Should old pop culture be forgot and never brought to mind? Certainly not! That’s why Shannon, Courtenay, and Andrew have come together this week to bring you a recap of the biggest pop culture moments from 2018. Happy New Year, everyone!

Happy Holidays from all of us here at Pop Culture Footnotes! To celebrate, we’re covering a longtime holiday pop culture favorite: Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker. Yeah, we covered a ballet. We classy like that.

Buffalo gals, won’t you come out tonight and dance by the light we shed on Christmas classic, It’s a Wonderful Life? Join Courtenay, Shannon, and this week’s guest Andrew as we dive into what makes this movie such an iconic part of the holidays.

In every pod that must be done, there is an element of fun. And finding that fun was a snap this week, thanks to special guest Shannon (not to be confused with Shannon Prime, our regular co-host). Join Courtenay and Shannon Squared as we explain everything you need to know about Mary Poppins before the new movie comes out this weekend!…

We’re getting ready for the release of Mary Queen of Scots this month with a little history refresh. What was the deal with that king with all the wives? Are Bloody Mary and Mary Queen of Scots the same person? Is Elizabeth I officially our hero? Let us be your Tudor tutors, with answers to all this and more on this week’s episode!…

It’s a bright cold day in December and the clocks are striking…one, I guess. With the recent elections and all the politics talk, we figured the time was right to cover the oft-referenced George Orwell classic, 1984. Enjoy!

We at Pop Culture Footnotes have so much to be thankful for this year, so we are keeping up with our now-yearly tradition of hosting a Thank Party to celebrate the pop culture-related stuff we’re grateful for. And while we’re on the subject of thanks, we wanted to say thank you again to all of our many contributors from the past year (many of w ...…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/11/episode-64_rocky.mp3 Yo Adrian! It’s a PCF double feature this weekend. First up, we have Brittney on to discuss the Rocky franchise with us! Cue listening to “Eye of the Tiger” on repeat.

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/11/episode-63_queen.mp3 We are the Footnotes, my friend! Don’t stop us now because Courtenay, Shannon, and guest David Stauffer are going to “take you out tonight” with some facts and info about everybody’s favorite ’80s rock band, Queen. Come join us on this bicycle race and we will rock you ...…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/11/episode-62_hocus-pocus.mp3 Sorry about the late upload this week! But if you’re like us, and want to make Halloween stretch as long into November as possible, we’ve got just the thing for you: this recap of Halloween classic Hocus Pocus. Shannon and Courtenay run amok, amok, amok, amok and ...…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/10/episode-61_bleh-real-vampires.mp3 Ve vant to suck your blood! In part two of our Tana double header, the PCF crew discusses that age old question: “What makes a vampire a vampire?” Can they handle direct sunlight? Are they susceptible to stakes, garlic, and/or decapitation? We try to get t ...…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/10/episode-60_john-carpenter.mp3 Double feature with Tana this weekend! This episode, we’re celebrating the spookiest of holidays by talking about legendary filmmaker John Carpenter—creator of horror classics like Halloween and The Thing. OOOoooooooOOOO!…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/10/episode-59_space.mp3 Join us for this very special episode, in which Shannon and our guest, Whitney, indulge Courtenay’s taste for all things NASA! Be sure to listen so you know what’s up before you go see First Man this weekend!

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/10/episode-58_roald-dahl.mp3 In this new episode, we’re joined by our resident children’s literature expert Heidi to talk about children’s author Roald Dahl. We discuss the life, work, and impact of this great man and share some of our top favorite moments from his books.…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/10/episode-57_hamlet.mp3 To be or not to be? That is the question—at least according to William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. This week, we’re joined by Erin to discuss the tragedy of the Prince of Denmark, as well as notable adaptations, parodies, and references.…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/09/episode-56_survivor.mp3 What happens when you strand 15 or 16 people on a beach with few to no resources and make them compete for a million dollars? Reality TV gold, that’s what. Join Courtenay, Shannon, and our guest Genevieve as we discuss the grandpappy of all reality shows, CBS’ Survivor!…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/09/episode-55_the-emmys-2018.mp3 New episode! This week, Courtenay and Shannon talk about the Emmys. We explain how the awards work, who the major nominees are this year, and who we think will win. Place your bets now!

