Episodes
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#23 HOT PANTS & HEARTBEATS: Cynthia's Big Night
Cynthia is invited to a quarter-keg and pizza party by football captain Teddy Hamilton and reluctantly allows Mimi and Cathy to dress her in a bold outfit, setting the stage for a night of attention and awkward excitement. Cynthia's parents fill her in on the accounting disaster at Goodbody that...
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#22 AND THE BEAT GOES ON: Kids & Their Parents
After Brighton's big football win, Katey's angry mother drags her home because she didn't pick up her room; Mimi and Cathy examine the big surprise Mr. Watson has sent; Cynthia fills in her mother about the new kids from Jamaica, while Mrs. Schuyler fills Cynthia in on the significance of the…
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#21 MRS. WATSON'S BIG SURPRISE: Mimi’s Mother Returns
Mrs. Watson returns after a lengthy absence bearing a rare oil study of John Frederick Kensett’s "The Old Pine," surprising Mimi and her friends when she invites them to view and discuss the work. The scene reveals Mrs. Watson’s unexpected warmth, sparks conversations about art and fashion, and...
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#20 A RIDE TO NOWHERE Smoke, Kindness, and Solar Sparks
After a dramatic last-play victory over Westport, Cynthia and her friends accept an offer of a ride to her house, but on the way the car starts smoking and the girls evacuate, fearing it is about to blow up. Cynthia's father demonstrates quiet generosity toward the broke and embarrassed teenager...
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#19 POST-GAME TANGOS
Victory, secrets and small-town tensions. After a dramatic two-point conversion wins the game, Brighton erupts in celebration as friends and newcomers mingle on the field. The episode follows Cynthia, Katey and Lilibet as they navigate post-game joy, a tense family situation for Victor Wronski…
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#18 CYNTHIA TRIES TO BE A NORMAL KID — HALFTIME HEARTS & HIDDEN TROUBLE
After visiting Clay on the floor of a makeshift medical tent in a Brighton High classroom, Cynthia tries to act normal at the Brighton–Westport football game, juggling friends, gossip, and small-town tensions as the team attempts a dramatic comeback. New faces, a jacket being held by the police…
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#17 WHY CLAY LEFT THE HOSPITAL: SECRETS UNRAVELED AT THE BRIGHTON GAME
Cynthia finds Clay semi-conscious in a makeshift medical tent at the Brighton vs. Westport football game after he secretly left Mass General. He says he "got" the men who tied him up, the FBI arrests suspects, and Detective Fiduccia presses Cynthia for more answers. As Clay's parents prevent the...
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#16 THE GAME, PART 2 — STRANGER AT THE GATE
An episode of surprising arrivals and mounting secrets, Cynthia Schuyler is confined to a small corner of the stadium by Detective Fiducia, witnesses the disastrous game opening with Katey, admonishes not-Fred for being a snob, meets new students Winston and Lilibet Hartley, and is invited by the...
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#15 CLAY IS SPOTTED AT THE FIRST FOOTBALL GAME
At Brighton High's first football game of the season, Cynthia is stunned when Not-Fred tells her he just saw Clay—who is supposed to be in a Boston hospital. As the crowd roars, Cynthia and Katey navigate the chaos of the grandstand, seeking information about Clay, but are distracted by acts of...
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FROM BESTSELLING NOVELIST TO AUDIO STORYTELLER: RICH BENNETT INTERVIEWS LAURA
Laura Van Wormer appears on Conversations with Rich Bennett to talk about her serialized audio drama, The Class of ’74 — a nostalgic, character‑driven podcast story that opens on September 8, 1971. The bestselling novelist describes how a drunk driver wrecked her life in a head-on collision, her...
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#14 SHOCKING PINK & SCHOOLYARD SCANDALS
Cynthia rides home with Senora Córdova-Smith and her bold pink outfit, confronts a picture of a bully, and recounts how Mimi slapped him in behaving well. At home, family tensions rise over freedom, babysitting, and a trip to Boston. The episode follows preparations for the first football game,...
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#13 THE MECHANICS OF FRIENDSHIP: DRIVEWAY DRAMA & A TEACHER’S SECRET
Friday night before the big game, Cynthia and her friends are swept into a chaotic driveway scene when a borrowed Saab is found hotwired and a set of metric tools is missing. The Senora Córdova-Smith brings charm, surprising backstory and a mysterious photograph, while parents, teachers, and...
