Obsessions is a podcast about the things that captivate our culture with an emphasis on women's interests. Join Sarah McDonald as she examines a different obsession each season and learn with her as she asks big questions about the things our obsessions say about us.
The concluding episode of season one of Obsessions!
Bibliography:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1n77q6RkB7kFBwK5L7F63D8X3fsaJMEmyPHpWbipNTDg/edit?tab=t.0 (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1n77q6RkB7kFBwK5L7F63D8X3fsaJMEmyPHpWbipNTDg/edit?tab=t.0)
1 May 2026
VII. Good
TW Content Mentions:
-State-Sanctioned Violence
-Political Violence
-Genocide
-Medical Neglect
-Unethical Medical Practices
-Child death
-Murder
Join Sarah for the penultimate episode of Season 1!
Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1n77q6RkB7kFBwK5L7F63D8X3fsaJMEmyPHpWbipNTDg/edit?usp=sharing (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1n77q6RkB7kFBwK5L7F63D8X3fsaJMEmyPHpWbipNTDg/edit?usp=sharing)
24 Apr 2026
VI. Ain't No Love In Oklahoma feat. Jessie Gender and Talistheintrovert
TW Content Mentions:
-Homophobia
-Transphobia
-Hate Crimes
-Brief Mentions of Drug Use
-Brief Mentions of Sexual Assault
-Murder
Join Sarah, Talis, and Jessie Earl (aka Jessie Gender) as they have complex discussions about narrative biases and violence against the trans community. Find Talis and Jessie on YouTube under their usernames talistheintrovert and Jessie Gender!
Bibliography:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1n77q6RkB7kFBwK5L7F63D8X3fsaJMEmyPHpWbipNTDg/edit?tab=t.0 (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1n77q6RkB7kFBwK5L7F63D8X3fsaJMEmyPHpWbipNTDg/edit?tab=t.0)
11 Apr 2026
V. Existing While Black feat. Trevonn Caesar
TW Content Mentions:
-Police Brutality
-Brief discussions of mental illness and suicide
-Child abduction
-Missing Persons
-Murder
Sarah is joined by journalist and "accidental activist" Trevonn Caesar of Owl Media and Angry Pharoah Studios in a deep dive on Black femicide, police brutality, and structural racism. Please send him some love on venmo @Angry_Pharoah93 or patreon.com/AngryPharoahStudios (https://www.patreon.com/AngryPharoahStudios?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZnRzaARGjTJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA8xMjQwMjQ1NzQyODc0MTQAAacVsrhVtMqWVFMgLhAim2bu9sT18MFSnt227mYbbQ4nhqxuvtLUClv42Cowvw_aem_FwDEssU6ny33BNSVTbcYSg)
Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1n77q6RkB7kFBwK5L7F63D8X3fsaJMEmyPHpWbipNTDg/edit?tab=t.0 (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1n77q6RkB7kFBwK5L7F63D8X3fsaJMEmyPHpWbipNTDg/edit?tab=t.0)
3 Apr 2026
IV. Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women
TW Content Mentions:
-Genocide
-Sexual Assault of a Minor
-Brief discussions of mental illness and institutionalization
-Missing persons
-Murder
Sarah uses the archetype of the Dark Other to discuss the systemic injustices surrounding the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives crisis.
Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1n77q6RkB7kFBwK5L7F63D8X3fsaJMEmyPHpWbipNTDg/edit?usp=sharing (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1n77q6RkB7kFBwK5L7F63D8X3fsaJMEmyPHpWbipNTDg/edit?usp=sharing)
27 Mar 2026
III. Creeps
TW Content Mentions:
-Child Sexual Abuse
-Grooming
-Sex Trafficking
-Child Imprisonment
-Missing Persons
-Brief Mention of Infant Death
-Murder
Sarah discusses cases involving grooming and how victim blaming plays a role in the perpetuation of the archetypal Witch character. She analyzes the show Cruel Summer (2021) and its representation of grooming, abuse, and trauma in connection with her arguments.
