Mostly Murder (But Sometimes Not)

The O'Brien Siblings
  • 5.0 (8)
  • TV & Film
  • Updated Monthly

Mostly Murder (But Sometimes Not) is a podcast where four siblings loosely discuss mysteries and whodunits throughout a vast array of pop culture media. We love mysteries, and have since we were reading Boxcar Children and Nancy Drew by flashlight after Lights-Out. The endless detectives, investigators, and groups of roving teenagers who solve crime are all game for discussion on this show. It doubles as an excuse for us to hang out with each other—but also discuss murder! For more information, please see our website, linked below!

  1. Jun 3

    Osmosis Jones (2001)

    New episode out now! We try to go viral with the 2001 partially-animated comedy Osmosis Jones. We delve into how the live action and animation feel so disconnected tonally, discuss how we did enjoy the worldbuilding and the sheer amount of puns and visual jokes, thought the music choices were not appropriate, and share how we were also just really, really, really grossed out. We talk about why children would watch this in school, despair at the racist shorthand so common in children’s media of this time, lament the parentification of Shane and wish her dad was better, and ultimately feel this was an interesting idea that was just not executed well. Katy brings up Buffy again, Carrie auditions for The Pitt, Maddy gives an interesting review of B-Dubs, and Mack has an apology to prepare for the afterlife. We also reiterate that farts are funny, learn about species-typical behavior, get excited about a hive mind, and are semi-confident in our knowledge of the human body. Listen to hear more about symptom management, Disney sequels, Laurence Fishburne, mente de gorila, the hypothalamus, mayoneggs, and scheming little brothers. And eat more fiber! Enjoy! TW: Statutory rape, racism, fatphobia, puking, virology, cancer Show Notes: If you want to watch a different version of the “immune system response as shown by law enforcement fighting germs” we recommend Cells at Work! which exists as a manga, anime show, and a live-action movie on Netflix.

    1h 38m

  2. May 13

    The Loch, "Episode 1"

    New episode out now! We watched the first episode of the atmospheric 2017 miniseries The Loch, or Loch Ness in the US. We talk about trying to keep track of the multitude of characters and their connections in this small tourist town, discuss the many subplots and possible red herrings, wonder just how many secrets are hidden within the community, and enjoyed the working relationship between the DCI and the local DS. We loved the setting on Loch Ness and really enjoyed the vibes, thought the tourist town setting was interesting as it is a place people pass through, debate how to handle releasing info about a possible serial killer to the public, and discuss how it can be difficult to judge a miniseries based on the infodump of a first episode. Katy’s daily newspaper is Tumblr, Carrie climbed a mountain and only fell down once, Maddy shares an interesting story about something she encountered at work, and Mack wants to get into HEMA fighting. We also discuss lobotomy techniques, learn fun facts about curling stones, talk a lot about various viscera, and share tips on what media to consume to keep the howling void away. Listen to hear more about Colin Mochrie, thalassophobia, rivalries, Hamnet, geology, news bloopers, duck boat tours, and hot Scots. Enjoy! TW: Lobotomy, homophobia, pedophilia, animal dissection, organ removal, viscera SHOW NOTES: News Reporter Mountain Climber The Loch was renamed Loch Ness in the US.

    1h 16m

  3. Apr 22

    Sherlock Holmes, "The Blue Carbuncle"

