Episode 004: Crackerjack

Enjoying the podcast? Please consider becoming a patron of the show's official Patreon: https://patreon.com/theseantcollins Gretchen and Sean return to discuss the mysteries of faith explored in the climactic Little House on the Prairie episode "He Was Only Twelve (Part 2)." Yes, you read that right. (from Little House on the Prairie Season 8, Episode 22: "He Was Only Twelve (Part 2)," written and directed by Michael Landon) Gretchen's Patreon: https://patreon.com/scumbelievable Gretchen's Twitter: https://twitter.com/scumbelievable Sean and Cut to Black's Patreon: https://patreon.com/theseantcollins Sean's twitter: https://twitter.com/theseantcollins

Enjoying the podcast? Please consider a pledge to Sean's Patreon, now the OFFICIAL Patreon of Cut to Black, to help keep the show afloat: https://patreon.com/theseantcollins In this episode, Gretchen and Sean discuss John C. Reilly's remarkable performance as the titular manchild in Tim & Eric's Check It Out! With Dr. Steve Brule. (from Check It Out! 1x05: "Fear," w: Tim Heidecker, Eric Wareheim, and John C. Reilly, d: Tim Heidecker, Eric Wareheim, and Jonathan Krisel) Sean's Vulture piece on John C. Reilly in Check It Out!: https://www.vulture.com/2016/07/john-reilly-dr-steve-brule-best-comedic-performances.html Sean's Twitter: https://twitter.com/theseantcollins Gretchen's Twitter: https://twitter.com/scumbelievable Gretchen's Patreon: https://twitter.com/scumbelievable

Gretchen and Sean discuss the monsters of Channel Zero, Nick Antosca's near-peerless horror anthology series. (from Channel Zero: Candle Cove, d. Craig William Macneill; Channel Zero: No-End House, d. Steven Piet; Channel Zero: Butcher's Block, d. Arkasha Stevenson; Channel Zero: The Dream Door, d. E.L. Katz) Gretchen's Patreon: https://patreon.com/scumbelievable Gretchen's Twitter: https://twitter.com/scumbelievable Sean's Patreon: https://patreon.com/theseantcollins Sean's Twitter: https://twitter.com/theseantcollins Sean's interview with Nick Antosca: https://www.polygon.com/2019/1/3/18164746/channel-zero-nick-antosca-interview-syfy-horror-show

Gretchen and Sean remember the life and career of Michael K. Williams, star of The Wire and Boardwalk Empire. (excerpt from Boardwalk Empire 1x04, "Anastasia," w. Lawrence Konner & Margaret Nagle, d. Jeremy Podeswa) Gretchen's Patreon: https://patreon.com/scumbelievable Gretchen's Twitter: https://twitter.com/scumbelievable Sean's Patreon: https://patreon.com/theseantcollins Sean's Twitter: https://twitter.com/theseantcollins

Gretchen and Sean discuss the bombastically surreal "International Assassin" episode from The Leftovers, with digressions on critical groupthink and the need to accept the mystery. (from The Leftovers 2x08, "International Assassin," w: Damon Lindelof & Nick Cuse, d: Craig Zobel) Sean's Twitter Sean's Patreon Gretchen's Twitter Gretchen's Patreon

Gretchen and Sean discuss Michael Sheen's extraordinary performance as the deeply troubled sportscaster Caspian Wint in the HBO mockumentary 7 Days in Hell as they attempt to answer the eternal question: Comedy—threat or menace? Sean's twitter Sean's Patreon Gretchen's twitter Gretchen's Patreon Note: This film's writer has been accused of rape. In this episode we neither discuss him nor mention him by name, and we stand with and believe the survivors without qualification.

"It occurred to me: The basis of fiction is that people have some sort of connection with each other, but they don't." —Richard Harrow, Boardwalk Empire  Sean and Gretchen discuss their favorite line of dialogue of all time and its ramifications for Boardwalk Empire, Game of Thrones, Twin Peaks, Deadwood, and beyond. (from Boardwalk Empire 1x07, "Home," w: Tim Van Patten & Paul Simms / d: Allen Coulter) Sean's twitter Sean's Patreon Gretchen's twitter Gretchen's Patreon