Episodes
Friday Oct 28, 2022
Over the Garden Wall: Finding Dante in the Unknown
Friday Oct 28, 2022
Friday Oct 28, 2022
“The Unknown is at turns gothic and autumnal, grim and threatening or comforting and even silly, with seasons of harvest and hearth giving way to snow and silence.”
- Martin Cahill
In this episode of Risking Enchantment I'm joined by professional animator Robyn Conroy to discuss the little known gem of autumnal animation that is Cartoon Network's 2014 Over the Garden Wall.
The story centres on two brothers, Wirt and Greg, who find themselves lost in strange woods, adrift in time, in a place called The Unknown. With the help of Beatrice, an impatient bluebird they travel through this mysterious place encountering strange and eerie situations in search of a way home. Throughout their journey, they outwit a series of minor antagonists, yet The Beast— an unidentifiable, manipulative monster — consistently looms in the brothers’ shadows, waiting for their moment of weakness.
In the episode we discuss our love for the show and it's grounding in the virtues of hope and self-sacrifice, as well as the rich tapestry of literary and artistic allusions which form a backdrop to the story. In particular we look at how the series draws on Dante's Inferno, and how show creator Patrick McHale embraces nostalgia and Americana in order to create a uniquely American fairy tale for the modern age.
Music: Ashton Manor by Kevin MacLeod
Hosts: Rachel Sherlock, Robyn Conroy
Follow Rachel on social media: @seekingwatson
Follow Robyn on Instagram: @robynconroyart
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @riskingenchantmentpodcast
Find out more at www.rachelsherlock.com
Sign up for our email list at www.rachelsherlock.com/podcast
Robyn's previous episodes on Risking Enchantment include:
- Stranger Things in Stranger Times: Nostalgia in the Digital Age
- The Prince of Egypt: An Epic in Animation
- Cartoon Saloon: Celtic and Christian Coexistence
Works Referenced:
Over the Garden Wall (2014)
“Over the Garden Wall Deep Dive: Background & Cultural Context” by Bella Trucco
The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri
Over the Garden Wall is Dante's Inferno (Symbolism Analysis) by Trey the Explainer
Is Over The Garden Wall About Having Faith? by PBS Digital Studios
What We’re Enjoying at the Moment
Robyn: Midnights by Taylor Swift
Rachel: The Fortnight in September by R.C. Sherriff
Friday Oct 14, 2022
Friday Oct 14, 2022
“There is something in us, as storytellers and as listeners to stories, that demands the redemptive act, that demands that what falls at least be offered the chance to be restored." - Flannery O'Connor
For this episode of the podcast we're doubling up the Sherlocks as Rachel is joined by her brother Michael to discuss the film Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. In this episode we place the film in the tradition of the Southern Gothic genre and talk about the influence of Flannery O'Connor on the film's story and storytelling technique. We delve into O'Connor's use of violence and grace, and analyze the role of God in our yearning for both justice and mercy.
Music: Ashton Manor by Kevin MacLeod
Hosts: Rachel Sherlock, Michael Sherlock
Follow me on social media: @seekingwatson
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @riskingenchantmentpodcast
Find out more at www.rachelsherlock.com
Sign up for our email list at www.rachelsherlock.com/podcast
Works Referenced:
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)
A Good Man Is Hard to Find by Flannery O'Connor
Mystery and Manners by Flannery O'Connor
'How Three Billboards went from film fest darling to awards-season controversy' by Alissa Wilkinson
'Beyond Grief and Anger: A Review of “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”' by Fr. Damien Ference
"Three Billboards, Flannery O’Connor, and Hope" by Philip Bunn
The Violent Bear It Away by Flannery O'Connor
The Habit of Being by Flannery O'Connor
What We’re Enjoying at the Moment
Michael: Breaking Bad
Rachel: Machine Gun Kelly, Mainstream Sellout Tour
Thursday Sep 29, 2022
Autumnal Envy: A Season of Longing and Desire
Thursday Sep 29, 2022
Thursday Sep 29, 2022
“He found himself wondering at times, especially in the autumn, about the wild lands, and strange visions of mountains that he had never seen came into his dreams. He began to say to himself: ‘Perhaps I shall cross the River myself one day.’ To which the other half of his mind always replied: ‘Not yet.’”
