Pynchon Pals is a podcast about finally reading Thomas Pynchon.
Join co-hosts and good friends Patrick Fiorilli, Andrew Tillett, and Duri Long as they talk through, break down, and identify exciting new recipes from the works of one of American literature's foremost figures.
Just saw One Battle After Another? Picked up Shadow Ticket? Had Gravity's Rainbow on your shelf for a decade? Or just a longtime fan looking to revisit your favorites? Everyone's welcome to be a Pynchon Pal!
23: In which meet die ganze kaputte Bande und/y la dotación enferma (Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 3.6-3.10)
Episode 23
Wednesday, July 29, 2026 • Duration 02:47:37
Well gang, we made it to our very own brennschluss point. Or at least we think we did? Join us for the thrilling first issue of ROCKETMAN and reencounter some old friends and some old, old friends.
Next time, Gravity’s Rainbow Episode 3.11, or pp. 403-440 in the U.S. Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition.
Our theme music is “Horology,” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives license on the albumPolygondwanaland.
22: In which one sequence, at least, is pretty straightforward (Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 3.3-3.5)
Episode 22
Wednesday, July 15, 2026 • Duration 03:08:10
A round of applause for the staff at Thomas Pynchon’s local library in the early 1970s. Working overtime getting that man his Herero cosmologies and Soviet orthographical histories. And, hey, let's hear it for the projectionist at the repertory theater showing all those old slapstick flicks, too.
Next time, Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, and 3.10, or pp. 365-403 in the U.S. Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition.
21: In which the Pynchon Pals write a limerick (Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 3.1-3.2)
Episode 21
Wednesday, July 1, 2026 • Duration 02:25:00
History, math, physics, literature, architecture. This book’s a whole course of study! Do we get a little confused here about the difference between “parabolic” and “catenary” arches here? Sure we do. But we’re pretty sure our explanations of calculus check out!
Next time, Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 3.3, 3.4, and 3.5, or pp. 319-365 in the U.S. Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition.
19: In which this book is sort of like The History Channel meets The Great Mouse Detective meets Severance meets Riverdale meets Dumb and Dumber (Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 2.3-2.5)
Episode 19
Wednesday, June 3, 2026 • Duration 03:05:10
Debauchery. Grotesquerie. Eschatology. Showtunes. That’s Thomas Pynchon, for ya!
Next time, Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 2.6, 2.7, and 2.8, or pp. 247-282 in the U.S. Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition.
For the month of May’s Patreon-exclusive bonus episode we watched Hitler's Secret Weapon: The V-2 Rocket at Peenemunde (1977) (link via Archive.org), V2: Nazi Rocket a.k.a. Hitler's Space Rocket (2016) (there seems to be a couple cuts or versions of this one across streaming platforms and maybe international distributors—but here’s a link to one version on YouTube), and “V2 Assembling and Launching” (1947) (link via YouTube).
Show Notes:
“The Great Mouse Detective - The world's greatest criminal mind (lyrics)” via YouTube (https://youtu.be/8UQg4zb9dsA)
An open-access article that very probably contains spoilers beyond where we are in the book, but which goes deep on Pynchon’s sources for the equation we talk about in this episode and others: Engelhardt, N. & Engelhardt, H., (2018) “The Momentum of Pynchon's Secret Formula: Gravity’s Rainbow’s Second Equation between Archival Sources and Fiction”, Orbit: A Journal of American Literature 6(1). (https://doi.org/10.16995/orbit.486)
18: In which Patrick finally finds an excuse to do his Jimmy Stewart impression (Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 2.1-2.2)
Episode 18
Wednesday, May 20, 2026 • Duration 02:22:50
Ah, now this is what we’ve been missing! The sun, the sea, the songs! This episode’s all escapades along the esplanade. At least until the paranoia sets in.
Next time, Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 2.3 through 2.5, or pp. 208-247 in the U.S. Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition.
