PODCAST

Tales of Our Time

This is a show where we discuss the stories that move us, what makes them so meaningful, and why others should find meaning in them as well. We tackle movies, books, comics, and more. Where there’s a story, there’s a reason to read (or watch!).

society & culture

All Episodes

Fall Freakout: Strange Frequencies: Taiwan Killer...

Tales of Our Time ·

2025/10/30

This episode has a longer-than-normal summary period.Tigger warnings include: blood, violence, and suicide In our Fall Freakout FINALE episode for 2025, hosts Amanda and Michelle get jumpscared watching and discussing the 2024 Filipino horror film: Strange Frequencies: Taiwan Killer Hospital. We welcome our first NON-TAIWANESE horror film and discuss the bravery of the team for filming on location in Taiwan, and discuss the REAL Xinling Hospital, why you should ALWAYS heed the warnings of multiple

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Fall Freakout: The Tenants Downstairs

Tales of Our Time ·

2025/10/23

The podcast episode is longer than usual to allow for a longer summary period.This film has stronger than usual content warnings, including: violence, sexual violence, sexual violence against minors, torture, and graphic depitions of murder. This week hosts Amanda and Michelle are tackling 2016's "The Tenants Downstairs" (樓下的房客). We discuss not only how we have found seemingly the creepiest movies to ever come out of Taiwan, but also the importance of having both an outside opinion, and a backup --

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Fall Freakout: Hospital

Tales of Our Time ·

2025/10/16

The podcast episode is longer than usual to allow for a longer summary period.This week hosts Amanda and Michelle are tackling 2020's "Hospital" (杏林醫院) -- a movie about a haunted hospital. We discuss the reasons why running an "Underworld tour guaranteed to see your dead relatives" may be a bad idea, the importance of having balanced yin and yang energy, how mental health days can save lives, and why this movie reminded Amanda of last year's episode on "Abyssal Spider". Don't be fooled by the

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Fall Freakout: The Sadness

Tales of Our Time ·

2025/10/09

The podcast episode is longer than usual to allow for a longer summary period.TW: Heavier than usual blood, gore, and upsetting events and imagery. This is not one to look up unless you have a very strong stomach for depravity. Amanda Stephens and guest co-host Michelle Chiang dive into "The Sadness". Topics of discussion include HOW DID THIS GET MADE, what happens when people have no inhibitions, and how far can (or should) a movie go to get a scare?

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Fall Freakout: The Rope Curse

Tales of Our Time ·

2025/10/02

The podcast episode is longer than usual to allow for a longer summary period.Amanda Stephens and guest co-host Michelle Chiang dive into the Taiwanese horror flick "The Rope Curse". They discuss bullying, boy drama, and how detrimental a lack of teaching staff can be.

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TAKES: What makes Taiwanese horror stand out?

Tales of Our Time ·

2025/09/25

Today we're warming up for our final theme of the year, our Fall Freakout-- where we watch and discuss Taiwanese horror movies, or horror movies that heavily feature Taiwan, that you may have missed on your radar.Today in the studio, I've invited back Retro Reels host Hanna Bilinski to discuss what we can learn about Taiwan, and what Taiwanese society fears, from watching Taiwanese horror films! As someone who just finished her own Ghost Month horror theme and as a movie buff in general, Hanna

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TAKES of Our Time: Tâigael: Stories from Taiwanese...

Tales of Our Time ·

2025/09/18

For September, we're talking about different books we think you should know about as summer turns to fall!Today we're speaking with creative Will Buckingham who, besides being a writer in his own right, recenetly co-editied the book "Tâigael". We talk in-depth about the advernterous project, involving four separate short-fiction authors, and five languages! Tâigael presents stories lovingly created and translated by native speakers into English, Mandarin, Gàidhlig and

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TAKES of Our Time: Ordinary Guy at War

Tales of Our Time ·

2025/09/11

This week, I had the extraordinary pleasure of sitting down with Dimko Zhluktenko to discuss his memoir "Ordinary Guy at War".

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TAKES of Our Time: Taiwan in 80 Words

Tales of Our Time ·

2025/09/04

For September, we're talking about different books we think you should know about as summer turns to fall!In this episode, we speak to Rti host and author Aurélien Rossanino about his book "80 mots de Taiwan", or Taiwan in 80 Words. Part of a larger project to sum up different countries in just 80 words, Aurélien speaks to us about how he went about choosing words which best represented "Taiwan", the surprising ways the book incorporates fiction and anecdote, and the different ways

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Spicy Summer: A Marvellous Light

Tales of Our Time ·

2025/08/28

"A Marvellous Light: Creating powerful change in liminal spaces" This is the fourth and final episode in our August Spicy Summer series, where we look at one element of the romance genre and put it under the microscope. This year we're looking at the relationship dynamics in different stories, what makes them so unique, and what they contribute to a story. To wrap up our special, we're talking with Milo Bowles about the book "A Marvellous Light" and exploring the "FRIENDS to lovers" archetype, as

