Podcast
Not Quite Great Books: a TV podcast
Hosted by Danielle Hanley & John McMahon · EN
When you spend the bulk of your life reading, writing, and building lesson plans, sometimes your brain needs a break. Join two of your favorite political theory professors - Danielle Hanley and John McMahon - as they switch gears from the world’s so-called great books to break down some of your favorite TV shows. The twist? Only one of your hosts has seen the show before.
First up? The Americans.
20episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
116. The Americans Season 6 Preview
Dec 2900:49:39Tap to summarizeDanielle and John are BACK* from their long espionage sojourns and reunited to preview The Americans Season 6. Having both rewatched the S5 finale, they note their surprises and ideas upon this revisiting, before talking through what the show asks of its viewers and what Danielle expects, predicts, and wants heading into Season 6. *"we are SO back" reserved for the actual start of S6 episodes Season 6 episodes coming your way in 2026. -- Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Transcribe →Americans Season 6 coverage coming in the new year!
Dec 400:01:14Tap to summarizeIf you can't wait for [redacted] and [redacted] and the dramatic [redacted] of our beloved [redacted], never fear, we'll be back in early 2026 to begin our coverage of The Americans, Season 6 (the last one!).
Transcribe →115. Derry Girls Series 2, Episode 5 "The Prom" & Episode 6 "The President"
Nov 2801:42:07Tap to summarizeSet up for fancy listening devices as Regan and John navigate intersubjective lessons for the characters of Derry Girls and for themselves while they dive into the Series 2 finale. What do the girls learn about themselves through moments of conflict, and when do they stay stuck in joke-delivery-machine status? Do you really gotta hand it to Bill Clinton? Will John and Regan's respective takes on the show so far and on what they want out Series 3 be predictable? Much like being a Derry Girl, being a loyal NQGB listener is a feckin' state of mind (but do like, subscribe, and download). -- Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Transcribe →114. Derry Girls Series 2, Episode 3 "The Concert" & Episode 4 "The Curse"
Nov 601:19:45Tap to summarizeThe titular girls go through coming of age rites of passage both holy and profane, sneaking away to an escapade-laden concert in Belfast and navigating one wedding and a pot-scone-fueled wake. And yet, your hosts are split on these episodes and the series as a whole as one of them (guess who) concern trolls whether these are characters or props delivering jokes and shenanigans. Regan and John are united, however, in their interest in the travellers, gratefulness of The Cranberries drops, appreciation of Da Gerry, and having been too goody two-shoes as teens to pull off Derry girls-level deception and subterfuge. Plus, Sister Michael outside of school, twice! -- Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Transcribe →113. Derry Girls Series 2, Episode 1, "Across the Barricade" & Episode 2, "Ms De Brún and the Child of Prague""
Oct 2301:13:20Tap to summarizeThe second series of Derry Girls (second season for the Yanks) is here, and what if anything about the show has changed? 80s classic The Breakfast Club and Dead Poets Society help Regan and John frame their discussion of mission: ride some Prod lads and the questions about social separation the mission raises, and of the pedagogy (or lack thereof) of one Ms. De Brún. A real heyday for Sister Michael in these episodes sparks the segments, which also include your share of lad culture, music recommendations, and, of course, our guy the Child of Prague. -- Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Transcribe →112. Derry Girls, Series 1 Episodes 5-6
Oct 901:21:26Tap to summarizeThese are the episodes where the girls truly do become children of the crossfire. A run-in with the Orange Order prompts a roadtrip gone wrong and a consideration of our new favorite (?) Provo, whale some classic school newspaper mechanics prompt a coming out for one of the main characters. Regan and John discuss how these episodes and particularly the cross-cutting final scene may fundamentally alter the show and consider an absent Madonna (the pop superstar this time), step aerobics, The Cranberries, Saint Anthony, and Le Tigre among many other subjects. -- Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Transcribe →111. Derry Girls Series 1, Episodes 3-4
Sep 2501:09:56Tap to summarizeRegan and John connect to podcasts past (Pope-verse, anyone?) as they explore the ways Catholicism is woven into the fabric of everyday life for the titular Derry girls as they confront the mysteries of the Virgin Mary, dead, resurrected, or absconded dogs, history exams, and visitors from Ukraine. After questioning whether Erin can become more than trope-ic comic relief, they dive into the segments to appreciate Sister Michael, recommend PJ Harvey (guess who), talk about Chernobyl Children International, and much more. There’s even a hot priest! -- Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Transcribe →110. Derry Girls, Series 1 Episodes 1-2
Sep 1101:34:53Tap to summarizeRegan Levitte is BACK for some more NQGB podcasting, this time initiating John into the world of Derry Girls. Exploring identity-making, the pair situate themselves in the world of Derry, Northern Ireland and of the five main characters, Erin, Clare, Michelle, Orla, and James. Which character does each of your trusty hosts most resemble (whether they like ir or not)? What new and alliterative segments have been devised for this jaunt to the serious and silly sitcom set amid The Troubles, circa 1990s? What theory season is it (spoiler: Sara Ahmed SZN…but this time The Cave contains more than just theory.) Does John like this show? -- Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Transcribe →109. The Americans 5x13, "Soviet Division", with Jon Keller
Aug 2802:07:51Tap to summarizeOoooh boy! Back after a brief hiatus, Jon Keller makes his triumphant return for another finale episode, joining Danielle and John to talk all The Americans Season 5 Episode 13, “Soviet Division.” Together, all three unpack the situation with Pasha and the Morozovs, including disentangling some of the complicated family dynamics between the Jennings and Tuan as well as the Morozovs. The family dynamic chat continues with a look at Paige and Henry, before turning their attention to the intense vibes between Philip and Elizabeth over their fates and futures. In the Dossier, we check in on Martha, add an alternative take on Renee, and John offers his own entry as well. Glas sees the return of Kimmy (some real throwbacks in this episode!), some more hot takes about Martha, a chat about camera work, and of course RACQUETBALL BACK, though this time with Renee supplanting Philip as MVP. Your hosts are happy that their third chair is here to guide them through actual - not borrowed - nostalgia, and even more excited for him to make the descent with them into the Cave for more Marx SZN. This time, they dig into Marx’s Critique of the Gotha Program to reflect on the state of affairs in The Americans at the close of Season 5. Is there Reptile Talk? Fam, there is Reptile Talk. -- Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Transcribe →108. The Americans 5x12, "The World Council of Churches"
Aug 1401:26:39Tap to summarizeOn their own this week, John and Danielle are ready to tackle The Americans Season 5 Episode 12 “The World Council of Churches.” Will Danielle’s dream of the end (of a sort) of Pastor Tim finally come true? It looks like it! Organizing their conversation around the concept of resignation, your hosts take up what Oleg, Stan and Aderholt, Paige, Philip and Elizabeth, and even Tuan are resigned to in their situations, missions, and lives more generally. They consider how Pastor Tim’s new assignment shines a light on what the different members of the Jennings family are resigned to, and how Henry complicates their potential options. Before moving on to the segments, they take up Tuan’s behavior and the cliffhanger end of the episode. In the Dossier, Danielle offers some thoughts on Pasha, the return to Russia, and Oleg before Glas sees a brief chat on Mischa, among some further thoughts on Henry as well as Pastor Tim (Danielle cannot wait for this to be done). In the Cave, John offers some solid takes on The Civil War in France, the latest entry for Marx SZN, and your hosts give you some solid TheoryShips. Come for (Danielle hopes) the last Pastor Tim sighting, stay for John’s stellar TheoryShips. -- Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
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