We’ve come to the end of the rainbow, friends and colleagues. It’s been a fantastic 101-episode-long ride, and we’re so happy that you came along. Before we ride off into the sunset (jk, it’s a pandemic, we never leave our apartments), we’d like to wrassle one last VSE with you — part two of the accurséd BICYCLE MAN. It’s got all the icky feelings and inappropriate jokes of part one, with 200% more police detectives. Come along.
The time has finally come. In this most cursed year of this darkest timeline, we must re-watch and re-evaluate one of the most cursed VSEs of all time. The one that started it all — which is apt, because after 100 episodes, we have nearly come to the end of the Hugging & Learning rainbow. Join Chelsea, Andrew, and Miles for the penultimate episode of our podcast, as we evaluate what, if anything, we have to learn from this bone-chilling tv artifact today.
The first time you do anything is complex — the first time you have sex, the first time you learn your boyfriend’s real name, the first time you’re low-key slut-shamed by the boarding school friends you are too old to still be living with in your 20s. Will Natalie navigate the choppy waters of this new life phase with grace and strength? Will Jo voice a value judgement on her friend’s decisions? Will the origins of this random Australian child ever be made known to us? Tune in to find out!
Many of the very special episodes we’ve watched thus far have been misguided, off-putting, and tone-deaf — but never has one outright assaulted us before today! Back in 1982, child stars were just disposable puppets and consent was a foreign concept. Give this a listen if you dare, but be forewarned: you’ll become an accessory to this mess as well.
Did you even know that boobs have hinges? Or that cotton “gin” is short for cotton “engine”? Or that one is supposed to wear turtlenecks to Make Out Parties, no matter how insane the final outfit result may be? For a half-hour sitcom, BLOSSOM is very heavy on the learning this week. Join us for an exceptionally educational episode, and don’t worry if you’ve never been to a Make Out Party. Andy hasn’t either.
Feeling a little too cocky in 1970s Chicago? There’s nothing like an STI scare and a lecture on sexual health from Jay Leno to put you in your place. Join Chelsea, Andy, and the cast of GOOD TIMES as we confront the stigma around STI testing and treatment, in as much detail as Standards & Practices will allow.
Moesha is seventeen and she knows what she wants! Maybe. She thinks. Maybe not. For sure. Perhaps she should talk to a handful of people about it, all of whom have contradictory opinions. Join us as we delve into the Moesha-verse and update you on the Norwood/Vaughn split (as of 2015). Just try not to get tonal whiplash.
Balki doesn’t understand lots of things about America, but he has to admit that being forcibly kissed by one’s boss doesn’t seem like a normal workday occurrence — even in 1987! Do the Dance of Formal HR Complaint with Chelsea, Andrew, their memories of years lived in Chicago, and a Blanche Archetype drunk on power. What could be more American?
Have you ever wondered what would happen if some animators threw Dr. Seuss, Edgar Allan Poe, and Sweeny Todd into a blender, and then figured out exactly how much they could scar children in 15 minutes? Well, wonder no longer. We’d like to (re)introduce you to this insane episode. Join Chelsea, Andrew, Miles, Freaky Fred, and Courage the Cowardly dog, as we wade through what would happen if a nightmare left a bad taste in your mouth and called it cartoons.
Thank you for being a friend to LGBTQ+ folx since the 1980s, “The Golden Girls”! Andy and Chelsea jump feels-first into the world of smutty cowboy movies, crappy clown sundaes, and romantic widow bonding. Join us for a deep-dive into all these topics — plus a discussion a few ways FRIENDS could have dealt with shit better (it’s related, we promise).