Skip to content
PodParley
The VoxPopcast podcast artwork

PODCAST · society

The VoxPopcast

by Vox Populorum

We’ve all had a discussion or an argument about popular culture. Sometimes it happens on Facebook, Tumblr or Twitter. Maybe it was in a literature, history, philosophy or psychology class in college. Perhaps it was at the local comic book shop. Or maybe it was at a bar and you ended up stabbing someone with a bottle or bludgeoning them with a pool cue. All of these discussions are exactly the same. The tenured professor at an academic conference deconstructing Batman through a Derrida lens is really doing the same thing as a bunch of teenagers passing a joint around in their mother’s basement. One just uses bigger words and the other swears more. Honestly, though, we’re not sure which. So why not bring them all together? Vox Populorum is a blog and podcast devoted to pop culture criticism. We believe that the best way to understand culture is to discuss it. Please join our weekly round table of media critics, academics and fans for engaging discussion about movies, novels, comic bo

Publisher-supplied feed metadata · PodParley refreshed Oct 12, 2026 · Source feed

Subscribe · 0 Bookmark

Episodes

  1. e444. Space Capitalism: The Final Economy

    Space is a very popular concept in pop culture media. From sci-fi novels to epic star-faring film franchises, there’s no shortage of space stories. But space is becoming even more… The post e444. Space Capitalism: The Final Economy appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  2. e443. Revisiting Hillman: Bridging the Generations of A Different World

    Thirty-nine years ago, NBC debuted the sitcom A Different World. Originally a spin-off of the The Cosby Show, following Lisa Bonet’s Denise Huxtable characters, the show slowly evolved into an… The post e443. Revisiting Hillman: Bridging the Generations of A Different World appeared first on The...

  3. e442. Is Classic TV Dead? The Evolution of Viewing in the Streaming Age

    Once upon a time TV was the centerpiece of the American monoculture. But that time is over. Gone are the days where there were three TV channels and it has… The post e442. Is Classic TV Dead? The Evolution of Viewing in the Streaming Age appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  4. e441. In Blackest Night: a Deep Dive into the World of Lanterns

    Are you watching Lanterns? Ratings and critical response imply that you very well might be. Which is why we’re talking about ti again. If you’re wondering “wait, didn’t you do… The post e441. In Blackest Night: a Deep Dive into the World of Lanterns appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  5. e440. The Dark Internet: Navigating the Algorithm and the Dark Web of Public Opinion

    The Internet is a dark and horrible place. Deep down, I think we all know that. And maybe it’s only gotten darker and more horrible over time. It really doesn’t… The post e440. The Dark Internet: Navigating the Algorithm and the Dark Web of Public Opinion appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  6. e439. Legal Dramas and Pop Culture: Unpacking Courtroom Fantasies

    Something occurred to us last week with the release of the very funny Coyote vs. Acme. There sure are a lot of movies, TV shows, and other properties that star… The post e439. Legal Dramas and Pop Culture: Unpacking Courtroom Fantasies appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  7. e438. Vertical MicroDramas: Fad or the Dawning of a New Age?

    Have you ever seen those ads for those over the top melodramatic drama movies on TikTok or Facebook or Instagram Reels or Youtube shorts? And by ads, we mean basically…… The post e438. Vertical MicroDramas: Fad or the Dawning of a New Age? appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  8. e437. In Brightest Day: The History and Popularity of Green Lantern

    Every once in a while an adaptation property really surprises us by capturing the cultural zeitgeist far more than its source material would imply that it should. That seems to… The post e437. In Brightest Day: The History and Popularity of Green Lantern appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  9. e436. Robotic Dreams and Digital Nightmares: Is A.I the Monster… or the Mirror?

    Obviously, Artificial Intelligence has been a big topic in the news of late. But in the world of pop culture, it really isn’t anything new. A.I. has been a huge… The post e436. Robotic Dreams and Digital Nightmares: Is A.I the Monster… or the Mirror? appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  10. e435. Zines! Where Art Meets Activism

    Let’s talk about zines! Why? Because in many ways, they are one of the oldest and most revered artifacts of grassroots pop culture. Also, it turns out that pretty much… The post e435. Zines! Where Art Meets Activism appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  11. e434. History is History!

