It’s the season 3 finale! Time for your final exam! Have you been paying attention all year, or have you been idly listening on your morning commute? Featuring a Pop Medieval correction and retraction!
After your exam, be sure to check out Doc and Nina’s summer reading program:
Doc and Nina try to record an episode without giggling, but the lord of the lash says, “nay, nay, nay!” They are back in Nerdhaven studios together and, propelled by the new Lord of the Rings series called “The Rings of Power,” discuss some Tolkien adaptations. Stay for a serenade.
Topics discussed: Overpromising book deadlines, selective rotoscoping, a shocking dvd discovery, Rankin Bass’s confusing start and bizarre flashbacks, Nina’s need for a map, Frodo-mon, the fourth wall break, and justice for the felbeast.
We’re going to the stars! In this episode, Doc tells Nina about the new astronomical discovery and what that has to do with Tolkien plus some other medieval astronomy instruments. Finally, Doc implies that Nina has the “ill-Inanna.”
Topics covered: sky protractors, using video game consoles to remember names, complicated steampunk sundials, Mayan city planning, American presidential rituals, and the longest star naming discussion ever.
Doc refocuses current events on himself and then introduces Nina to Saint Olga of Kyiv. Doc completely misses two jokes. Plus, Nina relives past trauma.
Topics covered: The grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Golden Horde, who can lay claim to what, the greatness of Maggie Smith, #niceguys of the 8th century, the logistics of getting buried alive in a castle, extra steamy bath houses, St. Olga’s non-traditional funeral practices and birding, and spiritual incest.
Spring Break, Pop Medievalists! While Doc and Nina work on their freckling, they left you with another Minisode. It’s timely, too: Who hates Red Sparrow as much as Nina? Probably no one. Enjoy!
Doc and Nina play the popular viking-themed video game, Valheim. They’ll discuss the meaning of the game and get into the finer aspects of the world.
Topics covered: being dead, naked and afraid; rewarding cooperative game play;Ms. Awesome’s Viking Animal Crossing; where fantasy name generators fail; the evolution of tree punching; sea travel realism; unforgiving viking homelife; corvid mythos; the connection between Eikthyr and heavy metal music; troll clothing; and non-toxic norse communities.
In this very special episode of Pop Medieval, Nina rescues Doc from a bicycle repair man’s refrigerator and interviews him about his latest book, “The Watch of Traxis.” She asks the important questions like, is this book a horror novel?
Topics covered: the genesis of the name Prof Awesome, tabletop roleplaying games, wristwatches ruining SEO, Doc’s lazy writing style, and some Discord shoutouts!
Doc and Nina are back from their January break and have a new episode. In this Valentine’s Day episode, they’re gushing, cooing, and preening about Geoffrey Chaucer’s “Parliament of Foules” — birds, that is. Ca-CAAA!
Topics covered: Valentine’s Day as a romantic day, low-brow ducks, dream visions, “The Dream of the Rood,” dating reality shows, socially approved relationships, the dark history of the cuckoo bird, and strange podcast metrics.
Doc sends Nina to cooking school for Christmas (no, this episode is NOT late — technically we’re still within the Christmas season). She recounts her experiences with the hits and misses from her week of feasting.
Topics covered: green beans vs broad beans, The Eggnog Riot at West Point, adding fried eggs to meals, Doc’s ill-fated chicken dish, more bean discussion, the dangers of too much dairy, the sin of butter, meals for Lent
Nina says — Stay as authentic to the recipes as possible if you want to try cooking with the Black Friars. If you have dietary restrictions (like lactose intolerance) these will NOT be the recipes for you. You can, however, replace the meat with vegan options like Beyond Meat or Impossible meat.
*Note: This episode contains very frank discussion of rape and sexual assault due to the plot of the film, “The Last Duel.” This also contains plot spoilers of a historical event.*
Doc and Nina review their final Movember movie — well into December — “The Last Duel.” It’s intense, it’s difficult, but it’s absolutely brilliant. Nina shares her new taglines for each chapter of the movie and Doc gives his assessment of the movie’s opinion of, um, “little deaths.” Both Nina and Doc have their own separate rants in this one, so get comfortable.
Topics covered: The Hundred Years’ war, property ownership, de Carrouges’ temper tantrums, le Gris’ project management skills, the bit of movie pandering during Marguerite’s title fade, Doc and Nina’s love of this movie despite their complaints, the French inquisition, the outcome of the duel, who owns a piece of land anyway, the science of orgasm and pregnancy, and the marriage debt.
