On this week’s Night Vale recap we’re taking about the brand new innovation the venture capitalists have come up with: a ride share where a bunch of people take the same big car, and it goes around to different places and some people get on and some get off (…the bus, they’ve reinvented the bus.... The post Binary System Podcast #432 – WTNV #257 “T…

"Of course I feel calm and happy. Why wouldn’t I?" # The voice of Kat Waterford is Robin Virginie, robinvirginie.info Written by Jeffrey Cranor and Janina Matthewson. Music: Mary Epworth, maryepworth.com Director: Janina Matthewson Producer: Jeffrey Cranor Available Now: YOU FEEL IT JUST BELOW THE RIBS (a novel) by Jeffrey Cranor and Janina Matthew…

Happy Halloween! We’re officially in the middle of spooky movie season, so this week we’re talking about a classic horror film. It’s the Exorcist…Three! Not a perfect film by any means; you can see the heavy hand of the producers who insisted on changing the name from William Blatty’s Legion in order to capitalize on... The post Binary System Podca…

"Well that’s very good for you, but we can’t all be scholars." # The voice of Kat Waterford is Robin Virginie, robinvirginie.info Written by Jeffrey Cranor and Janina Matthewson. Music: Mary Epworth, maryepworth.com Director: Janina Matthewson Producer: Jeffrey Cranor Available Now: YOU FEEL IT JUST BELOW THE RIBS (a novel) by Jeffrey Cranor and Ja…

The head of Night Vale’s new Unnamed Religion Seriously Nobody Ever Says What It Is They All Avoid Telling You The Name That’s Not Suspicious At All is in Cecil’s broadcast studio, discussing sheep, rudeness, and all the things you’ve lost in your life, tangible or intangible. It’s a lovely selection of Weird Things (that’s... The post Binary Syste…

"I would simply love some clarity." # The voice of Kat Waterford is Robin Virginie, robinvirginie.info Written by Jeffrey Cranor and Janina Matthewson. Music: Mary Epworth, maryepworth.com Director: Janina Matthewson Producer: Jeffrey Cranor Available Now: YOU FEEL IT JUST BELOW THE RIBS (a novel) by Jeffrey Cranor and Janina Matthewson Within the …

We didn’t actually plan to do a second sit-rep episode so soon. Unfortunately another gigantic event hit the US in the last week, causing a lot of uproar and basically making everyone’s lives harder. That’s right, Netflix cancelled KAOS after only one season. It’s an unacceptable state of affairs and we demand to speak with... The post Binary Syste…

"This is exactly the problem, it creates an unprofessional atmosphere." # The voice of Kat Waterford is Robin Virginie, robinvirginie.info Written by Jeffrey Cranor and Janina Matthewson. Music: Mary Epworth, maryepworth.com Director: Janina Matthewson Producer: Jeffrey Cranor Available Now: YOU FEEL IT JUST BELOW THE RIBS (a novel) by Jeffrey Cran…

The air’s getting cooler and the nights are getting longer, so Night Vale is celebrating with a corn maze and all the fun things that go along with it: caramel apples, pumpkins, laughing, screaming, zombies, acid-filled sharks, and existential dread. Ooo and cider! As soon as we escaped the rusty chainsaws and applied corn-silk tourniquets... The p…

The next Night Vale episode didn’t drop early enough for us to do a recap this week, and there’s been enough stuff going on that we figured it was a good time to bring back the Sit Rep (With Beers!) The good news is that Elizabeth is newly-employed and feeling very relieved and grateful (unemployment... The post Binary System Podcast #427 Return of…

This week’s episode features the triumphant return of special guest Hannah Wallace, as she and the East Coast branch of the podcast fight their way through the wilds of Gatlinburg. (But really, they saw a bear and everything!) As they fill in Elizabeth on their adventures, everybody gets a chance to talk about what we’ve... The post Binary System P…

Alejandra Nuñez, Ronnie Sharma, and Nanako Barnes of Mr. Prescott’s 5th Period AP English Class – the protectors of Night Vale otherwise known as the Library Tweens – have decided that they DON’T want to be known as the Library Tweens anymore. They need a new name, something with a little more staying power. This... The post Binary System Podcast #…

Okay in some respects it’s just business as usual around here: Kathryn and Elizabeth have both been watching season 1 of Star Trek: Lower Decks, four years after it first came out, that tracks. But Kathryn just watched the first episode of Mayor of Kingstown season 3, only three months late, what the heck? And... The post Binary System Podcast #424…

Surprise! Due to travel delays, lack of any Lore Olympus updates (mournful sigh), and time (and scheduling) just generally being weird, we’re doing two Welcome To Night Vale recap episodes in a row! This week we’re getting crafty, so prepare your sunniest room (no windows allowed), grab your best implement (stolen is preferred) and your... The post…

We knew as soon as we saw the title that this week’s Night Vale would feature the return of Deb the Sentient Patch of Haze. But we assumed she’d be hawking several things, instead of just two: a spray that may or may not repel Librarians, and a teleporter that may or not make people... The post Binary System Podcast #422 – WTNV #252 “Paid Programmi…

