Nostalgia is a powerful, but often abused, tool in popular media. Sarah and Ethan get into what makes nostalgia good and effective and where it goes wrong. Why are the biggest IPs the worst offenders of creating lifeless husks? Why do fans and nerds love to see recognizable characters and references? Does the Scream franchise get it right? Did Star Trek or Star Wars do nostalgia better?

Content Warning: Strong language

No Preamble website

Attributions

Intro Theme: Game Boy | Written by Andrew Stanton | Produced and Performed by Ender

Outro Theme: Faxel-Hecked | Written and Performed by Matteo Galesi

Transitions SFX © Lloyd Richards 2023 - http://www.lloydrichards.net/transitions

Featured Music Snippets

You Snowin' Me? from Star Trek (2009) | Michael Giacchino and the Hollywood Studio Symphony | ℗ 2010 Paramount Pictures

Red Right Hand from Scream 5 (2022) | Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds | ℗ Mute Records

• Why the Music of The Rise of the Skywalker Felt Misleading - By YouTuber "Sideways" about how the music in Rise of the Skywalker is misleading and capitalizes, badly, on fan nostalgia.