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HOW TO LISTEN TO A PODCAST
Laura shares an emotional "Bad Kid Edition" episode reflecting on Mother's Day and recent memorials, then reads an excerpt from her booklet "How to Listen to a Podcast." She recounts the 2015 accident that halted her novel writing, how discovering podcasts helped her recovery, and how that led to...
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#12DIFFERENT CULTURES – VICTOR’S CONFESSION AT THE PEP RALLY
After the pep rally chaos, Cynthia confronts the fallout from Evan's brutal attack when Victor Wronski unexpectedly apologizes — while questions about Evan’s mysterious brain injury and his refusal of testing deepen the tension. Meanwhile, Clarke’s secret mission to move a new IBM printer...
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#11 PEP, PREP, AND A DASH OF CHAOS AT BRIGHTON HIGH
2.11 Cynthia navigates a dramatic school pep rally where Betsy debuts a stunning new look, the cheerleader squads dazzle, football players impress and a fire alarm sends students streaming outside. Amid the noise, personal tensions surface—Mimi’s family plans, Katey and Evan’s relationship, and...
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#10 THE UH-OH FACTOR: SECRETS, SCOUTS, & A SPRAINED HEART
Cynthia digests her visit to the Reliance hotline in downtown Brighton; reviews the infinite good qualities of girls named Cindy (as opposed to Cynthia); learns Brighton High's first football game is moving to Saturday afternoon to accommodate a scout from University of Michigan; is elated to…
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#9 THE HOTLINE: CYNTHIA THROWN IN THE DEEP END
Cynthia attends a volunteer meeting at the Reliance hotline in downtown Brighton, where she feels out of place, out of step and humiliated in a role-playing exercise. This is not her scene, and these are not her people, and yet, when she honestly answers the question, why does she want to…
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#7 SECRETS, SMOKE AND SOCIAL DYNAMICS
Cynthia and her friends return from Forest Hills after meeting tennis stars, but the night turns complicated when Mrs. Valladares confronts them about their behavior in the Schuylers' absence. Cynthia also must contend with her scraped knee and being forced to wear her mother's "Audrey Hepburn...
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#6 THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS: CYNTHIA'S DARING RESCUE & REWARD
After a roadside emergency on the Whitestone Bridge, Cynthia rushes into danger to help a lost child, injures her ankle, and prays for friends and families as police and strangers race to help. The group barely recovers from the chaos before heading to the West Side Tennis Club, where class and...
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#5 I NEVER BELIEVE ME: TEENAGE CHARM & DESPERATE MANEUVERS
Cynthia leads the delicate attempt to escape the mess she and Annabel, Mimi and Greg find themselves in across the state line in Port Chester, New York involving fake IDs, hiding evidence, a heroin drug bust, a smashed up car and coordinating lies to the police. (Oh, is that all?) Will they ever...
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#4 DRIVING TO NEW YORK – SKIPPED CLASS, SECRET BOAT, AND SKETCHY CHARACTERS
A group of Brighton High friends set out for Forest Hills with stolen cigarettes, a plan to buy beer, and dreams of cruising Long Island Sound in a 22-foot Chris-Craft, but an unexpected event turns their trip into a tense cliffhanger. Meanwhile, secrets about relationships, family histories, and...
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#3 HOW TO GET OVER IT
After seeing Evan kissing someone else, Cynthia struggles with jealousy, humiliation, and embarrassment. Looking for a place to cry, she walks in on a group of illicit pot smokers, then on a pair of grappling lovers, and then becomes a witness to forgery! Cynthia’s "Introduction to Guitar" class...
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#2 LIFE IS FULL OF SURPRISES
Season 2 Episode 2: Cynthia faces a whirlwind day — her father’s chest pain turns out to be costochondritis, Mimi undergoes yet another surprising makeover, and Cynthia and friends get VIP tickets to the women's final at Forest Hills. Evan returns to school, new student Lincoln neatly silences a...
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STAY CALM AND CARRY ON — Season 2 Premiere
Season 2, Episode 1: On the Valentine's Day premiere, Cynthia faces a day of crises — her father rushed to the hospital with a suspected heart attack while Clay lies injured and restrained after a violent incident. Between frantic phone calls, a mysterious tip about a mistaken abduction, and the...
