The Space Between Venus and Mars

The Space Between Venus and Mars Podcast
  • 5.0 (7)
  • Relationships
  • Updated Biweekly

Join us every other week as we explore the evolving dynamics between men and women. Through honest conversations with experts, friends, and insights from books and films, we’ll take a thoughtful look at what shapes love and connection today. This isn’t about choosing sides or placing blame. It’s about curiosity. It’s about asking better questions, listening with openness, and trying to understand why finding love can feel so complicated in our time. Together, we’ll explore what’s really happening in the space between Venus and Mars.

  1. Aug 8

    Obsession: The Horror of Co-Dependency

    What happens when the desire to be loved turns into the fear of being without someone? For our 13th episode of The Space Between Venus and Mars, we dive into Curry Barker’s Obsession and the unsettling ways its story can reflect the darker side of modern dating. Beneath the horror, the film raises questions about attachment, rejection, control, and what can happen when the boundaries between love and obsession begin to disappear. We explore codependency and the fear of losing someone—or never being wanted in the first place. How much of ourselves are we willing to give up to keep a relationship? When does devotion become dependence? And can the fear of rejection push someone to cross boundaries they never thought they would? The film also opens up a larger conversation about consent within relationships. We often talk about consent in the context of sex, but what about emotional boundaries, expectations, and the right to say no when someone wants more from us than we're willing to give? Is obsession simply love taken too far? Or does it reveal something deeper about our fears and insecurities? We're looking at the horror beneath the romance and asking whether Obsession has more to say about the modern dating world than we might want to admit. Sources: Obsession Filmmaker Curry Barker on the Inspiration Behind the Film's Horrifying Twist." Time. 15 of May 2026. https://time.com/article/2026/05/13/obsession-curry-barker-interview/ Cannonball with Wesley Morris "‘Obsession' Is a Very Immature Horror Movie. Is It a Sign of the Times?" June 11, 2026. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KgG3bwbqrk Johnson, Elenor. "Reflection on Audience & Misogyny." June 5, 2026. https://eleanorshorrors.substack.com/p/obsession-2026-a-reflection-on-audience Rabb, Maxwell. "How Obsession turned Gen-Z Relationship Anxiety into The Best Horror Movie of the Year." Harper's Bazaar. May 29, 2026 https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/a71423700/obsession-curry-barker-explained/ Reviewed by Hara Estroff Marano. "Codependency." Psychology Today. November 11, 2025https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/codependency https://mhanational.org/resources/co-dependency/

  2. Jul 25

    Reality Check

    In this episode of The Space Between Venus and Mars, we take a closer look at reality dating shows and the culture they've helped create. While these shows promise the possibility of finding love, they also offer something else: visibility, influence, and opportunities that can extend far beyond the final episode. We explore how reality television has blurred the line between authentic connection and public performance. When relationships unfold in front of millions of viewers, how much of what we're seeing is genuine, and how much is shaped by the incentives that come with fame, followers, and future opportunities? We also explore the ethical side of reality dating. Are contestants fully aware of what they're signing up for, or can they become part of a system that profits from their most emotional, vulnerable, and dramatic moments? When personal relationships become entertainment, where should the line be drawn? Is reality television simply reflecting modern dating... or is it actively shaping the way we think about love, relationships, and ourselves? Sources: Cheng, Janine. "How Reality Dating Shows are Warping Our Ideas of Love (and What Real Intimacy Takes)." Atlas. 3 August, 2025. https://www.atlas-therapy.care/blog-posts/love-is-blind-therapist-take Boateng, Jojo. " The Perception of Intimacy: Are Dating Reality TV Shows Affecting Relationships?." ResearchGate. January 2023. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/366787064_The_Perception_of_Intimacy_Are_Dating_Reality_TV_Shows_Affecting_Relationships Emotional arousal when watching drama increases pain threshold and social bonding." National Library of Medicine. 21 September 2016. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5043313/