Bibliography (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1n77q6RkB7kFBwK5L7F63D8X3fsaJMEmyPHpWbipNTDg/edit?usp=sharing)
20 Mar 2026
II. It's Always the Husband feat. TalistheIntrovert
TW Content Mentions:
-Intimate Partner Violence
-Sexual Violence
-Systemic Misogyny and Sexism
-Missing Persons
-Murder
Sarah discusses the rampant issue of domestic violence, introduces listeners to the concept of archetypes, and discusses the narratives that surround domestic violence victims in true crime cases and fictional media. She interviews Talis Adler about the topic.
Bibliography:
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/gabby-petito-asked-boyfriend-later-killed-stop-calling-names-fbi-docum-rcna156484 (https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/gabby-petito-asked-boyfriend-later-killed-stop-calling-names-fbi-docum-rcna156484)
https://www.newbernsj.com/news/local/investigation-of-melissa-platts-2008-death-reopened/article_93accea7-ccf5-5e09-9eed-708791f661ce.html (https://www.newbernsj.com/news/local/investigation-of-melissa-platts-2008-death-reopened/article_93accea7-ccf5-5e09-9eed-708791f661ce.html)
https://www.britannica.com/topic/archetype (https://www.britannica.com/topic/archetype)
https://www.unitedwaygt.org/issues/why-dont-women-leave-abusive-relationships/ (https://www.unitedwaygt.org/issues/why-dont-women-leave-abusive-relationships/)
https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2024/03/the-case-of-the-falling-crime-rate/#:~:text=However%2C%20most%20people%20don't%20know%20crime%20is,lead%20from%20gasoline%20*%20More%20effective%20policing (https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2024/03/the-case-of-the-falling-crime-rate/#:~:text=However%2C%20most%20people%20don)
https://womenprisoners.org/california-law-enforcement-agencies-are-spending-more-but-solving-fewer-crimes/ (https://womenprisoners.org/california-law-enforcement-agencies-are-spending-more-but-solving-fewer-crimes/)
https://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/statistics/crime/UN_BriefFem_251121.pdf (https://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/statistics/crime/UN_BriefFem_251121.pdf)
https://www.nsvrc.org/resource/false-allegations-sexual-assault-analysis-ten-years-reported-cases/ (https://www.nsvrc.org/resource/false-allegations-sexual-assault-analysis-ten-years-reported-cases/)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1FUeABUx3w&list=PLJnrCMQneJrBaAhTu2EAelRcCZce3k_eS&index=7 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1FUeABUx3w&list=PLJnrCMQneJrBaAhTu2EAelRcCZce3k_eS&index=7)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIEENmEOwwE&list=PLJnrCMQneJrBaAhTu2EAelRcCZce3k_eS&index=10 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIEENmEOwwE&list=PLJnrCMQneJrBaAhTu2EAelRcCZce3k_eS&index=10)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80uVYznDUvU&list=PLJnrCMQneJrBaAhTu2EAelRcCZce3k_eS&index=13 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80uVYznDUvU&list=PLJnrCMQneJrBaAhTu2EAelRcCZce3k_eS&index=13)
13 Mar 2026
Pilot: Scary Stories
In the pilot episode, Sarah walks listeners through an introduction to the idea of considering crime media through the lens of folklore.
Bibliography
https://www.fromwhisperstoroars.com/fiction-book-sales-statistics/ (https://www.fromwhisperstoroars.com/fiction-book-sales-statistics/)
https://www.edisonresearch.com/the-true-crime-consumer-report-by-edison-research-and-audiochuck/ (https://www.edisonresearch.com/the-true-crime-consumer-report-by-edison-research-and-audiochuck/)
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/06/20/true-crime-podcasts-are-popular-in-the-us-particularly-among-women-and-those-with-less-formal-education/ (https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/06/20/true-crime-podcasts-are-popular-in-the-us-particularly-among-women-and-those-with-less-formal-education/)
https://www.statista.com/chart/27555/us-adults-watching-thriller-horror-sci-fi-genres-gcs/#:~:text=The%20Netflix%20series%20Stranger%20Things,martin.armstrong@statista.com (https://www.statista.com/chart/27555/us-adults-watching-thriller-horror-sci-fi-genres-gcs/#:~:text=The%20Netflix%20series%20Stranger%20Things,martin.armstrong@statista.com)
https://whatisfolklore.org/ (https://whatisfolklore.org/)
Bascom, William R. (1954). "Four Functions of Folklore". The Journal of American Folklore. 67 (266). American Folklore Society: 333–349.
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