The Lord of the Rings is an epic, high-fantasy tale that centers on fellowship, bravery, and good against evil. What does Aragorn's reluctance to become king say about him? Does the One Ring symbolize addiction? Does Gollum have multiple identities? How (and why) does fantasy storytelling improve mental health? Media psychologist Drea Letamendi, Ph.D. (The Arkham Sessions, UCLA), Miranda (host, Tolkien Tuesdays), and Todd Stashwick (actor, Marvel's VisionQuest; co-founder, ProgCore Fantasy) explore and explain the psychology of Middle-earth's riveting and unforgettable characters—both from the page and on-screen. Moderated by Brian Ward (The Arkham Sessions).

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David Dastmalchian joins hosts Dr. Drea and Brian to discuss his newly released book, Through. In this dark fantasy graphic novel, a young woman is caught between reality and a mysterious dream realm that sparks a perilous journey that only she must face. In this interview, David talks about his motivation for his new book, his own mental health journey, and a message he has for anyone struggling within their own darkness.

The Bride! (2026) is an anachronistic, theatrical reimagining of the story of Frankenstein's monster and his bride. Set in Chicago in the 1930's, the film depicts a young woman, Ida (Jessie Buckley), who begins experiencing strange auditory hallucinations, disorganized speech, impulsive outbursts, involuntary echolalia, and memory lapses. Due to an unfortunate accident, she meets an early death. Meanwhile, Frankenstein's monster (Christian Bale), "Frank," seeks the help of a mad scientist, Dr. Euphronious. He asks her to make him a bride. They dig up the corpse of Ida and successfully reanimate her. Though her post-mortem body is functional, Ida's mind remains fragmented. She is unable to piece together her identity. She is haunted by dissociations, traumatic images, and the intrusive, commanding voice of real life author Mary Shelley. As she tries to recollect her memories, Ida--who Frank calls Penny--stumbles into a Bonnie-and-Clyde like world of crime, violence, and life as fugitives. 

To hear about our panel at this year's WonderCon, coming later this month, tune into this episode's release on YouTube on Saturday, March 14, at 6pm!

Dracula: A Love Tale (2026) is a romantic reimagining of the original gothic horror novel by Bram Stoker. The film paints Dracula with a more sympathetic brush, introduced as a young prince with no interested in violence or war, deeply and obsessively in love with his new bride, Elizabeta. After losing Elizabeta in battle, Dracula damns himself into an eternity of psychological torture, an unending existence of isolation, loathing, bloodlust, and heartache, a curse that can only be broken by their reunification.

After more than 20 years since the film was released in theaters, LOVE ACTUALLY (2003) remains one of the most beloved Christmas movies out there. Some may consider the film at the top of the holiday movie list, while others have noted it did not age well. With a stellar cast line-up and interconnected storylines, LOVE ACTUALLY set the bar for early 2000's holiday rom-coms with catchy one-liners and festive cliches. 

Even as survivors of medieval wars, religious persecution, and a thousand-year cement coma, the Gargoyles are still not yet ready to face the perils of modern-day New York City. Their "fish out of water" story highlights many challenges they face as they encounter discrepancies between their historical origins and their new home atop a towering skyscraper. The Gargoyles, despite their collective wisdom, must now start from a "blank slate" and acclimate to an advanced society that fears their monstrous appearances. 

Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein (2025) is a visually stunning adaptation of the original novel by Mary Shelley. Del Toro turns the well known horror story of Frankenstein into a romantic, emotionally absorbing fairy tale. He softens the grotesqueness of The Creature by giving him tenderness and benevolence, angling the perspective to heighten audiences' sense of compassion and even relatability toward an individual who does not earn the abandonment and cruelty given to him. 

The beloved, darkly themed animated series, GARGOYLES (1994), features a supernatural species of nocturnal beasts who turn to stone during the day and confront dangers in the dark of night. Winged, fanged, and clawed, the Gargoyles stand out as monsters amidst people, but their intelligence, wit, charm, and value system humanize them. 

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A crew of ambitious astronauts and scientists are sent on a dangerous mission to reignite the dying sun. Things are going well for the crew until they stumble upon the distress signal of Icarus I, the first mission to the sun that mysteriously failed. Members of the Icarus II crew become overwhelmed by their sense of wonder and awe toward the sun's growing presence, and as the ship travels nearer to this cosmic miracle, the psych officer descends into an unhealthy obsession with the celestial body. 

