Leftist Teen Drama

#24 - ‘We’ll Stay Here Until We Get That Pill’: The ‘Felicity’ Sit-In Episode

TW: discussion of rape

Maria welcomes Kelly Diaz back to the podcast to cover one of the plotlines featured in Kelly's dissertation about youth activism on television. In the second season of FELICITY (1999-2002), a student named Leila comes to the health center where Felicity Porter volunteers looking for Plan B. Felicity is dismayed to find out that the Board of Trustees recently created a policy forbidding the student health center from administering post-coital contraception. Felicity’s outrage over this injustice leads to her launching a two-day sit-in, with the help of Leila and her other friends, as they call on the administration to reverse their policy. We discuss everything from parental consequences and arrestable actions to the timeless nature of the plotline and the pivotal role that Felicity’s friend Julie, who had obtained Plan B from the health center after her rape, plays in bringing an end to the successful sit-in. 

For this episode, we recommend you first watch or have familiarity with FELICITY, but especially Season 2, Episode 16, “Revolutions,” streaming on Hulu.

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL | instagram, tumblr, tiktok: @leftistteendrama | twitter: @leftyteendrama | website: leftistteendrama.com

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ABOUT US:

MARIA DIPASQUALE (she/her; host/editor) is a Brooklyn-based union communicator and writer who watches too much TV. She splits her free time between devouring teen dramas, creating this podcast, and writing and reading fanfiction. Follow Maria on Twitter @Maria_DiP26, IG @mdzip, and tiktok @marialovesunions. 

KELLY DIAZ (she/her; recurring guest) is a postdoctoral research fellow with the Lang Center for Civic and Social Responsibility at Swarthmore College and an adjunct instructor of media studies at City College New York. She has a Ph.D. from the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania where she wrote her dissertation on depictions of youth activism on television. She loves to analyze and discuss the intersection of pop culture and politics and is passionate about the role entertainment plays in social justice movements. She has a dog, Matilda "Tillie," who is named after the magical, brilliant, and justice-serving character!  

JEFF MCHALE (he/him; producer) is an extremely online guy who plays games, streams sometimes, and loves talking old TV.

CHARLES S. O’LEARY (they/them; art) is a “writer,” “designer,” and “content strategist” based in Brooklyn, NY. A survivor of the 2010s Tumblr wars, leftist media criticism is all they know. To learn about them professionally, visit charles-oleary.biz. To learn about them personally, visit their Instagram at @c.s.0.l.

Maria and Jeff’s good union cats CLARENCE and VINNY may make an appearance and/or be mentioned. 

intro song: Stomping the Room by Delicate Beats

All opinions shared on this show are that of individuals and do not represent the views of any organization we may be affiliated with.

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SOURCES DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE:

• Kelsea Stahler, Bustle, The 'Felicity' Episode About Julie's Rape Shows Exactly Why Victims Don't Come Forward, Sept 25, 2018
• Secrets of a Successful Organizer, Labor Notes
• Cooper, E. (2015). “Teens win”: Purveying fantasies of effortless economic mobility and social attainment on rich teen soaps. Popular Culture, 48(4), 731-746.  
• Gordon, H. (2009). We fight to win: Inequality and the politics of youth activism. Ithaca, NY: Rutgers University Press. 
• Screenshots of Felicity's 2000-era internet search on student protest movements

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

• Gordon, H. R. (2008). Gendered paths to teenage political participation: parental power, civic mobility, and youth activism. Gender & Society, 22(1), 31-55. 
• Clay, K. & Turner, D. C. (2021) “Maybe you should try it this way instead”: Youth activism and managerialist subterfuge. American Educational Research Journal, 58(2), 386–419. https://doi.org/10.3102/0002831221993476 
• Hoewe, L. & Sherrill, A. (2019). The influence of female lead characters in political TV shows: Links to political engagement. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 59-76. 
• Klein, B. (2011). Entertaining ideas: Social issues in entertainment television. Media, Culture & Society, 33 (2), 905-921. 

#23 - Exploring Indigenous Representation, Ownership, and Authenticity on ‘The Wilds’ and ‘Reservation Dogs’ with the Hosts of ‘Out In The Wilds’

It’s a CROSSOVER EPISODE! Maria is joined by Aly and Rachel, the brilliant hosts of the Out in The Wilds podcast, for a wide-ranging discussion on Indigenous representation, ownership, and authenticity on both THE WILDS (2020-2022) and RESERVATION DOGS (2021-2023). At their core, both these shows are about solidarity and the power of community. We discuss everything from Indigenous ways of storytelling and authentic representations of rez life to the Landback movement and how land acknowledgments have been co-opted in many “progressive” settings. Placing these revolutionary shows within the largely non-Indigenous TV landscape, we analyze and celebrate all the spirit guides, subtle cultural references, and sassy quips about colonizers. More please.