  3. Jul 11

    Written in the Stars

    Can the stars tell us who we are—or are they simply helping us understand ourselves? In this episode, we explore the growing role astrology plays in modern life and dating. What began with a conversation with an Uber driver in Los Angeles who decided to leave the city after learning what her birth chart supposedly revealed, it became a much larger discussion about the influence astrology has on the choices we make. From compatibility and first impressions to deciding whether someone is “our type,” we ask why so many people—particularly women—turn to astrology for guidance, comfort, and self-discovery. At what point does astrology become a tool for reflection, and when does it become a reason to write someone off before truly getting to know them? Whether you’re a devoted horoscope reader or someone who’s never looked at a birth chart, this conversation isn’t about proving or disproving astrology. It’s about understanding why it resonates with so many people and what it might reveal about our desire for meaning, identity, and connection. Sources: https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2025/05/21/3-in-10-americans-consult-astrology-tarot-cards-or-fortune-tellers/ https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/queer-astrology-gender-identity https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/astrology/relationships-marriage/is-kundli-matching-necessary-for-love-marriage/articleshow/68205906.cms https://www.stylist.co.uk/relationships/dating-love/gen-z-astrology-dating/1021641 https://www.tinderpressroom.com/2026-03-12-Tinder-Debuts-Inaugural-Product-Keynote-Tinder-Sparks-2026-Start-Something-New

  4. Jun 20

    Easy Work?

    For the tenth episode of The Space Between Venus and Mars, we're joined by our friend Paul, who has been married for 25 years, to explore what it actually takes to build and sustain a long-term partnership. Through stories, reflections, and honest conversation, Paul shares his experiences navigating marriage, relationship dynamics, and the evolving roles men and women play within a partnership. Together, we discuss the realities of commitment, the challenges that arise over time, and the lessons learned from more than two decades of marriage. What makes a relationship last? How do couples navigate changing expectations around gender and partnership? And after 25 years, what wisdom can be shared with those still trying to figure it all out? Sources: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/18/podcasts/celine-song-materialists-modern-love.html Movies Referenced: The Materialists Jerry Maguire Twilight

  5. Jun 6

    Light-Years Away: Slap Heard 'round the World

    In this episode of The Space Between Venus and Mars, we’re trying something a little different today! We’re traveling “Light-Years Away” to the year 2022 to reexamine the Will Smith Oscar’s slap towards Chris Rock.  We take a deep dive into the controversy surrounding the slap. We discuss the different challenges Will and Jada face in their Hollywood marriage. What motivated Will to go up on stage and slap Chris Rock? Was it his failing marriage with Jada? Was he defending Jada’s honor or simply serving his own self interest?  Chris and Jesi unpack some of the serious conversations surrounding the slap at the time. Did toxic masculinity need to be a main part of the conversation? Or did that make simple work of a complicated situation? Join us as we travel “Light-Years Away”…  Citations  “Watch the Uncensored Moment Will Smith Smacks Chris Rock on Stage at the Oscars, Drops F-Bomb.” Youtube, Guardian News , 27 Mar. 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=myjEoDypUD8. Rashotte, Vivian. “Jada Pinkett Smith Opens up about the Oscars Slap - and Why It Brought Her Closer to Will Smith | CBC Arts.” CBCnews, CBC/Radio Canada, 18 Oct. 2023, www.cbc.ca/arts/q/jada-pinkett-smith-opens-up-about-oscars-slap-1.6995512. Collins, Riyah. “Will Smith: Oscars Slap Fallout Made Me Reflect, Says Star.” BBC News, BBC, 17 June 2025, www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9qxgn37j43o. Garcia-Navarro, Lulu, et al. “Opinion | Four Opinion Writers on Will Smith’s Slap: ‘There Are No Heroes in This Story’ (Published 2022).” The New York Times Opinion , The New York Times, 3 Mar. 2022, www.nytimes.com/2022/03/29/opinion/will-smith-chris-rock-oscars-slap.html. Harper, Shaun. “Contributor: Will Smith’s Attack on Chris Rock Shows Toxic Masculinity Boiling Over.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2022, www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2022-03-28/will-smith-chris-rock-oscars-slap-toxic-masculinity. Buss, David M. The Evolution of Desire: Strategies of Human Mating. Basic Books, 2016. All The Smoke. “Will Smith Opens up about the Oscars Slap.” YouTube, All the Smoke Productions , 8 Aug. 2025, youtube.com/shorts/EhKZMZD6j8Q?si=HgSSFlaw1F-G4QGe. Movies and Shows Referenced  G.I. Jane (1997) Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) The Real Housewives of New Jersey (2009-) Bojack Horseman (2014 - 2020)

  6. May 23

    Not in My Media Silo

    In this episode of The Space Between Venus and Mars, we explore the concept of media silos—the personalized digital worlds created by our algorithms, interests, and online habits. From the content men are consuming to the content women are consuming, we examine how social media, podcasts, news, and influencers can shape entirely different perspectives on the same issues. With an infinite amount of content competing for our attention, algorithms are designed to keep us engaged—but are they also keeping us divided? We discuss how outrage, certainty, and polarization often outperform nuance, creating online spaces where complexity is flattened into opposing sides, and disagreement becomes a source of engagement. As our feeds become increasingly personalized, what happens to shared understanding? Are we choosing our media silos, or are they choosing us? We also consider an important question: Does it have to be this way? If technology can be designed to maximize engagement, could it also be designed to encourage curiosity, nuance, and meaningful dialogue?