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Marty McFly, a typical teen living in the 1980's, accidentally travels 30 years into the past and inadvertently disrupts the timeline of his very existence! Luckily, he can depend on his genius friend and mentor, Doc Brown, to get back to his own timeline safely. 

This is not your typical space battle! Turbocharged with brain science and fun facts, this discussion will explore, explain, and celebrate the "psy" in sci-fi! Squaring off are pop culture psychologists Dr. Drea Letamendi (UCLA, The Arkham Sessions) and Dr. Ali Mattu (YouTube's Dr. Ali), who will team up with the persuasive viewpoints of guests Ronald D. Moore (writer, Star Trek: The Next Generation; Deep Space Nine) and Diana Lee Inosanto (actress, Ahsoka; Star Wars: Tales of the Empire). Impartially moderated by Brian Ward (The Arkham Sessions).

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Harley Quinn's chronic flightiness, selfishness, and impulsivity catch up with her when her best friend Poison Ivy is kidnapped by one of Batman's most sinister rogues: The Scarecrow.

Taking a minor step away from HARLEY QUINN to check out Marvel's THE THUNDERBOLTS*, which is in theatres now! 

They're argumentative. Disorganized. Unhinged. But the group of superhero rejects known as the Thunderbolts prove to be more than mere moody assassins. 

Is the Joker actually “insane”? Does Two-Face have “multiple personality disorder” by today’s standards? From an ethical perspective, do Gotham’s rogues belong in prison or in rehab? In works like The Penguin, Joker: Folie a Deux, and Batman: White Knight, DC villains have brought "main character energy" to life, proving themselves as enduring figures in media storytelling—but just how well do these baddies depict the mental health landscape of today, and is there anything wrong with celebrating villain vibes? Media psychologist Drea Letamendi, Ph.D. (Necessary Evil: Super-Villains of DC Comics), screenwriter Ernie Altbacker (Batman: Hush Animated), and comics writer Kyle Higgins (Nightwing, Batman Beyond 2.0, Batman: Gate of Gotham) deconstruct, decriminalize, and debunk Gotham City’s most notorious institution and the stories behind it. Moderated by Brian Ward (The Arkham Sessions Podcast).

Harley Quinn is finally asked to attend a "Prospective Member's Party" at the Legion of Doom's headquarters. Poison Ivy, however, worries that her best friend's fixation on Gotham City's villainous social group is misguided.

As Harley Quinn masterminds strategies to get the attention of the Legion of Doom, Commissioner Jim Gordon of the Gotham City Police Department shows signs of mental exhaustion. 

To help the people and animals displaced by the wildfires in California, please donate to the American Red Cross and Pasadena Humane by joining our Patreon or by purchasing merchandise from our Tee Public store. All proceeds between the publishing of this podcast and the end of February 2025 will go directly to those organizations.

In a memorable episode of DC's Harley Quinn series, Harley suffers a paralyzing identity crisis. With the help of Dr. Psycho's telepathic powers, Harley learns about her "stuck points," which are strong beliefs about oneself that can prevent recovery from trauma.

Set immediately after the events that take place in The Batman (2022), The Penguin a gripping and disturbing showcase of Oz Cobb's self-serving, Machiavellian pathology as he ascends the mob underworld of Gotham City. 

Joker: Folie à Deux continues the bleak story about Arthur Fleck (Joker) and his spiraling from misunderstood recluse to deluded sociopath. The film makes use of textbook forensic psychology, melancholic musical performances, and deep dissections of Fleck's psyche to pull audiences into a genuine curiosity about whether there is anything redeemable about the most realistic Joker depicted on screen. 

Join us as we break down the psychology of the amazing new series X-Men '97 with cast members Alison Sealy-Smith ("Storm") and Lenore Zann ("Rogue"); supervising producer and director Jake Castorena; and writer JB Ballard! Live from San Diego Comic-Con 2024!

In the Season 1 finale episode of X-Men: The Animated Series, tensions grow as anti-mutant "fever" consumes the nation. 