For this episode, we recommend you first watch or have familiarity with THE WILDS Seasons 1-2, streaming on Prime Video, and RESERVATION DOGS Seasons 1-3, streaming on Hulu.

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL | instagram, tumblr, tiktok: @leftistteendrama | twitter: @leftyteendrama | website: leftistteendrama.com

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ABOUT US:

MARIA DIPASQUALE (she/her; host/editor) is a Brooklyn-based union communicator and writer who watches too much TV. She splits her free time between devouring teen dramas, creating this podcast, and writing and reading fanfiction. Follow Maria on Twitter @Maria_DiP26, IG @mdzip, and tiktok @marialovesunions. 

ALY (she/her; guest) and RACHEL (she/they; guest) are married-to-each-other lesbians who cohosted a podcast about The Wilds, which often explored the show's Indigenous and queer themes (Out in the Wilds). They both love coming-of-age dramas and talking (maybe too much) about rich characters. Aly is an Indigenous woman, youth worker, and avid reader who loves to shout about representation. Rachel is a white settler woman who spends their spare time drinking coffee and counting down the days until softball season. You can connect with them @thewildspodcast on twitter or @outinthewildspodcast on instagram. 

JEFF MCHALE (he/him; producer) is an extremely online guy who plays games, streams sometimes, and loves talking old TV.

CHARLES S. O’LEARY (they/them; art) is a “writer,” “designer,” and “content strategist” based in Brooklyn, NY. A survivor of the 2010s Tumblr wars, leftist media criticism is all they know. To learn about them professionally, visit charles-oleary.biz. To learn about them personally, visit their Instagram at @c.s.0.l.

Maria and Jeff’s good union cats CLARENCE and VINNY may make an appearance and/or be mentioned. 

intro song: Stomping the Room by Delicate Beats

All opinions shared on this show are that of individuals and do not represent the views of any organization we may be affiliated with.

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SOURCES DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE:

• The spelling of the fictional Native influencer on Reservation Dogs: MissM8tri@rch
• Beautiful Tumblr parallel gifset of Mabel in ‘Reservation Dogs’ during golden hour by Fairweathermyth 
• Popsugar, May 26, 2022 by Victoria Messina, Jenna Clause on Bringing Authentic Indigenous Representation to "The Wilds"
• The Denizen, April 30, 2021, Meet actor Erana James, the Kiwi rising star making her mark on global screens
• The Atlantic, August 1, 2022 by David Treuer, REZ LIFE 
• Variety, August 9, 2023 by Michael Schneider, ‘Reservation Dogs’ Uses 1970s Horror Motifs to Tell the Cruel History of Native Boarding Schools
• Screenrant, August 4, 2023 by Tiffany Beverley,
• What Tribe Do Reservation Dogs’ Characters Belong To? Real Inspirations Explained.
• Variety, October 11, 2021, by Crystal Echo Hawk, Indigenous Representation Is Still Scarce in Hollywood: ‘We Need More Native Stories’ (Guest Column)
• W Magazine, July 31, 2023 by Maxine Wally, Paulina Alexis Isn’t Ready to Say Goodbye to Willie Jack 
• Smoke Signals (film)
• The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie
• Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich 
• Landback
• Jacobin, February 10, 2022, REI Wants You to Know They Are Busting a Union on Indigenous Land, by Alex Press
• The Quietly Radical New Amazon Show About Stranded Teens by Rebecca Long, Slate, May 16, 2022

#22 - PIC Abolition and The ‘Riverdale’ Prison Plotline: How Prisons Destroy Communities

Maria is joined by guests Liv Christian and Kelly Gilbert to analyze the private prison plotline that colors all of RIVERDALE (2017-2023) season 2 and the top of season 3. Riverdale stumbles into showing how politicians – and the private interests that bankroll them – stoke fear and chaos to inflate actual crime numbers and push for funding for punitive measures like more policing and new prisons. In the process, they destroy the very fabric of their communities. However, resistance exists in real life and in Riverdale. We also trace three separate direct actions the teenage characters engage in to resist various aspects of Hiram Lodge’s plan throughout the prison arc. We cite a lot of Ruth Wilson Gilmore and Mariame Kaba in this abolition episode focused on what it means for a small town to become a prison town.

For this episode, we recommend you first watch or have familiarity with RIVERDALE but especially RIVERDALE Seasons 2 and 3, streaming on Netflix.

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL | instagram, tumblr, tiktok: @leftistteendrama | twitter: @leftyteendrama | website: leftistteendrama.com

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ABOUT US:

MARIA DIPASQUALE (she/her; host/editor) is a Brooklyn-based union communicator and writer who watches too much TV. She splits her free time between devouring teen dramas, creating this podcast, and writing and reading fanfiction. Follow Maria on Twitter @Maria_DiP26, IG @mdzip, and tiktok @marialovesunions. 