    New episode out now! We take another trip to Victorian London with the season one episode of Granada Television’s Sherlock Holmes, “The Blue Carbuncle”. We discuss how this adaptation tried to be very faithful to the source material, loved the lived-in depiction of the Victorian era, and enjoyed the lighthearted mystery of following a Christmas goose—backwards. We get into the almost-too-obsessive, somewhat manic, but ultimately great performance of Jeremy Brett as Holmes, and how paired with David Burke’s Watson they felt like actual friends who enjoy solving mysteries together and just have fun. We also learn some sad behind-the-scenes stories about the production of the show. Katy recognized a man’s eyebrows, Carrie spent a summer waiting for a woman to get out of a hole, Maddy does a great Werner Herzog impression, and Mack pitches an interesting experiment. We also talk about supply chain management, break down buying poultry at the market, object to some of Mack’s specific verbiage, and learn the other definitions of “carbuncle”. Listen to hear more about goose fights, Passions, big Gollum energy, penguins, hot water, backlot tours, and more. Enjoy! TW: Racism, colonialism, imperialism, drug use, descriptions of poultry processing, mental health issues, heart problems, medical abscess descriptions Show Notes: When this episode first aired the series was called The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes; each of the four series of Holmes stories produced by Granada Television had different titles but were ultimately collected into one “show” with the overall title of Sherlock Holmes. Wiki Penguin, Depressed… The Adventures Of Prince Achmed (1926) If you are curious, Holmes shows up in some capacity in 11 other episodes of our podcast: 6. The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970) (September 2019) 12. Gravity Falls, “Headhunters” (December 2019) 24. Star Trek: The Next Generation, “Elementary, Dear Data” and “Ship in a Bottle” (June 2020) Bonus: Enola Holmes (2020) (October 2020) 32. Sherlock Holmes (2009) (October 2020) 55. The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959) (November 2021) Bonus: Enola Holmes 2 (2022) (November 2022) 73. The Great Mouse Detective (1986) (January 2023) 91. The Valley of Fear by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (March 2024) 98. Elementary, “Dead Clade Walking” (July 2024) 100. 221B Baker Street: The Master Detective Game (September 2024)

    1h 21m

  4. Apr 1

    Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, "Horizons"

    New episode out now! We watched the first episode of Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, a quirky scifi show about a “holistic detective”. We discuss the fact that, due to the nature of the holistic premise, Dirk Gently is not actually that great of a detective; things just keep happening around him enough that he eventually figures stuff out without pursuing any clues specifically. We learn about the addition of Todd to the original premise and enjoyed his realistic reactions to the wild situations, get into the mystery box storytelling device utilized in shows like this, speculate about unreliable narration and what holistic interconnectedness actually means, and do agree it felt very Douglas Adams does Doctor Who - because it kind of is. Katy is face-blind to white brunette women, Carrie will always stop for dogs, Maddy cannot stop thinking about X2, and Mack misses boredom. We also learn about great t-shirts to wear with your partner, understand that interesting does not mean good, have questions about Seattle real estate, and would not turn down $10,000. Listen to hear more about sucking life forces, LOST, weird brain stuff, learning languages, bus procedures, shapeshifting, and more. Enjoy! TW: Drug use, hallucinations

    1h 10m

  5. Mar 11

    Shardlake (2024)

    New episode out now! We watched all four episodes of the medieval mystery miniseries Shardlake. We discuss the character of Matthew Shardlake and how we were intrigued with his journey, enjoyed that his investigation challenged his faith in the institution he works for, and liked how he realized that the definitions of “truth” and “justice” change depending on who was talking. We thought the show had momentum in part due to the two totally separate threads of investigation, checked out a little at all the underlying politics, marveled at how so much of the investigation is sourcing bureaucratic records and waiting for letters, and got very frustrated with men in power in both the church and government. Katy drops some knowledge about spymaster John Dee, Carrie channels her inner NPR, Maddy shares suppository facts, and Mack teaches us about sword and knife culture. We also talk (a lot) about various Lord of the Rings references, learn about an imaginary competition Mack is in, debate how good the first 20 seconds of being tortured by rack would feel, and do not like Henry VIII. Listen to hear more about The Hunchback of Notre Dame, animal sounds, the Tower of London, Tumblrinas, swordfighting, Ea-nāṣir, and the shadow of Anne Boleyn. And is this the oldest-set mystery we will cover? So far, yes! Enjoy! TW: Sexual assault, religious hypocrisy, torture, misogyny, medieval views on disability  SHOW NOTES: Disability Horizons article “Arthur Hughes on being an actor on stage and screen with an upper-limb difference” Chain-mail glove examples at MFA Boston here, here, and here Current knife rules in the UK The Original 007? University of Cambridge article about John Dee

    1h 38m

  6. Feb 18

    Murder by Death (1976)