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Friday the 13th: Class of '74 — Season One Refresher
A concise refresher of Season One before Two begins tomorrow. Newcomers to the story are welcome to listen to this for a little but then Laura will send you away before the plot spoilers of Season One begin. The Class of '74 opens in 1971, following 15-year-old Cynthia Schuyler as she navigates...
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The Class of '74 Returns: Season 2 Kicks Off Feb 14!
The story of the early 1970's continues! Season Two of The CLASS OF '74 premiers on Saturday, February 14. Cynthia and the Brighton High gang return to raise more hell — so get ready for more rock-and-roll teenage fun, chaos and complicated relationships!
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#23 MIMI IS THE COOLEST
After learning that Victor Wronski — the steroid-fueled attacker — has left the hospital, Cynthia worries about Evan's safety while trying to follow the detective's plea to keep quiet. Meanwhile Mimi embraces a bold new persona with dramatic flair, winning attention at school, and Cynthia…
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#25 UNEXPECTED INFORMATION, UNEXPECTED EVENTS Season 1 Finale
In this special 1-hour season finale, Cynthia navigates rumors, tensions, and uneasy alliances after a chaotic weekend—Teddy begs her to intervene in the prosecution of Victor Wronski, Betsy’s behavior sparks gossip, while Didi and others tease out uncomfortable details. A mysterious new student,...
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#24 HOMEROOM, GEOMETRY, ENGLISH, SPANISH
Cynthia sees Mimi off on her first day of school, learns Not-Fred's real name, hears rumors about a drug dealer, juggles questions about her fractured friendship with Betsey Satterfield, tries not to reveal anything about Clay's situation, learns about the gold standard in such a way as to put…
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#22 AND THAT'S IT? NO ONE'S GOING TO DO ANYTHING?
Cynthia panics after learning Clay was rushed to Mass General in an effort to save his hand. As she searches for answers and updates on his condition, the episode shifts between tense phone calls, town gossip, grim national news about Attica Prison, and the latest on the local front - that a…
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#21 CYNTHIA IS IN OVER HER HEAD
In this episode Cynthia struggles with worry and exhaustion as she searches for books and answers. Cynthia confides in a guidance counselor about Betsey Satterfield’s weight loss, drinking, and risky behavior; the counselor promises confidentiality and to handle the situation. While the police...
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#20 TIED IN SILENCE: CLAY'S RESCUE AT BRIGHTON HIGH
Clay is discovered bound and gagged in the school stadium snack bar; police, medics, and students rush to free him while Cynthia watches in fear and relief. Despite severe bruising and numbness, Clay walks out and is taken to the hospital, leaving questions about his attackers unanswered. The...
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#19 VANISHED AFTER PRACTICE: THE CASE OF CLAY SETON
When sophomore football player Clay Seton doesn’t return home after a Sunday practice, rumors spread, police coordinate a campus-wide search, and classmates recount where they last saw him. The episode follows the tense search—from whispers in the library and cafeteria to a rescue—ending on a...
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#18 A CLIFFHANGER AT BRIGHTON HIGH
Against a background of science, Cynthia navigates the fallout from a shocking Saturday night as friendships fracture and secrets surface Cynthia meets Señora Cardova's husband when a reporter radios for help to file a story, and the school erupts when the Brighton Police launch a search. Visit…
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#17 BRIGHTON SECRETS: STORMY DAYS, SCHOOLYARD SCANDALS
In Episode 17, Cynthia navigates a chaotic school day at Brighton High: an economics quiz exposes Cynthia and her classmates as well-meaning but clueless children of privilege; Cynthia introduces straight-arrow junior, Charlie, to Katey; Cynthia employs her best truth-bending skills to avoid...
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#16 FRIENDS ARE GOOD, RIGHT?
Evan brings Cynthia up to date on the wicked witch of Chicago; Cynthia tries to escape the consequences for skipping a class; Katey attracts a new admirer, attacks Cynthia for being too full of herself, and says Betsey Satterfield is a liar; Mimi wishes she has a boyfriend; Clarke is upset about...
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#14 DRIVE-IN SECRETS AND A GIRL'S REPUTATION
A chaotic teenage night of romance, confusion, suspicion and passion at the Norwalk Drive-In finally ends but many uneasy questions continue. Cynthia and Katey’s new friendship is tested and dropping Katey off at her house the next day reopens another Pandora’s box. Visit The Class of '74 at...
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#15 WHY DO PEOPLE HAVE TO BE SO MEAN?