OLIVIA “LIV” CHRISTIAN (she/her; recurring guest) is a writer and digital marketing specialist living in Los Angeles, CA. She currently works at Essie Justice Group where she creates compelling content rooted in Black feminist abolitionist politic that digitally amplifies the power and lived experiences of women with incarcerated loved ones. When she’s not writing screenplays or creating content, you can find her watching reality tv and hanging on the couch with her cats Rumble and Squeak. IG: yung.scorp twitter: _yungscorp

KELLY GILBERT (she/her; recurring guest) is a student (phd in Twilight), sometimes activist, teen drama aficionado in Brooklyn! Find her IRL every night drinking her sorrows away at Margaritaville, the Jimmy Buffet Experience!

JEFF MCHALE (he/him; producer) is an extremely online guy who plays games, streams sometimes, and loves talking old TV.

CHARLES S. O’LEARY (they/them; art) is a “writer,” “designer,” and “content strategist” based in Brooklyn, NY. A survivor of the 2010s Tumblr wars, leftist media criticism is all they know. To learn about them professionally, visit charles-oleary.biz. To learn about them personally, visit their Instagram at @c.s.0.l.

Maria and Jeff’s good union cats CLARENCE and VINNY may make an appearance and/or be mentioned. 

intro song: Stomping the Room by Delicate Beats

All opinions shared on this show are that of individuals and do not represent the views of any organization we may be affiliated with.

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SOURCES DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE:

• Verso Books, Prisons and Class Warfare: An Interview with Ruth Wilson Gilmore, Clément Petitjean  2 August 2018
• August 2001 New York Times article: Rural Towns Turn to Prisons To Reignite Their Economies
• You’re Wrong About Prison Boom ep
• Ruth Wilson Gilmore Girls: Twitter, Instagram
• Golden Gulag: Prisons, Surplus, Crisis, and Opposition in Globalizing California by Ruth Wilson Gilmore
• Are Prisons Obsolete? by Angela Y. Davis
• The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
• We Do This ‘Til We Free Us by Mariame Kaba
• Essie Justice Group
• Donate to Essie Justice Group

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES/PLACES TO PLUG INTO ORGANIZING:

• Get involved with Stop Cop City organizing. You can also specifically get involved with the Cop City Vote.
• Critical Resistance: Get Involved

#21 - The Strike Wave Hits Essex College on ‘The Sex Lives of College Girls’

Maria is joined by three friends who are all previous or current staff of UNITE HERE, the union that the Essex Food Service Workers would undoubtedly be affiliated with in real life—Nicki Morris, Diana Hussein, and Paola Rodelas. The four of us break down the SEX LIVES OF COLLEGE GIRLS (2021-present) strike episode, celebrating Kimberly and Canaan getting involved in their union but also setting the record straight on the series of inaccuracies about strikes. In addition to talking about many current UNITE HERE campaigns that parallel the Essex College workers’ struggle, Maria and Nicki talk about the campaign on which they both became friends and got their start in the labor movement—the Emerson College food service workers organizing drive!

For this episode, we recommend you first watch or have familiarity with THE SEX LIVES OF COLLEGE GIRLS, but especially THE SEX LIVES OF COLLEGE GIRLS Season 2, Episode 7, “The Essex College Food Workers Strike,” streaming on HBO Max.

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL | instagram, tumblr, tiktok: @leftistteendrama | twitter: @leftyteendrama | website: leftistteendrama.com

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ABOUT US:

MARIA DIPASQUALE (she/her; host/editor) is a Brooklyn-based union communicator and writer who watches too much TV. She splits her free time between devouring teen dramas, creating this podcast, and writing and reading fanfiction. Follow Maria on Twitter @Maria_DiP26, IG @mdzip, and tiktok @marialovesunions. 

NICKI MORRIS (she/her; recurring guest) is a labor communications strategist at a unionized shop! She loves cats, corn, and comrades. Her favorite teen show is Degrassi because she knows we can "make it through" with solidarity! Enjoys watching all good crime shows: The Wire, The Sopranos, Killing Eve, Law & Order, Arrested Development. Follow her on Twitter @NickiMorris321.

DIANA HUSSEIN (she/her; guest) has done Communications with the hospitality workers’ Union for over 8 years. As a kid, Diana collected 1980s teen romance novels at garage sales and flea markets with her mom. This obsession later translated into a love for TV shows of that genre. From the days of My So-Called Life and Daria, to The O.C. and Gossip Girl, she still holds a passion for young adult storylines today — especially when they feature working-class narratives.

PAOLA RODELAS (she/her; guest) has worked in the labor movement for 10 years. Aside from worker-led movement building, she enjoys crafting, astrology, lifting, reality dating shows, and living in New York City with her cat and her partner. 

JEFF MCHALE (he/him; producer) is an extremely online guy who plays games, streams sometimes, and loves talking old TV.

CHARLES S. O’LEARY (they/them; art) is a “writer,” “designer,” and “content strategist” based in Brooklyn, NY. A survivor of the 2010s Tumblr wars, leftist media criticism is all they know. To learn about them professionally, visit charles-oleary.biz. To learn about them personally, visit their Instagram at @c.s.0.l.

