Every other week, Jay Russo and Sean McGurr discuss the characters, connections, and deeper meanings of Stephen King’s magnum opus, The Dark Tower. Primary attention will be paid to the books, but we anticipate talking about related Dark Tower comic books, novels, and short stories.
Bonus Episode: I Am the Doorway (Night Shift) (October 2020)
Note: We are publishing short story bonus podcasts that were previously only available via Patreon. This episode is from October 2020. Enjoy! In this bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we explore the short story “I Am the Doorway” found in Night Shift. Introduction (00:11) Publication history (01:13) Structure: Lots of … Continue reading Bonus Episode: I Am the Doorway (Night Shift) (October 2020) →
9/18/2024 • 29 minutes, 11 seconds
Bonus Episode: Ballad of the Flexible Bullet (Skeleton Crew) (October 2021)
Note: We are publishing short story bonus podcasts that were previously only available via Patreon. This episode is from October 2021. Enjoy! In this bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we explore the short story “The Ballad of the Flexible Bullet” found in Skeleton Crew. Introduction (00:00) Publication History (1:18) Madness … Continue reading Bonus Episode: Ballad of the Flexible Bullet (Skeleton Crew) (October 2021) →
9/11/2024 • 33 minutes, 28 seconds
Bonus Episode: The Reach (Skeleton Crew) (September 2021)
Note: We are publishing short story bonus podcasts that were previously only available via Patreon. This episode is from September 2021. Enjoy! In this bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we explore “The Reach” found in Skeleton Crew. Introduction (00:13) Publication history (01:08) Exemplar of a (gothic) short story (03:37) Too … Continue reading Bonus Episode: The Reach (Skeleton Crew) (September 2021) →
9/4/2024 • 21 minutes, 45 seconds
Bonus Episode: Word Processor of the Gods (Skeleton Crew) (August 2021)
Note: We are publishing short story bonus podcasts that were previously only available via Patreon. This episode is from August 2021. Enjoy! In this bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we explore the short story “Word Processor of the Gods” found in Skeleton Crew. Introduction (00:00) Publication history (01:20) Monkey’s paw … Continue reading Bonus Episode: Word Processor of the Gods (Skeleton Crew) (August 2021) →
8/28/2024 • 24 minutes, 55 seconds
Bonus Episode: The Raft (Skeleton Crew) (July 2021)
Note: We are publishing short story bonus podcasts that were previously only available via Patreon. This episode is from July 2021. Enjoy! In this bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we explore the short story “The Raft” from Skeleton Crew. Introduction (00:00) Publication history (01:54) Influences and connections (06:29) Weird relationships … Continue reading Bonus Episode: The Raft (Skeleton Crew) (July 2021) →
8/21/2024 • 30 minutes, 55 seconds
Bonus Episode: Here There Be Tygers (Skeleton Crew) (June 2021)
Note: We are publishing short story bonus podcasts that were previously only available via Patreon. This episode is from June 2021. Enjoy! In this bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we explore the short story “Here There Be Tygers” from Skeleton Crew. Introduction (00:13) Publication history (01:23) Shame and dread (03:40) … Continue reading Bonus Episode: Here There Be Tygers (Skeleton Crew) (June 2021) →
8/14/2024 • 23 minutes, 21 seconds
Bonus Episode: The Last Rung on the Ladder (Night Shift) (June 2020)
Note: We are publishing short story bonus podcasts that were previously only available via Patreon. This episode is from June 2020. Enjoy! In this bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we explore “The Last Rung on the Ladder” found in Night Shift. Introduction (00:09) Recap (00:40) John D. MacDonald intro (01:14) … Continue reading Bonus Episode: The Last Rung on the Ladder (Night Shift) (June 2020) →
8/7/2024 • 24 minutes, 48 seconds
Bonus Episode: Night Surf (Night Shift) (May 2020)
Note: We are publishing short story bonus podcasts that were previously only available via Patreon. This episode is from May, 2020. Enjoy! In this bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we explore the story “Night Surf” found in Night Shift. Introduction (00:00) Publication History (01:22) Not if you were the last … Continue reading Bonus Episode: Night Surf (Night Shift) (May 2020) →
Note: We are publishing short story bonus podcasts that were previously only available via Patreon. This episode is from April 2020. Enjoy! In this bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we explore “Mrs. Todd’s Shortcut,” found in Night Shift. Introduction (00:13) Recap (00:41) Publication history (01:07) Homer’s decision (08:05) The titular … Continue reading Bonus Episode: Mrs. Todd’s Shortcut (Night Shift) (April 2020) →
