Pop Junctions

Captain Nemo: A Swap Story, or Why We Can’t Barter Our Way to a Better World — Pop Junctions Ellen Kirkpatrick dives into the character of Captain Nemo, particularly Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill’s gender-swapped version. She argues that story is the beating heart of social action, helpin...

✨I have a new essay at @popjunctions.bsky.social on swap storytelling, radical imagining, and why swapping approaches often fall short—not just in fiction, but in social and political realms too.
Oh, and Captain Nemo 🦑
Big thanks to the Pop Junctions team for the space and support💖
bit.ly/nemo-swap

Captain Nemo: A Swap Story, or Why We Can’t Barter Our Way to a Better World — Pop Junctions Ellen Kirkpatrick dives into the character of Captain Nemo, particularly Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill’s gender-swapped version. She argues that story is the beating heart of social action, helpin...

The latest this week on Pop Junctions is a piece on Captain Nemo and swap storytelling by @elkwrites.bsky.social.

EMMYS WATCH 2025 — What We Do in the Shadows: Nothing Ever Changes, But Yet it Does — Pop Junctions ‘Emmys Watch 2025’ showcases critical responses to the series nominated for Outstanding Drama, Outstanding Comedy, and Outstanding Limited Series at that 77th Primetime Emmy Awards. Contributions to t...

In our last contribution to #EmmysWatch2025 at Pop Junctions, @ladyhorrors.bsky.social considers how #WhatWeDointheShadows shapes the sitcom and mockumentary forms in ways that enrich narrative, character and theme.
And that’s a wrap of this series—thanks to all our contributors and readers!

EMMYS WATCH 2025 — Adolescence: Think Pieces and Cultural Dialogue — Pop Junctions ‘Emmys Watch 2025’ showcases critical responses to the series nominated for Outstanding Drama, Outstanding Comedy, and Outstanding Limited Series at that 77th Primetime Emmy Awards. Contributions to t...

For the final day of #EmmysWatch2025 at Pop Junctions, Alex Beare explores the cultural dialogue that has surrounded the Netflix series, #Adolescence.

EMMYS WATCH 2025 — All Dr. Robby’s Children: The Spectre of Soap Opera on The Pitt — Pop Junctions ‘Emmys Watch 2025’ showcases critical responses to the series nominated for Outstanding Drama, Outstanding Comedy, and Outstanding Limited Series at that 77th Primetime Emmy Awards. Contributions to t...

Next up in #EmmysWatch2025 on Pop Junctions, @jackie-johns.bsky.social contextualizes #ThePitt within the long lineage of television soap operas.

EMMYS WATCH 2025 — Laughing at Her/Laughing with Her: Dichotomies of the Aging Woman in Hacks — Pop Junctions ‘Emmys Watch 2025’ showcases critical responses to the series nominated for Outstanding Drama, Outstanding Comedy, and Outstanding Limited Series at that 77th Primetime Emmy Awards. Contributions to t...

Today on #EmmysWatch2025 at Pop Junctions is a contribution on #Hacks by Ashton Leach, which explores the dichotomies of aging women in comedy.

EMMYS WATCH 2025 — When the Force is Not with Us: Considering Genre in Andor and the ‘Star Wars’ Franchise — Pop Junctions ‘Emmys Watch 2025’ showcases critical responses to the series nominated for Outstanding Drama, Outstanding Comedy, and Outstanding Limited Series at that 77th Primetime Emmy Awards. Contributions to t...

Next up in #EMMYWATCH2025 is a piece on #Andor by @taralomax.bsky.social that explores questions of genre in the series and the #StarWars franchise.

EMMYS WATCH 2025 — Shrinking and Mental Healthcare ‘Comedy’ — Pop Junctions ‘Emmys Watch 2025’ showcases critical responses to the series nominated for Outstanding Drama, Outstanding Comedy, and Outstanding Limited Series at that 77th Primetime Emmy Awards. Contributions to t...

In this latest contribution to #EMMYSWATCH2025, Robert Boucaut explores how Shrinking constructs a workplace storyworld around mental healthcare as a thematic imperative and narrative setting.

EMMYS WATCH 2025 — Severance: A Present Tense Dystopia — Pop Junctions ‘Emmys Watch 2025’ showcases critical responses to the series nominated for Outstanding Drama, Outstanding Comedy, and Outstanding Limited Series at that 77th Primetime Emmy Awards. Contributions to t...

In this video essay on #Severance, Melanie Robson analyses how the series engages with the science fiction genre in a present day dystopian context. #EMMYSWATCH2025

EMMYS WATCH 2025 — The Studio: Television (About Movies), Now More Than Ever — Pop Junctions ‘Emmys Watch 2025’ showcases critical responses to the series nominated for Outstanding Drama, Outstanding Comedy, and Outstanding Limited Series at that 77th Primetime Emmy Awards. Contributions to t...

