Put on your mask and let's get into it This week, Caleb Zane Huett, children's author, and one of the founders of Haunted Table Games - the company behind the ultra successful Triangle Agency, sits down with Ally and Nigel to discuss the world of immersive theatre. In this episode we discuss creating immersive spaces, how to find personal experienc…

It's time for some slept on fantasy Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions or discussions of racism, misogyny, transphobia, Nazis This week, Nick joins Ally and Nigel to talk about Ursula K. Le Guin's classic series Earthsea. In this episode we discuss daoist philosophical influences, the difficulty in adapting the series successfully, the…

If you don't love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions or discussions of racism, misogyny, transphobia, homophobia, arson, negligence, drowning This week, Jenny Maguire sits down with Ally and Nigel to dive headlong into the insane world of RuPaul's Drag Race. In this episode we disc…

It's Christian allegory at its ham-handed best Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions or discussions of religious abuse, religious trauma, historical religious abuse, sexism, ableism, homophobia, racism, genocide, sexual trauma, sexual abuse, rape, Islamophobia, slavery, child death, child sexual abuse, transphobia, slaughter of innocents,…

Sonic is dead and we have killed him Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions or discussions of Adolf Hitler, queerphobia Dev joins Ally and Nigel for a murder mystery investigation. Who's dead, you ask? Sonic the Hedgehog! In this episode, we discuss the game's surprising links to the philosophy of Friedrick Nietzsche, whether games should …

There is no such thing as the canon Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions or discussions of sexual assault, misogyny Ellen returns to the pod to discuss her passion: fairy tales. We talk about iterative cycles of myth, being terrified as children, how there is no one true version of myths and fairy tales, and whether we have seen Snow Whi…

Our frontal lobes aren't even fully developed Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions or discussions of labour exploitation, child exploitation, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, medication, psychosis, predatory behaviour towards children, method acting, Jared Leto, Harvey Weinstein, sexism, misogyny Ansley sits down (after half an hour of retail …

There are only a finite amount of story ideas, but infinite permutations. Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions or discussions of drug use, alcohol use, sex and porn, gore Phoebe A. Xavier is a sci-fi comic book writer, and today joins Ally and Nigel to discuss her recently released short story collection, Superliminal Latency. We discuss…

Have I read Animorphs? Yes yes yes yes. Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions or discussions of lgenocide, war, child soldiers Let it never be said we can't be both serious and silly. Floyd brings us Animorphs to discuss this week, and what starts off as a fairly innocuous chat about some children's books rapidly spins out into one of the…

Return to the world of Priory... Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions or discussions of racism, sexism Samantha Shannon is the author of the bestselling The Bone Season series, and the smash-hit Priory of the Orange Tree, and joins Ally and Nigel to discuss its upcoming prequel, A Day of Fallen Night. Can you tell how nervous we are? We …

We stand with all rail strikers everywhere Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions or discussions of labour exploitation, transphobia, racism We're a podcast about hyperfixations and we've somehow gone 87 episodes without one on trains. That's our bad, dog. But Episode 88? Hoo boy, we sure do get into it, with Gavin Gaddis helping us set th…

Yada yada badabing, colonialism. Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions or discussions of orientalism, discussions of sex and genitalia What is an amulet, anyway? Anything can be if you try hard enough. Or at least that's what George says. He collects them so he's the expert here. This episode swings back and forth wildly between extremes,…

Touchdown! Sportsball! Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions or discussions of anti-vax rhetoric Beep beep! We've got a live broadcast, beaming straight in on satellite: Big T joins us on the sports desk, all the way from sunny Colorado. We're touching down on all the important stuff in the lead-up to Superbowl Sunday, using both soft and…

It's always ethical to pirate things Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions or discussions of suicide, serial killers, murder, hate crimes, torture Everything is eventually going to fade away into obscurity and we won't be able to get it again, but until then we're making a damn podcast. Louise returns to complete a hat trick and discuss t…

Pickleball! The sport of the future! Have you guys heard about pickleball? We sure haven't, but it's sweeping the world. Greg Sowell joins us to preach the good word about this funky little sport. It's great for health, it fosters communities, it's better than tennis. And it doesn't even have an injury named after it. Naturally, by the end of it we…

What the hell even are these books? Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions and discussions of incest, homophobia, racism, violence This one's got a lot of talk about incest in it, folks. Like A LOT. You wouldn't think it, but there's no getting round it. Rain, Ally and Nigel are going to try and talk about things like character relationshi…

This is some real nerd shit. Andy returns to the podcast 72 episodes later (a fact we only acknowledge in the last 2 minutes of the show) to bring us a whole bunch of maths, which is a bummer, but we do have an interesting conversation about the box office. Along the way, we'll talk about how age demographics shape box office returns, different way…