Note: We are publishing short story bonus podcasts that were previously only available via Patreon. This episode is from February 2020. Enjoy! In this bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we explore Stephen King’s short story, Nona, found in Skeleton Crew. Introduction (00:11) Counter-culture (00:57) An unreliable narrator (04:59) Thinnies (14:52) … Continue reading Bonus Episode: Nona (Skeleton Crew) (February 2020) →
7/17/2024 • 33 minutes, 1 second
Ep. 157 The Talisman, Part 4, chapters 34-47
In this episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we finish The Talisman, Part 4, Chapters 34-47. Introduction (00:00) On the subject of twinners (01:40) What is the talisman (10:30) Dark Tower Thinnies (16:47) Yuck-King It Up (24:57) Fun Stuff (27:44) Wrapping up The Talisman (34:50) Other Worlds Than These (42:09) Sean: Black … Continue reading Ep. 157 The Talisman, Part 4, chapters 34-47 →
6/19/2024 • 47 minutes, 30 seconds
Ep. 156 The Talisman, Part 3, chapters 27-33 and Interlude
In this episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we explore The Talisman, Part 3, “A Collision of Worlds,” chapters 27-33, and Interlude. Introduction (00:00) The power of storytelling (01:31) A collision of worlds (11:37) Late world building (22:41) Dark Tower Thinnies (28:58) Yuck-King It Up (30:07) Fun Stuff (34:13) Other Worlds Than … Continue reading Ep. 156 The Talisman, Part 3, chapters 27-33 and Interlude →
6/12/2024 • 45 minutes, 34 seconds
Bonus Episode 45 – “The Cat From Hell” (Patreon Clip)
A new bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came is live for all of our Patrons. What follows is an excerpt of our discussion of the 1977 short story “The Cat from Hell.” To get the whole episode and support our show, become a patron at patreon.com/twoguysdarktower. Buy merch at store.twoguystothedarktowercame.com. Send your questions, comments, … Continue reading Bonus Episode 45 – “The Cat From Hell” (Patreon Clip) →
8/26/2023 • 56 seconds
Hiatus Announcement
Greetings, constant listeners! Thank you so much for listening to our show. You may have noticed we have missed our regularly scheduled publish dates. Everything is OK, but there has been a lot going on in our personal lives. So, we are going to take a hiatus. We have all the Talisman episodes recorded and … Continue reading Hiatus Announcement →
7/2/2023 • 1 minute, 23 seconds
Ep. 153 The Talisman, Part 2, chapters 6-13
In this episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we explore The Talisman, Part II, chapters 6-13. Introduction (00:00) Struggling with the book (01:45) Jack’s first trial (05:54) Jack’s dad in the Territories (14:01) Dark Tower Thinnies (19:52) Yuck-King It Up (23:06) Fun Stuff (25:54) Other Worlds Than These topics (31:21): Jay: Succession … Continue reading Ep. 153 The Talisman, Part 2, chapters 6-13 →
5/10/2023 • 37 minutes, 32 seconds
Bonus Episode 43 – The Dead Zone adaptation (Patreon Clip)
A new bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came is live for all of our Patrons. What follows is an excerpt of our discussion of the 1983 film The Dead Zone. To get the whole episode and support our show, become a patron at patreon.com/twoguysdarktower. Buy merch at store.twoguystothedarktowercame.com. Send your questions, comments, and ideas … Continue reading Bonus Episode 43 – The Dead Zone adaptation (Patreon Clip) →
4/2/2023 • 1 minute, 17 seconds
Bonus Episode 42 – Harvey’s Dream (Patreon Clip)
A new bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came is live for all of our Patrons. What follows is an excerpt of our discussion of the short story “Harvey’s Dream” found in the Just After Sunset collection. To get the whole episode and support our show, become a patron at patreon.com/twoguysdarktower. Buy merch at … Continue reading Bonus Episode 42 – Harvey’s Dream (Patreon Clip) →
3/13/2023 • 1 minute, 38 seconds
Ep. 147 The Dead Zone, chapters 17-23
In this episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we explore The Dead Zone, chapters 17-23. Introduction (00:00) The Laughing Tiger (01:41) Johnny asks the question (09:01) Johnny is falling apart (19:20) Dark Tower Thinnies (27:01) No Yuck-King It up (32:08) Fun Stuff (34:08) Other Worlds Than These (43:35) Top 10 Awesome Christopher … Continue reading Ep. 147 The Dead Zone, chapters 17-23 →
2/15/2023 • 48 minutes, 16 seconds
Bonus Episode 41 – The Simpsons “Not It” (Patreon Clip)
A new bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came is live for all of our Patrons. What follows is a short excerpt of our discussion of The Simpsons episode, “Not It.” To get the whole episode and support our show, become a patron at patreon.com/twoguysdarktower.
