Episodes

David and Jean return for a thematic breakdown of Tumbleton . The conversation moves through the strategic nightmare Ormond has created by garrisoning his forces inside a civilian town, the unsettling picture the show is painting of who he really is and what Daeron's life in his custody may have...

What did Uncle Joey do to make someone this mad? This week, our hosts tackle Alanis Morissette’s 1995 breakup anthem “You Oughta Know.” Mark tries to draw a straight line between the intensity of Alanis’s emotions and how unhinged the song’s rhythms are… before taking an opportunity to majorly over-...

Is anyone really ok after this episode? We're in shock after watching Claudia give her daddy vampires a piece of her mind. There are witches, betrayals, and heartwarming moments as Elysia and John recap the latest episode of The Vampire Lestat . Grab your finest blood vintage and join us. Stick ...

David and Jean return to dig into listener feedback on "Rhaenyra Triumphant," with voicemails and messages from community members and fellow podcasters. The conversation tackles lingering questions about the Tessarion and fake Daeron storyline, how the episode's score and sound design il...

Elysia and Luke celebrate the return of a long-awaited character and the introduction of one of Elysia's book favorites, and the many moral quandaries he lays on the table. Checking in first on the origin story, Luke lays out his now assuredly more refined non-reader theories, and then (with lit...

David returns from holiday to join Jean for a deep dive into "Rhaenyra Triumphant," the third episode of House of the Dragon Season 3. The conversation covers the Hightower capitulation at Oldtown, Ormond's treacherous gambit with a fake Daeron, and Daemon's spectacular failure of ta...

No Stairway? Denied! In this week’s episode, Mark and Nichole share some artists they really love… by sharing some songs they really don’t love by those artists! Please let us know what we got wrong in the Discord or at nevermusicpod@gmail.com. Music heard in this episode: The Beach Boys - “Please L...

We're all experiencing an awakening of some kind in the latest episode of The Vampire Lestat . From ice cream scoops to vampire origin stories to reliving the losses of our pasts, this episode has it all. Elysia and John laugh and cry along to our favorite gremlins and their games. Stick around ...

Elysia and Luke will jog your foggy memories with a deep dive into "Who Are You?" – the first episode of Silo season 3 on Apple TV – including reminders of where we left key characters and events at the end of season 2. Elysia dishes on which characters come from the books and which are comp...

Another Questlove doc? That means another bonus episode! Lorehounds contributor Jean joins Mark to talk about the new documentary, Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial vs That’s the Weight of the World) . They talk about the many sides - good and regrettable - of the band’s mastermind, Maurice White,...

Mothers mourning, Black beach bonding, a new unlikely comic duo, and a whole bunch of dragons – there's a lot happening in House of the Dragon season 3, episode 2: "Queen's Landing" even before it reaches its game-changing climax. And Jean and Elysia are here to break it all down. St...

Does that love song really remind them of you, or is it actually their previous partner? In this week’s episode, we revel in Toto’s 1982 masterpiece “Africa.” Nichole talks about how our memories play tricks on us, and how different people react to ambiguity. Meanwhile, Mark takes us on another inve...

Ask not for whom the bell of shame tolls, for it tolls for every vampire on this show. Elysia and John recap Lestat's taunting of Armand, Daniel's transformational trauma and blackout years, and the overall failure of these vampires to develop healthy coping mechanisms. Stick around after th...

Jean and Elysia kick off the new season of "horrible people doing horrible things to each other" – aka House of the Dragon season 3, episode 1 – with a dive even deeper than a dragon's fall into the Gullet. They discuss character motivations, the meanings of new revelations, one misused ...

Have you ever hated a song or an artist only to change your mind later? This week, we are thrilled to welcome rock critic and host of the 60 Songs That Explain the ‘90s podcast, Rob Harvilla. We reveal those embarrassing times we were dead wrong about an iconic artist… and one of us may have put som...

Elysia and John head to Toronto to watch Lestat troll Daniel into a feeding frenzy. They discuss media handling of trauma, the truth behind Lestat's dramatizations, and the empathy machine that is Anne Rice's world. Content Warning: This episode addresses sexual assault and abuse. Stick arou...

Eight bells toll in the Widow's Bay season 1 finale – setting Elysia, Mark (Nevermind the Music), and Lisa (Into the West) off on an investigation to uncover what they mean. Sifting through the heart, horrors, and humor of the second half of the season, they piece together the emerging mythology...

Steve and Anthony become true believers with Widow's Bay. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

John is joined by Marilyn R. Pukkila to discuss the second part of Of Túrin Turambar , the twenty-fifth portion of The Silmarillion . They discuss classical heroes, the grimdark present in Tolkien's writings, and how a character gets in their own way. Marilyn's Website Marilyn R. Pukkila, Re...

David and Elysia work through their own and the community's mixed-but-leaning-positive feelings about Steven Spielberg's new alien-focused movie Disclosure Day (currently in theaters). They get into the greatest cinematic moments, the cast and performance(s) they loved best, and (yes) the lo...

Have you ever had that friend who seemed to change their whole personality each time they had a new relationship? No? Then you’re probably that friend! This week, we vibe with No Doubt’s 1995 radio smash “Don’t Speak.” Nichole argues that No Doubt vocalist Gwen Stefani’s changing styles is a great e...

Jean and Elysia talk the good, the great, and the even better of the recently released first season (of, they hope, more) of Spider-Noir on Amazon Prime. They talk about the multiversal source of this Film Noir flavor of Spider-Man, here going by the name Ben Reilly – one of the many decisions that ...

Elysia and John follow Lestat through an Oedepiphany of epic proportions. They watch young Lestat grow up into a wolf killer before becoming a rock star who can troll his band into submission. They also discuss the implications of the Talamasca's involvement and the absence of Armand. Stick arou...

David, Lisa, and Bryan conclude their Gene Hackman coverage with a deep dive into The Conversation, Francis Ford Coppola's 1974 psychological thriller and the film chosen by community vote. The trio explores Gene Hackman's portrayal of Harry Caul, a surveillance expert whose paranoia, guilt,...

Interview with the Vampire is back - or maybe over. The story continues with Lestat beginning his journey as a rock star. Elysia and John are here to follow the tour and unveil the mysteries of Lestat's past. Stick around after the credits for a book spoiler Inside the Coffin segment. Contact Us...

Why do violinists hate violists? Is Flipper actually evil? We comb through the listeners’ increasingly deranged questions with another Mailbag episode! Hear listeners test Nichole’s rhythm and shill their music in another fun check-in with our audience.  Music heard in this episode: Eight Foot Manch...

Elysia and Luke return to dissect the second (this time a full) trailer for season 3 of Silo , releasing weekly on Apple TV starting July 3. Going frame by frame, quote by quote, Elysia breaks down what's baffling to book readers (without any future spoilers) while show-only Luke cooks up some n...

David, Elysia, and Jean reunite to kick off their season three coverage of House of the Dragon, outlining what listeners can expect from the pod as the Dance of Dragons reaches its most explosive chapter yet. The team walks through their hosting lineup, with Elysia stepping in to lead episodes one a...

David and Elysia venture into the Horror Hounds to discuss Backrooms (2026), A24's creepypasta-turned-feature film directed by Kane Parsons and starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve. They trace the film's remarkable origin — from an anonymous 2019 post on 4chan to Kane Pixels' thr...

Part spin-off series following a new voice and perspective, part season 3 of AMC's Interview with the Vampire , all The Vampire Lestat . John and Elysia get together to discuss their favorite fanged villains and antiheroes ahead of the new season – opening with a (mostly) spoiler-free discussion...