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Wicked: Power, Friendship, Popularity, Love
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Manage episode 520346446 series 3567771
Oz isn’t just emerald and glitter; it’s a lesson in how stories get made and weaponized. We jump from Gregory Maguire’s Wicked to the Broadway phenomenon and the record-breaking film to unpack how a green-skinned girl became a political problem, a best friend, and a cultural icon. Along the way, we contrast the novel’s darker theology and politics with the musical’s friendship-forward heart and the movie’s big-screen mythmaking, asking what each version chooses to spotlight—and why.
We dig into the performances that make the film crackle: Jeff Goldblum’s attention-hoarding Wizard, Michelle Yeoh’s velvet-gloved operator as Madame Morrible, and Cynthia Erivo’s fierce, aching Elphaba who refuses to be managed. Peter Dinklage’s Dr. Dillamond turns prejudice into a gut punch, while Glinda’s arc reveals how image and approval can be tools of control.
Beyond the screen, we step through Universal’s Wicked Experience in Orlando—costumes, set pieces, and a guided path from Shiz to Emerald City—proof that modern fandom doesn’t end with credits. Then we broaden the lens: why monster stories surge in a perfection-obsessed era, how propaganda reframes dissent as danger, and what it costs to speak when silence is safer. We’re saving the “is it a kissing story” verdict for the sequel, but the first film already hits where it counts: who gets to define good, and will your friends still stand close when the posters call you wicked?
Tell us: book, musical, or movie—who nailed Oz for you? Subscribe, rate, and share to bring more listeners into the Emerald City conversation.
News and Links
- LitJoy preorders for The Prisoner’s Throne by Holly Black (Link)
- Cover for Adversary to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maeher (Instagram Link)
- Cover for World’s Okayest Oracle (Reluctantly) Seeks Demon by Olivia Dade (Instagram Link)
- Author LJ Andrews has suffered a fire. Donation Link & Instagram Link
- BK Borsion’s sequel to Good Spirits (Ghosted series) will be called Grim Tidings (Instagram Link)
- Ali Hazelwood released an audio first foray into the realm of dark academia on Spotify (Link)
- Vogue Australia article on Monster Romance (Link to article)
- Hannah F Whitten is releasing a new book in 2026, Reliquary (Instagram Link)
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Chapters
1. Cold Open And Holiday Banter (00:00:00)
2. Housekeeping And Episode Plan (00:01:15)
3. Bookish News Roundup: Special Editions (00:01:30)
4. Cover Reveals And Matching Series Rage (00:05:42)
5. Zom Romcom Universe And Genre Bending (00:09:55)
6. Author Fire, Donations, And Giving Grace (00:13:10)
7. Ghosted Series Speculation And Release Cadence (00:16:40)
8. Advent Book Concept And Seasonal Reading (00:21:05)
9. Audio-First Releases And Hype Teases (00:24:35)
10. Why Pop Culture Loves Monsters (00:28:10)
11. Charity Preorders And Industry Models (00:33:30)
12. Goodreads Choice Awards And TBR Overwhelm (00:37:02)
13. Shifting To Wicked Across Media (00:41:15)
14. Book Vs Musical Vs Movie Context (00:44:05)
15. Themes: Propaganda, Otherness, And Power (00:48:40)
16. Performances: Wizard, Nessa, And Dillamond (00:53:10)
17. Character Arcs: Glinda, Elphaba, Fiyero, Boq (00:57:45)
49 episodes
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