A new bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came is live for all of our Patrons. What follows is a short excerpt of our discussion of the short story “Uncle Otto’s Truck.” To get the whole episode and support our show, become a patron at patreon.com/twoguysdarktower.
12/12/2022 • 1 minute, 26 seconds
Bonus Episode 39 – Lunch at the Gotham Cafe (Patreon Clip)
A new bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came is live for all of our Patrons. What follows is a short excerpt of our discussion of the short story “Lunch at the Gotham Cafe.” To get the whole episode and support our show, become a patron at patreon.com/twoguysdarktower.
11/14/2022 • 1 minute, 18 seconds
Bonus Episode 38 – Doctor Sleep (2019 movie) (Patreon Clip)
A new bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came is live for all of our Patrons. What follows is a short excerpt of our discussion of the 2019 movie, Doctor Sleep. To get the whole episode and support our show, become a patron at patreon.com/twoguysdarktower.
A new bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came is live for all of our Patrons. What follows is a short excerpt of our discussion of the short story “The Road Virus Heads North” from the Everything’s Eventual collection. To get the whole episode and support our show, become a patron at patreon.com/twoguysdarktower.
10/2/2022 • 1 minute, 6 seconds
Ep. 142 Doctor Sleep, Part 3, “Matters of Life and Death”
In this episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we explore Doctor Sleep, Part 3, “Matters of Life and Death.” Introduction (00:00) Uncle Dan (01:28) Don’t underestimate the rubes (07:59) Death is a miracle (15:34) Connections to The Shining (20:05) Dark Tower Thinnies (24:55) Yuck-King It Up (25:39) Fun Stuff (30:12) Revenge of … Continue reading Ep. 142 Doctor Sleep, Part 3, “Matters of Life and Death” →
9/23/2022 • 42 minutes, 35 seconds
Bonus Episode 36 – “All That You Love Will Be Carried Away” (Patreon Clip)
A new bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came is live for all of our Patrons. What follows is a short excerpt of our discussion of the short story “All That You Love Will Be Carried Away” from the Everything’s Eventual collection. To get the whole episode and support our show, become a … Continue reading Bonus Episode 36 – “All That You Love Will Be Carried Away” (Patreon Clip) →
8/29/2022 • 1 minute, 4 seconds
Bonus Episode 35 – “Before The Play” (Patreon Clip)
A new bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came is live for all of our Patrons. What follows is a short excerpt of our discussion of the unpublished prologue to The Shining, “Before the Play.” To get the whole episode and support our show, become a patron at patreon.com/twoguysdarktower.
8/29/2022 • 1 minute, 7 seconds
Bonus Episode 34 – “L.T.’s Theory of Pets” (Patreon Clip)
A new bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came is live for all of our Patrons. What follows is a short excerpt of our discussion of the short story “L.T.’s Theory of Pets” found in Everything’s Eventual. To get the whole episode and support our show, become a patron at patreon.com/twoguysdarktower.
6/9/2022 • 1 minute, 24 seconds
Bonus Episode 33 – “1408” (Patreon Clip)
A new bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came is live for all of our Patrons. What follows is a short excerpt of our discussion of the short story “1408” found in Everything’s Eventual. To get the whole episode and support our show, become a patron at patreon.com/twoguysdarktower.
6/6/2022 • 1 minute, 19 seconds
Bonus Episode 32 – “Christine” Movie (Patreon Clip)
A new bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came is live for all of our Patrons. What follows is a short excerpt of our discussion of the 1983 movie adaptation of Christine, directed by John Carpenter. To get the whole episode and support our show, become a patron at patreon.com/twoguysdarktower. Directed by John Carpenter and … Continue reading Bonus Episode 32 – “Christine” Movie (Patreon Clip) →
3/23/2022 • 1 minute, 18 seconds
Bonus Episode 31 – “The Green Mile” Movie (Patreon Clip)
A new bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came is live for all of our Patrons. What follows is a short excerpt of our discussion of the 1999 movie adaptation of The Green Mile, directed by Frank Darabont. To get the whole episode and support our show, become a patron at patreon.com/twoguysdarktower. Starring: Tom … Continue reading Bonus Episode 31 – “The Green Mile” Movie (Patreon Clip) →
3/17/2022 • 1 minute, 59 seconds
Bonus Episode 30 – “Desperation” TV Movie (Patreon Clip)
A new bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came is live for all of our Patrons. What follows is a short excerpt of our discussion of the TV adaptation of “Desperation.” To get the whole episode and support our show, become a patron at patreon.com/twoguysdarktower.
