Episode 046: And What Is Cathartic?

The dictionary defines "catharsis" as "the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions", but is it always necessary to have it in stories? Should we be content when our narratives resolve in a neat little finale? Or is it more important to have our tales be reflective pictures of the human condition? And is this just a recorded argument between two random dudes, or is there something more meaningful taking place? Find out as Nathan takes on the subject in a debate with psychology student Ricky Jesus, AKA "Tyler Saison".

Due to the nature of the discussion surrounding endings and how satisfying they are, the following episode contains spoilers for:

Memento (2001)
Fight Club (1999)
The Cider House Rules (1999)
Game of Thrones (2011-2019)
The Star Wars Sequel Trilogy (2015-2019)
1984 (1949)
Joker (2019)
Macbeth (1606)

Please don't say you weren't warned about this beforehand.