Best Lise MacTague Podcasts (2024)

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Episode 146: Spear by Nicola Griffith 52:54

1+ y ago52:54

52:54

Andi and Lise discuss and deeply appreciate multiple award-winning spec fic writer Nicola Griffith’s novel Spear (current Nebula finalist!)—a queer Arthurian story that will bring you right into the era from a perspective you didn’t know you absolutely needed. If, like them, you grew up on Arthurian/Camelot stories, Spear is like coming home to the…

1
Episode 145: The Last of Us: One and Done/Fun 51:45

1+ y ago51:45

51:45

Andi and Lise jumped into the current zeitgeist and watched the first episode of the first season of The Last of Us on HBO Max, the TV series adapted from the video game of the same name (by Naughty Dog and Sony Interactive Entertainment, released in 2013). The storyline involves a post-apocalyptic U.S. in which survivors live in totalitarian walle…

1
Rerun Episode 124: A Conversation with Karin Kallmaker 1:03:20

1+ y ago1:03:20

1:03:20

Lise is laid up this week and can’t get the latest episode edited and uploaded. While she recovers, please enjoy this conversation with Karin Kallmaker.By lisemactague

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Episode 144: Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home: Does it Hold up? 50:01

1+ y ago50:01

50:01

Andi and Lise watched the 1986 film Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (the whale movie!) to determine if it holds up after all these years. Here, the Star Trek crew has to save Earth from destruction by an alien probe. To do that, they need…whales. Trust us on this! It’s a great plot device! Unfortunately, whales have been extinct for centuries. So the…

1
Episode 143: Wednesday, Season 1 54:21

1+ y ago54:21

54:21

Andi and Lise rave about season 1 of the Netflix series Wednesday, which follows Wednesday Addams (a fabulous Jenna Ortega) of the iconic Addams family as she’s expelled from yet another high school and ends up at Nevermore Academy, a school for paranormal misfits where her parents first met. While there, Wednesday navigates tensions with the nearb…

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Episode 142: A Pale Light in the Black, by K.B. Wagers 51:06

2y ago51:06

51:06

Andi and Lise loved K.B. Wagers’ A Pale Light in the Black, the first installment of Wagers’ NeoG series. A fast-paced, diverse character-driven space opera meets sports story meets mystery with some of their fave elements: strong diverse characters with issues we can all relate to; space opera adventure; found family; sporting competition; creepy …

1
Episode 141: National Treasure: Edge of History: One and Done/Fun 40:51

2y ago40:51

40:51

In this episode, Andi Marquette and Lise MacTague discuss the first episode of Disney Plus’ new series National Treasure: Edge of History, based on the movies but starring a different cast with interesting takes on the characters and some of the issues they’re dealing with. Like the movies, this is a quest-themed movie that Andi likens to watching …

1
Episode 140: What’s up in 2023! 54:46

2y ago54:46

54:46

Andi and Lise chat about the changing of the year, taking stock, calendars, and a few of the things they’re looking forward to in terms of books, TV shows, and games, and also their dreams to win powerball and fund game studios. Lise: Tears of the Kingdom, the next Legend of Zelda game, available in May K.B. Wagers’ 2023 and 3rd installment in thei…

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Episode 139: HoliGAY Movies 55:25

2y ago55:25

55:25

For this, the last show of 2022, Andi and Lise watched some LGBTQ Holiday (Christmas) movies based on a list published by Cosmopolitan Magazine (we know. We were all “WHAT?” too). They chat about the movies they saw, and throw out some other recommendations (also on the list). And also, Happy Holidays to all y’all! Cosmopolitan list of LGBTQ movies…

1
Episode 138: The Tangleroot Palace: Stories by Marjorie Liu 54:57

2y ago54:57

54:57

Andi and Lise loved this collection of self-curated short stories (plus one novella) by majorly award-winning spec fic writer Marjorie Liu. These stories represent a collection from roughly 2009 until more recently, and span a range of spec fic genres, including paranormal, post-apocalyptic, fairy tale, superhero, and steampunk. Liu writes multi-la…