    So there’s a weird thing that happens when you get older. You start to realize that the things that seem indelibly important to you simply don’t matter to younger generations.… The post e434. History is History! appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  12. e433. Spider-Man: Masks, Myths, and Media

    Spider-Man, Spider-Man does whatever a spider can… So if you’re the kind of person who listens to this show, you no doubt know that a new Spider-man movie, Spider-Man: Brand… The post e433. Spider-Man: Masks, Myths, and Media appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  13. e432. The Odyssey and Greek Myth: The Enduring Legacy of Ancient Classics

    Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you probably know that the biggest movie in the world for the last week has been Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. Despite a concerted… The post e432. The Odyssey and Greek Myth: The Enduring Legacy of Ancient Classics appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  14. e431. Henchmen, Heavies, Minions & Muscle: Narrative Dynamics of the Hired Goon

    Behind every great villain is… frankly, well, often there’s another bigger villain pulling the strings. But the truth is, while we often celebrate “the big bad” some of the most… The post e431. Henchmen, Heavies, Minions & Muscle: Narrative Dynamics of the Hired Goon appeared first on The...

  15. e430. Tyrant: Dinosaurs and the Evolution of Indie Comics

    To a lot of people “comics” seems to mean superheroes. So much that “comic book movies” is the term that we sometimes use for what should properly be called “superhero… The post e430. Tyrant: Dinosaurs and the Evolution of Indie Comics appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  16. e429. Out of this World: Alien Archetypes in Pop Culture

    Aliens are one of the most enduring concepts in popular culture. It makes sense really. If we know there are other planets then it stands to reason that we might… The post e429. Out of this World: Alien Archetypes in Pop Culture appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  17. e428. The Supergirl Legacy: The Evolution of the Maid of Might

    If you pay attention to the weekly pop-culture media landscape you might be aware that a new Supergirl movie released the weekend before this episode. It performed… somewhat underwhelmingly at… The post e428. The Supergirl Legacy: The Evolution of the Maid of Might appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  18. e427. From He-Man to Toy Story: Nostalgia’s Role in 2020s Entertainment

    Everyone is always complaining that no one makes any new movies anymore. Pop culture is seemingly just a continuous rehash of stuff that we used to have decades ago. Except… The post e427. From He-Man to Toy Story: Nostalgia’s Role in 2020s Entertainment appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  19. e426. Narrative & Technology (& Narrative) Syllabus Special

    A few weeks ago, Mav was talking with friend of the show Joe Darowski about a new class Joe is teaching at Bringham Young University called “Technology & Narrative”. Joe… The post e426. Narrative & Technology (& Narrative) Syllabus Special appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  20. e425. Chrises vs Women Over 60! Media Literacy and Aging in Hollywood

    Entertainment Weekly recently published an article by Derek Lawrence that made the somewhat shocking claim that “movies are more likely to star an actor named Chris than women over 60.”… The post e425. Chrises vs Women Over 60! Media Literacy and Aging in Hollywood appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  21. e424. Exploring Eurovision: A Look at the World’s Greatest Stage Spectacle

    One of the problems we, as Americans, often have is when we look at popular culture, we assume a very American point of view. Because all of the hosts of… The post e424. Exploring Eurovision: A Look at the World’s Greatest Stage Spectacle appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  22. e423. Father Knows Less: Unpacking Bad Dad Stereotypes in Film

    There’s a movie coming out next weekend starring comedian Nate Bargatze called The Breadwinner. Curiously, even though we were aware of it, not one of the five co-hosts on the… The post e423. Father Knows Less: Unpacking Bad Dad Stereotypes in Film appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  23. e422. Anatomy of a Heist: More Than Just Stealing

    The Heist may be one of the popular pop culture tropes of all time. And yet, we’ve never talked about it before. So you know what that means. It’s time… The post e422. Anatomy of a Heist: More Than Just Stealing appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  24. e421. Here Comes the Bride! Feminism and Frankenstein

    Recently, Maggie Gyllenhaal took a swing at a reboot of the horror classic The Bride of Frankenstein and released The Bride. Unfortunately, not many people saw it. But it begs… The post e421. Here Comes the Bride! Feminism and Frankenstein appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  25. e420. 2026 Summer Movie Preview

    It’s summer! Ok, maybe it’s not quite summer summer, but it is summer movie season as the U.S box office. There’s a lot of movies coming out this summer, but… The post e420. 2026 Summer Movie Preview appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  26. e419. PCA 2026 After Dark: From Atlanta, GA

    On last week’s show, we brought a piece of the annual PCA conference we attend to you. But long time listeners know that every PCA we bring you an episode… The post e419. PCA 2026 After Dark: From Atlanta, GA appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  27. e418. PCA Roundtable: Enjoying the Art of Immoral Artists: An Ethical and Aesthetic Dilemma

