73: Riverdale

Riverdale. "The town with pep!" If you're just passing through, you see what they want you to see: white picket fences, manicured lawns, the unmarked chrome of the famous dining car, Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe. Go to Riverdale High, you'll see happy, healthy teens, hitting the books and their extracurriculars with enthusiasm and spunk. It all seems so perfect. ...but stay a little longer, and more will reveal to you. The mysterious death of the high school quarterback. His girlfriend, committed to an asylum. A student sleeping with his teacher. A family fleeing a criminal past. And one man just searching for the truth behind it all, while wearing a very unfortunate hat. You know their names: Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead. But you don't really know them. This week, Eric and Marcus get acquainted with the darkness and angst under the beguiling veneer of Riverdale.

Links:
Riverdale on the CW: http://www.cwtv.com/shows/riverdale/
Support the show: https://ko-fi.com/shamfiction
Sham Fiction episode archive: http://www.twojackets.com/shamfictionepisodes

Tags: riverdale, archie, betty, veronica, jughead, cole sprouse, kj apa, lili reinhart, camila mendes, comics, cw, teen, drama, mystery, murder, small town, television, tv, show, shamfiction, sham fiction, writing, fan fiction, podcast, two jackets

67: Firewatch (Indie Game Edition)

If we've learned anything over the last few episodes, it's that video games aren't all Calls of Duty and Super Marios anymore. Case in point: this week's game, Firewatch, in which you play as a guy who takes a summer job in the National Parks Service, watching for forest fires. Okay, okay, so it's a lot more interesting than it sounds. In addition to the abundance of natural beauty, you'll explore hidden caves, encounter shadowy figures, and investigate a streak of missing persons. Yeah, turns out life off the grid can get pretty suspenseful! Who knew? Eric and Marcus sure didn't! So check out this third and final episode in our indie game series and find out what else you don't know about the wilderness!

Links:
Firewatch official website: http://www.firewatchgame.com/
Support the show: https://ko-fi.com/shamfiction
Sham Fiction episode archive: http://www.twojackets.com/shamfictionepisodes

Tags: indie game, video game, game, campo santo, panic, first person, adventure, mystery, suspense, decision, forest, fire, nature, hiking, national park, shoshone, wyoming, wilderness, writing, writers, short, story, fan fiction, shamfiction, fanfiction

64: Brigsby Bear

Hi friends! It's your friend and host for this week, Andrew! Isn't it great that I get to do a show with my friends, Eric and Marcus, and you all (also my friends) listen to it? The world is a big place and full of strange and unknown things, so it's important to have friends to go through it with. I learned that from Brigsby, but you know that. ... Wait... You don't know Brigbsy? From TV? He's a bear that travels through space and time, teaching lessons to aliens and children. It's my favorite show! Eric and Marcus didn't know anything about it either, so I pitched it to them in this episode, along with the story of my friend, James, who's had a really weird life. I hope you like it! It's dope as s***!

Links:
Buy Brigsby Bear on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2lYEmO1
Support Sham Fiction: https://ko-fi.com/shamfiction
Sham Fiction episode archive: http://www.twojackets.com/shamfictionepisodes

Tags: brigsby bear, kyle mooney, mark hamill, lonely island, snl, saturday night live, comedy, adventure, film, movie, filmmaking, diy, bunker, childrens show, shamfiction, writing, fan fiction, fanfiction, friendship, stockholm syndrome, bunker, dope as shit

62: You're the Worst

Jimmy Shive-Overly, the subject of today's featured property, would definitely have a heckle or two (or seven) for us for even attempting to sham his elevated lifestyle and prodigious literary talent. However, like his oppositionally-defiant counterpart, Gretchen, we're willing to risk it. Sham Fiction can go anywhere! The delightful cruelty of FXX's You're the Worst is simply too great to pass up. But do Andrew and Eric have the literary talent to capture Jimmy and Gretchen's hyper-articulate misanthropy and self-destructive impulses? Will we finally learn the exact measurement of "The Width of a Peach"? Listen now to find out!

Links:
Watch You're the Worst on Hulu: https://www.hulu.com/youre-the-worst
Support the show: https://ko-fi.com/shamfiction
Sham Fiction episode archive: http://www.twojackets.com/shamfictionepisodes

Tags: tv, television, fxx, you're the worst, chris geere, aya cash, stephen falk, jimmy shive-overly, gretchen, comedy, drama, dark, black, drinking, alcohol, los angeles, sham, sham fiction, shamfiction, writing, writers, literature, podcast, game show, game

61: The Shape of Water

The darkly beautiful fantasy worlds of director Guillermo del Toro have captured movie-goers' imaginations for over twenty years. Now, with The Shape of Water, his work has captured the film industry's top honor, the Academy Award for Best Picture, and del Toro himself received the award for Best Director! Holla at ya boi! About damn time, says Andrew. It's also about damn time we hold a duel of the shams with del Toro's work, which itself is an honor of some sort. But do Eric and Marcus have what it takes to make us both swoon with longing and squirm in horror? Listen now to find out!