1
Episode 137: WTAF 46:43

2y ago46:43

46:43

Andi and Lise spent some time trying to process the recent mass shooting at Club Q, an LGBTQ+ club in Colorado Springs, Colorado. They’re angry, devastated, and horrified. Sometimes, in order to find some support, you need to reach out and talk/vent and claim some space for yourself to do that. We hope that you’re able to do the same—to reach out t…

1
Episode 136: She-Hulk: Attorney at Law: One and Done/Fun 31:36

2y ago31:36

31:36

This week, Andi and Lise are doing a new kind of segment, in which they watch one episode (generally the first) of a series and determine if it’s One and Done (won’t watch anymore) or One and Fun, in which case they’re willing to go on and watch more episodes. They’re starting with the 2022 Marvel series She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, available on Disn…

1
Episode 135: The Nightmare before Christmas: Does it Hold up? 56:20

2y ago56:20

56:20

This week, Andi and Lise discuss the 1993 animated Tim Burton musical film, The Nightmare before Christmas (one of Lise’s faves). This film was nominated for an Oscar but lost out to Jurassic Park that year. Here, Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King and linchpin of Halloween, is searching for something more and ends up trying to replicate Christmas,…

1
Episode 134: Paper Girls (TV Series) 57:34

2y ago57:34

57:34

Andi and Lise are finally back! YAY! And they wanted to rave about the series Paper Girls (2022), first season available on Amazon Prime. This is adapted from the comic series written by Brian Vaughn and illustrated by Cliff Chiang. The story is about four young teen girls who are paper delivery girls in the Midwest in 1988. One morning, after Hall…

1
Rerun Episode 52: Interview with Kameron Hurley 1:00:43

2y ago1:00:43

1:00:43

As Lise and Andi dig out from the terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad couple of weeks they’ve had, please enjoy this rerun of one of their favorite episodes. They had a fantastic time geeking out with fabulous sci-fi author Kameron Hurley. Back next week, promise!By lisemactague

1
Episode 133: Dr. Who and the 13th Doctor 50:47

2y ago50:47

50:47

This week, Andi can’t make it, so Lise talks to one of her friends about the British sci-fi television show Dr. Who. Nyssa (AKA Feverwood), a Dr. Who superfan, regales Lise with all the reasons why Dr. Who, in general, is a fantastic show, and why the thirteenth Doctor, in particular is so wonderful. Along the way, Nyssa recommends the podcasts Ver…

1
Rerun Episode 23: Paper Girls 21:33

2y ago21:33

21:33

Lise and Andi had too much come up and weren’t able to record this week. They’ll be back next time, but for now, enjoy this rerun episode of Paper Girls, an awesome graphic novel series we loved, and a hint about the topic for the next episode.By lisemactague

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Episode 132: Everything Everywhere All at Once 59:52

2y ago59:52

59:52

Andi and Lise really enjoyed this movie starring Michelle Yeoh that explores various themes around the idea of connection and finding meaning in our lives against the backdrop of the multiverse, absurdist comedy, action adventure, and moments of poignancy. Here, Yeoh plays Evelyn Wang, who lives above the laundromat she and her husband own. They’re…

1
Episode 130: The Realities of Writing 56:37

2+ y ago56:37

56:37

Andi and Lise talk about the writing life, and a bit about what’s involved if you decide to “go professional” with your writing. How does that change your creativity? What does it mean for you if you decide to go professional and get published? What do writers have to think about should they decide to go the publishing route? Andi and Lise address …

1
Episode 129: A Dark and Starless Forest by Sarah Hollowell 49:25

2+ y ago49:25

49:25

Andi and Lise really, really enjoyed author Sarah Hollowell’s Locus-nominated YA fantasy, A Dark and Starless Forest (2021), which deals with a group of young women and girls, each with specific magical gifts, who are cloistered in a house near a mysterious forest, overseen by a man whose true motivations are suspect. Told from the POV of one of th…