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/09/episode-54_snl.mp3 We’re sorry about the delay this week. We took a little break for Labor Day weekend, but that just means you get two episodes this weekend, right? Join Courtenay, Shannon, and Lenore this week as we discuss the longest running variety TV show ever: Saturday Night Live. I ...…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/episode-53_the-simpsons.mp3 This week, Courtenay, Shannon, and guest Andrew bring you an extra long episode of Pop Culture Footnotes! Is an hour and a half long enough to cover everything you need to know about The Simpsons? No. Not even close. But we do go over the top 10 episodes of all ...…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/episode-52_2001-a-space-odyssey.mp3 Happy birthday to us! To celebrate the 1 year anniversary of Pop Culture Footnotes this week, Shannon, Courtenay, and guest Andrew sit down and talk about one of the most heavily referenced films of all time. That right. It’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. Liste ...…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/episode-51_hamilton-part-2.mp3 Who lives, who dies, who tells the story of Hamilton? PCF does, of course. Join Shannon and Courtenay as we continue our discussion of Broadway musical, Hamilton. We finish off the plot, discuss cultural impact of the play, and more. Check it out, and be sure ...…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/episode-50_hamilton-part-1.mp3 Tune in this week as we explain the finer points of one of today’s most popular Broadway musicals: Hamilton! Shannon explains the plot and shares background info about the play, and we get to listen to some awesome music. Plus, Shannon shares her rap skills w ...…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/episode-49_the-x-files.mp3 We want to believe…that this is one of our best episodes yet! We are thrilled to have Tana back this week as we discuss a favorite show of nerds everywhere: The X Files. Tana guides us through five different episodes and fills us in on everything you need to know ...…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/episode-48_abba-mamma-mia.mp3 Honey, honey, how this episode thrills us! In case you missed it, Mamma Mia 2 came out earlier this week. So we are so excited to have Tana back this episode to talk to us about ABBA, jukebox musical (and movie) Mamma Mia, and cover groups. Is Pierce Brosnan’s ...…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/episode-47_marie-antoinette.mp3 Happy Bastille Day! Courtenay and Shannon are celebrating this the Frenchest of holidays by talking about Sophia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette. Is this movie as good/bad as fans/detractors claim? Find out here!

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/episode-46_the-sharkies.mp3 Ever wondered which shark movie has the best shark attack? Which one features the most improbable escape from a shark? We really sink our teeth into it as Courtenay, Shannon, and guest Brittney get ready for Shark Week, marrying two of Shannon’s greatest loves: ...…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/episode-45_independence-day.mp3 Happy 4th of July from all of us at Pop Culture Footnotes! What better way to celebrate Independence Day the holiday than to sit down and talk about Independence Day the movie? Join Courtenay, Shannon, and our guest, Alex, as we discuss plot, memorable scene ...…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/06/episode-44_casablanca1.mp3 Refugees, #resistance, and Nazis—oh my! No, it’s not today’s headline. It’s 1944 “Best Picture” winner, Casablanca! Join Courtenay and Shannon as they discuss one of the greatest films ever made, including quotable lines, memorable scenes, and the movie’s influen ...…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/06/episode-43_jurassic-park.mp3 Before you go see Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom this weekend, get geared up with our recap of the original trilogy and the reboot (thus far). Join Courtenay, Shannon, and our friend Whitney as we cover plot, the most heavily quoted lines, and the meme-iest of ...…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/06/episode-42_the-ultimate-pixar-showdown.mp3 What’s the best Pixar movie of all time? That’s what Courtenay, Shannon, and guest Derrick intend to discover this week. We go through our ultimate Pixar bracket match-up by match-up, weighing originality, story quality, moral lessons, and general ...…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/06/episode-41_the-beatles-part-2.mp3 Our apologies for posting late this week! Courtenay spaced it and thought she hit “Publish.” Turns out she didn’t. ¯\_(?)_/¯ This week, we’re excited to have our friend Karla back to wrap up our discussion of the Beatles. We talk about everything from Magi ...…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/episode-40_top-war-movies.mp3 In honor of Memorial Day, we sat down with our friend Lenore to discuss our personal top five war movies. We’d like to share our appreciation for all those who have laid down their lives to defend freedom and the rights of mankind around the world. While we ar ...…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/episode-39_oceans-eleven.mp3 This week on Pop Culture Footnotes, Courtenay and Shannon get geared up for the release of Ocean’s Eight by discussing the rest of the Ocean’s franchise. We talk about the original Rat Pack film and how it differs from the recent Ocean’s trilogy. Plus, Shannon ...…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/episode-38_ian-fleming.mp3 This week, we explore Ian Fleming, the man turned spy turned novelist. Join us as Courtenay attempts to stump Shannon with Ian Fleming trivia and we talk about the fascinating details of the man who created the most most widely recognized spy franchise of all tim ...…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/episode-37_the-english-patient.mp3 Join Courtenay, Shannon, and special guest Jenn as we dive into The English Patient this week. We discuss both the book and the film, contemplate the overall skeeziness of all the characters, and generally ponder the question: “How in the heck did this mo ...…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/episode-36_to-kill-a-mockingbird.mp3 Happy Birthday, Harper Lee! We’re celebrating by discussing one of the greatest American novels ever written: To Kill a Mockingbird. Join Courtenay, Shannon, and special guest Whitney as we discuss the plot of the novel and its sequel, Go Set a Watchman ...…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/episode-35_marvel-phase-3.mp3 Avengers: Infinity War comes out this week, and the excitement in the air is palpable here at PCF. Join Courtenay and Shannon as we have Andrew back to discuss the third and final phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. WARNING: this episode contains spoilers ...…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/episode-34_peter-pan.mp3 It’s a two-for-one week at Pop Culture Footnotes! This time, Heidi returns to join Courtenay and Shannon in celebrating the birthday of renowned children’s author J.M. Barrie. We discuss his most famous work, Peter Pan, as well as some of our favorite and (in Court ...…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/episode-33_the-beatles-part-1.mp3 What would you do if we sang out of tune? Sorry about the hiatus last week, folks. We had to take advantage of the lovely spring weather and get out for a bit. The good news is that we’re back this week with not one, but TWO new episodes! This episode, we’ ...…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/episode-32_marvel-phase-2.mp3 We’re only a few weeks away from the release of Avengers: Infinity War! Time to get excited with this episode of PCF, where we discuss Phase 2 of the MCU with special guest, Andrew. Avengers, assemble!

