The Monkey Movie Review

You've read the book, now watch the series! In this deep dive into the first season of Audience Network's Mr. Mercedes, Losers Randall Colburn, Justin Gerber, Ashley Casseday, and Dan Pfleegor discuss the ways in which the show improves upon the source material, how a good performance can elevate a dud character, and the cultural turmoil of the time that clearly influenced its production. Later this summer, the Losers will check in on the show’s subsequent seasons as their coverage of the trilogy continues.Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon

17 Maj 20242h 17min

After releasing The Colorado Kid and Joyland via the Hard Case Crime imprint, Stephen King made his grand debut into the world of hard-boiled crime fiction with Mr. Mercedes. The first in a trilogy, the 2014 novel introduced readers to Bill Hodges, a crusty, retired detective who finds his golden years interrupted by the taunts of a psychopathic killer he failed to apprehend. Join the Losers as they detail the book’s origins, how it differs from the author’s previous forays into crime, and the ways in which it reflects evolving societal fears about domestic terrorism. They also discuss the book’s messy vision of a post-recession America and its musings on class, second chances, and the nature of evil. It’s also one of King’s poundcakiest books, so prepare to blush.Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon

3 Maj 20243h 6min

The Losers close out April with another trip to prom with Carrie White, only this time there's no Brian De Palma, no Sissy Spacek, and no Amy Irving. Instead, they dial back to 2002, when NBC aired a new vision of Carrie that may or may not have been the backdoor pilot for a would-be TV series. Together they discuss Bryan Fuller's vision, the early aughts aesthetics, the garish CGI, Angela Bettis and Patricia Clarkson's performances, how it hews closer to the page, and more.Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon

26 Apr 20242h 29min

The Losers head to Frazier, New Hampshire to review Stephen King's novel Doctor Sleep. Together, they weigh in on the True Knot, dirty dozens of dishes with poundcake, and argue whether King should have ever burned down The Overlook Hotel. Note: This episode was recorded in Fall of 2019 and is being re-published for our chronological read through.Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon

19 Apr 20242h 59min

We interrupt our regular programming to give you a taste of The Lady Killers: A Feminine Rage Podcast. Our sister series -- featuring Jenn Adams, Sammie Kuykendall, Mae Schults, and Rocco Thompson -- celebrated the 50th anniversary of Stephen King's first novel by revisiting King's first adaptation.Brian De Palma's 1976 Oscar-nominated Carrie.Together, they discuss cinematic mean girls, upsetting monologues, cartoonish calisthenics, egregious red hats, Carrie’s true motivations, and more. They also answer burning questions like: What do we think of De Palma’s opening shower scene? Why does King like to burn down his fictional towns?Enjoy and be sure to subscribe to The Lady Killers!Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon

12 Apr 20242h 23min

Fifty years ago today, Stephen King published his first novel, Carrie. A lot has changed since 1974 -- the world, the culture, King himself -- and yet his debut novel pervades. Half a century later, Carrie has become a trope, a story we all think about when we see the curious kid in the corner. It's been adapted, emulated, and influenced countless cultural moments. Carrie White lives.Today, the Losers gather for their very first Twinner episode, which sees all your favorite co-hosts who weren't on the original book episode getting a chance to record their own. To celebrate the major milestone in King's Dominion today, co-hosts Jenn Adams, Rachel Reeves, Ashley Casseday, and Mel Kassel gathered around the mic and recorded their own thoughts.Same categories, different voices.Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon

5 Apr 20243h 36min

Here's a clip from our recent installment of Firestarters in which the Losers leave The Shop and come face to face with some scorching Stephen King hot takes from all of their testy Constant Listeners. Want to hear the full track? Become a member of The Barrens (Patreon) by visiting www.patreon.com/thebarrens, and here’s the good news. We’ve done away with tiers. We got one single tier: Losers Forever, which gets you access to everything under the Derry sun for $7 a month.That means hundreds of hours worth of exclusive content we’ve already recorded over the last four years: our Stephen King Archives series, our Dark Tower Detour series, our spooky Soul’s Midnight series, our Stranger Things spinoff series, our Michael Crichton spinoff series, dozens of commentaries on all your favorite Stephen King movies, rankings, bracket games, lists, AND that’s not all. You can submit your own hot takes for another Firestarters, submit questions that we’ll 100% answer on Bag of Bones episodes, and tell us what to talk about on another Oops All Tangents. Plus, you’ll have access to our 24/7/365 Discord to find Constant Listeners and Readers just like you.Only $7 bucks… for all that. Subscribe now through the link in the description of this episode, or visit www.patreon.com/thebarrens. Hope to see you there -- over long days and pleasant nights.Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon

2 Apr 20249min

The Losers head down to North Carolina for a summer job at Joyland. Together, they discuss Stephen King's second Hard Case Crime novel, weighing in on the era, the crime at the center, and how it connects to an iconic work in King's Dominion. Spiritually, of course.Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon

30 Mars 20243h 10min