Basket Traffic: History versus Hollywood

Welcome back to the show where we combine film, history and comedy. 

Today we’re cracking open one of the most mythologized chapters in American history: the era of Prohibition, when the country outlawed alcohol and accidentally created an underground economy that made criminals into celebrities and lawmen into legends.

The 1920s were supposed to be about moral reform. Instead, they became a golden age for bootleggers, rum runners, a...

Welcome back to the show where we combine film, history and comedy. 

On the morning of May 7, 1915, the RMS Lusitania sliced through the cold waters off the coast of Ireland, just hours from its destination. She was a marvel of modern engineering—a symbol of speed, luxury, and the confidence of the early 20th century. But beneath the surface of the Atlantic, war was already waiting.

When a German U-boat fired a single torpedo into th...

Welcome back to the show where we combine film, history and comedy. 

While studios in 2025 chased scale, algorithms, and intellectual property, something quieter—and more meaningful—was happening on the margins. Independent films stepped into the gap, telling smaller stories with sharper edges, clearer voices, and something increasingly rare: conviction.

As blockbuster releases grew bloated and risk-averse, indie filmmakers delivered...

Welcome back to the show where we combine film, history and comedy. 

Heroes used to earn their victories. They faced fear, made sacrifices, and returned changed. But somewhere along the way, the journey itself began to disappear.

Today, corporate money shapes what stories get told, while algorithms decide which ones survive. Franchises are engineered for global markets, risk is minimized, and characters are sanded down until no one s...

Welcome back to the show where we combine film, history and comedy. However, this episode got serious!

Today we dive into the new sci-fi series Alien Earth, a bold reimagining of humanity’s future and our struggle to survive on a rapidly changing world. The show blends political tension, frontier exploration, and alien mystery—and our hosts have very different opinions about it.

Craig comes in mostly impressed by its potential, prais...

Welcome back to the show where we combine film, history and comedy. 

As the nights grow longer and shadows creep across the land, one name still sends a chill through the centuries—Dracula. But before he became the immortal count of gothic legend, there was a real man behind the myth: Vlad the Impaler, a 15th-century prince whose brutal rule inspired Bram Stoker’s timeless tale of blood and fear.

Today, Shawn, Susie and Craig will si...

Welcome back to the show where we combine film, history and comedy. 

Every October 31st, we carve pumpkins, wear costumes, and wander into the night—but where did it all begin? From ancient Celtic rituals honoring the dead to medieval superstitions and modern candy-filled traditions, Halloween has transformed over centuries into the celebration we know today. Join Craig as he explores how Samhain became All Hallows’ Eve, and how fea...

Welcome back to the show where we combine film, history and comedy. 

1982 wasn’t just another year at the movies—it was a turning point. Audiences were transported to fantastical worlds, terrified by creatures from the deep, and inspired by visions of the future. From the emotional magic of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial to the neon-drenched dystopia of Blade Runner, from Tron’s groundbreaking digital landscapes to the terror of Polterg...

“You’re gonna need a bigger boat…” Shawn says to Craig incredulously.

Welcome back to the show where we combine film, history and comedy. 

Today we dive deep (actually we stay in the shallows because we’re terrified of sharks) into a classic that changed cinema forever. Today, Susie, Shawn, and Craig are plunging into the waters of suspense and terror with Steven Spielberg’s 1975 masterpiece: Jaws.

From its unforgettable score from Jo...

Craig, Susie and Shawn take the time to reflect on their experience with podcasting. If you're doing a podcast or thinking about it then perhaps we can offer something of value (honestly, don’t expect much). We talk about many things: the least of which is how we avoid marketing this podcast; Craig's obsession with listenership; Susie's Stockholm syndrome, and Shawn figuring out live on this episode that Craig is sec...

Welcome back to the show where we combine film, history and comedy. 

Would you sign up for a job where dying is literally part of the contract? Mickey did! In Mickey 17, Oscar‑winner Bong Joon‑ho (Parasite) delivers a bizarrely brilliant mix of sci‑fi, satire, and dark humor. Robert Pattinson stars as Mickey Barnes, a man who volunteers to be an “Expendable” for a space‑colonizing mission—sending himself on the most dangerous tasks ...

Welcome back to the show where we combine film, history and comedy. 

Shawn and Susie join Craig as we try to figure out who actually deserves the inglorious title of starting World War One. It's not exactly a title that any one wants or deserves, but someone has to be responsible! If you're even a little interested in history then this episode is for you. Who doesn't love a story about love and assassination? Why does...

Welcome back to the show where we combine film, history and comedy. 

Today we journey back to the Pride Lands to explore the legacy behind one of Disney’s most iconic kings. With Mufasa: The Lion King, we’re given a deeper look at the rise of Mufasa—not just as a ruler, but as a symbol of courage, sacrifice, and what it truly means to lead.

This isn’t just another return to a beloved story. It’s an origin tale—one that reshapes how w...

Welcome back to the show where we combine film, history and comedy. 

“What would you do if your teenager was accused of murder? 

Craig, Shawn and Susie have a conversation about Adolescence—a relentless four-part journey inside the mind of a frightened boy… and a fractured family. Craig and Susie bring their experience in education to the conversation while Shawn speaks to its unique production.

Shot in real-time, with each episode ca...

Welcome back to the show where we combine film, history and comedy. 

Today we’re diving into one of the most pivotal moments of the 20th century: the fall of the Berlin Wall. For decades, this concrete barrier stood as the ultimate symbol of division—East versus West, communism versus freedom—cutting through the heart of Berlin and the lives of millions.

But in November 1989, everything changed. Confusion, pressure, and history colli...