    It’s that time of year again! If you’re a long time listener to the show then you probably know about PCA already. PCA is acronym for both the Popular Culture… The post e418. PCA Roundtable: Enjoying the Art of Immoral Artists: An Ethical and Aesthetic Dilemma appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  28. e417. Doomscrolling and Redemption: The Evolution of Faces of Death

    In 1978, a movie called Faces of Death was released and gained a cult following as a weird sort of reflection of the world’s contemporary view of trauma in the… The post e417. Doomscrolling and Redemption: The Evolution of Faces of Death appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  29. e416. All the Cinderellas: an Exploration of Trope and Transformation

    Often when we think about pop culture we think about relatively recent things. But sometimes it’s good to think about the enduring sources. Fairytales have been popular culture for longer… The post e416. All the Cinderellas: an Exploration of Trope and Transformation appeared first on The...

  30. e415. Beyond the Final Frontier: Star Trek’s Influence on Culture & Fandom

    Four hundred and fifteen episodes over eight years and we never talked about Star Trek. How could that possibly be? Well, it can’t be. Of course we’ve talked about Star… The post e415. Beyond the Final Frontier: Star Trek’s Influence on Culture & Fandom appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  31. e414. Strings Attached: Puppetry, from Marionettes to AI

    Puppetry is one of the oldest and most respected performance art styles in the world. Except, in America we have reduced it almost entirely to the domain of children’s entertainment.… The post e414. Strings Attached: Puppetry, from Marionettes to AI appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  32. e413. Teen Beach Movie Revisited: a Conversation with the Screenwriter

    A few weeks ago Mav and Monica did a very special show where three of Mav’s current students from his “Introduction to Popular Culture” class where the students joined us… The post e413. Teen Beach Movie Revisited: a Conversation with the Screenwriter appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  33. e412. The 2026 Oscars Prediction Special

    The time comes but once a year… Hollywood’s biggest night! Or so they say. Actually, for as long as we have been doing this show, almost every year Hannah and… The post e412. The 2026 Oscars Prediction Special appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  34. e411. Is The Cannonball Run a Bad Movie? (Ok, we know it is… but does it have to be?)

    So every once in a while we like to do an episode of the show called “is this a bad movie?” The funny part is that usually when we pick… The post e411. Is The Cannonball Run a Bad Movie? (Ok, we know it is… but does it have to be?) appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  35. e410. Teen Beach Movie: Metaphor, Methodology, Memories, and Millennials vs. GenZ

    Sometimes an episode idea comes out of nowhere. Recently, Mav overheard several of his students discussing a movie from their childhood before his morning class. After he laughed at their… The post e410. Teen Beach Movie: Metaphor, Methodology, Memories, and Millennials vs. GenZ appeared first on...

  36. e409. Tommy Westphall’s Snowglobe: Exploring Fiction’s Largest Shared Universe

    Most TV, movies, books… fiction in general don’t exist. This is obvious. That’s sort of the point of fiction. but what if it didn’t exist beyond the obvious fact that… The post e409. Tommy Westphall’s Snowglobe: Exploring Fiction’s Largest Shared Universe appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  37. e408. Wonder Woman: Boundaries, Bondage, and Breakthroughs

    Wonder Woman is almost certainly one of the most enduring characters in all of pop culture. She’s certainly the most famous female superhero of all time. But we would argue… The post e408. Wonder Woman: Boundaries, Bondage, and Breakthroughs appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  38. GroundPod Day 2026! Happy Groundhog Day!

    Okay, campers, rise and shine, and don’t forget your booties ’cause it’s cooooold out there today! It’s Groundhog Day, and you know what that means! It’s the return of your… The post GroundPod Day 2026! Happy Groundhog Day! appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  39. e407. Oscar Sneak Preview: Breaking Down the Nominations From Snubs to Surprises

    For a show about pop culture, it’s actually somewhat rare for us to address topics of pop culture while they are actually happening. But sometimes we do. So this week,… The post e407. Oscar Sneak Preview: Breaking Down the Nominations From Snubs to Surprises appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  40. e406. So, We Live in the Pitt and Here is What We Think of It…

    Well, unless you live under a rock, you’ve probably heard of HBOMax’s new hit series the Pitt. After all, it recentlywon like a billion Golden Globes and Emmys. Well… ok,… The post e406. So, We Live in the Pitt and Here is What We Think of It… appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  41. e405. Fantasy Box Office Draft 2026

