Horror & Ethics
October 7, 2025
We explore horror as a vehicle for ethical discussion and social commentary. From urban-rural tensions to AI anxieties, we examine how horror reflects society’s deepest fears across decades.
Matthew Fox has been passionate about deep conversations about genre media since childhood, when watching the original Star Trek series with their mother often led to discussions about the ethical questions it raised.
Beyond podcasting, Matthew helps run a small nonprofit dedicated to breaking down barriers to computer science education for youth and also provides consulting services for nonprofits and small businesses.
Over time, their podcasting interests have expanded, launching a Star Wars-focused podcast in 2019 and frequently appearing as a guest or co-host on PandaVision and other shows. While ethical questions are not always the primary focus of their work, Matthew has a knack for finding them in nearly everything they watch.
They are the host and founder of both Star Wars Generations and Superhero Ethics, and co-host of Once and Future Parent on TruStory FM.
We explore horror as a vehicle for ethical discussion and social commentary. From urban-rural tensions to AI anxieties, we examine how horror reflects society’s deepest fears across decades.
Odin readies Asgard for war, Thor asks how he’s any different from Malekith, and Loki finally drops the illusion to show his grief. These five minutes could have been the film’s heart—so why do they feel like missed opportunities?
We examine the 2024 satirical film The American Society of Magical Negroes, a provocative comedy that blends social commentary with romantic comedy.
A funeral, a chalkboard lecture, and a very bad plan—Thor’s not doing himself any favors in these five minutes. We unpack the mythological confusion, the emotional void, and the mounting narrative chaos in minute 51–55 of Thor: The Dark World.
We discuss the Second Battle of Geonosis and moral costs of warfare as Jedi face mind-controlling parasites. When Anakin tortures for information while Obi-Wan seeks understanding, their choices expose deeper rifts.
We dive into the psychology and ethics of sports fandom through the lens of the British film Fever Pitch, exploring how sports shape our social connections, teach us about loss, and hold the potential to become obsessions.
We dissect Netflix’s You and how it exposes toxic rom-com masculinity. Joe Goldberg thinks he’s the romantic hero, but his obsession with being the male protagonist leads to stalking, manipulation, and murder.
The Dark Elves bring chaos to Asgard, and Frigga pays the ultimate price. Join Matthew and Pete as they unravel the beauty, heartbreak, and frustration packed into these five pivotal minutes of Thor: The Dark World.
We dig in to Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ Season Two’s Mandalore trilogy of episodes, which explore one of the most pivotal character arcs in Star Wars.
Was Cinta’s death in Andor just good dramatic storytelling, or part of a problematic pattern? We dive into representation, responsibility, and the weight of a single death in a galaxy far, far away.