In Episode 30, Masha and Clare are talking about the mysterious and important show that is Severance.

While not providing any answers to the many questions posed by the show's complex narrative, we do our best to unpick the ethical implications of the premise: what if a brain-chip could offer the ultimate work-life balance?

As well as discussing ideas around memory and self, we look at the way Severance parodies and amplifies the worst of workplace existence and corporate power.

If you have your own theories about the mysteries in Severance, message us on Instagram or via our website. We'd love to hear from you!

In Episode 29 of Dystopian Fiction Has Been Moved to Current Affairs, Masha and Clare are discussing the 2011 film In Time, and its concept of 'Darwinian Capitalism'.

We look at the metaphor of 'time is money' as made literal in the film. We look at the nature of wealth disparity and how wealth redistribution functions as a step within systemic change. We discuss the ethics of Will and Sylvia's 'Robin Hood' tactics and the theme of billionaires' wealth as 'stolen' money/time. We talk about immortality and eternal youth, within a in which most must die so that some may live. And we critique the premise that constantly running is the better way to live.

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Masha and Clare are back with Dystopian Fiction Has Been Moved to Current Affairs, and our new season kicks off with an episode on Wicked, specifically the 2024 film, with reference to the current political situation in the USA and UK.

In this episode, we discuss the eradication of the Animals as a metaphor for marginalized peoples. We explore the othering and eventual persecution of Elphaba. We look at the presentation of disability in the character of Nessarose, and metaphorically in that of Elphaba. We talk about the power of educational systems for indoctrination. And we consider how to be an Elphaba, not a Glinda, in the fight against injustice.

In Episode 27 of Dystopian Fiction Has Been Moved to Current Affairs, Masha and Clare discuss the 1976 film Logan's Run, and its themes of aging, societal control, hedonism, AI, and the nature of freedom. We draw contrasts with other depictions of the allegory of Plato's cave, the apparent rejection of 1960s culture in favour of more conservative values, and the vision of a response to ecological crisis and resource scarcity. We also chat about the futuristic aesthetic, the bizarre costuming, and the synth soundtrack, not to mention the many cats.

In this episode, Clare references this fascinating article by Diver, Pulverenti, and Roberts (2023) in the Liverpool Law Review. She also recommends the novel The Lost Cause by Cory Doctorow.

Do let us know your thoughts, and consider rating and reviewing if you enjoy this podcast! You can also follow us on Instagram or Substack.

In this post-US election episode, Clare Coombe and Masha Yakovleva are talking about the 2006 Mike Judge comedy film, Idiocracy, called by some 'a documentary' and others (ie. Masha) 'the worst film I've ever seen'.

This film imagines a future in which intelligence has been bred out of the human race, with chaotic social and political consequences. In our discussion, we critique the use of stereotypes and depiction of lower social-economic classes in terms of stupidity and hedonism, and how this might impact our discourse on Trump's election victory.

We look at the satire on a society in which anti-intellectualism and inane television and film are thriving. We consider the depiction of consumerism and the power of corporate monopolies. We parallel the use of manipulation and misinformation with the situation in US politics. We also look at the film's depiction of homophobia and misogyny, and how these speak to a negative attitude to education.

In this episode we referred to the following resources:

Men and white people vote differently based on education

Poorer voters flocked to Trump — and other data points from the election

https://jacknicastro.substack.com/p/thoughts-on-idiocracy-2006

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3u8_fp1TtJE

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In our Halloween special, and 25th episode, Clare and Masha are discussing the 2000 film American Psycho and the 1991 novel by Brett Easton Ellis on which it was based.

In our analysis, we approach American Psycho as a dystopia in which Patrick Bateman represents the everyman of 1980s Wall Street, and his construction of his identity is mimetic and post-modern, just like the complex genre of the film and novel.

We discuss the allegations of that the film is misogynistic, on the one hand, and the claims for its feminism on another. We consider the place of constructed and empty concepts of masculinity, and the modern equivalent among followers of Trump, widely featured in the text, and Andrew Tate or his ilk.

We consider the film's critique of consumerism with respect to aesthetics, music, restaurants, and political views. We also look at the nature of the text as satire and its use of parody.

Among other secondary sources, the following were of particular influence on our ideas:

• Eldridge, David. “The Generic American Psycho.” Journal of American Studies 42, no. 1 (2008): 19–33. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40464237.
• Moore, Casey. “We’re Not Through Yet: The Patrick Bateman Debate.” The Comparatist 36 (2012): 226–47. http://www.jstor.org/stable/26237305.
• Rogers, Martin. “Video Nasties and the Monstrous Bodies of ‘American Psycho.’” Literature/Film Quarterly 39, no. 3 (2011): 231–44. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43798793.
• Schoene, Berthold. “SERIAL MASCULINITY: PSYCHOPATHOLOGY AND OEDIPAL VIOLENCE IN BRET EASTON ELLIS’S ‘AMERICAN PSYCHO.’” Modern Fiction Studies 54, no. 2 (2008): 378–97. http://www.jstor.org/stable/26287627.

If you enjoy this episode, do consider following us on Instagram or Substack.

In Episode 24 of Dystopian Fiction Has Been Moved to Current Affairs, Clare Coombe and Masha Yakovleva are discussing Society of the Snow [La Sociedad de la Nieve], the 2023 film dramatizing the events of the Uruguayan plane crash of 1972 and the subsequent survival of 18 victims in the Andes. We also make comparisons with the 1993 film Alive.

Our themes include surviving in inhospitable landscapes, including reliance on anthropophagy, the consumption of the flesh of the dead. We discuss the responsibilities of rescue services and the survival strategies of the individuals.

We talk about human resilience, teamwork, friendship between men, and mutual support in the face of extreme trauma. We also consider the role of faith and religion in the survival of the crash victims.

We discuss the ethics of survival and wider attitudes to anthropophagy, colonialist impact on the taboo of cannibalism, and the rights of the dead, with particular focus on the place of consent in the case of the deceased.

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In Episode 23 of Dystopian Fiction Has Been Moved to Current Affairs, Clare Coombe and Masha Yakovleva are discussing the 2023 film, The End We Start From, starring Jodie Comer.

Our discussion explores flooding and the climate crisis, and how prevalent these issues already are, especially in the global south, but also worsening in Europe and some parts of Britain. We talk crisis response, prevention, and the need for more beavers.

We look at the depiction of motherhood, family, and women's friendships. We talk about societal responsibility, the role of the state, and abnegating responsibility.

Let us know your thoughts about the ethics of the choices Jodie Comer's character makes, Joel Fry's character and how he reacts to trauma, and the depiction of the commune.

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