Oh my god, they were crewmates. Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions and discussions of sexual assault, slavery, racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, fatphobia, the AIDS Crisis This one's for the girls and the gays, folks. This week we're getting onboard with Val West to discuss Our Flag Means Death. The ports we'll be stopping at in…

Makes no sense, compels me though. Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions and discussions of racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, mass shootings, school shootings, abuse, animal cruelty, animal death, retraumatising victims, paedophilia This is a very rant filled episode this week folks. What starts off as Casper, Nigel, and Ally discu…

There is nothing that ails the body that nature doesn't have a cure for. Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions and discussions of internalised and externalised ableism, discrimination against Mincéirí Irish author, Traveller activist and founder of LGBT TARA, Oein DeBharduin joins Ally and Nigel (after a slew of technical difficulties) to…

Hail to the chief. This week we're seeing how many people we can fit in a bathroom stall to chant about Hal, so far it's Ally, Nigel, and special guest Adam: we discuss Microsoft exclusives, the history (and future) of the series, how online gaming has shaped the formation of friendships, and we are homesick for things we never experienced If you l…

We raise our cups! Emily joins Ally and Nigel to discuss verything to do with Anais Mitchell's musical Hadestown: we discuss how Broadway ruins theatre, versions of songs and changes, workers' rights, and how stories change and are cyclical If you liked the episode, please feel free to tell us about it! You can send your comments and suggestions to…

That's the law, and that's a fact Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions and discussions of discrimination, sexism, misogyny, transphobia, homophobia, the effects of the Catholic Church in Ireland, fascism The long arm of the law has finally caught up to Ally and Nigel, and Katie is here to serve them their papers: we discuss getting into …

You don't need to be enough, you just need to be yourself Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions and discussions of aphobia, homophobia, discrimination Returning guesr Ross stops by the studio to join Ally and Nigel for the big 7-5 to talk to us about Asexuality: we discuss what asexuality is and isn't, the need to increase awareness of as…

It's time for an adventure! Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions and discussions of transphobia, racism, misgendering Nigel and Ally are joined by Lou this week to talk about LARPing: we discuss some of the larger games Lou has been part of, the problems with LARP, how to get into LARP as a beginner, and just some of the intricacies of t…

AND THEN THEY KISS Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions and discussions of ableism, transphobia, serial killers, rape, sexual assault, grooming This week's episode is possibly our most unhinged so far. It's got everything. Max returning to tell Ally and Nigel for the second time about an inherently crazy topic, Nigel barely on the same p…

His name is spokenTrigger warning: this episode contains mentions and discussions of classism, bigotry, racism, murderDave Rudden is an Irish author known for his YA Novel series 'Knights of the Borrowed Dark', and his Doctor Who books written for the BBC, and is the Writer-in-Residence at DCU, and today joins Ally and Nigel to discuss the life and…

What is the Matrix? Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions and discussions of transphobia, fascism, unreality Penelope joins Ally and Nigel in the studio this week to discuss the Matrix film franchise - and why you've probably been watching it wrong: we discuss simulated realities in fiction, the possibility for hope in a broken world, tra…

Pack your bags and take a nice trip with this week's episode Jeni is a musician who has done solo tours and supported artists such as Mitski and Harry Styles, and today she joins Ally and Nigel to discuss an integral part of her life - packing: we discuss the best items to pack with you on a trip, the importance of grounding yourself in the familia…

Life before death, strength before weakness, journey before destination Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions and discussions of war crimes, genocide Note: This episode contains minor spoilers for the end of Oathbringer This week Nigel, Ally, and special guest Adam speak again the ancient oaths as we tackle Brandon Sanderson's epic fantas…

Let's get criminal, criminal Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions and discussions of murder, serial killers This week Ally and Nigel crack open the criminal psyche with guest Orlaith to discuss the CBS series Criminal Minds: we discuss failed sequels, depicting serial killers, differences between the real and fictional BAU, and the show'…

It's spooky season, witches! Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions and discussions of paedophilia, child abuse, child sexual abuse, child death, Freudianism Ally and Nigel sit down this week with Deirdre Sullivan, author Perfectly Preventable Deaths, Precious Catastrophe, Tangleweed and Brine, Savage Her Reply, and the Prim trilogy to tal…

I wish you all good things, live your life, live your life, live your life Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions and discussions of antisemitism, childhood trauma, child death, the Holocaust, war, fatphobia, homophobia, transphobia, racism, rape Ally and Nigel are joined by podcaster and children's literature expert, Bryce: we discuss the…

Check in on your mental health Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions and discussions of mental health, OCD, stigmatisation of mental health, self-harm, intrusive thoughts, medication, Freudianism, deep brain stimulation, clinical misdiagnosis Ally and Nigel are joined this week by Mary to discuss OCD, a topic she researched for her Master…

