Pop Fiction Women

Every week on their podcast Pop Fiction Women, Eagle classmates Carinn Jade ’98 and Kate Schumacher ’98 analyze a different complicated female character from a current or classic movie, television show, or book. Together, they dissect the idiosyncrasies of roles that range from the iconic, like Sally Albright, the sweetly ambitious journalist portrayed by Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally, to the contemporary, like Joanne, Kristen Bell’s outspoken dating expert in Netflix’s recent hit show Nobody Wants This. Both are emblematic of the complex fictional women that inspired Jade and Schumacher to create their now-popular podcast in 2019. “It just felt like there were messy characters, complicated characters that people weren’t unpacking in the way that we wanted to,” Jade said. One episode examined Margot Robbie’s take on Barbie, for instance. “We were looking for characters who came off one way, but as you dug deeper there was more to it.” The pair often analyze female creators behind popular media, too, and the motivations behind their work. It’s refreshing to hear the hosts dedicate serious discussion to beloved shows marketed to women but often regarded as shallow or melodramatic, like Gossip Girl. “Anything that’s deemed ‘for women’ is sort of seen as less-than,” Schumacher said. “We are certainly trying to counter that.” ◽