- J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
In this episode of the podcast Rachel and Phoebe discuss their love of autumn, the glory of its natural splendour and the joy to be found in the rituals of decoration homes and drawing in from the elements. But within this discussion is an exploration of the seeming boom in the commercialisation and content packaging of the season, seen across social media and even high street shops. Among the points discussed are René Girard’s theory of mimetic desire, how social media draws us into both inspiration and envy, and how to find a balanced way to embrace the season.
Music: Ashton Manor by Kevin MacLeod
Hosts: Rachel Sherlock, Phoebe Watson
Follow me on social media: @seekingwatson
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @riskingenchantmentpodcast
Find out more at www.rachelsherlock.com
Sign up for our email list at www.rachelsherlock.com/podcast
Works Referenced
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
WOF 348: The Power of Mimetic Desire w/ Luke Burgis, The Word on Fire Podcast
Wanting: The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life by Luke Burgis
The Sorrows of Autumn - Born of Wonder Podcast
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
Persuasion by Jane Austen
Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montegomery
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien edited by Humphrey Carpenter
Anne of Avonlea by Lucy Maud Montegomery
Danny the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl
Thomas Wingfold, Curate by George MacDonald
The Hawk in the Rain by Ted Hughes
‘October’ by Edward Thomas
What We’re Enjoying at the Moment
Rachel: See How They Run (2022)
Phoebe: A Tangled Web by Lucy Maud Montegomery
Friday Sep 16, 2022
Beauty in Brideshead Revisited: The Holy and the Hedonistic
Friday Sep 16, 2022
Friday Sep 16, 2022
‘But my dear Sebastian, you can’t seriously believe it all’
‘Can’t I?’
‘I mean about Christmas and the star and the three kings and the ox and the ass.’
‘Oh yes, I believe that. It’s a lovely idea.’
‘But you can’t believe things because they’re a lovely idea.’
‘But I do. That’s how I believe.’
- Brideshead Revisited
Risking Enchantment returns for its autumn/winter season. As promised our first episode back is about Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh. We discuss the novel in terms of its theme of the idolization of beauty, and look at how beauty both pulls characters away from God and draws them close to Him. We compare Sebastian’s childlike and childish approach to beauty and life, with Charles’ devotion but ultimately superficial love of beauty and art. At the heart of the discussion is Waugh’s self-proclaimed theme of the operation of divine grace, and how beauty provides an opportunity for this grace to be received.
Music: Ashton Manor by Kevin MacLeod
Hosts: Rachel Sherlock, Phoebe Watson
Follow me on social media: @seekingwatson
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @riskingenchantmentpodcast
Find out more at www.rachelsherlock.com
Sign up for our email list at www.rachelsherlock.com/podcast
Worked Referenced
Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh
Brideshead Revisited (TV mini series, 1981)
Scoop by Evelyn Waugh
“A Twitch upon the Thread: Grace in Brideshead Revisited” by Annesley Anderson
“Brideshead Revisited During Lent” by Patrick Tomassi
“The rejection of beauty in Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited” by Laura White
“From Arcadia to Ascesis: the necessary loss of pleasure in Brideshead Revisited” by Joanna Bratten
The Four Quartets by T.S. Eliot
What We’re Enjoying at the Moment
Rachel: Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome
Phoebe: The Scent of Water by Elizabeth Goudge
Saturday Jun 04, 2022
The Golden Age of Musicals and the Desire for Beauty
Saturday Jun 04, 2022
Saturday Jun 04, 2022
"Romance is the deepest thing in life; romance is deeper even than reality."