2/1/2022 • 1 minute, 47 seconds
Bonus Episode 28 – “Survivor Type” (Patreon Clip)
A new bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came is live for all of our Patrons. What follows is a short excerpt of our discussion of the short story “Survivor Type” from the Stephen King collection, Skeleton Crew. To get the whole episode and support our show, become a patron at patreon.com/twoguysdarktower.
11/29/2021 • 1 minute, 19 seconds
REPOST: Bonus Episode 4: Hearts in Atlantis Movie Review
Originally posted July 31, 2019. In this episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we explore the movie adaptation of Hearts in Atlantis, starring Anthony Hopkins, Anton Yelchin, and Hope Davis. Introduction (00:14) IMDB Summary (00:41) Movie Details and Discussion (01:06) Dark Tower Thinnies (35:24) Fun Stuff (41:18) Movie Reviews (45:28) Listener Feedback … Continue reading REPOST: Bonus Episode 4: Hearts in Atlantis Movie Review →
11/3/2021 • 57 minutes, 5 seconds
Bonus Episode 27 – “The Ballad of the Flexible Bullet” (Patreon Clip)
A new bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came is live for all of our Patrons. What follows is a short excerpt of our discussion of the short story “The Ballad of the Flexible Bullet” from the Stephen King collection, Skeleton Crew. To get the whole episode and support our show, become a … Continue reading Bonus Episode 27 – “The Ballad of the Flexible Bullet” (Patreon Clip) →
10/24/2021 • 1 minute, 35 seconds
REPOST: Bonus Episode 3: The Dark Tower Movie Review
Originally posted August 23, 2017. In this episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we discuss the major motion picture, The Dark Tower, starring Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey. Introduction (0:00) Initial Thoughts (0:46) Sean identifies a major failing (4:58) Jay is upset about the opening line from the book (6:15) No emotional connections … Continue reading REPOST: Bonus Episode 3: The Dark Tower Movie Review →
10/20/2021 • 25 minutes, 15 seconds
REPOST: Bonus Episode 2: Trailer for The Dark Tower Movie
Originally posted May 11, 2017. In this bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we discuss the first full trailer for The Dark Tower movie. Watch the trailer here: https://youtu.be/GjwfqXTebIY Introduction (0:00) Sean’s initial thoughts (01:45) Not just from Book I (02:16) Movie looks too conventional (04:52) What Sean liked (07:00) Is … Continue reading REPOST: Bonus Episode 2: Trailer for The Dark Tower Movie →
10/6/2021 • 16 minutes, 2 seconds
REPOST: Bonus Episode 1: Charlie the Choo-Choo
Originally posted September 6, 2017. In this bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we discuss the Beryl Evans book, Charlie the Choo-Choo. Introduction (0:00) Book summary (00:42) The gig is up (03:20) Cool marketing EW article (04:37) Outro (05:38) Support our show at Patreon.com/twoguysdarktower. Buy merch at store.twoguystothedarktowercame.com. For more information about the show, … Continue reading REPOST: Bonus Episode 1: Charlie the Choo-Choo →
9/22/2021 • 6 minutes, 12 seconds
Hiatus Announcement
Hello constant listeners. We’re going to take a short break. But, we want to give you something to listen to while we rest up. In the coming weeks, enjoy a few bonus episodes that were previously only available to Patrons. These are from a couple of years ago. For fresh bonus episodes, become a Patron … Continue reading Hiatus Announcement →
9/21/2021 • 45 seconds
Bonus Episodes 24 & 25 – “The Raft” & “Word Processor of the Gods” (Patreon Clip)
New bonus episodes of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came are live for all of our Patrons. What follows is a short excerpt of our discussions of the short stories “The Raft” and “Word Processor of the Gods” from the Stephen King collection, Skeleton Crew. To get the whole episode and support our show, … Continue reading Bonus Episodes 24 & 25 – “The Raft” & “Word Processor of the Gods” (Patreon Clip) →
9/20/2021 • 1 minute, 47 seconds
Bonus Episode 23 – “Here There Be Tygers” (Patreon Clip)
A new bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came is live for all of our Patrons. What follows is a short excerpt of our discussion of the short story “Here There Be Tygers” from the Stephen King collection, Skeleton Crew. To get the whole episode and support our show, become a patron … Continue reading Bonus Episode 23 – “Here There Be Tygers” (Patreon Clip) →
8/22/2021 • 1 minute, 17 seconds
Bonus Episode 22 – “The Running Man” (Patreon Clip)
Our 22nd bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came is live for all of our Patrons. What follows is a short excerpt of our discussion of the 1987 movie “The Running Man” based on the 1982 Richard Bachman novel. To get the whole episode and support our show, become a patron at … Continue reading Bonus Episode 22 – “The Running Man” (Patreon Clip) →
6/9/2021 • 2 minutes, 8 seconds
Bonus Episode 21 – “The Lawnmower Man” (Patreon Clip)
Our 21st bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came is live for all of our Patrons. What follows is a short excerpt of our discussion of the Stephen King short story “The Lawnmower Man” found in Night Shift. To get the whole episode, become a Patreon at patreon.com/twoguysdarktower.
