Episodes 1.16 & 1.17: "I Like Complicated"

We have a special guest on to discuss episodes 1.16 “Je Suis Une Amie” and 1.17 “The New Normal”! Our conversation goes all over the place and covers water sports (lol), homophobia, the benefits of journaling, the lack of ginger representation, and power dynamics between Hanna and Caleb. Even if you try, we don’t think you can have a parasocial relationship with your actual friends. Take it sleazy, bitches! 

Content notes: we don’t usually warn for things that happen in PLL itself, but from 27:30 to 31:35, our special guest talks about homophobic and transphobic bullying and assault that he faced in high school, especially playing water polo.

Also: this podcast was recorded months ago, but we stand strongly in support with Palestinian liberation and against the genocide Israel is perpetrating in the name of apartheid and settler colonialism. We decry efforts to erase the decades of structural violence against Palestinians and to pretend that it is antisemitic to oppose genocide. If you don’t agree, please fuck off.

Episode Transcript: Read it on Buzzsprout!

Chickpea Recipe: Smashed Chickpea Sandwich With or Without Mayo

Fashion Analysis: Our best and worst outfits!

Deepa’s Literary Analysis: Leonard Adams is not a real author, but Byron and Ezra’s discussion of his books lacks even a suggestion of depth

Things We Referenced Sort of Related to PLL

• The PLL MBTI chart created by Heather Hogan in 2013 (alt text here)
• Cameron’s birthday present to Deepa in 2014, where she cross-referenced the PLL MBTI chart with this 2013 Jezebel article and gave Deepa a (decorated!) bottle matched to each of the Liars
• Sasha Pieterse talking about her difficulty getting a diagnosis for PCOS
• Deepa has Ravenswood on iTunes, except for the pilot 

Things We Referenced Completely Unrelated to PLL

• I’m Glad My Mom Died, Jennette McCurdy’s memoir 
• Cameron’s note on the “I just want you to be happy” type of parental homophobia is drawn from Sara Ahmed’s The Promise of Happiness
• The show Deepa is obsessed with, แค่เพื่อนครับเพื่อน | Bad Buddy, and Pat’s Hilton Head t shirt  

If you enjoyed this podcast (or even if you didn't), please consider donating to help Rozan and Aboud, two young people in Gaza, to survive and rebuild their lives with their families. You can donate here.