- G.K. Chesterton
In this last episode of Risking Enchantment before the summer break, Rachel and Phoebe share their experience of watching musicals from the Golden Age of Hollywood. We discuss their peculiar charm, the effects of the era in which they were made, from cultural mores to filming techniques, and why they are a beautiful resource for those looking to see God's beauty in the world.
Music: Ashton Manor by Kevin MacLeod
Hosts: Rachel Sherlock, Phoebe Watson
Follow me on social media: @seekingwatson
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @riskingenchantmentpodcast
Find out more at www.rachelsherlock.com
Sign up for our email list at www.rachelsherlock.com/podcast
Films Referenced and Recommended in this Episode
- Singin' in the Rain
- Sound of Music
- High Society
- An American in Paris
- Funny Face
- Mary Poppins
- The Wizard of Oz
- The Sound of Music
- The King and I
- My Fair Lady
- Meet Me in St Louis
- Guys and Dolls
- White Christmas
Other Works Referenced
Manalive! by G.K. Chesterton
The Healing Power of Gene Kelly by Emily Kubincanek
'Why Hollywood Matters', talk given by Barbara Nicholosi
'The Golden Age of Censorship' by Peter Tonguette
What We're Enjoying at the Moment
Rachel: Financial Times Cryptic Crosswords
Phoebe: Victorian Doll House Book
Saturday May 21, 2022
The Universal Truths of C.S. Lewis, with Michael Ward
Saturday May 21, 2022
Saturday May 21, 2022
“The human mind has no more power of inventing a new value than of imagining a new primary colour, or, indeed, of creating a new sun and a new sky for it to move in.”
- C.S. Lewis, The Abolition of Man
In this episode we are joined by Michael Ward, author of the award-winning and best-selling Planet Narnia: The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of C.S. Lewis and After Humanity: A Guide to C.S. Lewis’s The Abolition of Man. We discuss Michael’s theory, laid out in Planet Narnia, that Lewis wrote the series to have each book centred around the influence of each of the seven heavenly bodies of medieval cosmology. We also discuss Lewis’ work the need for objective truth, especially in education, in The Abolition of Man, how he represented these ideas through fiction in his Space Trilogy, in particular the last book of the series That Hideous Strength.
Hosts: Rachel Sherlock, Michael Ward
Follow Rachel on social media: @seekingwatson
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @riskingenchantmentpodcast
Find out more at www.rachelsherlock.com
Find out more about Michael at: https://michaelward.net/
Sign up for our email list at www.rachelsherlock.com/podcast
Music: Ashton Manor by Kevin MacLeod
Works Mentioned
Planet Narnia: The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of C.S. Lewis by Michael Ward
The Narnia Code: C. S. Lewis and the Secret of the Seven Heavens by Michael Ward
After Humanity: A Guide to C.S. Lewis’s The Abolition of Man by Michael Ward
The Narnia Chronicles by C.S. Lewis
The Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis
The Space Trilogy by C.S. Lewis
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
Manalive! By G.K Chesterton
Sherlock (TV Series)
What We’re Enjoying at the Moment
Michael: A Man for all Seasons (1966)
Any Human Heart by William Boyd
Rachel: Sabrina (1964)
Saturday Apr 16, 2022
Saturday Apr 16, 2022
“[Paradox is] truth standing on its head to gain attention." - G.K. Chesterton
In this Easter episode of Risking Enchantment, Rachel and Phoebe discuss two of Chesterton’s books: Manalive and St. Francis of Assisi. We draw out the similarities in themes, characters, and messages between the two books, in particular the use of paradoxes and seeming contradictions, as well as the general atmosphere of vibrant and energetic virtue. The main characters of each of these books, Innocent Smith, and St. Francis of Assisi both turn the world upside down in various ways, inverting people’s expectations and confounding their preconceptions. In both cases Chesterton uses his typical contrarian charm to show his readers the wondrous gift of life through God.
