You know who we're talking about. If you've ever seen anything that leans even a little into the horror genre, you've seen her. She's the sweet girl next door , who eschews teenage experimentation - no alcohol, no sex, definitely no drugs - desperately trying to outrun the serial killer at the end of a slasher flick. Her moral superiority might just be the thing that saves her. But she'll suffer first. Oh yes. Sound familiar? There have been lots of deconstructions of this trope and some excellent subversions, but you know how the dragons like to dissect things! This week, Jules and Madeleine take a stroll this this particular trope's path, tracing it from horror to thriller to crime to SFF. Like most tropes, it's not all bad although there's definitely some less savoury aspects to this one. Under the microscope this week - Alien, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Psycho, Texas Chainsaw Massacre and many more. Join us for a look at the gory origins of the Final Girl.
Title Music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic
Episode 295: White Ladies and Ghostly Cavaliers - A Selection of Britain‘s Most Haunted Buildings
Episode 294: Crying Boys and Unhappy Mummies - More Cursed Objects in Fact and Fiction
Episode 293: Goblin Fruit and Faery Cobblers - The Horror of Getting What You Truly Want in Speculative Fiction
Episode 292: With Friends Like These - Reunions Reprises and Encores in Speculative Fiction
Episode 291: Absent Saints and Cruel Caretakers - How Parents Shape Characters in Speculative Fiction part 2
Episode 290: Absent Saints and Cruel Caretakers - How Parents Shape Characters in Speculative Fiction part1
Episode 289: Women, Swords and Trauma - the Backstory of the Female Warrior in Speculative Fiction
Episode 288 - Battle of the Animated Feature Films - Disney vs Don Bluth vs Studio Ghibli
Episode 287: Its All About Me - the Strange Appeal of Narcissism in Speculative Fiction
Episode 286: The Road to Hell - Moral Quandaries and Impossible Choices in Speculative Fiction
Episode 285 Challenging Expectations vs Wokewashing - Blindcasting, Diversity USPs and Nuance in Speculative Fiction
Episode 284: From Tea Houses to Taverns - Tea, Coffee and Intoxicating Substances in History and Speculative Fiction
Episode 283: Vanishing Acts and Secret Scandals - A Compilation of Author Mysteries
Episode 282: Mysterious Parcels and Mystical Cups - McGuffins, Plot Devices and Choosey Magical Objects in Speculative fiction
Episode 281: Mean Girls & Toxic Friends - Why Friendship Conflicts are Important in Speculative Fiction
Episode 280: Gentle Giants and Brick Outhouses - the Tank Character in Speculative Fiction
Episode 279: We're All in This Together - The Art of Collaborating in the Arts
Episode 278: Sins of the Father - Inherited Curses, Crimes and Responsibilities in Speculative Fiction
Episode 277: All Around My Hat - More Folksong Writing Inspiration Part 2
Episode 276: All Around My Hat - More Folksong Writing Inspiration Part 1
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