Links:
Watch The Shape of Water on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2LAuu91
Support the show: https://ko-fi.com/shamfiction
Sham Fiction episode archive: http://www.twojackets.com/shamfictionepisodes

Tags: film, movie, oscar, academy award, 2017, guillermo del toro, fantasy, horror, drama, romance, michael shannon, sally hawkins, octavia spencer, richard jenkins, sham, sham fiction, shamfiction, writing, writers, literature, podcast, game show, game

58: Unforgiven

It's a helluva thing... writing a sham. Eric and Marcus should know that more than most. In this episode, they have to bear the heavy burden of shamming Unforgiven, Clint Eastwood's Best Picture-winning western from 1992. In preparation for writing, they'll have to reckon with all their misdeeds from when they were younger, crueler men and channel that pain and guilt into their prose. Or maybe they won't do that. Maybe they'll just have a good time tackling the western genre! Come to think of it, why does Andrew keep pitching these heavy properties? Didn't we just sham that silly Species movie last time? Why don't you do something like that, Andrew? You trying to impress us with your refined taste in "prestige" film and TV, Andrew? Get over yourself, ANDREW. And enjoy the show, listeners!

Links:
Watch Unforgiven on Amazon: http://a.co/0ps0q0P
Support Sham Fiction: https://ko-fi.com/shamfiction
Sham Fiction episode archive: http://www.twojackets.com/shamfictionepisodes

Tags: shamfiction, sham fiction, unforgiven, 1990s, academy award, oscar, western, clint eastwood, morgan freeman, gene hackman, drama, podcast, writing, literature, fanfiction

57: Species

Have you ever truly felt anything, brah? According to a character on this week's show, you probably haven't. Alas! We can't all be like Dan Smithson, the iconic empath portrayed by Forest Whitaker in this week's property: Species! It's a kinda-classic scifi/horror flick from the '90s! Eric is pitching; Marcus and Andrew are writing; and they're all getting in touch with their feelings—particularly with how they feel about actress Natasha Henstridges' nakedness in this movie, given how old her character is supposed to be. In brief: it's icky. But the shams are far less repulsive! In fact, this episode contains one of the funniest pieces we've ever had on the show! Listen now and laugh your buns off!

Links:
Watch Species on Amazon: http://a.co/4fIfGFC
Support Sham Fiction: https://ko-fi.com/shamfiction
Sham Fiction episode archive: http://www.twojackets.com/shamfictionepisodes

Tags: shamfiction, sham fiction, species, 1990s, 1995, nineties, scifi, science fiction, horror, thriller, natasha henstridge, forest whitaker, ben kingsley, michael madsen, podcast, writing, fanfiction, sex, sexploitation, exploitation, alien, tentacles

55: Mindhunter

What evil lurks in the minds of men? That's how the saying goes, right? Or is that not even close? Regardless, it's definitely a question—the same question at the heart of this episode because Andrew is pitching the Netflix Original Series, Mindhunter! The FBI agents of that show aren't afraid to delve into the dark place that is a killer's psych, so Eric and Marcus better not be either! Hooooo boy! It's gonna get disturbing, kiddos! This one isn't for the weak of heart. Or stomach.

Links:
Watch Mindhunter on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/80114855
Support Sham Fiction: https://ko-fi.com/shamfiction
Sham Fiction episode archive: http://www.twojackets.com/shamfictionepisodes

Tags: shamfiction, sham fiction, mindhunter, netflix, series, original, jonathan groff, writing, tv, television, streaming, fbi, profiling, crime, serial killer, podcast, fanfiction

Season 2 Demo 3: Fargo Season 2

Oh for wow! Don't y'know? It's the third and final demo before Season Two kicks off for real! In this one, Marcus and Eric each cook up a Sham Fiction hotdish using ingredients from Fargo Season 2! Don your boots and parka, and brace yourself for some ice-cold, and yet wholesome Midwestern murder-- I mean hospitality!

Links:
Watch Fargo Season 2 on Amazon: http://a.co/1R2esEg
Support Sham Fiction: https://ko-fi.com/shamfiction
Sham Fiction episode archive: http://www.twojackets.com/shamfictionepisodes

Tags: shamfiction, sham, fiction, podcast, writing, fargo, television, tv, crime, fx, blood, snow, midwest, minnesota, coen, murder, short stories, fan fiction, fanfiction

Season 2 Demo 2: Leviathan Wakes

In our second demo episode for Season Duel, Andrew and Marcus go asteroid-to-asteroid as they both write space-age takes of James S.A. Corey's excellent first book in The Expanse series, Leviathan Wakes!

Links:
Buy the book: http://a.co/gRKnCtu
Watch The Expanse series on Amazon: http://a.co/a4Qu5MJ
Support Sham Fiction: https://ko-fi.com/shamfiction
Sham Fiction episode archive: http://www.twojackets.com/shamfictionepisodes

Tags: shamfiction, sham, fiction, writing, writers, scifi, science, space, leviathan wakes, the expanse, James SA Corey, podcast, short stories, duel, fanfiction

Season 2 Demo 1: Baby Driver

We're playing the hits in our first demo episode of Season Duel! Andrew and Eric pop on their sunglasses and get behind the wheel as they take on Edgar Wright's musically explosive Baby Driver!

Links:
Watch Baby Driver on Amazon: http://a.co/3uRlIfl
Support Sham Fiction: https://ko-fi.com/shamfiction
Sham Fiction episode archive: http://www.twojackets.com/shamfictionepisodes

Tags: shamfiction, sham, fiction, writing, writers, edgar wright, ipod, baby, driver, jamie foxx, kevin spacey, john hamm, fanfiction