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Artwork for Unclear and Present Danger

Unclear and Present Danger

Jamelle Bouie and John Ganz
Mission: Impossible
A Time To Kill
Nuclear Weapons
Post-Cold War Era
Nixon
City Hall
Tom Cruise
CIA
Brian De Palma
Johnny Mnemonic
Clinton Presidency
Racism
Capital Punishment
John Grisham
New South
Broken Arrow
Executive Decision
Fail Safe
Watergate
Oliver Stone

New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie and freelance writer John Ganz delve into the world of 90s post-Cold War thrillers with Unclear and Present Danger, a podcast that explores America in an age of transition to lone superpower, at once triumphant and unsure of its role in the world.

PublishesMonthlyEpisodes100Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureTV & Film

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Unclear and Present Danger

Latest Episodes

On this week's episode of Unclear and Present Danger, Jamelle and John watch U.S. Marshals, the extremely lackluster sequel to The Fugitive which dispenses with a straightforward cat and mouse story in favor of a byzantine conspiracy involving govern... more

On this week's episode of Unclear and Present Danger, Jamelle and John were joined by Hilary Matfess of the University of Denver to discuss G.I. Jane, the 1997 military drama directed by Ridley Scott and starring Demi Moore and Viggo Mortenson. The d... more

The next episode of the podcast will be here soon, but while you wait, here is the most recent episode of our politics show on the Patreon. In it, we talk the most recent developments in the Trump administration's attack on Minnesota and what they mi... more

Jamelle and John are back for the new year with an episode on the 1997 thriller Murder at 1600, directed by Dwight Little and starring Wesley Snipes, Diane Lane, Alan Alda and Dennis Miller. It is yet another entry into the mini-boomlet of films whos... more

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Number of Listeners
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Recent Guests

Hilary Matfess
Assistant professor at the University of Denver's Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs
University of Denver
Episode: GI Jane (feat. Hilary Matfess)
Matt Duss
Former foreign policy advisor to Bernie Sanders, affiliated with the Center for International Policy
Center for International Policy
Episode: Enemy of the State
Max Read
Proprietor of the Max Read Substack
Substack
Episode: Air Force One
Laura Hudson
Writer and editor who formerly worked at Wired and The Verge
Wired, The Verge
Episode: Hackers (feat. Laura Hudson)
Nick Wiger
Host of Doughboys and Get Played
Doughboys
Episode: Executive Decision (feat. Nick Wiger)
Tony Gilroy
Writer and director known for his work on the Bourne films, Michael Clayton and the recent Star Wars series Andor.
Episode: Crimson Tide (feat. Tony Gilroy)
Beverly Gage
Professor of history at Yale and author of 'G-Man, J. Edgar Hoover and the Making of the American Century'
Yale University
Episode: J. Edgar (feat. Beverly Gage)
Nicole Hemmer
Associate professor of history and director of the Rogers Center for the American Presidency
Vanderbilt University
Episode: Nixon (feat. Nicole Hemmer)

Hosts

Jamelle Bouie
Host and columnist known for deep political analysis; associated with major outlets including The New York Times and The New York Times Opinion Section.
John Ganz
Freelance writer and columnist with experience at The Nation; co-host with a focus on political and cultural analysis.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 1.1k ratings
  • Excellent

    Politics, history, and movies. 3 of my favorite things all brought together in an entertaining fashion by the two hosts.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ShaverCL
    United States12 days ago
  • Do they understand movies or culture?

    I really expected to like this, it’s right up the alley of the type of movie podcast that I usually love. The problem is that one host seems to not understand story pacing, culture, or conflict.

    I knew it ultimately wasn’t going to be for me when he said the movie a few good men did not have any compelling drama, interesting characters, or moral complex. Then it seemed like it just turned into the other host trying to sway him, so there was no real intelligent commentary.

    He’s welcome to his o... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Deewighthcgdghici
    United States19 days ago
  • Disappointing and surprising

    This series is a great idea and features a pair of hosts whose work is consistently insightful and interesting.

    It’s just that the conversations features

    a shocking lack of institutional/pop culture knowledge on the part of both hosts, but especially Ganz. Many more Inaccuracies and groping for basic facts as they try to add context, than I would have expected from these hosts.

    Bouie does try his best to keep it afloat, but the other guy seems like he lived under a rock when these films wer... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Ralph Smith 90210
    United States2 months ago
  • Always fun and interesting

    I look forward to new episodes of this show and can’t get enough of it

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Zack5577
    United States3 months ago
  • 90s politics

    Such a great review of some of my favorite 1990s films (well… some that are not too) and the politics that surrounded them. Each episode brings it back to today to add further context, but most of all it’s fun.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Pds2152
    United States5 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners appreciate the interdisciplinary approach that blends politics, history and film.
Some critics note a heavy emphasis on left-leaning political analysis.
Many praise insights from the hosts, especially on nuanced historical context.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#96
Denmark/TV & Film
Apple Podcasts
#98
Austria/TV & Film
Apple Podcasts
#200
Israel/TV & Film
Apple Podcasts
#220
Brazil/TV & Film
Apple Podcasts
#237
India/TV & Film

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Crimson Tide (feat. Tony Gilroy)
Q: When you were doing research for Andor, were you reading or revisiting history about European revolutions?
Yes, I've been studying revolutions throughout history, including the French and Russian Revolutions, and it has shaped my approach to storytelling.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
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Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Unclear and Present Danger

What is Unclear and Present Danger about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Two journalists and writers dissect 1990s suspense and political thrillers through a lens of post-Cold War America, weaving film critique with debates on politics, media, and culture. Episodes span US government power, gender politics, and media manipulation, often connecting classic films to contemporary issues. The format blends detailed historical context with sharp, interdisciplinary commentary, making it a likely magnet for listeners who enjoy thoughtful analysis that crosses politics, film, and history. A notable strength is the dynamic host pairing and the willingness to tie cinematic choices to broader societal debates, though some listeners perceive occasional rhythm issues and strong partisan perspectives.

Potential listeners who... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Unclear and Present Danger?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Unclear and Present Danger:

1. Know Your Enemy
2. Blank Check with Griffin & David
3. 5-4
4. In Bed With The Right
5. If Books Could Kill

How many episodes of Unclear and Present Danger are there?

Unclear and Present Danger launched 4 years ago and published 100 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 Unclear and Present Danger?

Recent guests on Unclear and Present Danger include:

1. Hilary Matfess
2. Matt Duss
3. Max Read
4. Laura Hudson
5. Nick Wiger
6. Tony Gilroy
7. Beverly Gage
8. Nicole Hemmer

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