Episodes

Happy New Year, y'all! We continue our annual tradition of checking in about what pop-culture is "sparking joy” in January, our favorites of 2023, and what we’re looking forward to in 2024. (CW: discussion of parental and si...

CW: Discussion of s*xual assault, and brief mentions of drugging and s*icide, from 1:00:27 – 1:04:15 You’ve made it to the third and final installment of our semi-accidental mini-series on the Chinese Drama, Lost You Forever ...

We’re continuing our three-part mini-series on Lost You Forever by diving right into a truck load of spoilers! In honor of the reverse harem-ness at all, we organized our discussion around leading lady, Xiaoyao, and her four ...

CW: Brief mention of s*icide @ 30:00. Welcome to the first installment in our three part mini-series on the Chinese drama, Lost You Forever ( Season 1). If you haven’t seen this drama, don’t worry–the first part of our mini-s...

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 ...

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...

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...

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...

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 ...

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...

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...

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...

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 ...

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 ...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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

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 ...

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...

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...