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Tune in for the first of ??? parts of our bonanza of coverage about The Americans series finale! We are inviting back most of our previous guest hosts from our coverage of the show, asking each of them to prepare one topic to discuss about the finale.

In this episode, John is joined by Jordan Cass to talk about emotional vulnerability in the finale and the show as a whole, by Michaela Rife to talk about the fate of Oleg, and by Mike Rensink to talk about how satisfying or not the finale is. There is also a "lightning round" segment with inscrutable and shifting guidelines from guest-to-guest. Fun! 

Never fear, Danielle will be back in part two of the finale extravaganza to bring you conversations with more previous guests!

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We may be chilling with Arkadii, listening to U2, but we are not quite done podcasting yet. Danielle and John are joined once again by Jordan Cass and Michaela Rife, this time for the podcast industry stalwart DRAFT EPISODE! Team NQGB is competing against each other to draft the best slate of main character, season, episode, scene, American character, Soviet character, and wild card from the whole of The Americans. 

But that's not all! Previous guest, friend of the show, and trusted Americans font of wisdom Mike Rensink, joins John after the draft (2:01:08) to adjudicate the winner of the draft based on the anonymized results he received.

Who makes the most baffling pick? Who gets a pick vetoed? Who loves grain the most? Who shocks their friends with their secret villain mode? Most importantly, who wins the draft? Tune in to find out. 

Jon Keller returns for the SERIES FINALE of The Americans, “START.” Through the lens of promises, these three consider the episode’s beats step-by-step, from the initial scene with Philip and Elizabeth in the safehouse, to Stan’s attempts to locate them before setting up at Paige’s, to the confrontation in the parking garage. They reevaluate Stan’s position after the parking garage scene, and analyze the Jennings’ decisions around and phone call to Henry before turning to the train scene, Paige’s decisive choice, Stan and Henry, and Moscow.

Danielle tries to claim Renee-related victory in the Dossier, but John disabuses her of this notion. In Glas, they revisit Aderholt, get excited that Arkadii’s back (!), and analyze the Gregory dreamscape. In Borrowed Nostalgia For the Unremembered Eighties, they turn to their Gen-X correspondent, Jon Keller, to understand how large U2 loomed in 1987 before John FINALLY reveals the origin of the segment’s name. In the Cave, Tragedy SZN comes to an official close with a quick discussion of Euripides’ Heracles. 

Neither sinus infections nor sadness over the conclusion of this journey could stop faithful NQGB hosts. Enjoy!

And, stay tuned for MORE end-of-The Americans episodes in the coming weeks before we say goodbye for good.

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Lilly Goren returns for the penultimate episode of The Americans, “Jennings, Elizabeth”! Together with Lilly, Danielle and John take up the theme of traitors to organize their discussion. Lilly prompts the trio to consider whether Elizabeth is a traitor, and if so, to whom/what entity? They unpack Elizabeth’s actions and choices, her conversations with Paige and Claudia, as well as her ongoing reminiscences. They analyze Stan’s suspicions and his conversation with Adherholt, and ask whether Stan or Oleg should be viewed as a traitor. The trio concludes the main discussion by touching on Philip’s call that causes Elizabeth to prepare the go-bag.

This week’s Dossier includes to Danielle wish-casting about Renee, and some questions from the others. Glas includes a lot of clergy-talk, as your hosts contemplate not only whether Fathers Andrei or Viktor are traitors, along with the (unfortunately for Danielle) return of Pastor Tim, who proves to be a real one. In Borrowed Nostalgia, Danielle rants about Paige’s anti-feminism, everyone laughs about Stan’s MS-DOS computer, and they offer the penultimate fit-check for the Jennings crew. Lilly delights us all in the Cave with a wildcard entry for TragedySZN with Shakespeare’s Richard III. 

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Finally back in the same time zone, join John and a jet-lagged Danielle to discuss The Americans 6x8, “The Summit.” Together, they break from their typical form with a character-focused analysis, using Elizabeth Jennings to orient the entire discussion. They dig into Elizabeth’s moves around Jackson and Oleg, the opening exchange between Philip and Elizabeth, the Erica mission and her painting, and the conversation with Claudia in the safehouse through this prism. Of course, Danielle contemplates Renee’s role in the Dossier, and John poses a few questions to push Danielle into full tinfoil-hat-mode, before turning to Stan and Philip via Elizabeth once more in Glas, including sad-boy Philip’s own Soviet film club showing of Garazh. They give a shout out to Vidal Sassoon, indie video stores, and the arms summit among other things in Borrowed Nostalgia. In the Cave, Danielle asks us to contemplate the fallen Persian empire and its relationship to The Americans with Aeschylus’ The Persians and John sprinkles some Arendt into the mix for this week’s TheoryShip. Enjoy!

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This week, Danielle is physically in Greece but John and Danielle mentally travel to Chicago with Philip to analyze The Americans 6x7, “Harvest.” They take up the theme of haunting to organize the discussion - from how Stan is haunted by the past six years of his life next to the Jennings (s/o to William), to how Philip is haunted by his past life as a spy, to how Elizabeth is haunted by past and present alike.

Danielle speculates about the timeline for Stan finding out the truth in the Dossier, and the hauntings continue in Glas for Henry and Aderholt. Dirtbag Philip happily haunts the mission before some solid fit/wig checks in Borrowed Nostalgia. Tragedy SZN rages on with a true banger this week as Danielle provides a deep dive into Euripides’ Bacchae ahead of her trip to see a live production of the show at Epidaurus. John caps off the episode with some pivotal feminist theory recs for Elizabeth and Erica. 

