The Screen Companion

Another foreign film dive: West German cinema! The insightful guest—an Army veteran who was actually stationed in the Federal Republic of Germany at the same time the film, Lola (1981), was being made—recounts his time overseas and his impressions of the people and politics of the region. Guest: The Dad!

How well do '90s animated kid's shows hold up? Were they much smarter than comedy cartoons aimed at kids today? We'll try to keep one eye free of the nostalgia glasses and see what—if anything—has changed in over two decades as we revisit Recess, Hey Arnold!, The Ren & Stimpy Show, and Johnny Bravo. How subversive were these shows really? Today's guest provides the dual perspective of a parent and child educator. Guest: Laura.

More Westerns! We had an okay time watching '90s Westerns, so how about a couple even older examples of the genre to help us decide if it's for us or not? Between The Kentuckian and Shoot the Sun Down, we're bound to figure out what's behind this enduring genre. Guest: Max.

A bunch of snot-nosed brats at a summer camp? The horror! Add a killer into the mix and you got something special. And it takes place in the '80s? Then we must be talking about Sleepaway Camp and The Burning! Will the Host—who notoriously is not a horror fanatic—have a good time watching slasher flicks? Maybe... Guests: Sarah & Stacey.