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is! Dr. Drea discusses the concept of different trauma responses based on the neurobiology of survivorship. What does fight, flight, and freeze look like among the X-Men? And is it possible that some behaviors, like Rogue's determined activism and Professor X's protectiveness, can be considered adaptive styles of "fight"? 

For this year's WonderCon, we pulled together some amazing old and new friends to examine the psychology of the X-Men. Included in that list of friends was original X-MEN: THE ANIMATED SERIES showrunner Eric Lewald; X-MEN: TAS writer Julia Lewald; X-MEN '97 writer JB Ballard; and X-MEN superfan and co-founder of Hero's Journey Fitness, located in Burbank, California, David Nett!

To celebrate the holiday season, The Arkham Sessions takes a detour back to Gotham City! Merry Little Batman (2023), a new animated film by Warner Bros. and DC Studios (but released on Amazon!), is an Elseworld holiday special that takes place on the night before Christmas. Bruce Wayne has retired to focus his attention on raising his son, Damian, in what has been a crime-free Gotham. However, little Damian's obsession with becoming a superhero lands him into a lot of trouble--and triggers the resurgence of the city's most contemptible villains.

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Grab your Hot Pocket and Cactus Cooler, it's another 90's X-Men episode! The X-Men are thrown into crisis, collectively grieving the loss of a beloved member, uncertain how to rescue the survivor, and racked with guilt about their decisions on the battleground.

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Debuting just one month after Batman: The Animated Series, the first episode of X-Men: The Animated Series depicts a foster youth, Jubilation Lee--or "Jubilee"--who, like most teens, seeks independence, creative freedom, and the experience of belongingness. Her struggles are amplified when she is captured by the Sentinels and subsequently rescued by the X-Men, a mutant superhero team led by the avuncular telepath Charles Xavier. Professor X's School for the Gifted is a sanctuary for mutants, complete with institutional curriculum, advisors, and adult supervision. But is Jubilee ready to accept help from society's number one enemy?

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Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) marks the final adventure for the crew of the 1966 incarnation of the franchise. In this episode, we take a look at the Cold War allegory of this film, as well as the characters' arcs since our "introduction" to them in Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

Plus, Dr. Drea completes her ranking of these films! Will you be surprised?

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Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) doesn't take itself too seriously, but it humbles us by asking us to de-center the human culture and the things we over-value, to recognize the triviality of some of our human norms and the way we alienate those who are different, and to stretch our minds to be open and accepting of the unknown.

This episode was recorded in front of our live Discord audience. To join our Discord channel, click here.

In this special episode of the podcast, we take a look at the spectacular third season of Star Trek: Picard with two of its writer/producers, Christopher Monfette and Matt Okumura. This episode was recorded as a panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2023 and doesn't have the best audio, but we want to thank Garrard Whatley for working his magic and getting it to where it is. 

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984), though not as well executed as Star Trek II, successfully carries its big emotional moments, from the shocking murder of Kirk's son to the heart-crushing destruction of the Enterprise. Loss after loss, the story weighs heavily on anyone rooting for Kirk. Here, Dr. Drea describes the risks he faces psychologically, due to the shock and suddenness of his personal losses and explains the differences between typical grief and traumatic grief.

In our analysis of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, we join Admiral James T. Kirk and his Starfleet friends as they are once again pulled into a risky adventure. Since his infamous attempted coup on the Enterprise 15 years ago, Khan Noonien Singh is noticeably more emotional, ragged from years of hard survivorship on an inhospitable planet, but he's also deeply preoccupied with revenge. But as both the film and science can attest, achieving revenge is rarely as satisfying or as personally rewarding as we hope it will be.

When the survival of the whole planet is at stake, how much do purpose, logic, wisdom, and emotion matter? Do we rely on gut instincts or unfiltered logic to make critical decisions? The original cast of Star Trek reunite to represent the voyages of the Starship Enterprise in their first film, Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979). Dr. Drea especially observes the internal struggle building within Spock, who is recently rejected by his Vulcan community due to his inability to suppress emotions to an extreme degree as his culture dictates; his elders chastise him for allowing feelings like yearning, friendship, and exhilaration to distract or break his mental discipline.