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Back on their own, Danielle and John dig into The Americans 6x6, “Rififi.” They consider Aderholt’s speech about the Soviets before moving onto Henry and Stan’s relationship as a way into thinking about what remains within the family, and what information travels beyond it. They also unpack Philip’s outburst during slot car racing, the backyard conversation between Henry and Elizabeth, as well as the bizarre phone call between them later on.

Danielle speculates about Renee and the potential return of Mail Spy Robot in the Dossier before your hosts touch on Elizabeth and Jackson’s producer-Amy-coded meet-cute at Rififi and Erica’s Forced Art agenda, among other things, in Glas. In Borrowed Nostalgia, they convert Henry’s potential summer wage into contemporary numbers and laugh about the 80s decor that ensconces the Chicago hotel. Tragedy SZN continues with the age-old banger, Antigone. And this time, Henry slips in his own TheoryShip for Elizabeth among those offered by your hosts. Enjoy!

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Jordan Cass returns to help Danielle and John to discuss The Americans 6x5, “The Great Patriotic War.” Together, they focus on the theme of trust to dig into the relationship between Philip and Elizabeth, the relationship between Paige and Elizabeth, as well as how trust both structures and flows from Philip’s choices within the episode. In the Dossier, Jordan poses some questions about artwork and of course they check in on Danielle’s evaluation of Renee. In Glas, the trio returns to the theme of trust, chatting about the role of institutional trust and whether Paige is the definition of a spy nepo baby. They also let John cook for a bit on the visual language and editing in the last 15 minutes of the show. Jordan treats everyone to a discussion of 80s hockey lore in Borrowed Nostalgia, among some quips about calculators, jeeps, and the ‘fits. In TRAGEDY SZN, Danielle goes back to her roots (literally), guiding the trio through a brief discussion of Euripides’ Medea. 

Stick around for a little bonus NQGB After Dark. Durational cinema (podcasting).

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Your hosts try to find their way through the backrooms as they unpack all things The Americans 6x4, “Mr. and Mrs. Teacup.” Framing their discussion through the concept of losing one’s way, John and Danielle analyze the main moves of the episode, beginning OF COURSE with the ultimate lost boy, Philip, before working through the Jennings family dynamic and then Elizabeth and Paige separately. They chat about what it means for Philip that KIMMY BACK! plus the failing business and line dancing, before evaluating whether Paige has already lost her way a bit and what it means that we are 4 for 4 episodes in Season 6 where Elizabeth has done a murder to ‘save’ the mission.

In the Dossier, Danielle makes a bold Paige prediction, and John poses some not-so-leading (you decide!) questions. In Glas, they consider the game of telephone for info to get from Oleg to Arkadi, and Philip’s cowboy boots. Your hosts laugh about line dancing, D.A.R.E, and wigs in Borrowed Nostalgia. It’s definitely still TRAGEDY SZN in the Cave - Danielle offers up Euripides’ Iphigenia at Aulis this week (a new one for John) before a quick game in TheoryShips. Enjoy!

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This week, John and Danielle are joined by their friend and returning guest Michaela Rife! Together, these three dig into Season 6 Episode 3, “Urban Transport Planning,” using the frame of nostalgia to structure their discussion. They start with their takes on the Soviet cooking club as a key entry point into the topic and then consider Philip’s return to spying later on to flesh out their discussion. They tackle how Stan is fighting counterintelligence nostalgia and the construction of the final scene before moving onto the segments, where Michaela interrogates Danielle on her takes to everyone’s enjoyment!

In Glas, Michaela treats everyone to an analysis of art in the season thus far, and it turns out an actual art historian is more useful than your trusty hosts. Together they all consider whether Paige is a nepo baby before some music drops and an EST revamp in Borrowed Nostalgia. They welcome Michaela to TRAGEDY SZN in the Cave with a quick trip into Euripides’ Electra, and Michaela gives us a lot to think about with her reference to Svetlana Boym in TheoryShip. 

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Lace up those skates, prepare your tuna melt, and lock in for an open skate through the show Heated Rivalry with THREE special guests joining John: Ray Carman makes his NQGB debut while stalwarts Amy Schiller and Regan Levitte make their triumphant returns to the show. 

The team examines the show’s eroticism, queerness, gender politics, and more, in addition to of course covering the main characters/character pairings. HR’s style is discussed from the music drops to the phallic logos to everything in between, while the show’s engagement with romance and fannish tropes becomes a consistent touchpoint as the squad debates how safe (or not) the show is. 

In our version of a penalty box, one of the four (guess who) couldn’t resist strident criticism of the narrative structure and editing, depiction of masculinity, and more. Finally, The Cave brings Foucault, Vito Russo, and Lauren Berlant and Michael Warner, among others, to HR, with about the results you’d expect. 

Happy Pride!