The Binary System Podcast team appears to be on a bit of a roll lately. Just this week Kathryn finished season 2 of Mayor of Kingstown, and both Kathryn and Elizabeth have watched all but the last episode of Poker Face. That’s two TV series where we’re now less than a year and a half... The post Binary System Podcast #421 – Mayor of Kingstown Seaso…

(Heh. Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em.) Night Vale has come up with this amazing “ride share” program, and it even has driverless cars! Of course, the ride doesn’t take you anywhere near where you wanted to go, and the cars are only “driverless” because ghosts don’t count. Or do they? Doors are locked for... The post Binary System Podcast #420 – WTNV #251…

The gigantic, internationally-known event has wrapped up, with thousands of people having attended, and the whole world’s talking about the big reveals and celebrity appearances. That’s right, GalaxyCon 2024 in Raleigh North Carolina was a blast. In all seriousness, while the East Coast branch of Binary System Podcast was going to GalaxyCon, the We…

So, we’re bad at TV and movies. …oh, you were expecting a “but” there weren’t you? No, we’re absolutely horrible at TV and movies, which is why this week we’re catching up on Poker Face episode one, which only came out a year and a half ago. Before you congratulate us, you should know Kathryn’s... The post Binary System Podcast #418 – Poker Face an…

In the latest installment of our ongoing series “We’re Bad At Movies But We Have A Lot Of Enthusiasm”, this week we decided to finally watch the 2014 movie John Wick. And we loved it. It’s an absolute symphony of beautifully-choreographed violence that takes the ridiculously improbable storyline of “Terrifying former hitman goes on a... The post Bi…

Happy 4th of July! Or if you don’t celebrate that, happy Thursday. It’s time once again for a super quick Travel Edition because we’re so busy being crazy jet setters! Either that or we’re all celebrating our Mom’s birthday and we lost track of time and had to record at the last minute. YOU DECIDE.... The post Binary System Podcast #416 – Light Spe…

It’s a short recap this week, since the action for the latest episode episode of Welcome to Night Vale can basically be summed up with “And then there was a battle.” We get a weird glimpse into the past (future?) of Kevin from Desert Bluffs, the Library Tweens need to, well, not learn to respect... The post Binary System Podcast #415 – WTNV #250 “F…

Mother Lauren is sponsoring a citywide cleansing of Night Vale and yes that’s exactly as scary as it sounds. Self care is still important, so don’t forget to check into the Maximum Security Spa for a few hours. Or days. Years? Whatever, the good word of the day is TEETH. After the recap, Kathryn just... The post Binary System Podcast #414 – WTNV #2…

The wildly popular webcomic Lore Olympus wraps up with episode 280! We were a little worried that there were so many unresolved plot threads left for the final episode, but Rachel Smythe managed to tie everything together in a pretty little bow. No spoilers, but if you have any questions about how it all ended... The post Binary System Podcast #413…

There is nothing wrong with your radio, Night Vale, do not attempt to adjust the dial. Mother Lauren is controlling the transmission. And she is pissed. This week’s Night Vale recap features nightmare images of a clawed monster Freddy Kruegering her way down the street, but also asks the age-old question: is a hot dog... The post Binary System Podc…

Only three episodes left of Lore Olympus, and there is a lot going on. We’re not sure how many of the unresolved plot threads are gonna get wrapped up in the series finale (Eros and Psyche? Zeus’s millennia of betrayal? Leto finally getting her comeuppance?), but in the two episodes we’re recapping this week we... The post Binary System Podcast #41…

It’s another Travel Edition this week as we brave the wilds of Southeast North America (otherwise known as our parents’ place in Bradenton.) First up is a lightning quick recap of Night Vale as Cecil revisits a very strange kids show and correctly answers the daily puzzle. (It’s entropy. The answer is always entropy.) After... The post Binary Syste…

Okay everybody GIANT SPOILER WARNINGS DANGER DANGER THIS IS NOT A DRILL. So, way back on August 2, 2018 the 24th episode of Lore Olympus was released. Apollo let himself into Persephone’s bedroom and what happened next set in motion a series of events that changed the story forever and made a lot of people... The post Binary System Podcast #409 – L…

The Lore Olympus comic tackles a lot of issues about abuse: spousal, parental, generational. The latest two episodes are no exception, but they also don’t really need trigger warnings because the focus here is the response to that abuse. Rachel Smythe gives a balanced look at how abuse victims can overcome the feeling of guilt... The post Binary Sy…

On this week’s Night Vale recap we discuss Abby’s DEEP SEATED RESENTMENT towards Cecil. Some of it is unfair (it’s not Cecil’s fault that Abby had to be the de facto parent because their actual parents sucked) but some of it is valid (let’s face it, Cecil was horrible to Abby’s husband Steve, on the... The post Binary System Podcast #407 – WTNV #24…

