Mr. Mercedes

After taking a quick (and bleak) detour with the macabre Revival, Stephen King returned to the characters he introduced in 2014’s Mr. Mercedes with 2015’s Finders Keepers. The second in a trilogy of novels about aging detective Bill Hodges, Finders Keepers follows a young boy whose discovery of a trunk filled with cash (and moleskin notebooks) puts him in the crosshairs of a psychopathic bookworm. In this episode of The Losers’ Club, hosts Randall Colburn, Jenn Adams, Rachel Reeves, and Ashley Casseday slip on their pocket protectors and duct-taped specs to discuss King’s return to the obsessed fan archetype. Along the way, they touch on parasocial fandom, rare book dealers, butts, and whether the story even needs Hodges and co.

19 Heinä 20243h

Today, we’re unlocking our debut episode of the Dark Tower Detour, our Patreon-exclusive series that studies the minutiae of Roland Deschain’s epic quest. Hosted by Dan Pfleegor and Dan Caffrey, this exclusive series covers a range of topics that interest those who remember the face of their father. No character is too small. No detail too obscure. This kickoff episode -- recorded in September 2021 -- sees the Dans joined by Kingslingers co-hosts Scott Daly and Matt Freeman. Together, this blessed ka-tet bring its expertise to the ill-fated Battle of Jericho Hill, a tragic bloodbath mentioned in passing across several installments of the series.If you recall, the event was finally explored in full during a five-issue Marvel comic book run that ran from December 2009 to April 2010. Using that as a stepping stone, your heroes will examine the minds behind these comics, break down the belligerents on either side of the battle, and discuss the canonical significance of the Horn of Eld in this world and others.If you like this episode, you can find more installments of the Dark Tower Detour, including our latest episode that studies the similarities between The Dark Tower and The Lord of the Rings, by joining The Barrens: patreon.com/thebarrens, In addition to the Detour, we have close to a thousand hours of content waiting to be unpacked. Not to mention a whole Discord community of Constant Readers just like you. Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon

12 Heinä 20241h 47min

In 2014, Stephen King took a turn toward the macabre with Revival. A sprawling opus about the intersection between faith and science, the novel has since become a favorite amongst Constant Readers, who all consider it to be one of his modern masterpieces with an ending that haunts you forever. Today, the Losers step up and prepare to be healed by Minister Charles Jacobs as they discuss the unnerving novel. Together, they weigh in on the themes, how they relate to King's own beliefs in god and the afterlife, and whether or not this is the most harrowing ending King has put to paper.Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon

28 Kesä 20243h

The Losers once again find themselves in Hell where they're surrounded by the most scorching Stephen King hot takes they've read to date. Yes, we're back with another installment of Firestarters. For context, this feature sees the Club sift through hot takes submitted by their patrons -- Constant Readers just like you! Each one is classified as mild, medium, or hot, and, let's just say, you're gonna need some milk as this episode rolls on. Want to submit a hot take next time around? Become a member of The Barrens at patreon.com/thebarrensFollow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon

21 Kesä 20241h 40min

As Constant Readers, we love to wander through King's Dominion, whether it's down the main street of Castle Rock or through the barrens outside of Derry. But Sharon Kitchens actually followed the footsteps of Stephen King, and she lived to tell the tale. Well, she lived to write the book! It's called Stephen King's Maine: A History & Guide, and it's an essential tome for Constant Readers. Today, Sharon joins Losers' Club co-host Michael Roffman to discuss how she put together this incredibly rich read and shares her 10 favorite King spots ... all of which you can visit in real life.Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon

14 Kesä 20241h 15min

To celebrate the release of King’s latest shortest story collection You Like It Darker, we’re unlocking our premiere episode of The Stephen King Archives, our Patreon exclusive imprint in which your Losers search the vault of Stephen King material – dusting off unpublished short stories, long-forgotten interviews, coffee-stained manuscripts, and alternate versions of your favorite tales.This particular episode, recorded in 2021, zeroes in on King’s earliest stories – his roots, if you will – 1956’s "Jhonathan and the Witchs" 1963’s The Aftermath, and 1965’s "I Was a Teenage Grave Robber". What are these stories? Where did they come from? Listen ahead as Losers Randall Colburn, Jenn Adams, and myself parse through these early, early works. And to help us out, we even consulted the one and only Bev Vincent. And, as you’ll hear, the writer and noted King scholar had much to say on these works.But if you want more of the Archives series, rest assured, we have several installments from over the years, including a brand new entry about the ways King’s short stories have evolved from inception to collections, and that episode features another King historian in Bryant Burnette. To get that episode, you can join us in The Barrens at patreon.com/thebarrens, where we have close to a thousand hours of content just waiting for you. Not to mention a whole Discord community of Constant Readers just like you. And, not to mention, our latest book episode on You Like It Darker. Win, win.Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon

7 Kesä 20241h 53min

Losers Randall, Justin, and Jenn are joined by LC OG Wolfman Mac (Halloweenies) to talk the latest developments in King's Dominion. That includes the news that Hollywood Hunk Glen Powell will star in Edgar Wright's The Running Man, Neon picking up Oz Perkins' adaptation of The Monkey, and Francis Lawrence's The Long Walk heading into production this summer. They also check in on King's recent online antics, like his bizarre claim that he was never a Neil Young fan and his new friendship with Ice T, which leads to a meditation on the divergent paths of devoted posters in old age (and dramatic readings of Ice T's best tweets). Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon

31 Touko 20242h 6min

Today we're unlocking our "book episode" on Stephen King's e-book Finn. This was recorded in 2022 and is being unleashed today to celebrate the story being collected in his latest book: You Like It Darker. So, if you're reading that collection and you'd like to hear our thoughts on all 12 stories... good news. We have a full book episode already available in The Barrens (Patreon): www.patreon.com/thebarrens. In addition to that episode, you'll unlock hundreds hours of exclusive content that includes episodes of The Stephen King Archives, our Dark Tower Detour series, dozens of Ka-mmentary tracks for your favorite King flicks, all of our Lobstrosities episodes clawing through those silly King sequels, plus spinoffs like The Soul's Midnight, Talkin' Hawkins, and CrichtonCast. Not to mention, dozens upon dozens of locked episodes and one-offs, including a 24-7 Discord community featuring Constant Listeners just like you!Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon

24 Touko 202459min