x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

Deep Thoughts Shallow Plots

Katy and Erika are two chill chicks who take horror flicks way too seriously.New episodes post once a month.

tv & film

All Episodes

117:25

Frankenstein (1931)

Deep Thoughts Shallow Plots ·

2026/04/14

Creature Double Feature alert! Katy and Erika are watching "Frankenstein," followed by "Bride of Frankenstein" next month. For this episode, they dive deep into mad scientists, golems, and also phrenology again unfortunately.“How the Term 'Mad Scientist' Began and How It Shapes Our World,” Kate Golembiewski: https://www.discovermagazine.com/how-the-term-mad-scientist-began-and-how-it-shapes-our-world-44141"The Metamorphosis of the Mad Scientist," Pat Cassels:

en

114:34

Purge: Anarchy (2014)

Deep Thoughts Shallow Plots ·

2026/03/10

PURGE LAW! Katy and Erika return to their favorite(?) series with "Purge: Anarchy." They dive deep into macroeconomics, the hallmarks of the Sad Dad, and if weekend Purge goes harder than weekday Purge (note: this movie takes place on a Tuesday).“Dracula Untold, Told: The Saddest Dad in the World,” Daniel Lavery, née Ortberg: https://the-toast.archive.town/2014/10/14/dracula-untold-told/

en

111:36

Let the Right One In (2008)

Deep Thoughts Shallow Plots ·

2026/02/10

It's back to Vamps, as Erika and Katy discuss "Let the Right One In." They dive deep into dark romantasy, cold-weather wear, and just why the hell those wonky little cats were even included in this otherwise emaculate film."Horror and Romance in Films: The Perfect Marriage," Emma Cole: https://www.houseofgamut.com/magazine/horror-and-romance-in-films-the-perfect-marriage/

en

105:14

Violent Night (2022)

Deep Thoughts Shallow Plots ·

2025/12/23

Erika and Katy are coming to town--to discuss "Violent Night." They dive deep into the Grinch vs. Scrooge, Anglo-Saxons vs. Vikings, and the Epiphany Witch vs. Daddy Christmas.“The German Santa Claus – Weihnachtsmann,” German Culture: https://germanculture.com.ua/christmas-recipes/the-german-santa-claus-weihnachtsmann/“Babbo Natale—All About Italy’s Santa Claus,” Candace Criscione: https://mominitaly.com/babbo-natale-italian-santa-claus/“Christmas in China,” James Cooper:

en

138:37

Escape Room (2019)

Deep Thoughts Shallow Plots ·

2025/11/11

Erika and Katy continue their locked room mystery with "Escape Room." They dive deep into cuboid conjectures, jerks of greek mythology, and the guy on everyone's mind: Karl Marx."Cheating at the [Death] Game," Laurie O'Connel: https://medium.com/@lawrenceoconnel/cheating-at-the-death-game-b42a3b5a31ab

en

135:28

Saw (2004)

Deep Thoughts Shallow Plots ·

2025/10/15

This spooky season, Erika and Katy are getting tortured by "Saw." They dive deep into the War on Terror, the River Styx, and why Jigsaw is capital L capital T Like This.“Devil’s Advocate: Saw,” Benjamin Poole: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13040042-saw“The Problem of Saw: ‘Torture Porn’ and the Conservatism of Contemporary Horror Films,” Christopher Sharrett: https://www.jstor.org/stable/41690851?read-now=1&seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents"Torture Porn in the Wake of 9/11," Aaron Michael

en

132:26

Carrie (1976)

Deep Thoughts Shallow Plots ·

2025/09/16

Erika and Katy finally discuss Stephen King, starting with "Carrie" (1976). They dive deep into mensturation, St. Sebastian, and a bad dream that's basically also a wedding.“Gender, sexuality and representation throughout each Carrie adaptation,” Screen Queens: https://screenqueens.wordpress.com/2018/10/30/gender-sexuality-carrie/comment-page-1/"The Unforgivable Crime of Deviating: Carrie (1976)," Leigh Butler: https://reactormag.com/the-movie-rewatch-of-great-nostalgia-carrie-1976//

en

112:49

Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988)

Deep Thoughts Shallow Plots ·

2025/08/12

Katy and Erika conclude Hot Alien Summer with "Killer Klowns from Outer Space." They dive deep into Venn diagrams, sacred buffoons, and asexual popcorn-based reproduction.“Carnivalesque in Literature and Literary Theory”: https://english-studies.net/carnivalesque-in-literature-and-literary-theory/“Coulrophobia and the Trickster,” Joseph Durwin: https://digitalcommons.trinity.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1080&context=trickstersway&sei-redir=1“The History of Creepy Clowns,” Madeline

en

142:35

Nope (2022) Part 2

Deep Thoughts Shallow Plots ·

2025/07/22

Erika and Katy return to their discussion of "Nope." They dive deep into ambiguous sounds, the importance of legacy, and the freak behavior of Eadweard Muybridge."How Nope Tricks Your Ears," Thomas Flight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWPFMmuagQ4&t=722sMichael Abels and His Spectacular Score for 'Nope,'" Rachel Reeves: https://www.dreadcentral.com/editorials/456410/michael-abels-and-his-spectacular-score-for-nope-terror-on-the-turntable/

en

135:18

Nope (2022) Part 1

Deep Thoughts Shallow Plots ·

2025/07/08

Erika and Katy begin a lengthy discussion of Jordan Peele's "NOPE." In this first of two parts, they dive deep into the Hebrew scriptures, poorly suppressed trauma, and how OJ's autism is basically his super power."The Best Shots of 2022," Adam Nayman: https://www.theringer.com/2022/12/19/movies/best-shots-in-movies-2022-nope-fabelmans-tar"If the UFO in Nope a Biblically Accurate Angel?" Jason Faulkner: https://www.gamerevolution.com/guides/711475-is-nope-ufo-biblically-accurate-angel"The Hidden

en

114:27

Alien (1979)

