Episodes

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...

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, ...

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,...

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...

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 ...

The SLL crew takes a trip to the seaside and deep dives into another Korean drama: Netflix's Hometown Cha Cha Cha . This episode, we’re joined by friend/spouse-of-the-show Andrew Cooper as we chat about the "manic pixie dream...

In the third and final installment of our keyword mini-series, we ask the burning question “Why Literature?” We cover the difference between "Capital L" and "lowercase l" literature, the so-called canon, and tie it all back t...

We know we've been missing in action for a hot minute, so this episode we let you know what's been going on in our lives and check in about what media has been ✨sparking joy✨. We've been doing everything from playing video ga...