Music: Ashton Manor by Kevin MacLeod
Hosts: Rachel Sherlock, Phoebe Watson
Follow me on social media: @seekingwatson
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @riskingenchantmentpodcast
Find out more at www.rachelsherlock.com
Sign up for our email list at www.rachelsherlock.com/podcast
Works Mentioned in this Episode:
Manalive by G.K. Chesterton
St. Francis of Assisi by G.K. Chesterton
Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton
“Chesterton and Saint Francis” by Joseph Pearce
“Reason Exhausted: Paradoxes of G. K. Chesterton and C. S. Lewis” by Sara Park McLaughlin
“Two Kinds of Paradox” by G.K. Chesterton
What We're Enjoying at the Moment:
Phoebe: Georgette Heyer Novels
Rachel: Holiday to Rome
Sunday Apr 03, 2022
The Silent Knight: Elizabeth Lev on St. Joseph in Art through the Ages
Sunday Apr 03, 2022
Sunday Apr 03, 2022
[Joseph’s] incomparable example as a saint fortunate among so many for having lived a common life with Jesus and Mary—a life of service to Christ, a service born of love.
- Saint Paul VI on the Feast of Saint Joseph (March 19, 1966)
We’re delighted to welcome Elizabeth Lev back to the podcast. In her first episode, Elizabeth Lev: Founding Christian Art and Redeeming Roman Myth we discussed her book How Catholic Art Saved the Faith: The Triumph of Beauty and Truth in Counter-Reformation Art the how early Christians evangelised to the Romans through art and architecture. Now Elizabeth is joining us again to discuss her new book The Silent Knight: A History of St. Joseph as Depicted in Art. We talk about Pope Francis’ call to turn in prayer to St Joseph in our current age, the many ways that St Joseph has been represented in art throughout the centuries, and how this art can help us to cultivate a devotion to him.
Follow Elizabeth Lev:
Twitter: @lizlevrome
Instagram: @lizlevinrome
Website: elizabeth-lev.com
Elizabeth also runs Masters' Gallery Rome where you can join to get great lectures about Roman art.
Music: Ashton Manor by Kevin MacLeod
Hosts: Rachel Sherlock,
Follow us on social media: @seekingwatson
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @riskingenchantmentpodcast
Find out more at www.rachelsherlock.com
Works Mentioned:
How Catholic Art Saved the Faith: The Triumph of Beauty and Truth in Counter-Reformation Art by Elizabeth Lev
The Silent Knight: A History of St. Joseph as Depicted in Art by Elizabeth Lev
Patris Corde by Pope Francis
Joseph the Worker by Modesto Faustini
Flight to Egypt by Giotto
Washing of the Feet by Giotto
St Joseph Cradling the Infant Christ by Guido Reni
Rest on the Flight to Egypt by Caravaggio
Christ Crowning Saint Joseph by Francisco de Zurbarán
St. Joseph and the Child Jesus by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo
Flight to Egypt by Gislebertus, Autun Cathedral
Death of Saint Joseph by Giuseppe Maria Crespi
Death of Saint Joseph by William Blake
Limbo by Sister Mary Ada
Rest on the Flight to Egypt by Barroci
Nuptials of the Virgin by Rosso Fiorrentino
The Holy Family with a Palm Tree by Raphael
Betrothed – Glimpses of the Betrothal of Mary and Joseph by Paraic Maher
The Nagasaki Martyrs by the Cuzco School
St. Joseph and the Child Jesus by Dony MacManus
The Holy Family by Janet McKenzie
St. Joseph Terror of Demons by Bernadette Carstensen
St. Joseph and the Christ Child by Francesco Grandi
What We’re Enjoying At the Moment
Face to Face: Portraits of the Divine in Early Christianity by Robin M Jensen
Gods and Fighting Men by Lady Augusta Gregory
Friday Mar 11, 2022
The Grace of Gardening: Encountering Christ in Creation
Friday Mar 11, 2022
Friday Mar 11, 2022
“The Word himself was the first Gardener. In the beginning he planted a tree in the garden of Eden that grew the fruit of immortal life"
- Vigen Guroian
In this episode Rachel is joined by Reba Luiken, director of Allen Centennial Garden at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, to discuss how gardening grounds us, both in the gifts of our bodies and the gifts of Creation. We talk about how we can look to Nature to understand God, and how the seasonal year helps us to understand our faith and the sacraments.
