Villains 101
20 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 5 years ago - ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsIn Villains 101, Dr. Erica McCrystal welcomes you to an audio lecture hall where you will discover the history behind some of the greatest villains of literature and media. Dr. McCrystal discusses different critical perspectives and interpretations of a new villain in each episode. She also looks at the ways in which the villain has been adapted, as each adaptation helps build a better understanding of the character.
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Episodes
IT
April 07, 2019 13:35 - 17 minutes - 23.6 MBIt, who often goes by Pennywise the Dancing Clown, is the terrifying villain from Stephen King's 1986 novel It. In this episode, I discuss the complexities of the creature, its place in pop culture and folklore, and why clowns are so terrifying.
The Queen of Hearts
March 01, 2019 09:29 - 15 minutes - 21 MBThe Queen of Hearts from Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is an emotional, heartless ruler. This episode looks closely at passages from the novel, examines the history of beheading, and thinks about the mythological roots of her character.
Episode 18 - Harry and Marv
December 13, 2018 18:19 - 14 minutes - 19.6 MBHarry and Marv, the Wet Bandits/Sticky Bandits, are the hilarious villains of the classic Christmas films Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. In this episode, I will discuss the various types of crimes they commit during the films, the injuries that they sustain, and their skills as criminals.
Scar
November 14, 2018 20:35 - 15 minutes - 21.4 MBDisney villains are legendary, and Scar from The Lion King is not one to mess around with. This episode analyzes Scar from different perspectives, including comparing his behavior to that of lions in the wild. It also compares Scar to others in literature and history. Ultimately, this episode raises the question, does Scar behave naturally or is he a horrible dictator?
Episode 16: The Sanderson Sisters
October 11, 2018 02:09 - 17 minutes - 23.4 MBThe classic Halloween film Hocus Pocus brings us a wonderful trio of villainesses, the Sanderson Sisters. This episode looks at the history of witches and trends in popular culture while analyzing three of the most iconic witches.
Episode 15 - Moriarty
September 11, 2018 12:00 - 13 minutes - 26.2 MBMoriarty is the brilliant arch nemesis of Sherlock Holmes. Arthur Conan Doyle created a worthy foe for the great detective. This episode analyzes Moriarty's character and discusses why he has become such an iconic and often adapted villain.
Gaston
May 01, 2018 11:22 - 14 minutes - 12.9 MBGaston is the chauvinistic, self-absorbed villain of Disney's Beauty and the Beast. This episode describes the ways in which Gaston's villainy emerges and finds him to be an especially terrifying villain because he is a human with qualities that we may recognize in others.
Napoleon
April 18, 2018 00:03 - 15 minutes - 14.2 MBThe boar Napoleon from George Orwell's novel Animal Farm becomes an oppressive dictator. This episode looks at the parallels between the novel and Soviet Russia and examines Napoleon's rise to power and tyrannical rule.
Judge Doom
March 28, 2018 11:47 - 15 minutes - 13.9 MBJudge Doom is the deliciously evil villain of the film Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Doom is a sinister villain with dreams of expansion that cause him to make genocidal plans. This episode analyzes Doom's character and looks at the history of human devastation of land and life around the world.
Judge Holden
March 13, 2018 01:36 - 15 minutes - 14.2 MBJudge Holden is the cold-blooded, violent villain of Cormac McCarthy's novel Blood Meridian. In this episode, I analyze different interpretations of his character and The Judge's philosophy and teachings of the world.
Mr. Burns
February 27, 2018 04:30 - 13 minutes - 12.6 MBMr. Burns is the hilarious, evil villain of the TV series The Simpsons. With his ridiculous schemes, Mr. Burns serves as pure entertainment. This episode examines the types of crimes that Mr. Burns is guilty of committing and looks at different aspects of his character that make him into a timeless villain.
Maleficent
February 13, 2018 14:32 - 15 minutes - 13.8 MBIn adapting an old fairy tale, Disney created a truly menacing villainness for Sleeping Beauty. This episode looks at the elements that make Maleficent a perfect villainness. It also analyzes her transformation into a heroine in the recent film Maleficent.
Dracula
January 30, 2018 04:30 - 14 minutes - 13.6 MBWith Count Dracula, Bram Stoker created a perfect Gothic monster who arouses fear as he systemically tries to expand his vampire race. But Dracula can also be read as a victim who is hunted and attacked. Tune in to hear more about the history behind the Count and what he potentially represents in the real world.
Hans Gruber
December 19, 2017 04:30 - 9 minutes - 8.49 MBHans Gruber, the mastermind behind the Nakatomi heist in the film Die Hard, is a brilliant villain. He is a fast thinker and a composed killer. In this episode, I examine the strategy, intellect, and skills of this great Christmastime villain.
Darth Vader
December 11, 2017 13:54 - 18 minutes - 16.9 MBThe Star Wars film franchise has shown audiences the transformation of passionate, fiery Anakin Skywalker into evil, heartless Darth Vader. In this episode, I analyze Vader from political, philosophical, and psychological perspectives.
Dr. Evil
November 28, 2017 05:30 - 18 minutes - 17.9 MBWhile many villains are terrifying and keep the reader or audience in nervous anticipation, Dr. Evil from the Austin Powers film trilogy brings humor to villainy. This episode digs into a villain who struggles to fulfill his ridiculous plans but who never fails to make us laugh.
The Joker
November 14, 2017 01:00 - 16 minutes - 16.2 MBThis episode brings a history and analysis of Batman's nemesis, the Joker. The Joker is an intriguing villain because he is unpredictable, wild, and irrational. This episode looks at different versions of the clown prince of crime in comics and film to see how he is the perfect embodiment of evil.
Freddy Krueger
October 22, 2017 21:21 - 19 minutes - 18.8 MBIn Episode 3, Dr. McCrystal discusses Freddy Krueger from the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. This segment provides an analysis about how monstrosity is created and fueled, what kind of monster Freddy is, and where he is located.
The Wicked Witch of the West
October 15, 2017 21:18 - 21 minutes - 20.3 MBThe Wicked Witch of the West is an iconic villain who is popular in literature, film, and musical theatre. This episode discusses the ways that evil is manifested in an individual. The Wicked Witch has represented uncontrollable forces and evil passions, but she has also been adapted to expose the ways society can fail an individual. This episode looks at L. Frank Baum’s novel, the 1939 film, and Gregory Maguire’s novel Wicked and its musical adaptation.
Mr. Hyde
September 28, 2017 23:30 - 18 minutes - 17.6 MBEpisode 1 discusses Mr. Hyde from Robert Louis Stevenson’s novella The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. This segment focuses on degeneration and monstrosity in the nineteenth century and the ways in which Mr. Hyde has been adapted over time to actually become a heroic figure.