Deep Thoughts Shallow Plots ·

2025/06/10

Katy and Erika kick off Hot Alien Summer with--what else?--Ridley Scott's Alien. They dive deep into Joseph Conrad's Nostromo, technology as Mother, and why this is actually a pride episode."A Curious Case of Influence: Nostromo and Alien(s)," Ted Billy: https://www.jstor.org/stable/24634674?seq=1"How 'Alien' (1979) Queered the Binaries of Traditional Gender," Michaela Barton: https://flipscreened.com/2020/08/18/how-alien-queered-the-binaries-of-traditional-gender/"Reassessing Alien: Sexuality and

en

124:45

The Final Girls (2015)

Deep Thoughts Shallow Plots ·

2025/05/13

Erika and Katy are taking you to the movies to see the B-Horror classic: Camp Bloobath--I mean, The Final Girls. They dive deep into the hero's journey, the hallmarks of a final girl, and how it's kind of a weird choice to do a strip tease for your daughter. Happy (belated) mother's day!"Her body, Himself: Gender in the Slasher Film," Carol J. Clover: https://www.jstor.org/stable/i347286“The (Extremely) Short Guide to Writing Horror,” Tim Waggoner:

en

121:35

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

Deep Thoughts Shallow Plots ·

2025/04/08

Erika and Katy return to Wes Craven's world for "A Nightmare on Elm Street." They dive deep into the Satanic Panic, troubled sleep in Shakespeare plays, and Erika's big theory that motherhood is all a scam."American Monsters: Tabloid Media and the Satanic Panic, 1970-2000," Sarah Hughes: https://www.jstor.org/stable/26803447"Cultural Human Sacrifice in Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street Films," Brittany Caroline Speller:

en

125:34

Scream 2 (1997)

Deep Thoughts Shallow Plots ·

2025/03/11

Erika and Katy are celebrating their two year anniversary by discussing their first sequel, Scream 2. They dive deep into the rules of sequels, the fate of Cassandra, and everbody's homorepressed mommy issues."'Scream 2': College is a Horror Sequel," Eric Han. https://cornellsun.com/2023/02/09/scream-2-college-is-a-horror-sequel/

en

119:34

They Live (1988)

Deep Thoughts Shallow Plots ·

2025/02/11

Erika and Katy return to the Carpenter Cinematic Universe with 1988's "They Live." They (meaning Erika and Katy, not the titular aliens) dive deep into subliminal messaging, women's anatomy in comic books, and how Minnesota always holds it down."John Carpenter Is Fighting With Internet Nazis Over His Cult Classic They Live," Sydney Fussell: https://gizmodo.com/john-carpenter-is-fighting-with-internet-nazis-over-his-1790754727"John Carpenter Denies Neo-Nazi Reading of They Live As Jewish Supremacy

en

109:49

Krampus (2015)

Deep Thoughts Shallow Plots ·

2024/12/24

Gruß vom Erika und Katy! This krampus nacht, the girlies dive deep into Krampus origin stories, the emotional release of horror/comedy, and St. Nick's cadre of bad boys.Note: We will be taking January off. See you in February!"How Does Horror Comedy Work?" V Renée: https://nofilmschool.com/2017/07/how-does-horror-comedy-work“Is Krampus Really Pagan?” Spencer McDaniel: https://talesoftimesforgotten.com/2019/12/13/is-krampus-really-pagan/“’Krampus’s True Meaning Runs Way Deeper Than Holiday Horror,”

en

87:00

Happy Death Day (2017)

Deep Thoughts Shallow Plots ·

2024/11/19

Sweet birthday babies, Erika and Katy, are giving you the gift of "Happy Death Day." They dive deep into overhanded metaphors for grief, a timeline of timeloops, and Katy's one-sided war with The Lumineers.

en

98:34

Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Deep Thoughts Shallow Plots ·

2024/10/15

Katy and Erika are celebrating spooky season with Night of the Living Dead. They dive deep into the late 1960s, ghouls vs. zombies, and what it's like when one kid is carrying the entire group project.“Night of the Living Dead: Mere Anarchy Is Loosed,” Stuart Klawans. https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/5390-night-of-the-living-dead-mere-anarchy-is-loosed“The Arabic Ghoul and its Western Transformation,” Ahmed K. Al-Rawi. https://www.jstor.org/stable/40646532“When the Zombie Looks: The Human

en

103:45

Cloverfeild (2008)

Deep Thoughts Shallow Plots ·

2024/09/17

Katy and Erika close out creature feature summer with Cloverfeild. They dive deep into non-linear storytelling, the perks of found footage, and the roughly 48,000 questions they have about the monster.

en

111:30

Pan's Labyrinth/El Laberinto del Fauno (2006)

Deep Thoughts Shallow Plots ·

2024/08/13

Can't have a Hot Creature Summer without Doug Jones, so this month Katy and Erika turn their attention to Guillermo del Toro's El Laberinto del Fauno. They dive deep into daddy issues, Falangism, and why it's never a bad idea to be wary of fauns.

en

42 results

Similar Podcasts

BEHIND THE VELVET ROPE

David Yontef

Nerd Culture • A Gamekings Podcast

Blammo Media

UPodcast

UPodcast

The Writers Hangout

Sandy Adomaitis

The Sarah Fraser Show

Sarah Fraser