald City

• Guided by Witchcraft: With a magic slate recommending she ask Wizard Oz for help, Dorothy sets off on the yellow brick road.
• Color Symbolism: Bok, a Munchkin, explains her dress signals her as a sorceress: “White’s the color of the sorceresses. And blue was…the color of the Munchkins.” (28:40)

6. Gathering the Companions

• Meeting the Scarecrow: Dorothy encounters a talking straw man, longing for brains. The Scarecrow’s existential struggle is played for comedy and meaning:

  “Is talking the bit where the words on the inside became words on the outside?” – Scarecrow (32:10)

• Why Not Go Home?: The Scarecrow questions Dorothy’s desire to return to Kansas’s monotony:

  “You’re talking about how it’s all dry and gray and it sucked the joy from Aunt Em like I’m a talking bag of straw and I understand this.” – Scarecrow (36:55)

• Midwest Sidebar: Jason and Carissa riff on Midwest identity, noting Baum’s own roots and the “love-hate relationship” with the region:

  “No one has a love-hate relationship with the Midwest like those of us who grew up or live here. Hi, from Ohio.” – Host, Jason (38:25)

• The Tin Woodman’s Tragicomedy: Dorothy oils the Tin Man, who's literally falling apart from rust—and existential loss:

  “All the same, he would take brains, not a heart, for a fool would not know what to do with a heart, even if he had one.” – Scarecrow (48:20)

• Nick Chopper’s (the Tin Woodman) Origin Story: A blend of body horror and absurdity as his witch-cursed axe leads him to get every limb and even his head replaced with tin.

  “At some point, it begins to feel like Nick Chopper starts to bear some responsibility for the axe that keeps amputating appendages.” – Jason (50:35)

7. Enter the Cowardly Lion

• First Encounter: The Lion attacks, aiming for the smallest—Toto—out of fear, not malice.
• Dorothy’s Courage: She protects Toto, scolding the Lion.

  “How dare you bite Toto.” – Dorothy (59:20)

• The Lion’s Admission: He confesses his shame:

  “Yeah, but I didn’t. [attack Toto]” – Lion (1:00:10)

• Seeking Courage: Lion wants what he lacks and asks to join the journey to Oz.

8. The Party Is Gathered

Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion join forces, all hoping the Wizard of Oz will grant their wishes—brains, a heart, courage, and a way home.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “She was Icarus, seeing what quite possibly no human before her had.” – Narration, (07:55)
• “The woman smiled at one of her fellow witches crumbling to dust after being crushed to death by a falling house.” – Narration, (16:30)
• “You must be a great sorceress, Bok said, bringing Dorothy a bowl of soup.” – (28:10)
• “It’s such an uncomfortable feeling to know one is a fool.” – Scarecrow, (39:10)
• “I’m like, wherever your body bends, put a little oil there. It’s the same basic concept.” – Tin Woodman, (44:30)
• “He was able to cut a tree that blocked the path and cut through brambles… He couldn’t do anything about the holes though.” – Narration, (47:40)
• “Oh, I have no brains.” – Scarecrow, replying to why he fell in a hole, (48:05)
• “The most damaging injury of all…was his heart.” – Jason, summarizing Tin Man’s real loss, (52:15)
• “He’s a meat dog.” – Dorothy, explaining Toto to the Lion, (1:01:15)
• “Everyone feels afraid…especially those who seem big and strong and courageous. It’s okay to feel fear and anxiety…This was 1901 though, and they had some differing thoughts.” – Jason, (1:02:20)

Episode Structure & Timestamps

| Time | Segment/Theme | |-----------|------------------------------------------------| | 00:11 | Life in Kansas: Dororthy, Aunt Em, Uncle Henry | | 03:30 | Cyclone hits; rush to the cellar | | 07:55 | House aloft in cyclone; Dorothy’s awe | | 12:15 | Arrival in Munchkinland | | 14:10 | Confrontation with the Good Witch | | 20:30 | Discussion of Oz’s geography, isolation | | 24:50 | Getting the silver shoe, prepping to depart | | 28:10 | With the Munchkin Bok, meaning of her dress | | 32:10 | First meeting the Scarecrow | | 36:55 | Scarecrow questions Dorothy’s motives | | 38:25 | Midwest commentary sidebar | | 44:30 | Oiling the Tin Woodman | | 48:05 | Scarecrow falls in a hole; no brains | | 50:35 | Tin Woodman’s tragic/humorous backstory | | 52:15 | Loss of heart; existential woes | | 59:20 | The Lion attacks Toto; Dorothy intervenes | | 1:00:10 | Lion confesses his cowardice | | 1:02:20 | Empathy for courage and fear |

Tone & Commentary

• Modern, Casual, and Playful: Jason and Carissa inject the classic tale with dry wit and self-aware commentary, poking fun at both the source material and its sometimes disturbing undertones.
• Relatable Midwestern Humor: The hosts’ Midwestern roots shine in their riffs about the bleakness and resilience of the heartland.
• Thought-Provoking Asides: They highlight the gray areas of good and evil in Oz, offering gentle critiques and contemporary parallels.

Closing Thoughts

Part one sets the scene, assembling Dorothy’s iconic companions and imparting heart, humor, and some surprisingly poignant insights about longing, loss, and bravery. The hosts’ narrative voice keeps the journey accessible and surprising, drawing listeners into Oz afresh.

To be continued in part two, as Dorothy and her companions brave the dangers (and quirks) of Oz en route to the Emerald City.