Maria and Jeff’s good union cats CLARENCE and VINNY may make an appearance and/or be mentioned. 

intro song: Stomping the Room by Delicate Beats

All opinions shared on this show are that of individuals and do not represent the views of any organization we may be affiliated with.

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SOURCES DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE:

• Press release: The Other Class of 2023: Over 1,900 Campus Dining Workers At 20 Institutions Organized with UNITE HERE during the 22-23 Academic Year
• Press release: HelloFresh workers seek to unionize after injuries and COVID-19 outbreak
• Info on UNITE HERE Local 11 Southern California strike — https://www.unitehere11.org/2023-contract-fight/.
  • Workers started going out on waves at dozens of properties at a time since Fourth of July — some big properties have settled so there’s momentum!
  • State of contract fight as of Nov. 7
  • Message thanking soccer legend Messi for honoring strike line and moving hotels
  • Hotel Housekeepers Ask Taylor Swift to Postpone Her Shows in LA
  • Teen Vogue: What Is a Scab? Actors and Other Workers Who Cross the Picket Line

• Press release from company naming dining hall after Ms Willie at Catholic University
• UNITE HERE press release from before contract fight victory with Ms. Willie quoted: “It took me over 50 years to make more than $20 an hour. We need to do more than barely survive. We have to live. I don’t know how to protest, but I’ll do it. I’ll do what it takes to get what we need.”
• Roll Call story RE Senate cafeteria win
• WAMU/DCist (better) story RE Senate cafeteria win
• Press release RE DC hotel boycott win

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RESOURCES/PLACES TO PLUG INTO ORGANIZING:

• Want to organize and don’t know where to start? Contact the Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee (EWOC)!
• Fill out this form and the AFL-CIO will connect you to an organizer!
• Connect with DSA Labor
• Labor Notes Strike Guide

#20 - Accidents Will Still Happen: On Abortion Access in a Post-Roe World featuring ‘Degrassi’ and ‘Sex Education’

Two non-American teen dramas dare to go where most American teen dramas refuse to: letting their teen characters choose to have abortions with no guilt or regret afterwards. In this episode of Leftist Teen Drama, Maria and guests Rosalie Murray and Kelly Gilbert analyze and compare the depiction of abortion care on DEGRASSI: THE NEXT GENERATION (2001-2015) through the eyes of Manny Santos and SEX EDUCATION (2019-2023) from the perspective of Maeve Wiley. We position our conversation about these two episodes in the post-Roe v. Wade world we all now live in as Americans, emphasizing how important the right to abortion access for all and the right to parent with dignity really are.

For this episode, we recommend you first watch or have familiarity with DEGRASSI: THE NEXT GENERATION 3x14 and 3x15 “Accidents Will Happen” and SEX EDUCATION 1x03 “Episode 3,” streaming on HBO Max and Netflix.

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL | instagram, tumblr, tiktok: @leftistteendrama | twitter: @leftyteendrama | website: leftistteendrama.com

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ABOUT US:

MARIA DIPASQUALE (she/her; host/editor) is a Brooklyn-based union communicator and writer who watches too much TV. She splits her free time between devouring teen dramas, creating this podcast, and writing and reading fanfiction. Follow Maria on Twitter @Maria_DiP26, IG @mdzip, and tiktok @marialovesunions. 

KELLY GILBERT (she/her; recurring guest) is a student (phd in Twilight), sometimes activist, teen drama aficionado in Brooklyn! Find her IRL every night drinking her sorrows away at Margaritaville, the Jimmy Buffet Experience!

ROSALIE MURRAY (she/her; recurring guest) is an elementary school social worker/human living in Queens, NY.  Besides spending time with her cat, Louise, she loves to cook tasty ass vegan food with friends, karaoke-ing or starting another unfinished crochet project. She also loves to watch endless youtube videos, reality television and, of course, Degrassi.

CHARLES S. O’LEARY (they/them; art) is a “writer,” “designer,” and “content strategist” based in Brooklyn, NY. A survivor of the 2010s Tumblr wars, leftist media criticism is all they know. To learn about them professionally, visit charles-oleary.biz. To learn about them personally, visit their Instagram at @c.s.0.l.

JEFF MCHALE (he/him; producer) is an extremely online guy who plays games, streams sometimes, and loves talking old TV.

Maria and Jeff’s good union cats CLARENCE and VINNY may make an appearance and/or be mentioned. 

intro song: Stomping the Room by Delicate Beats

All opinions shared on this show are that of individuals and do not represent the views of any organization we may be affiliated with.

