In this episode of "Make Me A Nerd," host Mandy Kaplan welcomes a special guest - her husband, Jeremy Klavens. The couple, married for nearly 18 years, takes listeners on a journey into the world of "Game of Thrones,” in which Jeremy delicately introduces Mandy to the complex wordplay of the title of the show vis a vis, well, characters who are trying to sit… you know… on a throne.

Jeremy himself is a reluctant GoT nerd. But it’s hard not to be drawn in by the show's attention to detail and immersive world-building.

The episode takes an unexpected turn when Jeremy reveals his distaste for the show's more fantastical elements. OK, specifically he doesn’t dig on dragons. No, Jeremy is more of a Thrones policy wonk, preferring political intrigue and power struggles to witches and giant fire lizards.

As the conversation winds down, Mandy confesses to using a character guide to keep track of the "unshowered people with beards," while Jeremy shares a FUN FACT about a real dead deer used in filming - a detail that simultaneously impresses and disgusts his animal-loving wife, but introduces a new opportunity for a sound effect, and a producer’s hope for a long-running segment to come.

Even in a world of dragons and white walkers, the real magic lies in the ability of a married couple to find common ground in the fantasy between them.

Not that kind of fantasy, pervs... the other kind.

Whatever.

---
Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.

This week, Mandy settles into the passenger seat of the old Impala with comedian and podcaster Krissy Lenz for a road trip down the highway of "Supernatural," the long-running TV series about two brothers hunting monsters across America and facing their daddy issues.

Krissy, a self-proclaimed nerd and host of the Supernatural drinking game podcast, “Gank That Drank,” introduces Mandy to the show's premise and its significance in the genre TV landscape. The two discuss the series' impressive 15-season run and its blend of horror, humor, comedy, and family drama.

Their conversation touches on the show's early episodes, which Krissy notes are steeped in urban legends and local lore. From the "Woman in White" of the pilot to Wendigos and Bloody Mary, "Supernatural" initially drew heavily from campfire tales and regional myths.

The pair also explore the show's evolution, with Krissy hinting at the introduction of angels in later seasons and even a meta episode where the main characters enter the world of Scooby-Doo.

It turns out, the show is perfect fodder for a drinking game, with rules like drinking whenever Dean calls Sam "Sammy" or someone crashes through furniture. This game, it seems, is not for the faint of liver.

Subscribe to Krissy’s podcasts right here!

• Gank That Drank: A Supernatural Drinking Game Podcast
• the Most Excellent 80s Movies Podcast

---
Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.

Ever wonder what happens when you mix a sci-fi novice with a medium-level nerd and throw in some Star Wars? Well, buckle up, because that's exactly what this episode of "Make Me A Nerd" delivers.

Mandy Kaplan, whose imagination may have gone the way of the Death Star years ago, sits down with podcaster Ocean Murff to chat about "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story." Ocean, proud owner of a mere 2,000 comic books (down from 4,000 - he's practically Marie Kondo-ing), attempts to guide Mandy through the galaxy far, far away.

Mandy, it turns out, is more comfortable with spontaneous musical numbers than space politics. Who knew? She bravely admits to feeling lost among the planets and governors, but finds her footing when she realizes it's basically "Ocean's Eleven" in space.

By the end, Mandy hasn't quite reached Jedi status, but she's at least made it to "Star Wars curious." Ocean's mission to create a "small sliver" of enjoyment seems successful. Maybe next time they'll tackle a sci-fi musical - now that's a force Mandy could get behind.

Listen to Ocean’s new show, “The Adrian Moment,” right here on TruStory FM!

---
Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.