In the last of our bonus episodes before we get stuck into a whole new season, Joel and Chris imagine what happens when a shape-shifting alien crashes the most secretive election in the world. That’s right—we’re putting The Thing into Conclave, the tense political thriller about the inner workings of a Vatican papal election.

As Ralph Fiennes navigates political intrigue and whispered secrets in the Sistine Chapel, we ask: what if one of the cardinals wasn’t just hiding a scandal—but a parasitic alien alter-ego?

Join us for theological musings, ecclesiastical paranoia, and perfectly respectful Pope vs Thing chat.

Disclaimer: In case it seems weird that we don't mentioned it, we recorded this on 2nd April, before the death of Pope Francis and the subsequent actual conclave.

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Music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio

In this bonus episode of Just The Thing, Joel Jessup and Chris Regan dive deep into Karyn Kusama’s slow-burn psychological horror The Invitation. Join us for a lively chat about super fun subjects like grief, cults, and social discomfort. We ask the question, when would you leave the death cult party? And does the film’s quiet dread and social awkwardness make it more terrifying than The Thing itself?

We also explore what happens when John Carpenter’s The Thing crashes the dinner party, comparing thematic overlaps and wondering whether Logan Marshall-Green’s Will is a low-key MacReady cosplay.

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Music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio

In the Just The Thing 2024 Christmas Special, Joel and Chris are joined by Matt O'Dwyer and Peter Regan as they attempt to unwrap Tim Burton's Batman Returns and imagine what might happen if the shapeshifting creature from John Carpenter's The Thing crashed Gotham's most chaotic Christmas party.

Join us as we revisit this wildly dark "kids' movie" from the '90s, marvel at Danny DeVito's grotesque and tragic Penguin, and applaud Michelle Pfeiffer's iconic transformation into Catwoman. We also explore how Batman himself gets overshadowed in his own movie by the film's incredible villains. Did we mention that Christopher Walken is also in this movie?

Stay tuned for a Batman-themed Christmas quiz towards the end of the episode!

Music by Myuu

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Music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio

Joel and Chris are joined by Geraint D'Arcy, Associate Professor and Head of Media at UEA, where the three originally met as students in the late 90s. Geraint was also the star of Chris and Joel's short film, Bad Day, often referenced on the podcast. Together, they try to understand the 1989 sci-fi film, Slipstream, starring Bob Peck, Mark Hamill and Bill Paxton. Slipstream was a prestigious and much-hyped project, from the producer of Star Wars, Gary Kurtz, and the director of Tron, Steven Lisberger. With so much talent behind and in front of the camera, why is the film so incoherent? Help is at hand via a special appearance from actor Paul Reynolds, who shares his recollection of what it was like to actually work on Slipstream. Finally, Joel, Chris and Geraint attempt to answer the ultimate question - would Slipstream be better with The Thing in it?

Geraint D'Arcy on Instagram
Pages from Geraint's Slipstream Comic

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Music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio

It's a Just The Thing first as Joel and Chris finally welcome a guest who actually worked on the film they're talking about: John Jessup, Joel's father!
For most of his life John has been an award-winning advertising creative, but when he was younger he worked at the legendary Pinewood Studios and has lots of fascinating stories to tell! And then we put The Thing in The Devils!
If you like hearing exclusive insights into Ken Russell, Oliver Reed and Derek Jarman, plus many others, this is the episode for you!

Music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio

Joel and Chris try to decipher Richard Kelly's 2006 puzzle of a film the only way they know how... by adding the creature from The Thing. Will the addition of a shapeshifting, parasitic alien help to make sense of this sprawling, apocalyptic satire? Listen to the episode to find out, just be warned you will be subjected to some ex-film student bitterness along the way.

Music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio

Joel and Chris take on the totally not controversial and not at all divisive Star Wars entry, The Last Jedi. Directed by Rian Johnson, they discuss how this film went from critics' darling to most-hated movie of the century, and consider why that might have happened (answer: misogyny).

Then they put everything right by adding The Thing to the plot.

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Music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio

Joel and Chris are delighted to be joined by author and folk horror enthusiast Kit Whitfield to put The Thing into the 1999 found footage movie, The Blair Witch Project.
Overrated? Underrated? Just about accurately rated? Our extensive discussion covers the film's creation and aftermath, as well as its impact on horror films and the rise and fall of fake found footage. Also...the plot?
We also discuss folk horror and the crossover between folk stories and urban legends. And whether aliens are the modern faeries. And also puppets, low budgets and the real world impact of fake documentaries. We get a little...lost in the woods.

Kit Whitfield's latest book All The Hollow Of The Sky is now available in paperback and you should definitely read it.

Kit Whitfield | Hachette UK

Music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio