In a special supplement to the Overthinking It Podcast, Matthew Wrather, Matthew Belinkie, and Peter Fenzel consider the last episode of The Shield.

WARNING: Contains spoilers.

Download Shield Supplement 3 (MP3)

In a special supplement to the Overthinking It Podcast, Matthew Wrather, Matthew Belinkie, and Peter Fenzel consider the next to last episode of The Shield.

WARNING: Contains spoilers.

Download Shield Supplement 2 (MP3)

A special two-part episode. In part one, Matthew Wrather, Matthew Belinkie, Mark Lee, and new regular Josh McNeil (who ditches us halfway through) overthink:

• The Simpsons’s longevity
• The coming revolution in film exhibition
• How none of us saw Bond
• Synecdoche, New York: Painful but Good
• Recent advances in video game technology

And in Part Two, Wrather sits down with Ryan Sheely for a profound discussion of the sociological implications of Gossip Girl. The word “purports” is used repeatedly, and the word “telos” at least once.

As always, feedback is welcome in the comments, by email to podcast at overthinkingit dot com, or at (203) 285-6401 (that’s 20-EAT-LOG-01).

Download Episode 20 (MP3)

[audio:http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/media.libsyn.com/media/mwrather/otip-sh1.mp3]

In a special supplement to the Overthinking It Podcast, Matthew Belinkie, Matthew Wrather, and Peter Fenzel discuss last night’s episode of The Shield. WARNING: Contains Spoilers.

This is Part 1 in a 3 part series.

Download Shield Supplement 1 (MP3)

[Note: There were problems in the original MP3 file that have been fixed. This repost is provided for the benefit of those using automagic podcatchers.]

Matthew Wrather, Mark Lee, and Matthew Belinkie are joined by less frequent podcasters David Shechner and Peter Fenzel and (again!) by guest Josh McNeil to overthink:

• What it means to be a blog
• What is Popular Culture
• The Cosby Effect
• A Fictional Cabinet of Barack Obama

Download Episode 19 (MP3)

Matthew Wrather and Mark Lee welcome political operative Josh McNeil to Overthink™:

• Viral Video and the Election
• SNL: Funny or Not Funny
• 100% of Statistics are Made Up
• The City of Las Vegas
• Favorite Fictional Presidents

Overthink This

• McNeil: Sons of Anarchy (http://www.hulu.com/sons-of-anarchy)
• Lee: FiveThirtyEight (http://www.fivethirtyeight.com)
• Wrather: The Final Episodes of The Shield (http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/the_shield)

As always, leave a voicemail at (203) 285-6401 (that’s 20-EAT-LOG-01) or email at podcast at overthinkingit dot com.

Download Episode 18 (MP3)

Matthew Wrather is joined by Matthew Belinkie and Mark Lee to overthink:

• What constitutes a hotline
• Why nobody cares about Synecdoche, New York
• Our status as high priests of popular culture and the moral imperatives of same
• Absence of odor
• Kinds of Season Finales and TV Shows
• The Baroque in Reality Television
• Halloween
• Museums and Orientalism

Overthink This
Our weekly selections from the popular culture for your amusement and edification.

• Lee: World War Z (https://www.amazon.com/dp/0307346617?tag=overtit-20)
• Belinkie: Robocop Unicorn (http://www.flickr.com/photos/87258185@N00/sets/72157603724213121/)
• Wrather: Lisa Loeb Jill Sobule Halloween Song (http://www.npr.org/blogs/bryantpark/2007/10/jill_sobule_sings_no_to_grownu.html)
  UPDATE: Oops. It’s Jill Sobule, not Lisa Loeb. My bad. —mw

Download Episode 17 (MP3)

Apparently, the MP3 of this podcast somehow got corrupted in transit to our server. Apologies. Here is the full Episode 16, reposted for the benefit of automated podcatchers like iTunes. Speaking of which, if you like the show, subscribe on iTunes!

Fenzel, Lee, and Wrather overthink:

• Talking about Politics without talking about politics.
• Weaseling out of responsibility for the ads on our site.
• Blaming Google for its ethical lapses w/r/t same.
• Yale on TV
• Pete Shouts out to the Wu-Tang Clan
• American Anti-Intellectualism
• Promises of Mint Milanos

Overthink This

• Lee: Awesome NY Post Photoshop (http://www.nypost.com/seven/10192008/frontback.htm)
• Fenzel: Interior Crocodile Alligator by Chip tha Ripper (http://encyclopediadramatica.com/Interior_Crocodile_Alligator)
• Wrather: Good Dick (http://www.gooddickthefilm.com)

Contact us at podcast AT overthinkingit DOT com or leave a voicemail for playback on a future episode at (203) 285-6401. If you rap, leave a message with a freestyle. The best ones will be presented and adjudicated.

Download Episode 16 (MP3)

• Seeing Movies Alone (and being a dick)
• Mocking the Afflicted
• Tyler Perry, Entrepreneur
• The Nature of Spoilers
• The South Park Indy Rape Episode

Email questions and comments to podcast AT overthinkingit DOT com or leave a voicemail to be played back on the show at (203) 285-6401 (include your name — or pseudonym! — and location). And come on, give us some ratings on iTunes!

Download Episode 15 (MP3)

Wrather hosts a panel including Belinkie, Fenzel, Lee, and Stokes, overthinking:

• The ontological status of the Chihuahua, and its place in the cultural landscape of Beverly Hills
• The Constitution, By-Laws, and Code Of Ethics of the Chihuahua Club of America
• The Coen Brothers, makers of The Ladykillers and Burn After Reading
• Auteur Theory
• Career Advice for Michael Cera
• Neurasthenic Nebishy Romantic Leads in Post-9/11 America
• Films that are based on novels, and one that isn’t

And the second installment in our new feature, Overthink This:

• Belinkie: Valentine (http://cwtv.com/shows/valentine)
• Fenzel: Dragonball Z Teaser Trailer (http://www.traileraddict.com/trailer/dragonball/teaser-trailer)
• Stokes: It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (http://www.hulu.com/its-always-sunny-in-philadelphia)
• Lee: Way to Normal (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001E1DJ9S?tag=overtit-20)
• Wrather: Joe’s Garage, the opera (http://www.openfist.org)

As always you can email us at podcast at overthinkingit dot com, or call (203) 285-6401 to leave a voicemail that will be played back on the podcast. And would it kill you to visit the iTunes page and leave us a nice review?

Download Episode 14 (MP3)