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SOURCES DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE:

• CBC article from 2004: 'Degrassi' abortion episode sparks fan outcry in U.S.
• The case for stripping the Supreme Court of its power, Vox, Sean Illing, Oct 27, 2020
• The Case For Court Packing As A Way To Promote Democracy from NPR’s All Things Considered, September 5, 2021
• Accidents Still Happen: Revisiting “Degrassi’s” Infamous Abortion Episode by Marina Watanabe for Bitch Media, June 11, 2021
• The Supreme Court Is an Antidemocratic Monstrosity. We Should Break Its Power. by Ben Burgis in Jacobin, February 1, 2022
• A Socialist Response to the End of Roe: Don’t Mourn—Organize for Reproductive Justice by Diana Moreno for In These Times, July 1, 2022
• Clinics in Anti-Abortion States Struggle to Stay Open by Garnet Henderson for Rewire News Group, September 9, 2022
• Report Details Alarming Rise in Violence Against Abortion Providers by Jessica Mason Pieklo for Rewire News Group, May 11, 2023
• Young People Like Me Are Wondering: What Is the Path Forward for Abortion Rights? By Kaelea Lucas for Rewire News Group, June 12, 2023
• Abortion Funds Are Hanging On By A Thread A Year After Dobbs by Sara Boboltz and Alanna Vagianos for Huffington Post, June 24, 2023

RESOURCES/PLACES TO PLUG INTO ORGANIZING:

• Plan C Pills
• Need an abortion and don’t know where to start? Click here.
• Plug in to organizing: Operation Save Abortion
• Plug in to organizing: NYC For Abortion Rights
• Interested in becoming a clinic escort? We recommend looking up your local Planned Parenthood chapter for their volunteer options.

#19 - Teen Dramas Would Suck Without Union Members: On The 2007-08 WGA Strike and The 2023 WGA/SAG-AFTRA Strike

In the Leftist Teen Drama season 3 premiere, we dive into the very real labor struggles behind the teen dramas we love to watch and dissect. From both a worker and fan perspective, we dive into the 2007-08 Writers Guild of America (WGA) Strike, the 2023 WGA Strike, and the 2023 Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) Strike, as well as the various effects these strikes had on teen dramas past and present. In our first segment, Maria talks to 2023 WGA Negotiating Committee member Erica Saleh about the 2023 Writers Strike and all the exciting things the TV and film writers won in their historic contract after 148 days on strike. Erica is a teen drama showrunner and TV writer most recently known for ONE OF US IS LYING (2021-2022), as well as WGAE Vice President of Film/TV/Streaming. Then, in our second segment, Maria pivots into a conversation with David Carliner (LA-based writers’ assistant/script coordinator/pre-WGA member) and fellow fan Laura Marino to talk about all three strikes: the demands, the wins, and the effects on teen dramas, from FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS (2006-2011), GOSSIP GIRL (2007-2012), and ONE TREE HILL (2003-2012) to ALL AMERICAN (2018-present), THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY (2022-present), and OUTER BANKS (2020-present).

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL | instagram, tumblr, tiktok: @leftistteendrama | twitter: @leftyteendrama | website: leftistteendrama.com

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ABOUT US:

MARIA DIPASQUALE (she/her; host/editor) is a Brooklyn-based union communicator and writer who watches too much TV. She splits her free time between devouring teen dramas, creating this podcast, and writing and reading fanfiction. Follow Maria on Twitter @Maria_DiP26, IG @mdzip, and tiktok @marialovesunions. 

ERICA SALEH (she/her, guest) is a TV writer and playwright who has been a member of the Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) since 2015. Most recently she was the creator and showrunner of the murder mystery One of Us is Lying for Peacock. Prior credits include Evil, Instinct, Wisdom of the Crowd, and Channel Zero. She was a member of both the 2020 and 2023 WGA negotiating committees, and in 2023 was elected Vice President of Film/TV/Streaming of the WGAE.

DAVID CARLINER (he/him; guest) lives in LA, works in TV, and can't think of a third thing but feels the need to put something, so here we are. You can find his newsletter Hi! Hi Again! on Substack. 

LAURA MARINO (she/her; recurring guest) works in advertising by day and watches, reads, and talks too much about television by night. She has enjoyed yelling about television with Maria for well over a decade, and credits Television Without Pity (RIP) as the first forum to shape her love of deep character and plot analysis.

JEFF MCHALE (he/him; producer) is an extremely online guy who plays games, streams sometimes, and loves talking old TV.

CHARLES S. O’LEARY (they/them; art) is a “writer,” “designer,” and “content strategist” based in Brooklyn, NY. A survivor of the 2010s Tumblr wars, leftist media criticism is all they know. To learn about them professionally, visit charles-oleary.biz. To learn about them personally, visit their Instagram at @c.s.0.l.

Maria and Jeff’s good union cats CLARENCE and VINNY may make an appearance and/or be mentioned. 

intro song: Stomping the Room by Delicate Beats

All opinions shared on this show are that of individuals and do not represent the views of any organization we may be affiliated with.