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Well, well, well - look what happens when your chickens come home to roost. John and Danielle are back at it for The Americans Season 6 Episode 2, “Tchaikovsky.” Tackling the ways past decisions and events shape the present conditions for different characters, they begin with some meta-reflections on what it means to be in the sixth and final season of the show. They then unpack the different chickens that Elizabeth, Philip, and Stan must contend with over the course of the episode. They touch on Elizabeth’s lies, Paige’s existence as a spy, and Sofia and Gennadi. In the Dossier, Danielle once again beats the drum of Renee as a spy, which John (as usual) ‘no-comments’ - stay tuned for more Renee check-ins in later episodes. Glas has Claudia and Erica, and of course, MAIL ROBOT BACK! We are treated to a chat about Reagan’s dementia and Jack Kevorkian in Borrowed Nostalgia. There’s another installment of TRAGEDY SZN in the Cave as Danielle guides us on an exploration of Aeschylus’ Libation Bearers, with the added bonus of some creative TheoryShips too. Enjoy!

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We are back, Arkadii is SO back, and it is time to embark on the final season of The Americans here on Not Great Quite Books! For the first episode, "Dead Hand," Danielle and John accept the season premiere's invitation to consider all things art: the arts of spying, how spying may prevent one from appreciating art, the art of national identity, and much more. In unsurprising but nonetheless engaging developments, Danielle is still highly suspicious of Renee in the Dossier, and has pronounced Season 6 Tragedy SZN (proffering Ajax this time around) in The Cave, while John has much to say about The Sadboi Summit of 1987. The episode's creative deployment of 1980s bangers, Soviet Film Club, and saturation in the politics of 1987 round things out. 

Did Danielle and John convince themselves to start a travel agency, use an Ancient Greek word for its name, and seek brand deals for it? We think you already know the answer to this one. 

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Danielle and John are BACK* from their long espionage sojourns and reunited to preview The Americans Season 6. Having both rewatched the S5 finale, they note their surprises and ideas upon this revisiting, before talking through what the show asks of its viewers and what Danielle expects, predicts, and wants heading into Season 6. 

     *"we are SO back" reserved for the actual start of S6 episodes

Season 6 episodes coming your way in 2026. 

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Set up for fancy listening devices as Regan and John navigate intersubjective lessons for the characters of Derry Girls and for themselves while they dive into the Series 2 finale. What do the girls learn about themselves through moments of conflict, and when do they stay stuck in joke-delivery-machine status? Do you really gotta hand it to Bill Clinton? Will John and Regan's respective takes on the show so far and on what they want out Series 3 be predictable? 

Much like being a Derry Girl, being a loyal NQGB listener is a feckin' state of mind (but do like, subscribe, and download). 

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The titular girls go through coming of age rites of passage both holy and profane, sneaking away to an escapade-laden concert in Belfast and navigating one wedding and a pot-scone-fueled wake. And yet, your hosts are split on these episodes and the series as a whole as one of them (guess who) concern trolls whether these are characters or props delivering jokes and shenanigans. Regan and John are united, however, in their interest in the travellers, gratefulness of The Cranberries drops, appreciation of Da Gerry, and having been too goody two-shoes as teens to pull off Derry girls-level deception and subterfuge. Plus, Sister Michael outside of school, twice!

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The second series of Derry Girls (second season for the Yanks) is here, and what if anything about the show has changed? 80s classic The Breakfast Club and Dead Poets Society help Regan and John frame their discussion of mission: ride some Prod lads and the questions about social separation the mission raises, and of the pedagogy (or lack thereof) of one Ms. De Brún. A real heyday for Sister Michael in these episodes sparks the segments, which also include your share of lad culture, music recommendations, and, of course, our guy the Child of Prague.

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These are the episodes where the girls truly do become children of the crossfire. A run-in with the Orange Order prompts a roadtrip gone wrong and a consideration of our new favorite (?) Provo, whale some classic school newspaper mechanics prompt a coming out for one of the main characters. Regan and John discuss how these episodes and particularly the cross-cutting final scene may fundamentally alter the show and consider an absent Madonna (the pop superstar this time), step aerobics, The Cranberries, Saint Anthony, and Le Tigre among many other subjects. 

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Regan and John connect to podcasts past (Pope-verse, anyone?) as they explore the ways Catholicism is woven into the fabric of everyday life for the titular Derry girls as they confront the mysteries of the Virgin Mary, dead, resurrected, or absconded dogs, history exams, and visitors from Ukraine. After questioning whether Erin can become more than trope-ic comic relief, they dive into the segments to appreciate Sister Michael, recommend PJ Harvey (guess who), talk about Chernobyl Children International, and much more. 

There’s even a hot priest!

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Regan Levitte is BACK for some more NQGB podcasting, this time initiating John into the world of Derry Girls. Exploring identity-making, the pair situate themselves in the world of Derry, Northern Ireland and of the five main characters, Erin, Clare, Michelle, Orla, and James. Which character does each of your trusty hosts most resemble (whether they like ir or not)? What new and alliterative segments have been devised for this jaunt to the serious and silly sitcom set amid The Troubles, circa 1990s? What theory season is it (spoiler: Sara Ahmed SZN…but this time The Cave contains more than just theory.) Does John like this show?

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Ooooh boy! Back after a brief hiatus, Jon Keller makes his triumphant return for another finale episode, joining Danielle and John to talk all The Americans Season 5 Episode 13, “Soviet Division.” Together, all three unpack the situation with Pasha and the Morozovs, including disentangling some of the complicated family dynamics between the Jennings and Tuan as well as the Morozovs. The family dynamic chat continues with a look at Paige and Henry, before turning their attention to the intense vibes between Philip and Elizabeth over their fates and futures. In the Dossier, we check in on Martha, add an alternative take on Renee, and John offers his own entry as well. Glas sees the return of Kimmy (some real throwbacks in this episode!), some more hot takes about Martha, a chat about camera work, and of course RACQUETBALL BACK, though this time with Renee supplanting Philip as MVP. Your hosts are happy that their third chair is here to guide them through actual - not borrowed - nostalgia, and even more excited for him to make the descent with them into the Cave for more Marx SZN. This time, they dig into Marx’s Critique of the Gotha Program to reflect on the state of affairs in The Americans at the close of Season 5. 