    New episode out now! We watched the 1976 comedy film Murder by Death, which stars a lot of famous people parodying famous detectives. We talk about the stacked cast and how it seemed like they were having fun, but also believe that did not make up for the very dated comedy and straight up racism and other issues with the film as a whole. We thought the concept was promising, but the execution was mainly just pointing out references and tropes; ultimately we decided the movie makes no sense and did not have any sort of point of view. We also discuss the differences between parodies and spoofs, think Maggie Smith is gorgeous, love Peter Falk, and continue to have problems with Raymond Chandler. Katy got real Midwestern, Carrie drops some Lon Chaney knowledge, Maddy loves a haunted house, and Mack bravely criticizes the last season of Game of Thrones. We also touch a lot on how good Clue is, believe Buffy is quippy AND has depth, propose a fix for this movie, and acknowledge that comedy does not often age well. Listen to hear more about hand lotion, Drag Race, Mel Brooks, The Thrilling Adventure Hour, corporate greed, and Dick Jingles. Enjoy! TW: Ableism, racism, xenophobia, fatphobia, homophobia, misogyny Show Notes: Carrie and Katy may have been mistaken in stating David Niven was possibly gay; there is nothing available publicly to confirm and there does not even seem to be rumors, contemporary or otherwise.

    1h 23m

  7. Jan 28

    Knight Rider, "Halloween Knight"

    New episode out now! We take another dip into ‘80s television with the season three episode of Knight Rider, “Halloween Knight”. We talk about Michael Knight’s investigative style and the ‘80s action of it all, believe the episode did not explain the relationships or develop characters clearly, wonder what exactly their authority and jurisdiction are, and really get into KITT as an entity and how it relates to modern AI and smart devices. We also wonder if this influenced RoboCop, discuss the Hitchcock homages scattered throughout, and really loved all the fashion and hairstyles. We were completely unfamiliar with the premise, and so learned some surprising things along the way, but also perhaps looked too deeply into this action show involving perms, tight pants, and a talking car. Katy is not ashamed to say she watched Supernatural, Carrie shares a fun fact about mariachi performers, Maddy thinks men are oppressed, and Mack’s brain is bloodshot. We also talk about how the show gave us “Duloc face”, wonder if David Hasselhoff would have been as successful if he was shorter, think we lost the vision of how AI could be perceived in media, and judge pumpkin carving pretty harshly. Listen to hear more about furries, Jekyll & Hyde, yak hair, Columbo, nehru jackets, Isaac Asimov, and more. Enjoy! TW: Assault, taxidermy, gaslighting, drug use SHOW NOTES:Video - David Hasselhoff - True Survivor (from Kung Fury)

    1h 26m

  8. Jan 6

    Diagnosis Murder, "Shanda's Song"

    New episode out now! We watched the season one episode of Diagnosis Murder titled “Shanda’s Song”. We delve into the charm of Dick Van Dyke and believe his casting likely led to the eventual success and longevity of the show, talk about Dr. Sloan’s shaky authority in speaking to suspects and investigating crimes, really get into the ‘90s hairstyles and fashion choices, and believe these characters are taking wild leaps of logic. We revisit the notion that none of these clues from non-law enforcement investigators would be admissible in court and they luck out with confessions every time. We also discuss the changes in television over the last few decades, from how shows are piloted or spun off to where they are shot and how much time is given to the theme songs. Katy does not want to hear sports, Carrie feels safe and comfortable with Columbo, Maddy will not investigate crimes, and Mack shares mustache secrets. We also get into lip syncing scandals, are accidentally sexist, think culture may be dying all around, and learn when HIPAA became law. Listen to hear more about misplaced fart sounds, anthropomorphic dinosaurs, 9-1-1, Edith Head, Home Alone 3, and notorious Ken dolls.  TW: Suicide, stalking SHOW NOTES: 2018 Sawbones episode about the injuries the Wet Bandits would have accrued medically in Home Alone can be found here.  The Anastasia musical moment Mack talks about can be seen on YouTube here.  Rob Lowe talking about it being cheaper to film in Ireland here

    1h 36m
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About

Mostly Murder (But Sometimes Not) is a podcast where four siblings loosely discuss mysteries and whodunits throughout a vast array of pop culture media. We love mysteries, and have since we were reading Boxcar Children and Nancy Drew by flashlight after Lights-Out. The endless detectives, investigators, and groups of roving teenagers who solve crime are all game for discussion on this show. It doubles as an excuse for us to hang out with each other—but also discuss murder! For more information, please see our website, linked below!

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