  7. May 9

    Performing Tradwifery

    In this episode of the Space Between Venus and Mars, we explore the growing online fascination with “tradwives” — women embracing or performing ideals tied to traditional femininity, homemaking, and domestic life. Inspired in part by the themes and imagery of Don’t Worry Darling, we examine the tension between authenticity and performance in the modern representation of womanhood. From carefully curated homes and routines to the expectation of maintaining peace, beauty, and order, we discuss how tradwife culture is presented online — and whether some of it becomes less about the lifestyle itself and more about the performance of it. We also unpack the idea of “mindless behavior”: the comfort of clearly defined roles, the appeal of simplicity, and the pressure to conform in an increasingly overwhelming world. What makes someone a tradwife? Is it the values, the lifestyle, the relationship dynamic… or the performance of it all? And in a culture where identity is constantly curated for an audience, where do authenticity and aesthetics begin to blur? Sources: Brown, Pamela. “ The ‘trad Wives’ Leaving High-Control Christian Nationalist Communities.” Youtube , CNN, 6 Apr. 2026, Accessed 2026. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dXBpWiwxkw Knight, Lucy. “My Month in the TRADWIFE World: ‘I Can’t Pretend I’m Not Enjoying Myself at All ...’” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 15 Apr. 2026, www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/apr/15/my-month-tradwife-world-cant-pretend-im-not-enjoying-myself. Murray, Jessica. “Gen Z Males Twice as Likely as Baby Boomers to Believe Wives Should Obey Husbands.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 5 Mar. 2026, www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/05/gen-z-men-baby-boomers-wives-should-obey-husbands. Princess__d0ll. “Any advice for me for the future.” Reddit, 14 Apr. 2026,  https://www.reddit.com/r/tradwives/comments/1sl4ukn/any_advice_for_me_for_the_future/?solution=4bd94e09ed5837c14bd94e09ed5837c1&js_challenge=1&token=bbbe4bf1c9a2b5160829c4be34da5861286899018e7f9f77fb95b62ad8421d0f&jsc_orig_r= Smith, Nara. “Videos.” TikTok, 2026, https://www.tiktok.com/@naraazizasmith?lang=en Movies and Shows Referenced  Don’t Worry Darling (2022) Lessons in Chemistry (2023) Modern Family (2009-2020) Paris is Burning (1990) The Handmaid’s Tale (2017-2025) The Stepford Wives (2004)

  8. Apr 25

    Worthy to be Ready

    In this episode of The Space Between Venus and Mars, we explore the space between wanting love and believing we’re truly ready to receive it. Both men and women express the desire for connection, yet many struggle to fully step into relationships — not just because of timing, but because of deeper feelings of insecurity, avoidance, and self-doubt. We unpack the patterns that can hold people back, from fear of vulnerability to self-sabotaging behaviors, and question whether readiness is always about external circumstances — or something more internal. Are we waiting for the right person… or waiting to feel worthy enough for the relationship we say we want? Sources: Real, Terrence. How Can I Get through to You?: Closing the Intimacy Gap between Men and Women. Fireside, 2003.  Tanner, Birgit, and Carsten Gutschmidt. “Riddle of the Bones: Gender Revolution .” Gender Revolution: The Real Role Of Ancient Women, Parable - Free History Documentaries, 6 Mar. 2026, www.youtube.com/watch?v=pncJqguYHjQ Buss, David M. The Evolution of Desire: Strategies of Human Mating. Basic Books, 2016. Smith, Brian, and Chris Coelen. Love Is Blind , Season 10, episode Love is Blind, Netflix

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Join us every other week as we explore the evolving dynamics between men and women. Through honest conversations with experts, friends, and insights from books and films, we’ll take a thoughtful look at what shapes love and connection today. This isn’t about choosing sides or placing blame. It’s about curiosity. It’s about asking better questions, listening with openness, and trying to understand why finding love can feel so complicated in our time. Together, we’ll explore what’s really happening in the space between Venus and Mars.

Information

  • Creator
    The Space Between Venus and Mars Podcast
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © The Space Between Venus and Mars Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Space Between Venus and Mars