Come see us at Romance in CNY!

Episodes

Oct. 27, 2023

E34 Trope Spotlight: Demon Lovers with Dr. Sam Langsdale

Happy Halloween, SLL Listeners! This episode is a special spooky season treat: a Trope Spotlight episode on ~Demon Lovers~ 😈. We’re joined by comic-scholar, friend of the show, and fellow monster aficionado Dr. Sam Langsdale ...

Listen to the Episode
Oct. 13, 2023

E33 Rinko-San Wants to Try (Rinko-san wa shitemitai)

This episode, on the recommendation of an SLL listener, we’re excited to do a deep dive into the Japanese Drama, Rinko-San Wants to Try . We get into how the show complicates conceptions of virginity, plays with the friends w...

Listen to the Episode
Sept. 29, 2023

E32 The Female Gaze (Part 2): Complication and Expansion

This is the second episode of our two part discussion on the Female Gaze. Since we laid some groundwork and gave some context in part one, this time around, we dive right in. In thinking through “the female gaze,” we ask ques...

Listen to the Episode
Sept. 29, 2023

E31 The Female Gaze (Part 1): The Origins of the Gaze

We’re tackling a big topic in our two part discussion on “the female gaze.” What is the female gaze and why does it matter? In this first episode, we establish some context for the term by getting into the history of the “gaz...

Listen to the Episode
Aug. 25, 2023

LP 09 (Re)Introducing Ourselves: Dr. Ayanni and Dr. Corinne

Content warning: This episode contains a very brief discussion of sexual assault from 27:14 - 27:21. Happy 3rd Birthday to Sex. Love. Literature! 🎂 Since we started the show as English PhD candidates, the two of us have been ...

Listen to the Episode
July 28, 2023

E30 Netflix's Sex Education (Part 2) feat Dr. Michele Meek

Content warning : This episode contains discussion of bullying in the narrative from (13:05 - 19:00) and sexual assault from (37:21 - 48:50). This is the second of our two-parter on Netflix’s Sex Education with filmmaker, wri...

Listen to the Episode
July 14, 2023

E29 Netflix’s Sex Education (Part 1) feat Dr. Michele Meek

Content warning: While we don’t discuss sexual assault in detail, we do mention it a few times, since it often comes up in conversations about consent. We've got a treat for you all this episode! Along with your usual fabulo...

Listen to the Episode
May 22, 2023

E28 Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story

We’re doing a deep dive into the Shondaland Netflix show, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story! This episode, we talk about the steamy, but bittersweet romance of George and Charlotte, the evolution of the inimitable Lady Danb...

Listen to the Episode
April 19, 2023

E27 Trope Spotlight: Friends to Lovers

This episode, we’re talking about the in’s and out’s of the Friends to Lovers trope. We cover what we think makes for a great friends to lovers story, what really really doesn’t, and throw in a ton of examples. (Only half of ...

Listen to the Episode
March 8, 2023

E26 Hit the Spot aka Fanta G Spot (Part 2)

This episode continues our deep dive into the sexy and sex-filled Korean web-drama Hit the Spot, aka Fanta G Spot. We get into the ways that the drama centers female pleasure, how it balances education with fantasy, and ask ...

Listen to the Episode
March 8, 2023

E25 Hit the Spot aka Fanta G Spot (Part 1)

We’re diving into the spicy Korean web-drama Hit the Spot , aka Fanta G Spot . There was so much ground to cover (and once again, so much sex) that we’re splitting our discussion into two parts. In part one–which you’re readi...

Listen to the Episode
Feb. 3, 2023

LP 08 Sparking Joy in 2023: A Pop-Culture Roundup

It's time for our yearly celebration of pop-culture: "What's Sparking Joy 2023!" We start off with a round of “What’s Sparking Joy” for us in January, move on to thinking about our favorite pop culture of 2022, what we’re loo...

