Podcast Episodes

A collection of 29 posts

Podcast Episodes Featured

Episode 29: The Rise of Retro Gaming

Kris and Rian get a healthy dose of nostalgia in this gaming-focused episode with a discussion about retro gaming, emulation, and gaming handhelds.

Podcast Episodes Featured

Episode 28: Cozy Gaming with Tiny Bookshop

What’s better than curling up with a good book on a chilly day? Why, becoming a bookseller and moving to the seaside with your tiny bookshop, of course! Kris and Rian played several hours of the latest cozy gaming phenomenon and, as usual, they have some thoughts.

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Episode 27: Art and Morality in The Picture of Dorian Gray

Rian reads Kris’s current favourite classic book, The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, and the pair go on a meandering deep-dive discussion about its themes, which are fascinatingly prescient.

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Episode 26: It’s Our First Birthday!

Happy Birthday to us! Genre Blender turns one year old, so Kris and Rian celebrate with a cold beverage or two while taking a look back over the past year, and forward into the next.

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Episode 25: KPop Demon Hunters Roundtable Discussion (with Jack and Michael)

KPop Demon Hunters has become a worldwide phenomenon, and Kris and Rian—with returning special guests Jack and Michael—hold a roundtable discussion to find out what makes this animated action musical film so special.

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Episode 24: Mid-Year Freak Out Tag

It’s the middle of the year! That means it’s time for Kris and Rian to do a check-in for their book, video game and movie plans and goals. Find out just how much our hosts are freaking out throughout the 13 questions for this tag.

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Episode 23: The Slow Death of Physical Media (with Special Guest Michael)

Michael joins the podcast to talk about the state of physical media across all our favourite types of entertainment, from movies to games to books, and what the future might hold as digital-only inevitably takes over.

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Episode 22: Memorable Queer Characters in Books and Video Games

Part two of our Pride month episodes! Kris and Rian share the LGBTQIA+ characters from books and video games that have stuck with them the most.

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Episode 21: Memorable Queer Characters in TV Shows

Happy Pride Month! To celebrate, Kris and Rian talk about their favourite and most memorable queer and LGBTQIA+ characters in TV shows over the years. This is part one of two-part series.

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Episode 20: Arthouse and Auteur Cinema

Kris and Rian get inspired (thanks, Jack!) to talk about arthouse and auteur cinema. After some hazy definitions, the duo discuss why these styles of film-making are important, and share some of their favourites.

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Episode 19: Let’s Talk Movies (with special guest Jack!)

Jack, our resident movie expert, joins the podcast for this special episode. Rian picks Jack’s brain about favourite and underrated movies, filmmakers, adaptations, and what makes storytelling in films so unique, followed by a lightning round of questions just for fun.

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Episode 18: Stories for Escapism

Kris and Rian are hyped over some recent video game news and rumours. Rian actually finished some video games this week, Kris surprises Rian with a classic book he enjoyed, and the pair discuss how they immerse themselves in stories for escapism.

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Episode 17: Keep it Cozy

No matter how you spell it, there’s something to be said for curling up with a cozy game, book, TV show or movie. Kris and Rian dive into some of their favourites, and discuss the role that cozy stories (in their many forms) play in their lives.

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Episode 16: The Anti-TBR/TBP Tag

Kris and Rian often talk about all the books and games they love and are currently reading or playing, but in this episode it’s all about the stuff they won’t be reading/playing, don’t like, or find problematic—all in good fun, of course.

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Episode 15: Fanfiction Opening Gateways for New Authors (with Shayla Morgansen)

Kris is joined by author Shayla Morgansen to explore the world of fanfiction! Kris and Shayla discuss their introductions to fanfiction, and the relationship between fanfiction, fandoms, and publishing. Stay tuned for the giveaway!

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Episode 14: Personal Canon Tag

Kris and Rian take on Taylor's Personal Canon Tag and talk about the books, TV shows, movies, and games that shaped them throughout their lives.

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Episode 13: How Physical Health, Mental Health & Neurodivergence Affect Our Hobbies

It's no secret that life can get in the way of things we enjoy! This week Rian and Kris take you on their journeys of how their physical and mental health sometimes interferes with their favourite hobbies.

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Episode 12: Nerding Out for the New Year

What a year! Kris and Rian discuss their approaches to goal-setting for the new year, compare their yearly themes for 2025, then celebrate their best-of-2024 books, TV shows and games. They also hint at their wish lists for the podcast.

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Episode 11: End of Year Book Tag (and Unwrapping Our Gifts!)

It’s time for the end of year book tag! Kris and Rian talk about their unfinished books, Summer reads, and 2025 reading plans, then cap off the year with a holiday book exchange while trying not to be awkward while unwrapping their gifts.

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Episode 10: I've Never Fan-Fictioned

Rian gives a spoiler-free mini review of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Kris discusses the origins of his upcoming self-published book, and the duo discuss the concept of the “aspiring author” and what that means to them.

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Episode 9: I Used To Get Paid To Read

Rian reveals their Dragon Age: The Veilguard play time, Kris is emotionally destroyed after reading a book he was not prepared for, and the duo have a philosophical discussion about what, why, and how hobbies fit into their lives.

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Episode 8: Cried Over a Bowl of Spaghetti (Trans Awareness Week)

In celebration of Trans Awareness Week, and to show trans visibility during such a tumultuous time, Kris and Rian share their thoughts on the trans memoirs they’ve read, and the impact they’ve had on their own journeys through gender transition.

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Episode 7: Stressed Out By Stardew Valley

Games, games, and more games, oh my! The duo discuss storytelling in their favourite video games (and their gripes with being too time-poor to enjoy said video games), and Rian mentions Mass Effect fifty-six million times.

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Episode 6: Loyalty Card For The Next Time I Come Out

The duo queer it up this episode as they consider the topic of queer representation in media; from reminiscing over queer characters that informed their early years, to realising just how much queer rep—on paper and on-screen—has improved over the years.

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Episode 5: Area X, Where Lots of Things Suck (Buddy Read #1)

Rian and Kris cross the border to the mysterious Area X for their very first buddy read. The duo discuss Jeff VanderMeer’s Southern Reach trilogy in-depth, and walk away forever changed.