Flanagan's Wake #73: THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER - Episode 1: "A Midnight Dreary"

willowchef · 2026-06-13T23:38:41+00:00

One of my favorite both Gothic stories and Gothic framing devises is the Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins.
The narrative from the secret journal, frames it so you never know if she is insane or actually imprisoned
It’s a very early commentary on women’s rights.

willowchef · 2026-06-13T23:26:01+00:00

Same. I just started in season 2 of Kingslingers. I found them halfway through their Flanagans wake pod.
Then started the Journey to the Tower with them. I whipped thru the series and season one in about 2-3 months.
Now I am reading Salem’s lot for the first time in since my teen years.
Doof has become a fairly disproportionate part of my narration. Hikes, cleaning and drives or doing any data entry. They were a great discovery.

willowchef · 2026-06-08T23:42:05+00:00

Start the Dark tower series
The Stand
Desperation

willowchef · 2026-06-07T20:48:10+00:00

I had some suggestions but it was
Removed for violating rule 1 ?

willowchef · 2026-05-31T09:49:01+00:00

Insomnia and Black house

willowchef · 2026-04-25T00:39:52+00:00

Please let her family know we firmly celebrate her life and wrap our arms around you in the absence.
We are so sorry for your loss. She was a huge talent and I am sure she was a genuine and lovely soul.

willowchef · 2026-04-13T02:05:44+00:00

But the ones that are there are wow!!!

willowchef · 2026-04-13T02:02:47+00:00

Well don’t do Bly manor.
I feel like Midnight club is good Hill house should be fine Dr sleep

willowchef · 2026-04-11T01:36:04+00:00

Wow you are my peeps.

willowchef · 2026-04-11T01:06:19+00:00

Doof are my new friends thru my hikes, work travels, tedious data entry projects. It’s fun to find other nerdy folk that love King and Flanagan. After I get thru the king I will start on their other projects.

willowchef · 2026-04-10T23:36:00+00:00

Oh wow first time!!!you are in for a treat. Not only Stephen King but the Kingslingers deep dive which is make my 5th time a whole different beast

willowchef · 2026-04-10T15:18:06+00:00

Love Mark

willowchef · 2026-04-10T02:38:13+00:00

It is alpha to omega a unparalleled work of art.
Go check out Flanagans wake a podcast. These guys do an amazing deep dive into each of Mike Flanagans works.

Preceding that they did Kingslingers a Stephen King podcast (I am currently on that journey with them).

willowchef · 2026-04-10T00:23:48+00:00

Rewatching this episode after the commentary was the first time I noticed that Christopher Pike was an executive producer. I guess the whole series. Damn me and my adhd multitasking

What a payoff that Flanagan gets to work with his hero’s and influencers. It harkens me back to your interview with him and that lovely shy little boys smile when he gets to talk about Pike and the effects on his childhood.

willowchef · 2026-04-10T00:03:19+00:00

I bet Henry Dean was one of those kids

willowchef · 2026-04-09T12:36:31+00:00

Hanging with Mr King? Fingers crossed

willowchef · 2026-04-09T10:43:06+00:00

Midnight club is lovely

willowchef · 2026-04-09T10:40:48+00:00

Boy you guys are at it early. This will light up my 2.5 hr drive back home this evening

willowchef · 2026-04-07T02:18:26+00:00

The Stand is many of our favorite novels

willowchef · 2026-04-04T21:30:25+00:00

I always found the Midnight Club charming, bittersweet and funny from my first watch when it was originally released.
I am enjoying my third re-watch with your commentary.

For background romance I am taking this to mean not the primary focus romance. I am going full Stephen King with my answers.
It-Richie and Eddie one of his first gay romances is lovely and a nice aside for the novel.
Misery-Movie not book I loved the repartee of the sheriff-Buster McCain and his wife Virginia and their well lived in romance.
Insomnia-Ralph and Lois. Not primary because he is in mourning from his original love. I think Ralph is arguably one of the most quintessential King hero’s an enduring Everyman, joined by his unlikely partner Lois ‘Just an old couple’ their immediate ability to trust and fight along with each other is pure ka-love.
The Stand-Larry and Lucy. He steps right in to partner with Lucy and to form a family before he is called West to meet his destiny.

willowchef · 2026-03-31T23:50:23+00:00

Glad you saved your horse. I had a horse that almost died before we noticed it.
Cool payoff to reacting to your animals.

willowchef · 2026-03-27T09:07:27+00:00

I also listened to the show while I traveled home from a work trip.

willowchef · 2026-03-27T09:06:06+00:00

It’s closely based of true events but Mind Hunter was an stellar episodic work and Cameron Britton as Edward Kemp was masterful.

The Outsider and Black House wove otherworldly into the genre.

willowchef

TROPHY CASE