Who podcasts the podcasters? Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions and discussions of Nazis, concentration camps, the Holocaust, police brutality, fascism, transphobia, misgendering, homophobia Drew joins Ally and Nigel to discuss Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' seminal graphic novel Watchmen: we discuss the literary merit of comics, the pol…

In the case of fire, place all valuables inside your fridge for safekeeping Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions and discussions of death, Nazis, the Holocaust, sexism, homophobia, ableism Bestselling author Daniel Handler, AKA Lemony Snicket, author of Adverbs, Why We Broke Up, All The Wrong Questions, and A Series of Unfortunate Events…

It's more than just left turns Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions and discussions of death, car crashes River joins Ally and Nigel this week to discuss the world of oval racing: we discuss the history of the sport, the best lines to take corners on, performing ballet with oval racecars, and we wonder what it's like to drive for 24hrs s…

It's time to bust out your crazy walls Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions and discussions of murder Ally, Nigel and this week's guest Avni put their detective hats on and attempt to solve the murder mystery that's puzzled the world for over nearly 100 years - Cain's Jawbone: we discuss theories, methods of solving the mystery, whether …

No Morbius was watched in the making of this episode Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions and discussions of Jared Leto, cults, ableism, sex It's Morbin' time as returning guest Louise joins Ally and Nigel for our most chaotic episode yet; 2022's Morbius - the first film to earn a Morbillion dollars: we discuss the internet's relationshi…

This episode isn't about Yugoslavia, we promise Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions and discussions of Nazis, war, antisemitism, neglectful parenting, child abandonment, concentration camps In this week's episode, Caoilfhinn, Nigel, and Ally discuss Elinor M. Brent-Dyer's longrunning series, Chalet School: we discuss how to write a 64 n…

Objection! Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions and discussions of murders, drugging people, and overdoses Editor's note: due to the nature of Will's calling into the show, some of their audio is very crackly. We've done our best to clean it up In this week's episode, Will, Ally, and Nigel discuss the : we discuss the objective lunacy of…

Elementary, my dear Hyperfixations! Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions and discussions of drug addiction, racism, classism, homophobia, death of an animal In this week's episode, podcaster, writer, musician and all around wunderkind J. R. Steele joins Ally and Nigel to discuss the man, the myth, the idea, Sherlock Holmes: we discuss di…

You can't press every penny, sometimes you have to let some some pennies go In this week's episode, Catherine Prasifka, author of None Of This Is Serious joins Ally and Nigel to talk pressed pennies (or elongated coins): we discuss how pennies can be pressed poorly, the power of small joys, the market for pressed pennies, why commemorative coins ar…

All hail the God King (who may be Jesus... or Henry Cavill) In this week's episode, Aaron sits down with Ally and Nigel to discuss wargame Warhammer 40K: we discuss the lore of Warhammer, the joy of painting miniatures, popular acceptance of niche interests, and we make some truly awful puns. If you liked the episode, please feel free to tell us ab…

42 Podcaster and founder of Strong Branch Productions, Alex Kingsley - who has likely killed many celebrities (for legal reasons this is a joke) - joins Ally and Nigel to discuss the life and work of Douglas Adams: we discuss life, the universe and, everything, work outside Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams-like games, and what it mus…

This is not for you Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions and discussions of alcohol and drug addiction, mass deaths, war, existentialism, the 9/11 terror attacks, transphobia, genocide, paedophilia BokToker and weird books enthusiast Jen Insight joins Ally and Nigel to discuss the truly bizarre landscape of weird books: we discuss how to…

Something is rotten in the state of California Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions of abuse, domestic abuse, child sexual abuse Nepotism is alive and well in the studio as Ally's brother Jamie sits down with Ally and Nigel to discuss the weird and wonderful world of David Lynch: we discuss dreams, Lynch and horror, returning to old proj…

Spite is one of the best reasons to write a poem Trigger warning: this episode contains frank discussions of mental health and mentions of abusive relationships, suicide, anorexia Poet Adam Cooper sits down with Ally and Nigel to discuss poetry and what it means to them: we discuss learning from previous pieces of writing, differently interpreting …

Repertoire: Recognise, Represent, Reset, Recap. Boil the jug and sit down for episode 50 of Hyperfixations (!!), special guest host Moll joins Ally to interview Nigel about James Acaster's Netflix special Repertoire, and his book Perfect Sound Whatever: we discuss Pat Springleaf's story, callbacks, Repertoire as a trauma response, only listening to…

Man, fuck Sigmund Freud Trigger warning: this episode contains mentions and discussions of Freudianism, clinical malpractice, stigmatisation of mental health, and infantilisation Iain joins Ally and Nigel to discuss lthe two revolutionary French philosophers, Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari: we discuss Capitalism and Schizophrenia, anti-Freudiani…