Myths, Games & Meaning

About Myths, Games & Meaning

What do Greek gods, video games, and popular culture actually have in common? I'm Dr Dani Shalet. In Myths, Games & Meaning, I sit down with scholars, performers, storytellers, and creatives to explore how ancient myth keeps resurfacing in the culture around us today. We look at how these stories move from antiquity into video games, films, books, and the worlds we build through play. From Medusa to Middle earth, from the Hero's Journey to Tomb Raider and Baldur's Gate, we dig into the threads that shape contemporary storytelling, and the ways we express our hopes, fears, and identities through storytelling and imagination. If you're drawn to mythology, folklore, narrative design, or the tales woven through the games and stories we love, you'll feel right at home here. More at https://www.mythsgamesmeaning.com Join the conversation on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mythsgamesmeaning/ About the Host: Dr Dani Shalet is a theologian, mythologist, educator, and lifelong gamer who explores how humans make meaning through story, from ancient legend to modern games. She brings a warm, thoughtful approach to conversations with actors, scholars, creatives, and fans, drawing on her academic background to make complex ideas feel accessible, cosy, and alive. Through Myths, Games & Meaning, she invites listeners into a queer aware, emotionally intelligent space where narrative, culture, and identity meet. New episodes released throughout the year.

Publisher

Dr Danielle Shalet

Category

leisure · society & culture · tv & film

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

15 Sept 2025

Latest episode

3 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

11 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   3 Oct 2026

   Here Be Monsters: Leviathan, Sea Serpents and Ghosts in Ancient Myth (with Dr Ryan Denson)

   This week I'm joined by Dr Ryan Denson, who really is the sea monster guy (though it's not on his socials yet). We talk about the ketos, the hippocamps, and Scylla and Charybdis, including why Charybdis in the Odyssey is just a whirlpool and never actually gets a body. Ryan explains how a lot of these monsters started with real animals and with people simply not knowing what was 'under the sea' (excuse the pun). He also talks about how ancient peoples passed these stories around, and how the ...

2. 

   23 Aug 2026

   Pax Romana's Aqua Vitae: A Myth of Revelation (with Tom Nolan Kelly TIVA)

   Rome is burning. The Four Horsemen are riding. And somehow that's the same story as a Fallout quest. In this special episode: I sit down with writer and Tom Nolan Kelly, co-founder of TIVA (True Indie Voice Art) "a collective of artists who create audio plays and give them away for free, funded entirely through Patreon and a 'pay what you want' system." We dive into why the big audio platforms are quietly starving indie creators, why Book of Revelation apocalypse imagery is the se...

3. 

   15 Jun 2026

   Medusa Unbound: Fear, Seduction, and Reclaiming Power (with Dr Gina Bevan)

   Medusa has been a monster, a warning, a victim, and a symbol. In this episode, Dr Dani Shalet is joined by Dr Gina Bevan, whose work explores pop culture, gender, queer narratives, and ancient myth. Together they trace Medusa’s shifting meanings across myth and modernity, exploring fear, seduction, repression, and the power of the gaze. Their conversation also considers how Medusa has become a figure of empowerment, reclaimed by artists, writers, and thinkers who see strength where earlier tr...

4. 

   17 Apr 2026

   Karlach: The Making of a Modern Mythic Hero (with Samantha Béart)

   In this episode, I’m joined by Samantha Béart for a lively conversation on performance, storytelling, and the myth of Karlach. This one is particularly special to me, as Sam was one of my very first interviews and has been incredibly supportive along the way. We talk about how characters like Karlach become mythic in their own right, and why some game characters feel so powerful to play. From Athena to Shakespeare to the ‘patron saints’ of sci-fi—Ellen Ripley and Sarah Connor—we explor...

5. 

   14 Feb 2026

   A Little Reflection and a Big Thank You

   This episode is a heartfelt thank you to everyone who’s been listening, supporting, and sharing this podcast. I’m endlessly grateful for every guest who has offered their time and stories, and for every listener who has stayed with me, even through the quieter moments. Life and work have been a little overwhelming lately, which led to an unplanned pause. But this space, and the people who fill it, mean so much to me. Taking a step back gave me a chance to breathe, reflect, and remember why I ...

6. 

   3 Jan 2026

   Frescoes and Minotaurs Into the Labyrinth: Greek Myth from Assassin’s Creed Odyssey to Fenyx Rising

   In this episode, I continue my conversation with Nanci Santos as we return to the complicated, and often affectionate, relationship between myth, archaeology, and video games. We revisit Apotheon, one of Nanci’s favourite titles, and talk about why its bold visual style and mythic approach work so well, even without strict historical realism. From there, the conversation turns to Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, where Knossos, questionable frescoes, and a familiar love and hate relationship with the...

7. 

   30 Nov 2025

   Hamunaptra & Other Places We Probably Shouldn’t Explore: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Lara Croft & The Mummy

   After a short hiatus, Dani returns to the mic and is joined by special guest and friend Nanci Santos for a conversation about ancient adventures, fandom joy, and the role video games played in keeping people connected to the ancient world during lockdown. When Covid shut everything down, exploration didn’t stop. It just changed shape. Dani and Nanci talk about how games became a practical and imaginative way to engage with the ancient world through play, research, and storytelling. From early...

8. 

   20 Oct 2025

   From Tomb Raider to Dragonlance: The Conversation Continues (with Earl Baylon)

   Welcome back to Myths, Games & Meaning. This episode took a little longer to land than usual after I lost my voice with a chest infection, but I’m really glad to be back, especially for Part Two of my conversation with Earl Baylon, actor, geek, gamer, and the voice of Jonah in Tomb Raider. In this second part, we go fully nerdy. We chat about Lara Croft, The Lord of the Rings, the Valar, archaeology, and fandom, and we even dip into a little Quenya and Sindarin (“Elvish”) along the way.&n...

9. 

   29 Sept 2025

   From Moria to Modern Myth: Tolkien to Baldur’s Gate 3 (with Earl Baylon)

   In this special two-part conversation, Dr. Dani Shalet sits down with her friend, actor and voice talent Earl Baylon (Jonah from Tomb Raider). In Part 1, they dive headfirst into their shared love of gaming, geek culture, and myth. From Return to Moria and Baldur’s Gate 3 romances, to Dragonlance nostalgia, Dungeons & Dragons campaigns, and why fandom still makes us laugh, this episode celebrates the joy (and chaos) of being lifelong geeks. This episode is raw, fun, and full of heart, mor...

10. 

    15 Sept 2025

    The Journey Begins: Dorothy, the Hero’s Journey, and Why Myth Still Matters

    In the very first episode of Myths, Games & Meaning, Dr. Dani Shalet is joined by Dr. Chris Deacy and Dr. Paul March-Russell to explore the enduring power of myth in our lives. Using Dorothy’s journey in The Wizard of Oz as a guide, they unpack the hero’s journey as a recurring narrative structure and consider how myth continues to shape culture, identity, and the stories we tell ourselves. The conversation touches on Joseph Campbell’s lasting influence, the importance of gender pe...

11. 

    15 Sept 2025

    The Hero’s Journey: Poppy Fields, Emerald Cities & the Illusion of Authority in Myth

    In this episode of Myths, Games & Meaning, Dr. Dani Shalet is joined by Dr. Chris Deacy and Dr. Paul March-Russell to explore myth, authority, and the hero’s journey through The Wizard of Oz. Continuing our journey with Dorothy, we move from the trials of the Poppy Field to the shining promise of the Emerald City, and finally to the Wizard’s unmasking as “just a man.” Along the way, we examine how myth challenges authority, offers moments of escape, and helps communities make shared meani...

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