If a movie is released and no-one is there to see it, does it make a sound....and lots of historical errors?James Purefoy is back and he is once again making a movie that is fun but not necessarily...good? Ollie has a good time and Sarah has a

Doctor Who, The Curse Of The Black Spot

16 days ago 1h 15m

Join Sarah and returning Media-eval Doctor Who correspondent Lily Bonnemann for a trip into the late 17th century with New Series season 6 episode, The Curse of the Black Spot. We get to talk Mughal emperors, sirens, and, of course, pirates!S

I'm in Love with the Villainess!

1 month ago 1h 49m

Media-eval this week is transported back to (sort of) Ancien Regime France. Join Sarah and returning guest Peter Konieczny for a discussion of anime series I’m in Love with the Villainess! We get into how we distinguish medieval from early mode

Wheel of Time season 2

Mar 3rd, 2024 2h 39m

Ollie returns to talk about a season of a tv show he enjoyed and simultaneously got really annoyed at.Sarah is very patient with him and they also have a really interesting discussion on what makes an adaptation good and what mistakes adaptat

Doctor Who, Vampires Of Venice

Feb 19th, 2024 1h 14m

Sarah and returning Media-eval Doctor Who correspondent Lily Bonnemann return for New Series season 5 episode, The Vampires of Venice! Join us as we explore vampire lore, the history of Venice, and the real lives of powerful wealthy women (most

The Fountain

Feb 7th, 2024 1h 35m

Media-eval this week goes from 1500 to 2000 to 2500 in Darren Aronofsky’s The Fountain. Join Sarah and guest Marisa Macias as we attempt (with moderate success) to make sense of this movie. Are all the Hugh Jackman’s and Rachel Weiszes the same

Napoleon

Jan 22nd, 2024 1h 25m

This week, Media-eval ventures a bit outside its usual chronology … as after all, Sarah can’t resist an opportunity to dunk on Ridley Scott. Join Sarah and guest Miranda Sachs, a historian of modern France, as we discuss Ridley Scott’s 2023 fil

Beyond Cadfael: Medieval Medicine and Medical Medievalism

Jan 7th, 2024 51m 56s

This week we have something a little different, as medievalists Lucy Barnhouse and Winston Black join Sarah to talk about how medieval medicine is represented in popular culture. Lucy and Winston are the editors of the new volume Beyond Cadfael

A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby

Dec 24th, 2023 1h 56m

Sarah and Media-eval’s Netflix Christmas Correspondent Meghan Griffin return to the Netflix Extended Christmas Universe to talk about medievalism in A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby. Yes, the film features a medieval treaty - and a medieval c

Apocalypto

Dec 10th, 2023 2h 8m

He may be in decline but he still knows a good movie when he sees it so Ollie returns to argue with Sarah on the merits or lack thereof in the movie Apocalypto(2006).Is it hi-octane action? Yes!Does it have a paper thin plot? Absolutely!Doe

Doctor Who, The Shakespeare Code

Nov 26th, 2023 1h 26m

Sarah and returning Media-eval Doctor Who correspondent Lily Bonnemann are back to tackle their first episode of the New Series, in honor of the 60th Anniversary! Join us for our discussion of The Shakespeare Code, where we explore race, medica

Ya Boy Kongming

Nov 13th, 2023 1h 24m

Sarah and returning guest Peter Konieczny return to the world of the Three Kingdoms with 2022 anime series Ya Boy Kongming! Join us as we discuss the life story of Zhuge Liang Kongming, premodern Chinese concepts of hell, and the challenges of

The Pope's Exorcist

Oct 29th, 2023 2h 12m

It's the spookiest time of the year and I'm not talking about Tax Season. Sarah want's to talk about a modern "Horror" movie that on the surface doesn't seem to be from the medieval period but when one of the major plot points is about the Spa

Matrix by Lauren Groff

Oct 15th, 2023 1h 57m

Sarah and returning guest Tracy Tanoff delve into the everyday lives of nuns in our conversation on Lauren Groff’s novel Matrix. Join us as we explore the work of Marie de France, illness and disability in monasteries, faith and mysticism, and

Toledo, Cruce de Destinos

Oct 1st, 2023 2h 8m

Sarah and fellow medievalist Ryan Szpiech take the podcast to Spain with 2012 Spanish-language miniseries Toledo, Cruce de Destinos. Join us as we explore the life of Alfonso X and his sons, the lived experience of Jews, Christians, and Muslims

Gladiator

Sep 16th, 2023 2h 53m

Media-eval is back and this time we are tackling one of the most famous movies that can come under our remit- Gladiator directed by Ridley Scott.This movie won all the oscars and is a beloved fan favourite BUT did Sarah like it? She has brough

Podcast on Hiatus til September!

Jun 3rd, 2023 1m 5s

The podcast will be going on hiatus til September so Sarah can spend the summer focusing on research for her new book project! See you in a few months!

The Legend of Vox Machina Season 2

May 28th, 2023 2h 20m

Sarah brings Ollie back to the pod to talk about the second season of The Legend of Vox Machina. At the end of the first season our heroes seemed to be in a lot of peril so join us as we see if they can escape and defy the odds yet again to win

Destiny

May 13th, 2023 1h 24m

Sarah and fellow medievalist Dr. Raissa von Doetinchem de Rande explore medieval al-Andalus and the life of philosopher ibn Rushd in 1997 film Destiny! Join us as we discuss medieval philosophy, translation, and why this film is inexplicably ab

Doctor Who, The Church and the Crown

May 1st, 2023 1h 49m

Sarah and returning guest Lily Bonnemann are back at Doctor Who with 2002 audio drama - and loose Three Musketeers adaptation - The Church and the Crown. Join us as we explore the Paris sewage system and do a deep dive into George Villiers, the

Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

Apr 15th, 2023 2h 54m

Chris Pine has a new movie out that is inside our wheelhouse so that means our special Pine Correspondent, Tracy Tanoff, is back to talk about her favourite guy. And she brought Ollie with her!Join us as we discuss this new movie that is curr

Medieval (2022)

Apr 1st, 2023 1h 54m

Sarah and guest Erika Harlitz-Kern turn to Bohemia and the life of Jan Žižka as we tackle the 2022 film that is, generically, just called Medieval. Join us as we explore the doctrine of Jan Hus, the complex politics of the Holy Roman Empire, an

Naruto

Mar 22nd, 2023 2h 24m

Sarah and returning guest Peter Koniezcny of Medievalists.net explore medievalism in the anime Naruto! Join us as we discuss how Masashi Kishimoto blends medieval and modern elements in his world-building. We get into the history and legend sur

The Tragedy of Macbeth

Mar 6th, 2023 1h 51m

Sarah and returning guest Morgan Morales delve into 2021 film The Tragedy of Macbeth - and award Ralph Ineson the official Media-eval MVP. Join us as we explore magic, gender, why Shakespeare is bad at history, and the historical Macbeth and Gr

Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh

Feb 20th, 2023 1h 33m

Media-eval tackles another book this week! Join Sarah and guest Ben Paul as we discuss Lapvona, a 2022 novel by Ottessa Moshfegh. This intense and wide-ranging novel allows us to explore medieval disability studies, miraculous lactation, and wh