Friday
December 2021
COMMENTS
Written by Ian Thomas Malone, Posted in Blog, Podcast
Into the weeds of the Rankin/Bass holiday catalog! Pinocchio’s Christmas is a bizarre special, serving as both an adaption of the 1883 novel and a more traditional Santa-infused holiday narrative. There is a lot going on, with multiple villains and plotlines converging on the poor wooden boy. Ian does her best to unpack it all.
Be sure to check out all of our holiday-themed episodes!
Friday
December 2021
COMMENTS
Written by Ian Thomas Malone, Posted in Blog, Podcast
We are continuing our Bass/Rankin coverage with the 1968 classic The Little Drummer Boy. Aaron starts off our story as a misanthropic troubadour performing for an audience of none, only to be changed by the healing power of laughter after pounding his drum until a newborn baby saved his lamb. Ian isn’t sure what to make of her affection for Ben Haramad, the closest thing the special has to a villain who isn’t driving a chariot in the middle of the night.
Be sure to check out all of our holiday-themed episodes!
Thursday
December 2021
COMMENTS
Written by Ian Thomas Malone, Posted in Blog, Podcast
Holiday coverage continues! Join Ian as she unpacks the trainwreck known as Rudolph’s Shiny New Year, where everyone’s favorite bullied reindeer is tasked with saving time itself. From the Archipelago of Last Years to Eon the Terrible, nothing here makes any sense. The people in power continue to pick on young children, presenting the sensible question of whether time should be saved.
Be sure to check out our episode from last year covering the original Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer special: https://ianthomasmalone.podbean.com/e/rudolph-a-transgender-perspective/
Monday
December 2021
COMMENTS
Written by Ian Thomas Malone, Posted in Podcast
Our holiday coverage continues! Ian & Tara talk about the 2008 TV special, A Muppet Christmas: Letters to Santa, currently available on Disney+. With strong writing, music from The Muppet Christmas Carol lyricist Paul Williams, and fun celebrity cameos from Uma Thurman, Jesse L. Martin, Whoopi Goldberg, and Nathan Lane, Letters to Santa is a very entertaining way to get into the Christmas spirit.
Be sure to check out all of our holiday-themed episodes! If you’ve enjoyed EI this year, please consider leaving us a review.
Friday
December 2021
COMMENTS
Written by Ian Thomas Malone, Posted in Podcast
When a cold wind blows it chills you, chills you to the bone! Ian is joined by her sister Barbara “Bibble” Malone for an episode dedicated to the definitive holiday classic. Born out of tragedy after the losses of Jim Henson & Richard Hunt, the Muppet troupe banded together to produce one of their finest works. From Michael Caine’s iconic performance to Paul Williams’ chilling music, The Muppet Christmas Carol is perfect on just about every level, as long as you’re watching a cut that contains “The Love is Gone.”
Ian’s review of the film: https://ianthomasmalone.com/2019/12/the-muppet-christmas-carol-is-the-definitive-christmas-classic/
Thursday
December 2021
COMMENTS
Written by Ian Thomas Malone, Posted in Podcast
We are delighted to kick off our holiday coverage with Archie Kao, star of the new film Christmas at the Ranch from Tello Films. Archie is also known to international audiences for his roles on shows such as Power Rangers: Lost Galaxy, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and Chicago P.D.
Archie & Ian talk about Christmas at the Ranch’s thoroughly inclusive LGBTQ narrative, Archie’s experiences making the film, and an extended conversation on Lost Galaxy bound to delight fans of our Power Rangers coverage. Christmas at the Ranch is a great addition to the holiday genre, perfect for a cozy weekend afternoon.
You can learn more about Christmas at the Ranch here: https://www.tellofilms.com/products/christmas-at-the-ranch
Ian’s review of the film: https://ianthomasmalone.com/2021/12/christmas-at-the-ranch-brings-an-inclusive-touch-to-the-holiday-genre/
Christmas at the Ranch still/poster courtesy of Christin Baker/Tello Films.
Power Rangers: Lost Galaxy still courtesy of Saban Films.
Monday
October 2021
COMMENTS
Written by Ian Thomas Malone, Posted in Blog, Podcast
We are back in Westeros! Jim McGeehin returns to the show for a wide-ranging discussion on Storm’s End, the Stormlands, and the region’s significance within ASOIAF. George R.R. Martin’s worldbuilding is so rich that we can do an entire podcast episode about a mundane topic with relatively little bearing on the overall narrative. Lots of talk on Robert’s Rebellion, The War of the Five Kings, and (f)Aegon’s upcoming plans.
You can follow Jim on Twitter @JM_SLAL, on Tumblr, and on his YouTube page
Jim’s last appearance on the show: https://ianthomasmalone.podbean.com/e/stannis-baratheon-in-the-north/
Be sure to check out all of our other ASOIAF/Game of Thrones episodes.
Map of the Stormlands courtesy of HBO.
Tuesday
October 2021
COMMENTS
Written by Ian Thomas Malone, Posted in Blog, Podcast
It’s morphin time! Grab your spandex and your zord, it’s time for an in-depth look at one at a pivotal piece of 90s popular culture. Ian and special guest Colin George-Babb explore the first season, full of iconic monsters and the tropes that have come to define the series in the decades since its premiere. Ian and Colin discuss the origins of the series and what they love about this fabulous first season.
No putties were hurt in the making of this episode!
You can follow Colin at gokaiburakku
Thursday
October 2021
COMMENTS
Written by Ian Thomas Malone, Posted in Blog, Podcast
The Reign of X is upon us! Ian and special guest Ed Carroll try to cover the wide range from House of X #1 through Inferno #1 in one hour. This episode is designed to be a “local comic book shop” style chat about the Krakoan era, what worked and what hasn’t worked, and some predictions for the end of Jonathan Hickman’s iconic run.
Spoiler warnings: Inferno #1 is discussed. Knowledge of all the various X books is definitely not required.
For more of Ed, follow him on Twitter @EdRevelator34
Ed’s previous EI appearance: https://ianthomasmalone.podbean.com/e/crisis-on-infinite-earths-1579289163/
Inferno #1 cover courtesy of Marvel Comics.
Sunday
September 2021
COMMENTS
Written by Ian Thomas Malone, Posted in Blog, Podcast
We are back in Angel Grove. Joined by special guest Kennedy Cooper for an in-depth discussion of one of the weirdest seasons in Power Rangers history. Upgrading the Dinozords to the Thunderzords rendered much of the “Zyuranger 2” zord footage unusable, instead spliced together often with mixed results.
Season two featured plenty of great two-part gems, including the iconic “White Light,” which introduced the White Ranger. This season marked the departure of original rangers Jason, Zack, and Trini to a years-long “peace conference.” Ian & Kennedy discuss of all that and more in this jam-packed episode.
Kennedy cohosts a Super Sentai/Power Rangers podcast called the Sentai Truther Club, which is highly recommended listening. You can check it out here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sentai-truther-club/id1527939510 (also available wherever you get your podcasts)
You can also follow them on Twitter @kennedytcooper
Entertainment & LGBTQ Issues show hosted by Ian Thomas Malone (@ianthomasmalone)
Our holiday coverage continues with an ITM personal favorite, and not just because she bore a resemblance to the boy as a young child. The Snowman is a beautifully animated special that tugs at all the right heartstrings. Ian unpacks her relationship to the special and its themes.
Note: Ian spends the first five minutes talking about EI’s 200th episode milestone. Listeners looking just for Snowman are recommended to skip the first few minutes. Happy holidays everyone!
