Tag Archives: apocalypse

Supercontext: Learning To Die In The Anthropocene: Reflections on the End of a Civilization, by Roy Scranton


This treatise on climate change argues that we should just accept that our civilization is going to die. We might survive however, by remembering our cultural heritage. We discuss Scranton’s experience at war, as well as the variety of reactions to his claim that we should just confront our own mortality, even when we’re posting to social media.

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Supercontext: Millennium, Seasons 1 – 3


Was this 1990s serial killer television drama about the end of the world? Or was it about having empathy for our fellow humans? Chris Carter (X-Files) created it after watching Se7en, but over the course of its three seasons Millennium shifted and changed, until unfortunately it was cancelled.

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Supercontext: Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman


Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman’s novel about the comedy of Armageddon seems to be the very definition of “twee.” We try to unpack what that concept means and how it contributes to the authors’ humanist message.

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Supercontext: China Miéville’s Kraken


China Miéville’s novel Kraken is a meandering fantasy comedy full of political themes and a love for weird monsters. How does this author manage to weave together so many themes and genre into one book? And why does he think J.R.R. Tolkien is a “wen on the arse of fantasy”?
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Supercontext: M.R. James, Ghost Stories of an Antiquary


In our 2016 holiday episode we look at the forgotten Christmas Eve tradition of telling ghost stories. M.R. James’ work from over a hundred years ago best represents this Victorian trend, so in his honor we bring horror to academia and safe spaces.

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Supercontext: East of West


While examining Jonathan Hickman and Nick Dragotta’s sci-fi/western comic EAST OF WEST, we consider big ideas, character development and representation of diversity in storytelling. Also, with all its violence, sex and philosophy… would this make the perfect HBO series?

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