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SOURCES DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE:

• One of Us Is Talking podcast with Alison: Instagram, YouTube, Spotify
  • One of Us Is Talking with Erica Saleh 
• TheWrap, April 26, 2017, 23 TV Shows Most Affected by 2007-08 Writers’ Strike (Photos), by Beatrice Verhoeven
• The Hollywood Reporter, May 17, 2018, 100 Days That Changed Hollywood: The Writers Strike, 10 Years Later by Rebecca Ford and Lacey Rose
• Screenrant, April 1, 2022, Why Friday Night Lights Season 2 Was So Much Worse, by Matthew Brown
• JustJared, May 2, 2023, 15 TV Shows Delayed & Changed Because of the Writers Strike in 2007-2008
• Rolling Stone, May 3, 2023, How the 2007-08 Writers’ Strike Changed ‘The Office’ and ‘Breaking Bad’ by Alan Sepinwall
• Collider, May 4, 2023, What Happened to Your Favorite Shows During the Last WGA Strike? by Mauricio Cueto
• The Ringer, May 8, 2023, Want to Know What TV Loses Without Writers? Just Look at 2007. by Alan Siegel
• The Verge, July 21, 2023, Your favorite TV rewatch podcast is on strike, too by Amrita Khalid
• Post and Courier, August 3, 2023, Outer Banks S4 filming has been halted mid production by Eric Fenno
• CNBC, August 9, 2023, Hollywood strikes have already had a $3 billion impact on California’s economy, experts say: It’s causing ‘a lot of hardship’ by Jennifer Liu
• Harper’s Bazaar, September 25, 2023, Everything to Know About the SAG Strike That Shut Down Hollywood by Chelsey Sanchez
• Comic Book, October 5, 2023, Yellowjackets Season 3 Writers Room Opens Now That Strike Is Over by Jenna Anderson
• CNN, October 9, 2023, Writers union ratifies its new contract with Hollywood and TV studios by Taylor Romine and Samantha Delouya
• Vox, October 12, 2023,  The actors strike negotiations have broken down by Alissa Wilkinson
• Interesting Gossip Girl fan theory by strideofpride on Tumblr
• Via IATSE, September 13, 2023: Marvel Studios VFX Workers Unanimously Vote to Unionize with IATSE, Marking Historic First 
• Via IATSE, October 3, 2023: Walt Disney Pictures’ VFX Workers Vote Unanimously for Unionization In Labor Board Election 
• Production Assistants United, launched on Instagram on August 10, 2023
• Variety, November 8, 2023, SAG-AFTRA Approves Deal to End Historic Strike by Gene Maddaus

HOLLYWOOD ENTERTAINMENT FUNDS:

• Donate to the Entertainment Community Fund

Introducing: Leftist Teen Drama Season 3

Leftist Teen Drama is back! Still in the midst of the 2023 Hollywood strikes, we ground Season 3 in the very real labor struggle behind the teen dramas we love to watch and analyze. Then, we dive into our usual political teen drama fare, covering everything from abortion access and indigenous representation to prison abolition and a sit-in or two for good measure. Enjoy this little teaser of Season 3, premiering on Sundays starting on November 12, 2023 through the end of the year. Solidarity forever!

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL | instagram, tumblr, tiktok: @leftistteendrama | twitter: @leftyteendrama | website: leftistteendrama.com

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ABOUT US:

MARIA DIPASQUALE (she/her; host/editor) is a Brooklyn-based union communicator and writer who watches too much TV. She splits her free time between devouring teen dramas, creating this podcast, and writing and reading fanfiction. Follow Maria on Twitter @Maria_DiP26, IG @mdzip, and tiktok @marialovesunions. 

JEFF MCHALE (he/him; producer) is an extremely online guy who plays games, streams sometimes, and loves talking old TV.

CHARLES S. O’LEARY (they/them; art) is a “writer,” “designer,” and “content strategist” based in Brooklyn, NY. A survivor of the 2010s Tumblr wars, leftist media criticism is all they know. To learn about them professionally, visit charles-oleary.biz. To learn about them personally, visit their Instagram at @c.s.0.l.

Maria and Jeff’s good union cats CLARENCE and VINNY may make an appearance and/or be mentioned. 

intro song: Stomping the Room by Delicate Beats

All opinions shared on this show are that of individuals and do not represent the views of any organization we may be affiliated with.

SPECIAL EP: Leftist Teen Drama In Conversation with Kelly Diaz

In our first ever Special Episode of Leftist Teen Drama, Maria introduces Kelly Diaz, who recently defended her dissertation at the University of Pennsylvania entitled “Lights, Camera, [Social] Action!: The Goals, Messages, and Impact of Youth Activism on Television.” (Maria—and Leftist Teen Drama—were featured in the dissertation!) Maria and Kelly delve into the project, unpacking everything from Kelly’s motivations to undertake the topic to the studies she carried out with screenwriters and young adult TV viewers. The results and insights shared will be of interest to anyone who cares about political organizing/activism and young TV characters!