4/28/2021 • 1 minute, 28 seconds
Bonus Episode 20 – “The Ledge” (Patreon Clip)
Our 20th bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came is live for all of our Patrons. What follows is a short excerpt of our discussion of the Stephen King short story “The Ledge” found in Night Shift. To get the whole episode, become a Patreon at patreon.com/twoguysdarktower.
4/19/2021 • 1 minute, 17 seconds
Bonus Episode 19 – “The Mangler” (Patreon Clip)
Our 19th (!) bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came is live for all of our Patrons. What follows is a short excerpt of our discussion of the short story “The Mangler” found in Stephen King’s Night Shift. To get the whole episode, become a Patreon at patreon.com/twoguysdarktower.
3/15/2021 • 1 minute, 23 seconds
Bonus Episode 18 – “Gray Matter” (Patreon Clip)
Our 18th bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came is live for all of our Patrons. What follows is a short excerpt of our discussion of the short story “Gray Matter” found in Stephen King’s Night Shift. To get the whole episode, become a Patreon at patreon.com/twoguysdarktower.
2/5/2021 • 1 minute, 24 seconds
Bonus Episode 17 – Firestarter (Patreon Clip)
Our 17th bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came is live for all of our Patrons. What follows is a short excerpt of our discussion of the movie adaptation of Stephen King’s Firestarter. To get the whole episode, become a Patreon at patreon.com/twoguysdarktower.
1/2/2021 • 1 minute, 6 seconds
Important Show Announcement–The Stand Miniseries
Listen to this brief announcement to hear about how we will be covering The Stand miniseries on CBS All Access.
12/12/2020 • 1 minute, 40 seconds
Bonus Episode 16 – Children of the Corn (Patreon Clip)
Our 16th bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came is live for all of our Patrons. What follows is a short excerpt of our review of the 1984 movie Children of the Corn based on the Stephen King short story found in Night Shift. To get the whole episode and support our … Continue reading Bonus Episode 16 – Children of the Corn (Patreon Clip) →
11/25/2020 • 1 minute, 17 seconds
Bonus Episode 15 – I Am the Doorway (Patreon Clip)
The 15th bonus episode for Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came is live for all of our patrons. What follows is an excerpt of our conversation about the short story, I Am the Doorway, found in Stephen King’s Night Shift. To get the whole episode and support our show, become a Patreon at patreon.com/twoguysdarktower.
11/22/2020 • 1 minute, 31 seconds
Bonus Episode 14 – Gerald’s Game (Patreon Clip)
Our 14th bonus episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came just went live to all of our patrons. What follows is a short excerpt of our synced commentary of the Netflix original movie adaptation of Stephen King’s Gerald’s Game. To get the whole episode, become a patron at patreon.com/twoguysdarktower.
10/11/2020 • 1 minute, 2 seconds
Support Our Patreon
After 70 core episodes and a handful of bonus episodes, we’ve launched a Patreon. This platform allows us to expand our community and better connect with you, our listeners. At Patreon.com/twoguysdarktower, we’ve set up three patron levels: Apprentice, Gunslinger, and Ka-Tet. Head over there to explore the rewards and support the show. Thanks for being … Continue reading Support Our Patreon →
10/12/2019 • 57 seconds
Ep. 0: Introductions
In this episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, the hosts (Jay Russo and Sean McGurr) introduce themselves and provide a little bit of background on their connections to the works of Stephen King and the world of the Dark Tower. They also lay out the plan for upcoming episodes of the podcast. … Continue reading Ep. 0: Introductions →