Is there Reptile Talk? Fam, there is Reptile Talk. 

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On their own this week, John and Danielle are ready to tackle The Americans Season 5 Episode 12 “The World Council of Churches.” Will Danielle’s dream of the end (of a sort) of Pastor Tim finally come true? It looks like it! Organizing their conversation around the concept of resignation, your hosts take up what Oleg, Stan and Aderholt, Paige, Philip and Elizabeth, and even Tuan are resigned to in their situations, missions, and lives more generally. They consider how Pastor Tim’s new assignment shines a light on what the different members of the Jennings family are resigned to, and how Henry complicates their potential options. Before moving on to the segments, they take up Tuan’s behavior and the cliffhanger end of the episode. In the Dossier, Danielle offers some thoughts on Pasha, the return to Russia, and Oleg before Glas sees a brief chat on Mischa, among some further thoughts on Henry as well as Pastor Tim (Danielle cannot wait for this to be done). In the Cave, John offers some solid takes on The Civil War in France, the latest entry for Marx SZN, and your hosts give you some solid TheoryShips. Come for (Danielle hopes) the last Pastor Tim sighting, stay for John’s stellar TheoryShips.

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Danielle and John are joined by friend of the pod Michaela Rife to discuss The Americans Season 5 Episode 11, “Dyatkovo” (a word Danielle is definitely great at pronouncing, and a word John is actually great at pronouncing). Michaela offers up homecoming and the relationship to home as a banger of a theme, and together your hosts consider Henry’s HOMEwork, Philip’s reveries of home, the question of defending a homeland, and what it really means to have a home to go back to - a recurring question for MANY of our characters. Danielle offers some Stan-centric tinfoil hat theories in the Dossier, and in Glas, your hosts give Michaela some runway to give her thoughts on the wedding from the previous episode, and to show off her art historian expertise at breaking down the tableaux of the dramatic final scene. They also check in on Tuan’s sad McDonalds scene and ask whether Henry’s "investigative" "journalism" "skills" are priming a future FBI career. After a few comments on different 80s ‘fits and Henry’s handwritten report, it’s time to descend back into the Cave for more Marx SZN - this time with (drumroll please) The 18th Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte. Come for the solid thematic discussion but stay for the Theoryships and another installment of everyone’s favorite, Marx SZN!

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Back on their own this week, Danielle and John descend into the basement to talk about The Americans Season 5 Episode 10, “Darkroom,” and BOY, is THIS an EPISODE!?! Your hosts unpack a series of scenes that center Paige, from her snooping to her interactions with her parents to the final darkroom scene. Don’t worry, it’s not all-Paige-all-the-time - they sprinkle in time to chat about the orthodox marriage ceremony and the Morozovs. From there, Danielle offers some wild tinfoil hat theories in the Dossier, including reflecting on whether or not anyone actually got Pastor Tim a job (!). In Glas, John reflects on some of the smaller choices including the handwriting situation over at EST, and of course some camerawork quips. Your hosts touch on what’s going on with Oleg as well as what Stan and Aderholt are up to with regards to Sofia before lightening the mood by talking about the 80s fits that we get in this episode. And of course, the episode ends with a descent into the Cave for more Marx SZN - this time, featuring Class Struggles in France. It’s a double-descent kind of episode. 

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This week, John and Danielle are joined by one of their favorite recurring guests in the NQGB (Zencastr) studio, Lilly Goren! Together, they tackle The Americans 5x9, “IHOP.” They consider the developments in this ep and the season more generally through the idea of ‘the return of the repressed’ - this helps highlight the connections between Henry’s demands, Martha’s encounter with Gabriel, everything with Tuan, and more. Your hosts unpack who is the repressed and what the implications of their return are in each of the different beats of the ep. Of course, Danielle dons her tinfoil hat in the Dossier to chat about Tuan, and Lilly and John indulge her here. In Glas, there’s a lot of spycraft, some set design notes about Martha’s Moskva apartment, and Father Andrei. Lilly gets her first dose of Marx SZN with the Communist Manifesto, and offers some awesome anecdotes to accompany the trip into the Cave. Your hosts end with a robust round of TheoryShips. Enjoy!

(We lost a few minutes of Lilly's audio and brilliant thoughts early in the episode, but only in the very beginning).

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Amy Schiller is back with John for a wide-ranging conversation about economies both sacred and profane. Together, they consider the May election of Pope Leo XIV as a pop culture phenomenon (2:36), the amor fati, unresolved moodiness, and audience responses to the third season of The White Lotus (13:34), and in true dialectical fashion strongly disagree about Celine Song's new film Materialists and its engagement with love, money, and height surgery (1:00:55). 

Can you have a little materialism as a treat? How *would* you structure a shady AF $5 million cover-up transaction? Is being a Mike White simp a defensible lifestyle? Tune in to find out. 

Amy's book The Price of Humanity: How Philanthropy Went Wrong and How to Fix It is available at Bookshop.org among other venues, and she writes The Schill newsletter on Substack.

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Danielle and John are back to chat all things The Americans 5x8, “Immersion”! Even though Philip and Elizabeth defiantly claim "We know what to think," your hosts ask whether ANY of the characters ACTUALLY know what to think. Unpacking the return of Claudia, Elizabeth training Paige, and the ongoing faux(?)-romantic entanglements with Ben and Deirdre, as well as checking in with Evgeniya, Tuan, and Oleg, John and Danielle do their best to evaluate if any of these characters actually knows what to think (or do) as their realities shift amidst an ever-changing political landscape. Of course, Danielle takes up Claudia's reappearance in the Dossier with the help of some probing questions from John (she literally couldn't resist), and in Glas, your hosts consider the FBI's museum antics and Renee's general vibes. Marx SZN continues in the Cave as John guides us through another dip into Capital. Your hosts have some fun with their TheoryShips this week - TL:DR, Hobbes is also back in action. Come for the Marx, but stay for your hosts *maybe* using Ben's correct name!

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Making his triumphant return, Jordan Cass is BACK, joining Danielle and John to chat all things The Americans 5x7, “Committee on Human Rights”! Once again impeccably prepared, Jordan guides the trio through an analysis of the episode around the theme of ‘enmeshment’. Together, they consider Gabriel’s final conversation with Philip, Paige’s search for autonomy and her break-up with Matthew, and the various attachment structures of the Jennings family. The trio questions what enmeshments are required in the life of a spy. But the real mark of triumph in this episode is when Jordan schools John and Danielle on the fact that Brad-not-Brent’s name is NOT Brad, but BEN. This reveal is an all-timer, and with it, Jordan cements his case for permanent third-chair on the pod. Somehow, your hosts recover, and journey together into the segments, with some questions in the Dossier, scrutiny over Paige’s bookshelf, and checking in about Renee and Stan. Your hosts return to Capital for another installment of Marx SZN, and round things out with another set of TheoryShips. Come for Jordan’s superb insights, stay for how he absolutely roasts your hosts, for everyone’s enjoyment!

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Gabriel might be leaving, but John and Danielle are here to stay, this week taking on The Americans 5x6, “Crossbreed.” They frame their discussion around ‘disclosure’, starting with Gabriel’s decision to leave (don’t worry, Danielle has THOUGHTS on this in the Dossier) before moving onto the lack of disclosure when it comes to Philip, and wrapping up with some musings on Oleg burning the tape. They consider what it means to introduce Paige to Gabriel in the broader context of the show, as well as in relation to the question of disclosure. In Glas, your hosts cannot help but overanalyze Elizabeth’s newly found mode of relaxation, Tai-Chi, and the parallels between Gabriel in DC and Oleg in Moscow. John and Danielle consider the 80s-ness of psychiatrist culture before meeting Marx once again in the Cave - this time chatting all things Capital! They make a case for the show hiring them as Marx-consultants (derogatory), which, of course, would make things much smoother for all involved! This would rectify some of the missteps - which are all still obviously Pastor Tim’s fault. Your hosts end the episode with some TheoryShips of Robyn Marasco and Foucault (sorry-not-sorry) to our beloved characters. Enjoy!

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John and Danielle are back to dig into The Americans 5x5, “Lotus 1-2-3,” and they are DISSOCIATING as they do so! With that theme, your hosts consider how this approach helps Philip and Elizabeth cope with their various missions and their less-than-ideal reality. John highlights the age-old Eros-Thanatos double whammy for not only Philip and Elizabeth (and their respective marks/partners), but Stan as well! Perhaps, dissociation is what one needs in order to maintain a double life, or overlook the cracks and fissures in that life. Turning to the segments, Danielle claims a win in the Dossier due to Philip’s suspicions about Renee, which John reluctantly allows, but doesn’t give any confirmation one way or another (no surprise there!). In Glas, we get the depressing return of Mischa, a check-in with Oleg, and debrief about Tuan along with some quips about camerawork and costumes to round out the analysis. In Borrowed Nostalgia, your hosts can’t let the styrofoam McDonald’s boxes go unnoticed, or Renee’s general hyper-80s persona. In the Cave, Marx SZN thunders on with John guiding us through the German Ideology. Come for the comparisons between the sex scenes, stay for the TheoryShips!

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Your hosts break out the maps to tackle The Americans 5x4, “What’s the Matter with Kansas?” Does Danielle know where Kansas is on a map? Great question. Together, John and Danielle use the notion of logistics to analyze the main moves of the episode, turning quickly from Gabriel to Paige (TIM BACK!) to the seduction gambits of our two main characters. While Elizabeth has to do a lot of planning to seduce Ben (Mr. Spontaneous), Philip’s hand at logistics almost goes awry. We learn that Alexei is a logistics guy, and even Stan gets in on the logistics fun! In the Dossier, Danielle re-ups her Renee suspicions, and we get some more Philip/Stan paralleling in Glas. Your hosts laugh about Henry, Oleg’s dueling plotlines, and even the Mischa of it all, which has a lot of guys being dudes packed into a few short scenes. In Borrowed Nostalgia, 80s alarm bells go off for carob, health food stores in general, and of course everyone’s gym attire. It’s definitely still MARX SZN in the Cave - John dazzles with Theses on Feuerbach this week before your hosts take up a serious matter: Marx continuity errors in the Americans (ofc it’s Pastor Tim’s fault). Enjoy!

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This week, John and Danielle are joined by their friend and fellow political theorist Kennan Ferguson! Together, these three dig into Danielle’s take on Season 5 Episode 3, “The Midges,” using the frame of ‘family’ - inspired by some of Kennan’s work (!) - to structure their discussion.  They start with the bowling scene with Tuan and the Morozovs and then consider its mirror with Paige later on. They tackle Philip and Elizabeth’s dance in the hotel room and the final scene before moving onto the segments, which of course starts with Danielle’s reactions to MARTHA BACK. What a jumpscare! In Glas, they consider Oleg and the supermarket worker, and Stan and Aderholt’s attempts at Soviet recruitment before some solid musical discussion in Borrowed Nostalgia. They welcome Kennan to MARX SZN in the Cave with a quick trip into the 1844 Manuscripts on Estranged Labor, and John celebrates Kennan’s work in his TheoryShip. Your hosts leave no proverbial stone unturned with this one. 

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Oh boy. John and Danielle are back at it for The Americans Season 5 Episode 2, “Pests.” Framing their discussion around “unofficial rules,” they consider how unwritten and unofficial rules structure the lives of our favorite spies, in particular how these dictate what to do with the grain situation and Gabriel, Tuan, and the Morozovs. Your hosts also consider the unwritten rules of teenagers when it comes to Paige and all her angst, as well as the relationship between Stan and Oleg. In the Dossier, Danielle introduces some suspicions about Renee, which John (as usual) ‘no-comments’ - stay tuned for Renee check-ins in later episodes. Glas has the usual spycraft round-up and Philip-Stan relationship appraisal, and we are treated to a relatively deep-dive about Bennigans and chain restaurants in Borrowed Nostalgia. There’s another installment of MARX SZN in the Cave, with the added bonus of some creative TheoryShips too. Enjoy!

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WE ARE SO BACK! Back from an extended break in the Soviet Union, Danielle and John dive into Season 5 of The Americans! They take on Season 5 Episode 1, “Amber Waves,” by focusing in on the multiple manifestations of mothering that drive the episode. Together, they unpack the introduction of Tuan, pour one out for Hans (RIP), and ask after Claudia too. Danielle makes an (inappropriate) violent mothers joke before the head into the segments, which she follows up with some tinfoil-hat-theorizing about Mischa and Gabriel in the Dossier. John guides the pair through an in-depth analysis of William’s death in Glas and puts his musical analysis on display in Borrowed Nostalgia. PLATO SZN is over, but Season 5 marks the beginning of MARX SZN in the Cave! Your hosts introduce some Marx-inspired awards: Most Bourgeois and Champion of the Workers they will inevitably forget to give out at least half the time! Don’t worry, there’s also plenty of predictions, 80s Olympic Games, and late night missions. Come for the quips about parenting from your favorite non-parents, stay for the TheoryShips!

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Danielle and John are back together, and to transition out of (brat?) summer and into another fall of teaching and The Americans podcasting, they reunited to perform a silly, cringe AF, ultra-frivolous exercise. After receiving a crucial Producer Amy primer, they power rank The Americans characters to determine who is the most Brat. Surprises abound. Because that is somehow not enough, they also place characters on the meme Kamala Harris political alignment chart. Who just fell out of a coconut tree? Your hosts? Tune in and find out. 

We also managed to shoehorn in some Oasis chatter, and if you stick around to the end, you'll find out two crucial pieces of news about the NQGB plans for The Americans S5! 

Check out the NQGB twitter feed for the final rankings and alignment if you find this extremely-well-planned episode somewhat hard to follow. 

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[spoilers ahead in episode description]

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It's the end of an era as Regan and John expire in their earthly Popecasting, even as they ascend into Popecasting heaven, hopefully on a beach with a Papal Speedo-ed Lenny Belardo. This is a revelation (or is Revelation...) filled episode, and we cover it all: the Catholic fanaticism and holy war discourse that are giving Crusades, John Brannox's surprising and maybe surprisingly touching Angelus address to the crowds, Lenny's own address to the crowds, the resolution (?) of the terrorism plotlines this season. What about that closing montage -- too easy? Just right? Who is or are the hero(es) and antihero(es) of this show? How did Lenny become a hostage negotiator? Is Bauer God? Is Voiello a true neutral? Can we have all of our intense conversations on the Sistine Chapel set? 

All your fave segments are back for one last rodeo, and because it's the last episode of the Popeverse, Regan and John also indulge in a one-time only End of an Era segment, featuring New/Young Pope coconut-pilled memes, a conversation about magical realism and genre, and a reflection on their relationships to Catholicism and to each other. 

Take us aloft as we proverbially crowdsurf the holy listenership of NQGB Popecasting. Set us down in the Pietà pose. Hot Confessor Summer is forever.  

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New Pope and this podcast alike return to their old obsessions for this Penultimate Popeverse Popecast. The touching Vatican state funeral for [redacted for spoiler reasons] provokes a deep dialogue on Voiello, Giorlamo, Franco, the funeral mass, suffering, and love. Other things we obsess about? Sofia-JP3 intimacy, Lenny-Voiello scenes, the Papal Bowflex, fit checks, Joan Didion, Lenin, and everyone’s favorite loquacious rapscallion/God, Bauer. 