    It’s that time again! Every year we have one very special show where all of the hosts get together to reveal the results of last years Fantasy Box Office Game… The post e405. Fantasy Box Office Draft 2026 appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  42. e404. Stranger Endings: Breaking Down the End of Stranger Things

    For some reason Netflix, in their infinite wisdom, decided that the proper way for everyone in the world to spend their winter Holidays of American Thanksgiving through Christmas and New… The post e404. Stranger Endings: Breaking Down the End of Stranger Things appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  43. e403. Things You Missed 2025

    Well here we are at the end of the year 2025; a year that somehow seemingly lasted 147 months. And yet somehow it was really only 12 months and that… The post e403. Things You Missed 2025 appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  44. e402. Cheesy Christmas Movies 2025

    It’s everyone’s favorite time of year… the time where we celebrate that birth of… Cheesy Christmas movies! I mean, I’m sure there’s probably some other significance to this time of… The post e402. Cheesy Christmas Movies 2025 appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  45. e401. F-M-K!

    It’s finals week. Well, ok, finals are over, so that means it’s finals GRADING week, the worst week of the academic semester for anyone who teaches for a living. It… The post e401. F-M-K! appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  46. e400. 400 Episodes?!?! Holy $#!†!

    Wow… somehow we’ve managed to do 400 of these! On today’s very special anniversary episode of VoxPopcast we have the entire regular team of hosts to reminisce about the history… The post e400. 400 Episodes?!?! Holy $#!†! appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  47. e399. The Show Must Go On! Navigating Main Character Exits and Recasts

    There’s this funny thing that happens with TV shows. Because of the nature of human actors, TV shows are the one type of serialized media where a natural change to… The post e399. The Show Must Go On! Navigating Main Character Exits and Recasts appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  48. e398. Of Course We’re Talking About Wicked For Good

    There’s no sense burying the lead here. If you listen to our show at all, you know that Hannah is a Wicked fanatic. We talked about it last year (exactly… The post e398. Of Course We’re Talking About Wicked For Good appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  49. e397. All the Frankensteins! (like all the Draculas… but with Frankenstein)

    One of pop cultures most enduring properties is Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Not only is it often hailed as the first ever science fiction property, it is one of the all-time… The post e397. All the Frankensteins! (like all the Draculas… but with Frankenstein) appeared first on The VoxPopcast.

  50. e396. Games, Education, & Collaboration: The Role of Play in Learning and Connection

    We’ve mentioned on the show in the past that a large portion of Mav’s job is teaching in the Digital Narrative and Interactive Design(DNID) program at the University of Pittsburgh.… The post e396. Games, Education, & Collaboration: The Role of Play in Learning and Connection appeared first on The...

View all 456 episodes →

Type above to search every episode's transcript for a word or phrase. Matches are scoped to this podcast.

Searching…

We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.

No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.

Showing of matches

No topics indexed yet for this podcast.

Loading reviews...

ABOUT THIS SHOW

We’ve all had a discussion or an argument about popular culture. Sometimes it happens on Facebook, Tumblr or Twitter. Maybe it was in a literature, history, philosophy or psychology class in college. Perhaps it was at the local comic book shop. Or maybe it was at a bar and you ended up stabbing someone with a bottle or bludgeoning them with a pool cue. All of these discussions are exactly the same. The tenured professor at an academic conference deconstructing Batman through a Derrida lens is really doing the same thing as a bunch of teenagers passing a joint around in their mother’s basement. One just uses bigger words and the other swears more. Honestly, though, we’re not sure which. So why not bring them all together? Vox Populorum is a blog and podcast devoted to pop culture criticism. We believe that the best way to understand culture is to discuss it. Please join our weekly round table of media critics, academics and fans for engaging discussion about movies, novels, comic bo

HOSTED BY

Vox Populorum

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does The VoxPopcast have?

The VoxPopcast currently has 456 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is The VoxPopcast about?

We’ve all had a discussion or an argument about popular culture. Sometimes it happens on Facebook, Tumblr or Twitter. Maybe it was in a literature, history, philosophy or psychology class in college. Perhaps it was at the local comic book shop. Or maybe it was at a bar and you ended up stabbing...

How often does The VoxPopcast release new episodes?

The VoxPopcast publishes regularly with 456 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.

Where can I listen to The VoxPopcast?

You can listen to The VoxPopcast on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts The VoxPopcast?

The VoxPopcast is created and hosted by Vox Populorum.
URL copied to clipboard!