Episodes
"Lovecraft Country" Season 1 is over, but the letters and voicemail keep pouring in. Ash and Gene respond to your thoughts on Leti's survival, Diana's revenge, Ruby's final acts, and the quality of the series as a whole.
Published 10/30/20
Published 10/30/20
True to its title, the "Lovecraft Country" season finale tied up several huge storylines explored during its 10-episode run. Listeners asked what we thought of those storylines, and we're here to tell you.  Our "Full Circle" Deep Dive also examines the sometimes-confounding magic and rituals of Episode 10, plus some of the music we heard this week. Listener voicemail and email highlights why Christina had to die, sloppy storytelling, and what we learned from a season of groundbreaking TV on...
Published 10/21/20
Lovecraft Country redefined the purpose of a penultimate episode this week with Episode 9: "Rewind 1921." As Leti, Tic, and Montrose traveled back in time, we were reintroduced to Uncle George, shown Hippolyta's power, and invited to explore the interplay between homosexuality and fatherhood—all played out during an explosive look back at one of America's darkest days.
Published 10/14/20
Lovecraft Country aspired from day one to mix eldritch horror with the terrors of racism in America. And Episode 8 showed us exactly how powerful that combination could be. The scares were scarier. The action was intense. And "Jig-a-Bobo" painfully examined the complex issues of intersectionality, performative death, isolation, and the status quo.
Published 10/07/20
Lovecraft Country once again pushed the limits of representation, historical laying, trippy visuals, and empowerment when it told Hippolyta's story in Episode 7: I am. The Shat Crew dives deep into why Atticus went to St. Louis, where portals took Atticus and Hippolyta, the birthmark, Afrofuturism, Bessie Stringfield, Sun Ra, Josephine Baker, blood magic, outing Montrose, and more.
Published 09/30/20
Lovecraft Country Episode 6 took us from the streets of Chicago to war-torn South Korea as we finally met Ji-Ah, learned her dark secret, and saw her vision of Atticus' death. "Meet Me in Daegu" left viewers wondering about kumiho legends, the Korean War, Atticus' true self, and what Judy Garland had to do with all of it.  This edition of the Shat on TV Deep Dive includes nearly 20 minutes of listener mail and voicemail, plus Gene trying and failing to properly pronounce Daegu and Ji-Ah. 
Published 09/23/20
Listeners asked for a deeper, longer dive, so here it is. This week's Shat on TV covers all the gore, glam, and "goddamn!" of Lovecraft Country Episode 5: Strange Case. Ash educates us on Kafka's "Metamorphosis," a subject she actually taught at the college level. Not to be outdone, Gene unveils the truth behind "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" (with the help of listeners, of course.) 
Published 09/17/20
We expected an Indiana Jones-style romp from Lovecraft Country Episode 4. And "A History of Violence" delivered that adventure on a bloody plate, examining what it feels like to be the aboriginal rather than the raider. In this podcast edition, we explain why the museum was critical to telling the tale, why Montrose snuffed out a life, how the Chicago police fit into the picture, and what NACA was. 
Published 09/09/20
"Lovecraft Country" promised us a spooky, sexy, seething mix of TV horror and real-world racism. And Episode 3 delivered on that promise in a big way. Learn the history of the Winthrop House, Christina Braithwaite's involvement, and the significance of the episode's opening church scene. Explore the tension between key characters, and celebrate the sizzle between Atticus and Letitia.
Published 09/02/20
Lovecraft Country Episode 2 hit us hard and quick with a slew of new characters, Atticus' dizzying lineage, hallucinations, rituals, cannibalism, ancient orders, and snake dick. Thankfully, we have answers.  "Whitey's on The Moon" pushed the audience into new territory while drawing from influences as far-flung as "Goosebumps" and "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Uncle George said goodbye with some really powerful lines, and two ghosts gave us some mysteries to think about. 
Published 08/26/20
Our "Sundown" Deep Dive explores the breakneck pace and refreshing attitude of Lovecraft Country's debut episode. We examine the racist legacy of H.P Lovecraft, the legendary voice of James Baldwin, and the principle of "othering." A voicemail about "The Green Book" takes Gene Lyons to task, and listener letters highlight the history of Chicago's Bronzeville, the concept of "struggle movies," the contrast of eldritch horror vs. Jim Crow horror, and the use sci-fi and horror as genres to...
Published 08/19/20
Before you watch HBO's "Lovecraft Country," get the breakdown on what it's about, who's in it, how it was made, and why the big names behind it really make a difference. Millions have listened to Shat on TV coverage of "Westworld," "Game of Thrones," "Watchmen," "True Detective," "Taboo," and "American Gods." Now our veteran podcast crew is tackling a sizzling mix of sci-fi and horror.
Published 08/05/20
Want "Lovecraft Country" broken down in an hour or less? We're the team to do it. Shat on TV returns after covering three seasons of HBO's "Westworld" and the racially charged "Watchmen" to explore the horror, science, and civil rights issues of Jordan Peele and J.J. Abrams' ambitious TV project. We mix in audience letters and voicemail, plus insights from the Matt Ruff novel that inspired the series.
Published 07/18/20