The Lorehounds

David and Loremaster Bryan8063 are joined by Marilyn R. Pukkila for a comprehensive wrap-up of the PBS Ken Burns miniseries The American Revolution. Marilyn brings her background as a retired research librarian with an MA in medieval Welsh history, while Brian discusses his work in presidential oral history at UVA's Miller Center and previous experience at Monticello's Jefferson Library. The conversation explores the series as more civil war than revolutionary war, drawing on Colin Woodard's American Nations to understand distinct regional cultures that shaped the conflict. The discussion examines Burns' decade-long crafting process, the sobering parallels to contemporary America, and his explicit inclusion of voices from tribal nations, women, and Black Americans.

Themes include the mythology versus reality of national founding, the challenges of oral history and reconstructive memory, the importance of uncertainty over absolutism, and how communities find common ground across differences through shared inquiry into history and myth.

Today, voting for the 2026 Oscar shortlists began, lasting all week – these 20 (or, er, 26) Oscar-qualified live-action and animated shorts are all eligible. Whether or not they make the shortlist (some of them will), here's why you might want to watch – from mermaid folk horror or brutal griffin hunts to gentle tales of the lists we make in life, or coming of age as an immigrant.

Letterboxd lists

David and Nichole unpack the most impactful episode yet, examining the major revelations delivered through Carol's two conversations with Diatabé that fundamentally reframe the show's central mystery. The discussion explores the extraordinary filmmaking craft on display—from the intricate details scattered throughout every scene to the mirroring between Carol and Manusos—while grappling with Nichole's reservations about pacing versus David's appreciation for the show's visual storytelling and minimal dialogue.

They delve into profound questions about the biological imperatives driving the joined, the ethics of consumption and privilege in our viewing community, and whether this signal from space represents a virus-like species propagating across the galaxy to survive.

David's Blog Post

Elysia, John, and Mark send in the clowns to give more backstory to It. They discuss fake music numbers, the breaking of fellowships, and the show's three-season trajectory.

David and Nichole explore the most visually stunning episode yet, examining the subtle artistry of the cinematography that rivals Severance's most beautifully crafted moments. The conversation delves into the bittersweet opposites at the show's core—joy and poignancy, cleverness and grief, sci-fi premise and deeply human storytelling—as Carol processes Helen's death and navigates eight days of radical transformation. They discuss the fingerprint motif in the title sequence, debate whether this feels more like a coming-of-age story than traditional sci-fi, and analyze how the joined's decision to give Carol space reveals the show's sophisticated understanding of toxic relationships and boundaries.