Miraculously, this episode also includes Regan embracing her role as the foremost theologian of our time as she performs a baller doctrinal excursus on the crucial question of whether transubstantiation can happen through Zoom. 

Come, listener, be the third member of our very own terrible trio.

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[Major ep. 7 spoilers in this episode description]

Pope, saint, miracle worker, messiah, christ, antichrist, revenant, which best applies to resurrected Lenny Belardo?! And which apply to your dear hosts?! Regan and John plot out this and many other papal conundrums as they discuss LENNY BACK. Lenny’s return breaks the show, and we explore the new primary setting of the Venetian manor in this episode, new questions about the Church, and, most importantly, a new opening credits sequence featuring the Glowing Papal Speedo (Lenny’s job is beach). Much like Lenny can’t quite figure out his role in the lives of his hosts Ewa and Helmar and their son Eric, we try to figure out WTF this show is doing with disability. 

Somehow this TV episode also contains one of the most strikingly somber and beautiful scenes ever, and this podcast episode includes literary references galore, plagiarism chat, celebration over the way the show’s lighting, Pietà time, Edward Said, and so much more.

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This episode of TV is a whole ordeal (non-derogatory, we think), and your hosts attempt to chart a godly course through the instability and chaos of it all. Leopold Essence’s (what a name) cryptic bug and Sofia’s spy mission-slash-dislocation set off the whole episode: the violence, the scheming, the response (or lack thereof) to the scheming, and the Pope’s risky interview. Esther’s storyline is itself full of chaos and violence (in multiple forms), with Regan and John talking out their reactions to and analyses of these scenes and WTF this show is doing with its approach to disability. Lurking around all of this? Coma Lenny, the ultimate chaos agent. 

Make sure to stick around for the segments, where we love and scorn Voiello, ponder New Pope as Coen Brothers-meet-horror movie, use cockroach metaphors from the show to critique mission work, learn about actress Kiruna Stamell’s versatility IRL, celebrate Saint Drogo, and more. We have an all-timer of The Cave for you as well: an Aquinas banger that sets John off plus Regan shouts out a NQGB fave in TheoryShip.

Not to mention, one of your hosts reveals themself to be a bit of a monarchist. Wild stuff.

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Hop in the Popemobile for a journey to the Vatican catacombs, Lourdes, the power of “no”, the power of Sharon Stone, and the inner workings of the collective mind of your hosts Regan and John. If the show is going to openly present narrative as a theme, there is no doubt we will run with it: if religion is a major narrative, what does that mean for the status of the church? Isn’t it fun to make a minor TV narrative about a major narrative of religion? How are Sofia and JP3 trying to shift the narrative in this episode? What narrative work do Lenny’s comatose breathing patterns and Esther’s late night dash do? 

Your hosts also imagine a Pope-Chappel Roan-Charli XCX meet-up, discuss Nickelodeon spooky shows, guffaw at the idea of a Saussure second-date book club, and ponder John Brannox’s gin of choice in relation to this hilarious and gorgeously-made episode of TV. 

Set your frequency to NQGB and tune in to this ep.

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We didn’t blackmail you into listening to this episode (we think), but we do frame our discussion about John Paul III, Voiello, Spaletta, and the machinations within the Vatican around the idea of blackmail. Does this culminate in considering whether Catholic dogma is inherently a form of blackmail. You (and Nietzsche) already knew that it does. The final scene between Pope JP3 and Gutiérrez may offer a (semi-depraved, in true Popeverse fashion) counterpoint about the reciprocal exchange of vulnerability, however. 

Regan and John also discuss NUNS ON STRIKE in the main discussion, Catholica, and The Cave because it couldn’t be contained to one part of the episode, Sofia’s presence in this episode and this season, Esther and the madonna/whore complex, godly skiing, and, naturally, The Hobbit trilogy. 

Changed our minds, now we’re blackmailing you into listening – tap play *now*.

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John and Regan have some reservations about Episode Three of The New Pope. Not included in those questions?: millipedes are godly – on that there is no doubt. This may be a plot-mover more than a great episode of TV, but such venal sins have never stopped NQGB before. 

There is exploration of more than just millipedes in this episode, however. Your humble hosts tackle the new Pope’s three speeches, how parent-driven self-abnegation paired with a sense of grandiosity brings John Brannox and Lenny Belardo together, and, yes, the skeezy men and problematic depictions of disability circling around Esther in this episode. The segments find us querying nun politics before we lust after plum overcoats, celebrate patron saint trivia, and assign NQGB impresario Danielle Hanley’s 2022 article on choral politics to characters on the show. 

Grab your silver pope hammer and turn on this ep.

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Regan and John lay about the English manor of their collective mind as they journey with Team Vatican Dream Blunt Rotation to Sir John Brannox’s estate. Mysteries, Lenny apparitions, purple suits, white rooms, mysterious boxes, and depression abound. Can the dream team convince Sir John to become Pope? What do the different characters project onto Lenny? Have we broken new ground in the cravat + guyliner space? What is the Middle Way? Can your trusty hosts shoehorn in a Saltburn reference? 

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Popecast without a Hot Confessor Summer check-in, replete this week with Sofia’s kinky marriage and the increasingly sexed-up opening credits at Club Cloister. This and more if you join us in the NQGB conspiracy lair of this episode.

PopeCast aka Hot Confessor Summer is BACK on Not Quite Great Books! Regan and John are reunited to begin their pilgrimage through The New Pope, the follow-up mini-series to their blessed The Young Pope. 