In this #EMMYSWATCH2025 contribution, @mbarnesnelson.bsky.social discusses the self-reflectivity of #TheStudio.

EMMYS WATCH 2025 — Shrinking The Bear: A Closer Look at Two Divergent Outstanding Comedy Nominees — Pop Junctions ‘Emmys Watch 2025’ showcases critical responses to the series nominated for Outstanding Drama, Outstanding Comedy, and Outstanding Limited Series at that 77th Primetime Emmy Awards. Contributions to t...

Next up on #EMMYSWATCH2025, @chriscomerford.bsky.social compares the blend of comedy and drama in #TheBear and #Shrinking to explore the complexities of effective ‘dramedy’ storytelling.

EMMYS WATCH 2025 — Television that Changes Us (Part 2): An Interview with Gabe Gonzalez and Sasha Stewart on We Disrupt This Broadcast — Pop Junctions ‘Emmys Watch 2025’ showcases critical responses to the series nominated for Outstanding Drama, Outstanding Comedy, and Outstanding Limited Series at that 77th Primetime Emmy Awards. Contributions to t...

Continuing the conversation on "Television that Changes Us," in Part 2 Lauren Alexandra Sowa interviews Sasha Stewart and Gabe González from the #PeabodyAwards podcast, We Disrupt this Broadcast. #EMMYSWATCH2025

EMMYS WATCH 2025 — Television that Changes Us (Part 1): An Interview with the Peabody Award’s Jeffrey Jones on We Disrupt This Broadcast — Pop Junctions ‘Emmys Watch 2025’ showcases critical responses to the series nominated for Outstanding Drama, Outstanding Comedy, and Outstanding Limited Series at that 77th Primetime Emmy Awards. Contributions to t...

To kick off #EMMYSWATCH2025, Pop Junctions shares a 2-part interview on the @peabodyawards.bsky.social/Centre for Media and Social Impact podcast, We Disrupt this Broadcast. In Part 1, Lauren Alexandra Sowa interviews Jeffrey P. Jones about "Television that Changes Us".

From Transmedia to Immersive Worlds: An Interview with Dr. Carlos A. Scolari on the Evolution of Media and the Future of Storytelling — Pop Junctions Renata Frade interviews Carlos A. Scolari, an eminent media theorist focused on digital interfaces, media ecology /evolution and interactive communication. Read to understand how "transmedia" might be...

New post on Pop Junctions is an interview with Carlos A. Scolari (@cscolari.bsky.social) by Renata Frade (@renatafrade.bsky.social). They discuss the shift from transmedia to immersive storytelling .

OSCARS WATCH 2025 – The Substance: Youth, Body, Women, Success (Part Two) — Pop Junctions This piece is part of a series of critical responses to the films nominated for Best Picture at the 97th Academy Awards. In this in-conversation piece, Do Own (Donna) Kim, Utsav Gandhi, and Gabrielle ...

Part Two continues the conversation piece about THE SUBSTANCE for our OSCARS WATCH series by @gtroitman.bsky.social @utsavpgandhi.bsky.social and @doowndonnakim.bsky.social

OSCARS WATCH 2025 – The Substance: Youth, Body, Women, Success (Part One) — Pop Junctions This piece is part of a series of critical responses to the films nominated for Best Picture at the 97th Academy Awards. In this in-conversation piece, Do Own (Donna) Kim, Utsav Gandhi, and Gabrielle ...

Heading towards the end of our OSCARS WATCH series, we have Part One of a two-part conversation piece on THE SUBSTANCE by @doowndonnakim.bsky.social @gtroitman.bsky.social and @utsavpgandhi.bsky.social. Stay tuned for Part Two.

OSCARS WATCH 2025 – Anora — Pop Junctions This piece is part of a series of critical responses to the films nominated for Best Picture at the 97th Academy Awards. With this video essay, Green and Red perform a poetic analysis of both the styl...

Next in OSCARS WATCH is a lyrical video essay by Greed and Red on ANORA that poetically explores its use of color, lines, and shapes.

OSCARS WATCH 2025 – A Complete Unknown: A Conversation With Jonathan Taplin — Pop Junctions This post is part of a series of critical responses to the films nominated for Best Picture at the 97th Academy Awards. The following is an edited extract of a recording made recently for the producti...

Continuing our OSCARS WATCH series, we have a discussion between Henry Jenkins, Colin Maclay and Jonathan Taplin who discuss A COMPLETE UNKNOWN. This is a transcribed extract from a forthcoming episode of the How Do You Like It So Far? podcast.

OSCARS WATCH 2025 – Political Fears and Fantasies in Edward Berger’s Conclave — Pop Junctions This post is part of a series of critical responses to the films nominated for Best Picture at the 97th Academy Awards. The political thriller is a genre that most effectively exists in close proximit...

OSCARS WATCH 2025 continues with a piece on CONCLAVE. @doctorofmovies.bsky.social explores the film's relationship with the political thriller genre.

