First the Thing Podcast

Surprise!!! Happy Valentine’s Day! Hadley and Suzy pop in for a chat about rom-coms, the Day of Love, and our cultural perceptions of comedy vs. drama. Enjoy!! We’ll be back with more in the spring.

Another special episode! Your hosts discuss what makes certain blooper reels so much funnier than others, and as usual, conversation veers into other realms, including the differences between subtitles and dubbing for films. This is the last episode of the season - thank you all for listening, and we'll be back in 2021!

Hadley and Suzy discuss the idea that we’re always retelling the same stories, as evidenced by the concept of the Hero’s Journey and its tropes and archetypes. The discussion leads to analysis of a wide range of media, from rom-coms to cartoons to Jordan Peele’s “Us.” 

Hadley and Suzy discuss their opinions on Hollywood's fascination with sequels and reboots, from A Star is Born to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and more!

In a shocking turn of events, Hadley and Suzy do some speculating! This week is all about binge watching-- Is it bad for you? Does it change our expectations for the TV-watching experience? Have a listen and let us know what you think!

Suzy and Hadley discuss one of their favourite podcasts, My Favorite Murder, and the recent demand for true-crime content, especially among women. CONTENT WARNING: Brief discussion of violent crimes such as sexual assault and murder.

Hadley brings up her mixed feelings about her once-favourite show, "Glee," and discusses it with Suzy. (Many points brought up in this episode are inspired or outright copied from YouTuber MicTheSnare's video "Here's What We Missed On Glee." Check it out!)

This week is all about the toxic parts of internet fandom- more specifically, fan hierarchy and confirmation bias. Come for the interesting conversation, stay for the subtle background noise! (Sorry about that).

This week Suzy and Hadley discuss personal branding on the internet and the phenomenon of celebrity oversharing. Take a listen!

Suzy discusses her extensive knowledge of YouTube careers and the concept of precarious labour, and Hadley contributes her opinions on how the expectations of YouTubers have evolved over the years.

Hadley breaks down her theories about the recent evolution of partying as described by pop music, and discusses with Suzy the possible reasons for that change. Featuring a clip from John Mulaney's special "Kid Gorgeous" (on Netflix).

In this special episode, Suzy and Hadley discuss the things that are fascinating them in pop culture right now. Spoiler alert: it’s veneers and the video game "The Last of Us." Important to note: the introductory audio clip is from one of Thomas Middleditch's appearances on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert." We do not own it.

This week we not only bring you background noise in the form of Hadley's fan, we're delving into the topic of "side hustles", their pros and cons, and their recent resurgence. Stick with us and let us know your thoughts!

This week is all about hustle culture and the cult of productivity - Suzy and Hadley break down its ideology and prevalence in their generation.

Happy 8th episode! In this one, Suzy and Hadley discuss their love of language-learning and the techniques that have helped them in their quests to become multilingual.

This week, your hosts tackle the concept of the Western canon, its flaws, and what it means to them.

Suzy and Hadley discuss the lack of popular female YouTubers in the world of video essays and pop culture commentary, and shout out some of their favourite female creators on the platform.

Suzy and Hadley take this episode to talk about what they've been watching - and what they're excited to watch - in this period when they have so much time to do so.

Suzy and Hadley discuss the concept of the 'guilty pleasure', as well as their own guilty pleasures, and take some detours around fandoms and anime along the way.

Suzy and Hadley discuss the representation (or lack thereof) they've seen of university experiences in television, film, and YouTube.

Suzy and Hadley break down their current struggles and thoughts about being in their fourth year of university.

In the very first full-length episode, Hadley and Suzy tackle the issue of the ways the arts are valued and framed in our society, and discuss their appreciation for their liberal arts educations. No answers are reached, but some interesting points are brought up along the way!

Welcome to First the Thing podcast, featuring Suzy and Hadley discussing things like pop culture, fan culture, and more! New episodes every two weeks!