Our Next Project! (Patreon)

The last episode of our Mockingjay reread will be out soon, concluding SHHG! as a project (for now). What's next?

For those who would rather read announcements than listen to them, the pitch is this: a new seasonal show going back to the beginning of the Potter phenomenon. Not a reread show, and certainly not a TV recap podcast. Instead, we're putting together an exhaustive, granular, piece-by-piece history of the business and fandom surrounding Harry Potter, and how it shaped media and popular culture.

Much like with our reread show, this is a topic that has been researched and written about in ample detail by books titled things like "Harry Potter: The Story of a Global Business Phenomenon" or "How Harry Cast His Spell". There are breathless treatises on the power of fandom, too, most often presented as a good and healthy thing that thrived on the inherent quality of the books and films, propelled forward by a genius author. But--naturally--we aim to tie all these things together through a different lens. How did the business capitalize on the fandom? What power moves were being made behind the scenes? What built an empire so lucrative that nobody in charge seems to care that the golden goose is the de facto mascot of a hate movement?

These questions--plus many more silly ones in between--are the driving force behind our new show. We hope it's something you'll all look forward to! Also, as I note in the episode itself, please feel free to drop suggestions for Patron rewards and whatnot.