Lovecraft Country: The Real History and Horror Behind HBO's Series | The Tipsy Exchange

Editor's note: This episode was recorded before Jonathan Majors was convicted of assault and harassment against a former partner in December 2023. Our comments about him in this episode don't reflect how we feel today. This one's for you, Twitter! Lovecraft Country is the first episode topic ever recommended by a listener, and Berly has been trying to get everyone to watch this show. LA finally did. Only one other person she asked actually followed through. We see you. Fair warning: that first episode will have you wondering if you started the wrong show. Stick with it. We talk about why Lovecraft Country could have gone completely off the rails and didn't. We cover the historical events it weaves in (some of which we're embarrassed to admit we never learned in school), the production design, the monsters (the creature with all the eyes has a surprising real-life reference), and the most terrifying pair of little girls on television. We also talk about the episode that took a beloved character on a wild journey through time with a nod to a certain '80s adventure franchise. And the wigs. So many fabulous wigs. Then Berly gives LA a crash course on H.P. Lovecraft himself: who he was, what his work meant to horror, and why his legacy is… complicated. She also explains how the author of Lovecraft Country turned that legacy on its head. We compare the show to the book, too, from the characters the series reimagined to one who doesn't exist in the book at all. Plus, the music! Somehow the modern needle drops work here in a way they absolutely did not in Baz Luhrmann's Gatsby. Along the way, you'll hear a confession about looking up spoilers, a plea to showrunner Misha Green for more redheads, and our hopes for another season. Spoiler warning: We spoil the whole series in this one, so watch it first if you care! This week's toast: From episode seven of Lovecraft Country: "Here's to girls like us who know when to create and when to destroy." Salute! Cheers! Tell us what you think! Did you watch Lovecraft Country? What was your favorite episode, and which monster freaked you out the most? What should we cover next? Leave a comment, or send us your topic recommendation on Twitter. You might inspire our next episode! Please drink responsibly.  Miss Berly and LA? Catch them on Denim-wrapped Nightmares, their Supernatural rewatch podcast with 200+ episodes of Sam, Dean, lore deep dives, and bestie banter. Listen at denimwrappednightmares.com or wherever you get your podcasts. Cheers! Support the show The Tipsy Exchange is a comedy podcast where besties Berly and LA pour a drink, raise a toast, and dive into true crime, mysteries, the paranormal, and pop culture, with plenty of tangents along the way. It's like happy hour with your funniest friends. Leave us a review, send us your topic and toast ideas on Twitter and Instagram, and follow the show at thetipsyexchange.com. Cheers!