You know how we’ve mentioned for a while that Rachel can be very, let’s say, judicious, with her plot reveals? Some of the commenters have been complaining that it can take quite a long time for anything to happen in the Lore Olympus comic. Hopefully everyone’s happier now, because a lot happened in the most... The post Binary System Podcast #406 –…

On this week’s Night Vale recap, Carlos and Cecil hold an exclusive Art Show (ie: a family dinner so they can show off Estaban’s drawing on the fridge) and we get some of our favorite horror tropes: unreliable narrators, creepy jumps in time, and pictures that change when you’re not looking at them. Or do... The post Binary System Podcast #405 – WT…

The first half of Lore Olympus episode 270 is light on dialog. Baby Dionysus starts the most adorable Hero’s Journey ever as he sets off to rescue Hades and Persephone. The cuteness balances out the second half of the episode, with images of Hades dealing with his worst nightmare: being a child at the mercy... The post Binary System Podcast #404 – …

On the latest episode of Welcome to Night Vale, Kevin the Younger is determined to kill Kevin the Older, so he’s used Carlos’ lab to open a portal to the Desert Otherworld. Cecil wants to tell the story, Tamika wants to stop the bloodshed, and Carlos wants everyone to PLEASE be careful of the beakers... The post Binary System Podcast #403 – WTNV #2…

There’s a great big ceremony that happens every year, you may have heard of it? The Oscars? Anyway, the Binary System Podcast didn’t watch it, but they do have lots of opinions about the winners. (And some of the ones that didn’t win. You guys, have you seen Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse?) And of course... The post Binary System Podcast #402 …

On this week’s Night Vale episode, we highly approve of Cecil devoting an entire broadcast to Lost and Found submissions, because writer Brie Williams is very good with lists of random weirdness, unexpected sweetness, and things with TEETH. From there we jump into three more Oscar nominated films we finally watched, namely Oppenheimer (brilliant bu…

Happy 400th episode! Time flies, right? About ten years ago we started recording our Night Vale discussions because we’re giant nerds and nerds gotta podcast. But here’s the thing: we started with the Night Vale episode that’d just been released, “Renovations,” number 48 in the series. We’ve discussed every episode since then, but not once... The p…

On the latest episode of Night Vale the Librarians broke out of their cages but some heroes saved the day andnoweverythingisfineTheEnd SO! HOW ABOUT THOSE OSCAR ANIMATED SHORTS? (Kidding, it was a fun episode of Night Vale, we’re just really excited to talk about cartoons.) Anyway, massive spoiler warnings as we discuss our favorite Oscar-nominated…

In the latest Lore Olympus episodes we’ve read, Demeter revealed a little more about Persephone’s history as a Fertility Goddess (namely, that she definitely is one, and that someone else in Demeter’s generation used to be, not sure who). That was episode 264, and the theme of 265 can be summed up even more briefly:... The post Binary System Podcas…

When we last heard from Night Vale in December, Cecil was being held hostage by a strange boy with a large knife, and this week’s episode picks up right where we left off. It’s another Brie Williams story so you know there’s going to be delightful lists of really weird things. Knives! Trapper Keepers! Field... The post Binary System Podcast #397 – …

Episodes 262 and 263 feature a Persephone who’s dealing with the uncomfortable reality that the Mortal Realm is dying and it may possibly be all her fault. But for the Binary System Podcast team, that calamity pales in comparison to the fact that Apollo is being a gigantic jerk and it’s stressing us out. The... The post Binary System Podcast #396 –…

You’re not going to believe this, but we said we were going to watch the third David Tennant Doctor Who episode this week AND WE DID. Next thing you know we’ll be watching movies the weekend they come out. (Hahahah, kidding, obviously.) Anyway, our hearts are still intact after the episode, which was for the... The post Binary System Podcast #395 –…

It’s an extra-long episode this week, although not because of Lore Olympus. The recap for episodes 259 and 260 went pretty quickly, with a little more of Demeter’s backstory revealed and one hell of a lot of personal growth. Seriously, we figured Rachel included the bit with Demeter snapping at Hera because otherwise we wouldn’t... The post Binary …

“Fenslaw.Coliss.Brate.Gilvane.Stond.” The latest episode of Night Vale before they went on hiatus (they’re always on hiatus in January and we will never remember that) was delightfully creepy in a way we didn’t see coming at all, what a fantastic surprise. We can’t say more, because spoilers. (This episode of VagueCast is brought to you by... The p…

Happy New Year everyone! We hope all our listeners’ holidays were fantastic, and that the return to work wasn’t too much of a shock to the system. To ease you back into the work week, have a quick recap of the latest two episodes of Lore Olympus, which can be briefly summed up as “sexy... The post Binary System Podcast #392 – Lore Olympus episode 2…

Happy last-podcast-of-2023! Recorded on location in the wilds of Western Florida (aka our parents’ house) we start out this episode with a quick breakdown of Christmas, including successful hospital trips (spoilers: we were NOT stealing babies) and geeky presents, but it all goes by really fast because we’ve gotta talk about “Skibidi Toilet.” Serio…