Lenny may be the structuring absence of this episode and this season of TV, but there is plenty to ponder. After your hosts reflect on their interactions with Catholicism since last summer, they explore the relation of corruption and piety, what the cardinals seek from god and the pope, Silvio Orlando’s Lindsay Lohan turn, the wealth of the Church, and our queen Strega Nona (among other items). 

Your favorite segments are back, some staying the same (Pope-pourri, Regan Rectory, Aquinas SZN in The Cave), while others adapt to the times (stay tuned for the replacement for Hot Priest Rating). Also back? This bizarre and wondrous and horny and contemplative show, and your hosts are here to work through it all. 

Time for a check-in! John and Danielle look back on Season 4 of The Americans in its entirety! They dig into some of the big themes from the season, from Glanders, to Paige’s spy development, to the changes in Philip and Elizabeth’s relationship. With the help of previous guest Mike Rensink, they tackle all the different deaths and departures that occurred throughout the season, and John makes a game out of it for Danielle. Of course, they go through the biggest Ls from the Dossier, but touch on the wins too. It wouldn’t be a NQGB ep without Danielle complaining about Pastor Tim’s seeming immortality. And, for good measure, your hosts do some meta convo on the production of the show and throw in one final Plato SZN in The Cave. 

Somehow there was also House of the Dragon (light spoilers for S2E1) and Game of Thrones chat, a Marx jaunt (more explicable), and a wide-ranging convo on storytelling arcs considering TV as an industry. 

It’s a fun one!

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While William battles the Lassa virus, Danielle and John contend with the season 4 finale, “Persona Non Grata.” They consider the episode through the lens of endings that lack resolution, digging into the relationships between Philip and Elizabeth, Paige and her parents, as well as the state of affairs with the FBI, Arkadii, and of course, William. Danielle logs a number of losses (and one key win) in the Dossier, and offers some Season 5 predictions. In Glas, your hosts check in with Oleg, chat about Mischa, and John comments on the architecture and filmmaking regarding the quarantine room. After a quick jaunt to Borrowed Nostalgia to log the 80s references, your hosts head to the Cave to complete Plato SZN by turning to the Phaedo. They then wrap up the season with a round of TheoryShips. Join us as we pour one out for William and toast to Season 4!

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Danielle and John are back once again, and not only do they have questions about The Americans S4E12, "A Roy Rogers in Franconia," they have questions about questions. What happens in the aftermath of William's questions about his duty, Paige's questions about Elizabeth, and Oleg's questions about the USSR, and how do those questions reorient other characters? As we delve into these matters (and much more), there's still plenty of time to discuss first-kiss fish lips, a surprising Oleg-David Byrne connection, Dossier conspiracies, and (naturally) Plato SZN. 

Sorry for the delay on this episode! The Americans Season 4 finale episode coming your way on June 6. 

Danielle and John are joined by one of John’s best friends, Jordan Cass, to chat all things The Americans 4x11, “Dinner for Seven.” Jordan proves himself to be an impressively prepared co-host, and helps guide us through the key points in this episode around various characters’ experiences of guilt. Together, your three hosts consider how guilt informs Elizabeth’s decisions, relationships with Pastor Tim and Alice, as well as the interaction between Stan and Oleg. In the Dossier, Danielle touches on Gabriel’s sex life, and Jordan and John ask a few leading questions. Jordan offers his insights about Paige’s character development in Glas before your hosts run through some silly stuff and camera angles. PLATO SZN returns to the Republic before a solid set of TheoryShips from all three co-hosts. Come for Jordan’s awesome insights, stay for Danielle’s complaints about how Pastor Tim is still not a ghost. Enjoy!

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Despite its name, this is not an episode about the Lollipop guild - it's The Americans 4x10, “Munchkins.” John and Danielle work through the different plot elements through the lens of entrapment: Stan & Aderholt, Alice & the Jennings, Elizabeth & Don, Gaad & the Munchkins. Danielle laments how Pastor Tim was snatched from his impending death and your hosts laud Keri Russel’s ‘are you kidding me’ face, which makes many-an-appearance this week. In Glas, they chat about Oleg and Tatiana (after Danielle makes a Dossier prediction), and touch on the significance of Kimmy’s return. In Borrowed Nostalgia, they analyze Alice’s fashion choices, Henry’s walkman, and Paige’s coffee choices. It’s still PLATO SZN, but this time your hosts turn to the Phaedo for some fitting insights about death from our favorite Platonic main character, Socrates. Come to this ep for the discussion of the bumbling Russian trio, stay for John’s TheoryShip of Honig to both Paige and Reagan!

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Danielle and John are back to discuss The Americans 4x9, “The Day After.” They call on their Gen-X expert, Jon Keller, to weigh in on the titular TV special and its general significance. They dig into the challenges posed by obligation, thinking about obligations to self, others, and the nation as they structure the lives and decisions of Elizabeth, William, Philip, and Paige throughout the ep. In the Dossier, Danielle claims victory about some of her latest predictions. In Glas, your hosts are excited that racquetball has finally returned to the screen. They also evaluate Elizabeth’s spycraft techniques while on her babysitting adventure, and rate the best outfits of the episode. Danielle forces some variety into PLATO SZN, which leads your hosts to dive into the Laws before offering some solid TheoryShips to close out the episode.

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