A DEGREE ABSOLUTE! episode thirty — BRAVEHEART with Alexandra Petri

Edward the Longshanks as embodied by the inimitable Patrick the McGoohan.

It's primae noctis for your ears because we can put it off no longer: The quintuple-Academy Award-winning a-historical epic Braveheart is the most widely seen and, your hosts agree, best latter-day expression of undiluted Patrick McGooted. The Washington Post's Alexandra Petri returns to discuss her journalist doppelganger, the New York Times' Alexandra Petri, and to share with Glen the virgin Braveheart experience. Freeeeeeeeeeeedommmmmmm!

Given the volume of Star Wars talk that seems to follow (the Post's) Petri around, it's a wonder we forgot to mention that Braveheart was produced by Alan "Laddie" Ladd, Jr., who 20 years earlier had been the guy preventing the board of 20th Century Fox from firing George Lucas off of the weird, expensive kiddie movie he was making and/or shutting the production down. 

Braveheart

Written by Randall Wallace

Directed by Mel Gibson

Released May 24, 1995

Pop Culture Happy Hour: "Red Notice" and What's Making Us Happy

Ryan Reynolds, Gal Gadot, and Dwayne Johnson pose their way through a greenscreened globetrotting caper. (Frank Masi/Netflix)

Red Notice! Linda Holmes, Margaret H. Willison, Ronald Young, Jr. and I watched it! Others will likely insist upon doing the same.

A DEGREE ABSOLUTE! episode twenty-nine — Our Top Six Twos

THERE CAN BE ONLY TWO(s) as Chris & Glen rank their top six on this week’s exciting episode!

A DEGREE ABSOLUTE! episode twenty-eight — MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS

It’s the Notorious V.R.G. v. the founder of the Jackson Fivehead in this 16th century showdown among two dope queens—and we don’t mean Timothy Dalton & Ian Holm! PLUS: Jimmy Stewart! Current Release Corner! Dispatches from the French of Liberty, Kansas! This episode is a royal rumble.

Pop Culture Happy Hour: "No Time to Die" and What's Making Us Happy

Daniel Craig and Jeffrey Wright as old soldiers James Bond and Felix Leiter. (Nicola Dove/MGM)

What a treat to join my pal and Degree Absolute! cohost Glen Weldon, frequent co-panelist Daisy Rosario, and writer/comedian Jourdain Searles to perform the Pop Culture Happy Hour autopsy on No Time to Die.

A DEGREE ABSOLUTE! episode twenty-seven — THE HARD WAY

It's Patty McG v. Lee Van C as Original Cast host Patrick Flynn joins Chris & Glen to discuss the existential 1980 thriller The Hard Way. Synopsis, synopsis, synopsis.

A DEGREE ABSOLUTE! episode twenty-six — SHATTERED VISAGE

Chris and Glen discuss Dean Motter & Mark Askwith's 1988 four-volume comic book sequel to the unclassifiable and unforgettable TV series.

A DEGREE ABSOLUTE! episode twenty-five — THE PHANTOM

An increasingly besotted Glen & unceasingly bemused Chris wax purple on The Phantom, 1996’s two-fisted failed franchise starter with Billy Zane as the 30s comic strip hero who coulda been called WHITE PANTHER & Patty McG as the Ghost Who Walks™ ’s… Ghost Dad?

The Phantom

Screenplay by Jeffrey Boam

Directed by Simon Wincer

Released June 7, 1996