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The Protagonist Podcast

Dueling Genre Productions
Christmas
Groundhog Day
Daredevil
Santa Claus
Animation
Disney
Persepolis
Survivor
10 Things I Hate About You
Grave Of the Fireflies
Star Trek
Science Fiction
Ahsoka Tano
Star Wars
Pixar
Naruto
Dungeons and Dragons
Marjane Satrapi
Marvel Comics
Bluey

Each week we discuss a great character in a great story. Hosted by Joseph J. Darowski.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes618Founded12 years ago
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Artwork for The Protagonist Podcast

Latest Episodes

Description

Returning guest John Darowski joins Joe to discuss the novel The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan. It tells the story of John Buchan on the run from both authorities and members of a criminal gang as he gets caught up in a murder mystery... more

Description

Returning guest George Tsakiridis joins Joe to discuss Better Call Saul, the prequel series to Breaking Bad. We’re discussing the pilot episode of the series, which stars Bob Odenkirk as Jimmy McGill, though viewers of Breaking Bad knew ... more

Description

Returning guest Josh Allen joins Joe to discuss one of the most famous Superman stories ever told. Written by Alan Moore with art by Curt Swan, this was the last Superman told before the DC Universe was reset at the conclusion of The Cri... more

Description

Returning guest Branden Ushio joins Joe to play a round of Pop Culture Fives. We choose a random pop culture topic and give rapid responses to the prompt (the rapidity of the responses varies greatly, we get into a good rhythm by the end... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Virginia McAllister
Returning guest
Episode: Vis Telimus from The Will of the Many (novel 2023)
Neil Cohn
Special guest, comic studies scholar
Episode: Comics Theory (Special 2026)
Stephen Fishbach
Author of Escape!, Survivor contestant and Survivor Know-It-Alls co-host
Author, Survivor commentator
Episode: Kent, Beck, and Miriam from Escape! (novel 2025)
Jon Bell
Returning guest on The Protagonist Podcast
Episode: The ensemble from Arrested Development (TV 2003)
George Tsakiridis
Returning guest
Episode: James Bond from Skyfall (film 2012)
Alasdair Green
College professor who also hosts The Outdoors, The Educator Podcast and produces a Friends rewatch podcast
The Outdoors, The Educator Podcast; The Purple Door Podcast
Episode: Ron Swanson from Parks and Rec (TV 2009)
Chris Bingham
Creator of the YouTube series 'Good Night Rita'
Episode: GoundPod Day 2026 (special)
Jonathan Wade
Specialist in early modern Spanish literature and an educator
Episode: Vashti and Kuno from “The Machine Stops” and the man from “Mechanopolis” (short stories 1909 and 1913)
Andy Hartzell
Cartoonist and author of the graphic novel 'Monday'
Uncivilized Books
Episode: Eve and Adam from Monday (comic 2025)

Host

Joseph J. Darowski
Co-host focusing on plot, thematic analysis, and publishing context; affiliated with The Protagonist Podcast.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 122 ratings
  • So awesome!

    It’s the best! Literally listen to it whenever! Cleaning, walks, drawing, gym etc…

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Spideyrafa
    United Statesa month ago
  • It’s so good

    I love it

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Good :D :)
    United Statesa year ago
  • A great listen!

    I love that they pull characters from all different types of media, and discuss characters as both fans and as academics. More than once I’ve gone to read or watch something based solely on this podcast’s recommendation and I’ve never been disappointed.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MustReview
    United Statesa year ago
  • Love the Amulet episode

    See above

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    DJ fgfff
    Canadaa year ago
  • Yea!!!

    It’s so entertaining

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    name: peter
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise the blend of scholarly rigor and enthusiasm.
Episodes cover a wide range of media with thoughtful insights.
Guests are consistently strong and knowledgeable.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Sam and friends from Starfleet Academy (television 2026)
Q: Who do you think is the protagonist of this episode?
The conversation suggests Sam is the central character, but Torima and the Doctor also have strong arcs, with the team ultimately focusing on Sam's healing and growth while the Doctor solidifies his role as a parental figure.
Teaching Comics (special 2026)
Q: Beyond the core five, what texts have you found effective or engaging for students who want to explore more?
Text selections vary by class, but teachers have success with titles like The Gods Lie, Do a Powerbomb, Hawkeye, and other works that offer rich visual storytelling or unique narrative devices, allowing students to apply analytic methods to diverse formats and genres.
Teaching Comics (special 2026)
Q: When you are teaching comics for the first time, what is your student reaction and what scaffolding do you think is necessary to engage with comics as serious text?
Students often come with varied backgrounds; you start with basic visual-literary integration, then gradually introduce formal jargon and multiple analytic frameworks, so they understand how words and pictures create meaning together. You scaffold by starting with foundational texts like Understanding Comics and then expanding to canonical graphic novels, while acknowledging different reading traditions across cultures.
Wilbur and Charlotte from Charlotte’s Web (novel 1952)
Q: What do you think makes Charlotte's Web a classic story?
It's a heartfelt tale that resonates with the themes of compassion and friendship, touching on important topics such as life, death, and growing up, which are expertly conveyed through E.B. White's lyrical prose.
Vashti and Kuno from “The Machine Stops” and the man from “Mechanopolis” (short stories 1909 and 1913)
Q: If you could have a dinner party and hang out with a handful of fictional characters, who would you want to enjoy the company of for an evening?
I want Don Quixote and Sancho Panza because the night wouldn't be the same with just one or the other.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Protagonist Podcast

What is The Protagonist Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show centers on deep character analysis across a wide range of media—books, comics, film, television, and beyond—balancing fans' passion with scholarly insight. Discussions often unpack motivation, narrative structure, and themes through a character-by-character lens, while also exploring world-building, genre conventions, and how stories reflect culture. Notable strengths include a strong lineup of guests with expertise in literature, comics, and media storytelling, plus game-style episodes and special formats that add a playful dimension to analytic conversations. This mix makes it helpful for potential listeners to discover new titles and for potential guests and sponsors to gauge the blend of rigor, enthusiasm, and broad pop-culture... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Protagonist Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Protagonist Podcast:

1. The Classic Tales Podcast
2. Read Alert
3. Science Vs
4. Ear Hustle
5. Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

How many episodes of The Protagonist Podcast are there?

The Protagonist Podcast launched 12 years ago and published 618 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Protagonist Podcast?

Recent guests on The Protagonist Podcast include:

1. Virginia McAllister
2. Neil Cohn
3. Stephen Fishbach
4. Jon Bell
5. George Tsakiridis
6. Alasdair Green
7. Chris Bingham
8. Jonathan Wade

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