Tag: American history

  • The Babysitter by Liza Rodman and Jennifer Jordan

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Babysitter: I actually dislike the mother more than the serial killer. Quick synopsis: The story of serial killer Tony Costa and the memories of Liza Rodman, who was babysat by Tony Costa on many occasions (and didn’t kill her, obviously). Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: The murders took place…

  • The Immortals by Steven Collis

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Immortals: A priest, two ministers, and a rabbi walk onto a boat…. Quick synopsis: The story of the SS Dorchester, a World War II troop ship sunk by a Nazi U-boat and the men who died saving others. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: All four chaplains would independently give…

  • A Storm of Witchcraft by Emerson Baker

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for A Storm of Witchcraft: The same type of thinking which led us to anti-vaxxers! Quick synopsis: The Salem Witch Trials. Literally every American knows this one. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Still one of the most badass examples of what we now know as “pleading the fifth.” Giles Corey, who…

  • Operation Odessa (TV)

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Operation Odessa: I’m mad my parents didn’t buy me a helicopter when Soviet Russia fell. Quick synopsis for Operation Odessa: Three gangsters try to sell a nuclear submarine to a drug cartel. It’s so much more than that but honestly, it’s really hard to sum this up quickly. Fun Fact Non-History…

  • Empire of Sin by Gary Krist

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Empire of Sin: Never had a title been so apt. Quick synopsis: The story of New Orleans in the early 1900s. Honestly, not that far off from NOLA today. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Guess which city had the first legal red-light district in the country? Yup, you got it.…

  • The Lady and the Dale (HBO)

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Lady and the Dale: A three-wheeled car looks no less ridiculous than those three-wheel motorcycles. Quick synopsis: The story of Elizabeth Carmichael and her three-wheeled car, the Dale. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Liz Carmichael was born Jerry Dean Michael in 1927 in Indiana. Well, allegedly as she had…

  • Sasquatch (Hulu)

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Sasquatch: It’s hard to remember what happened when you are super high. Quick synopsis: A guy remembers hearing about a story of three men being murdered by a Sasquatch on a pot farm. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Northern California has a lot of crazy people. I mean crazy in…

  • The Unknowns by Patrick K. O’Donnell

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Unknowns: You have to give it to Americans. We may not do it better, but we always do it bigger. Quick synopsis: An overview of American involvement in World War I through the lens of the body bearers of the Unknown Soldier. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Germans were…

  • The Greatest Beer Run Ever by Chick Donohue

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Greatest Beer Run Ever: I can’t improve on the title, so I won’t even try. Quick synopsis: Chick Donohue went to bring his friends beer….in Vietnam…during the Vietnam War. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Yes, the synopsis is true. All of it. Fun Fact for History Nerds: If you…