1
Episode 128: The Fifth Element: Does it Hold up? 48:04

2+ y ago48:04

48:04

Andi and Lise dive into the 1997 dystopic sci fi film The Fifth Element, with Bruce Willis, Milla Jovovich, Gary Oldman, and Chris Tucker to determine what still works (or not) 25 years after its release. They find that it holds up surprisingly well in a number of ways, but needed work in others. Still, after 25 years, it’s a visually appealing fil…

1
Episode 127: It’s Pride Season! 44:24

2+ y ago44:24

44:24

Andi and Lise talk about Pride: its origins, media representation, commercialization, and the anti-LGBTQIA stuff we are all still facing. Celebrate, commemorate, but stay safe and take care of yourselves and each other. Some reading! Pride and the history of police violence against LGBTQ communities The History of Pride: How Activists Fought to Cre…

1
Episode 126: Writing WLW Spec-Fic: A Conversation with Author Cathy Pegau 50:14

2+ y ago50:14

50:14

Andi and Lise chatted with award-winning author Cathy Pegau about her writing and publishing trajectory and about writing F/F spec fic, including her latest work, The Demon Equilibrium, a historical paranormal saga in which two women have to save the world from a demonic horde. Cathy’s website HERE Find out more about The Demon Equilibrium HERE Sho…

1
Re-run: Episode 1: D.E.B.S. 15:24

2+ y ago15:24

15:24

Lise had to spend a week driving halfway across the country and back, so she and Andi decided to flash all the way back to the beginning of Lez Geek Out! Enjoy the inaugural episode featuring the movie D.E.B.S. and they’ll be back next time.By lisemactague

1
Episode 125: Our Flag Means Death 53:28

2+ y ago53:28

53:28

Our Flag Means Death: alt-history fanfic rom-com for pirates! Andi and Lise really, really enjoyed the immensely popular first season of the HBO Max series Our Flag Means Death, which is a delightful take on the story of “Gentleman Pirate” Stede Bonnet and the legendary Blackbeard. Includes a slow-burn M/M romance, a nonbinary character (and romanc…

1
Episode 124: A Conversation with Karin Kallmaker 1:03:20

2+ y ago1:03:20

1:03:20

Andi and Lise are super-stoked to have the Queen of Lesbian Romance, Karin Kallmaker, on the show to talk about the evolution and history of F/F fiction, how it’s crossing over into “mainstream” publishing and what that means for representation, for publishing, and the F/F publishing industry that’s been here all along. Karin is a multiple award-wi…

1
Episode 123: Black Widow 48:28

2+ y ago48:28

48:28

Andi and Lise discuss the 2021 Marvel blockbuster film Black Widow, starring Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff and Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Natasha’s sister. One of the overarching themes that Andi and Lise really enjoyed is the exploration of family – what it is, what makes it, and how it can create an infrastructure in your life wheth…

1
Episode 122: All Systems Red, Book 1 of The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells 56:01

2+ y ago56:01

56:01

Andi and Lise are finally talking about the first novella, All Systems Red, in The Murderbot Diaries series by multi-award winning author Martha Wells. Told from the point-of-view of Murderbot, an autonomous security droid who has liberated themself from the control of the overarching corporate company that manufactured them, Murderbot now goes on …

1
Episode 121: Mr. and Mrs. Smith: Does it Hold up? 51:41

2+ y ago51:41

51:41

Andi and Lise unpack the 2005 spy/assassin romance movie Mr. and Mrs. Smith, starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie and determine that it holds up in some ways but not in others, particularly with regard to gender roles. But on sheer character chemistry, Jolie and Pitt are an excellent action duo. Original movie trailer HERE. IMDB info HERE. Shout-o…

1
Episode 120: Romance and Lesfic 54:22

2+ y ago54:22

54:22

Romance, Representation, and Publishing Andi and Lise discuss what’s known as the lesbian fiction publishing industry (as distinguished from “mainstream” publishers that publish LGBTQ+ fiction) and the role of books that feature romance as a main plot in the industry. They unpack the scarcity of genre fiction in lesbian fiction that isn’t romance-d…

