In episode 19, Alan & Nisha tackle a MONSTER of an episode (we're so sorry) -- Frankenstein!

Among the most influential novels of all time, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus has informed not just the gothic and horror genres but echoes throughout all of pop culture history. With over 400 films and numerous TV Shows adapting, lampooning, or otherwise referencing Frankenstein and/or his Monster, it is one of the most adapted works of all time.

We explore how James Whale's 1931 Universal monster classic has taken on a life of its own separate from its source novel, beginning an ever-referential universe of films across nearly a century. Its sequel, 1935's The Bride of Frankenstein, expanded these possibilities even farther.

Often cited as the most accurate major adaptation, Kenneth Branagh's 1994 film Mary Shelley's Frankenstein takes big swings and manages to connect a lot of them, but is it enough to stand tall among its peers?

Finally, this conversation comes just one week after the release of Guillermo del Toro's new Frankenstein adaptation, starring Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, & Christoph Waltz. On paper, this film feels like a culmination of the story's rich history and evolution, made by a director so deeply inspired by this character. Is it able to accomplish its lofty goals and live up to its inevitably high expectations?

From the classics, to B-movies, to sex comedies, to bad sci-fi, we cover it all in this episode.

Join us as we delve into one of the all-time greats and find out... is the book really better than the movie?