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/episode-31_wes-anderson.mp3 To celebrate the release of Isle of Dogs this week, we’re delivering everything you need to know about iconic director Wes Anderson. Join Courtenay, Shannon, and this week’s guest Mindy as we go over all Wes’ films and tell you what they’re all about, with a par ...…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/episode-30_the-departed.mp3 Sorry for the delay this week! We were experiencing some technical difficulties, which took some extra time to sort through. Thanks for your patience! Anyway, join Courtenay, Shannon, and special guest Brett as we parse through Martin Scorsese’s masterpiece, The ...…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/episode-29_tomb-raider.mp3 Join us this week as Courtenay, Shannon, and our guest, Mikayla, talk Tomb Raider. We forced ourselves to watch the old movies in preparation for the new Tomb Raider movie coming out this week—all so you wouldn’t have to. You’re so lucky we care about you so much ...…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/episode-28_a-wrinkle-in-time.mp3 There is such a thing as a tesseract. Get ready for the film release of A Wrinkle in Time with Courtenay, Shannon, and special guest Heidi. We discuss author Madeleine L’Engle’s life, the plot of the book, it’s influence and themes, and what makes A Wrinkle ...…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/episode-27_pcf-oscar-picks-2018.mp3 This week, Shannon has a particular set of skills; skills she has acquired over a very long period. Skills that make her a nightmare for office Oscar pools everywhere. And she’s putting her particular set of skills to good use this week, filling us in on ...…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/episode-26_marvel-phase-1.mp3 It’s still February, but we at Pop Culture Footnotes are already getting excited about Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War. Join Courtenay, Shannon, and special guest Andrew as we discuss the first six additions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, commonly referred ...…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/episode-25_nora-ephron.mp3 It’s Valentine’s Day, and love is in the air. Join Courtenay, Shannon, and Tana as we discuss the Queen of Romantic Comedy herself, Nora Ephron. We go over our three favorite Ephron movies (When Harry Met Sally Sleepless in Seattle, and You’ve Got Mail) and Ephro ...…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/episode-24_best-picture-nominee-recaps-2018.mp3 The nominees have been announced and the Oscars campaigning has begun—it’s Shannon’s favorite time of the year! So if you’re like most people and didn’t get the chance to see all nine of the films nominated for Best Picture this year, we’ve g ...…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/01/episode-23_harry-potter-part-4.mp3 It’s the end of our Harry Potter rampage! Join us as we go over plot for the final installment in the HP series and discuss how the Harry Potter phenomenon has affected pop culture in the 10+ years since the last book came out. We also promised to share t ...…

https://popculturefootnotes.files.wordpress.com/2018/01/episode-22_harry-potter-part-3.mp3 Welcome back to our Harry Potter spree! This episode, we talk about Books 6 and 7….Haha, just kidding! We spent a whole hour just talking about Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Rest assured, we have taken Courtenay’s mic away from her for a while. ...…