Music: Ashton Manor by Kevin MacLeod
Hosts: Rachel Sherlock, Reba Luiken
Follow me on social media: @seekingwatson
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @riskingenchantmentpodcast
Find out more at www.rachelsherlock.com
Sign up for our email list at www.rachelsherlock.com/podcast
Works Mentioned in this Episode
Inheriting Paradise by Vigen Guroian
The Fragrance of God by Vigen Guroian
Walden by Henry David Thoreau
Springing into the Season - Risking Enchantment
"Christ the Gardener of our Souls" by Brent Klaske, Angelus Press
"Godly Gardening", Food and Faith: A Theology of Eating by Norman Wirzba
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien
Beasts at Bedtime: Revealing the Environmental Wisdom in Children's Literature by Liam Heneghan
The Secret Garden by Lucy Maud Montegomery
Laudato si' by Pope Francis
The Grace of Enough: Pursuing Less and Living More in a Throwaway Culture by Haley Stewart
Things We're Enjoying At The Moment
Reba: Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness by Ingrid Fetell Lee
Rachel: Mary Poppins Soundtrack, LP
Saturday Feb 26, 2022
Jane Austen’s Moral Imagination: A Conversation with Haley Stewart
Saturday Feb 26, 2022
Saturday Feb 26, 2022
“The great abstract nouns of the classical English moralists are unblushingly and uncompromisingly used: good sense, courage, contentment, fortitude…Contrasted with the world of modern fiction, Jane Austen’s is at once less soft and less cruel.” - C.S. Lewis, “A Note on Jane Austen”
In this episode, we are joined by Haley Stewart, a Catholic convert, writer, speaker, podcaster, and Managing Editor of Word on Fire Spark, their new publishing line for children and young readers. We discuss Haley’s new book, coming this March, Jane Austen's Genius Guide to Life: On Love, Friendship, and Becoming the Person God Created You to Be by Haley Stewart. We talk about the profound and vibrant ways Jane Austen explores morals and virtues in her novels. In particular we highlight the themes of prudence and constancy in Northanger Abbey and Mansfield Park, respectively, as well as speaking about Austen’s peculiar genius for rendering the moral journeys of her characters.
Music: Ashton Manor by Kevin MacLeod
Hosts: Rachel Sherlock, Haley Stewart
Follow me on social media: @seekingwatson
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @riskingenchantmentpodcast
Follow Haley on social media: @HaleyCarrots
Find out more at www.rachelsherlock.com
Sign up for our email list at www.rachelsherlock.com/podcast
Find Haley Stewart’s Work:
The Grace of Enough: Pursuing Less and Living More in a Throwaway Culture by Haley Stewart
Works Mentioned:
Jane Austen's Genius Guide to Life: On Love, Friendship, and Becoming the Person God Created You to Be by Haley Stewart
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
Emma by Jane Austen
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
Persuasion by Jane Austen
Love and Friendship by Jane Austen, introduction by G.K. Chesterton
The Illustrated Letters of Jane Austen, Selected and Introduced by Penelope Hughes-Hallett
“A Note on Jane Austen”, Selected Literary Essays by C.S. Lewis
Things We’re Enjoying at the Moment
Haley: All Creatures Great and Small (2020 TV Series)
Rachel: Caper Board Game