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Spicy Summer: Things We Never Got Over

Tales of Our Time ·

2025/08/21

Things We Never Got Over: Healing takes time, but so does love. This is the third episode in our August Spicy Summer series, where we look at one element of the romance genre and put it under the microscope. This year we're looking at the relationship dynamics in different stories, what makes them so unique, and what they contribute to a story. For the third installment of this series, guest Jun walks us through the slowburn romance in Lucy Score's "Things We Never Got Over". We talk about how the

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Spicy Summer: Romeo and Juliette

Tales of Our Time ·

2025/08/14

"Romeo and Juliette: The Orginal Enemies to Lovers" This is the third episode in our August Spicy Summer series, where we look at one element of the romance genre and put it under the microscope. This year we're looking at the relationship dynamics in different stories, what makes them so unique, and what they contribute to a story. Today we're discussing perhaps the TEXTBOOK example of the "doomed" or "tragic romance" with Shakepeare's infamous: Romeo and Juliette. Here to lead us through the ups

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Spicy Summer: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Tales of Our Time ·

2025/08/06

The Seven Husands of Evelyn Hugo: Not your typical romance This is the second episode in our August Spicy Summer series, where we look at one element of the romance genre and put it under the microscope. This year we're looking at the relationship dynamics in different stories, what makes them so unique, and what they contribute to a story. Today Kris St. Amour Denis is back to lead us through "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo." Descried as her favorite book of 2025, this book has a lot of

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TAKES of Our Time: Romantic Archetypes

Tales of Our Time ·

2025/07/31

This week, we kick off our return to last year's August theme: Spicy Summer, where we take a microscope to different elements of the romance genre, to try and understand what keeps it so enduringly popular. Last year we investigated the reptation of the romance genre, and to what degree it was earned. This year we'll be taking a look at different romantic archetypes, patterns that characters and storylines tend to fall into, and how they play out across a variety of stories in ways both familiar

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Tampopo: Food is Life

Tales of Our Time ·

2025/07/24

Today I'm talking to my friend Rich Mattias about Juso Itami's 1985 film "Tampopo". Potentially one of the most food-loving films to date, this movie loveingly explores Japan's food culture through vingettes and a main stoyline in a way that keeps it enduringly relatable and familiar. We discuss how Itami's use of non-sequitor shorts adds levels and variety to the film, while making it stand out in a way that has yet to be replicated, while also helping to further the message of the film that food

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World Without End: Striving For Paradise

Tales of Our Time ·

2025/07/16

Today we're doing a belated and early Father's Day episode, with my dad: Rob Stephens! Since Father's Day in the U.S. was June 21 and Taiwan's in August 8, we decided to put this episode right in the middle, and talk about one of his most recent reads! He talks to us about Ken Follet's historical fiction, "World Without End", one of his King's Bridge Series. Dad and I talk about how the story handles inequality, and how individuals fight against the larger systems that try to control us. A content

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Final Fantasy X: The Most Annoying Guy Saves the World

Tales of Our Time ·

2025/07/10

Today we have a cross-over episode with my Doomscroll co-host Hanna Bilinski!We're taking a break from talking about all the news of the world, and the ways in which it gets us down to talk about something we both really love-- Final Fantasy X! Known for several "firsts" in the industry and the long-running Square Enix JRPG series, this game is a standout for many reasons, but our personal favorites are the way it presents hope, and a love story that you can cheer for.

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Takes of our Time: What it takes to make an anthology

Tales of Our Time ·

2025/07/03

For today's TAKES of our Time episode, I have the pleasure of talking with Ray Hecht and Bronwen Shelwell about their project "Visions of Taiwan". Visions on Taiwan is a comic anthology 'zine series which brings together many foreign resident artists in Taiwan to share stories on a variety of different topics. Today we talk a little about comics and the process behind what it takes to contribute to, and put together, a zine/book anthology series. We also dive into what inspirations guided our

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Heartstopper "Boyfriend": A New Standard for...

Tales of Our Time ·

2025/06/26

Wrapping up our June "Pride" theme of stories that make us feel seen, we're talking about the often mentions streaming series: "Heartstopper", and it's season 1 finale episode "Boyfriend". Guest Yvonne López joins us to tell is what it meant to her to see this scene later in life, and the difficulties (and joys) of finding a truer version of yourself later in life. We also discuss a little bit about why this show in particular meant so much to many of our guests over the month, for the

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Song of Achilles: Emotional Wreckage of the Epic Variety

Tales of Our Time ·

2025/06/19

This week, I'm interviewing guest Cole Jones about the Madeline Miller's retelling "Song of Achilles". We talk about how Miller's writing breathes life, romance, and deep care into this truly epic love story. As well as how much it means to see queer romance given the same weight, and treatment as straight romantic tales.

en_US

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