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL | instagram, tumblr, tiktok: @leftistteendrama | twitter: @leftyteendrama | website: leftistteendrama.com

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ABOUT US:

MARIA DIPASQUALE (she/her; host/editor) is a Brooklyn-based union communicator and writer who watches too much TV. Follow Maria on Twitter @Maria_DiP26, IG @mdzip, and tiktok @marialovesunions. 

KELLY DIAZ (she/her; recurring guest) is an adjunct instructor of media studies at City College New York. She has a Ph.D. from the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania where she wrote her dissertation on depictions of youth activism on television. She loves to analyze and discuss the intersection of pop culture and politics and is passionate about the role entertainment plays in social justice movements. She has a dog, Matilda "Tillie," who is named after the magical, brilliant, and justice-serving character!  

JEFF MCHALE (he/him; producer) is an extremely online guy who plays games, streams sometimes, and loves talking old TV.

Logo art by Maddy Wiryo

Maria and Jeff’s good union cats CLARENCE and VINNY may make an appearance and/or be mentioned. 

intro song: Stomping the Room by Delicate Beats

All opinions shared on this show are that of individuals and do not represent the views of any organization we may be affiliated with.

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SOURCES DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE: 

• Bandura, A. (2018). Toward a psychology of human agency: Pathways and reflections. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 13(2), 130-136.  
• Beaumont, E. (2010). Political agency and empowerment: pathways for developing a sense of political efficacy in young adults. In L. Sherrod, J. Torney-Purta, & C. Flanagan (Eds.), Handbook of research on civic engagement in youth (pp. 525-558). Hoboken: Wiley.  
• Hollywood Health & Society 

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SUGGESTED FURTHER READING:

• Cooper, E. (2015). “Teens win”: Purveying fantasies of effortless economic mobility and social attainment on rich teen soaps. Popular Culture, 48(4), 731-746.  
• Griffin, R. A., & Meyer, M. D. E. (Eds.). (2018). Adventures in shondaland: Identity politics and the power of representation. Rutgers University Press. 
• Hall, A. E. (2020). Audience responses to diverse superheroes: The roles of gender and race in forging connections with media characters in superhero franchise films. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts. https://doi.org/10.1037/aca0000363 
• Hirmer, K. (2013). Female empowerment: Buffy and her heiresses in control. In B. Brodman and J. E. Doan (Eds.), Images of the modern vampire: The hip and the atavistic (pp. 63-75). Fairleigh Dickinson University Press.  
• Hoewe, L. & Sherrill, A. (2019). The influence of female lead characters in political TV shows: Links to political engagement. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 59-76. 
• Johnson, B., & Faill, D. (Eds.) (2015). Glee and New Directions for Social Change. Youth, Media, and Culture 
• Jones, C. W. & Paris, C. (2018). It’s the end of the world and they know it: How dystopian fiction shapes political attitudes.” Perspectives on Politics, 969-989. 
• Klein, B. (2011). Entertaining ideas: Social issues in entertainment television. Media, Culture & Society, 33 (2), 905-921. 
• Kligler-Vilenchik, N. (2016). “Decreasing world suck”: Harnessing popular culture for fan activism.
• In Jenkins, H., Shreshthova, S., Gamber-Thompson, L., Kligler-Vilenchik, N., & Zimmerman, A. By any media necessary: The new youth activism (pp. 102-148). New York University Press. https://doi-org.proxy.library.upenn.edu/10.18574/nyu/9781479829712.001.0001
• Marghitu, S. (2021). Teen TV. Routledge.  
• Moore, S., Hope, E., Eisman, A., & Zimmerman, M. (2016). Predictors of civic engagement among highly involved young adults: Exploring the relationship between agency and systems worldview. Journal of Community Psychology, 44(7), 888-903.   
• Moyer-Gusé, E., Chung, A. H., Jain, P. (2011). Identification with characters and discussion of taboo topics after exposure to entertainment narrative about sexual health. Journal of Communication, 61(3).  
• Mutz, D. & Nir, L. (2010). Not necessarily the news: Does fictional television influence real-world policy preferences? Mass Communication & Society, 13, 196-217. 

#18 - Wet, Hot, American Class Conflict: The Coastal Class War As Told By ‘The O.C.,’ ‘Veronica Mars,’ and ‘Outer Banks’

It’s the Pogues vs. the Kooks, the PCHers vs. the 09ers, the Harbor School vs. Newport Union! In the Season 2 finale of Leftist Teen Drama, Maria is joined by guests Kelly Gilbert and Nicki Morris to discuss the class conflict inherent to the plot and setting of three teen dramas: THE O.C. (2003-2007), VERONICA MARS (2004-2019), and OUTER BANKS (2020-present.) From star-crossed romances and parallel fights on the beach to a Neptune High election based around an elitist points system, Maria and her guests discuss all facets of these teen drama class wars.