For the month of May’s Patreon-exclusive bonus episode we’ll be watching Hitler's Secret Weapon: The V-2 Rocket at Peenemunde (1977) (link via Archive.org), V2: Nazi Rocket a.k.a. Hitler's Space Rocket (2016) (there seems to be a couple cuts or versions of this one across streaming platforms and maybe international distributors—but here’s a link to one version on YouTube), and “V2 Assembling and Launching” (1947) (link via YouTube).
17: In which we tour Mr. Pynchon’s Mysterious Society for Peculiarly Gifted Bureaucrats (Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 1.17-1.21)
Episode 17
Wednesday, May 6, 2026 • Duration 03:11:39
Do we dare go beyond “Beyond the Zero”? Well, first we’ve got to meet a bunch of characters who will surely—surely—be important later. Then, this book heard you liked the occult, so it put a séance in its séance so you can speak to the dead while you speak to the dead. Finally, Roger and Jessica just keep breaking our hearts.
Next time, Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 2.1 and 2.2, or pp. 181-208 in the U.S. Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition.
For the month of May’s bonus episode, we’ll be watching Hitler's Secret Weapon: The V-2 Rocket at Peenemunde (1977) (link via Archive.org), V2: Nazi Rocket a.k.a. Hitler's Space Rocket (2016) (there seems to be a couple cuts or versions of this one across streaming platforms and maybe international distributors—but here’s a link to one version on YouTube), and “V2 Assembling and Launching” (1947) (link via YouTube).
16: In which Crest the savior is born (Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 1.14-1.16)
Episode 16
Wednesday, April 22, 2026 • Duration 02:46:25
GR just keeps getting V.-ier and V.-ier. Luckily, there’s a funny scene about candy waiting for us on the other end. And hey, it’s our favorite couple Jessica and Roger! Oh dear, they look very sad…
Next time, Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 1.17-1.21, or pp. 139-180 in the U.S. Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition.
Our theme music is “Horology,” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives license on the albumPolygondwanaland.
15: In which a real live rocket launches (Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 1.8-1.13)
Episode 15
Wednesday, April 8, 2026 • Duration 02:53:01
Discussions of Pavlov bookend interdepartmental conspiracy and pseudo-domesticity. Meanwhile Slothrop, like Benny Profane and Herbert Stencil before him, ventures into the sewer. Makes you miss the alligators!
Next time—I misspoke in the episode!—Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 1.14-1.16 (not through 1.17), or pp. 94-139 in the U.S. Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition.
14: In which the Pynchon Pals, in their arrogance, thought they could talk through more of the book in three hours (Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 1.1-1.7)
Episode 14
Wednesday, March 25, 2026 • Duration 03:10:48
Well, we’ve arrived at The Big One. Or, The First Big One, anyways. Join us -- again or for the first time -- as we puzzle out plots, diagram arcane organizational structures, and go long on bananas.
Next time, Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 1.8-1.13, or pp. 48-94 in the U.S. Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition.
“Some Things that ‘Happen’ (More or Less) in Gravity’s Rainbow,” by Michael Davitt Bell. The simplest and most useful quick reference for the goings on in we’ve found so far. Spoiler warning, obviously, for things we and maybe you haven’t read yet—and, less obviously, for references to things that will be (but aren’t yet) important.
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Our theme music is “Horology,” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives license on the albumPolygondwanaland.
Our theme music is “Horology,” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives license on the albumPolygondwanaland.
Our theme music is “Horology,” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives license on the albumPolygondwanaland.
Our theme music is “Horology,” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives license on the albumPolygondwanaland.
Our theme music is “Horology,” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives license on the albumPolygondwanaland.
Our theme music is “Horology,” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives license on the albumPolygondwanaland.
Our theme music is “Horology,” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives license on the albumPolygondwanaland.
Gravity’s Rainbow
Content warnings: strong language, physical and sexual violence, racism, misogyny.
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Featuring Patrick Fiorilli, Andrew Tillett, and Duri Long.
Our theme music is “Horology,” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives license on the albumPolygondwanaland.