1
Episode 119: Only Murders in the Building 50:46

2+ y ago50:46

50:46

Andi and Lise talk about Season 1 of the Hulu series Only Murders in the Building, about three different people living in one Manhattan apartment building who get drawn together as a result of a murder in the building. The three begin looking into the murder and launch a podcast. OMITB is a comedy-drama that pokes fun at true crime podcasts and pod…

1
Episode 118: Looking forward to 2022 1:03:43

3y ago1:03:43

1:03:43

Andi and Lise were joined by book reviewer and fellow podcaster Tara Scott (she/they) to chat about things they’re all looking forward to in 2022 despite the continuing pooshow that is the world. Find Tara at The Lesbian Review, Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, and Queerly Recommended. Also on Twitter, @taramdscott On the TV: Lise: animated series Lege…

1
Episode 117: The Matrix: Does it Hold up? 54:29

3y ago54:29

54:29

Andi and Lise enthusiastically re-watched the sci fi dystopic action movie The Matrix (1999) to determine how well it holds up 21 years after its release. The movie became a sensation (still is) and they’ll tell you why it still holds up in most ways and things they noticed with their 2022 perceptions (as opposed to their 1999 perceptions) that the…

1
Episode 116: Sparrow Hill Road by Seanan McGuire 54:21

3y ago54:21

54:21

Book 1 in the Ghost Roads trilogy Andi and Lise rave about this tale of paranormal urban legend with backstory and personality, in which author Seanan McGuire world-builds a context for the folklore around the hitch-hiking prom ghost/girl in the diner ghost. Here, the ghost tells her own story in a non-linear narrative: how she died, the type of gh…

1
Episode 115: The Princess Bride: Does it Hold Up? 56:15

3y ago56:15

56:15

Andi and Lise revisit the 1987 cult classic The Princess Bride, a comedy/romance/ fantasy/adventure that incorporates the story-within-a-story narrative style, in which a contemporary boy (meaning 1987) is sick at home and his grandfather stops by to read him a story, which is a fairy tale that incorporates classic quest elements. Clever story, gre…

1
Episode 114: Writing outside Your Lane 50:50

3y ago50:50

50:50

This week Andi and Lise discuss the old writing adage of “writing what you know” and how that is or is not problematic. They delve into “writing outside your lane” and writing characters who aren’t like you, and being responsible about doing that and why it’s important, and why you need to think about the lens through which you view the larger soci…

1
Episode 113: Check, Please! 1:02:01

3y ago1:02:01

1:02:01

Andi and Lise agree that this graphic novel will make your heart fill with love and warm fuzzy-ness. Check, Please! is book 1 in Ngozi Ukazu’s absolutely fabulous comic about a young southern gay man who is a figure skater who goes to college on a hockey scholarship in the Northeast. Book 1 covers his freshman and sophomore years. We absolutely LOV…

1
Re-run Episode 43: Halloween Movie Extravaganza 49:44

3y ago49:44

49:44

No new episode this time, as Lise is heading to the (hopefully not yet) frozen north for some long overdue face time with her family. Enjoy this offering of Andi and Lise’s favorite Halloween movies to tide you over to the next episode!By lisemactague

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Episode 112: Beetlejuice: Does it Hold up? 49:21

3y ago49:21

49:21

Andi and Lise discuss the 1988 Tim Burton film Beetlejuice, which has become somewhat of a cult [Halloween-ish] classic. They both agree that watching it again in current contexts made them re-think a few things and appreciate a few others, and both think this could be a candidate for a re-boot – as long as Tim Burton does it. Beetlejuice original …

1
Episode 111: Gunpowder Milkshake 56:54

3y ago56:54

56:54

Andi and Lise discuss the 2021 Netflix movie Gunpowder Milkshake, a “neon noir” and cinematographically gorgeous stylized film with a great kickass female cast (including Karen Gilland, Lena Headey, Angela Bassett, Michelle Yeoh, Carla Gugino) in a female assassin plotline. However, it’s not without a few glitches and they’ll talk about those. Rega…