TW: discussion of marital rape around 44:16 - 46:56

For this episode, we recommend you first watch or have familiarity with THE O.C. Seasons 1-4, streaming on HBO Max and Hulu; OUTER BANKS Seasons 1-2, streaming on Netflix; and VERONICA MARS Seasons 1-3, streaming on Hulu.

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL | instagram, tumblr, tiktok: @leftistteendrama | twitter: @leftyteendrama | website: leftistteendrama.com

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ABOUT US:

MARIA DIPASQUALE (she/her; host/editor) is a Brooklyn-based union communicator and writer who watches too much TV. Follow Maria on Twitter @Maria_DiP26, IG @mdzip, and tiktok @marialovesunions. In addition to Leftist Teen Drama, Maria hosts Bodysuits For Bughead: A Riverdale Podcast | tumblr: @bodysuitsforbughead twitter: @B4B_Podcast instagram: @bodysuits4bughead

KELLY GILBERT (she/her; recurring guest) is a medical worker and union/teen drama stan living in Brooklyn. Follow her @baeblade5 on insta and @yungworker69 for sporadic, unhinged tweets!

NICKI MORRIS (she/her; recurring guest) is a labor communications strategist at a unionized shop! She loves cats, corn, and comrades. Her favorite teen show is Degrassi because she knows we can "make it through" with solidarity! Enjoys watching all good crime shows: The Wire, Claws, Good Girls, Killing Eve, Arrested Development. Follow her on Twitter @NickiMorris321.

CHARLES O’LEARY (they/them; art) is, of course, a Brooklyn-based designer, artist, and dilettante. A survivor of the 2012-2016 Tumblr wars, media criticism is all they know. You can find their work at charles-oleary.com, and their silly little life on Instagram at @c.s.0.l.

JEFF MCHALE (he/him; producer) is an extremely online guy who plays games, streams sometimes, and loves talking old TV.

Maria and Jeff’s good union cats CLARENCE and VINNY may make an appearance and/or be mentioned. 

intro song: Stomping the Room by Delicate Beats

All opinions shared on this show are that of individuals and do not represent the views of any organization we may be affiliated with.

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SOURCES DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE: 

• July 19, 2019, Bustle, The Town in 'Veronica Mars' Takes Inspiration From This Famously Affluent Place In California by Savannah Walsh
• The Debt Collective

#17 - Eric Effiong’s Black Queer Journey Continues in ‘Sex Education’ Season 3

“How do you feel?” “Like I’ve come home.” In a follow-up to Leftist Teen Drama’s first-ever podcast episode, Maria and guest Dondré Taylor-Stewart trace the season 3 journey of Eric Effiong on SEX EDUCATION (2019-present.) Maria and Dondré discuss the life-changing experience Eric has during his visit to Nigeria, with his season bookended by a turbulent relationship with Adam. From the various mechanics of gay male sex to the nuances of being LGBTQIA+ in Nigeria, Maria and Dondré discuss all the groundbreaking material the SEX EDUCATION writers continue to give Eric Effiong, a truly revolutionary character. 

For this episode, we recommend you first listen to episode #1 of Leftist Teen Drama, as well as watch or have familiarity with SEX EDUCATION Season 3, streaming on Netflix.

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL | instagram, tumblr, tiktok: @leftistteendrama | twitter: @leftyteendrama | website: leftistteendrama.com

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ABOUT US:

MARIA DIPASQUALE (she/her; host/editor) is a Brooklyn-based union communicator and writer who watches too much TV. Follow Maria on Twitter @Maria_DiP26, IG @mdzip, and tiktok @marialovesunions. In addition to Leftist Teen Drama, Maria hosts Bodysuits For Bughead: A Riverdale Podcast | tumblr: @bodysuitsforbughead twitter: @B4B_Podcast instagram: @bodysuits4bughead

DONDRÉ TAYLOR-STEWART (he/him, recurring guest) is a Jersey-born, Jamaican-raised TV writer whose work often employs satire to examine the cultural crossroads of his identity. He splits his time in Los Angeles with a day job in environmental public policy, freelance writing gigs, and crafting original pilots. Ultimately, Dondré dreams of sustaining a highly collaborative career telling Black stories to help expand imaginations. IG: oxtail.papi TWITTER: dondrenesta

CHARLES O’LEARY (they/them; art) is, of course, a Brooklyn-based designer, artist, and dilettante. A survivor of the 2012-2016 Tumblr wars, media criticism is all they know. You can find their work at charles-oleary.com, and their silly little life on Instagram at @c.s.0.l.

JEFF MCHALE (he/him; producer) is an extremely online guy who plays games, streams sometimes, and loves talking old TV.

Maria and Jeff’s good union cats CLARENCE and VINNY may make an appearance and/or be mentioned. 

intro song: Stomping the Room by Delicate Beats

All opinions shared on this show are that of individuals and do not represent the views of any organization we may be affiliated with.