THE ARKHAM SESSIONS, by Dr. Andrea Letamendi and Brian Ward, is a weekly podcast dedicated to the observation and clinical analysis of the characters in BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES and DOOM PATROL.
 
In this MEGA holiday episode, which focuses on Captain America: Civil War, we discuss the reality and morality of various "registration acts," and the fictional and real-life elements of brainwashing. 
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We're taking a look at the MCU's 2015 installment of Ant-Man, starring the ever-charming and never-aging Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, and Evangeline Lilly. It's a fun romp; but does it fall flat emotionally? Listen in to find out!

Direct download: The_Arkham_Sessions_Episode_174_22Ant-Man22.mp3
Category:Pop Culture Psychology -- posted at: 5:00pm PDT
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In Avengers: Age of Ultron, Earth's mightiest heroes face off with an A.I. gone wild; Ultron evolves past his original programming and becomes a formidable, violent robot seeking to destroy humans so that his super-sentient army of bots can take over as Earth's more suitable occupants. We evaluate Ultron's plan - is Ultron a global terrorist, or just saving earthlings from their own natural course of destroying one another through warfare, genocide, and terrestrial destruction?  The debate, best illustrated by Cap and Tony, is one of control and self-determination.
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Through Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, we learn the power of family, whether it's our origin families or the ones we find along the way. 

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Captain America is living with depression. And that's okay. Take a listen to our analysis of Captain America: The Winter Soldier!

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Should this episode be titled Thor: The Dark World? Or Loki: The Dark World? Decide for yourself, after you tune in to hear Drea's ongoing analysis of Loki and his moments of closeness and compassion with members of his family to understand the concept of Family Systems Theory.

Direct download: The_Arkham_Sessions_Episode_170_22Thor_The_Dark_World22.mp3
Category:Pop Culture Psychology -- posted at: 5:00pm PDT
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The seventh film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Iron Man 3, shows a burnt out Tony Stark struggling with the traumatic ramifications of the interdimensional, interplanetary war seen in The Battle of New York (The Avengers). Drea and Brian first examine the sociopolitical context of Iron Man 3, which places a backdrop of intensified ideas around middle eastern terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, and a singular disconcerting extremist leader (in this case, the Mandarin). Then, they discuss the signs and possibility that Tony Stark has PTSD from the near-death experience and life-threatening events of the Battle of New York.

Direct download: The_Arkham_Sessions_Episode_169_22Iron_Man_322.mp3
Category:Pop Culture Psychology -- posted at: 6:00pm PDT
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We wrap up our very first Marvel "season" of the podcast with our enthusiastic review of the Disney+ series, Loki. After covering all six films in Phase I of the MCU, we proceed by following the alternate timeline that plucks Loki out of the Endgame timeline and propels him toward his quest for self-discovery and, of course, glorious purpose!

Direct download: The_Arkham_Sessions_Episode_168_22Loki22.mp3
Category:Pop Culture Psychology -- posted at: 7:00pm PDT
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Knowing how to build a strong team is so important, especially during a crisis. We rewatch the 2012 Marvel film The Avengers and look for psychological tools that could be valuable to us, as our world grapples with its own formidable crisis.

Direct download: The_Arkham_Sessions_Episode_167_22The_Avengers22.mp3
Category:Pop Culture Psychology -- posted at: 7:00pm PDT
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Captain America symbolizes equality, justice, and fairness for all, but he could easily be minimized to a simple ideology. We rewatch the 2011 film CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER and explore/question why so many Marvel fans choose Cap as their favorite superhero.
 
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In this episode, we welcome the Norse Mythology and Shakespearean overtones that flavor the Marvel movie, Thor (2011)!
Direct download: The_Arkham_Sessions_Episode_165_22Thor22.mp3
Category:Pop Culture Psychology -- posted at: 6:00pm PDT
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We're reviewing the third film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Iron Man 2 (2010); and discuss the 5 Stages of Grief, as they relate to Tony's impending death by blood poisoning. We also discuss our own "hype songs!" Learn what they are by listening now!
Direct download: The_Arkham_Sessions_Episode_164_22Iron_Man_222.mp3
Category:Pop Culture Psychology -- posted at: 7:00pm PDT
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"You won't like me when I'm angry."
 
But...what if you're just ...excited? We rewatch The Incredible Hulk (2008) from Phase 1 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and discuss the disorders most laypersons and mental health specialists try to assign to the Hulk.
Direct download: The_Arkham_Sessions_Episode_163_22The_Incredible_Hulk22.mp3
Category:Pop Culture Psychology -- posted at: 5:00pm PDT
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We begin our dive into the MCU with 2008's IRON MAN. We discuss the personality similarities and differences between Tony Stark and Bruce Wayne; his damaged ego and shift in vision; assess for post-traumatic stress disorder, addiction, and depression; and weigh in on why his candid, unapologetic nature serves as less a cover for his unease and more of an indicator of his unstoppable drive toward social action.

Direct download: The_Arkham_Sessions_Episode_162_22Iron_Man22.mp3
Category:Pop Culture Psychology -- posted at: 6:00pm PDT
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At the request of our loyal Patrons, Dr. Drea and Brian finally take the opportunity to break down the psychology of Zack Snyder's Justice League!

Direct download: The_Arkham_Sessions_Episode_161_22The_Snyder_Cut22.mp3
Category:Pop Culture Psychology -- posted at: 5:00pm PDT
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We wrap up our coverage of the inaugural season of Steven Universe and notice that, compared to earlier episodes, the storytelling is more arc-forming and that the stakes are higher--disasters, losses, and crises have very clear consequences. 

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Things are kicking into high gear! In this batch of episodes, we're finally able to analyze Garnet; Stevonnie; and the traumatic past of Amethyst. Steven Universe has it all!

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We descend further into the Steven Universe adventure with our coverage of 10 more episodes of the beloved series. During this episode, Drea picks up on a pattern in Steven's social interactions--when others make jokes or use sarcasm, Steven often misses the intent and takes the comments seriously. His literal approach prompted us to wonder if he has features of Autism.

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Brian and Drea focus on Pearl, the maternal or "big sister" figure to the group. Best characterized as very organized, mature, and responsible, Pearl is also seen as overly rigid, perfectionistic, stern, and domineering. In our discussion, we share why this personality profile can lead to rejection; and yet, when more deeply investigated, Pearl's personality is quite layered and nuanced.

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In this episode, we dive into the psychology of Amethyst! Is she lazy? Aggressive? Or just misunderstood? Dr. Drea and Brian take on the Purple Puma herself; and even uncover which of the Crystal Gems Drea fears she may be!

 

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The podcast embarks on a new chapter, as we begin the journey of exploring the beloved animated show, Steven Universe! Using the Big 5 Personality traits as a model, we discuss Steven's strengths and features; taking into account how much of his personality may have been shaped by his environment and past life events.

Direct download: The_Arkham_Sessions_Episode_155_22Steven_Universe_1-522.mp3
Category:Pop Culture Psychology -- posted at: 2:00pm PDT
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In our coverage of the third and final film in the Nolan trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises, Drea and Brian connect the events surrounding Bane's violent coup to the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol that took place on January 6, 2021. With a focus on explaining the fundamental causes of real-world terrorism, Drea outlines the psychological mechanisms involved in political radicalization and extremism, and clarifies widely held myths about the role of mental illness as a factor.
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