The last film in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, The Rise of Skywalker (2019), seems to ret-con or reduce plot points in the previous film; and serves insights about the core theme of intergenerational trauma!

In one of the most divisive Star Wars films to date, The Last Jedi (2017) serves an unapologetic tale of the embittering consequences and casualties of perpetual war, reminding audiences that there are no true winners; just power grabs. Those who are truly liberated are the elite, the profiteers, and the arms dealers who benefit from people stuck in their ideologies. In totality, the film's messages become enticing, if not exhilarating: Find true peace by shifting the power dynamics. Abandon traditions, ties, legacies, and all the harms that come with them. Burn it down. Burn it all down.

Celebrate the 30th anniversary of Batman: Mask of the Phantasm with its co-director, Eric Radomski; and our very special guest, podcaster and comic writer Ashley Victoria Robinson (Geek History Lesson)! 

To vote on what we're covering after the nine Star Wars films, join our Patreon here!

You can find Ashley on social media as @AshleyVRobinson on Twitter and Instagram!

You can find her podcast here!

Set after the events that take place in Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back (1980) continues the saga between the evil Empire and the determined, scrappy resistance fighters in the Rebel Alliance. Although this chapter is just as adventurous as the first, the film introduces steeper obstacles and darker threats that create more mature plotlines and give it dramatic weight. The beloved film sets in the themes we will come to know Star Wars for--the seduction of power, the desolation of war, and the heartache of relationships. Here, Dr. Drea describes the parallels between Yoda's teachings and psychotherapy and talks about Person-Centered Therapy (also called Rogerian Therapy), a non-directive, empathic style of counseling in which the therapist encourages the client to explore self-understanding, communicates a relationship of unconditional positive regard, and empowers them to reach their full potential.

We're continuing our analysis of the original Star Wars (1977) film and weigh in on the utility of the "Hero's Journey" literary paradigm as it relates to whimsical space fantasy.

Happy Halloween, Gothamites! In this very special episode, we're breaking down the animated adaptation of Jeph Loeb's and Tim Sale's iconic THE LONG HALLOWEEN!

We has such an amazing time at San Diego Comic-Con, and were so thankful to have some very special guests join us for our panel. Melissa Flores is the writer of the brand-new comic, The Dead Lucky, from Image Comics; Livio Ramondelli is the writer/artist of The Kill Lock, from IDW Comics; and Jeremy Adams is doing some of his very best work as the writer of DC's The Flash comics. Together, they share how they keep mental health in mind when writing for a diverse, complicated audience. It's fun and insightful, and we're thrilled to share our first live panel after a three-year hiatus from San Diego! 

The final film of the Star Wars prequel trilogy, Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005), shows us the final deterioration of Jedi Anakin Skywalker and his fall to the Dark Side.

Star Wars: Attack of the Clones (2002) takes place ten years after Anakin Skywalker was rescued from slavery by the Jedi community and taken in as an apprentice. But he is increasingly angry, frustrated, and embittered, and his impatience and selfishness grow to a worrisome level. Dr. Drea explains the complex factors that can lead to the kind of destructive behavior seen in Anakin.

Enough criticism has been voiced about "the prequels," but what does Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) offer in lessons of personal, relational, and spiritual well-being?

Brian and Drea rewatch Captain Marvel with the explicit intention of picking up on its problems and check their own biases, perspectives, and expectations. How does a story of resilience--one that shows the power of endurance, grit, and self-confidence--fall so flat?

In this episode, we talk about Ant-Man and the Wasp, but really focus our attention on Ghost and Janet Van Dyne, the two characters who are clearly suffering the most. Or, at least, should be.

We hit our very first in-person WonderCon in three years! And we couldn't be more thankful to be able to speak about the psychology of Matt Reeves's new movie The Batman with our very special guests, History of the Batman's Londyn Jackson and Heroes Reforged's Hector Navarro.

The inevitable is here. It's time for INFINITY WAR, so we're discussing Thanos and the Dark Triad!

Once again, Drea gets the chance to analyze Loki! But, in addition to this fan favorite, we also take a close look at Hulk; Scrapper-142; Odin's firstborn, Hela; and, of course, Thor himself! Plus, we discuss the erasure of Asgard's history by the conquerors themselves.

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!

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. 

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

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.