Episodes

  • Where are they now?
    Nov 4 2024

    When last we left Angela and Brian and Rickie and Rayanne and all their friends, they were in the early days of 1995 and at a point of no return in their teen lives. So what's happened to them in the intervening 30 years? On this week's episode, we have a reunion episode of sorts, with a roundup of past guests speculating on where the characters might have found themselves. And then James and I explore a few more possibilities -- from talking cars to communes to a secret relationship with J.D. Salinger, anything's possible.

    - 80s TV Ladies: https://www.80stvladies.com

    - Ryan O'Connor: https://www.instagram.com/ryanoconnor1981

    - Virginia Sole-Smith: https://virginiasolesmith.com

    - Kerri Doherty and H. Alan Scott on Out on the Lanai: https://www.patreon.com/goldengirlspodcast/about

    - Drew Droege: https://www.instagram.com/drew_droege

    - Guy Branum: https://guybranum.com

    - BenDeLaCreme: https://www.bendelacreme.com

    - Trevor with Media Processing: https://www.youtube.com/@mediaprocessingchannel

    - Sam Pirie: https://www.instagram.com/sampvevo

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    1 hr and 41 mins
  • My So-Called Life's Second Life on MTV (with Peppermint)
    Oct 28 2024

    My So-Called Life lives again! This week, we're chatting about how MSCL was saved from oblivion, resurrected on cable. What made MTV such a perfect home for this show -- better, in fact, than the network where it originally aired? Joining me this week for a chat about MTV is the delightful Peppermint: Drag Race icon, actor, singer, and child of the 90s. Then I'll dive even further into the decade with James, in a conversation touching on David Bowie, adult animation, Clarissa Explains it All, and why James once spent a week wandering town in his underwear.

    Check out Peppermint’s new book club with Hugh Ryan here, and her Drag PAC here.

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    1 hr and 51 mins
  • In Dreams Begin Responsibilities (with Sam Pirie)
    Oct 21 2024

    In this week's episode of Matt's So-Cast Pod, it's the dramatic conclusion -- OR IS IT??? We've reached the final episode of My So-Called Life, in which everyone has revealing dreams and Brian finally tells Angela how he feels ... but she thinks that it's actually how Jordan feels. Meanwhile, Delia's got the hots for Rickie but has an important question to ask: Is he gay or what? And Graham and Hallie get a little steamy over a rack of lamb. Also, Patty meets Princess Diana.

    Diving into all this drama with me is the delightful Sam Pirie (Instagram, YouTube), returning guest and newcomer to MSCL. Now that he's watched the whole series, how does he like this tale of 90s woe, as a youngster who wasn't even alive when it aired?

    And -- what's next for the podcast? All will be revealed in my illuminating conversation with James!

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    1 hr and 52 mins
  • Weekend (with Drew Droege & Alonso Duralde)
    Oct 14 2024

    We're closing in on the end of the series, and it's time for some wacky hijinks after last week's heart-rending drama! The grownups are going to take a VERY SERIOUS vacation, and they leave Angela in charge ... but it doesn't take long for chaos to reign when Rayanne accidentally handcuffs herself to a bed, and Patty is tempted by forbidden booze.

    Breaking it down this week we have the delightful comedian, actor, writer Drew Droege (who has worked with both Lisa Wilhoit, who plays Danielle, and Bess Armstrong!) and also the return of writer and Linoleum Knife podcaster Alonso Duralde. And of course, my very specialest of special guests, James.

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    2 hrs and 2 mins
  • Betrayal (with Ryan O'Connor & Kristin Russo)
    Oct 7 2024

    Everyone’s life is FINALLY going smoothly … for about five seconds before it all comes crashing down, thanks to some extraordinarily bad decisions by Rayanne and Jordan, who decide to climb into the back of a car together; by Brian, who videotapes them; by Graham, who “forgets” to mention that Hallie broke up with her fiancee; and who knows, Amber’s probably up to something screwy off-camera.

    Making sense of it all this week are the delightful Ryan O’Connor, and also Kristin Russo, host of Buffering: A Rewatch Adventure and The Boiler Room. And also of course James!

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    2 hrs and 35 mins
  • Resolutions (with Aaron Berman)
    Jul 29 2024

    Happy 1995! It's a new year, and time to make some resolutions ... which will almost immediately be broken. Angela wants to stop being so introspective (although on second thought, maybe not), Patty wants to stop being so suspicious, Danielle wants to wear makeup ... and Rickie wants a place to live, which puts everyone else's resolutions into perspective. Mr. Katimsky, recently having sworn off coffee, wants to help, but can't -- for reasons that will become SHOCKINGLY (for the 90s) clear.

    Breaking it down with me this week is Aaron Berman, author of the forthcoming book So Beautiful it Hurts: The Making of My So-Called Life. (Check out Aaron's MSCL community on Facebook here.)

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    1 hr and 31 mins
  • So-Called Angels (with H. Alan Scott, Kerri Doherty, Cindy Howes, and Alonso Duralde)
    Jul 22 2024

    It's Christmas this week on the So-Cast Pod, but the yuletide is not particularly gay for Rickie, who has been cast out of the house and has nowhere to go. Fortunately, a mysterious folk singer appears to watch over him (kind of? A little unclear how she's actually helping) and Patty's two Christmas wishes are that the family go to church and that Brian shut the hell up for once. Meanwhile, Danielle points out that all this talk about religion is putting a real damper on the Christmas season.

    We've got a cavalcade of podcast guests this week to break down the most famous episode of the series: From Out on the Lanai, H. Alan Scott and Kerri Doherty; from Basic Folk, Cindy Howes; and from Linoleum Knife Alonso Duralde (whose new book Hollywood Pride is not to be missed!).

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    2 hrs and 57 mins
  • On The Wagon (with Aaron Berman)
    Jul 15 2024

    We've reached episode 14, in which Rayanne is one month sober -- but alas, she's starting to get a little fidgety. Can Angela and Rickie keep her from slipping back into old habits? Especially now that Angela has her hands full trying to figure out what her relationship with Jordan has become. Meanwhile, Patty learns a thing or two about Kurt Vonnegut.

    Joining me to break it down is Aaron Berman, author of an upcoming book about My So-Called Life called So Beautiful it Hurts. (Check out Aaron's MSCL community on Facebook here.) And then James and I talk about our most horrifying on-stage humiliations before the spirit of Jimminy Glick overtakes us.

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    1 hr and 35 mins