1
Episode 110: Mulan: Does it Hold up? 54:30

3y ago54:30

54:30

Andi and Lise discuss the 1998 Disney animated film Mulan to determine whether it holds up after 23 years. They discuss its representation, gender, what it might have meant to different audiences, how it may have resonated with certain people, and the story it told. Note: the story of Mulan is derived from a centuries-old Chinese poem/ballad create…

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Episode 109: Cosplay: Fan-fic in 3D 1:00:05

3y ago1:00:05

1:00:05

Cosplay: Fanfic in 3-D Andi and Lise are doing something a little different in this show! Here, Andi interviews Lise about her involvement in cosplay – specifically propmaking and even more specifically, cool weaponry and armaments. Here we talk about how she got into it, some of the materials she uses, and what cosplay is all about for her and oth…

1
Episode 108: Tremors: Does it Hold up? 52:02

3y ago52:02

52:02

Andi and Lise introduce a new feature for LGO; “Does It Hold Up?” in which they look at older media and determine if it could, basically, still hold up today. Here, in the inaugural episode of the feature, they are pleasantly surprised that the 1990 creature feature flick Tremors does hold up, and also had some interesting and cool aspects for the …

1
Episode 107: Snapdragon by Kat Leyh 58:20

3y ago58:20

58:20

Andi and Lise simply LOVE the graphic novel Snapdragon by Kat Leyh (published 2020). The main character is Snapdragon (she goes by Snap), a young girl who ends up befriending the town’s alleged witch. It’s a delightful, layered story about outsiders, found family, and finding magic within yourself. POC rep, queer rep (including great butch lesbian …

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Episode 106: Viva Las Vegas! Army of the Dead! 55:56

3+ y ago55:56

55:56

Andi and Lise chat about the movie Army of the Dead (2020), a zombie heist gore-fest directed by Zach Snyder (Dawn of the Dead, 2004). That’s right, heist. A zombie outbreak has occurred in Las Vegas after a military convoy crashes and patient zero escapes into the city and the government has to build a wall all around it. A rich casino owner wants…

1
Episode 105: The Hazards of Love by Stan Stanley 55:16

3+ y ago55:16

55:16

Andi and Lise rave the hell out of this amazing first volume of Stan Stanley’s The Hazards of Love, which follows a nonbinary teen, Amparo Uribe, who ends up agreeing to a bargain with a shitty cat that allows the latter to take over the teen’s life and body and sends the now exiled teen’s spirit to Bright World, where they are a seriously marginal…

1
Episode 104: Pride and Representation 44:27

3+ y ago44:27

44:27

Pride and Representation This week, in recognition of Pride month, Andi and Lise talk about LGBTQ representation in media, including tokenism and how it intersects with queerbaiting and even bury your gays. When is tokenism “good”? When is it “bad”? Join them as they try to unravel some of this. Shout outs: Lise is stoked about an 8-episode mini-ca…

1
Episode 103: The CW’s Nancy Drew 55:44

3+ y ago55:44

55:44

Andi finally managed to convince Lise to give Season 1 of the CW’s Nancy Drew a watch and Lise did and she enjoyed it! So they talk about that season here. This is a re-imagining of Nancy Drew, which brings some diversity to the cast, some queer rep, and some excellent paranormal elements layered in with the mystery that consumes Nancy and her crew…

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Episode 101: Digital Media that Keeps Us Coming Back 1:00:51

3+ y ago1:00:51

1:00:51

This week, Andi and Lise talk about their current fave podcasts and other digital media that keeps them engaged and gets them through these times. Lise: YouTube channel Punished Props Academy, which is a how-to on awesome cosplay with Bill and Brittany Doran. Podcast Tenfold More Wicked, on Exactly Right Network. Historic true crime hosted by autho…

1
Rerun Episode 62: Booktalk 54:41

3+ y ago54:41

54:41

This week, Lise was busting her butt to get one of her cosplays gussied up so it could be entered into a competition. Andi and Lise will be back with their regularly scheduled shenanigans next time!By lisemactague

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Lise MacTague Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

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