OSCARS WATCH 2025 – I’m Still Here: A Harrowing Retelling and Warning — Pop Junctions This piece is part of a series of critical responses to the films nominated for Best Picture at the 97th Academy Awards. Fouquet weaves connections between nominees I'm Still Here , A Complete Unkno...

We launch our annual OSCARS WATCH series in the lead up to the Academy Awards with Martina Fouquet's piece on I'M STILL HERE and the impact of political oppression on everyday life. Stay tuned for daily posts on a range of films nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars this year.

NEPF Promotes a Bridge Between Fanfiction Academic Studies and Fandom in Brazil — Pop Junctions In Brazil, NEPF is the only academic space dedicated to fanfic research, and, because of this, it has become extremely important for many graduate students and researchers around Brazil. So, readers o...

Recently up on Pop Junctions, Julia C. Abrahão and Natalia Seixas share some of the research coming out of the Núcleo de Estudos e Pesquisas de Fanfic (Fanfic Studies and Research Group) (NEPF) in Brazil. Thanks also to @renatafrade.bsky.social for contributing to this piece.

“Popular” Dolls: A Discussion of the Wicked Movie Dolls in the Context of Wizard of Oz Merchandizing Culture — Pop Junctions In this final installment of the themed series on toys, Henry Jenkins and Lauren Sowa discuss how the many  Wicked  branded toys and dolls fit into the larger culture of dolls and collecting...

The final peice in our Toys series is a conversation between Lauren Sowa and Henry Jenkins on Wicked dolls and the merchandising culture around The Wizard of Oz.

Marvel on the Shelf: The Art and Play of Action Figure Display — Pop Junctions There are many ways that adults enact the practice of action figure collecting: they might be driven by completionism or nostalgia; motivated by a hunt for rarities; alter the design through customiza...

The latest in our holiday special Toy series is from @taralomax.bsky.social and reflects on the art and play of action figure collecting and displaying.

Telling Your Toy Story: Fans’ Storytelling Practice in Shanghai Disneyland — Pop Junctions It was 4AM in Shanghai, and a group of people in colorful clothing suddenly appeared. They were headed for a magical place: Shanghai Disneyland. They were up so early to wait in line for hours in orde...

In the newest post in our Toys series, Ying "Lenore" Wang shares reflections on toys from Disneyland Shanghai, from Mulan to Lotsa Bear to Duffy and Friends.

Barbie in Pakistan: The Toy, the Movie, and the Cultural Ambiguities — Pop Junctions In Pakistan,  Barbie  the movie transcended its form as mere cinematic spectacle and metamorphosed into a tool through which the complex, unspoken, and ambiguous scales of morality can be an...

To coincide with the holiday season, we present a series of posts based around the theme of ‘toys’. First up, @javariafarooqui.bsky.social looks at #Barbie in Pakistan. Stay tuned for more to come over the month.

EMMYS WATCH 2024 – Curbeth Thou Enthusiasm: Is Larry David a 21st Century Shakespearean Fool? — Pop Junctions This post is part of a series of critical responses to the shows nominated for Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Comedy Series at the 76th Emmy Awards. This piece frames Larry David's role in&n...

In our final #EmmysWatch2024 post, Lauren Alexandra Sowa likened Larry David's role in #CurbYourEnthusiasm to that of the Shakespearean fool.

EMMYS WATCH 2024 – 'The Bear' — Pop Junctions This piece is part of a series of critical responses to the shows nominated for Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Comedy Series at the 76th Emmy Awards. Here, film critic Megan Robinson argues ...

The third post in our #EmmysWatch2024 series focused on #TheBear. Addressing its nomination in the Outstanding Comedy category, Megan Robinson explores how The Bear achieves a blend of comedy and drama.

EMMYS WATCH 2024 – Frederik Cryns Interviewed by Henry Jenkins on ‘Shogun’ — Pop Junctions This piece is part of a series of critical responses to the series nominated for Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Comedy Series at the 76th Emmy Awards. Here, Henry Jenkins interviews Frederik...

In the second #EmmysWatch2024 post, Henry Jenkins interviewed Frederik Cryns, historical consultant for #Shogun and a professor of Japanese History at the International Research Center for Japanese Studies in Kyoto, Japan.

EMMYS WATCH 2024 – Fit for a Queen: The Final Season of 'The Crown' and Its Royal Fans — Pop Junctions This piece is part of a series of critical responses to the series nominated for Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Comedy Series at the 76th Emmy Awards. The final season of the Netflix series ...

In our first #EmmysWatch2024 post, @bridgetkies.bsky.social explored how #TheCrown blurs the lines between history and fan fiction.

Our most recent series collected a range of critical reflections on some of the shows nominated for Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Comedy Series at the 76th Emmy Awards. See the thread below to revisit the posts in #EmmysWatch2024.