In Episode 15 of "The Class of '74," tensions rise as Cynthia grapples with the aftermath of a traumatic encounter and the complexities of her relationships. As she navigates the challenges of teenage life, including the harshness of bullies and the weight of family secrets, Cynthia finds herself...
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#13 WHAT THE PUPPY SAW: THE DRIVE-IN PART 2
Cynthia and Clay’s date at the Norwalk Drive-In hits rocky terrain after Cynthia tries Henry's Magic Pisser Elixer. Visit The Class of '74 at Patreon.com to meet the nicest people in America in The Detention Club. #Classof74Podcast Written and narrated by Laura Van Wormer Produced by Ryann…
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#12 SOMETHING ABOUT HER: THE DRIVE-IN PART 1
Cynthia and her friends borrow the Schyler's Country Squire wagon for a memorable night at the Norwalk Drive-In. Visit The Class of '74 at Patreon.com to meet the nicest people in America in The Detention Club. #Classof74Podcast Written and Narrated by Laura Van Wormer Produced by Ryann Robinson...
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#11 IS EVERYTHING OKAY?
Cynthia plays air traffic controller at the Schylers' house as drunk and stoned adult neighbors end up spending the night and dawn brings one teenage admirer of Cynthia's after another at the front door. Visit The Class of '74 at Patreon.com to meet the nicest people in America in The Detention...
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#10 FRIDAY FRIGHT NIGHT
Secrets unravel on Glen River Road after the Watsons' marriage blows up. The Schylers try to protect Mimi and Cynthia ends up being the most responsible adult. Visit The Class of '74 at Patreon.com to meet the nicest people in America in The Detention Club. #Classof74Podcast Written and Narrated…
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#9 KEEPER OF SECRETS
Cynthia is deeply shaken when she learns the scandalous past of a middleaged couple she enormously admired and feels isolated by her vow to keep their secrets. Visit The Class of '74 at Patreon.com to meet the nicest people in America in The Detention Club. #Classof74Podcast Written & Narrated by...
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#8 DISSENTION IN THE RANKS: CHANGE IS A COMIN'
In latest episode of The Class of 74, 16-year-old Chrissie Evert's doing great at Forest Hills, Evan's caught in a medical nightmare; Cynthia and Annabel get annoyed with each other's behavior; a medical summit is held in the Schyler's vegetable garden; inmates take hostages at Attica Prison;...
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#7 THE MYSTERY OF ATTRACTION
Cynthia's collection of admirers is growing by leaps and bounds, but she can't stand two of them, one is being investigated by the cops, the gorgeous guy she scarcely knows is of course her favorite, while the guy who is supposed to be her boyfriend is all beat up. What else is going on? A locker...
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#5-6 CYNTHIA IMAGINES
Cynthia and Mimi secretly watch The Dick Cavett Show; Cynthia's triumphant arrival at the second day of school is marred by suspicion and the alphabetizing of home room situates her between the “Black Cloud of the Family" (beautiful cheerleader Betsey Satterfield) and blonde Adonis, Clay Seton....
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#4 IN ONE SO YOUNG
This week, we dive into the 1971 mysteries surrounding Mrs. Watson's behavior, Victor Wronski's attack on Evan Whittaker, and Mrs. Schyler's devotion to her electric skillet. Visit The Class of '74 at Patreon.com to meet the nicest people in America in The Detention Club. #Classof74Podcast Bumper...
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#0 The Class of '74: How the Series Came About
Join novelist Laura Van Wormer as she introduces THE CLASS OF ’74, a serialized story inspired by her 50th high school reunion. The story begins in 1971 and follows the misadventures of teenagers in high school, ending with their graduation in 1974. In this debut hello to listeners, Laura…
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#3 A SHOCKING EVENT
We're STILL on the first tumultuous day of school at Brighton High, September 8, 1971. It is another rock and roll episode of colliding good kids and bad kids, students, falculty, police, and mysterious neighbors. Visit The Class of '74 at Patreon.com to meet the nicest people in America in The...
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#2 HIGH SCHOOL IS A COMPLICATED BUSINESS
The halls of Brighton High quickly fill with mystery, intrigue, adventure, romance and chaos, to say nothing of baffling new acquaintances, bullies and a creepy vice principal. Watch Cynthia navigate the labyrinth of social dynamics and school bureaucracy with great flair, wit and charm. Teenage...