Listen to the Episode
Jan. 3, 2023

E24 Love Between Fairy and Devil (Part 2, Spoiler Filled)

This is our spoiler-filled deep dive into the Chinese Drama, Love Between Fairy and Devil . (If you'd like to hear our take on the drama sans-spoilers, check out "E23: Love Between Fairy and Devil (Part 1, Spoiler Free)".) I...

Listen to the Episode
Jan. 3, 2023

E23 Love Between Fairy and Devil (Part 1, Spoiler Free)

Happy New Year, SLL Listeners 🎉🎉 For our first episode of 2023, we’re diving into our first Chinese Drama discussion with the high fantasy romance Love Between Fairy and Devil . If you haven’t seen this drama, don’t worry! Th...

Listen to the Episode
Oct. 24, 2022

E22 "Lore Olympus and/as Young Adult Literature" (Special Episode)

Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of sexual assault, from (28:34 - 35:55). At the last YASA Conference, we answered the very pressing question on the mind of every Lore Olympus reader: Why is Hades So Hot? (Re...

Listen to the Episode
Oct. 21, 2022

E21 "30% Scoundrel: The Allure of Hades in Lore Olympus" (Bonus Episo


Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of sexual assault, beginning at (18:55). In this special episode, we ask the question on the mind of all Lore Olympus readers: why is Hades so hot? This episode was originally...

Listen to the Episode
Sept. 30, 2022

E20 The Appeal of Regency Romance (Part 2)

This episode is the second of our two-parter on Bridgerton , Jane Austen, and the appeal of the Regency Romance genre. Continuing our tĂȘte-Ă -tĂȘte with Mav and Hannah from Vox Popcast , we get into why Netflix’s Persuasion may...

Listen to the Episode
Sept. 9, 2022

E19 The Appeal of Regency Romances (Part 1)

Back in your ear holes for the first time since May, we’re fresh off our summer hiatus. This episode we’re joined by friends of the show, and fellow pop-culture connoisseurs, Mav and Hannah from VoxPopcast . In part inspired ...

Listen to the Episode
May 23, 2022

E18 Love Is Blind and Other Dating Reality TV (Part 2)

In the second of two episodes on Netflix’s Love is Blind , we continue our discussion with June and Lauren on dating reality television. We get into the gendered expectations around love and sex; why you should never feel gui...

Listen to the Episode
April 8, 2022

E17 Love Is Blind and Other Dating Reality TV (Part 1)

This episode, we’re joined by Lauren and June, two fellow PhD candidates and podcasters, to discuss Netflix’s Love is Blind and other dating/matchmaking reality shows. In the first part of two, we discuss how being on a reali...

Listen to the Episode
Feb. 9, 2022

LP 07 Sparking Joy in 2022: A Pop-Culture Roundup

In this "La Petite," we check in about pop culture that has brought us joy in the past and present, and hopefully will continue do so in the future. We start off with a round of “What’s [Was] Sparking Joy” for us in January, ...

Listen to the Episode
Jan. 13, 2022

E16 Trope Spotlight: Love Triangles with Lia Riley

In the first SLL episode of 2022, we get into why we love (and love to hate) love triangles. We talk what makes a love triangle truly top-tier, second male lead syndrome, and–let’s be honest–a lot of Kdramas. But don’t worry,...

Listen to the Episode
Dec. 23, 2021

E15 Hulu's The Great, Season 2 (Part 2)

In part two of two of our The Great, S eason Two deep dive, we focus more on the second half of the season. We take a closer look at Peter and Catherine’s evolving relationship, how sex is used to build story, and why, to quo...

Listen to the Episode
Dec. 23, 2021

E14 Hulu's The Great, Season 2 (Part 1)

Welcome to the first of our two-part deep dive on Hulu's "anti-historical" comedy-drama: The Great , Season 2. We had so much to say (and honestly, there was just so much sex) we decided to break our discussion in half. This ...

Listen to the Episode